Management of the flow of persons in relation to centers of crowd concentration

• US 20040172315A1
• Filed: 10/15/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Stafford, Dale A., Hale, Gregory B., Schwalb, Andrew, Craven, Tom, Schweizer, Kenneth W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,222,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems

Abstract

A method and system for the loading of patrons at multiple attractions at an entertainment includes the first-in first-out line and a priority based line. A cellular telephone is used to obtain and claim priority status. In other forms different priorities are established based on where, when and the number of priority spaces required. Different hierarchies are established for computer controlling the different lines for multiple attractions in the entertainment environment. The system and method also provide for moving people from an area of concentration to other locations.

Claims

1. A method of managing the movement persons from a defined first location area comprising:

a. communicating with persons, selectively through a wireless medium, and more selectively through a cellular telephone in connection with departure from a first location;

b. permitting application through an entry of a request on the communication medium, selectively a cellular telephone, for an allocation of a space or time for leaving a designated first location including the steps of;

i. receiving an input from a person at a remote first location, the input being communicated to a central computer for regulating the numbers of persons at a first location relative to persons being directed to at a second location;

ii. permitting the receiving of a response by the persons remotely about available times for the departing from a first location; and

iii. permitting the person to effect a selection of one of the departure times; and

c. employing an input, preferably keying, operation through the cellular telephone to provide for permitting the departure from the first location.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the input from the remote first location is received from a telephone keypad, selectively a cellular phone keypad.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the input is effected from multiple first locations in the environment, and wherein a keypad of the cellular telephone is used for permitting the departure from multiple first locations to multiple selected second locations.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein persons at the first location who are not allocated a time for departure, are permitted to depart on an first-in first-out availability basis.