Home ticketing system

• US 20050240453A1
• Filed: 04/18/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Lyons, Scott
• Application Number:
  US11/109,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240453A1
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 1/00 Machines for printing and issuing tickets printing mechanisms per se B41; output mechanisms of digital computers G06C11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00

Abstract

A system and method for accessing a venue, such as an amusement park, on one or more days, using an electronic ticket purchased over one'"'"'s home computer and converted to a hard ticket at the venue.

Claims

1. A system for accessing a venue on one or more days comprising:

computer means having access to the website of a remote server for purchasing online an electronic ticket to a venue or the like electronically from the website of the remote server;

first printing means associated with either the computer means or with the remote server for printing out a hard copy electronic ticket having a random bar code on said electronic ticket assigned by the server;

scanning means at the venue for scanning the electronic ticket when presented at the venue and decoding the information recorded on the bar code on the electronic ticket; and

second printing means associated with the scanning means at the venue for printing out a hard ticket replacing said electronic ticket and invalidating said electronic ticket.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said server includes printing instructions means for conveying printing instructions to said computer means for printing said electronic ticket associated therewith.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said scanning means at said venue includes a kiosk at the entrance to said venue having a printer associated therewith, said printer comprising said second printing means.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said scanning means at said venue includes a turnstile at the entrance to said venue having a printer associated therewith, said printer comprising said second printing means.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said scanning means at said venue includes a roaming ticket seller at said venue, said ticket seller having said computer means with a wireless connection associated therewith.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said roaming ticket seller includes a printer adapted to print a ticket receipt with a barcode thereon comprising said electronic ticket.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said second printing means for printing out a replacement ticket at said venue includes conforming means associated therewith for printing out a ticket conforming to the type of ticket normally used for admission at said venue.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said conforming means for printing out a ticket at said venue conforming to the type of ticket normally used at said venue includes the step of printing out a ticket conforming substantially to the exact dimensions and type of planar material used as an admission ticket at the venue.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer means is located at the residence of the purchaser of said electronic ticket.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer means is located at an office of the purchaser of said electronic ticket.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer means is located at a hotel.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer means is located at a travel agency.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said venue is an amusement park.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said venue is a ticketed attraction.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said ticketed attraction is a theater.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said ticketed attraction is an opera house.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein said ticketed attraction is a concert.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein said ticketed attraction is a stage presentation.

19. The system of claim 1 where said hard ticket is a multi-day ticket valid for entrance to said venue on multiple days.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein said hard ticket is valid for entrance to one or more attractions at said venue.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein said hard ticket includes promotional information printed thereon.

22. A method for accessing a venue on one or more days comprising the steps of:

accessing a remote server to purchase an electronic ticket to said venue from a seller associated with said server;

preparing the information for an electronic ticket at the server based on information conveyed by the purchaser relating to said venue and time of attendance at said venue;

printing an electronic ticket having said information encoded thereon; and

reading said encoded information on said electronic ticket at said venue and substituting a replacement ticket providing access to said venue at said venue.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of preparing the information for said electronic ticket includes the step of preparing information relating to a multi-day admission to said venue.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of reading said encoded information includes the step of reading said information at a turnstile located at the entrance to said venue.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of reading said encoded information includes the step of reading said encoded information at a kiosk located at the entrance to said venue.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of reading said encoded information includes the step of reading said encoded information at a roaming ticket seller located at the venue.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of substituting a replacement ticket includes the step of substituting, for the electronic ticket, a ticket conforming substantially to the dimensions and weight of planar materials for the type of admission ticket normally issued at the venue for entry thereto.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of preparing said information includes the step of preparing information allowing access to one or more attractions located at said venue.

29. The method of claim 22 including the step of subsequently invalidating said electronic ticket when said replacement ticket is substituted therefor.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein said seller is a roaming seller at said venue, said roaming seller carrying a computer having a wireless connection to said remote server and a printer, the step of printing an electronic ticket including the step of said roaming seller printing said electronic ticket on said printer with barcode information thereon.