System and method for allocating seats for a ticketed event

• US 20060116916A1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MLB Advanced Media, L.P. (Major League Baseball)
• Original Assignee: MLB Advanced Media, L.P. (Major League Baseball)
• Inventors: Plutzer, Mark, Benz, Heather L., Bowman, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/6
• 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

Abstract

A system and method relates to allocating seats to a ticketed event. The method can include receiving a request for a number of seats at a ticketed event, selecting a first seat wherein the first seat is determined to be a best unassigned seat at the ticketed event, and determining a best grouping of seats wherein the best grouping of seats includes the number of seats requested and further wherein the best grouping of seats comprises the best unassigned seat at the ticketed event.

Claims

1. A method for allocating seats to a ticketed event, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a number of seats at a ticketed event;

selecting a first seat wherein the first seat is determined to be a best unassigned seat at the ticketed event; and

determining a best grouping of seats wherein the best grouping of seats includes the number of seats requested and further wherein the best grouping of seats comprises the best unassigned seat at the ticketed event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a best grouping of seats comprises identifying unassigned seats at the ticketed events that are adjoining each other and total the number of seats requested.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein adjoining seats in a group are seats sharing a boundary with at least one other seat in the group.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a best grouping of seats comprises identifying unassigned seats at the ticketed events that are adjoining each other, are located in more than one row, and total the number of seats requested.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the determined best grouping of seats.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a communication to reserve the determined best grouping of seats.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a communication to identify a next best grouping of seats, wherein a next best grouping of seats includes the number of seats requested and further wherein the next best grouping of seats comprises the next best unassigned seat at the ticketed event.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a definition of best seat from a ticket purchaser.

9. A system that identifies groupings of available seats to be allocated for a ticketed event, the system comprising:

a communication interface that receives a request for a number of seats at a ticketed event; and

a programmed processor that determines a best grouping of seats wherein the best grouping of seats includes the number of seats requested and further wherein the best grouping of seats comprises a best unassigned seat at the ticketed event.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the best grouping of seats comprises seats in a group where the seats in the group share a boundary with at least one other seat in the group.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a database containing seating information for the ticketed event.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor determines a next best grouping of seats if the best seat unassigned at the ticketed event does not have a grouping of proximate seats totaling the number of seats requested.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the programmed processor determines more than one grouping of seats wherein each of the more than one grouping of seats includes the number of seats requested.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication interface receives a selection of the more than one grouping of seats.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the communication interface is coupled to the Internet.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the best unassigned seat is selected from a section of seats identified by a ticket purchaser.

17. A system that allocates seats for a ticketed event, the system comprising:

means for receiving a request for a number of seats at a ticketed event; and

means for determining a best grouping of seats wherein the best grouping of seats includes the number of seats requested and further wherein the best grouping of seats comprises a best unassigned seat at the ticketed event.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the best grouping of seats comprises seats in a group where the seats in the group share a boundary with at least one other seat in the group.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for determining more than one grouping of seats wherein each of the more than one grouping of seats includes the number of seats requested.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for identifying sub-grouping of seats wherein the sub-grouping of seats includes the number of seats requested and further wherein the sub-grouping of seats comprises a best unassigned seat at the ticketed event.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the sub-grouping of seats comprises two sub-groups.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein criteria for seats in a group is adjustable by selection from a ticket purchaser.