Method and apparatus for leisure & entertainment merchandising

• US 20060129551A1
• Filed: 02/01/2006
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ties Social Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ties Social Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Teicher, Mordechai
• Granted Patent: US 8,090,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Leisure & entertainment attraction information is available from commercial attraction-provider servers. Users subscribe to a computerized service to facilitate making arrangements for visiting such attractions. Subscribers fill in wish-lists to specify their level of interest in specific attractions, in getting together with specific other subscribers, and in arranging their preferred schedules for outings. An encounter generator processes the subscriber wish-lists to identify matches of subscribers who are interested in the same attraction, who favor each other'"'"'s company, and who are free at the same time. The system notifies the matched subscribers, optionally offering ticketing and/or reservation assistance. The system is adaptable for serving singles who wish to identify and get to know a prospective mate through mutual visits to attractions, as well as individuals, couples, and families who want to go out with their existing friends or make new friends.

Claims

1. A method for merchandising, to a community of subscribers, commercial attractions offered by at least one attraction provider servers, the method comprising:

receiving the commercial attractions from the at least one attraction provider servers and presenting them to subscribers from the community;

receiving a wish-list from each participating subscriber from a plurality of subscribers from the community, said wish-list includes a ranking of said participating subscriber'"'"'s level of interest for attractions from the commercial attractions;

generating an encounter in response to said wish-lists of said plurality of subscribers, said generating includes;

picking an ensemble of subscribers for said encounter, and

assigning an attraction to said ensemble; and

presenting said encounter to said ensemble'"'"'s subscribers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating said generating at least one additional time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising booking with respect to said encounter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said each participating subscriber'"'"'s wish-list also includes a scoring of said participating subscriber'"'"'s level of interest for meeting other subscribers from the community.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

said scoring includes an indication whether said participating subscriber agrees to meet each of said other subscribers in a couple setting; and

said ensemble being of exactly two subscribers only if said indication of said two subscribers with respect to each other is mutually positive for a couple setting.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said each participating subscriber'"'"'s wish-list also includes a timing of said participating subscriber'"'"'s preferred schedule for visiting the commercial attractions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating an encounter also includes selecting a schedule for said encounter in response to said wish-lists of said ensemble'"'"'s subscribers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said each participating subscriber'"'"'s wish-list also includes a policy of said participating subscriber.

9. An apparatus for merchandising, to a community of subscribers, commercial attractions, the apparatus comprising:

a subscriber interface communicating with subscriber terminals;

an attraction interface communicating with at least one attraction provider servers; and

a processor configured to;

communicate with said at least one attraction provider servers and receive the commercial attractions,

communicate with terminals from said subscriber terminals and present the commercial attractions,

communicate with terminals from said subscriber terminals and receive a wish-list from each participating subscriber from a plurality of subscribers from the community, said wish-list includes a ranking of said participating subscriber'"'"'s level of interest for attractions from the commercial attractions,

generate an encounter in response to said wish-lists of said plurality of subscribers, said generate operation includes picking an ensemble of subscribers for said encounter and assigning an attraction to said ensemble, and

communicate with subscriber terminals of the ensemble'"'"'s subscribers and present said encounter to said ensemble'"'"'s subscribers.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said processor is further configured to repeat said generate operation at least one additional time.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said processor is further configured to facilitate booking with respect to said encounter.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said each participating subscriber'"'"'s wish-list also includes a scoring of said participating subscriber'"'"'s level of interest for meeting other subscribers from the community.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

said scoring includes an indication whether said participating subscriber agrees to meet each of said other subscribers in a couple setting; and

said ensemble being of exactly two subscribers only if said indication of said two subscribers with respect to each other is mutually positive for a couple setting.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said each participating subscriber'"'"'s wish-list also includes a timing of said participating subscriber'"'"'s preferred schedule for visiting the commercial attractions.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said generate operation also includes a selection of a schedule for said encounter in response to said wish-lists of said ensemble'"'"'s subscribers.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said each participating subscriber'"'"'s wish-list also includes a policy of said participating subscriber.

17. A system for merchandising, to a community of subscribers, commercial attractions, the system comprising:

at least one attraction provider servers;

a plurality of subscriber terminals operable by the subscribers; and

an encounter generator configured to;

communicate with said at least one attraction provider servers and receive the commercial attractions therefrom,

communicate with said subscriber terminals and receive a wish-list from each participating subscriber from a plurality of subscribers from the community, said wish-list includes a ranking of said participating subscriber'"'"'s level of interest for attractions from the commercial attractions,

generate an encounter in response to said wish-lists of said plurality of subscribers, said generate operation includes picking an ensemble of subscribers for said encounter and assigning an attraction to said ensemble, and

communicate with subscriber terminals of the ensemble'"'"'s subscribers for presenting said encounter to said ensemble'"'"'s subscribers, and

repeat said generate operation at least one additional time.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said encounter generator is further configured to facilitate booking with respect to said encounter.

19. A software product stored on a computer-readable medium to instruct a computer to:

communicate with at least one attraction provider servers for receiving commercial attractions therefrom;

communicate with community subscribers and receive a wish-list from each participating subscriber from a plurality of subscribers from said community, said wish-list includes a ranking of said participating subscriber'"'"'s level of interest for attractions from said commercial attractions;

generate an encounter, said generate includes;

picking an ensemble of subscribers for said encounter in response to said wish-lists of said plurality of subscribers, and assigning an attraction to said ensemble; and

communicate with the ensemble'"'"'s subscribers and present said encounter to said ensemble'"'"'s subscribers.

20. The software product of claim 19, further instructing the computer to:

facilitate booking with respect to said encounter.