Computer-implemented systems and methods for resource allocation

• US 20070143157A1
• Filed: 02/06/2007
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ticketmaster (Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated)
• Inventors: Denker, Dennis, Sussman, Adam, Bennett, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,949,595 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 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for processing queue data and for providing queue messaging over a network. An illustrative queuing system includes a first queue configured to hold resource requests from a plurality of users, and program code stored in computer readable memory configured to determine or estimate whether a resource requested by a first resource request submitted by a first requester will be available when the first resource request will be serviced, and to transmit a message over a network to the first requester indicating that the requested resource will not be available when the queued request is serviced if it is estimated or determined that the requested resource will not be available when the first request is serviced.

Claims

1. A method of setting minimum bids for tickets in a ticket auction, the method comprising:

setting an initial minimum bid for a first set of seat tickets for a first event based at least in part on historical sales data; and

setting a minimum bid for a second set of seat tickets for the first event based at least in part on bid information for the first event, wherein the second set of seat tickets are auctioned after the first set of seat tickets.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the bid information includes information related to the number of bids received for tickets for the first event.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the bid information includes information related to the rate of bids for tickets for the first event.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the historical sales data includes historical parking revenues.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the historical sales data includes historical concession revenues.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the historical sales data includes historical ticket sales data.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising reading from computer readable memory a minimum bid adjustment limit.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising:

reading from computer readable memory a first minimum bid adjustment limit,

wherein the setting of the minimum bid for a second set of seat tickets is constrained by the first minimum bid adjustment limit.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the setting of the second minimum bid is based at least in part on unsold seat inventory.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the timing of offering at auction seat tickets with associated with the second minimum bid is based at least in the time period remaining prior to the event.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising:

releasing additional seat tickets at a time after the beginning of the event ticket auction and before the event occurring;

determining that at least one user requested that a notification be provided when additional seats are released for auction; and

causing a notification related the release of additional seats to be transmitted to the at least one user.

12. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising storing a reserve price associated with at least one seat ticket being auctioned, wherein the reserve price is not disclosed to bidders prior to the close of the auction for the at least one seat ticket.

13. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining winning bids for tickets for a first set of seats, wherein the winning bids include a highest winning bid from a first bidder and a lowest winning bid from a second bidder;

calculating a first ticket price lower than the highest winning bids and higher than the lowest winning bid;

charging the first bidder the first ticket price for at least one ticket; and

charging the second bidder the first ticket price for at least one ticket.

14. The method as defined in claim 13, further comprising charging the first bidder a delivery and/or service fee in addition to the first ticket price.

15. A system for enhancing yields, the system comprising code stored in computer readable memory configured to:

provide a user interface via which a user can define and/or select event characteristics with respect to a first event;

provide a user interface via which a user can set an event filter used to locate one or more historical events that correspond to the filter;

provide the user with a predicted sales rate for the first event.

16. The system as defined in claim 15, wherein the event characteristics is selected from a group including at least one of the following:

primary performer;

secondary performer;

performance date;

day of week;

time of day;

venue.

17. The system as defined in claim 15, wherein the code is further configured to receive a value count corresponding to at least one characteristic.

18. The system as defined in claim 15, wherein the code is further configured to receive a remapping indication from the user that maps a first characteristic value to a second characteristic value.

19. A system for estimating demand, the system comprising code stored in computer readable memory configured to:

store in computer readable memory a first demand estimate for a first event from a first source;

store in computer readable memory a second demand estimate for the first event from a second source;

access a first weighting and a second weighting from computer readable memory; and

calculate a third demand estimate using the first demand estimate, the second demand estimate, the first weighting and the second weighting.

20. A system for providing demand estimating information, the system comprising code stored in computer readable memory configured to:

generate a graphical display including;

demand rate data for a plurality of historical events;

predicted demand rate data for a future event, wherein in the predicted demand rate data is at least partly based on at least a portion of the demand rate data for the plurality of historical events.

21. The system as defined in claim 20, the system further comprising code stored in computer readable memory configured to:

enable a user to select a subset of the graphically displayed demand rate data for the plurality of historical events; and

generate a graphical display related to event characteristics associated with the selected subset.

22. A system for providing cash flow information, the system comprising code stored in computer readable memory configured to:

display a plurality of rule inputs and corresponding rule types; and

providing pessimistic estimated cash flows, optimistic estimated cash flows, and/or estimated cash flows with a cash flow value between the pessimistic estimated cash flow and the optimistic cash flow, corresponding to the plurality of rule inputs.

23. A system for selecting ticket prices to enhance revenues, the system comprising code stored in computer readable memory configured to:

receive user cash flow enhancement instructions,

wherein the user can select from a plurality of event demand scenarios, and

the user can indicate which cost and income items are to be used in generating a cash flow enhancement process; and

present to the user at least a first ticket price, wherein the first ticket price was generated at least in part by the cash flow enhancement process.