METHOD, APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM FOR PRE-SELLING TICKETS TO EFFECT A BOOKING OF AN EVENT

• US 20070250354A1
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IMDb.com, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IMDb.com, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Neulight, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,752 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and program for pre-selling tickets to determine whether to book an event or activity, and for facilitating the sale of those tickets. Consumers who pre-purchase a ticket are plainly notified if an event has not yet been booked. They are also shown the progress toward the likely booking of the event. A successful pre-sale of tickets triggers the booking of the event. An unsuccessful pre-sale results in the event not being booked. Consumers who help effect an event booking may be given privileges over those who purchase traditional tickets for the same event after it has already been booked.

Claims

1. A method of determining a booking of an event by pre-selling tickets to the event using a central ticket controller linked to at least one computer processor, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a critical mass criteria and a critical date criteria for an event to set up a pre-selling of tickets for the event;

b) receiving a request to pre-purchase a ticket of the event from a user;

c) processing the request to pre-purchase a ticket for the event;

d) providing information about a future fulfillment of the ticket to the user; and

e) triggering the booking of the event when the critical mass and critical date criteria are achieved.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the critical mass criteria is defined as a volume of sales of tickets for the event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the critical date criteria is a date and time of day by which the critical mass must be attained to book the event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is an activity that regulates admission by purchasing a ticket or a secured reservation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the event is a commercial travel engagement.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of processing the request comprises:

a) using an on-line merchant processor model to submit customer information;

b) sending customer information to pre-purchase the ticket to the central ticket controller;

c) transmitting a purchase price from the central ticket controller to a customer;

d) securing a method of payment that is capable of being automatically processed by the computer processor; and

e) receiving a binding agreement of sale.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the binding agreement of sale provides that if the critical mass criteria is satisfied before the critical date arrives, then the event will be booked, the payment will be processed, and the ticket will be fulfilled to the customer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the binding agreement of sale provides that if the critical mass criteria is not satisfied before the critical date arrives, then the event will not be booked, the payment will not be processed, and the ticket will not be fulfilled to the customer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting information comprises:

a) confirming to a customer that the ticket has been pre-purchased for future fulfillment;

b) notifying the customer that the event has not yet been booked; and

c) showing a real-time registration of a sale.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a payment or a credit to a customer for engaging in a personal marketing of an un-booked event that results in a ticket sale.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of withholding selective information from a customer about the pre-sale of a ticket for the event.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the information withheld from the customer is selected from a group consisting of critical mass criteria, critical date criteria, venue capacity, event venue, and event date.

13. A system for determining a booking of an event by pre-selling tickets to the event, comprising:

a) a central ticket controller;

b) one or more external devices linked to the central ticket controller, the central ticket controller further comprising software executed by the central ticket controller, the software implementing the steps of;

i) receiving a critical mass criteria and a critical date criteria for an event to set up a pre-selling of tickets for the event;

ii) receiving a request to pre-purchase a ticket of the event from the one or more external devices;

iii) processing the request to pre-purchase a ticket for the event;

iv) providing information about a future fulfillment of the ticket to the one or more external devices; and

v) triggering the booking of the event when the critical mass and critical date criteria are achieved.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more external devices further comprises a terminal adapted to receive a request to pre-purchase a ticket for future fulfillment, wherein the terminal is further adapted for communicating the request to the central ticket controller, and processing the request.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the terminal is a home computer.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the terminal is capable of implementing an on-line merchant processor model for processing the request.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the terminal is capable of securing a method of payment that is capable of being automatically processed.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the terminal is capable of executing a binding agreement of sale.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the binding agreement of sale provides that if the critical mass criteria is satisfied before the critical date arrives, then the event will be booked, the payment will be processed, and the ticket will be fulfilled to a customer.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the binding agreement of sale provides that if the critical mass criteria is not satisfied before the critical date arrives, then the event will not be booked, the payment will not be processed, and the ticket will not be fulfilled to a customer.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising a means for notifying at least one other customer of an un-booked event.