ATTRACTION WAIT-TIME INQUIRY APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A method for electronically distributing attraction wait-times to customers of a physical establishment, the method comprising:
- maintaining a database of wait-times for attractions within the physical establishment, the database comprising at least one wait-time associated with each of a plurality of attractions of the physical establishment;
receiving a request message from each of a plurality of portable computing devices, each received request message requesting the wait-times for one or more attractions of the physical establishment;
retrieving for each received request message, the requested wait-times, from the database; and
sending for each received request message, a response message indicating the retrieved wait-times, the response message also indicating to which attraction each retrieved wait time relates, the response message for each received request message being sent to the portable computing device from which the request message was received.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed that enables a plurality of users of portable computing devices to each individually request and receive wait-time indications for each of a plurality of attractions within a physical establishment. In certain embodiments the attractions are rides and the physical establishments are amusement parks. In this way, users of portable computing device, such as mobile phones, may individually request and receive wait-time indications for each of a plurality of rides within at least one of a plurality of amusement parks. The methods and apparatus may be configured to maintain and access a database of wait-time values for a plurality of attractions within one or more physical establishments. In certain embodiments, request messages are received as SMS text messages from mobile phone and response messages are sent as SMS text messages to mobile phones.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for electronically distributing attraction wait-times to customers of a physical establishment, the method comprising:
-
maintaining a database of wait-times for attractions within the physical establishment, the database comprising at least one wait-time associated with each of a plurality of attractions of the physical establishment; receiving a request message from each of a plurality of portable computing devices, each received request message requesting the wait-times for one or more attractions of the physical establishment; retrieving for each received request message, the requested wait-times, from the database; and sending for each received request message, a response message indicating the retrieved wait-times, the response message also indicating to which attraction each retrieved wait time relates, the response message for each received request message being sent to the portable computing device from which the request message was received. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An apparatus for electronically distributing attraction wait-times to customers of a physical establishment, the apparatus comprising:
-
a database of wait-times for attractions within a physical establishment, the database comprising at least one wait-time associated each one of a plurality of attractions of the physical establishment; and a server connected to a wireless communication link, the server adapted to, receive a request message from each of a plurality of portable computing devices, each received request message requesting the wait-times for one or more attractions of the physical establishment; retrieve for each received request message, the requested wait-times, from the database; and send for each received request message, a response message indicating the retrieved wait times and the attractions to which the wait time relate, the response message for each received request message being sent to the portable computing device from which the request message was received. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification