SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTING AND RESERVING SETS OF SEATS

• US 20090083085A1
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CEATS Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CEATS Incorporated
• Inventors: Halavais, Richard Arthur, Chung, Tony Cheng-Tong
• Granted Patent: US 7,548,869 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 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for selecting and reserving sets of seats in a venue. The system and method transmit information relating to sets of available seats in a venue to an application running on a general purpose computer for display to the end user. The system and method also provide a page that includes an interactive seating map showing information relating to the sets of available seats. Through the interactive seating map the end user can select one or more available seats or sets of seats. The interactive seating map may provide additional information on one or more of the sets of available seats in response to a user interaction with the seating map, for example, when the user places a mouse over one of the sets of available seats.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for selling tickets to an end user over a wide area network, the method comprising:

transmitting information relating to a plurality of sets of available individual seats at a venue to an application running on a general purpose computer on the wide area network for display to the end user;

providing a page that comprises an interactive seating map representing information relating to the sets of available individual seats from which the end user can select one or more available seats, the interactive seating map providing additional information on one or more of the sets of available individual seats in response to a user interaction with the seating map, the interaction comprising placing a mouse over one of the sets of available individual seats;

receiving from the end user a selection of one or more selected seats; and

accepting over the wide area network from the end user a payment for the one or more selected seats.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the venue is a theater.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the venue is a stadium.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending to the end user a confirmation page that can be printed as a ticket or a ticket voucher.

5. A system for selling tickets to an end user over a wide area network, the system comprising:

a database storing a plurality of entries denoting a plurality of sets of available individual seats at a venue; and

a server, configured to;

query the database for information relating to the plurality of sets of available individual seats at the venue;

transmit the information to an application running on a general purpose computer on the wide area network for display to the end user;

provide a page that comprises an interactive seating map representing information relating to the sets of available individual seats from which the end user can select one or more available seats, the interactive seating map providing additional information on one or more of the sets of available individual seats in response to a user interaction with the seating map, the interaction comprising placing a mouse over one of the sets of available individual seats;

receive from the end user a selection of one or more selected seats; and

accept over the wide area network from the end user a payment for the one or more selected seats.

6. The system of claim 5 where the server is further configured to:

send to the end user a confirmation page that can be printed as a ticket or a ticket voucher.