ASSIGNING AND MANAGING PATRON RESERVATIONS FOR DISTRIBUTED SERVICES USING WIRELESS PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20110119099A1
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lo-Q PLC
• Original Assignee: Lo-Q PLC
• Inventors: Waytena, William, Sachs, Robert R., Raubvogel, Amir H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,396,727 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 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system and method for assigning and managing patron reservations to one or more of a plurality of attractions receive reservation requests at personal communication devices (PCDs). Reservation requests are transmitted to a computer associated with the selected attraction, which determines a proposed reservation time based on information describing the attraction, the patron, previously-made reservations maintained in a virtual queue, and the current state of a physical queue associated with the attraction. Proposed reservation time is transmitted to the PCD for confirmation or rejection by the patron. Confirmed reservations are entered in the virtual queue. Patrons are alerted by the PCD when their reservation time is approaching.

Claims

1. In a system for assigning and managing patron reservations to one or more of a plurality of attractions, a personal communication device associated with at least one patron, comprising:

a user interface for receiving from the patron a reservation request for a selected attraction;

a request generation module, coupled to the user interface, for processing the received reservation request by selectively determining the validity of the received reservation request; and

a communications module, coupled to the request generation module, for, responsive to the request generation module determining that the received reservation request is valid, transmitting the processed reservation request to a computer associated with the selected attraction, and for receiving a response from the computer.