DYNAMIC INTERACTIVE SEAT MAP

• US 20120166960A1
• Filed: 12/27/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SubHub, Inc. (ARC Document Solutions, Inc.), StubHub, Inc.
• Original Assignee: StubHub, Inc.
• Inventors: Salles, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 9,367,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing an interactive seat map showing locations of available tickets in an event venue are described. A client computer receives, from a network-based system, a base map illustrating locations of sections within the event venue, a coded image map for building a map overlay having a polygon for each section depicted in the base map, and an inventory for an event at the event venue. The inventory provides, for each section, section data that includes available tickets for each section within the event venue. The client computer displays an interactive seat map by loading the base map and building the map overlay on top of the base map so that each polygon of the map overlay aligns with the respective section of the base map. The client computer determines one or more characteristics for each polygon of the map overlay based on the received section data corresponding to each polygon. The client computer applies the one or more characteristics to each polygon of the map overlay, and links each polygon of the map overlay that includes available tickets to the section in the inventory.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interactive seat map showing locations of available tickets in an event venue, the method comprising:

receiving, at the client computer from a network-based system, a base map illustrating locations of sections within the event venue;

receiving, at the client computer from the network-based system, a coded image map for building a map overlay comprising a polygon for each section depicted in the base map;

receiving, at the client computer from the network-based system, an inventory for an event at the event venue, the inventory providing, for each section, section data that includes available tickets for each section within the event venue;

displaying, at the client computer, the interactive seat map by loading the base map and building the map overlay on top of the base map so that each polygon of the map overlay aligns with the respective section of the base map;

determining, at the client computer, one or more characteristics for each polygon of the map overlay based on the received section data corresponding to each polygon;

applying the one or more characteristics to each polygon of the map overlay; and

linking each polygon of the map overlay that includes available tickets to the section in the inventory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the inventory next to the interactive seat map.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a polygon of the map overlay, and

in response to the selection receipt, displaying, in the inventory, the section corresponding to the selected polygon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the base map is a JPEG image file format.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the base map is formed without the use of vector graphics.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the base map is formed using raster graphics.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the received section data includes one or more of a section identification, a section title, and ticket information for tickets available for the section.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein ticket information includes one or more of a location of a ticket within the section, a price of a ticket within the section, and a quantity of a ticket available in the section.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, at the client computer, the one or more characteristics for each polygon of the map overlay based on the received section data corresponding to each polygon includes determining one or more of a color to fill the polygon, a stroke color for the polygon, and a transparency of the polygon.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein linking each polygon of the map overlay that includes available tickets to the section in the inventory includes displaying the section in the inventory corresponding to the polygon after receiving a selection of the polygon of the map overlay at the client computer.

11. A computer-readable storage medium comprising executable computer program instructions that, when executed, enable a client computer system to:

receive, from a network-based system, a base map illustrating locations of sections within the event venue;

receive, from the network-based system, a coded image map for building a map overlay comprising a polygon for each section depicted in the base map;

receive, from the network-based system, an inventory for an event at the event venue, the inventory providing, for each section, section data that includes available tickets for each section within the event venue;

display an interactive seat map by loading the base map and building the map overlay on top of the base map so that each polygon of the map overlay aligns with the respective section of the base map;

determine one or more characteristics for each polygon of the map overlay based on the received section data corresponding to each polygon;

apply the one or more characteristics to each polygon of the map overlay; and

link each polygon of the map overlay that includes available tickets to the section in the inventory.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the client computer system is enabled to display the inventory next to the interactive seat map.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the client computer system is enabled to:

receive a selection of a polygon of the map overlay, and

in response to the selection receipt, display, in the inventory, the section corresponding to the selected polygon.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the base map is formed without the use of vector graphics.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the base map is formed using raster graphics.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the received section data includes one or more of a section identification, a section title, and ticket information for tickets available for the section.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein ticket information includes one or more of a location of a ticket within the section, a price of a ticket within the section, and a quantity of a ticket available in the section.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the client computer system is enabled to determine the one or more characteristics for each polygon of the map overlay based on the received section data corresponding to each polygon by determining one or more of a color to fill the polygon, a stroke color for the polygon, and a transparency of the polygon.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the client computer system is enabled to link each polygon of the map overlay that includes available tickets to the section in the inventory by displaying the section in the inventory corresponding to the polygon after receiving a selection of the polygon of the map overlay at the client computer.

20. A network-based system comprising:

one or more servers to;

transfer, to a client computer system, a base map illustrating locations of sections within an event venue;

transfer, to the client computer system, a coded image map for building a map overlay comprising a polygon for each section depicted in the base map;

transfer, to the client computer system, an inventory for an event at the event venue, the inventory providing, for each section, section data that includes available tickets for each section within the event venue; and

receive, from the client computer system, a selection of one or more available tickets from a selection of a section of an interactive seat map built and displayed at the client computer system using the map overlay and the base map.