SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING SEAT RESERVATIONS

• US 20130013354A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 01/10/2013
• 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 8,775,223 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

This invention relates to an electronic means by which people can select the exact seat or seats they want for any type of event or reserve an appointment for any activity. More specifically, a customer or a ticket re-seller or a venue operator can go, for example, to the internet and select the event or activity for which he wants a ticket or tickets or reserve a time and reserve and order the exact seat or seats or the time of his choosing directly online. The seat or seats or reserved time he selects is then removed from the inventory for that activity or event and made not available for any other buyer and such is so indicated by a graphical representation or other such indicator on the online map or picture representing availability of seating or time for that event.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, using a computer processor, a seat that a user has selected at a venue;

receiving, from a first user computing device, data relating to payment for the selected seat;

processing the payment data;

based on confirmation of the payment data, updating a data storage system to remove the selected seat from available inventory;

transmitting data to a second user computing device indicating that the selected seat is unavailable based on removal of the selected seat from available inventory; and

transmitting, to the first user computing device, additional data being configured to display, on the first user computing device, one or more services, activities, or events available to the user;

wherein the transmitting of additional data is based at least in part on receipt, by the first user computing device, of data reflecting a confirmation of the selected seat.