System and method for tracking activities of a customer at a resort area

• US 20140136105A1
• Filed: 01/22/2014
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VAIL Resorts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: VAIL Resorts Incorporated
• Inventors: Chakraborty, Sayan, Bruns, Logan, Urwiler, Robert, April, Tim, Younge, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US14/161,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20140136105A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/521
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/00 Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/00 Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns methods or arrangements for marking the record carrier in digital fashion G06K1/00; pattern recognition G06F18/00; arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding G06V10/00; character recognition, recognising digital ink or document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10425 the interrogation device being arranged for interrogation of record carriers passing by the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H

Abstract

A system and method monitor skier behavior. An identifier is read from a lift access product when the lift access product is in the vicinity of a lift boarding area and a scan record containing the identifier, location information of the lift boarding area and a time stamp if generated. The scan record is processed to generate a location event record that is stored within a location database. The location database is processed to determine skier behavior based upon the location event records.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. A computer-based method for tracking activities of a customer at a ski resort area, comprising:

reading a customer identifier associated with the customer, using a scanner;

generating one or more scan records containing the customer identifier, location information of the customer and a time stamp;

storing information from said one or more scan record within a database;

determining customer activity from information in said database;

identifying, from said customer activity in said database, when the customer has met the criteria associated with a predetermined activity; and

conveying to the customer that said predetermined activity has been accomplished.

8. The computer-based method of claim 7, wherein the accomplishment of said predetermined activity is associated with a reward.

9. The computer-based method of claim 7, wherein achieving said predetermined activity awards the customer one or more experience points which are redeemable for rewards selected by the customer.

10. The computer-based method of claim 7, wherein said predetermined activity is skiing a predetermined amount of vertical feet within a set time period.

11. The computer-based method of claim 7, wherein said accomplishment of the predetermined activity is published to a social networking site.

12. The computer-based method of claim 7, wherein the customer identifier is read from a lift access product.

13. The computer-based method of claim 7, wherein whether the criteria has been met is based on the accomplishment of the customer relative to accomplishments of other customers in a competitive setting.

14. The computer-based method of claim 13, wherein the criteria is having a highest ranking compared to other customers for the predetermined activity.

15. The computer-based method of claim 9, wherein the rewards are redeemable at a kiosk.

16. The computer-based method of claim 7, wherein said predetermined activity is using a particular terrain park feature.

17. A system for monitoring the accomplishments of customers at a ski resort area, comprising:

a scanner, wherein the scanner is configured to read a customer identifier associated with the customer and generate one or more scan records containing a unique identifier associated with the customer identifier, location information of a lift boarding area, and a time stamp;

a data storage system configured to store the one or more scan records;

a computer configured to access the one or more scan records in the data storage system and identify when the customer has met the criteria associated with a predetermined activity, and convey to the customer that the predetermined activity has been accomplished.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein an integrity tool alerts an operator to investigate a communication issue between the computer and the scanner.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein, subsequent to the scanner reading a customer identifier, the computer transmits information to the scanner pertaining to the customer.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the information pertaining to the customer includes demographic information.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the accomplishment of said predetermined activity is associated with a reward.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein achieving said predetermined activity awards the customer one or more experience points which are redeemable for rewards selected by the customer.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein whether the criteria has been met is based on the accomplishment of the customer relative to accomplishments of other customers in a competitive setting.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the criteria is having a highest ranking compared to other customers for the predetermined activity.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein said predetermined activity is using a particular terrain park feature.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the scanner is an RFID scanner.