SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR VARIABLE DISTRIBUTION AND ACCESS CONTROL FOR PURCHASED EVENT TICKETS

• US 20150051928A1
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: StubHub, Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Gibson, Ashley, Costello, Cass Patrick, Wolfe, Geoffrey, Green, Julian
• Granted Patent: US 9,911,086 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 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00

Abstract

A system and methods for providing variable distribution and access control for purchased event tickets are described. In one embodiment, a network-based system receives an order for electronic tickets purchased by a buyer, receives one or more recipients other than the buyer for one or more of the electronic tickets, receives delivery options for the recipients from the buyer, receives delivery information for the recipients from the buyer, and delivers electronic ticket information to the recipients. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An electronic ticketing system comprising:

a network communication device at an event venue that receives ticketing information associated with at least two electronic tickets purchased by a buyer, wherein a first of the at least two electronic tickets provides access to the event venue for the buyer of the at least two purchased electronic tickets, wherein a second of the at least two electronic tickets provides access to the event venue for a recipient of the second of the at least two electronic tickets, and wherein ticket information for the second of the at least two electronic tickets is delivered to the recipient using recipient delivery information submitted by the buyer and delivered to a first mobile communication device of the buyer in an electronic message that can be used to provide access to the recipient to the event venue; and

a scanner at the event venue and in communication with the network communication device that accesses the ticketing information, receives at least one of a driver'"'"'s license or a credit card for the buyer to provide access to the buyer to the event venue using the first of the at least two electronic tickets, and receives one of the electronic ticket information and the electronic message to provide access to the recipient to the event venue using the second of the at least two electronic tickets.

2. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the recipient delivery information includes an e-mail address or a mobile phone number and delivery is to a second mobile communication device of the recipient.

3. The electronic ticketing system of claim 2, wherein the ticketing information is printable on a paper copy comprising a bar code for use with the scanner at the event venue.

4. The electronic ticketing system of claim 2, wherein the ticketing information comprises a displayable code on the second mobile communication device for use with the scanner at the event venue.

5. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic ticket information comprises a link to a web page for rendering the second of the at least two electronic tickets.

6. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic ticket information comprises an image of the second of the at least two electronic tickets.

7. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic message comprises at least one of an SMS message, an MMS message, and an e-mail to the buyer.

8. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic ticket information comprises a request to accept the second of the at least two electronic tickets by the recipient.

9. The electronic ticketing system of claim 8, wherein the recipient accepts the request by one of sending a reply message, navigating to a web page, selecting a hyperlink, and entering an alphanumeric character string associated with the second of the at least two electronic tickets to a text entry box or reply text message.

10. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein ownership of the electronic tickets is retained by the buyer.

11. The electronic ticketing system of claim 10, wherein the buyer prevents resale of the second of the at least two electronic tickets based on the ownership retained by the buyer.

12. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the buyer assigns access rights to the second of the at least two electronic tickets to the recipient.

13. The electronic ticketing system of claim 12, wherein the access rights to the second of the at least two electronic tickets are communicated to the network communication device at the event venue.

14. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic ticket information comprises at least one of location information for the event venue, event information for the second of the at least two electronic tickets, and seating information for the second of the at least two electronic tickets at the event venue.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, via a network communication device of an electronic ticketing system at an event venue, ticketing information associated with at least two electronic tickets purchased by a buyer, wherein a first of the at least two electronic tickets provides access to the event venue for the buyer of the at least two purchased electronic tickets, wherein a second of the at least two electronic tickets provides access to the event venue for a recipient of the second of the at least two electronic tickets, and wherein ticket information for the second of the at least two electronic tickets is delivered to the recipient using recipient delivery information submitted by the buyer and delivered to a first mobile communication device of the buyer in an electronic message that can be used to provide access to the recipient to the event venue;

accessing, by a scanner of the electronic ticketing system at the event venue, the ticketing information;

receiving, by the scanner, at least one of a driver'"'"'s license or a credit card for the buyer to provide access to the buyer to the event venue using the first of the at least two electronic tickets; and

receiving, by the scanner, one of the electronic ticket information and the electronic message to provide access to the recipient to the event venue using the second of the at least two electronic tickets.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the recipient delivery information includes an e-mail or a mobile phone number and delivery is to a second mobile communication device of the recipient.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the ticketing information comprises at least one of a printable copy comprising a bar code and a displayable code on the second mobile communication device for use with the scanner at the event venue.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the recipient accepts the second of the at least two electronic tickets by one of sending a reply message, navigating to a web page, selecting a hyperlink, and entering an alphanumeric character string associated with the second of the at least two electronic tickets to a text entry box or reply text message.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the buyer assigns access rights to the second of the at least two electronic tickets to the recipient.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable modules which, in response to execution by an electronic ticketing system, cause the electronic ticketing system to perform a method comprising

receiving, via a network communication device of an electronic ticketing system at an event venue, ticketing information associated with at least two electronic tickets purchased by a buyer, wherein a first of the at least two electronic tickets provides access to the event venue for the buyer of the at least two purchased electronic tickets, wherein a second of the at least two electronic tickets provides access to the event venue for a recipient of the second of the at least two electronic tickets, and wherein ticket information for the second of the at least two electronic tickets is delivered to the recipient using recipient delivery information submitted by the buyer and delivered to a first mobile communication device of the buyer in an electronic message that can be used to provide access to the recipient to the event venue;

accessing, by a scanner of the electronic ticketing system at the event venue, the ticketing information;

receiving, by the scanner, at least one of a driver'"'"'s license or a credit card for the buyer to provide access to the buyer to the event venue using the first of the at least two electronic tickets; and

receiving, by the scanner, one of the electronic ticket information and the electronic message to provide access to the recipient to the event venue using the second of the at least two electronic tickets.