Method for reading electronic tickets

• US 6,454,174 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Sansone, Ronald P.
• Primary Examiner(s): TREMBLAY, MARK STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US09/573,364
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 235/494, 705/5, 705/26, 705/27, 283/902
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/122 Online card verification
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/902 Anti-photocopy

Abstract

This invention produces a unique number that identifies the purchaser of the ticket based upon information obtained about the purchaser and the purchaser'"'"'s computer system during the purchase of the ticket. The system will produce an additional unique number that may take the form of a bar code that is printed on the ticket during the production of the ticket. The bar code may be encrypted and related to the printer that printed the ticket. A reader at the location that the ticket is presented for the purchaser'"'"'s entrance reads the bar code that contains information about the printer that printed the ticket and verifies the information contained in the bar code.

Claims

1. A method for producing electronic tickets, comprising the steps of:

checking characteristics of a printer that is going to print a graphic field on the ticket that will change in appearance when the ticket is either reproduced by either scanning/printing and/or photocopying,

printing the ticket if the checked characteristics are acceptable; and

producing a unique number on the ticket that identifies the purchaser of the ticket based on information obtained about the purchaser and the purchaser'"'"'s printer system during the purchase of the ticket.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the graphic field is a plurality of detectable half tone gray steps when printed by a personal computer printer.

3. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein a human eye will perceive the graphic field to vary from black to gray to white.

4. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the graphic field is a continuum of spots that slowly vary from small white backgrounds with large black spots to small black spots on a white background.

5. The method claimed in claim 4, wherein the size of the spots are below the resolution limit of the human eye.

6. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the scanning/printing and/or photocopying processes will produce mottle in a gray zone in the graphic field.

7. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the scanning/printing and/or photocopying processes will produce bands in the graphic field.

8. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic ticket may be ordered over the internet.

9. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the steps of:

recording a test pattern on a material after the checking step so that a purchaser will be able to check the print quality of the printer before the ticket is printed.

10. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the steps of:

reading the unique number to determine if the ticket is valid.

11. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the unique number includes:

the printer manufacturer.

12. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the unique number includes:

the printer model number.

13. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the unique number includes:

the printer settings of the printer.

14. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the unique number is encrypted.

15. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the unique number includes:

the postal address where the printer is located.

16. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the unique number includes:

the date the ticket was printed.

17. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the unique number includes:

the time the ticket was printed.

18. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the unique number includes:

an assigned seat number.

19. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the unique number includes:

a ticket buyer'"'"'s name.

20. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the unique number includes:

a ticket buyers address.

21. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the unique number includes:

a ticket buyer'"'"'s personal computer identification number.