Virtual-wait queue for mobile commerce

• US 6,845,361 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2000
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Eric M. Dowling
• Inventors: Dowling, Eric M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, RICHARD SUKYOON
• Application Number:
  US09/542,538
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/13, 705/5, 705/6, 705/26, 705/15, 340/825.28, 340/825.29, 340/825.36, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/162 involving adaptations of sockets based mechanisms secure socket layer H04L63/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/165 Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network

Abstract

A method and a system are provided for maintaining a virtual-wait queue that controls access by customers to a physical resource such as a restaurant table. The method and system are especially adapted for use by customers operating Internet-enabled wireless devices. The system operates by maintaining a virtual-wait queue data structure capable of storing a plurality of entries. Each entry is representative of a customer. The system accepts an instruction from a premises I/O device indicating to either add or delete an entry to the data structure. The system also accepts an instruction from a network connection to either add or delete the remote customer into or from the virtual wait queue. The virtual wait queue system indicates to the remote customer the estimated time left in the queue, freeing the customer from the need to wait in line.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining a virtual-wait queue for access to a physical resource, comprising:

maintaining in a computer server a queue data structure, the queue data structure for designating the relative positions in line of a plurality of customers, the queue data structure containing an ordered list of entries related to customer records, wherein with at least one such entry is associated a hold-place-in-line indicator, wherein the hold-place-in-line indicator is selectively set to be in at least one of a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state, the at least one such entry is selectively set to move toward the front of the queue as other customer entries in the queue are deleted from the front of the queue and wherein in the second state, the at least one such entry is set to maintain a fixed position in the queue while other customer entries are allowed to pass;

accepting an input from a packet based data network, wherein a remote user mobile wireless device is wirelessly coupled to the packet based data network via a wireless access node, and at least a portion of the input is wirelessly transmitted from the remote user mobile wireless device;

transmitting at least partially via the packet based data network to the remote user mobile wireless device an indication of an estimate of the amount of time left for the user to wait in order to have access to a physical resource;

controlling access to the physical resource by allowing a customer access to the physical resource based upon the position of the customer'"'"'s associated entry in the queue substantially when the entry associated with the customer has reached the front of the queue data structure;

receiving via the packet based data network at a time before the user has reached the end of the queue a first request sent from the remote user mobile device to hold a remote user'"'"'s position in the queue;

in response to receiving the first request, toggling the hold-place-in-line indicator of the record associated with the remote user mobile wireless device from the first state to the second state;

maintaining the queue data structure by advancing any entries associated with customers whose hold-place-in-line indicator is in the first state toward the front of the queue as other customer entries are deleted from the queue as their associated customers are granted physical access to the physical resource, while at the same time holding one or more entries whose hold-place-in-line indicator had been selectively set to be in the second state in a set of one or more relative fixed positions in the queue, thereby allowing customer entries whose associated hold-place-in-line indicator is in the first state to pass the one or more customer entries whose associated hold-place-in-line indicator is in the second state;

receiving a second request from the remote user mobile wireless device to be re-set to move through the queue and to thereby change the state of the hold-place-in-line indicator to back to the first state; and

continuing to control access to the physical resource, wherein the remote user'"'"'s entry reassumes its position in the queue where the remote user'"'"'s place was held in line so that the remote user'"'"'s entry can advance to the front of the queue data structure as other user entries are removed from the front of the queue data structure and the associated customers are granted access to the physical resource.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting via the network connection to at least one second customer mobile wireless device other than the remote user mobile wireless device a second indication of an estimate of the amount of time left that the second customer will have to wait in order to have access to a physical resource;

wherein the a second indication of an estimate of the amount of time left in the queue takes into account that one or more records in front of the at least one second customer'"'"'s record are in the second state.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of an estimate of the amount of time left in the queue takes into account the average number of no-shows based on past history data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of an estimate of the amount of time left in the queue takes into account the specific user resource requirements and number of users in front of the user in the queue who require the same resource.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote user is charged a fee for holding a place in the queue.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the fee is based upon the amount of time spent in the holding of the place in the queue.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the input includes an order for a product of service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting is performed periodically to keep the remote user informed of the estimated time when the remote user will be granted access to the resource.

10. The method claim 1, wherein the transmitting is performed one or more times in response to a third request received via the network, wherein the third request is to update the remote user of a currently estimated time when the remote user will be granted access to the resource.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet based data network comprises at least a path through the Internet and the user views the indication using a web browser.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the continuing to control access factors in the customer'"'"'s geographical location as identified by a GPS receiver in the remote user mobile wireless device to determine the substantially when the entry associated with the customer has reached the front of the queue data structure, so as to provide the customer time to reach the physical resource when his turn has come up to access the physical resource.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the input comprises an indication of a request to join the queue.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical resource corresponds to a set of one or more tables for use by customers of a restaurant.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical resource corresponds to a set of one or more health care workers and the health care worker'"'"'s associated health care physical resources.

4. The method of claim wherein the indication of an estimate of the amount of time left in the queue takes into account the number of resources available to service the queue.

16. A method for maintaining a virtual-wait queue for access to a resource, comprising:

maintaining in a computer server a queue data structure, the queue data structure for designating the relative positions in line of a plurality of customers, the queue data structure containing an ordered list of entries related to customer records, wherein with at least one such entry is associated a hold-place-in-line indicator, wherein the hold-place in-line indicator is selectively set to be in at least one of a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state, the at least one such entry is selectively set to move toward the front of the queue as other customer entries in the queue are deleted from the front of the queue and wherein in the second state, the at least one such entry is set to maintain a fixed position in the queue while other customer entries are allowed to pass;

controlling access to the physical resource by allowing a customer access to the physical resource based upon the position of the customer'"'"'s associated entry in the queue substantially when the entry associated with the customer has reached the front of the queue data structure;

receiving a first request sent from a remote user mobile device to hold a remote user'"'"'s position in the queue at a time before the user has reached the end of the queue;

in response to receiving the first request, toggling the hold-place-in-line indicator of the record associated with the remote user mobile wireless device from the first state to the second state;

maintaining the queue data structure by advancing any entries associated with customers whose hold-place-in-line indicator is in the first state toward the front of the queue as other customer entries are deleted from the queue as their associated customers are granted physical access to the physical resource, while at the same time holding one or more entries whose hold-place-in-line indicator had been selectively set to be in the second state in a set of one or more relative fixed positions in the queue, thereby allowing customer entries whose associated hold-place-in-linc indicator is in the first state to pass the one or more customer entries whose associated hold-placein-line indicator is in the second state;

receiving a second request from the remote user mobile wireless device to be re-set to move through the queue and to thereby change the state of the hold-place-in-line indicator to back to the first state; and

continuing to control access to the physical resource, wherein the remote user'"'"'s entry reassumes its position in the queue where the remote user'"'"'s place was held in line so that the remote user'"'"'s entry can advance to the front of the queue data structure as other user entries are removed from the front of the queue data structure and the associated customers are granted access to the physical resource.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the remote user is charged a fee for holding a place in the queue.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the fee is based upon the amount of time spent in the holding of the place in the queue.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the remote user mobile device couples the first request wirelessly to an access point which is in turn coupled to a packet based data network.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the physical resource corresponds to a set of one or more tables for use by customers of a restaurant.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the physical resource corresponds to a set of one or more health care workers and the health care worker'"'"'s associated health care physical resources.

22. A method for maintaining a virtual-wait queue for access to a physical resource, comprising:

maintaining in a computer server a queue data structure, the queue data structure for designating the relative positions in line of a plurality of customers, the queue data structure containing an ordered list of entries related to customer records, wherein with at least one such entry is also associated a hold-place-in-line indicator;

receiving, at a time before the user has reached the end of the queue, a first request sent from a remote user mobile device to hold a remote user'"'"'s position in the queue, wherein prior to the first request, the remote user'"'"'s entry was allowed to advance forward through the queue as other users were deleted from the front of the queue;

in response to receiving the first request, identifying by the hold-place-in-line indicator associated with the entry associated with the remote user that the associated entry is to be held in a relative fixed position in the queue while other entries are allowed to pass it;

maintaining the queue data structure by advancing toward the front of the queue a first group of zero or more entries associated with customers whose hold-place-in-line indicator indicates a desire to progress toward the front of the queue, while at the same time holding a second group of zero or more entries in relative fixed positions in the queue, wherein the second group of entries hold-place-in-line indicators indicate a desire to allow others to pass in the queue, thereby allowing customer entries in the first group to advance through the queue relative to customer entries in the second group, and wherein the number of entries in each of the first and second groups is a function of the hold-state-in line indicators associated with the entries of the of the total set of users in the queue;

receiving a second request sent from the remote user mobile device to again advance the remote user'"'"'s position in the queue as other users are deleted from the front of the queue; and

continuing to control access to the physical resource, wherein the remote user'"'"'s entry once again is allowed to advance to the front of the queue data structure as other user entries are removed from the front of the queue data structure and the associated customers are granted access to the physical resource.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the remote user is charged a fee for holding a place in the queue.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the fee is based upon the amount of time spent in the holding of the place in the queue.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the remote user mobile device couples the first request wirelessly to an access point which is in turn coupled to a packet based data network.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the physical resource corresponds to a set of one or more tables for use by customers of a restaurant.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the physical resource corresponds to a set of one or more health care workers and the health care worker'"'"'s associated health care physical resources.

28. A system for maintaining a virtual-wait queue for access to a physical resource, comprising:

a computer server coupled to a packet based data network, wherein to the packet based data network is coupled to one or more wireless access points, wherein the computer server is operable to communicate with one or more wireless mobile devices via the packet based data network and one or more of the wireless access points;

wherein the computer server further comprises;

a queue data structure, the queue data structure for designating the relative positions in line of a plurality of customers, the queue data structure containing an ordered list of entries related to customer records, wherein with at least one such entry is associated a hold-place-in-line indicator, wherein the hold-place-in-line indicator is selectively set to be in at least one of a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state, the at least one such entry is selectively set to move toward the front of the queue as other customer entries in the queue are deleted from the front of the queue and wherein in the second state, the at least one such entry is set to maintain a fixed position in the queue while other customer entries are allowed to pass;

a first software function that is operable to accept an input, at least part of which is coupled from a remote user mobile wireless device via the wireless access point and the packet based data network;

a second software function that is operable to transmit at least partially via the packet based data network to the remote user mobile wireless device an indication of an estimate of the amount of time left for the user to wait in order to have ads to a physical resource;

a third software function that is operable to control access to the physical resource by allowing a customer access to the physical resource based upon the position of the customer'"'"'s associated entry in the queue substantially when the entry associated with the customer has reached the front of the queue data structure;

a fourth software function that is operable to receive via the packet based data network a first request sent from the remote user mobile device to hold a remote user'"'"'s position in the queue at a time before the user has reached the end of the queue;

a fourth software function that is operable to, in response to receiving the first request, toggle the hold-place-in-line indicator of the record associated with the remote user mobile wireless device from the first state to the second state;

a fifth software function that is operable to maintain the queue data structure by advancing any entries associated with customers whose hold-place-in-line indicator is in the first state toward the front of the queue as other customer entries are deleted from the queue as their associated customers are granted physical access to the physical resource, while at the same time holding one or more entries whose hold-place-in-line indicator had been selectively set to be in the second state in a set of one or more relative fixed positions in the queue, thereby allowing customer entries whose associated hold-place-in-line indicator is in the first state to pass the one or morc customer entries whose associated hold-place-in-line indicator is in the second state;

a sixth software function that is operable to receive a second request from the remote user mobile wireless device to be re-set to move through the queue and to thereby change the state of the hold-place-in-line indicator to back to the first state; and

a seventh software function that is operable to continue to control access to the physical resource, wherein the remote user'"'"'s entry reassumes its position in the queue where the remote user'"'"'s place was held in line so that the remote user'"'"'s entry can advance to the front of the queue data structure as other user entries are removed from the front of the queue data structure and the associated customers are granted access to the physical resource.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

an eighth software function that is operable to transmit via the network connection to at least one second customer mobile wireless device other than the remote user mobile wireless device a second indication of an estimate of the amount of time left that the second customer will have to wait in order to have access to a physical resource;

wherein the a second indication of an estimate of the amount of time left in the queue takes into account that one or more records in front of the at least one second customer'"'"'s record are in the second state.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the indication of an estimate of the amount of time left in the queue takes into account the average number of no-shows based on past history data.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the indication of an estimate of the amount of time left in the queue takes into account the number of resources available to service the queue.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the indication of an estimate of the amount of time left in the queue takes into account the specific user resource requirements and number of users in front of the user in the queue who require the same resource.

33. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

an eighth software function that is operable to charge the remote user a fee for holding a place in the queue.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the fee is based upon the amount of time spent in the holding of the place in the queue (P13, lines 25 to page 14 line 6).

35. The system of claim 28, wherein the input includes an order for a product of service.

36. The system of claim 28, wherein the second software function is executed periodically to keep the remote user informed of the estimated time when the remote user will be granted access to the resource.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein the second software function is executed one or more times in response to a third request received via the network, wherein the third request is to update the remote user of a currently estimated time when the remote user will be granted access to the resource.

38. The system of claim 28, wherein the packet based data network comprises at least a path through the Internet and the user views the indication using:

a web browser.

39. The system of claim 28, in the seventh software function factors in the customer'"'"'s geographical location as identified by a GPS receiver in the remote user mobile wireless device to determine the substantially when the entry associated with the customer has reached the front of the queue data structure, so as to provide the customer time to reach the physical resource when his turn has come up to access the physical resource.

40. The system of claim 28, wherein the input comprises an indication of a request to join the queue.

41. The system of claim 28, wherein the physical resource corresponds to a set of one or more tables for use by customers of a restaurant.

42. The system of claim 28, wherein the physical resource corresponds to a set of one or more health care workers and the health care worker'"'"'s associated health care physical resources.

43. A system for maintaining a virtual-wait queue for access to a resource, comprising:

a computer server that is coupled to communicate with one or more wireless mobile devices;

wherein the computer server further comprises;

a queue data structure, the queue data structure for designating the relative positions in line of a plurality of customers, the queue data structure containing an ordered list of entries related to customer records, wherein with at least one such record is associated a hold-place-in-line indicator, wherein the hold-place-in-line indicator is selectively set to be in at least one of a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state, the at least one such record is selectively set to move toward the front of the queue as other customer records in the queue are deleted from the front of the queue and wherein in the second state, the at least one such record is set to maintain a fixed position in the queue while other customer records are allowed to pass;

a first software function that is operable to control access to the physical resource by allowing a customer access to the physical resource based upon the position of the customer'"'"'s associated entry in the queue substantially when the entry associated with the customer has reached the front of the queue data structure;

a second software function that is operable to receive a first request sent from a remote user mobile device to hold all associated remote user'"'"'s position in the queue at a time before the user has reached the end of the queue;

a third software function that is operable to, in response to receiving the fist request, toggling the hold-place-in-line indicator of the record associated with the remote user mobile wireless device from the first state to the second state;

a fourth software function that is operable to maintain the queue data structure by advancing any entries associated with customer whose hold-place-in-line indicator is in the first state toward the front of the queue as other customer entries are deleted from the queue as their associated customers are granted physical access to the physical resource, while at the same time holding one or more entries whose hold-place-in-line indicator bad been selectively set to be in the second state in a set of one or more relative fixed positions in the queue, thereby allowing customer entries whose associated hold-place-in-line indicator is in the first state to pass the one or more customer entries whose associated bold-place-in-line indicator is in the second state;

a fifth software function that is operable to receive a second request from the remote user mobile wireless device to be re-inserted into the queue and to thereby change the state of the hold-place-in-line indicator to back to the first state; and

a sixth software function that is operable to continue to control access to the physical resource, wherein the remote user'"'"'s entry reassumes its position in the queue where the user'"'"'s place was held in line so that the user'"'"'s entry can advance to the rog of the queue data structure as other user entries are removed from the front of the queue data structure and the associated customers are granted access to the physical resource.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising a

a seventh software function that is operable to charge the remote user a fee for holding a place in the queue.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the fee is based upon the amount of time spent in the holding of the place in the queue.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein the remote user mobile device couples the first request wirelessly to an access point which is in turn coupled to a packet based data network which is in turn coupled to the computer server.

47. The system of claim 43, wherein the physical resource corresponds to a set ozone or more tables for use by customers of a restaurant.

48. The system of claim 43, wherein the physical resource corresponds to a set of one or more health care workers and the health care worker'"'"'s associated health care physical resources.

49. A system for maintaining a virtual-wait queue for access to a resource, comprising:

a computer server that is coupled to communicate with one or more wireless mobile devices;

wherein the computer server further comprises;

a first software function that is operable to maintain in a computer server a qu ie data structure, the queue data structure for designating the relative positions il line of a plurality of customers, the queue data structure containing an ordered list of entnise related to customer records, wherein with at least one such entry is also associated a hold place-in-line indicator,

a second software function that is operable to receive, at a time before the user has reached the end of the queue, a first request sent from a remote user mobile device to hold a remote user'"'"'s position in the queue, wherein prior to the first request, the remote user'"'"'s entry was allowed to advance forward through the queue as other users were deleted from the front of the queue;

a third software function that is operable to, in response to receiving the first request, identify by the hold-place-in-line indicator associated with the entry associated with the remote user that the associated entry is to be held in a relative fixed position in the queue while other entries are allowed to pass it;

a fourth software function that is operable to maintain the queue data structure by advancing toward the front of the queue a first group of zero or more entries associated with customers whose hold-place-in-line indicator indicates a desire to progress toward the front of the queue, while at the same time holding a second group of zero or more entries in relative fixed positions in the queue, wherein the second group of entries hold-place-in-line indicators indicate a desire to allow others to pass in the queue, thereby allowing customer entries in the first group to advance through the queue relative to customer entries in the second group, and wherein the number of entries in each of the first and second groups is a function of the hold-state-in line indicators associated with the entries of the of the total set of users in the queue;

a fifth software function that is operable to receive a second request sent from the remote user mobile device to again advance the remote user'"'"'s position in the queue as other users are deleted from the front of the queue; and

a sixth software function that is operable to continue to control to control access to the physical resource, wherein the remote user'"'"'s entry once again is allowed to advance to the front of the queue data structure as other user entries are removed from the front of the queue data structure and the associated customers are granted access to the physical resources.

50. The system of claim 49, further comprising a a seventh software function that is operable to charge the remote user a fee for holding a place in the queue.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the fee is based upon the amount of time spent in the holding of the place in the queue.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein the remote user mobile device couples the first request wirelessly to an access point which is in turn coupled to a packet based data network which is turned coupled to the computer server.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein a the physical resource corresponds to a set of one or more tables for use by customers of a restaurant.

54. The method of claim 49, wherein the physical resource corresponds to a set of one or more health care workers and the health care worker'"'"'s associated health care physical resources.