Method of issuing tickets to events

• US 6,945,464 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2003
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Imagine Pass LLC
• Original Assignee: Imagine Pass LLC
• Inventors: Jackson, Diane
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US10/438,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20030213843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382, 235/384, 235/487, 705/13, 705/14, 705/16, 705/18, 705/64, 705/77
• US Class Current: 235/487
• 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 method of issuing a ticket 32 to an event comprising the steps of displaying on a screen 14 the event information for various different venues on a plurality of machines 10 located at various different locations that are geographically separated. The purchaser proceeds by selecting a ticket from the types of tickets displayed on a screen 14 and entering ticket purchasing information for the selected ticket. The machine 10 takes a picture 38 of the ticket purchaser using the machine 10 and a wristband-ticket 32 having first 34 and second 36 ends with the picture 38 of the ticket purchaser and a code 48 thereon and including an attachment 40, 44, 46 associated with the ends 34, 36 and under the code 48 for securely attaching the ends 34, 36 together and rendering the ends 34, 36 non-retachable and the code 48 non-readable in response to the ends 34, 36 being detached.

Claims

1. A method of issuing a ticket to an event comprising the steps of;

compiling a central data bank containing event data including time and seat location,

selecting a desired event,

selecting a ticket from the types of tickets available,

purchasing the selected ticket,

printing a wristband-ticket having first and second ends with a code thereon and including an attachment associated with said ends and under the code for securely attaching the ends together and rendering the ends non-retachable and the code non-readable in response to the ends being detached, and

placing the wristband-ticket about the wrist of the ticket user by attaching the ends together, and

reading the code at the event to control movement of the ticket user at the event.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 including taking a picture of the ticket purchaser and printing the wristband-ticket having the picture thereon.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 including

displaying on a screen the event information for various different venues,

displaying information regarding various different types of tickets available at the selected event,

entering ticket purchasing information for the selected ticket, and

debiting the ticket purchase price to a banking account.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 including issuing an eticket having a code thereon, connecting the data bank to a plurality of ticket machines, reading the code on the eticket at one of the ticket machines, and printing the wristband-ticket in response to the reading of the eticket and entering confirmation into the data bank that the wristband-ticket was printed.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 including printing the wristband-ticket with information regarding the participants of the event on the wristband-ticket.

6. A method of issuing a ticket to an event comprising the steps of;

compiling a central data bank containing event data including time and seat location,

connecting the data bank to a plurality of ticket machines,

displaying on a screen the event information for various different venues,

selecting a desired event,

displaying information regarding various different types of tickets available at the selected event,

selecting a ticket from the types of tickets available,

entering ticket purchasing information for the selected ticket,

debiting the ticket purchase price to a banking account,

taking a picture of the ticket purchaser, and

printing a wristband-ticket having first and second ends with the picture of the ticket purchaser and a code thereon and including an attachment associated with said ends and under said code for securely attaching said ends together and rendering the ends non-retachable and the code non-readable in response to the ends being detached.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 reading the code while the ticket is on the wrist to control movement of the ticket wearer at the event.

8. A method as set forth in claim 6 including printing the wristband-ticket with information regarding the participants of the event on the wristband-ticket.

9. A machine for issuing a ticket to an event comprising;

a camera for taking a picture of the ticket purchaser,

a display screen for displaying ticket purchasing information,

a keyboard for entering ticket purchasing information,

a bar code reader for reading bar codes,

a credit card reader for debiting the ticket purchase price to the credit card account, and

a printer for printing a wristband-ticket having first and second ends with the picture of the ticket purchaser and a code thereon and including an attachment associated with said ends and said code for securely attaching said ends together and rendering the ends non-retachable and the code non-readable in response to being detached.

10. A machine for issuing a ticket to an event comprising;

a display screen for displaying ticket purchasing information,

a keyboard for entering ticket purchasing information,

a credit card reader for debiting the ticket purchase price to the credit card account, and

a printer for printing a wristband-ticket having first and second ends with a code thereon and including an attachment associated with said ends and said code for securely attaching said ends together and rendering the ends non-retachable and the code non-readable in response to being detached.