System and method for reallocating and/or upgrading and/or rewarding tickets, other event admittance means, goods and/or services

• US 7,031,945 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2001
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fintegraph, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Irah H. Donner
• Inventors: Donner, Irah H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Application Number:
  US09/910,821
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• Field of Search: 705/65, 705/26, 705/27, 705/67, 235382-384, 340/825
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• 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
• 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: G07G 1/0036 : Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

A method, system, server architecture and/or tangible medium upgrade and award admittance of events to an event customer, preferably via a data communication network. The method includes, for example, receiving a communication from the event customer, the communication including a request to obtain admittance to at least one event, the communication also including an identifier associated with the event customer, admitting the event customer at the point of sale system after verification of the request, and updating a database indicating that the request was processed. The method also includes determining first predetermined criteria associated with the event indicative of at least one other event customer not attending the event, releasing an allocation associated with the at least one other event customer, and notifying at least another of the event customers to perform the upgrade and/or reallocation.

Claims

1. A method of at least one of reallocating, upgrading and awarding admittance to events to an event customer via a data communication network, said data communication network optionally comprising a server, workstations operably connectable to said server, one or more databases operably connectable to said server and said workstations, said workstations optionally including a web browser interface facilitating communication with said server, a point of sale server, and wireless devices operably connectable to said server, said wireless devices including at least one of a smart card, a personal digital assistant, a mobile telephones, and a mobile data device, said wireless device comprising at least one of transmitting and receiving means and transceiver means for receiving and transmitting signals, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a communication from the event customer, the communication including a request to obtain admittance to at least one event, the communication also including an identifier associated with an identification device;

(b) updating an account associated with said identifier to reflect the request;

(c) accessing the account by utilizing the identifier stored on the identification device at the point of sale system upon presentation of the identification device to verify the request;

(d) admitting the event customer at the point of sale system after verification of the request;

(e) determining a predetermined time period associated with the event indicative of another event customer from event customers not attending the event in accordance with first predetermined criteria including at least one of agreement with one or more of the event customers, the event customer not providing notice of non-attendance a first predetermined time period prior to the event, the event customer not providing notice of non-attendance a second predetermined time after start of the event, the event customer leaving the event early, and other predetermined criteria;

(f) polling the wireless devices of a plurality of users to determine whether additional seats have been available, and if additional seats have been made available, then adding the additional seats to a list of available seats for said method of dynamically at least one of allocating upgrading and awarding admittance to the events to the event customer;

(g) releasing an allocation associated with the another event customer and notifying at least one of the event customers that are at least one of currently attending the event and registered for said at least one of reallocating, reprovisioning, upgrading and awarding responsive to said releasing the allocation;

(h) accepting by at least one of the event customers said at least one of reallocating, reprovisioning, upgrading and awarding in accordance with second predetermined criteria;

(i) transmitting a confirmation to the at least one wireless device of the at least another event customer to be used by the at least another event customer to utilize the at least another seating location;

(j) presenting, by the at least another event customer, at least one of the confirmation and another ticket associated with a previous seating location, to identify and utilize the at least another seating location;

(k) processing customer profiles in accordance with predetermined customer criteria, and determining responsive to the processing of the customer profiles event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the event customers responsive to the customer profiles comprising at least one of communication, patron satisfaction communication, additional revenue, additional advertising, and advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device; and

(l) polling the wireless devices of a plurality of users for additional communications including additional requests for at least one of additional movie tickets, additional sporting event tickets, additional concessions, additional services, additional offers, additional entertainment services and additional merchandise.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said identification device comprises a memory medium for storing the identifier, and wherein said accessing step further comprises reading said identifier from said identification device with a reading device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating at least one of a physical receipt, a confirmation, and an electronic confirmation with at least one of the identification device and the point of sale server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating at least one of a physical receipt, a confirmation, and an electronic confirmation with at least one of the identification device and the point of sale server, and the at least one of the physical receipt, the confirmation, and the electronic confirmation comprises at least one of reserved seating and purchase information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said second predetermined criteria includes the event customer willing to pay at least one of a predetermined and the highest price, and wherein said method further comprises the step of billing the event customer in at least one of real-time or at a later time for said at least one of reallocating, reprovisioning, upgrading and awarding in accordance with the second predetermined criteria.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said releasing an allocation associated with another event customer and said notifying at least one of the event customers that are at least one of currently attending the event and registered for said at least one of reallocating, reprovisioning, upgrading and awarding is performed in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.

7. A system for upgrading and awarding admittance to events to an event customer, said system comprising:

means for receiving a communication from the event customer, the communication including a request to obtain admittance to at least one event, the communication also including an identifier associated with the event customer;

means for admitting the event customer at the point of sale system after verification of the request, and updating a database indicating that the request was processed;

means for determining first predetermined criteria associated with the indicative of at least one other event customer not attending the event including at least one of agreement with one or more of the event customers, the event customer not providing notice of non-attendance a first predetermined time period prior to the event, the event customer not providing notice of non-attendance a second predetermined time period after start of the event, the event customer leaving the event early, and other predetermined criteria;

means for polling the wireless devices of a plurality of users to determine whether additional seats have been made available, and if additional seats have been made available, then adding the additional seats to a list of available seats for said method of dynamically at least one of allocating, upgrading and awarding admittance to the events to the event customer;

means for releasing an allocation associated with the at least one other event customer responsive to said determining step, and notifying at least another of the event customers to perform said at least one of upgrading and awarding responsive to said releasing the allocation; and

means for accepting by the at least another of the event customers said at least one of upgrading and awarding in accordance with second predetermined criteria;

means for transmitting a confirmation to the at least one wireless device of the at least another event customer to be used by the at least another event customer to utilize the at least another seating location;

means for presenting, by the at least another event customer, at least one of the confirmation and another ticket associated with a previous seating location, to identify and utilize the at least another seating location;

means for processing customer profiles in accordance with predetermined customer criteria, and determining responsive to the processing of the customer profiles event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the event customers responsive to the customer profiles comprising at least one of communication, patron satisfaction communication, additional revenue, additional advertising, and advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device; and

means for polling the wireless devices of a plurality of users for additional communications including additional requests for at least one of additional movie tickets, additional sporting event tickets, additional concessions, additional services, additional offers, additional entertainment services and additional merchandise.

8. A method of dynamically communicating with an event customer via a data communication network, said data communication network optionally comprising a server, workstations operably connectable to said server, one or more databases operably connectable to said server and said workstations, said workstations optionally including a web browser interface facilitating communication with said server, a communication server operably connectable to the server, a communication system operably connectable to the communication server, and wireless devices operably connectable to said server, said wireless devices including at least one of a smart card, a personal digital assistant, a mobile telephone, and a mobile data device, said wireless device comprising at least one of transmitting and receiving means and transceiver means for receiving and transmitting signals, said method comprising at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence independent steps of:

(a) at least one of transmitting to and receiving from, at least one wireless device of the event customer a communication including a request for at least one of a movie ticket, a sporting event ticket, a concession, a service, an offer, an entertainment service and merchandise, the communication also including an identifier associated with at least one of the event customer and an identification device used by the event customer;

(b) at least one of accessing and updating an account associated with said event customer responsive to the request;

(c) at least one of accessing and verifying the account by utilizing the identifier optionally at the point of sale system upon communication with the identification device to verify the request;

(d) optionally admitting the event customer at the point of sale system after verification of the request;

(e) determining, an available response associated with the request and the event and notifying at least one of the event customers that are at least one of currently attending the event, the available response comprising another communication responsive to the request to the at least one of the event customers and responsive to said step (a) of said at least one of transmitting to and receiving from, the event customer the communication including the request; and

(f) at least one of accepting and participating by the at least one of the event customers using the wireless device in receiving said at least one of the movie ticket, the sporting event ticket, the concession, the service, the offer, the entertainment service and the merchandise

(g) transmitting a confirmation to the at least one wireless device of the at least another event customer to be used by the at least another event customer to utilize the at least another seating location;

(h) presenting, by the at least another event customer, at least one of the confirmation and another ticket associated with a previous seating location, to identify and utilize the at least another seating location;

(i) processing customer profiles in accordance with predetermined customer criteria, and determining responsive to the processing of the customer profiles event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the event customers responsive to the customer profiles comprising at least one of communication, patron satisfaction communication, additional revenue, additional advertising, and advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device; and

(j) polling the wireless devices of a plurality of users for additional communication including additional requests for at least one of additional movie tickets, additional sporting event tickets, additional concessions, additional services, additional offers, additional entertainment services and additional merchandise.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of polling the wireless devices of a plurality of users for additional communications including additional requests for at least one of additional movie tickets, additional sporting event tickets, additional concessions, additional services, additional offers, additional entertainment and additional merchandise.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of processing customer profiles in accordance with predetermined criteria, and determining responsive to the processing of the customer profiles event customers to be notified via at least one of an announcement, manually, wireless device, mobile telephone, and bulletin board.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said step (a) at least one of transmitting to and receiving from, the at least one wireless device of the event customer, further comprises the step of transmitting to and receiving from, the at least one wireless device of the event customer the communication including the request for at least one of the movie ticket, the sporting event ticket, the concession, the service, the offer, the entertainment service and the merchandise, via a short message text service (SMS) communication that at least one of are displayed on and notify the wireless device upon receipt from the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of receiving demographic information form the event customer;

processing the demographic information;

transmitting to the at least one wireless device of the event customer at least one of an advertisement, additional demographic information, direct marketing and focused advertising.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of registering by the event customer, and the event customer providing targeted marketing information including age and interests and compiling information for advertising and marketing services, and receiving demographic information from the event customer;

processing the demographic information;

transmitting to the at least one wireless device of the event customer at least one of an advertisement, additional demographic information, direct marketing and focused advertising.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of registering by the event customer, and the event customer providing information and compiling information for advertising and marketing services;

processing the information;

transmitting wireless device of the event customer targeted communications to the event customer allowing a sponsor to leverage user and market information to create the targeted communications comprising at least one of an advertisement, additional information, direct marketing and focused advertising.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of generating an electronic confirmation and transmitting the electronic confirmation to the wireless device.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein said predetermined criteria includes the event customer willing to pay at least one of a predetermined price and the highest price, and wherein said method further comprises the step of billing the event customer in at least one of real-time or at a later time for said at least one of allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding in accordance with the second predetermined criteria.

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of generating an electronic confirmation and transmitting the electronic confirmation to the wireless device, and downloading at least one of instructions and location related information for the event customer to go to a location associated with the communication, including directions using a global positioning system in combination with the wireless device.

18. A method of dynamically communicating with an event customer via a data communication network, said data communication network optionally comprising a sewer, workstations operably connectable to said server, one or more databases operably connectable to said server and said workstations, said workstations optionally including a web browser interface facilitating communication with said server, a communication server operably connectable to the server, a communication system operably connectable to the communication server, and wireless devices operably connectable to said server, said wireless devices including at least one of a smart card, a personal digital assistant, a mobile telephone, and a mobile data device, said wireless device comprising at least one of transmitting and receiving means and transceiver means for receiving and transmitting signals, said method comprising at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence independent steps of:

(a) processing customer profiles in accordance with predetermined criteria, and determining responsive to the processing of the customer profiles event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the event customers responsive to the customer profiles comprising advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device via a short message text service (SMS) communication that at least one of are displayed on and notify the wireless, device upon receipt from the wireless device;

(b) at least one of transmitting to and receiving from, via the short message text service (SMS) communication that at least one of are displayed on and notify the wireless device upon receipt from the wireless device, at least one wireless device of the event customer a communication including a request for at least one of a movie ticket, a sporting event ticket, a concession, a service, an offer, an entertainment service and merchandise, the communication also including an identifier associated with at least one of the event customer and an identification device used by the event customer;

(c) at least one of accessing and updating an account associated with said event customer responsive to the request;

(d) at least one of accessing and verifying the account by utilizing the identifier optionally at the point of sale system upon communication with the identification device to verify the request;

(e) optionally admitting the event customer at the point of sale system after verification of the request;

(f) determining a predetermined time period associated with the event indicative of another event customer from event customers not attending the event in accordance with first predetermined criteria including at least one of agreement with one or more of the event customers, the event customer not providing notice of non-attendance a first predetermined time period prior to the event, the event customer not providing notice of non-attendance a second predetermined time period after start of the event, the event customer leaving the event early, and other predetermined criteria;

(g) polling the wireless devices of a plurality of users to determine whether additional seats have been made available, and if additional seats have been made available, then adding the additional seats to a list of available seats for said method of dynamically at least one of allocating, upgrading and awarding admittance to the events to the event customer;

(h) determining an available response associated with the request and the event and notifying at least one of the event customers, the available response comprising another communication responsive to the request, via the short message text service (SMS) communication that at least one of are displayed on and notify the wireless device upon receipt from the wireless device, to the at least one of the event customers and responsive to said step (b) of said at least one of transmitting to and receiving from, the event customer the communication including the request;

(i) at least one of accepting and participating by the at least one of the event customers using the wireless device in receiving said at least one of the movie ticket, the sporting event ticket the concession, the service, the offer, the entertainment service and the merchandise via the short message text service (SMS) communication that at least one of are displayed on and notify the wireless device upon receipt from the wireless device;

(j) generating an electronic confirmation and transmitting the electronic confirmation to the at least one event customer via the wireless device via the short message text service (SMS) communication that at least one of are displayed on and notify the wireless device upon receipt from the wireless device;

(k) presenting, by the at least another event customer, at least one of the confirmation and another ticket associated with a previous seating location, to identify and utilize the at least another seating location;

(l) processing customer profiles in accordance with predetermined customer criteria, and determining responsive to the processing of the customer profiles event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the event customers responsive to the customer profiles comprising at least one of communication, patron satisfaction communication, additional revenue, additional advertising, and advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device, and

(m) polling the wireless devices of a plurality of users for additional communications including additional requests for at least one of additional movie tickets, additional sporting event tickets, additional concessions, additional services, additional offers additional entertainment services and additional merchandise.