Method of creating season ticket package

• US 7,127,408 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael J. Rosen
• Original Assignee: Michael J. Rosen
• Inventors: Rosen, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FISHER, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US10/461,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method of selling season tickets is disclosed in which unrelated purchasers may reserve a seat ticket for one or more selected events in a related series of events. When enough seat tickets have been reserved, a season ticket for that seat is sold, and the individual tickets reserved for each purchaser are paid for and delivered to the purchasers. Provisions for canceling previously made reservations are included. The method is effectuated on one or more computers, and the computers may be connected to a computer network, including the internet, to allow use of the system by prospective purchasers at remote locations.

Claims

1. A method for selling a season ticket package, said season ticket package comprising an event ticket to each of a plurality of discrete, related, time differentiated events, said method comprising the steps of:

a. placing upon a first computer storage medium retrievable information describing a season ticket package from which one or more event tickets within said season ticket package are available, the date of each of said events for which an event ticket is available, the location of a seat represented by each said event ticket in said season ticket package, a predetermined number representing a number of event tickets in said season ticket package which must be reserved before said season ticket package will be purchased, and a minimum price for each said available event ticket comprising said season ticket package;

b. displaying said retrievable information to a prospective purchaser of one or more said event tickets;

c. accepting from said prospective purchaser a reservation, said reservation comprising a selection of an event ticket, and payment information,

d. reserving said selected event ticket in the name of said prospective purchaser,

e. updating said retrievable information by removing said selected event ticket from said event tickets available for sale,

f. retaining said reservation until said a predetermined number representing a number of event tickets in said season ticket package have been reserved,

g. repeating steps b–

e until said predetermined number representing a number of event tickets in said season ticket package that must be reserved has been met or exceeded,

h. if said predetermined number has been met or exceeded, processing said payment information for all purchasers having ticket reservations, and delivering said reserved event tickets to said prospective purchasers, and

i. if said predetermined number representing a number of event tickets in said season ticket package has not been met or exceeded, canceling all said ticket reservations made by said prospective purchasers.

2. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of displaying to said prospective purchaser said predetermined number representing a number of event tickets that must be reserved before said season ticket package will be purchased.

3. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first computer storage medium is connected to the internet and steps b–

e are initiated by said prospective user from a device connected to the internet.

4. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said predetermined number representing a number of event tickets that must be reserved before the processing of said reservation and payment information will occur is smaller than the number of total events in said season ticket package.

5. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

displaying to an individual ticket reservations pending in the name of said individual, accepting said individual'"'"'s selection of a pending ticket reservation for cancellation, removing said pending ticket reservation selected for cancellation from said individual'"'"'s pending ticket reservations and updating said retrievable information by adding the event corresponding to said individual'"'"'s cancelled ticket reservation to said event tickets available for sale.

6. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

placing at least a portion of said retrievable information upon a second computer storage medium,

performing steps b–

e for a second prospective purchaser accessing said retrievable information located upon said second computer storage medium, and

updating said retrievable information maintained on said first computer storage medium to include transactions made by said second prospective purchaser.

7. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said retrievable information describing a season ticket package from which one or more event tickets within said season ticket package are available for purchase includes a date upon which, if said predetermined number of event tickets comprising said season ticket package have not been reserved, all said ticket reservations made by said prospective purchasers will be canceled.

8. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 1 wherein, upon the satisfaction of one or more predetermined conditions, a prospective purchaser holding a reservation will be permitted to withdraw said prospective purchaser'"'"'s reservation.

9. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 8 wherein one of said one or more predetermined conditions is that a predetermined number of event ticket reservations have been made.

10. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 8 wherein one of said one or more predetermined conditions is that another prospective purchaser is willing to reserve the event ticket that becomes available when said prospective purchaser'"'"'s existing reservation is withdrawn.

11. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 8 wherein one of said one or more predetermined conditions is that said withdrawal of said prospective purchaser'"'"'s existing reservation takes place not later than a predetermined length of time before the event for which said reservation was made.

12. A method of selling a plurality of event tickets comprising a season ticket package for viewing one or more events in said season ticket package comprising the steps of:

a. placing upon a first computer storage medium retrievable information describing a season ticket package from which one or more event tickets within said season ticket package are available for purchase from one having the right to sell event tickets within said season ticket package, the date of each of said events for which an event ticket is available, the viewing location of the seat represented by said season ticket package, and a price for each said available event ticket comprising said season ticket package;

b. displaying said retrievable information to a prospective purchaser of one or more said event tickets;

c. accepting from said prospective purchaser a reservation, said reservation comprising a selection of an event ticket, and payment information,

d. reserving said selected event ticket in the name of said prospective purchaser,

e. updating said retrievable information by removing said selected event ticket from said tickets available for sale,

f. retaining said reservation until a predetermined number of event tickets comprising said season ticket package have been reserved,

g. repeating steps b–

e until a predetermined number of event tickets comprising said season ticket package have been reserved,

h. if said predetermined number of event tickets comprising said season ticket package have been reserved, processing said payment information for all purchasers having ticket reservations, and delivering said reserved event tickets to said prospective purchasers.

13. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 12 wherein, upon the satisfaction of one or more predetermined conditions, a prospective purchaser holding a reservation will be permitted to withdraw said prospective purchaser'"'"'s reservation.

14. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 13 wherein one of said one or more predetermined conditions is that a predetermined number of event ticket reservations have been made.

15. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 13 wherein one of said one or more predetermined conditions is that another prospective purchaser is willing to reserve the event ticket that becomes available when said prospective purchaser'"'"'s existing reservation is withdrawn.

16. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 13 wherein one of said one or more predetermined conditions is that said withdrawal of said prospective purchaser'"'"'s existing reservation takes place not later than a predetermined length of time before the event for which said reservation was made.

17. The method of selling event tickets comprising a season ticket package as claimed in claim 13 wherein one of said one or more predetermined conditions is that said prospective purchaser'"'"'s existing reservation may be withdrawn upon said prospective purchaser'"'"'s selection of an alternative reservation.

18. A method of selling an event ticket from a plurality of event tickets comprising a plurality of season ticket packages comprising the steps of:

a. placing on a first computer storage medium retrievable information, said retrievable information comprising a description of said plurality of events for which tickets are available from said plurality of season ticket packages, the dates of said events, the viewing locations of seats for said events, the prices for each available event ticket, and, for each said season ticket package in said plurality of season ticket packages, a number representing a number of event tickets in said season ticket package that must be reserved before said season ticket package will be purchased;

b. displaying to a prospective purchaser of one or more said event tickets a portion of said retrievable information including at least said description of said plurality of events for which tickets are available, the date of said events, and the viewing locations of seats for said events;

c. accepting from said prospective purchaser a reservation, said reservation comprising a selection of an event ticket and payment information;

d. reserving said selected event ticket in the name of said purchaser;

e. updating said retrievable information by removing said selected event ticket from said plurality of event tickets available for sale;

f. identifying the season ticket package from which said selected event ticket was selected;

g. determining a total of all reserved event tickets comprising said identified season ticket package, and, if said total of all reserved tickets is less than said predetermined number for said identified season ticket package, retaining said reservation until said predetermined number of event tickets comprising said identified season ticket package have been reserved;

h. and, if said total of all reserved event tickets meets or exceeds said predetermined number, processing said payment information for all prospective purchasers having ticket reservations within said identified season ticket package, and delivering said reserved event tickets to said prospective purchasers.

19. A method of selling a plurality of event tickets as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the display of said retrievable information as categorized, first, by event, and second, by viewing location.