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

• US 7,343,350 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fintegraph, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Irah H. Donner
• Inventors: Donner, Irah H.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAYAT, BRADLEY B
• Application Number:
  US11/590,174
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 705/64, 705/75, 705/5, 705/26, 705/37, 705/67, 235/382, 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 computer implemented and automated method of at least one of reallocating, upgrading and awarding to a 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 operably connectable to the server, a point of sale system operably connectable to the 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:

automatically providing the at least one of allocating, upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer, without human intervention, and permitting human intervention for the at least one of allocating, upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer that cannot be processed automatically, and determining the at least one of allocating, upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer using the computer implemented method;

at least one of receiving a communication from and transmitting the communication to the customer, the communication including a request to obtain admittance to at least one event, via at least one of a short message text service (SMS) communication, bluetooth, and a wireless communication comprising an identifier associated with the wireless device that at least one of are displayed on and notify the wireless device upon receipt from the wireless device;

updating an account associated with the wireless device when the account exists to reflect the request;

optionally accessing the account associated with the wireless device at the point of sale system upon presentation of the wireless device to verify the request;

determining whether a profile exists associated with at least one of the request and the customer and when the profile exists, applying the profile of the at least one of the request and the customer to determine whether the determining the at least one of allocating, upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer satisfies the profile;

when the profile is not satisfied when the profile exists, then the determining another of the at least one of allocating, upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer that may satisfy the at least one of the request and the customer;

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

polling the wireless devices of a plurality of users to determine at least one of additional communications and 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 customer;

at least one of releasing an allocation associated with the another customer and notifying at least one of the 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;

receiving from the at least one wireless device to at least one of respond and accept the at least one of;

the communication and said at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading, communicating and awarding and optionally utilizing printed indicia responsive thereto;

at least one of storing and receiving from the customer information regarding the at least one of the communication and said at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading, communicating and awarding, and optionally utilizing at least one of new information and the information to obtain the at least one of;

the communication and said at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding;

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

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

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

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving demographic information from the customer.

4. 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 wireless device and the point of sale server.

5. 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 wireless 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.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said second predetermined criteria includes the 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 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.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said releasing an allocation associated with the another customer and said notifying at least one of the 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.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined criteria includes at least one of agreement with one or more of the customers, the customer not providing notice of non-attendance a first predetermined time period prior to the event, the customer not providing notice of non-attendance a second predetermined time period after start of the event, the customer leaving the event early, and other predetermined criteria.

9. A computer implemented and automated method of upgrading and awarding to a 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 system, 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 to and from said server, said method comprising the steps of:

automatically providing the at least one of allocating, upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer, without human intervention, and permitting human intervention for the at least one of allocating, upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer that cannot be processed automatically and determining the at least one of allocating upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer using the computer implemented method;

at least one of receiving a communication from and transmitting the communication to the customer, the communication including a request to obtain admittance to at least one event comprising at least one ticket to utilize at least one seating location associated with the at least one event, via at least one of a short message text service (SMS) communication, bluetooth, and a wireless communication comprising an identifier associated with the wireless device that at least one of are displayed on and notify the wireless device upon receipt from the wireless device;

admitting the customer at the point of sale system after verification of the request, and updating a database indicating that the request was processed and that the customer is currently checked into the at least one event and is utilizing the at least one seating location;

determining first predetermined criteria associated with the event indicative of at least one;

another customer not attending the event and not likely using at least another seating location including at least one of agreement with one or more of the customers, the customer not providing notice of non-attendance a first predetermined time period prior to the event, the customer not providing notice of non-attendance a second predetermined time period after start of the event, the customer leaving the event early, and other predetermined criteria;

polling the wireless devices of a plurality of users to determine at least one of additional communications and 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 customer;

at least one of releasing an allocation associated with the at least another seating location and the at least one other customer responsive to said determining step, and notifying at least another of the customers to perform said at least one of upgrading and awarding responsive to said releasing the allocation and responsive to the processing of profile information, and notifying the at least another customer via the at least one wireless device;

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

receiving from the at least another 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;

receiving from the at least one wireless device to at least one of respond and accept the at least one of;

the communication and said at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading, communicating and awarding and optionally utilizing printed indicia responsive thereto;

at least one of storing and receiving from the customer information regarding the at least one of the communication and said at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading, communicating and awarding, and optionally utilizing at least one of new information and the information to obtain the at least one of;

the communication and said at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding;

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

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

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of optionally 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 customer.

11. A computer implemented and automated method of dynamically communicating with a 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:

automatically providing the at least one of allocating, upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer, without human intervention, and permitting human intervention for the at least one of allocating, upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer that cannot be processed automatically, and determining the at least one of allocating, upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer using the computer implemented method;

at least one of transmitting to and receiving from, at least one wireless device of the 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, via at least one of a short message text service (SMS) communication, bluetooth, and a wireless communication comprising an identifier associated with the wireless device that at least one of are displayed on and notify the wireless device upon receipt from the wireless device;

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

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

determining whether a profile exists associated with at least one of the request and the customer and when the profile exists, applying the profile of the at least one of the request and the customer to determine whether the determining the at least one of allocating, upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer satisfies the profile;

when the profile is not satisfied when the profile exists, then the determining another of the at least one of allocating, upgrading, communicating and awarding to the customer that may satisfy the at least one of the request and the customer;

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

determining a predetermined time period associated with the event indicative of another customer from customers not attending the event in accordance with first predetermined criteria including at least one of;

agreement with one or more of the customers, the customer not providing notice of non-attendance a first predetermined time period prior to the event, the customer not providing notice of non-attendance a second predetermined time period after start of the event, the customer leaving the event early, and other predetermined criteria;

polling the wireless devices of a plurality of users to determine at least one of additional communications and 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 customer;

receiving from the at least one wireless device to at least one of respond and accept the at least one of;

the communication and said at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading, communicating and awarding and optionally utilizing printed indicia responsive thereto; and

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

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of optionally 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.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of processing customer profiles in accordance with predetermined criteria, and determining responsive to the processing of the customer profiles customers to be notified via at least one of an announcement, manually, wireless device, mobile telephone, and bulletin board.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of processing customer profiles in accordance with predetermined criteria, and determining responsive to the processing of the customer profiles customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the customers responsive to the customer profiles comprising at least one of patron satisfaction communication, additional revenue, additional advertising, and advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of processing customer profiles in accordance with predetermined criteria, and determining responsive to the processing of the customer profiles customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the customers responsive to the customer profiles comprising advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said step (a) at least one of transmitting to and receiving from, the at least one wireless device of the customer, further comprises the step of transmitting to and receiving from, the at least one wireless device of the 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.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of receiving demographic information from the customer;

processing the demographic information;

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

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of receiving a registration from the customer, and receiving from the customer targeted marketing information including age and interests and compiling information for advertising and marketing services, and receiving demographic information from the customer;

processing the demographic information;

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

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of receiving a registration from the customer, and receiving from the customer information and compiling information for advertising and marketing services;

processing the information;

transmitting to the at least one wireless device of the customer targeted communications to the 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.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of generating an electronic confirmation and transmitting the electronic confirmation to the wireless device.