System and method for determining and/or transmitting and/or establishing communication with a mobile device user for providing, for example, concessions, tournaments, competitions, matching, reallocating, upgrading, selling tickets, and other event admittance mean

• US 7,562,028 B1
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• 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): Elisca; Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US12/011,599
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering

Abstract

A method, system, server architecture and/or tangible medium determines and/or transmits and/or establishes communication with a mobile device user. The method includes, for example, receiving a communication from and/or transmitting a communication to, an event customer, and optionally updating a database to reflect the communication. The method also includes obtaining at least one mobile address, e.g., a telephone number and a communication network used thereon by the event user and building a data address therefrom to establish the communication with the event user. In one embodiment, the method does not require the event user to provide a bbnetwork address associated with the mobile contact address. Various optional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically at least one of allocating at least one of:

goods or services to an event customer;

establishing communication with a mobile device user; and

providing entertainment 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 comprising at least one of a transmitter and receiver and a transceiver for receiving and transmitting signals, said method comprising the at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence independent steps of;

(a) at least one of receiving a communication from and transmitting the communication to the event customer, the communication including a request to at least one of obtain admittance to at least one event, establish communication, and obtain at least one of goods and services, the communication optionally also including an identifier associated with an identification device;

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

(c) at least one of accessing and verifying the account, optionally by utilizing the identifier associated with the identification device;

(d) at least one of sending to the event customer information regarding the request to obtain admittance from the event customer to a venue optionally after verification of the request, entering the event customer in a communication database, and entering the event customer to obtain the at least one of goods and services;

(e) at least one of determining an available allocation associated with the event, establishing communication with the event customer, and notifying at least one of the event customers that are at least one of currently attending the event and registered for at least one of allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding responsive to said determining the available allocation, and determining the at least one of the goods and services to be provisioned for the at least one event customer;

(f) receiving an acceptance from at least one of the event customers at least one of said at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding in accordance with predetermined criteria, said communication, and said at least one of goods and services communication;

(g) obtaining at least one mobile contact address used thereon by the event user to establish said communication with the event user;

(h) optionally transmitting a confirmation to the at least one wireless device confirming to the at least one event customer the at least one of said at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding;

(i) determining event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the event customers responsive to customer profiles when they exist comprising at least one of communication, patron satisfaction communication, additional revenue, additional advertising, and advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device;

(j) polling by a computer system implementing said server a plurality of users of the wireless devices 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;

(k) optionally, when said communication is unsuccessful or potentially unsuccessful with the event user, transmitting another communication to at least another communication network using at least a portion of the at least one mobile contact address provided from the event user and at least one network address, and the event user optionally confirming receipt of said another communication;

(l) optionally billing the at least one of the event customers in at least one of real-time or at a later time for at least one of said at least one of allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding and said at least one of goods and services in accordance with the second predetermined criteria; and

(m) optionally receiving payment from at least one of the event customers responsive to said billing step (l).

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, wherein the account is stored in at least one of the server, the identification device, and the point of sale server.

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

5. 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.

39. A method according to claim 1, further comprising enabling interactive messaging with the at least one wireless device based on at least one of a pre-formatted data format and predetermined data format.

6. A method of dynamically providing at least one of goods and services 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 comprising at least one of a transmitter and receiver and a transceiver for receiving and transmitting signals, said method comprising the at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence independent steps of:

(a) at least one of receiving a communication from and transmitting the communication to the event customer, the communication optionally also including an identifier associated with an identification device;

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

(c) at least one of accessing and verifying the account, optionally by utilizing the identifier stored on the identification device;

(d) entering the event customer to participate in the obtaining of at least one of goods, services and offering;

(e) determining at least one of a concessions and offering communication for the at least one event customer;

(f) transmitting a confirmation to the at least one wireless device confirming to the at least one event customer the at least one of said concessions and offering;

(g) determining event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the event customers responsive to customer profiles when they exist comprising at least one of communication, patron satisfaction communication, additional revenue, additional advertising, additional offering and advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device;

(h) polling by a computer system implementing said server a plurality of users of the wireless devices 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;

(i) optionally receiving an acceptance from at least one of the event customers said at least one of concessions and offering communication;

(j) optionally billing the at least one of the event customers in at least one of real-time or at a later time for said at least one of goods and services in accordance with the second predetermined criteria; and

(k) optionally receiving payment from the at least one of the event customers responsive to said billing step (j).

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of requesting the event customer to input location information.

8. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of receiving location information from at least one of a venue database system, kiosk where the event customer enters the location information and a point of sales system from an attendant selling seating information.

9. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of targeting sections of the venue to provide at least one other service or offering to the event customers seated in various of the sections of the venue.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the sections that can be separately or substantially targeted include at least one of:

behind first base line;

behind home plate;

first base line;

lower deck;

upper deck;

bleachers;

in the venue;

outside the venue; and

a predetermined geographic location.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the sections that can be separately or substantially targeted are awarded at least one winner representative therefor.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein at least another of the sections that can be separately or substantially targeted are awarded at least another winner representative therefor, and the winner representative and the another winner representative compete against each other in additional entertainment programs.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein the sections are at least one of separately and substantially targeted, and wherein said method further includes the step of targeting the different sections over different periods of time, thereby preventing a long delay to receive answers once the question is transmitted, and to optionally minimize collusion among event customers.

14. A method according to claim 9, wherein the sections are at least one of separately and substantially targeted, and wherein said method further includes the step of transmitting the entertainment program to customers located in different sections over a predetermined time interval.

15. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting an entertainment program to first customers located in different sections over a first predetermined time interval in a first round; and

transmitting the entertainment program to second customers located in different sections over a second predetermined time interval in a second round, wherein the second customers are a smaller set of participants in the entertainment program than the first customers.

16. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first portion of the entertainment program to first customers over a first predetermined time interval in a first round requesting that the first customers respond with at least one first response; and

transmitting a second portion of the entertainment program to second customers over a second predetermined time interval in a second round requesting that the second customers respond with at least one second response, wherein the first and second responses are unique with respect to each other.

17. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first portion of the entertainment program to first customers over a first predetermined time interval in a first round requesting that the first customers respond with at least one first response from a first set of responses; and

transmitting a second portion of the entertainment program to second customers over a second predetermined time interval in a second round requesting that the second customers respond with at least one second response from a second set of responses, wherein the first and second set of responses are all unique with respect to each other.

40. A method according to claim 6, further comprising enabling interactive messaging with the at least one wireless device based on at least one of a pre-formatted data format and predetermined data format.

18. A method of dynamically establishing communication with a mobile device user 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 comprising at least one of a transmitter and receiver and a transceiver for receiving and transmitting signals, said method comprising the at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence independent steps of:

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

(b) updating a database to reflect said communication;

(c) at least one of accessing and verifying said updating step (b) optionally by utilizing the identifier associated with the identification device;

(d) entering the event customer in a communication database;

(e) determining at least one mobile communication address to communicate with the event user, said determining step (e) optionally requiring the event user to provide a network address associated with the at least one mobile communication address;

(f) establishing communication with the event customer;

(g) receiving a communication from the at least one event customer regarding said communication;

(h) optionally when said communication is unsuccessful or potentially unsuccessful with the event user, transmitting another communication to at least another communication network using at least a portion of the at least one mobile communication address, and the event user optionally confirming receipt of said another communication;

(i) transmitting a confirmation to the at least one event customer;

(j) determining event customers to be notified, and notifying the event customers responsive to customer profiles when they exist comprising at least one of communication, patron satisfaction communication, additional revenue, additional advertising, and advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device; and

(k) polling by a computer system implementing said server a plurality of users of the wireless devices 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.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps 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 at least one of a short message text service (SMS) communication, bluetooth and a wireless communication comprising an identifier associated with the wireless device and an Internet Protocol (IP) address that at least one of are displayed on and notify the wireless device upon receipt from the wireless device.

registering the event customer, and processing customer profiles when they exist 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 at least one of patron satisfaction communication, additional revenue, additional advertising, and advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device; and

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.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of processing customer profiles when they exist 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.

41. A method according to claim 18, further comprising enabling interactive messaging with the at least one wireless device based on at least one of a pre-formatted data format and predetermined data format.

21. A method of dynamically at least one of:

allocating goods or services to an event customer;

establishing communication with a mobile device user; and

providing entertainment 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 comprising at least one of a transmitter and receiver and a transceiver for receiving and transmitting signals, said method comprising the at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence independent steps of;

(a) at least one of receiving a first communication from and transmitting the first communication to a first event customer, the communication including a first request to at least one of obtain admittance to at least one event, establish communication, and obtain at least one of goods and services;

(b) at least one of accessing and verifying an account associated with the first communication;

(c) at least one of receiving a second communication from and transmitting the second communication to a second event customer, the second communication including a second request to at least one of obtain admittance to at least one event, establish communication, and obtain at least one of goods and services;

(d) at least one of accessing and verifying an account associated with the second communication;

(e) at least one of sending to the first and second event customers information regarding the first and second communications to obtain admittance optionally after verification of the first and second communications, entering the first and second event customers in a communication database, and entering the first and second event customers to obtain the at least one of goods and services;

(f) at least one of determining an available allocation associated with the event, establishing communication with the first and second event customers, and notifying at least one of the first and second event customers that are at least one of currently attending the event and registered for at least one of allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding responsive to said determining the available allocation, and determining the at least one of the goods and services to be provisioned for the at least one of the first and second event customers;

(g) optionally receiving an acceptance from the at least one of the first and second event customers at least one of said at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading, communicating and awarding in accordance with predetermined criteria, said communication, and said at least one of goods and services communication;

(h) optionally transmitting a confirmation to at least one wireless device confirming to the at least one of the first and second event customers the at least one of said at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading, communicating and awarding;

(i) determining event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the event customers responsive to customer profiles when they exist comprising at least one of communication, patron satisfaction communication, additional revenue, additional advertising, and advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device;

(j) polling by a computer system implementing said server 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 communications, additional entertainment services and additional merchandise.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said transmitting to the wireless device further comprises transmitting to the wireless device using a unique address including a username and domain associated with at least one of the customer and the wireless device.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the customer is registered by at least one of receiving a message from the customer and receiving automatically a response form the customer to the communication, and the method further includes parsing the received information including an address for communication with the customer.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of provisioning of demographic information to program sponsors by receiving information from each user.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of compiling information for advertising and marketing used to create custom offerings to users for creating targeted programs that address user needs and for targeting potential new customers.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of running different applications, thereby achieving interoperability among applications.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of communicating using at least one mobile network carrier using a communications technology and uniform interface standard for presenting and delivering wireless services on mobile devices.

42. A method according to claim 21, further comprising enabling interactive messaging with the at least one wireless device based on at least one of a pre-formatted data format and predetermined data format.

28. A method of dynamically at least one of:

allocating goods or services to an event customer;

establishing communication with a mobile device user; and

providing entertainment 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 comprising at least one of a transmitter and receiver and a transceiver for receiving and transmitting signals, said method comprising the at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence independent steps of;

(a) at least one of receiving a first communication from and transmitting the first communication to a first event customer, the communication including a first request to at least one of obtain admittance to at least one event, establish communication, and obtain at least one of goods and services;

(b) at least one of accessing and verifying an account associated with the first communication;

(c) at least one of receiving a second communication from and transmitting the second communication to a second event customer, the second communication including a second request to at least one of obtain admittance to at least one event, establish communication, and obtain at least one of goods and services;

(d) at least one of accessing and verifying an account associated with the second communication;

(e) sending to the first and second event customers information to obtain admittance optionally after verification of the first and second requests, entering the first and second event customers in a database;

(f) determining a predetermined time period associated with the event indicative of 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) releasing an allocation associated with the another event customer and notifying at least one of the first and second 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; and

(i) optionally receiving an acceptance from at least one of the first and second event customers said at least one of reallocating, reprovisioning, upgrading and awarding in accordance with second predetermined criteria;

(j) optionally transmitting a confirmation to at least one wireless device confirming to the at least one of the first and second event customers the at least one of said at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding;

(k) determining event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the event customers responsive to customer profiles when they exist comprising at least one of communication, patron satisfaction communication, additional revenue, additional advertising, and advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device;

(l) polling by a computer system implementing said server 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.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of processing customer profiles when they exist in accordance with predetermined criteria, and determining responsive to the processing of the customer profiles the at least one of the first and second event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the at least one of the first and second event customers responsive to the customer profiles comprising seating the first and second event customers in adjacent seats for a date.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of processing customer profiles when they exist in accordance with predetermined criteria, and determining responsive to the processing of the customer profiles the at least one of the first and second event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and notifying the at least one of the first and second event customers responsive to the customer profiles comprising modifying the seating of the first and second event customers to adjacent seats for a date in accordance with a predetermined time period.

43. A method according to claim 28, further comprising enabling interactive messaging with the at least one wireless device based on at least one of a pre-formatted data format and predetermined data format.

31. A system of dynamically providing at least one of goods and services 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 at least one wireless device operably connectable to said server, said wireless device comprising at least one of a transmitter and receiver and a transceiver for receiving and transmitting signals, said system comprising:

a computer processor executing instructions stored on a computer readable medium, and performing at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence functions of;

(a) enabling at least one of receiving a communication from and transmitting the communication to the event customer, the communication optionally also including an identifier associated with an wireless device;

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

(c) enabling at least one of accessing and verifying the account, optionally by utilizing the identifier stored on the wireless device;

(d) enabling entering of the event customer to participate in the obtaining of at least one of goods, services and offering;

(e) enabling determining at least one of a concessions and offering communication for the at least one event customer;

(f) enabling transmitting a confirmation to the at least one wireless device confirming to the at least one event customer the at least one of said concessions and offering;

(g) enabling determining event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and enabling notifying the event customers responsive to customer profiles when they exist comprising at least one of communication, patron satisfaction communication, additional revenue, additional advertising, additional offering and advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device;

(h) enabling polling a plurality of users of the wireless devices 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;

(i) optionally enabling receiving an acceptance from at least one of the event customers said at least one of concessions and offering communication;

(j) optionally enabling billing the at least one of the event customers in at least one of real-time or at a later time for said at least one of goods and services in accordance with the second predetermined criteria; and

(k) optionally enabling receiving payment from the at least one of the event customers responsive to said billing step (j).

32. A computer system according to claim 31, wherein said computer system further enables receiving location information from at least one of a venue database system, kiosk where the event customer enters the location information, the customer and a point of sales system from an attendant selling seating information.

33. A computer system according to claim 31, wherein said computer system further enables targeting sections of the venue to provide at least one other service or offering to the event customers in various of the sections of the venue.

34. A computer system according to claim 33, wherein the sections are at least one of separately and substantially targeted, and wherein said method further includes the step of targeting the different sections over different periods of time, thereby preventing a long delay to receive answers once the question is transmitted, and to optionally minimize collusion among event customers.

35. A computer system according to claim 33, wherein the sections are at least one of separately and substantially targeted, and wherein said method further includes the step of transmitting the entertainment program to customers located in different sections over a predetermined time interval.

36. A computer system according to claim 33, wherein said computer system further:

enables transmitting an entertainment program to first customers located in different sections over a first predetermined time interval in a first round; and

enables transmitting the entertainment program to second customers located in different sections over a second predetermined time interval in a second round, wherein the second customers are a smaller set of participants in the entertainment program than the first customers.

37. A computer system according to claim 33, wherein said computer system further:

enables transmitting a first portion of the entertainment program to first customers over a first predetermined time interval in a first round requesting that the first customers respond with at least one first response; and

enables transmitting a second portion of the entertainment program to second customers over a second predetermined time interval in a second round requesting that the second customers respond with at least one second response, wherein the first and second responses are unique with respect to each other.

38. A computer system according to claim 31, wherein said computer system further enables interactive messaging between the computer system and the at least one wireless device based on at least one of a pre-formatted data format and predetermined data format.