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

• US 7,577,575 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• 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., Donner, Zachary J., Donner, Jason J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca; Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US12/022,393
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 705/67, 705/5
• US Class Current: 705/5
• 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 dynamically at least one of allocating, 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 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 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 obtain admittance to at least one event, the communication optionally including an identifier associated with an identification device;

(b) updating an account associated with the request;

(c) at least one of accessing and verifying the account;

(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 in a database to obtain the at least one of goods and services;

(e) determining an available allocation associated with the event 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;

(f) receiving an acceptance from at least one of the event customers said at least one of allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding in accordance with predetermined criteria;

(g) 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;

(h) 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; and

(i) polling, by a computer system implementing said server 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;

(j) evaluating the event customer, optionally with respect to at least one of appropriate behavior, wearing of excessively large hats, and drunkenness behavior;

(k) determining future at least one of upgrades and reallocations using said evaluation in a re-allocation algorithm for the event customer being upgraded;

(l) 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 allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding in accordance with the second predetermined criteria; and

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

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication includes at least one of payment information, an event selection, a venue selection, a concession selection, and a merchandise selection.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the account includes a list of purchased items.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises at least one of a movie ticket, a sporting event ticket, a concession, or merchandise.

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

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating at least one of a physical receipt, a confirmation, a receipt, and an electronic confirmation.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating at least one of a physical receipt, a confirmation, a receipt and an electronic confirmation, and the at least one of the physical receipt, the confirmation, a receipt and the electronic confirmation comprises at least one of reserved seating and purchase information.

10. A method of dynamically at least one of allocating, 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 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 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 for at least one of a movie ticket, a sporting event ticket, a concession, or merchandise 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 the request;

(c) at least one of accessing and verifying the account optionally by utilizing the identifier stored on 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 in a database to obtain the at least one of goods and services;

(e) determining an available allocation associated with the event 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

(f) optionally receiving an acceptance from at least one of the event customers said at least one of allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding in accordance with predetermined criteria, and wherein the upgraded and re-allocated event customer is evaluated, and said evaluation is used in a re-allocation algorithm in determining future upgrades to the event customer being upgraded;

(g) 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;

(h) 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; and

(i) polling, by a computer system implementing said server 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, additional information and additional merchandise.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said transmitting the wireless devices of a plurality of users for additional communications further comprises transmitting the wireless devices of a plurality of users for additional communications upon receiving at least one of permission and acquiescence from the customer including additional requests for at least one of additional movie tickets, additional sporting event tickets, additional concessions, additional services, additional offers, additional entertainment services, additional information and additional merchandise.

12. The method of claim 10, 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.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the customer is registered by at least one of receiving a message from the customer and automatically responding to the communication, and the method further includes parsing the received information including an address for communication with the customer.

14. The method of claim 10, transmitting a ticket to at least one of the wireless device, wireless pagers, personal digital assistants, or Internet-ready watches as an alternative or in addition to an original or new printed ticket.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of at least one of:

transmitting a message for storing at least one of the communication and the up-graded ticket on the wireless device for admission to an event, using the original ticket that is now re-allocated to a better seat, and transmitting a new ticket to be received by the customer via at least one of the wireless device and manually.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of provisioning of demographic information to program sponsors by receiving a registration from the user demographic information.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of compiling information for advertising and marketing use to allow sponsors to create custom offerings to users for creating targeted programs that address user needs and for targeting potential new customers.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of running different applications by complying with core and profile specifications, thereby achieving interoperability among applications.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of communicating using at least one of a variety of different methods for information exchange over at least one network.

20. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of communicating using at least one of the following methods:

(1) one-to-one messaging;

(2) one-to-many messaging;

(3) distributed message databases;

(4) real time communication;

(5) real time remote computer utilization; and

(6) remote information retrieval.

21. The method of claim 10, 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.

22. A system to upgrade and award admittance to events to an event customer using wireless devices operably connectable to said server, said wireless devices comprising at least one of a transmitter and receiver and a transceiver receiving and transmitting signals to and from said server, including receiving an acceptance from the at least another of the event customers said at least one of the upgrade and award for the reallocation via at least one of said wireless devices, and wherein the event customer is evaluated, and said evaluation is used in a re-allocation algorithm in determining future upgrades to the event customer being upgraded, said system comprising:

a server comprising a processor and a memory medium, said server connected to a data communication network and operably connectable to said at least one wireless device, said memory medium containing instructions for controlling said processor, wherein said processor receives 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, updates a database indicating that the request was processed, determines first predetermined criteria associated with the event indicative of at least one other event customer not attending the event, releases an allocation associated with the at least one other event customer responsive to said determining step, notifies at least another of the event customers to at least one of upgrade and award the at least another of the event customers with the allocation, optionally transmits 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 f;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding, determines event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, notifies 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 polls 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.

23. A computer system dynamically at least one of allocating, 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 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 at least one wireless device comprising at least one of a transmitter and receiver and transceiver receiving and transmitting signals, said system comprising:

at least one computer server comprising a processor and a memory medium, said computer server connected to the data communication network and operably connectable to said at least one wireless device, said memory medium containing instructions for controlling said processor, wherein said processor executing instructions stored on a computer readable medium, and performing at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence functions of;

enabling at least one of receiving a communication from and transmitting the communication to the event customer, the communication including a request for at least one of a movie ticket, a sporting event ticket, a concession, or merchandise to obtain admittance to at least one event, the communication also including an identifier associated with the at least one wireless device;

enabling updating an account associated with the request;

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

enabling 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 in a database to obtain the at least one of goods and services;

enabling determining an available allocation associated with the event 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

optionally enabling receiving an acceptance from at least one of the event customers said at least one of allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding in accordance with predetermined criteria, and wherein the upgraded and re-allocated event customer is evaluated, and said evaluation is used in a re-allocation algorithm in determining future upgrades to the event customer being upgraded;

optionally 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 at least one of;

allocating, provisioning, upgrading and awarding;

enabling 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; and

enabling 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, additional information and additional merchandise.

24. The computer system according to claim 23, wherein said system further enables 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.

25. The computer system according to claim 23, wherein said system further enables the processing customer profiles when they exist in accordance with predetermined criteria, and enabling the determining responsive to the processing of the customer profiles event customers to be notified via the at least one wireless device, and enabling notifying the event customers responsive to the customer profiles comprising advertising sponsorship for advertising on the wireless device.

26. The computer system according to claim 23, wherein said system further enables at least one of transmitting to and receiving from, the at least one wireless device of the event customer, further comprises enabling at least one 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.

27. The computer system according to claim 23, wherein said system further enables receiving a registration from the event customer, and the event customer providing targeted marketing information and compiling information for advertising and marketing services, and enabling receiving demographic information from the event customer;

enabling processing the demographic information;

enabling 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.

28. The computer system according to claim 23, wherein said 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.