System and method for selecting and reserving seats using a touch screen device

• US 7,640,178 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CEATS Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CEATS Incorporated
• Inventors: Halavais, Richard Arthur, Chung, Tony Cheng-Tong
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAMPBELL, SHANNON S
• Application Number:
  US12/488,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20090259498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 193 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/5, 345/418
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for selecting and reserving seats using a touch screen device. The system or method transmits first data to an application running on a personal computing device, the first data including information descriptive of available individual seats at the venue, the first data processed by the application to generate a graphical user interface on the personal computing device that comprises an interactive seating map representing individual seats at the venue. The system or method also receives from the personal computing device second data representing one or more seats selected by a touch screen input. In addition, the system or method receives over the network from the personal computing device third data representing payment information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for interactively selecting one or more seats at a venue by an end user over a network, the method comprising:

transmitting first data to a web browser running on a home or office personal computing device, the first data including information descriptive of available individual seats at the venue, the first data configured to cause the web browser to generate a web page on the personal computing device that comprises an interactive seating map representing individual seats at the venue;

receiving from the personal computing device second data representing one or more seats selected by a touch screen input to a location on the interactive seating map; and

receiving over the network from the personal computing device third data representing payment information for the one or more seats selected by the touch screen input.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting fourth data to the application, the fourth data including information that is configured to be used as an admission document or voucher by the end user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the fourth data includes information that is configured to be printed as an admission document or voucher.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein transmitting the web page data for generating the interactive seating map comprises transmitting embedded scripting language code for generating the interactive seating map.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the venue is an airplane.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the is the first data is transmitted to a home or office or remotely located computer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal computing device is stationary.

8. A system for interactively selecting one or more seats at a venue by an end user over a network, the system comprising:

a data storage system storing a plurality of entries denoting a plurality of available individual seats at the venue; and

a server, programmed via executable instructions to;

query the data storage system for information descriptive of available individual seats at the venue;

transmit first data to a web browser running on a personal computing device comprising a home or office device, the first data including information descriptive of available individual seats at a venue, the first data adapted to cause the web browser to generate a graphical user interface on the personal computing device that comprises an interactive seating map representing individual seats at the venue;

receive from the personal computing device second data representing one or more seats selected by a touch screen input to a location on the interactive seating map; and

receive over the network from the personal computing device third data representing payment information for the one or more seats selected by the touch screen input.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the server is further configured to transmit fourth data to the application, the fourth data including information that is configured to be used as an admission document or voucher by the end user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the fourth data includes information that is adapted to be printed as an admission document or voucher.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the server is programmed to transmit said first data with embedded scripting language code.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the venue is an airplane.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first data is transmitted to a home or office or remotely located computer.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the personal computing device is stationary.

15. A computer-implemented method running on a personal computing device for interactively selecting one or more tickets to seats at a venue by an end user over a network, the method comprising:

receiving, via a web application running on the personal computing device from a server coupled to the personal computing device over the network, data including information descriptive of available individual seats at the venue, the data processed by the web application to generate a graphical user interface on the personal computing device that comprises an interactive seating map representing individual seats at the venue, the personal computing device comprising a home or office device;

receiving, by the application running on the personal computing device, a selection from the end user of one or more seats selected by a touch screen input to a location on the interactive seating map; and

receiving payment information for the one or more seats selected by the touch screen input.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving information that can be used as an admission document or voucher by the end user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the personal computing device is stationary.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving, via a web application running on the personal computing device from a server coupled to the personal computing device via network, comprises receiving embedded scripting language code.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the venue is an airplane.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the is first data is transmitted to a home or office or remotely located computer.