Computer-implemented systems and methods for resource allocation

• US 7,778,853 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ticketmaster (Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated)
• Inventors: Denker, Dennis, Sussman, Adam, Bennett, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jabr; Fadey S
• Application Number:
  US11/702,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for processing queue data and for providing queue messaging over a network. An illustrative queuing system includes a first queue configured to hold resource requests from a plurality of users, and program code stored in computer readable memory configured to determine or estimate whether a resource requested by a first resource request submitted by a first requester will be available when the first resource request will be serviced, and to transmit a message over a network to the first requester indicating that the requested resource will not be available when the queued request is serviced if it is estimated or determined that the requested resource will not be available when the first request is serviced.

Claims

1. A method of providing access to tickets, the method comprising:

transmitting over a network to a first user an offer to participate in a first of a plurality of phases of a ticket sale for a first event for a first participation fee, the plurality of phases including at least one phase after the first phase in which users do not need to pay the first participation fee in order to be entitled to purchase tickets for the first event;

receiving over the network at a ticketing system, including one or more computing devices, an indication that the offer has been accepted by the first user;

during the first phase of the ticket sale, receiving over the network at the ticketing system a ticket request from the first user;

at least partly in response to receiving the ticket request, determining, using the ticketing system, that the first user is entitled to participate in the first phase of the ticket sale by determining the status of the first user; and

determining, by at least one computing device, how many seats are to be made available during the first phase based at least in part on the number of users that paid the first participation fee.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first participation fee is not refundable.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first participation fee is refundable if the first user does not purchase a ticket during the first phase.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising transmitting over the network an offer to participate in a second phase of the ticket sale for the first event for a second participation fee, wherein the second phase takes place after the first phase, and the second participation fee is lower than the first participation fee.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising enabling a plurality of users to participate in another phase of the event ticket sale without paying a participation fee.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein only certain users are entitled to pay the participation fee so as to participate in the first phase of the ticket sale.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein only members of a fan club associated with a performer at the first event are entitled to pay the first participation fee to participate in the first phase of a ticket sale.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein only holders of a first credit card-type are entitled to pay the first participation fee.

9. A method of providing access to tickets, the method comprising:

transmitting over a network to a first user an offer to participate in a first of a plurality of phases of a ticket sale for a first event in exchange for a first premium provided by the first user, the plurality of phases including a subsequent phase after the first phase, wherein users do not need to provide the first premium in order to be entitled to participate in the subsequent phase;

receiving over the network at a ticketing system, including one or more computing devices, an indication that the offer has been accepted by the first user;

during the first phase of the ticket sale, receiving over the network at the ticketing system a ticket-related request from the first user;

at least partly in response to receiving the ticket-related request, determining that the first user is entitled to participate in the first phase of the ticket sale by determining that the first user has accepted the offer to participate; and

determining, by at least one computing device, how many seats are to be made available during the first phase based at least in part on the number of users that paid the first premium.

10. The method as defined in claim 9, the method further comprising providing the first user with a password or a link via which the first user can provide an indication that the first user is entitled to participate in the first phase of the ticket sale.

11. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein tickets sold during the first phase are sold at a fixed ticket price.

12. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein tickets sold during the first phase are sold at auction.

13. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the first premium is not refundable.

14. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the first premium is refundable if the first user does not purchase a ticket during the first phase.

15. The method as defined in claim 9, the method further comprising transmitting over the network an offer to participate in a second phase of the ticket sale for the first event for a second premium, wherein the second phase takes place after the first phase, and the second premium is different than the first premium.

16. The method as defined in claim 9, the method further comprising enabling a plurality of users to participate in another phase of the event ticket sale without providing a premium.

17. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein only certain users are entitled to provide the premium so as to participate in the first phase of the ticket sale.

18. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein only members of a fan club associated with a performer at the first event are entitled to provide the first premium so as to participate in the first phase.

19. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein only holders of a first credit card-type are entitled to provide the first premium so as to participate in the first phase.