Method, apparatus, and program for pre-selling tickets to effect a booking of an event

• US 7,801,752 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IMDb.com, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IMDb.com, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Neulight, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jabr; Fadey S
• Application Number:
  US11/379,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20070250354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 705 5- 6
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and program for pre-selling tickets to determine whether to book an event or activity, and for facilitating the sale of those tickets. Consumers who pre-purchase a ticket are plainly notified if an event has not yet been booked. They are also shown the progress toward the likely booking of the event. A successful pre-sale of tickets triggers the booking of the event. An unsuccessful pre-sale results in the event not being booked. Consumers who help effect an event booking may be given privileges over those who purchase traditional tickets for the same event after it has already been booked.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of determining a booking of an event by pre-selling tickets to the event using a central ticket controller, the method comprising:

executing, using one or more computer systems, executable instructions to perform at least the steps of;

a) receiving a critical mass criteria and a critical date criteria for an event to set up a pre-selling of tickets for the event such that if the critical mass criteria and the critical date criteria are not satisfied, the event will not occur and any pre-purchased tickets for the event will be canceled, the critical mass criteria specifying, at least;

a threshold number of tickets to be sold;

a threshold total cash value of tickets to be sold independent of the threshold number of tickets to be sold; and

that the critical mass criteria comprises exceeding both the threshold number of tickets to be sold and the threshold total cash value of tickets sold;

b) receiving a request to pre-purchase a ticket of the event from a user, wherein the request to pre-purchase a ticket includes payment information to be used to purchase the ticket;

c) processing the request to pre-purchase a ticket for the event, wherein processing of the pre-purchase request includes storing the payment information included with the request for later processing if the critical mass and critical date criteria are achieved, wherein the user is not charged for the ticket unless the critical mass and critical date criteria are achieved;

d) providing information about a future fulfillment of the ticket to the user, the information about the future fulfillment comprising a notification that the event has not yet been booked distinct from a notification of cancellation, the notification that the event has not yet been booked including a presentation of conditions for the future fulfillment including at least the critical mass criteria, the critical date criteria, and a relationship between the critical mass criteria and the critical date criteria; and

e) triggering the booking of the event when the critical mass and critical date criteria are achieved, the triggering of the booking of the event further comprising;

completing the sale of each pre-purchased ticket for each of a plurality of users that requested to pre-purchase a ticket to the event; and

booking a venue for the event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the critical mass criteria is defined as a volume of sales of tickets for the event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the critical date criteria is a date and time of day by which the critical mass must be attained to book the event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is an activity that regulates admission by purchasing a ticket or a secured reservation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of processing the request comprises:

under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

a) using an on-line merchant processor model to submit customer information;

b) sending customer information to pre-purchase the ticket to the central ticket controller;

c) transmitting a purchase price from the central ticket controller to a customer;

d) securing a method of payment that is capable of being automatically processed by the computer processor; and

e) receiving a binding agreement of sale.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the binding agreement of sale provides that if the critical mass criteria is satisfied before the critical date arrives, then the event will be booked, the payment will be processed, and the ticket will be fulfilled to the customer.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the binding agreement of sale provides that if the critical mass criteria is not satisfied before the critical date arrives, then the event will not be booked, the payment will not be processed, and the ticket will not be fulfilled to the customer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting information comprises:

under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

a) confirming to a customer that the ticket has been pre-purchased for future fulfillment;

b) notifying the customer that the event has not yet been booked; and

c) showing a real-time registration of a sale.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a payment or a credit to a customer for engaging in a personal marketing of an unbooked event that results in a ticket sale.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of withholding selective information from a customer about the pre-sale of a ticket for the event, wherein the information withheld from the customer is selected from a group consisting of critical mass criteria, critical date criteria, venue capacity, event venue, and event date.