Systems and methods for providing resource allocation in a networked environment

• US 7,979,504 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ticketmaster LLC (Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated)
• Inventors: Levin, Kip, Denker, Dennis, Scarborough, David
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/187,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20090171821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/225, 709/226, 709/229, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for adjusting an item characteristic. An illustrative system includes a first network interface, a database storing information regarding a plurality of items, a load balancer, a web proxy processor configured to selectively block or route an inbound user browser request, a cache cluster system configured to cache data and states for access by other system components, and program code stored in computer readable memory, which, when executed is configured to receive a plurality of requests for items from corresponding users, wherein the plurality of requests are associated with corresponding offer amounts and determine what the users are to provide for the items based at least in part on how many requests were received, how many items are allocated to users, and/or how many unallocated items are available, wherein at least a portion of the users are to provide an amount different than their corresponding offer amount.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first network interface via which a plurality of remote terminals can access the system;

a load balancer;

a web proxy processor configured to selectively block an inbound user browser request or route an inbound user browser request to a destination server;

a cache cluster system configured to cache data and states for access by one or more system components;

a database storing information regarding a plurality of items; and

program code stored in computer readable memory, which, when executed is configured to;

provide users with allocation information for the plurality of items;

receive a plurality of access requests for items from corresponding users, wherein the plurality of access requests are associated with corresponding offer amounts for one or more of the plurality of items; and

determine an exchange amount the users are to provide for the items based at least in part on a central tendency of the offer amounts and on how many unallocated items are available;

wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by;

calculating an average of at least a portion of the offer amounts, a median of at least a portion the offer amounts, a trimedian of at least a portion the offer amounts, a mode of at least a portion the offer amounts, and/or a mean of at least a portion the offer amounts; and

wherein the system is further configured to transmit over the network to the corresponding users an indication as to the exchange amount the users are to provide.

2. A resource allocation system, comprising:

a computing device;

a first network interface;

a database storing information regarding a plurality of items; and

program code stored in computer readable memory, which, when executed is configured to;

access information regarding the plurality of items from the database;

transmit over the first network interface at least a portion of the information to a plurality of user terminal devices;

receive a plurality of requests for items from corresponding users via the network interface, wherein the plurality of requests are associated with corresponding offer amounts; and

determine, using the computing device, a respective amount the users are to provide for the items based at least in part;

(a) on how many requests were received;

or

(b) how many items are allocated to users;

or

(c) how many unallocated items are available;

or

(d) any combination of (a), (b), (c);

wherein at least a portion of the users are to provide an amount different than their corresponding offer amount;

transmit to the users an identification of the respective amounts;

wherein the act of determining what the users are to provide further comprises determining a central tendency of the offer amounts;

wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by;

calculating an average of at least a portion of the offer amounts, a median of at least a portion the offer amounts, a trimedian of at least a portion the offer amounts, a mode of at least a portion the offer amounts, and/or a mean of at least a portion the offer amounts; and

wherein the system is further configured to transmit over the network to the corresponding users an indication as to the exchange amount the users are to provide.

3. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the program code, when executed, is further configured to:

request a first user to agree that an exchange value that the first user is to provide for a first item can be automatically adjusted from a first offer amount;

store an adjustment limit in computer readable memory,

wherein the adjustment limit indicates how much the users are to provide are allowed to vary from their corresponding offer amounts; and

increase an offer amount of at least one user by a first percentage.

4. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the requests further comprise bids.

5. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the program code, when executed, is further configured to increase an offer amount of at least one user by a first percentage.

6. The system defined in claim 2, wherein the program code, when executed, is further configured to request a first user to agree that an exchange value that the first user is to provide for a first item can be automatically adjusted from a first offer amount.

7. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by calculating an average of the offer amounts.

8. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by calculating a median of the offer amounts.

9. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by calculating a trimedian of the offer amounts.

10. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by a mode of the offer amounts.

11. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by calculating a mean of the offer amounts.

12. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein the mean is a quadratic mean, a generalized mean, a weighted mean, a truncated mean, a midrange, a Winsorized mean, an exponential mean, a trimean, or a normalized mean.

13. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the program code, when executed, is further configured to store an adjustment limit in computer readable memory, wherein the adjustment limit indicates how much the users are to provide are allowed to vary from their corresponding offer amounts.

14. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein the adjustment limit is expressed as a percentage.

15. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein the adjustment limit is expressed as a currency amount.

16. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the program code, when executed is further configured to:

store a ranking of the received offers;

store a ranking of the items; and

allocate items to users based at least in part on the ranking of the received offers and the ranking of the items.

17. A method of adjusting an item exchange value, the method comprising:

offering a plurality of items for allocation online;

receiving over a network a plurality of requests for items from corresponding users,

wherein the plurality of requests are associated with corresponding offer amounts; and

determining what at least a portion of the users are to provide for the items based at least in part on;

(a) how many requests were received, or

(b) how many items are allocated to users, or

(c) how many unallocated items are available, or

(d) any combination of (a), (b), or (c);

wherein one or more of the users are to provide an amount different than their corresponding offer amount;

wherein the act of determining what the users are to provide further comprises determining a central tendency of the offer amounts,

wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by;

calculating an average of at least a portion of the offer amounts, a median of at least a portion the offer amounts, a trimedian of at least a portion the offer amounts, a mode of at least a portion the offer amounts, and/or a mean of at least a portion the offer amounts; and

wherein the system is further configured to transmit over the network to the corresponding users an indication as to the exchange amount the users are to provide.

18. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the online allocation is in the form of an auction.

19. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the requests are in the form of bids.

20. The method as defined in claim 17, the method further comprising requesting a first user via a user interface to agree that an exchange value that the first user is to provide for a first item can be adjusted from a first offer amount based at least in part on the acts of others.

21. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by calculating an average of the bid amounts.

22. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by calculating a median of the bid amounts.

23. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by calculating a trimedian of the bid amounts.

24. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by a mode of the bid amounts.

25. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the central tendency is calculated at least in part by calculating a mean of the bid amounts.

26. The method as defined in claim 25, wherein the mean is a quadratic mean, a generalized mean, a weighted mean, a truncated mean, a midrange, a Winsorized mean, an exponential mean, a trimean, or a normalized mean.

27. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the act of determining what the users are to provide further comprises determining that at least one user is to provide less than an offer amount received from the at least one user.

28. The method as defined in claim 17, the method further comprising:

storing an adjustment limit in computer readable memory,

wherein the adjustment limit indicates how much at least a portion of the users are to provide can vary from corresponding offer amounts.

29. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein the adjustment limit is expressed as a percentage.

30. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein the adjustment limit is expressed as a currency amount.

31. The method as defined in claim 17, the method further comprising:

ranking the received offers;

ranking the items;

allocating items to users based at least in part on the ranking of the received offers and the ranking of the items.