Method and device for location integrated ordering and queue placement

• US 8,126,782 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Zhu, Kevin K., Ng, Sei Y., Stone, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): FADOK, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US11/539,538
• Time in Patent Office: 1,971 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1, 705/26.25, 705/22, 705/7.15, 379/266.06
• US Class Current: 705/26.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system and method for performing automated location integrated ordering of products and services at an event. This may be accomplished through placing product orders to one or more vendors using a portable electronic device, wherein upon placing an order, event-specific location information stored on the portable electronic device may be sent along with the order. Upon fulfilling the order, the products may be delivered to the event-specific location information. In addition to performing product ordering, the portable electronic device may also be used to remotely sign up for or check the status of event-specific services or activities. Also, the portable electronic device may be used to locate event services, activities, or attendees and provide a map or directions from the event-specific location to the event service, activity, or attendee.

Claims

1. A method for placing an order for products, services, or activities at an event, comprising:

receiving, by an event server, the order for products, services, or activities offered by a plurality of vendors at the event from a portable electronic device associated with a customer;

receiving, by the event server, event-specific location information of the portable electronic device;

parsing, by the event server, the order into portions of the order corresponding to each of a plurality of vendors at the event;

placing, by the event server, the order to the plurality of vendors specified in the order using the event-specific location information by communicating the portions of the order to each of the corresponding vendors;

sending, by the event server, a result of the order to the portable electronic device;

receiving, by the event server, a first request from the portable electronic device that the customer be placed in a queue for a first location-specific service;

adding, by the event server, the customer to the queue for the first location-specific service;

receiving, by the event server, a second request from the portable electronic device requesting a status of a second location-specific service; and

sending, by the event server, the status of the second location-specific service to the portable electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the result of the order is one or more selected from a group consisting of;

a receipt of the order, an indication of delivery of the order;

a customer survey to provide feedback concerning the order, an indication that the order is being delivered, an indication that the order was canceled, an indication of being placed on a queue for the service or activity, an indication of being registered for an event lottery, and an indication of a location of a friend.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending directions and/or a map indicating a path to travel from the event-specific location to any of the service, activity, or friend.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

automatically sending an indication of being at or near the front of the queue.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the event server, payment information to all of the vendors specified in the order.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the event-specific location information is received by the event server by the personal electronic device locally obtaining the event-specific location information through reading a bar code or a near field communication device, through correlating a longitude and latitude with the event-specific location, or by receiving the event-specific information from event admissions.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting a product and/or a service prior to an event for delivery at a specified time during the event.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location-specific service comprises meeting a famous attendee at an event, and wherein the status of the second location-specific service comprises available bathroom capacity for a bathroom at the event.

9. A portable electronic device for placing orders for products, services, or activities at an event, comprising:

a communication unit that, when implemented by the portable electronic device, communicates with one or more event units to obtain event-specific location information and vendor ordering information, and to send an order;

a memory comprising an ordering application, the event-specific location information, and the vendor ordering information; and

a processor configured to execute the ordering application in conjunction with the vendor ordering information such that execution of the ordering application causes the portable electronic device to place the order that includes the event-specific location information and specifies products, services, and/or activities offered by the plurality of vendors, request a customer be placed in a queue for a location-specific service, and request and receive a status of a location-specific service, using the communication unit.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

the ordering application is any of a web browser, an ordering application, an event-specific ordering application, a location-specific ordering application, or a vendor specific ordering application.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the vendor ordering information includes any of a web site, a list of web sites, screens, menus, images, text, or an executable file.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

one of the one or more event units includes any of a bar code or a near field communication device at the event-specific location that stores the event-specific location information and the vendor ordering information.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

one of the one or more event units includes an event server for receiving and parsing the order for delivery to each of the corresponding vendors identified in the order.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 9, further comprising:

an elapsed time tracker, wherein the elapsed time tracker indicates an amount of time that has elapsed since the order was submitted.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 9, further comprising one of a bar code reader, an RFID tag reader, and a near-field communication device.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that, when placed in operable relation to a portable electronic device associated with a customer, cause the portable electronic device to:

request event-specific location information and vendor ordering information;

execute an ordering application in accordance with the vendor ordering information;

send, by the ordering application, an order for products, services, or activities offered by a plurality of vendors at an event, wherein the order includes the event-specific location information;

receive, by the ordering application, an indication of receipt of the order;

send, by the ordering application, a request to register the customer for a first location-specific service;

send, by the ordering application, an inquiry of a status of a second location-specific service; and

receive, by the ordering application, the status of the second location-specific service.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein:

the indication of receipt includes one or more of a list of the products ordered, a cost of the order, and an estimated time for delivery to the event-specific location specified in the order.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein:

the indication of receipt includes any of an indication of a status of the service, an indication of registration on a queue for the service or activity, an indication of registration for an event lottery, or an indication of a location of a friend.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions that cause the portable electronic device to:

receive directions from the event-specific location to the activity, service, or friend.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein:

the ordering application is any of a web browser, an event-specific ordering application, or a vendor specific ordering application.