Distribution services reservation integration

• US 8,397,983 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Active Network Incorporated (Cvent Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: The Active Network Incorporated (Cvent Incorporated)
• Inventors: Roebke, Mark J., Soulakis, Andrew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US13/221,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20110313799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 235/381, 235/380, 235/383, 235/492, 235/493, 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/40 for devices for accepting orders, advertisements, or the like

Abstract

Systems according to embodiments of the present invention include a core adapter module configured to receive reservation information from a reservation system in a first format useable by the reservation system, a web service module configured to identify a provider system based on the reservation information and to place the reservation information into a second format useable by the provider system, and a distribution module configured to send the reservation information in the second format to the provider system. Methods according to embodiments of the present invention include receiving reservation information from a reservation system in a first format useable by the reservation system, identifying a provider system based on the reservation information, processing the reservation information to place the reservation information into a second format useable by the provider system, and sending the reservation information in the second format to the provider system.

Claims

1. A system for media activation, comprising:

a core adapter module configured to receive a media activation from a distribution point-of-sale system, wherein the media activation has a first format useable by the distribution point-of-sale system;

a web service module configured to identify a provider system based on the media activation and to place the media activation into a second format useable by the provider system; and

a distribution module configured to send the media activation in the second format to the provider system, wherein the media activation comprises a unique identification.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the media activation is a media activation request to activate a physical media for use in accessing services associated with the provider system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the physical media is a mobile phone.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the web service module translates the media activation into a record in the second format.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the web service module is configured to identify a plurality of provider systems based on the media activation and to place the media activation into a plurality of formats useable by the plurality of provider systems.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the unique identification is a first unique identification, wherein the distribution point-of-sale system is a first distribution point-of-sale system, wherein the core adapter module is configured to receive a second media activation from a second distribution point-of-sale system, and wherein the second media activation has a third format useable by the second distribution point-of-sale system;

wherein the web service module is configured to identify the provider system based on the second media activation and to place the second media activation into the second format useable by the provider system; and

wherein the distribution module is configured to send the second media activation in the second format to the provider system, wherein the second media activation comprises at least a second unique identification.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the web service module is configured to identify a plurality of provider systems based on the second media activation and to place the second media activation into a plurality of formats useable by the plurality of provider systems.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the media activation includes data representing a visual pattern on a physical media.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the media activation includes data representing information transmitted by a physical media.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the unique identification of the media activation is a first unique identification that corresponds to a second unique identification on a media associated with the media activation.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first unique identification includes an electronic signature.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first unique identification includes a key.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the web service module is configured to perform pre-processing on the media activation.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the pre-processing includes determining if the distribution point-of-sale system is an authorized distribution point-of-sale system.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the unique identification of the media activation is a first unique identification, and wherein the system further comprises:

a provider system database configured to receive the media activation in the second format; and

a provider system interface in communication with the provider system database, wherein the provider system interface is configured to receive a second unique identification from a media associated with the media activation, wherein the second unique identification corresponds to the first unique identification.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the provider system interface is configured to compare the second unique identification received from the media with the media activation in the second format.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the core adapter module is configured to receive an advance sale from the provider system in a format compatible with the provider system, and wherein the web service module is configured to translate the advance sale into a format compatible with the distribution point-of-sale system and to transmit the advance sale to the distribution point-of-sale system.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the distribution point-of-sale system includes a hand-held electronic device configured to generate the media activation.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the core adapter is configured to receive a media inactivation from the distribution point-of-sale system in the first format, wherein the web service module is configured to identify the provider system based on the media inactivation and to place the media inactivation into the second format useable by the provider system, wherein the distribution module is configured to send the media inactivation in the second format to the provider system, and wherein the media inactivation includes the unique identification.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the media inactivation comprises a media inactivation request.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising the distribution point-of-sale system that includes:

a media activation taker module configured to receive a first input from a user, receive a second input corresponding to the unique identification, and create the media activation in the first format based on the first input and on the second input; and

a media activation distributor module configured to transmit the media activation to the core adapter.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the distributor point-of-sale system is further configured to receive payment information from the user and to transmit the payment information to the provider system.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the media activation taker module is configured to receive the second input corresponding to the unique identification from a physical media.

24. A computer-implemented method for media activation, comprising:

receiving a media activation request from a distribution point-of-sale system, wherein the media activation request has a first format useable by the distribution point-of-sale system;

identifying a provider system based on the media activation request;

processing the media activation request to place the media activation request into a second format useable by the provider system; and

sending the media activation request in the second format to the provider system, wherein the media activation request comprises a unique identification.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, wherein processing the media activation request comprises:

identifying the first format of the media activation request;

identifying the second format useable by the provider system; and

mapping the first format into the second format.

26. A system for media activation, comprising:

a core adapter module configured to receive a media activation from a distribution point-of-sale system, wherein the media activation has a format useable by the distribution point-of-sale system and includes;

a first unique identification that corresponds to a second unique identification on a physical media,

a first provider system identifier, and

a second provider system identifier;

a web service module coupled to a format database, wherein the web service module is configured to;

identify a first provider system using the first provider system identifier in the media activation,

identify a second provider system using the second provider system identifier in the media activation,

identify at least one format useable by the first provider system and at least one format useable by the second provider system using the format database, and

place the media activation into the at least one format useable by the first provider system and the at least one format useable by the second provider system; and

a distribution module configured to;

send the media activation in the at least one format useable by the first provider system to the first provider system, and

send the media activation in the at least one format useable by the second provider system to the second provider system.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the media activation is a first media activation, wherein the distribution point-of-sale system is a first distribution point-of-sale system, wherein the format is a first format, wherein the core adapter module is configured to receive a second media activation from a second distribution point-of-sale system, wherein the second media activation has a second format useable by the second distribution point-of-sale system and includes the first provider system identifier, the second provider system identifier, and a third unique identification that corresponds to a fourth unique identification on a second physical media;

wherein the web service module is configured to;

identify the first provider system using the first provider system identifier in the second media activation;

identify the second provider system using the second provider system identifier in the second media activation; and

place the second media activation into the at least one format useable by the first provider system and the at least one format useable by the second provider system; and

wherein the distribution module is configured to

send the second media activation to the first provider system in the at least one format useable by the first provider system; and

send the second media activation to the second provider system in the at least one format useable by the second provider system.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the distribution point-of-sale system comprises a hand-held electronic device configured to receive input from a user and to generate the first media activation and the second media activation using the input from the user, and wherein the physical media comprises the hand-held electronic device.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the first provider system is a ski resort.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the second provider system is a hotel.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the physical media is configured to transmit the second unique identification, and wherein the system further comprises:

a first provider system database configured to receive the media activation from the distribution module and to store the media activation;

a second provider system database configured to receive the media activation from the distribution module and to store the media activation;

a first provider system interface coupled to the first provider system database, wherein the first provider system interface is configured to receive the second unique identification from the physical media and to compare the second unique identification from the physical media with the first unique identification from the media activation that is stored in the first provider system database; and

a second provider system interface coupled to the second provider system database, wherein the second provider system interface is configured to receive the second unique identification from the physical media and to compare the second unique identification from the physical media with the first unique identification from the media activation that is stored in the second provider system database.