Reservation management system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A portable module for managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, the portable module comprising:
- a module input to allow entry to the module of a reservation request indicative of a desire to access the said resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users;
a processor arranged upon receipt of the reservation request to identify a time slot during which the said at least one of the plurality of resource users may access the resource, based upon an updatable resource access parameter which is determined statistically upon the basis of;
(i) a number of reservation requests for the resource made by resource users, having further portable modules; and
(ii) an estimated throughput for each user of the resource that has a portable module, the estimated throughput being determined on the basis of a combination of(a) the ratio of the number of potential users of the resource having a portable module to a total number of potential users of the resource, and(b) an assessed throughput for the resource; and
a module output arranged to indicate the identified time slot to a user of the module;
wherein the resource is situated in a visitor location having a measurable total number of visitors such that the measurable total number of visitors is comprised of the number of the users having the portable module and the number of any users without the portable module, the total number of potential users of the resource being the measurable total number of visitors.
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Abstract
A method and system for reserving a time slot to gain access to a resource, such as an attraction, ride, show or event, as may be found in an amusement park. A portable module is used to determine a time when the user is able to access the resource based on reservation requests and throughput, without need for a docking station or continuous communication with a central database of all reservations and queue times.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A portable module for managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, the portable module comprising:
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a module input to allow entry to the module of a reservation request indicative of a desire to access the said resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users; a processor arranged upon receipt of the reservation request to identify a time slot during which the said at least one of the plurality of resource users may access the resource, based upon an updatable resource access parameter which is determined statistically upon the basis of; (i) a number of reservation requests for the resource made by resource users, having further portable modules; and (ii) an estimated throughput for each user of the resource that has a portable module, the estimated throughput being determined on the basis of a combination of (a) the ratio of the number of potential users of the resource having a portable module to a total number of potential users of the resource, and (b) an assessed throughput for the resource; and a module output arranged to indicate the identified time slot to a user of the module; wherein the resource is situated in a visitor location having a measurable total number of visitors such that the measurable total number of visitors is comprised of the number of the users having the portable module and the number of any users without the portable module, the total number of potential users of the resource being the measurable total number of visitors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A server module for managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, the server module comprising:
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a receiver for receiving information representative of reservation requests indicative of a desire to access the said resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users; a processor arranged to determine an updatable resource access parameter statistically upon the basis of; (i) the number of received reservation requests for the resource; and (ii) an estimated throughput for each user of the resource that has a portable module, the estimated throughput being determined on the basis of a combination of (a) the ratio of the number of potential users of the resource having a portable module to a total number of potential users of the resource, and (b) an assessed throughput for the resource; and a transmitter arranged to communicate the updatable resource access parameter; wherein the resource is situated in a visitor location having a measurable total number of visitors such that the measurable total number of visitors is comprised of the number of the users having the portable module and the number of any users without the portable module, the total number of potential users of the resource being the measurable total number of visitors. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A system for managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, the system comprising a plurality of portable modules, each portable module comprising:
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a module input to allow entry to the module of a reservation request indicative of a desire to access the said resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users; a transmitter adapted to communicate a representation of a reservation request; a receiver adapted to receive an updatable resource access parameter; a processor arranged upon receipt of the reservation request to identify a time slot during which the said at least one of the plurality of resource users may access the resource, based upon the updatable resource access parameter; and a module output arranged to indicate the identified time slot to a user of the module; the system being arranged to determine the updatable resource access parameter statistically upon the basis of; (i) the number of received reservation requests for the resource; and (ii) an estimated throughput for each user of the resource that has a portable module, the estimated throughput being determined on the basis of a combination of (a) the ratio of the number of potential users of the resource having a portable module to a total number of potential users of the resource, and (b) an assessed throughput for the resource; and wherein the resource is situated in a visitor location having a measurable total number of visitors such that the measurable total number of visitors is comprised of the number of the users having the portable module and the number of any users without the portable module, the total number of potential users of the resource being the measurable total number of visitors. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, each of the plurality of resource users having a portable module comprising a processor, the method comprising:
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obtaining, at the portable module of one of the plurality of resource users, an inputted reservation request indicative of a desire to access the said resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users; identifying at the portable module a time slot during which the said one of the plurality of resource users may access the resource, based upon an updatable resource access parameter which is determined statistically by the portable module'"'"'s processor or by a remote processor on the basis of; (i) a number of reservation requests for the resource made by other users, having further portable modules; and (ii) an estimated throughput for each resource user that has a portable module, the estimated throughput being determined on the basis of a combination of (a) the ratio of the number of potential users of the resource having a portable module to the total number of potential users of the resource, and (b) an assessed throughput for the resource; and wherein the resource is situated in a visitor location having a measurable total number of visitors such that the measurable total number of visitors is comprised of the number of the users having the portable module and the number of any users without the portable module, the total number of potential users of the resource being the measurable total number of visitors. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A portable electronic device for managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, the portable electronic device comprising a processor and being programmed with instructions operable to:
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obtain, at the portable electronic device an inputted reservation request indicative of a desire of one of a plurality of resource users to access the resource; identify at the portable electronic device a time slot during which the one of the plurality of resource users may access the resource, based upon an updatable resource access parameter which is determined statistically by the portable electronic device'"'"'s processor or by a remote processor upon the basis of; (i) a number of reservation requests for the resource made by other users, having further portable electronic devices; and (ii) an estimated throughput for each resource user that has a portable electronic device, the estimated throughput being determined on the basis of a combination of (a) the ratio of the number of potential users of the resource having a portable electronic device to the total number of potential users of the resource, and (b) an assessed throughput for the resource; and
indicating the identified time slot to a respective user of the respective portable electronic device;wherein the resource is situated in a visitor location having a measurable total number of visitors such that the measurable total number of visitors is comprised of the number of the users having the portable module and the number of any users without the portable module, the total number of potential users of the resource being the measurable total number of visitors.
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32. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program for managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, having a portable electronic device comprising a processor, which when the computer program is operated on the portable electronic device by a user is operable to:
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obtain, at the portable electronic device an inputted reservation request indicative of a desire of one of the plurality of resource users to access a resource; identifying at the portable electronic device a time slot during which the one of the plurality of resource users may access the resource, based upon an updatable resource access parameter which is determined statistically by the portable electronic device'"'"'s processor or by a remote processor upon the basis of; (i) a number of reservation requests for the resource made by other users, having further portable electronic devices; and (ii) an estimated throughput for each resource user that has a portable electronic device, the estimated throughput being determined on the basis of a combination of (a) the ratio of the number of potential users of the resource having a portable electronic device to the total number of potential users of the resource, and (b) an assessed throughput for the resource; and indicating the identified time slot to a respective user of the respective portable electronic device; wherein the resource is situated in a visitor location having a measurable total number of visitors such that the measurable total number of visitors is comprised of the number of the users having the portable module and the number of any users without the portable module, the total number of potential users of the resource being the measurable total number of visitors.
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Specification