Transferring a ticket

• US 8,645,218 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Kirwin, Glenn D., Lutnick, Howard W., Fraser, Stuart A., Ginsberg, Philip Myron
• Primary Examiner(s): ZURITA, JAMES H
• Application Number:
  US11/680,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20070143192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,532 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/37, 705/26.1, 705/37.1, 705/27.1
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A request is received from a first consumer to sell at least one ticket, in which a provider of the ticket may have authorized the ticket to be sold. Information regarding the ticket may then be presented to at least a second consumer, who may make an indication to purchase the ticket. Thereafter, the first and second consumers each may be charged a fee in connection with a sale of the ticket to the second consumer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving by at least one computing device, from a first consumer a request to sell a ticket, in which;

the ticket comprises at least one restriction on transferability,

the first consumer purchased the ticket directly from a provider of the ticket or purchased the ticket indirectly from the provider of the ticket, and

the provider placed on the ticket the at least one restriction on transferability;

based at least in part on the provider having authorized for the ticket a transfer that is contrary to the at least one restriction on transferability, causing by the at least one computing device information about the ticket to be presented to at least a second consumer;

receiving by the at least one computing device, from the second consumer an indication to purchase the ticket;

charging by the at least one computing device, the first consumer a first fee in connection with a sale of the ticket to the second consumer; and

charging by the at least one computing device, the second consumer a second fee in connection with the sale of the ticket to the second consumer; and

in which the provider is provided an inducement in exchange for the provider authorizing for the ticket the transfer that is contrary to the at least one restriction on transferability.

2. The method of claim 1, in which causing information regarding the ticket to be presented comprises holding an auction for the ticket and presenting information regarding the ticket through the auction.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving from the first consumer at least one of:

a bidding duration, and

a minimum sale price.

4. The method of claim 1, in which causing information regarding the ticket to be presented comprises advertising the ticket for a price.

5. The method of claim 4, in which the price comprises a value received from the first consumer.

6. The method of claim 1, in which receiving from the second consumer an indication to purchase the ticket comprises receiving from the second consumer an offer to buy the ticket.

7. The method of claim 1, in which receiving from the second consumer an indication to purchase the ticket comprises receiving from the second consumer a bid for the ticket.

8. The method of claim 1, in which the first fee comprises a fee for enabling the first consumer to sell the ticket to the second consumer.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the second fee comprises a fee for enabling the first consumer to sell the ticket to the second consumer.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the inducement comprises a flat fee.

11. The method of claim 1, in which the inducement comprises a percentage of a sale price at which the ticket is sold from the first consumer to the second consumer.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the inducement comprises at least a portion of the first fee.

13. The method of claim 1, in which the inducement comprises at least a portion of the second fee.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the first consumer to send the ticket to an intermediary.

15. The method of claim 14, in which the intermediary comprises an entity that enables the first consumer to sell the ticket to the second consumer.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

issuing a new ticket to the second consumer; and

causing a new ticket to be issued to the second consumer.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

voiding the ticket; and

causing the ticket to be voided.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

sending the ticket to the second consumer; and

causing the ticket to be sent to the second consumer.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the first consumer to send the ticket to the second consumer.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying the first consumer is in possession of the ticket.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving from the first consumer a serial number of the ticket.

22. The method of claim 1, in which the at least one restriction on transferability comprises the ticket being non-transferable.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising causing the first consumer to be notified that the provider of the ticket has authorized the ticket to be transferred.

24. The method of claim 1, in which the at least one restriction on transferability comprises a restriction on a price at which the first consumer may resell the ticket.

25. The method of claim 1,

in which charging the second consumer the second fee in connection with the sale of the ticket comprises receiving from the second consumer both the second fee and a price for the ticket;

and

in which charging the first consumer the first fee in connection with the sale of the ticket comprises sending to the first consumer the price of the ticket less the first fee.

26. An apparatus comprising at least one computing device, comprising a non-transitory memory having a program stored thereon that when executed by the at least one computing device directs the at least one computing device to:

receive from a first consumer a request to sell a ticket, in which;

the ticket comprises at least one restriction on transferability,

the first consumer purchased the ticket directly from a provider of the ticket or purchased the ticket indirectly from the provider of the ticket, and

the provider placed on the ticket the at least one restriction on transferability;

based at least in part on the provider having authorized for the ticket a transfer that is contrary to the at least one restriction on transferability, cause information about the ticket to be presented to at least a second consumer;

receive from a second consumer an indication to purchase the ticket;

charge the first consumer a first fee in connection with a sale of the ticket to the second consumer; and

charge the second consumer a second fee in connection with the sale of the ticket to the second consumer; and

in which the provider is provided an inducement in exchange for the provider authorizing for the ticket the transfer that is contrary to the at least one restriction on transferability.

27. The apparatus of claim 26,

in which to charge the second consumer the second fee in connection with the sale of the ticket comprises to receive from the second consumer both the second fee and a price for the ticket;

and

in which to charge the first consumer the first fee in connection with the sale of the ticket comprises to send to the first consumer the price of the ticket less the first fee.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, in which the inducement comprises a flat fee.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, in which the inducement comprises a percentage of a sale price at which the ticket is sold from the first consumer to the second consumer.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, in which the inducement comprises at least a portion of the first fee.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, in which the inducement comprises at least a portion of the second fee.

32. The apparatus of claim 26, in which the at least one restriction on transferability comprises the ticket being non-transferable.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, in which the program, when executed by the at least one computing device, further directs the at least one computing device to cause the first consumer to be notified that the provider has authorized the ticket to be transferred.

34. The apparatus of claim 26, in which the at least one restriction on transferability comprises a restriction on a price at which the first consumer may resell the ticket.