Authorization system and method

• US 8,645,219 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: Fraser, Stuart A., Ginsberg, Philip Myron, Kirwin, Glenn D., Lutnick, Howard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZURITA, JAMES H
• Application Number:
  US11/680,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20070143194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,532 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1, 705/27.1, 705/37
• 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 has 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.

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 first consumer purchased the ticket directly from a provider of the ticket or purchased the ticket indirectly from the provider of the ticket, and in which at the time the first consumer purchased the ticket, the ticket included at least one restriction placed thereon by the provider, the at least one restriction including that the first consumer cannot resell the ticket to another consumer;

subsequent to the first consumer purchasing the ticket, receiving from the provider of the ticket authorization that the ticket can be resold by the first consumer to another consumer; and

based at least in part on receiving from the provider authorization that the ticket can be resold, receiving, by at least one computing device, from a second consumer an indication to purchase the ticket.

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

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

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing information regarding the ticket to be presented to at least the second consumer.

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

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

7. The method of claim 4, in which causing information regarding the ticket to be presented comprises auctioning the ticket.

8. The method of claim 1, in which the provider is paid an inducement in connection with a sale of the ticket from the first consumer to the second consumer.

9. The method of claim 8, in which the inducement comprises a percentage of a sale price of the ticket.

10. The method of claim 8, in which the inducement comprises a flat fee.

11. The method of claim 8, in which the inducement comprises a fee in exchange for the provider authorizing the ticket to be resold.

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

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

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 causing the first consumer to be notified that the provider authorized the ticket to be resold.

21. The method of claim 1, in which a sale of the ticket by the first consumer comprises one or more restrictions.

22. The method of claim 21, in which at least one of the one or more restrictions are imposed by the provider.

23. The method of claim 22, in which the at least one of the one or more restrictions comprises a contract term.

24. The method of claim 22, in which the at least one of the one or more restrictions comprises a minimum sale price.

25. An apparatus comprising at least one computing device and 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 first consumer purchased the ticket directly from a provider of the ticket or purchased the ticket indirectly from the provider of the ticket, and in which at the time the first consumer purchased the ticket, the ticket included at least one restriction placed thereon by the provider, the at least one restriction including that the first consumer cannot resell the ticket to another consumer;

subsequent to the first consumer purchasing the ticket, receive from the provider of the ticket authorization that the ticket can be resold by the first consumer to another consumer; and

based at least in part on receiving from the provider authorization that the ticket can be transferred, receive from a second consumer an indication to purchase the ticket.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, in which the provider is paid an inducement in connection with a sale of the ticket from the first consumer to the second consumer.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, in which the inducement comprises a percentage of a sale price of the ticket or comprises a flat fee.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, in which the inducement comprises a fee in exchange for the provider authorizing the ticket to be resold.