Event marketing automated system

• US 8,781,973 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Ross, Bellverie E. II, Eastburn, Dean F., Devoll, Daniel C., Laird, Kelly C., Gulian, David T., Hendrickson, Theresa C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reagan, James A
• Application Number:
  US10/948,719
• Time in Patent Office: 3,581 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/64
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user

Abstract

In a method of processing customer applications at an event, an application is received from a customer on a customer interface computer. The data in said application is verified on the customer interface computer and encrypted. The encrypted data is transmitted wirelessly to a portal computer via a private wireless network, and then transmitted to a processing computer system for approval of the application.

Claims

1. A method of processing customer applications at an event, comprising:

(a) receiving an application from a customer on a customer interface computer;

(b) verifying, within said customer interface computer, data in said application;

(c) encrypting said data by said customer interface computer;

(d) transmitting wirelessly said encrypted data to a portal computer via a private wireless network;

(e) transmitting said encrypted data from said portal computer to a processing computer system for approval of the application;

(f) maintaining an inventory of promotional items associated with said event on an event manager computer;

(g) processing data regarding a plurality of said applications at the event on said event manager computer to obtain processed data;

(h) transmitting wirelessly said processed data from said event manager computer to said portal computer; and

(i) accessing said processed data regarding said applications with said event manager computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) comprises at least one of:

detecting false information in said application; and

detecting invalid information in said application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises receiving an application from a customer on one of a wireless laptop computer and a tablet personal computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein (d) further comprises:

transmitting wirelessly said encrypted data to an access point computer;

transmitting wirelessly said encrypted data from said access point computer to a wireless bridge;

transmitting wirelessly said encrypted data from said wireless bridge to an event server; and

transmitting wirelessly said encrypted data from said event server to said portal.

5. A computer system for processing customer applications at an event, comprising:

a customer interface computer adapted to receive an application from a customer, verify data in said application, and encrypt said data;

an event server adapted to transmit wirelessly said encrypted data via a private wireless network;

a portal computer adapted to receive said encrypted data transmitted by said event server and transmit said encrypted data to a processing computer system for approval of the application; and

an event manager computer adapted to maintain an inventory of promotional items associated with said event, process data regarding a plurality of said applications at the event to obtain processed data, transmit wirelessly said processed data to said portal computer, and access said processed data regarding said applications.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said verification of said data in said application comprises at least one of:

detecting false information in said application; and

detecting invalid information in said application.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said customer interface computer is one of a wireless laptop computer and a tablet personal computer.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the system further comprises:

an access point computer adapted to receive said encrypted data as a wireless transmission from said customer interface computer; and

a wireless bridge adapted to receive said encrypted data as a wireless transmission from said access point computer and to transmit wirelessly said encrypted data to said event server.

9. A system comprising:

a pod;

a portal computer; and

a processing computer system,

wherein the pod includes;

a customer interface computer configured to receive an application from a customer at an event, verify data in said application, and encrypt said verified data;

an event server configured to receive the encrypted data and transmit the encrypted data to the portal computer; and

an event manager computer configured to access the encrypted data and maintain an inventory of promotional items associated with said event, process data regarding a plurality of said applications at the event to obtain processed data, transmit wirelessly said processed data to said portal computer, and access said processed data regarding said applications, and

wherein the portal computer is configured to receive the encrypted data from the event server and transmit the encrypted data to the processing computer, and

wherein the processing computer is configured to receive the encrypted data from the portal computer, decrypt the encrypted data, and process the decrypted data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the event server is further configured to detect that the encrypted data indicates the application is not a duplicate of an application previously received at the event, and wherein the event server is configured to transmit the encrypted data to the portal computer responsive to determining that the application is not a duplicate.