System and method for using unique device identifiers to enhance security

• US 9,686,241 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2016
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated
• Inventors: Du, Fengpei, Levin, Samuel, DiStefano, Richard, Scarborough, David, Denker, Dennis, Plamondon, Charles, Moriarty, Sean, Siegel, Matthew, Marti, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Harriman, Dant Shaifer
• Application Number:
  US15/233,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20170180327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 726 1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1012 to domains
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography postage metering system using cryptography G06Q2250/05
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers

Abstract

A method for detection and use of device identifiers to enhance the security of data transfers between electronic devices. A first electronic device can transmit access data to a second electronic device. The access data can be associated with a first access code that can be generated based at least in part on data representing a device identifier of the first electronic device. A device identifier can uniquely identify the first electronic device from a plurality of electronic devices. Transferring the access data can involve transforming the first access code into a second access code that can include data representing a device identifier associated with the second electronic device. Transforming the first access code into the second access code can facilitate access to a resource associated with the access data for a second user, but not for a first user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server, a first communication from a first user device corresponding to a first user, the first communication corresponding to a request for an electronic ticket to an event and including an initial access constraint, the initial access constraint indicating a value or a range of a characteristic of at least one electronic ticket to the event;

extracting, at the server, the initial access constraint from the first communication;

in response to identifying the initial access constraint, querying, by the server, a data store for one or more unassigned electronic tickets that satisfy the initial access constraint;

in response to the querying, receiving, at the server, a query response identifying a set of electronic tickets to the event, each electronic ticket in the set of electronic tickets being unassigned and satisfying the initial access constraint;

generating, at the server, result data that represents the set of electronic tickets;

transmitting, at the server, a second communication to the first user device, the second communication including the result data;

receiving, at the server, a third communication from the first user device that includes a selection of a first electronic ticket from amongst the set of electronic tickets included in the result data;

assigning, at the server, the first electronic ticket to the first user by associating a first unique identifier with the first user device, the first unique identifier uniquely identifying the first electronic ticket from amongst a plurality of electronic tickets to the event;

receiving, at the server, a fourth communication from the first user device, the fourth communication corresponding to a transfer request requesting that the first electronic ticket be transferred to a second user;

in response to receiving the fourth communication, reassigning, at the server, the first electronic ticket to the second user, the reassignment including associating a second unique identifier with the second user device, the second unique identifier uniquely identifying the first electronic ticket from amongst the plurality of electronic tickets to the event;

generating, at the server, an invalidation code corresponding to the first user device, the invalidation code invalidating the first unique identifier and indicating that the first user device is no longer granted access to the event using the first electronic ticket; and

storing, at the server, the invalidation code in association with the first electronic ticket.

2. The computer-implemented method for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, as recited in claim 1, wherein, when the second unique identifier is generated, the first electronic ticket grants the second user access to the event using the second unique identifier.

3. The computer-implemented method for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the fourth communication further comprises:

facilitating presentation of a user interface at the first user device, the presentation including a feature configured to accept an instruction from the first user to transfer the first electronic ticket to the second user; and

receiving the fourth communication from the first user device, the fourth communication including the instruction to transfer the first electronic ticket to the second user.

4. The computer-implemented method for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a fifth communication to a system corresponding to the event, the fifth communication indicating that the first electronic ticket has been transferred from the first user to the second user.

5. The computer-implemented method for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, as recited in claim 1, wherein the first electronic ticket to the event corresponds to a seat at the event.

6. The computer-implemented method for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a transfer rule corresponding to the event;

determining whether the transfer request requesting that the first electronic ticket be transferred to the second user satisfies the transfer rule; and

in response to determining that the transfer rule is satisfied, reassigning the first electronic ticket to the second user.

7. The computer-implemented method for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the first unique identifier, whether the first electronic ticket was previously transferred.

8. A system for facilitating reassignments electronic tickets for events, comprising:

one or more data processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed on the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to perform operations including;

receiving, at a server, a first communication from a first user device corresponding to a first user, the first communication corresponding to a request for an electronic ticket to an event and including an initial access constraint, the initial access constraint indicating a value or a range of a characteristic of at least one electronic ticket to the event;

extracting, at the server, the initial access constraint from the first communication;

in response to identifying the initial access constraint, querying, by the server, a data store for one or more unassigned electronic tickets that satisfy the initial access constraint;

in response to the querying, receiving, at the server, a query response identifying a set of electronic tickets to the event, each electronic ticket in the set of electronic tickets being unassigned and satisfying the initial access constraint;

generating, at the server, result data that represents the set of electronic tickets;

transmitting, at the server, a second communication to the first user device, the second communication including the result data;

receiving, at the server, a third communication from the first user device that includes a selection of a first electronic ticket from amongst the set of electronic tickets included in the result data;

assigning, at the server, the first electronic ticket to the first user by associating a first unique identifier with the first user device, the first unique identifier uniquely identifying the first electronic ticket from amongst a plurality of electronic tickets to the event;

receiving, at the server, a fourth communication from the first user device, the fourth communication corresponding to a transfer request requesting that the first electronic ticket be transferred to a second user;

in response to receiving the fourth communication, reassigning, at the server, the first electronic ticket to the second user, the reassignment including associating a second unique identifier with the second user device, the second unique identifier uniquely identifying the first electronic ticket from amongst the plurality of electronic tickets to the event;

generating, at the server, an invalidation code corresponding to the first user device, the invalidation code invalidating the first unique identifier and indicating that the first user device is no longer granted access to the event using the first electronic ticket; and

storing, at the server, the invalidation code in association with the first electronic ticket.

9. The system for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, as recited in claim 8, wherein, when the second unique identifier is generated, the first electronic ticket grants the second user access to the event using the second unique identifier.

10. The system for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, as recited in claim 8, wherein receiving the fourth communication further comprises:

facilitating presentation of a user interface at the first user device, the presentation including a feature configured to accept an instruction from the first user to transfer the first electronic ticket to the second user; and

receiving the fourth communication from the first user device, the fourth communication including the instruction to transfer the first electronic ticket to the second user.

11. The system for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting a fifth communication to a system corresponding to the event, the fifth communication indicating that the first electronic ticket has been transferred from the first user to the second user.

12. The system for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, as recited in claim 8, wherein the first electronic ticket to the event corresponds to a seat at the event.

13. The system for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

identifying a transfer rule corresponding to the event;

determining whether the transfer request requesting that the first electronic ticket be transferred to the second user satisfies the transfer rule; and

in response to determining that the transfer rule is satisfied, reassigning the first electronic ticket to the second user.

14. The system for facilitating reassignments of electronic tickets for events, as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

determining, based on the first unique identifier, whether the first electronic ticket was previously transferred.

15. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

receiving, at a server, a first communication from a first user device corresponding to a first user, the first communication corresponding to a request for an electronic ticket to an event and including an initial access constraint, the initial access constraint indicating a value or a range of a characteristic of at least one electronic ticket to the event;

extracting, at the server, the initial access constraint from the first communication;

in response to identifying the initial access constraint, querying, by the server, a data store for one or more unassigned electronic tickets that satisfy the initial access constraint;

in response to the querying, receiving, at the server, a query response identifying a set of electronic tickets to the event, each electronic ticket in the set of electronic tickets being unassigned and satisfying the initial access constraint;

generating, at the server, result data that represents the set of electronic tickets;

transmitting, at the server, a second communication to the first user device, the second communication including the result data;

receiving, at the server, a third communication from the first user device that includes a selection of a first electronic ticket from amongst the set of electronic tickets included in the result data;

assigning, at the server, the first electronic ticket to the first user by associating a first unique identifier with the first user device, the first unique identifier uniquely identifying the first electronic ticket from amongst a plurality of electronic tickets to the event;

receiving, at the server, a fourth communication from the first user device, the fourth communication corresponding to a transfer request requesting that the first electronic ticket be transferred to a second user;

in response to receiving the fourth communication, reassigning, at the server, the first electronic ticket to the second user, the reassignment including associating a second unique identifier with the second user device, the second unique identifier uniquely identifying the first electronic ticket from amongst the plurality of electronic tickets to the event;

generating, at the server, an invalidation code corresponding to the first user device, the invalidation code invalidating the first unique identifier and indicating that the first user device is no longer granted access to the event using the first electronic ticket; and

storing, at the server, the invalidation code in association with the first electronic ticket.

16. The computer-program product of claim 15, wherein, when the second unique identifier is generated, the first electronic ticket grants the second user access to the event using the second unique identifier.

17. The computer-program product of claim 15, wherein receiving the fourth communication further comprises:

facilitating presentation of a user interface at the first user device, the presentation including a feature configured to accept an instruction from the first user to transfer the first electronic ticket to the second user; and

receiving the fourth communication from the first user device, the fourth communication including the instruction to transfer the first electronic ticket to the second user.

18. The computer-program product of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting a fifth communication to a system corresponding to the event, the fifth communication indicating that the first electronic ticket has been transferred from the first user to the second user.

19. The computer-program product of claim 15, wherein the first electronic ticket to the event corresponds to a seat at the event.

20. The computer-program product of claim 15, further comprising:

identifying a transfer rule corresponding to the event;

determining whether the transfer request requesting that the first electronic ticket be transferred to the second user satisfies the transfer rule; and

in response to determining that the transfer rule is satisfied, reassigning the first electronic ticket to the second user.