System and methods for variable distribution and access control for purchased event tickets

• US 9,911,086 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: StubHub, Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Gibson, Ashley, Costello, Cass Patrick, Wolfe, Geoffrey, Green, Julian
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US14/526,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20150051928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00

Abstract

A system and methods for providing variable distribution and access control for purchased event tickets are described. In one embodiment, a network-based system receives an order for electronic tickets purchased by a buyer, receives one or more recipients other than the buyer for one or more of the electronic tickets, receives delivery options for the recipients from the buyer, receives delivery information for the recipients from the buyer, and delivers electronic ticket information to the recipients. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An electronic ticketing system comprising:

a network communication device at an event venue that receives information for an electronic ticket of a plurality of electronic tickets purchased by a buyer, wherein the electronic ticket provides access to the event venue for a recipient of the electronic ticket, wherein just a credit card of the buyer further provides access to the event venue for each of the plurality of tickets, wherein ticket information for the electronic ticket is delivered to the recipient using recipient delivery options comprising at least one mode of delivery of the ticket information selected by the buyer based on available delivery options determined by an electronic delivery service and recipient delivery information submitted by the buyer and delivered to a first mobile communication device of the buyer in an electronic message, and wherein the ticket information further comprises control rights to transfer the electronic ticket to a third party by the recipient provided from the buyer,

wherein the network communication device further receives a request to transfer the electronic ticket to the third party, determines that the electronic ticket is entitled to be transferred using the control rights, generates new ticket information for only the electronic ticket of the plurality of tickets to provide access to the event venue, and communicates the new ticket information to the buyer and the third party in separate emails, wherein just the credit card of the buyer further allows access to the event venue for the new ticket information; and

a scanner at the event venue and in communication with the network communication device that scans one of the new ticket information or the credit card to provide access to the event venue using the electronic ticket.

2. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the recipient delivery information includes an e-mail address or a mobile phone number and delivery is to a second mobile communication device of the recipient.

3. The electronic ticketing system of claim 2, wherein the new ticket information is printable on a paper copy comprising a bar code for use with the scanner at the event venue.

4. The electronic ticketing system of claim 2, wherein the new ticket information comprises a displayable code for use with the scanner at the event venue.

5. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic ticket information comprises a link to a web page for rendering the electronic ticket.

6. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the new ticket information comprises an image of the electronic ticket.

7. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic message comprises at least one of an SMS message, an MMS message, and an e-mail to the buyer.

8. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the ticket information comprises a request to accept the electronic ticket by the recipient.

9. The electronic ticketing system of claim 8, wherein the recipient accepts the request by one of sending a reply message, navigating to a web page, selecting a hyperlink, and entering an alphanumeric character string associated with the electronic ticket to a text entry box or reply text message.

10. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the buyer assigns the control rights to the electronic ticket to the recipient.

11. The electronic ticketing system of claim 10, wherein the control rights to the electronic ticket is communicated to the network communication device at the event venue by a ticket sales service.

12. The electronic ticketing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic ticket information comprises at least one of location information for the event venue, event information for the electronic ticket, and seating information for the electronic ticket at the event venue.

13. A method comprising:

receiving, via a network communication device of an electronic ticketing system at an event venue, information for an electronic ticket of a plurality of electronic tickets purchased by a buyer, wherein the electronic ticket provides access to the event venue for a recipient of the electronic ticket, wherein just a credit card of the buyer further provides access to the event venue for each of the plurality of tickets, wherein ticket information for the electronic ticket is delivered to the recipient using recipient delivery options comprising at least one mode of delivery of the ticket information selected by the buyer based on available delivery options determined by an electronic delivery service and recipient delivery information submitted by the buyer and delivered to a first mobile communication device of the buyer in an electronic message, and wherein the ticket information further comprises control rights to transfer the electronic ticket to a third party by the recipient provided from the buyer;

receiving, via the network communication device, a request to transfer the electronic ticket to the third party;

determining that the electronic ticket is entitled to be transferred using the control rights;

generating new ticket information for only the electronic ticket of the plurality of tickets to provide access to the event venue;

communicating the new ticket information to the buyer and the third party in separate emails, wherein just the credit card of the buyer further allows access to the event venue for the new ticket information; and

scanning, by a scanner of the electronic ticketing system at the event venue, one of the new ticket information or the credit card to provide access to the event venue using the electronic ticket.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the recipient delivery information includes an e-mail or a mobile phone number and delivery is to a second mobile communication device of the recipient.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the new ticketing information comprises at least one of a printable copy comprising a bar code and a displayable code for use with the scanner at the event venue.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the recipient accepts the electronic ticket by one of sending a reply message, navigating to a web page, selecting a hyperlink, and entering an alphanumeric character string associated with the electronic ticket to a text entry box or reply text message.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the buyer assigns the control rights to the electronic ticket to the recipient.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable modules which, in response to execution by an electronic ticketing system, cause the electronic ticketing system to perform a method comprising

receiving, via a network communication device of an electronic ticketing system at an event venue, information for an electronic ticket of a plurality of electronic tickets purchased by a buyer, wherein electronic ticket provides access to the event venue for a recipient of the electronic ticket, wherein just a credit card of the buyer further provides access to the event venue for each of the plurality of tickets, wherein ticket information for the electronic ticket is delivered to the recipient using recipient delivery options comprising at least one mode of delivery of the ticket information selected by the buyer based on available delivery options determined by an electronic delivery service and recipient delivery information submitted by the buyer and delivered to a first mobile communication device of the buyer in an electronic message, and wherein the ticket information further comprises control rights to transfer the electronic ticket to a third party by the recipient provided from the buyer;

receiving, via the network communication device, a request to transfer the electronic ticket to a third party;

determining that the electronic ticket is entitled to be transferred using the control rights;

generating, new ticket information for only the electronic ticket of the plurality of tickets to provide access to the event venue;

communicating the new ticket information to the buyer and the third party in separate emails, wherein just the credit card of the buyer further allows access to the event venue for the new ticket information; and

scanning, by a scanner of the electronic ticketing system at the event venue, one of the new ticket information or the credit card to provide access to the event venue using the electronic ticket.