ONLINE WAITING ROOM SYSTEM, METHOD & COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20070233291A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CBS Interactive Inc. (ViacomCBS Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CBS Corporation (ViacomCBS Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Daniel, Thomas, Louis, Fernandez, Antonio, Hopwood, John, Lee, Terrence, Binenstock, Bill, Herde, Patrick, Sutaria, Brijesh, Kerlin, Christopher, Wong, Kar Loong, Adams, Natalle, Paskin, Ronnie, Snyder, Steve, Albamonte, Fausto
• Granted Patent: US 8,095,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention sets forth a system, method and computer program product which may include providing an online waiting room and gatekeeper for controlling access to users in a plurality of tiered classification standby lines, seeking access to an online event.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) providing an online waiting room for an online event;

b) placing users in a line of a plurality of standby lines,

wherein each of said plurality of standby lines is associated with a corresponding user classification tier of access to said online event; and

c) providing a graphical representation of all of said plurality of standby lines, which is computer-viewable by users in said standby lines.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said online event comprises at least one of:

content,

audio content,

video content,

movie content,

a broadcast,

a digital broadband broadcast,

a video,

an audio,

a movie,

a streaming audio,

a streaming video,

streaming content,

a live event,

a sporting event,

a news event,

an entertainment event,

a concert,

a show,

a performance,

a movie,

an awards show,

an online event,

a game,

a video game,

a business to business seminar,

a seminar,

an organizational meeting,

a conference,

a video conference,

a multi-tiered tournament,

an interview,

an interview with a famous person, and/or

a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lines comprise at least one of:

a standard access (SA) line;

a premier access (PA) line;

a guaranteed access (GA) line;

a lower class line;

a medium class line;

an upper class line;

a general admission line;

a registered user line;

a guaranteed line;

a red carpet line;

a fast pass line;

a premium line;

an express checkout line;

a reputation based line;

an individual reputation points level based line; and

/or

a self-serve line.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

d) allowing at least one user in said line to invite at least one additional user to said event.

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

d) providing an indication of at least one of growth and/or rate of growth, of each of said lines;

e) providing an indication of at least one of movement and/or rate of movement, of each of said lines;

f) providing an indication of where in said line the user is;

g) providing an indication of where in another of said lines, the user would have been had the user been in the another of said lines;

h) communicating where a user is in line and where the user would be if in another of said lines;

i) providing a boss button comprising at least one of turning off sound and/or minimizing viewer;

j) providing a value adding experience while the user waits comprising at least one of;

providing scores;

providing communication;

providing alerts;

providing chat; and

/or providing a game; and

/or

k) providing a user experience differentiator.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said graphical representation comprises at least one of:

a graphical rendering;

an image;

a video image;

an animated image;

a graphical representation of a venue;

a multi-dimensional indication;

a two-dimensional indication;

a three-dimensional indication;

a graphical representation of people in line;

a graphical representation of an avatar;

a graphical representation of a stadium;

a graphical representation of a concert hall;

a graphical representation of a night club;

a graphical representation of an awards show;

a graphical representation of an auditorium;

an image of a red carpet;

an image of a turnstile; and

/or

an image of a velvet rope.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said event comprises on demand broadband access to streaming video of at least one of:

a sporting event.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said event comprises online access to at least one of a sporting, an entertainment, and/or a news event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said event comprises at least one of a game, a game without consideration, a game of skill or chance, and/or a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game.

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

allowing the at least one user to invite a plurality of additional users to said event at one time;

allowing the at least one user to maintain a buddy list of said additional users; and

/or

allowing the at least one user to track the location in said lines of said additional users of said buddy list.

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

providing a countdown to expected entry clock to the user;

providing an indication of a position of the user in said line; and

/or

providing an indication of a position of the user, had the user been in another line of said plurality of lines than said line.

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

controlling access to said online event by prioritizing user access to said online event;

managing said lines;

manipulating said lines;

slowing down and/or speeding up said lines;

managing access;

bouncing users in said lines if acting outside rules;

managing access based on user classifications;

managing what happens in said online waiting room;

facilitating alerts;

creating alerts;

providing content;

providing scores;

providing polls;

managing polls;

providing value added content;

managing ads;

providing user communication;

providing individual access;

providing single user access;

providing single user access dependent upon reputation;

managing a reputation engine;

managing group user access;

managing tier user access; and

/or

managing individual user access.

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

placing each user in one line of said plurality of standby lines, wherein said user classification tier of access comprises at least one of a standard access (SA), a premier access (PA), a guaranteed access (GA); and

/or a reputation based access.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said graphical representation comprises an indication of said standby lines comprising at least one of:

an audio indication,

a video indication,

a graphical indication,

a two-dimensional indication,

a three-dimensional indication,

an animated indication,

an image indication,

an alert indication,

a communication indication,

a browser based popup indication,

an instant message based indication, and/or

an email based indication.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

allowing an immediate reserved access to said online event to said GA user;

allowing a medium level access to said online event to said PA user;

allowing a lower level of access to said SA users.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said medium level of access provides a shorter wait in said line as compared to a wait for said lower level of access.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a user may request to move to a higher level of access than a current user access level.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the user pays a fee to a service provider to become said higher level of user.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of:

the user may perform a task to move to said higher level of access; and

/or the user'"'"'s reputation may move the user to said higher level of access.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said task may include at least one of:

registration, and/or entering a user reputation profile.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein users may communicate with one another via at least one of:

a buddy list;

a chat room;

an instant message;

an email;

a mobile message;

a short message system (SMS) message;

a wireless platform communication message;

a telephony message; and

/or

a VoIP connection.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is provided a capability comprising allowing configuring of an avatar corresponding to the user.

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

providing advertising to users waiting in said line;

providing scores of sporting events to those in said line;

providing content to users in said line;

providing a game to users in said line;

providing at least one of audio, video, animation, and/or textual data to users in said line;

providing at least one of an email, an instant message, a short message system (SMS) message, a multimedia messaging service (MMS) and/or a wireless notification to users in said line;

providing an invitation to move to a higher level of access to users in said line;

providing relative wait times list of the performance of the top ten of the at least one participants;

providing a value added service to users;

providing a wine bar to users comprising an opportunity to purchase goods and/or services;

providing a game;

providing a news ticker;

providing a content ticker; and

/or

providing a relatively low bandwidth service as compared to said online event.

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

providing an advertisement (ad) during at least one of;

before, during, and/or after the user is waiting in said line;

providing a banner ad;

providing a video ad;

providing an audio ad;

providing an animated ad;

providing content;

providing audio content;

providing video content;

providing customized ads; and

/or

providing customized ads based upon at least one of user tier, user reputation and/or user status.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a schedule of a future event.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing users an opportunity to register in advance to be included in one of said plurality of standby lines.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a third party comprising at least one of a business, an individual, a consumer, a charity, and/or an entity, to use said online waiting room comprising at least one of;

receiving a selection of a skin option;

enabling a customizeable mod including a graphical representation of venue;

personalizing a user experience;

providing for personalization of the user experience, wherein a level of personalization is dependent based upon an individual user profile and/or reputation;

receiving a third party ad;

receiving a fee from the third party;

receiving avatar configuration information from a user;

receiving options for customization of said online waiting room;

receiving a setup for said waiting room;

receiving a number of standby lines and rules for allowing entry to said online event by users of said standby lines;

receiving a request for content to be displayed to users in said waiting room; and

/or

sharing revenue with the third party.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling collaboration between two or more users of said online waiting room comprising providing at least one of;

a billboard;

a short message system (SMS);

a wireless message;

a multimedia message;

a multimedia message system (MMS) message;

a mobile message;

an invitation to a friend;

an email to a friend;

a message;

a notification;

an alert;

an internet message;

a BLOG;

a message board;

an Internet chat session;

an instant message;

a chat room;

an email; and

/or

a voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) session.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an application enabling provision of at least one of said online waiting room and/or a game to be played by users while waiting in said online waiting room, said application providing at least one of;

a message;

a program on a computer readable medium,

a downloadable program,

an applet,

a web-enabled application,

a mobile application,

BREW application;

a networked application;

a massively multimedia (MMO) and/or

a JAVA application.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is performed on at least one of:

a browser-based system;

a standalone workstation-based system;

a client-server based system;

a server-based system; and

/or

an application service provider (ASP)-based system.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is used for providing indications of at least one of upselling user access, products, services, browsing to buy, tiers, and/or offers to access products and/or services.

32. The method of claim 10, wherein the invitation method comprises attracting additional users comprises at least one of:

inviting users to a future event;

attracting non-registered new subscribers;

attracting traffic from existing subscribers;

attracting affinity participation;

attracting activity;

attracting visitors to a website;

attracting demand for content;

attracting page hits;

attracting page use;

attracting sponsorship;

attracting advertising;

driving brand recognition; and

/or

attracting live people.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the users being attracted are being attracted to at least one of:

an online content registration;

an online content subscription;

an advertisement (AD);

a website;

a broadcast;

a program;

content;

a viewing of content;

a future event; and

/or

playback of content.

34. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing users entertainment while the users are waiting in said standby lines of said online waiting room comprising at least one of:

providing value added services;

providing a boss button;

providing a boss button after entering a waiting room;

providing a fact-related game;

providing an entertainment related game;

providing a content related game;

providing a movie content related game;

providing a music content related game;

providing a television content related game;

providing a sports related game;

providing a current events related game;

providing a news related game;

providing a trivia game;

providing a sports trivia game;

providing an entertainment trivia game;

providing a movie trivia game;

providing a television trivia game;

providing a television program trivia game;

providing games;

providing incentives;

providing casual games;

providing history games;

providing educational games;

providing entertainment games;

providing skill games;

providing card games;

providing board games;

providing arcade games;

providing games with incentives;

providing mobile games; and

/or

providing a broadcast trivia game.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising ensuring a user in line corresponds to a unique real person comprising:

requiring the participants to perform at least one of;

requiring a user to respond with an expected response to a prompt or returning the user to the back of the line;

registering as a participant;

registering at least one of an email, a username, a password, a first name, last name, and/or personally identifiable information;

performing a reverse Turing test to indicate a live user;

entering a unique indicator of the at least one user;

entering a social security number of the at least one user; and

/or

entering an email address of the at least one user.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein said a) comprises providing said online waiting room to at least one of:

a computer;

a device;

a watch;

a gaming device;

a console;

an XBOX 360;

a PLAYSTATION (PS/2 or PS/3, or PS/n);

a PLAYSTATION PORTABLE (PSP);

a NINTENDO WII;

a digital video recorder (DVR);

a TIVO®

personal video recorder;

a SLINGBOX;

a kiosk;

a mobile device;

a telephony device;

a browser enabled device;

a web browser-enabled device;

a web device;

a computing device;

a communications device;

a telephony device;

an interactive television (iTV) device;

a wireless device;

a personal digital assistant (PDA) device;

a location-based device; and

/or

a geographic positioning system (GPS) location-based device.

37. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing a user to invite another user to enter said waiting room, wherein said invite comprises at least one of:

a billboard;

a short message system (SMS);

a multimedia message service (MMS);

a mobile message;

an invitation to a friend;

an email to a friend;

a message;

a notification;

an alert;

an internet message;

a BLOG;

a message board;

an Internet chat session;

an instant message;

a chat room;

an email; and

/or

a voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) session

38. A system comprising:

an online waiting room server adapted to communicate with a network for communication with a plurality of user devices, said server adapted to manage a plurality of tiered access standby lines of users, adapted to control access by the users to an online event, and adapted to provide a graphical representation of said online waiting room to the users.

39. A system comprising:

means for providing an online waiting room for an online event;

means for placing users in a plurality of tiered classification standby lines; and

means for controlling access to said online event by the users in accordance with rules associated with each of said plurality of tiered classification standby lines.

40. The system according to claim 39, further comprising:

means for allowing at least one user waiting in said online waiting room to invite at least one additional user to join said waiting room.

41. A computer-readable medium embodying logic which when executed on a computer performs a method comprising:

providing an online waiting room for an online event;

placing users in a line of a plurality of standby lines,

wherein each of said plurality of standby lines is associated with a corresponding user classification tier of access to said online event; and

providing a graphical representation of all of said plurality of standby lines, which is computer-viewable by users in said standby lines.

42. A method of providing a massively multiplayer online waiting room, comprising:

receiving users into a plurality of tiered classification standby lines;

controlling access to an online event for the users in accordance with rules of access; and

prioritizing access to users in a higher tier classification standby line relative to a lower tier classification standby line.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein said controlling access comprises at least one of:

classifying a user;

classifying a user based on payment tier;

classifying a user based on reputation;

classifying a user based on a sign up date;

providing access dependent on a tier of users;

providing access dependent upon a group of users;

providing access to individual users;

providing access to individual users based on user profile reputation;

providing access based on a reputation algorithm; and

/or

providing a profile system measuring user reputation.