SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTING AND RESERVING SEATS USING A TOUCH SCREEN DEVICE

• US 20090259498A1
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CEATS Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CEATS Incorporated
• Inventors: Halavais, Richard Arthur, Chung, Tony Cheng-Tong
• Granted Patent: US 7,640,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for selecting and reserving seats using a touch screen device. The system or method transmits first data to an application running on a personal computing device, the first data including information descriptive of available individual seats at the venue, the first data processed by the application to generate a graphical user interface on the personal computing device that comprises an interactive seating map representing individual seats at the venue. The system or method also receives from the personal computing device second data representing one or more seats selected by a touch screen input. In addition, the system or method receives over the network from the personal computing device third data representing payment information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for interactively selecting one or more tickets to seats at a venue by an end user over a network, the method comprising:

transmitting first data to an application running on a personal computing device, the first data including information descriptive of available individual seats at the venue, the first data processed by the application to generate a graphical user interface on the personal computing device that comprises an interactive seating map representing individual seats at the venue;

receiving from the personal computing device second data representing one or more seats selected by a touch screen input; and

receiving over the network from the personal computing device third data representing payment information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting fourth data to the application, the fourth data including information that can be printed as an admission document or voucher by the end user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the first data to the application comprises transmitting web page data for generating the interactive seating map.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein transmitting the web page data for generating the interactive seating map comprises transmitting embedded scripting language code for generating the interactive seating map.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the venue is an airplane.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal computing device is a home or office computer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal computing device is stationary.

8. A system for interactively selecting one or more tickets to seats at a venue by an end user over a network, the system comprising:

a data storage storing a plurality of entries denoting a plurality of available individual seats at the venue; and

a server, configured to;

query the data storage for information descriptive of available individual seats at the venue;

transmit first data to an application running on a personal computing device, the first data including information descriptive of available individual seats at a venue, the first data processed by the application to generate a graphical user interface on the personal computing device that comprises an interactive seating map representing individual seats at the venue;

receive from the personal computing device second data representing one or more seats selected by a touch screen input; and

receive over the network from the personal computing device third data representing payment information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the server is further configured to transmit fourth data to the application, the fourth data including information that can be printed as an admission document or voucher by the end user.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the transmitting the first data to the application comprises transmitting web page data for generating the interactive seating map.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the transmitting the web page data for generating the interactive seating map is configured to transmit embedded scripting language code for generating the interactive seating map.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the venue is an airplane.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the personal computing device is a home or office computer.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the personal computing device is stationary.

15. A computer-implemented method running on a personal computing device for interactively selecting one or more tickets to seats at a venue by an end user over a network, the method comprising:

receiving, via an application running on the personal computing device from a server coupled to the personal computing device over the network, data including information descriptive of available individual seats at the venue, the data processed by the application to generate a graphical user interface on the personal computing device that comprises an interactive seating map representing individual seats at the venue;

receiving, by the application running on the personal computing device, a selection from the end user of one or more seats selected by a touch screen input; and

receiving payment information.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving information that can be printed as an admission document or voucher by the end user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the personal computing device is stationary.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving, via an application running on the personal computing device from a server coupled to the personal computing device via network, comprises receiving embedded scripting language code for generating the interactive seating map.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the venue is an airplane.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the personal computing device is a home or office computer.