SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING LOCATION-BASED UPCOMING EVENT INFORMATION USING A CLIENT-SIDE WEB APPLICATION IMPLEMENTED ON A CLIENT DEVICE

• US 20100131366A1
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: StubHub, Inc.
• Original Assignee: StubHub, Inc.
• Inventors: Zhang, Lin, Gibson, Ashley, Costello, Cass Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 8,732,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.580
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing

Abstract

A system and methods for providing location-based upcoming event information using a client-side web application implemented on a client device are described. The location-based upcoming event information may be provided to users of an online secondary ticket marketplace using a client-side web application implemented as desktop or mobile widget or within a web browser toolbar. The client-side web application may be configured to communicate with a network-based system that provides online marketplace and ticket fulfillment services and generate a query based upon the location of a user and other event criteria. The client-side web application may communicate the query to the network-based system and, in response, receive location-based upcoming event information which may be displayed to a user as a list and/or information on a map. The client-side web application may display an aggregate of ticket inventory available from multiple online marketplaces providing the user with multiple purchasing options.

Claims

1. A method for providing upcoming event information on a computer, the method comprising:

determining a location of a user by a client-side web application on the computer configured to communicate with a network-based system;

generating a query by the client-side web application based on the location of the user prior to communicating with the network-based system;

communicating the query by the client-side web application from the computer to the network-based system;

receiving a response at the client-side web application from the network-based system comprising location-based upcoming event information for one or more upcoming events; and

displaying the location-based upcoming event information on the computer via the client-side web application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the client-side web application is implemented as a desktop or mobile widget supported on the computer by a host runtime environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the client-side web application is implemented on the computer within a web browser toolbar.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wherein client-side web application is received from a server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the upcoming event information returned in a query and displayed by the client-side web application comprises time-based event information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the upcoming event information returned in a query and displayed by the client-side web application comprises ticket level details including section, row, and seat, and the client-side web application allows a user to view tickets, select tickets, and set preferences based on ticket level details.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the upcoming event information returned in a query and displayed by the client-side web application comprises upcoming event information associated with one or more third-parties.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the client-side web application is configured to automatically request location-based upcoming event information at periodic time intervals chosen by the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the client-side web application is configured by the user to request ticket information based upon one or more of category, genre, artist, team, price range, and ticket attributes.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the response comprises dynamic content related to the location of the user or event criteria.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the client-side web application displays a map illustrating one or more of an event venue location and a ticket pick-up location.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the client-side web application is configured to allow the user to purchase tickets from within the client-side web application using account information associated with the user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the client-side web application is configured to allow the user to view and save electronic ticket information.

14. A computer-readable storage medium comprising executable computer program instructions that when executed enable a computer system to:

determine a location of a user via a client-side web application configured to communicate with a network-based system;

generate a query based on the location of the user prior to communicating with the network-based system;

communicate the query from the computer to the network-based system;

receive a response from the network-based system comprising location-based upcoming event information for one or more upcoming events; and

display the location-based upcoming event information on the computer via the client-side web application.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the client-side web application is implemented as a desktop or mobile widget supported on the computer by a host runtime environment.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the client-side web application is implemented on the computer within a web browser toolbar.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the location-based upcoming event information displayed on the computer comprises an aggregate of ticket inventory available from multiple online marketplaces including the network-based system and one or more third-parties.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the client-side web application is configured to allow the user to purchase tickets from within the client-side web application using account information associated with the user.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the client-side web application is configured to allow the user to view and save electronic ticket information.

20. A network-based system comprising:

one or more servers to provide a client device of a user with a client-side web application configured to communicate with the network-based system, determine a location of the user, generate a query based on the location of the user prior to communicating with the network-based system, communicate the query to the network-based system, receive a response from the network-based system comprising location-based upcoming event information for upcoming events, and display the location-based event information to the user via the client-side application.