Automatic ticket dispensing system

• US 5,239,480 A
• Filed: 02/12/1991
• Issued: 08/24/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AIS Infonetics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AIS Infonetics Incorporated
• Inventors: Huegel, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): RUGGIERO, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US07/654,730
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 364/479, 364/478, 364/407, 364/401, 364/DIG. 1, 364/DIG. 2, 235/381, 235/384
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards

Abstract

The system includes a plurality of self-service terminals each of which includes a central processor and which services a plurality of locations at which sporting, dramatic, musical, etc. events are to be held. The central processor of each terminal is in communication with a central processor in each location, and the central processor of each location includes information concerning all available seats for all events at that location at all times. Accordingly, each terminal has access to the best available seats at any time that the terminal is being used.

Claims

1. A self-service terminal for selecting and dispensing tickets, to a user, for any one of a plurality of events on the basis of a plurality of parameters, each parameter having a plurality of elements, each event being held in any one of a plurality of locations, a plurality of location processors equal to the plurality of locations, each location processor being associated with a respective one of said locations;

said self-service terminal comprising;

a central processor and an associated video display device having a display screen;

said central processor including memory means for storing data concerning said plurality of events and said plurality of locations;

said central processor being programmed to permit a user to select one or more tickets for any one of said events, to be held at a predetermined time, at any one of said locations;

said self-service terminal further including;

means for receiving payment for said selected tickets;

means for dispensing said selected tickets; and

means for effecting communication between said central processor and said means for receiving and said means for dispensing;

whereby, said means for receiving and said means for dispensing are under the control of said central processor;

and further including means for effecting communication between said central processor and said locations processors;

said means for effecting communication comprising;

a network server connected to all of said location processors; and

a network modem connecting said central processor to said network server.

2. A self-service terminal as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for dispensing comprises ticket printer means under the control of said central processor.

3. A self-service terminal as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for receiving payment comprises currency acceptor means or a credit card reader.

4. A self-service terminal as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for receiving payment comprises a currency acceptor means.

5. A self-service terminal as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for receiving payment comprises a credit card reader.

6. A self-service terminal as defined in claim 1 wherein said network modem also connects said central processor to any one of a plurality of credit card credit authorization facilities.

7. A self-service terminal as defined in claim 1 and further including advertising means for advertising the events serviced by the self-service terminal, said advertising means comprising an audio device or a video device.

8. A self-service terminal as defined in claim 1 and including means for advertising a selected event comprising video means for displaying information concerning the selected event.

9. A self-service terminal as defined in claim 1 and further including means for advertising a selected event, said means for advertising the selected event comprising an audio device.

10. A self-service terminal as defined in claim 1 and including means for activating said central processor.

11. A self-service terminal as defined in claim 10 wherein said display screen comprises a touch screen, and wherein said means for activating comprises a selected position on said display screen.

12. A self-service terminal as defined in claim 5 and including means for activating said central processor, said means for activating comprising said credit card reader.

13. A self-service terminal as defined in claim 1 wherein said display screen comprises a touch screen, said self-service terminal further including a touch screen controller, said touch screen being under the control of said touch screen controller.

14. A method of selecting and dispensing tickets to a user, at any one of a plurality of stations, for any one of a plurality of events on the basis of a plurality of parameters, each parameter having a plurality of elements, each event being held in any one of a plurality of locations, each station including a self-service terminal having a central processor and an associated video display device having a display screen, each central processor including memory means for storing data concerning said plurality of events and said plurality of locations, a plurality of location processors equal to the plurality of locations, each location processor being associated with a respective one of said locations, each location processor having memory means for storing an inventory of seat dispositions including available seats and booked seats for events to be held at its respective location, each of said central processors being in communication with all of said location processors;

said method comprising;

A) said user activating said central processor at one of said stations, whereby said central processor provides data to said associated video display device so that said display screen presents an initial screen listing said parameters, whereby said user can select one of said parameters;

B) said central processor providing parameter element data to said associated video display device whereby said display screen presents a parameter screen listing said elements of said one selected parameter, whereby said user can select one of said elements of said selected parameter;

C) said central processor providing further parameter element data to said associated video display device whereby said display screen presents a further parameter screen listing said elements of said further parameter, whereby said user can select one of said elements of said further parameter;

D) repeating step C) until each element of each one of the plurality of parameters has been separately listed, and one element of each parameter has been selected;

whereby, all parameters for the ticket selection have been selected, one of said selected parameters comprising a selected one of said plurality of locations and another one of said selected parameters comprising a selected event at said selected location a third one of said parameters being a selected date for said selected event;

E) said central processor providing data to said associated video display device concerning the seating areas at said location whereby said display screen presents a listing of said seating areas of said selected location, whereby said user can select one of said seating areas;

F) said central processor communicating with said location processor at said selected location to obtain data concerning seat disposition for said selected event at said selected time in said selected area at said selected location;

G) said central processor selecting available seats in said selected area and providing data to said associated video display device whereby said display screen presents a seating lay-out of said seating area, and including means for separately indicating said available seats;

H) said user indicating acceptance or rejection of said available seats;

I) said central processor dispensing tickets for said available seats if said user indicates acceptance of said available seats;

or

J) if said user refuses said available seats, repeating steps A) to I) until said user accepts available seats or terminates the procedure.

15. A method as defined in claim 14 wherein one of said parameters comprises the events serviced by said self-service terminal, the elements of said one parameter comprising a list of such events in alphabetical order, whereby the user selects one of said events.

16. A method as defined in claim 15 wherein a second one of said parameters comprises said locations, said elements of said second one of said parameters comprising a list of all of said plurality of locations, whereby the user selects one of said locations.

17. A method as defined in claim 16 wherein a third one of said parameters comprises a calendar, the element of said parameter comprising a list of the twelve months of the year, whereby, said user selects one of said months.

18. A method as defined in claim 14 wherein said available seats are separately indicated by blinking the display of said seats on said display screen.

19. A method as defined in claim 14 wherein said user makes payment by inserting currency, in bills, into a currency receiver.

20. A method as defined in claim 14 wherein said self-service terminal includes a credit card reader;

said user making payment by inserting the credit card into said credit card reader;

said central processor communicating with a credit card credit granting authority for verifying said credit card;

said central processor dispensing said tickets when said credit card has been verified.

21. A method as defined in claim 19 wherein said display screen displays a list of acceptable credit cards and said user selects one of said credit cards for insertion into said credit card reader.