Management of the flow of persons in relation to centers of crowd concentration via wireless control

• US 7,532,941 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2003
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Stafford, Dale A., Hale, Gregory B., Schwalb, Andrew, Craven, Tom, Schweizer, Kenneth W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr.; Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US10/687,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20040158482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,036 Days
• Field of Search: 705 5- 6, 700/83
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems

Abstract

A method and system for the loading of patrons at multiple attractions at an entertainment includes the first-in first-out line and a priority based line. A cellular telephone is used to obtain and claim priority status. In other forms different priorities are established based on where, when and the number of priority spaces required. Different hierarchies are established for computer controlling the different lines for multiple attractions in the entertainment environment. The system and method also provide for moving people from an area of concentration to other locations.

Claims

1. A method of managing access to an attraction in an entertainment environment, comprising:

establishing a first physical queue by which one or more patrons may access the attraction in a first-in first-out order;

establishing a second physical queue filled by patrons by which one or more patrons may access said attraction in a first-in first-out manner which avoids the first queue;

receiving from a patron a priority request for an allocation of a return time, the priority request being received at a computer that determines return times for the second queue;

transmitting to the patron a response that includes at least one return time to enter the second queue, the return time being dynamically determined by the computer from a plurality of factors such that other patrons may also be provided with the return time to the second queue; and

permitting the patron to access the attraction via the second queue at a time indicated by the return time in preference to patrons in the first queue if the patron is present at the second queue at or after the return time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the patron enters the priority request on a wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the patron enters the priority request on a cellular telephone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the patron is provided access to the attraction based on a keying operation performed on a wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the patron is provided access to the attraction based on a keying operation performed on a cellular telephone.

6. A method of managing access to an attraction in an entertainment environment, comprising:

establishing a first queue by which one or more patrons may access the attraction in a first-in first-out order;

establishing a second queue by which one or more patrons may access said attraction in a first-in first-out manner which avoids the first queue;

receiving from a patron a priority request for an allocation of a return time, the priority request being received at a computer that determines return times for the second queue;

transmitting to the patron a response that includes at least one return time to the second queue, the return time being dynamically determined by the computer from a plurality of factors such that other patrons may also be provided with the return time to the second queue; and

permitting the patron having the return time to access the attraction via the second queue at or after a time indicated by the return time in preference to patrons queued to access the attraction in the first queue if the patron is present at the second queue at or after the return time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the patron enters the priority request on a wireless device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the patron enters the priority request on a cellular telephone.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the patron is provided the return time access to the attraction based on an operation performed on a wireless device.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the patron is provided access to the attraction based on an operation performed on a cellular telephone.