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

• US 7,720,718 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2003
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• 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., Schwalb, Andrew, Craven, Tom, Hale, Gregory B., Schweizer, Kenneth W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haider; Fawaad
• Application Number:
  US10/687,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20040181424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,407 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/26.9
• 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 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/20 Destination assistance within a business structure or complex
• 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 the loading of patrons to an attraction having a predetermined attraction capacity in an entertainment environment wherein patrons are permitted access to the attraction on at least two bases, the first being a first-in first-out basis, and the second being a priority basis established by a prior allocation of a return time, comprising:

receiving from a patron a priority request for an allocation of a return time, the priority request being entered on a television unit located at a resort facility, the priority request being received at a central computer that regulates the number of patrons allowed to enter the attraction, wherein the resort facility is related to the entertainment environment and is located remotely from the entertainment environment;

transmitting to the patron an allocated return time via the television unit; and

filling the attraction to its predetermined attraction capacity with patrons on a first-in first-out basis, without reserving space for a patron having the allocated return time who is not present at the attraction during the allocated return time, and if a patron having the allocated return time is present at the attraction during the allocated return time then preferentially loading the patron having the allocated return time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving multiple priority requests from the patron, the multiple requests being for different attractions in the environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a first selection of patrons is permitted to make multiple priority requests, the multiple priority requests being for patrons from a second selection of patrons.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the television unit is located in a room of the patron, the room of the patron being associated with the entertainment environment.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving multiple priority requests from the patron, the multiple requests being for different attractions in the environment.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein a first selection of patrons is permitted to make multiple priority requests, the multiple priority requests being for patrons from a second selection of patrons.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the television unit is located at a common area of a resort facility.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving multiple priority requests from the patron, the multiple requests being for different attractions in the environment.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a first selection of patrons is permitted to make multiple priority requests, the multiple priority requests being for patrons from a second selection of patrons.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a hierarchy of patrons is generated based on patrons remotely located from the environment when making a priority request, and patrons located at the entertainment environment when making the priority request.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a hierarchy of patrons is generated based on patrons remotely located from the environment when making a priority request, patrons residing in a facility associated with the entertainment environment, and patron located at the entertainment environment when making the priority request.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the return time is redeemed through an automatic procedure, wherein the automatic procedure includes any one of a reading of a radio frequency identification allocated to the patron, a reading of a magnetic code allocated to the patron, or a reading of a barcode allocated to the patron.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the return time is redeemed at a time of entry into the entertainment environment or at the time of entry into the attraction in the entertainment environment.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said allocated return time may or may not be redeemed by said patron, and further comprising the steps of determining the number of unredeemed return times to the number of allocated times, and feeding back redemptions of return times such that near real time updates of return time availability may be computed.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of permitting at least one exchange or return of the return time to the patron having the return time, and updating the computation of the number of patrons allowed to enter the attraction based on the at least one exchange or return of the return time.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of factoring unredeemed return times into a computation of the number of patrons allowed to enter the attraction.

17. A method of managing the loading of patrons to an attraction wherein patrons are permitted access to the attraction on at least two bases, the first being a first-in first-out basis, and the second being a priority basis established by a prior allocation of a return time, comprising:

receiving from a patron a priority request for an allocation of a return time, the priority request being entered on a television unit, the priority request being received at a central computer that regulates the number of patrons allowed to enter the attraction;

transmitting to the patron an allocated return time via the television unit; and

filling the attraction to its predetermined attraction capacity with patrons on a first-in first-out basis, without reserving space for a patron having the allocated return time who is not present at the attraction during the allocated return time, and when a patron having the allocated return time is present at the attraction during the allocated return time then preferentially loading the patron having the allocated return time.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving multiple priority requests from the patron, the multiple requests being for different attractions in the environment.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein a first selection of patrons is permitted to make multiple priority requests, the multiple priority requests being for patrons from a second selection of patrons.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the television unit is located in a room of the patron, the room of the patron being associated with the entertainment environment.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving multiple priority requests from the patron, the multiple requests being for different attractions in the environment.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein a first selection of patrons is permitted to make multiple priority requests, the multiple priority requests being for patrons from a second selection of patrons.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the television unit is located at a common area of a resort facility.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving multiple priority requests from the patron, the multiple requests being for different attractions in the environment.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein a first selection of patrons is permitted to make multiple priority requests, the multiple priority requests being for patrons from a second selection of patrons.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein a hierarchy of patrons is generated based on patrons remotely located from the environment when making a priority request, and patrons located at the entertainment environment when making the priority request.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein a hierarchy of patrons is generated based on patrons remotely located from the environment when making a priority request, patrons residing in a facility associated with the entertainment environment, and patron located at the entertainment environment when making the priority request.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the allocated return time is redeemed through an automatic procedure, wherein the automatic procedure includes any one of a reading of a radio frequency identification allocated to the patron, a reading of a magnetic code allocated to the patron, or a reading of a barcode allocated to the patron.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the allocated return time is redeemed at a time of entry into the entertainment environment or at the time of entry into the attraction in the entertainment environment.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein said allocated return time may or may not be redeemed by said patron, and further comprising the steps of determining the number of unredeemed return times to the number of allocated times, and feeding back redemptions of return times such that near real time updates of return time availability may be computed.

31. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of permitting at least one exchange or return of the return time to the patron having the return time, and updating the computation of the number of patrons allowed to enter the attraction based on the at least one exchange or return of the return time.

32. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of factoring unredeemed return times into a computation of the number of patrons allowed to enter the attraction.