Computer-based right distribution system with request reallocation

• US 7,769,673 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ticketmaster LLC (Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brett, Kenton F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Havan; Thu Thao
• Application Number:
  US11/502,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 705 37- 38
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1809 for auctioneering devices

Abstract

An automated ticket auctioning system receives and evaluates bid information records received from a plurality of remote terminals. Each bid information record corresponds to at least one bid for one or more desired seats at a venue. Each bid information record may also include a plurality of additional bids identified for different seats in the venue. The separate bids in each bid information record are prioritized. The automated ticket auctioning system includes a central controlling computer operable to receive the bid information records and determine, in order of priority, whether any of the bids in a bid information record is accepted. If one bid in a bid information record is accepted, all lower priority bids in that bid information record are dismissed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for allocating a plurality of tickets, the method comprising:

storing in memory ticket data for the plurality of tickets, wherein the plurality of tickets are allocated into a plurality of ticket classifications;

receiving over a network a ticket bid from a user terminal, wherein the ticket bid includes bid amount information and a selected ticket classification;

determining whether the ticket bid is successful with respect to the selected ticket classification; and

if the ticket bid is not successful with respect to the selected ticket classification, not allocating a ticket to the ticket bid.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing in memory the ticket bid; and

if the ticket bid is not successful with respect to the selected ticket classification, deleting the ticket bid from memory.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected ticket classification has a minimum bid amount, and wherein the ticket bid is successful with respect to the selected ticket classification if the bid amount information is greater than the minimum bid amount.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, over a network to the user terminal, minimum bid information for a plurality of ticket classifications.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tickets are event tickets that are allocated into first and second venue sections.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the user terminal an auction user interface that includes a bid amount information field and a ticket classification field.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the user terminal an auction user interface that includes a bid amount information field and a ticket classification field, wherein the auction user interface is provided on a Web page.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the user terminal an auction user interface that includes a graphical representation of an event venue associated with the plurality of tickets.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the user terminal an auction user interface that includes a graphical representation of an event venue associated with the plurality of tickets, wherein the graphical representation includes standing bid information.

10. A method comprising:

providing a system that includes a database containing ticket data for a plurality of tickets that are allocated into first and second ticket categories;

storing, in the database, a bid record received by the system in an auction, the bid record including bid amount information and a ticket category preference indicating an acceptable ticket category;

determining whether the bid record is acceptable with respect to a ticket in the acceptable ticket category, wherein the determination is at least partially based on the bid record bid amount information; and

if the bid record is not acceptable with respect to a ticket in the acceptable ticket category, removing the bid record from the auction.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the bid record is acceptable is at least partially based on a minimum bid amount associated with the acceptable ticket category.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the ticket data includes seat section information, seat row information and seat number information.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the ticket data includes a unique seat identifier.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

automatically updating standing bid information on a real-time basis; and

transmitting the updated standing bid information to a plurality of bidders.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein a ticket in a first ticket category has a higher ranking than a ticket in a second ticket category.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the bid record further includes ticket quantity information.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising, if the bid record is acceptable with respect to a ticket in the acceptable ticket category, assigning contiguous seats in the acceptable ticket category to a successful bidder.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing, to a user terminal, a bid record user interface that includes a bid amount information field and a ticket category preference field.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing, to a user terminal, a bid record user interface that includes a bid amount information field and a ticket category preference field, wherein the bid record user interface is provided on a Web page.

20. A method of conducting an automated auction over a computer network for a plurality of priority rights that correspond to a plurality of priority right categories, the method comprising:

storing in a database a minimum bid value corresponding to a selected priority right category;

receiving bid records from a plurality of users via the computer network, the bid records including bid amount information and a priority right category preference;

storing the received bid records in a database;

updating standing bid information for the plurality of priority right categories on a real-time basis;

transmitting the updated standing bid information to the plurality of users; and

allocating a selected priority right to a selected received bid record having a priority right category preference that indicates the priority right category corresponding to the selected priority right.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the updated standing bid information is transmitted to the plurality of users via a Web page.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising removing from the database received bid records having no priority rights allocated thereto.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein:

a plurality of priority rights are allocated to the selected received bid record; and

the plurality of priority rights correspond to contiguous seats at an event venue.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising sending a notification to a selected user that no priority right has been allocated to a bid record received from the selected user.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising sending a notification to a user that submitted the selected received bid record, wherein the notification includes priority right identification information.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising sending a notification to a user that submitted the selected received bid record, wherein the notification includes seat identification information at a venue.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the priority rights correspond to event tickets; and

the priority right categories correspond to sections at an event venue.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the priority rights correspond to event tickets, the method further comprising delivering event tickets to a user that submitted the selected received bid record.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the selected priority right is chosen based on the bid amount information of the selected received bid record.