Facilitating entry into an access-controlled location using a mobile communication device

• US 9,311,656 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GULA Consulting LLC
• Original Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Barnes, Melvin L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): KING, CURTIS J
• Application Number:
  US13/327,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20120086549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1053 Employment or hiring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 : Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 : Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 : User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems and methods facilitate entry into an access-controlled location using a mobile communication device. The method comprises receiving at the mobile communication device via a communication network an entry code that facilitates access to the access-controlled location, storing the entry code in a memory associated with the mobile communication device, and, in response to determining that the mobile communication device is within the predetermined distance of the access-controlled location, transmitting the entry code from the mobile communication device to an entry-control computer system, which determines whether the entry code is valid. The method may further comprise receiving at the mobile communication device an indication that the entry code is valid, and, in order to gain entry into the access-controlled location at an entrance to the access-controlled location, providing to the entry-control computer system via the mobile communication device the indication that the entry code is valid.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating entry into an access-controlled location using a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

receiving at the mobile communication device via a communication network an entry code, wherein the entry code facilitates access to the access-controlled location;

in response to receiving the entry code, storing the entry code in a memory associated with the mobile communication device;

determining by the mobile communication device a location of the mobile communication device;

determining, in response to determining the location of the mobile communication device, by the mobile communication device whether the mobile communication device is within a predetermined distance of the access-controlled location;

in response to determining by the mobile communication device that the mobile communication device is within the predetermined distance of the access-controlled location, transmitting the entry code from the mobile communication device to an entry-control computer system, wherein the entry-control computer system is configured to determine whether the entry code is valid;

receiving at the mobile communication device from the entry-control computer system an indication that the entry code is valid; and

in order to gain entry into the access-controlled location at an entrance to the access-controlled location, providing to the entry-control computer system via the mobile communication device the indication that the entry code is valid;

wherein receiving at the mobile communication device from the entry-control computer system the indication that the entry code is valid further comprises receiving at the mobile communication device instructions indicating an entrance to the access-controlled location with the indication that the entry code is valid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile communication device provides the indication that the entry code is valid by presenting via a display associated with the mobile communication device a barcode having encoded therein the indication that the entry code is valid; and

in response to reading the barcode via a barcode reader in operative association with the entry-control computer system, the entry-control computer system is configured to grant entry into the access-controlled location at the entrance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile communication device provides the indication that the entry code is valid by transmitting to the entry-control computer system the indication that the entry code is valid along with data encoded in a barcode included on an identity document associated with a user of the mobile communication device; and

in response to reading the barcode via a barcode reader in operative association with the entry-control computer system, the entry-control computer system is configured to grant entry into the access-controlled location at the entrance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile communication device provides the indication that the entry code is valid by transmitting to the entry-control computer system the indication that the entry code is valid along with identification information associated with a user of the mobile communication device; and

in response to identifying the identification information via an image capture device in operative association with the entry-control computer system, the entry-control computer system is configured to grant entry into the access-controlled location at the entrance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile communication device provides the indication that the entry code is valid by transmitting to the entry-control computer system the indication that the entry code is valid along with authenticating data associated with a user of the mobile communication device; and

in response to identifying the authenticating data via a scanner in operative association with the entry-control computer system, the entry-control computer system is configured to grant entry into the access-controlled location at the entrance.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the authenticating data comprises one or more of data concerning the user'"'"'s fingerprint, iris, voice, or facial features.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the entry code is received at the mobile communication device in response to purchasing access to the access-controlled location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the access-controlled location comprises an arena including a plurality of seats and the entry code is received at the mobile communication device in response to purchasing one or more tickets for an event at the arena, the method further comprising:

receiving at the mobile communication device via the communication network seat information associated with the one or more tickets and directions to the arena.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving at the mobile communication device via the communication network directions to one or more seats associated with the one or more tickets.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the access-controlled location includes a plurality of entrances, the method further comprising:

receiving at the mobile communication device from the entry-control computer system an indication of one of the plurality of entrances to use to gain access to the access-controlled location.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting from the mobile communication device to the entry-control computer system a food order, wherein the entry-control computer system is configured to transmit the food order to a food vender within the access-controlled location.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the access-controlled location includes a plurality of food venders and wherein the entry-control computer system is configured to select, based on a distance between the mobile communication device and the access-controlled location, one of the food venders to which to transmit the food order, the method further comprising:

receiving at the mobile communication device from the entry-control computer system an indication of a location within the access-controlled location of the selected food vender and an estimated completion time for the food order.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the mobile communication device from the entry-control computer system a request for information about a user of the mobile communication device; and

in response to receiving the request for information about the user of the mobile communication device, transmitting from the mobile communication device to the entry-control computer system information about the user of the mobile communication device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the request for information about the user of the mobile communication device comprises a request for demographical information about the user of the mobile communication device.

15. A mobile communication device comprising:

a communication module configured to communicate via a communication network;

a memory; and

a processor in operative association with the communication module and the memory, the processor configured to;

receive via the communication module an entry code, wherein the entry code facilitates access to an access-controlled location;

in response to receiving the entry code, store the entry code in the memory;

determine a location of the mobile communication device;

determine, in response to determining the location of the mobile communication device, whether the mobile communication device is within a predetermined distance of the access-controlled location;

in response to determining that the mobile communication device is within the predetermined distance of the access-controlled location, transmit the entry code from the mobile communication device to an entry-control computer system, wherein the entry-control computer system is configured to determine whether the entry code is valid;

receive from the entry-control computer system an indication that the entry code is valid;

in order to gain entry into the access-controlled location at an entrance to the access-controlled location, provide to the entry-control computer system the indication that the entry code is valid; and

receive instructions indicating an entrance to the access-controlled location with the indication that the entry code is valid.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 15, further comprising:

a display in operative association with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to provide the indication that the entry code is valid by presenting via the display a barcode having encoded therein the indication that the entry code is valid, and wherein, in response to reading the barcode via a barcode reader in operative association with the entry-control computer system, the entry-control computer system is configured to grant entry into the access-controlled location at the entrance.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein:

the processor is configured to provide the indication that the entry code is valid by transmitting to the entry-control computer system the indication that the entry code is valid along with data encoded in a barcode included on an identity document associated with a user of the mobile communication device; and

in response to reading the barcode via a barcode reader in operative association with the entry-control computer system, the entry-control computer system is configured to grant entry into the access-controlled location at the entrance.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving at a mobile communication device via a communication network an entry code, wherein the entry code facilitates access to an access-controlled location;

instructions for, in response to receiving the entry code, storing the entry code in a memory associated with the mobile communication device;

instructions for determining by the mobile communication device a location of the mobile communication device;

instructions for determining, in response to determining the location of the mobile communication device, by the mobile communication device whether the mobile communication device is within a predetermined distance of the access-controlled location;

instructions for, in response to determining by the mobile communication device that the mobile communication device is within the predetermined distance of the access-controlled location, transmitting from the mobile communication device to an entry-control computer system the entry code, wherein the entry-control computer system is configured to determine whether the entry code is valid;

instructions for receiving at the mobile communication device from the entry-control computer system an indication that the entry code is valid; and

instructions for, in order to gain entry into the access-controlled location at an entrance to the access-controlled location, providing to the entry-control computer system via the mobile communication device the indication that the entry code is valid;

wherein the instructions for receiving at the mobile communication device from the entry-control computer system the indication that the entry code is valid further comprises instructions for receiving at the mobile communication device instructions indicating an entrance to the access-controlled location with the indication that the entry code is valid.