Method and system for access verification within a venue

• US 9,697,650 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flash Seats LLC (Anschutz Company)
• Original Assignee: Flash Seats LLC (Anschutz Company)
• Inventors: Nakfoor, Brett A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ouellette, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US10/918,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,708 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1, 705500, 705 11-912, 705301
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• 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: G07C 9/38 with central registration

Abstract

Certain embodiments include a system and method for generating verification of access to a venue. A system includes an access device allowing access to a venue based on authentication data from a patron without presentation of a paper ticket or physical material created for the venue and a verification generation module generating a verification of access for the patron. The verification allows identification of an area and/or a feature to which the patron is allowed access. The access device and verification generation module may be integrated into a single unit. The system may also include a secondary access point for checking the verification to allow the patron access to at least one of an area and a feature of the venue. The secondary access point may check the verification without presentation of a printed material or personalized physical material created for an event at the venue.

Claims

1. A method for generating access verification at a venue, said method comprising:

utilizing a first access device, authorizing access to said venue using solely paperless authentication data of a ticketing system, said paperless authentication data being solely one of a credit card number of a credit card of a patron, a debit card number of a debit card of the patron and a cell phone number of a respective cell phone of the patron, wherein the one credit card number, debit card number or cell phone number of the paperless authentication data exists for the patron and originates in a respective credit card system, debit card system or cell phone system previous to and outside of use of the one credit card number, debit card number, or cell phone number in the ticketing system, such that said paperless authentication data is free of requiring the ticketing system to uniquely generate number sequences forming said paperless authentication data, the first access device authorizing access to said venue by verifying the paperless authentication data for the patron based on data electronically stored in a database and retrieved from the database over a network, the database storing the paperless authentication data of the patron before the first access device authorizes access to the venue and in a manner that identifies the patron as (1) an owner of admission to the venue and (2) having a right to access at least one area or at least one feature within the venue, the at least one area or the at least one feature including certain benefits or services;

subsequent to the first access device authorizing access, generating access verification for said patron at said venue, the access verification identifying said patron has the right to access the at least one area or the at least one feature within the venue;

updating the database to store the generated access verification for said patron;

using a computer system, verifying at a secondary access point within the venue that said patron has the right to access the at least one area or the at least one feature within the venue based upon the generated access verification stored in the updated database and the paperless authentication data; and

recognizing that the patron is inside the venue and maintaining control of seating and access to the at least one area or the at least one feature inside the venue in a computer automated manner using the same paperless authentication data as used to authorize access to the venue and stored in the database as updated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving said access verification from data electronically stored in a database.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring a right to access said venue from an owner to said patron.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting said authentication data to a processing system for verification of access by said patron.

5. A system for generating access verification for a patron at a venue, said system comprising:

a first access device configured to;

(i) allow the patron admission to a venue based on solely paperless authentication data in a ticketing system, said paperless authentication data being solely one of a credit card number of a credit card of a patron, a debit card number of a debit card of the patron and a cell phone number of a respective cell phone of the patron, wherein the one credit card number, debit card number or cell phone number of the paperless authentication data exists for the patron and originates in a respective credit card system, debit card system or cell phone system previous to and outside of use of the one credit card number, debit card number, or cell phone number in the ticketing system, such that said paperless authentication data is free of requiring the ticketing system to uniquely generate number sequences forming said paperless authentication data, (ii) verify the paperless authentication data based on data electronically stored in a database and retrieved from the database over a network, the database storing the paperless authentication data of the patron before the first access device authorizes access to the venue and in a manner that identifies the patron as (1) an owner of admission to the venue and (2) having a right to access at least one area or at least one feature within the venue, the at least one area or the at least one feature including certain benefits or services;

a verification generation module configured to generate a verification of admission for said patron subsequent to the first access device allowing said patron admission, and update the database to store the verification of admission, wherein said verification of admission identifies said patron has the right to access the at least one area or the at least one feature within the venue; and

a secondary access point within the venue configured to confirm said patron has the right to access the at least one area or the at least one feature, in a computer automated manner, based upon the stored verification of admission in the updated database and the paperless authentication data to allow said patron access to the at least one area or at least one feature within the venue.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said first access device and said verification generation module are integrated in a single unit.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said first access device accepts a plurality of forms of said authentication data to allow access to said venue.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said verification generation module comprises at least one of a kiosk, a computer, a printer, a wireless device, and a mobile device.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein said secondary access point comprises a handheld secondary access point for checking said verification of admission.

15. The system of claim 5, wherein the paperless authentication data is solely the credit card number of the credit card, wherein the credit card number of the paperless authentication data exists for the patron previous to and originates outside of the use of the credit card number in the ticketing system, wherein the secondary access point within the venue for checking said verification in the computer automated manner uses solely the credit card of the paperless authentication data and the updated database to allow access to said patron, and wherein the credit card of the paperless authentication data is personal to the patron.

16. The system of claim 5, wherein the paperless authentication data is solely the debit card number of the debit card, wherein the debit card number of the paperless authentication data exists for the patron previous to and originates outside of the use of the debit card number in the ticketing system, wherein the secondary access point within the venue for checking said verification in the computer automated manner uses solely the debit card of the paperless authentication data and the updated database to allow access to said patron, and wherein the debit card of the paperless authentication data is personal to the patron.

17. The of claim 5, wherein the paperless authentication data is solely the cell phone number of the respective cell phone, wherein the cell phone number of the paperless authentication data exists for the patron previous to and originates outside of the use of the cell phone number in the ticketing system, wherein the secondary access point within the venue for checking said verification in the computer automated manner uses solely the cell phone of the paperless authentication data and the updated database to allow access to said patron, and wherein the cell phone of the paperless authentication data is personal to the patron.

10. A method for verifying access for an event, said method comprising:

in a ticketing system, purchasing by a buyer a ticket for an event from a seller, said ticket indicating a right to access at least one of area or at least one feature of said event;

in an electronically stored database, associating buyer authentication data with said ticket for said event, the database storing the buyer authentication data before a first access device authorizes the buyer access to the venue and in a manner that (1) identifies the buyer as a respective ticket owner, and (2) allows identification of the at least one area or the at least one feature within the event to which the buyer has the right to access upon admission to the event, wherein the buyer authentication data is solely one of a credit card number of a credit card, a debit card number of a debit card and a cell phone number of a respective cell phone, the one credit card number, debit card number or cell phone number of the buyer authentication data originating outside of the ticketing system, such that the authentication data is free of requiring the ticketing system to uniquely generate said authentication data per buyer;

presenting solely the buyer authentication data to a first access device at said event to authenticate the buyer'"'"'s admission to said event;

updating the database to identify the at least one area or the at least one feature within the event to which the buyer has the right to access, the at least one area or the at least one feature including certain benefits or services;

presenting solely the buyer authentication data to a second access device to verify the buyer has the right to access the at least one are or the at least one feature with the event; and

in a computer automated manner and using the updated electronically stored database and the buyer authentication data, retrieving from the database over a network a verification of said right to access the at least one area or the at least one feature of said event.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said second access device comprises a handheld secondary access point.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said first access device comprises at least one of a kiosk, a computer, a printer, a wireless device, and a mobile device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said buyer authentication data comprises paperless authentication data.

14. An access verification system for a patron at and within a venue, said system comprising:

a computer automated verification generation module executed by a computer system, the verification generation module configured to;

(a) verify a patron has a right to attend an event at a venue based solely on electronic authentication data for said patron, the electronic authentication data being solely one of a credit card number of a credit card, a debit card number of a debit card and a cell phone number of a respective cell phone, wherein the one credit card number, debit card number or cell phone number of the electronic authentication data originates outside of a ticketing system, such that the electronic authentication data is free of requiring the ticketing system to uniquely generate said electronic authentication data, and the electronic authentication data is verified against data electronically stored in a database and retrieved from the database over a network, the database storing the electronic authentication data of the patron before the computer automated verification generation module verifies the patron has the right to attend the event at the venue and in a manner that identifies the patron as (1) an owner of admission to the venue and (2) having a right to access at least one area or at least one feature within the venue, the at least one area or the at least one feature including certain benefits or services,

(b) generate a verification of admission for said patron subsequent to verifying the patron has the right to attend the event at the venue,

(c) update the database to store the verification of admission, wherein said verification of admission identifies said patron has the right to access the at least one area or the at least one feature within the venue, and

(d) confirm said patron has the right to access the at least one area or at least one feature, in a computer automated manner though an access device to allow said patron access to the at least one area or at least one the feature within the venue based upon the stored verification of admission in the updated database and the electronic authentication data.