Computer-based right distribution system with password protection
View Patent ↗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.
1. A method of conducting an automated ticket auction for seat tickets offered by a seller, the method comprising:
providing to a plurality of remote terminals an auction user interface, the auction user interface including:
a password field;
a bid field;
seating information related to available seats at an event venue;
an event time;
receiving over a network purchase bids for one or more seats within the event venue from the plurality of remote terminals;
determining which bids are successful using a computer;
allocating event venue seat tickets offered by the seller to a plurality of successful bidders; and
providing an indication to the plurality of successful bidders that their bids were successful.
2. The method as defined in claim 1 , the method further comprising delivering seat tickets to successful bidders.
3. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein a first seat at the event venue has a higher ranking than a second seat at the event venue.
4. The method as defined in claim 1 , the method further comprising assigning contiguous seats to a first successful bidder.
5. The method as defined in claim 1 , the method further comprising storing seating arrangement information in a database.
6. The method as defined in claim 1 , the method further comprising providing a graphic display of a venue seating arrangement to at least one of the plurality of remote terminals.
7. The method as defined in claim 1 , the method further comprising automatically updating standing bid information on a real-time basis and transmitting the updated standing bid information to bidders.
8. The method as defined in claim 1 , the method further comprising determining if at least one bid for an event venue seat exceeds a first limit.
9. The method as defined in claim 1 , the method further comprising storing a user specified spending limit.
10. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the user interface is provided via a Web page.
11. The method as defined in claim 1 , the method further comprising providing information regarding future ticket sales.
12. The method as defined in claim 1 , the method further comprising providing information regarding future ticketed events.
13. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the auction user interface further comprises a field via which a bidder can specify a quantity of seats being bid on.
14. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the auction user interface further comprises a performer name.
15. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the auction user interface further comprises a sponsor name.
16. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the auction user interface further comprises information regarding a plurality of bid price locations.
17. The method as defined in claim 1 , the method further comprising:
transmitting a first message to a first bidder; and
removing a bid from the first bidder if the first bidder does not reply within a first period of time.
18. A method of conducting an automated ticket auction for seat tickets, the method comprising:
storing in a first database a password associated with a user, wherein the password is established during a user registration;
storing in a second database seat information;
receiving at a computer, via a network, a bid for a seat ticket from the user entered by the user into a form;
receiving over the network the password from the user and an instruction from the user that a bid-related parameter is to be raised;
automatically updating standing bid information on a real-time basis and transmitting the updated standing bid information to a bidder;
using the computer to determine which bids are successful;
using the computer to assign seat tickets to successful bidders using seat information from the second database; and
automatically transmitting a notification to successful bidders.
19. The method as defined in claim 18 , further comprising transmitting over the network a bid acceptance message to the user.
20. The method as defined in claim 18 , wherein bid-related parameter is a bid limit.
21. The method as defined in claim 18 , the method further comprising delivering tickets to successful bidders.
22. The method as defined in claim 18 , wherein a first seat at the event venue has a higher ranking than a second seat at the event venue.
23. The method as defined in claim 18 , the method further comprising assigning contiguous seats to a first successful bidder.
24. The method as defined in claim 18 , the method further comprising storing seating arrangement information in the second database.
25. The method as defined in claim 18 , the method further comprising providing a graphic display of a venue seating arrangement to a remote terminal associated with a bidder.
26. The method as defined in claim 18 , the method further comprising determining if at least one bid for an event venue seat exceeds a first limit.
27. The method as defined in claim 18 , the method further comprising storing a user specified spending limit.
28. The method as defined in claim 18 , wherein the form is a Web page.
29. The method as defined in claim 18 , the method further comprising providing information regarding future ticket sales to a remote terminal.
30. The method as defined in claim 18 , the method further comprising providing information regarding future ticketed events to a remote terminal.
31. The method as defined in claim 18 , the method further comprising providing information regarding a plurality of bid price locations to a remote terminal.
32. The method as defined in claim 18 , the method further comprising:
transmitting a first message to a first bidder; and
removing a first bidder bid from the auction if the first bidder does not reply within a first period of time.
33. A method of conducting an automated ticket auction, the method comprising:
storing in a first database a password associated with a user, wherein the password is established during a user registration;
storing in a second database seat information for a venue;
receiving, during an auction of seat tickets for an event at the venue, the password from the user and a bid for a seat ticket;
validating the bid;
automatically updating standing bid information and transmitting the updated standing bid information to the user;
using a computer to determine which seat ticket bids are successful; and
using the computer to assign seat tickets to a plurality of successful bidders using seat information from the second database.
34. The method as defined in claim 33 , further comprising transmitting over the network a bid acceptance indication to the user.
35. The method as defined in claim 33 , the method further comprising delivering tickets to successful bidders.
36. The method as defined in claim 33 , the method further comprising assigning contiguous seats to a first successful bidder.
37. The method as defined in claim 33 , the method further comprising storing seating arrangement information in the second database.
38. The method as defined in claim 33 , the method further comprising providing a graphic display of a venue seating arrangement to at least one of the plurality of remote terminals.
39. The method as defined in claim 33 , the method further comprising determining if at least one bid for an event venue seat exceeds a first limit.
40. The method as defined in claim 33 , the method further comprising storing a user specified spending limit.
41. The method as defined in claim 33 , the method further comprising transmitting to a remote terminal Web page form including a password field and a bid field.
42. The method as defined in claim 33 , the method further comprising transmitting to a remote terminal Web page form including a password field, a bid field, and a seat quantity field.
43. The method as defined in claim 33 , the method further comprising providing information regarding future ticket sales to a remote terminal.
44. The method as defined in claim 33 , the method further comprising providing information regarding future ticketed events to a remote terminal.
45. The method as defined in claim 33 , the method further comprising providing information regarding a plurality of bid price locations to a remote terminal.
46. The method as defined in claim 33 , the method further comprising:
transmitting a first message to a first bidder; and
removing a first bidder bid from the auction if the first bidder does not reply within a first period of time.