Order queue management in event ticket network systems
In particular embodiments, a method includes receiving a request to purchase tickets for an event from a user, and associating the request with a queue workflow or a termination workflow based on an application of a probabilistic model, where the inputs to the probabilistic model may include the number of tickets requested by the user, the total number of tickets that other users are requesting to purchase, and the current number of tickets available for the event.
1. A method comprising, by one or more computing devices:
receiving a first request to purchase n1 tickets for an event from a first user; and
associating the first request with a queue workflow or a termination workflow based on an application of a probabilistic model, wherein the probabilistic model determines an order of success probability for purchasing a particular number of tickets for the event, and wherein inputs to the probabilistic model comprise:
n1;
a total number of tickets for the event that r second requests from r second users, respectively, are requesting to purchase; and
a current number of tickets available for the event (T).
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
if the probabilistic model returns an order of success probability for purchasing n1 tickets above a threshold probability, then associating the first request with the queue workflow;
else associating the first request with the termination workflow.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein if a number of open in-process workflows is greater than zero, then associating the first request with an open in-process workflow.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number of open in-process workflows is equal to a process limit minus a number of second requests associated with an in-process workflow.
5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
if associating the first request with the in-process workflow, then decrementing the number of open in-process workflows.
6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
if associating the first request to the in-process workflow, then transmitting ticket purchase information to the first user.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein associating the first request with the queue workflow or the termination workflow based on the application of the probabilistic model comprises:
accessing r second requests from r second users, respectively, wherein each second request is to purchase n2 tickets for the event and each second request is associated with an in-process workflow or a queue workflow;
determining a first order success probability (p1) for the first request;
determining a second order success probability (p2) for each second request; and
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wherein ε is a user-defined threshold, then associating the first request with the termination workflow;
else, associating the first request with the queue workflow.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
periodically updating one or more of the current number of tickets available for the event, the number of open in-process workflows, the first order success probability, or the second order success probability.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second order success probability for each second request is based on a duration that the second request has been associated with the in-process workflow or the queue workflow.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second order success probability for each second request is further based on one or more of an event information for the event or an user information for the second user corresponding to the second request.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein p2 i =1−exp(−λ·t i ), wherein t i is a duration that the second request has been associated with the queue workflow.
12. An apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to:
receive a first request to purchase n1 tickets for an event from a first user; and
associate the first request with a queue workflow or a termination workflow based on an application of a probabilistic model, wherein the probabilistic model determines an order success probability for purchasing a particular number of tickets from the event, and wherein the inputs to the probabilistic model comprise:
n1;
a total number of tickets for the event that r second requests from r second users, respectively, are requesting to purchase; and
a current number of tickets available for the event (T).
13. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:
receive a first request to purchase n1 tickets for an event from a first user; and
associate the first request with a queue workflow or a termination workflow based on an application of a probabilistic model, wherein the probabilistic model determines an order success probability for purchasing a particular number of tickets from the event, and wherein the inputs to the probabilistic model comprise:
n1;
a total number of tickets for the event that r second requests from r second users, respectively, are requesting to purchase; and
a current number of tickets available for the event (T).
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
if associating the first request with the termination workflow, then transmitting a message to the first user that tickets are not available for the event.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
if associating the first request with the queue workflow, then transmitting to the first user a wait time before entering the in-process workflow.
16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
if associating the first request with the queue workflow, then transmitting a message to the first user indicating the queue placement of the first user.
17. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
if associating the first request with the open in-process, then directing the first user to a webpage for purchasing tickets for the event.
18. The method of claim 3 , wherein if the user has been in the in-process workflow for greater than a threshold time period, then transferring the first request to the termination workflow.