Method and system for electronic ticket validation using proximity detection

1. A system for monitoring permission for persons to be in a location comprising:

a computer system connected by a data network to a system database comprised of data records representing purchased tickets, wherein the data record contains at least one stored ticket token associated with, at least, a purchased ticket and a person; and

one or more bluetooth antenna devices operatively connected to the computer system, wherein the bluetooth antenna devices in combination with the computer system are adapted to detect the presence of a mobile device within a predetermined region and in dependence on such determination, initiate a ticket validation process with the mobile device in order to verify that the mobile device is associated with a valid ticket, wherein the ticket validation process includes the following:

determining a location of the mobile device as a function of a ratio of measured signal intensities from each of the one or more Bluetooth antenna devices,

transmitting by the mobile device a security token to the computer system to request entry only when the location of the bluetooth antenna indicates the mobile device is in the predetermined region, wherein the security token is transmitted through a local Bluetooth connection and the security token is validated by matching the stored ticket token in the data record and the security token transmitted by the mobile device and only upon validation transmitting the following:

a program code to the mobile device, wherein the program code has been customized for the mobile device and is configured to be automatically executed by the mobile device, and wherein the program code, upon execution by the mobile device, causes the mobile device to communicate with an entry turnstile in the predetermined region using a wireless connection for permission to allow a person possessing the mobile device to enter through the turnstile, and

a signal to machinery controlling the entry turnstile to cause the turnstile to open.

2. A method of validating an electronic ticket associated with a predetermined service, wherein said ticket is stored on a mobile device, and wherein said method comprises:

receiving an indication from at least one bluetooth antenna device representing the presence of the mobile device within a predetermined region by determining a location of the mobile device as a function of a ratio of measured signal intensities from each of the one or more Bluetooth antenna devices,

the predetermined region being a position that the device must be located in to gain access to the service;

in response to receiving the indication, sending a request to the mobile device to send a token representing the stored electronic ticket;

transmitting by the mobile device a security token to the computer system to request entry, wherein the security token is transmitted through a local Bluetooth connection,

receiving, in a system server, the security token from the mobile device;

verifying the validity of the security token by matching a stored ticket token in a data record in a database to the security token from the mobile device; and

only upon verification of the security token, transmitting a program code from the system server to the mobile device, wherein the program code has been customized for the mobile device and is configured to be automatically executed by the mobile device, and wherein the program code, upon execution by the mobile device, causes the mobile device to wirelessly communicate with an entry device in the predetermined region for permission to allow the person possessing the mobile device to enter to use the service associated with the electronic ticket.

3. The method of claim 2 where the transmitting step is comprised of transmitting a command to release the entry device in order to permit entry by the mobile device present in the predetermined region.

4. The method of claim 3 where the entry device is a turnstile.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the program code has been customized to include an identification number specific to the mobile device only.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the mobile device communicates with the entry device using a Bluetooth connection.