Event ticketing in online social networks
A method includes identifying an event corresponding to an event node of a social graph associated with a social-networking system, where the social graph includes nodes and edges connecting the nodes, and the event node is connected to ticket nodes corresponding to tickets for the event. The nodes include a first user node corresponding to a first user of the social-networking system, and second nodes, each of which corresponds to a concept or to one of a plurality of second users of the social-networking system. The method further includes receiving a request to assign a selected one of the tickets for the event to the first user, and creating an edge between the first user node and a selected one of the ticket nodes, where the selected ticket node corresponds to the selected ticket.
1. A method comprising:
by a computer system, identifying an event corresponding to an event node of a social graph associated with a social-networking system, wherein the social graph comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, and the event node is connected to a plurality of ticket nodes corresponding to tickets for the event, the nodes comprising:
a first user node corresponding to a first user of the social-networking system; and
a plurality of second nodes each corresponding to a concept or to one of a plurality of second users of the social-networking system;
by the computer system, receiving a request to assign a selected one of the tickets for the event to the first user; and
by the computer system, in response to receiving the request to assign the selected ticket, creating an edge between the first user node and a selected one of the ticket nodes, wherein the selected ticket node corresponds to the selected ticket, and wherein the edge comprises a data object corresponding to a relationship between the first user node and the selected ticket node, the relationship indicating that the selected ticket is owned by the first user;
by the computer system, generating a machine-readable ticket code comprising a hash value based on a combination of an identifier for the first user node and an identifier for the selected ticket node;
by the computer system, sending the machine-readable ticket code to a client system associated with the first user;
by the computer system, receiving the machine-readable ticket code from a computer system associated with a point of redemption; and
by the computer system, validating the machine-readable ticket code by retrieving the identifier for the first user node and the identifier for the selected ticket node from the hash value and determining that the edge connecting the first user node and the selected ticket node exists in the social graph.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein for at least one of the ticket nodes, a connection between the event node and the at least one ticket node comprises an edge between the event node and the ticket node.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein for each ticket node in a subset of the ticket nodes, a connection between the event node and the ticket node in the subset comprises:
an edge between the event node and a ticket pool node; and
an edge between the ticket pool node and the ticket node in the subset.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the ticket pool node is associated with a ticket tier that corresponds to a type of access to the event.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ticket code comprises an image encoding the hash value.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
by the computer system, receiving a request to transfer the selected ticket from the first user to an identified one of the second users; and
by the computer system, transferring the selected ticket from the first user to the identified second user by:
deleting the edge between the first user node and the selected ticket node; and
creating an edge between the selected ticket node and the second node corresponding to the second user.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the transferring the selected ticket from the first user to the identified second user is executed in response to receiving confirmation of payment of a ticket price associated with the selected ticket.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
by the computer system, receiving a request from a requesting user to redeem a presented ticket;
by the computer system, determining that the presented ticket is valid; and
by the computer system, granting the request to redeem the ticket.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determining that the presented ticket is valid comprises:
by the computer system, determining that the requesting user is associated with a requesting user node of the social graph; and
by the computer system, determining that the requesting user node is connected by an edge to one of the ticket nodes corresponding to the presented ticket.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining that the requesting user is associated with a requesting user node of the social graph comprises:
by the computer system, authenticating an identity of the requesting user; and
by the computer system, determining an identifier for the requesting user node, wherein the requesting user node is associated with information corresponding to the identity of the requesting user.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
by the computer system, receiving a request to create one or more new tickets for the event; and
by the computer system, creating the new tickets, wherein creating each one of the new tickets comprises:
creating a new ticket node that corresponds to the new ticket, and
creating a connection between the new ticket node and the event node in the social graph.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
by the computer system, storing, in the new ticket node, an event identifier that corresponds to the event.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
by the computer system, determining a ticket price for the selected ticket; and
by the computer system, presenting the ticket price to the first user.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the ticket price is based on: the first user's interactions with one or more entities related to the event, an affinity between the first user and the event node corresponding to the event, a degree of closeness in the social graph between the first user and an organizer of the event, or a history of communications between the first user and an organizer of the event.
15. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:
identify an event corresponding to an event node of a social graph associated with a social-networking system, wherein the social graph comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, and the event node is connected to a plurality of ticket nodes corresponding to tickets for the event, the nodes comprising:
a first user node corresponding to a first user of the social-networking system; and
a plurality of second nodes each corresponding to a concept or to one of a plurality of second users of the social-networking system;
receive a request to assign a selected one of the tickets for the event to the first user; and
in response to receiving the request to assign the selected ticket, create an edge between the first user node and a selected one of the ticket nodes, wherein the selected ticket node corresponds to the selected ticket, and wherein the edge comprises a data object corresponding to a relationship between the first user node and the selected ticket node, the relationship indicating that the selected ticket is owned by the first user;
generate a machine-readable ticket code comprising a hash value based on a combination of an identifier for the first user node and an identifier for the selected ticket node;
send the machine-readable ticket code to a client system associated with the first user;
receive the machine-readable ticket code from a computer system associated with a point of redemption; and
validate the machine-readable ticket code by retrieving the identifier for the first user node and the identifier for the selected ticket node from the hash value and determining that the edge connecting the first user node and the selected ticket node exists in the social graph.
16. The media of claim 15 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:
receive a request from a requesting user to redeem a presented ticket;
determine that the presented ticket is valid; and
grant the request to redeem the ticket.
17. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to:
identify an event corresponding to an event node of a social graph associated with a social-networking system, wherein the social graph comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, and the event node is connected to a plurality of ticket nodes corresponding to tickets for the event, the nodes comprising:
a first user node corresponding to a first user of the social-networking system; and
a plurality of second nodes each corresponding to a concept or to one of a plurality of second users of the social-networking system;
receive a request to assign a selected one of the tickets for the event to the first user; and
in response to receiving the request to assign the selected ticket, create an edge between the first user node and a selected one of the ticket nodes, wherein the selected ticket node corresponds to the selected ticket, and wherein the edge comprises a data object corresponding to a relationship between the first user node and the selected ticket node, the relationship indicating that the selected ticket is owned by the first user;
generate a machine-readable ticket code comprising a hash value based on a combination of an identifier for the first user node and an identifier for the selected ticket node;
send the machine-readable ticket code to a client system associated with the first user;
receive the machine-readable ticket code from a computer system associated with a point of redemption; and
validate the machine-readable ticket code by retrieving the identifier for the first user node and the identifier for the selected ticket node from the hash value and determining that the edge connecting the first user node and the selected ticket node exists in the social graph.