Granted Patent B2

US 10,051,018 · App. 15/393,902 · Granted Aug 14, 2018

Inventors: Dennis A. Denker (Scottsdale, AZ); Raymond Yung-Chien Lew (Los Angeles, CA); Debbie Hsu (Los Angeles, CA); Michael Horowitz (Manhattan Beach, CA); Bradford J. Bensen (Gilbert, AZ); John Carnahan (Los Angeles, CA)

Assignee: Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.

H04L65/1069H04L29/06H04L47/726

Abstract

Claims (57)

1. A computer-implemented method for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, comprising:

receiving, at a ticketing system, a first communication from a messaging system, the first communication corresponding to affinity data associated with a user identifier, the affinity data including one or more affinity indications defined at the messaging system by a user associated with the user identifier, the definition of the one or more affinity indications being based on input received at the messaging system from a device operated by the user associated with the user identifier, and the one or more affinity indications representing the user's affinity for a performing entity;

extracting the affinity data from the first communication, the extraction causing the ticketing system to identify the one or more affinity indications defined by the user associated with the user identifier;

automatically defining, by a computer processing system included in the ticketing system and using the extracted affinity data, one or more query constraints for the user identifier, each of the one or more query constraints being automatically defined by identifying the performing entity associated with the one or more affinity indications and determining the performing entity as a query constraint, and the automatic definition of the one or more query constraints being dynamic in that the one or more query constraints automatically defined for the user identifier are different from one or more other query constraints automatically defined for another user;

generating, at the ticketing system, a query communication including the one or more query constraints;

transmitting, at the ticketing system, the query communication to one or more data stores, the one or more data stores storing event data for a plurality of events associated with the performing entity, each event of the plurality of events corresponding to a plurality of electronic tickets, and each electronic ticket of the plurality of electronic tickets facilitating access to the event for a defined time period;

performing, at the one or more data stores, a query of the one or more data stores, the query being performed using the one or more query constraints included in the query communication;

receiving, at the ticketing system, a query response communication from the one or more data stores, the query response communication including a result of the query, the result of the query identifying one or more electronic tickets associated with at least one event of the plurality of events, and each identified one or more electronic tickets satisfying a query constraint of the one or more query constraints; and

automatically transmitting, by the computer processing system included in the ticketing system, a second communication to the device operated by the user, the second communication including an identifier for the one or more electronic tickets.

2. The computer-implemented method for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first communication from the messaging system to the ticketing system corresponds to a third communication transmitted from the device to the messaging system, and the third communication corresponding to a request for an identification of at least one unassigned electronic ticket to an event associated with the performing entity.

3. The computer-implemented method for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more affinity indications defined at the messaging system are used as the one or more query constraints determined at the ticketing system.

4. The computer-implemented method for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the ticketing system, a third communication from the device, the third communication corresponding to a request that at least one electronic ticket of the one or more electronic tickets be assigned to the user identifier;

determining, at the ticketing system, whether an assignment condition has been satisfied; and

in response to a determination that the assignment condition has been satisfied, assigning the at least one electronic ticket to the user identifier, the assignment of the at least one electronic ticket enabling the user associated with the user identifier to access the event using the at least one electronic ticket.

5. The computer-implemented method for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first communication includes information representing a location associated with the device, wherein the one or more query constraints includes a location constraint, and wherein the result of the query includes an electronic ticket to an event that satisfies the location constraint.

6. The computer-implemented method for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, as recited in claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more query constraints comprises mapping an affinity indication to a query constraint for querying the one or more data stores.

7. The computer-implemented method for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

facilitating presentation of an interface on the device, the interface enabling the user to request that the one or more electronic tickets be assigned to the user identifier.

8. A system for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, comprising:

one or more data processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed on the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to perform operations including:

receiving, at a ticketing system, a first communication from a messaging system, the first communication corresponding to affinity data associated with a user identifier, the affinity data including one or more affinity indications defined at the messaging system by a user associated with the user identifier, the definition of the one or more affinity indications being based on input received at the messaging system from a device operated by the user associated with the user identifier, and the one or more affinity indications representing the user's affinity for a performing entity;

extracting the affinity data from the first communication, the extraction causing the ticketing system to identify the one or more affinity indications defined by the user associated with the user identifier;

automatically defining, by a computer processing system included in the ticketing system and using the extracted affinity data, one or more query constraints for the user identifier, each of the one or more query constraints being automatically defined by identifying the performing entity associated with the one or more affinity indications and determining the performing entity as a query constraint, and the automatic definition of the one or more query constraints being dynamic in that the one or more query constraints automatically defined for the user identifier are different from one or more other query constraints automatically defined for another user;

generating, at the ticketing system, a query communication including the one or more query constraints;

transmitting, at the ticketing system, the query communication to one or more data stores, the one or more data stores storing event data for a plurality of events associated with the performing entity, each event of the plurality of events corresponding to a plurality of electronic tickets, and each electronic ticket of the plurality of electronic tickets facilitating access to the event for a defined time period;

performing, at the one or more data stores, a query of the one or more data stores, the query being performed using the one or more query constraints included in the query communication;

receiving, at the ticketing system, a query response communication from the one or more data stores, the query response communication including a result of the query, the result of the query identifying one or more electronic tickets associated with at least one event of the plurality of events, and each identified one or more electronic tickets satisfying a query constraint of the one or more query constraints; and

automatically transmitting, by the computer processing system included in the ticketing system, a second communication to the device operated by the user, the second communication including an identifier for the one or more electronic tickets.

9. The system for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, as recited in claim 8 , wherein the first communication from the messaging system to the ticketing system corresponds to a third communication transmitted from the device to the messaging system, and the third communication corresponding to a request for an identification of at least one unassigned electronic ticket to an event associated with the performing entity.

10. The system for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, as recited in claim 8 , wherein the one or more affinity indications defined at the messaging system are used as the one or more query constraints determined at the ticketing system.

11. The system for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, at the ticketing system, a third communication from the device, the third communication corresponding to a request that at least one electronic ticket of the one or more electronic tickets be assigned to the user identifier;

determining, at the ticketing system, whether an assignment condition has been satisfied; and

in response to a determination that the assignment condition has been satisfied, assigning the at least one electronic ticket to the user identifier, the assignment of the at least one electronic ticket enabling the user associated with the user identifier to access the event using the at least one electronic ticket.

12. The system for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, as recited in claim 8 , wherein the first communication includes information representing a location associated with the device, wherein the one or more query constraints includes a location constraint, and wherein the result of the query includes an electronic ticket to an event that satisfies the location constraint.

13. The system for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, as recited in claim 8 , wherein determining the one or more query constraints comprises mapping an affinity indication to a query constraint for querying the one or more data stores.

14. The system for generating query constraints for querying electronic tickets using affinities for entities, as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:

facilitating presentation of an interface on the device, the interface enabling the user to request that the one or more electronic tickets be assigned to the user identifier.

15. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

receiving, at a ticketing system, a first communication from a messaging system, the first communication corresponding to affinity data associated with a user identifier, the affinity data including one or more affinity indications defined at the messaging system by a user associated with the user identifier, the definition of the one or more affinity indications being based on input received at the messaging system from a device operated by the user associated with the user identifier, and the one or more affinity indications representing the user's affinity for a performing entity;

extracting the affinity data from the first communication, the extraction causing the ticketing system to identify the one or more affinity indications defined by the user associated with the user identifier;

automatically defining, by a computer processing system included in the ticketing system and using the extracted affinity data, one or more query constraints for the user identifier, each of the one or more query constraints being automatically defined by identifying the performing entity associated with the one or more affinity indications and determining the performing entity as a query constraint, and the automatic definition of the one or more query constraints being dynamic in that the one or more query constraints automatically defined for the user identifier are different from one or more other query constraints automatically defined for another user;

generating, at the ticketing system, a query communication including the one or more query constraints;

transmitting, at the ticketing system, the query communication to one or more data stores, the one or more data stores storing event data for a plurality of events associated with the performing entity, each event of the plurality of events corresponding to a plurality of electronic tickets, and each electronic ticket of the plurality of electronic tickets facilitating access to the event for a defined time period;

performing, at the one or more data stores, a query of the one or more data stores, the query being performed using the one or more query constraints included in the query communication;

receiving, at the ticketing system, a query response communication from the one or more data stores, the query response communication including a result of the query, the result of the query identifying one or more electronic tickets associated with at least one event of the plurality of events, and each identified one or more electronic tickets satisfying a query constraint of the one or more query constraints; and

automatically transmitting, by the computer processing system included in the ticketing system, a second communication to the device operated by the user, the second communication including an identifier for the one or more electronic tickets.

16. The computer-program product as recited in claim 15 , wherein the first communication from the messaging system to the ticketing system corresponds to a third communication transmitted from the device to the messaging system, and the third communication corresponding to a request for an identification of at least one unassigned electronic ticket to an event associated with the entity.

17. The computer-program product as recited in claim 15 , wherein the one or more affinity indications defined at the messaging system are used as the one or more query constraints determined at the ticketing system.

18. The computer-program product as recited in claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving, at the ticketing system, a third communication from the device, the third communication corresponding to a request that at least one electronic ticket of the one or more electronic tickets be assigned to the user identifier;

determining, at the ticketing system, whether an assignment condition has been satisfied; and

in response to a determination that the assignment condition has been satisfied, assigning the at least one electronic ticket to the user identifier, the assignment of the at least one electronic ticket enabling the user associated with the user identifier to access the event using the at least one electronic ticket.

19. The computer-program product as recited in claim 15 , wherein the first communication includes information representing a location associated with the device, wherein the one or more query constraints includes a location constraint, and wherein the result of the query includes an electronic ticket to an event that satisfies the location constraint.

20. The computer-program product as recited in claim 15 , wherein determining the one or more query constraints comprises mapping an affinity indication to a query constraint for querying the one or more data stores.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (9)