Method and system for providing visual validation of electronic tickets and payment for an additional item
This invention discloses novel systems and methods for providing visual confirmation that a passenger has a valid ticket and has previously paid for additional items such as luggage, suitcase, briefcase, bicycle, musical instrument, wheelchair, car, vehicle, motorcycle, automobile (in the case of, for example, a ferry). The visual validation display object allows tickets and additional items to be easily and quickly confirmed.
1. A method performed by a server system and associated devices for obtaining visual validation of the possession of a purchased electronic ticket and previous payment for an additional item on a user's computer device for presentation to a ticket taker comprising:
receiving from the user's computer device a request to verify purchase of an electronic ticket and to obtain a visual validation display object that confirms that the user possesses the electronic ticket and has previously paid for at least one additional item for utilization of a service monitored by the ticket taker, the visual validation display object being configured to be readily recognizable visually by the ticket taker;
receiving from the user's computer device a first token associated with the received request to verify purchase of the electronic ticket and to obtain a visual validation display object;
receiving from at least one of the user's computer device and a wireless communication device attached to the additional item, a second token associated with the received request to verify purchase of the electronic ticket and to obtain a visual validation display object;
determining whether a third token associated with the electronic ticket is stored in a data record associated with the received request, and in response to a stored third token, determining whether the first token and the second token are valid; and
in dependence on the determination that the first token is valid, causing an activation of the electronic ticket by transmitting to the user's computer device a data file comprising the visual validation display object that causes upon visual recognition by the ticket taker, the user to be permitted to utilize the service monitored by the ticket taker, and in dependence on the determination that the second token is valid, including in the visual validation display object an indicator that the additional item is permitted, and
performing a secondary confirmation of the additional item by a camera check point having a camera device,
wherein the wireless communication device that is attached to the additional item comprises a reusable physical media with a viewable screen, and further comprising:
integrating the reusable physical media with the user's computer device and
synchronizing the reusable physical media with the user's computer device for the visual validation display object to be displayed on the reusable physical media,
wherein the reusable physical media is configured to change based on instructions from the user's computer device, and wherein the reusable physical media has a display format that is configured to display data information, colors, and animation, and
monitoring operation of the user's computer device when the visual validation display object is displayed on the user's computer device to check for a condition that the user captures an image of the visual validation display object and,
upon detection of the condition, logging the activity and sending an alert data message to the server system.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first token, the second token and the third token are the same for a valid electronic ticket and a valid additional item.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data record resides on the server and associates at least one of the request to verify purchase of the electronic ticket, a user file, the first token, the second token, the third token, the visual validation display object and the indicator that the additional item is permitted.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to the determining whether a third token associated with the purchased electronic ticket is stored in the data record results in a determination that no such token has been stored, initiating confirmation that the electronic ticket has been purchased;
in dependence on such confirmation, storing a third token in the data record associated with the electronic ticket; and
transmitting to the user's computer device a visual validation display object corresponding to the electronic ticket.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing in the data record associated with the electronic ticket a data value representing a predetermined lock time;
determining whether a duration of time from the transmission of the visual validation display object to the predetermined lock time has expired; and
in dependence on such determination, permitting or not permitting the visual validation display object to be transmitted to the user's computer device.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting an authorization key to the user's computer device that transmitted the received request.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
encrypting the visual validation display object using the authorization key.
8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
encrypting the visual validation display object with a public key of a public/private key pair for which the transmitted authorization key is an associated private key.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing a persistent channel between the server system and the user's computer device, the persistent channel being configured to permit the server system to push data to the user's computer device in the absence of a specific request for such data being initiated by the user's computer device.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
transmitting a command to the user's computer device that causes the transmitted visual validation display object to be automatically deleted from the user's computer device.
11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
transmitting commands that cause the server system to control a computer process operating on the user's computer device in order to cause the user's computer device to receive the visual validation display object, display the validation display visual object on the user's computer device, and automatically delete the validation display visual object.
12. The method of claim 9 where the persistent channel is a bi-directional and full-duplex communications channel.
13. The method of claim 9 where the step of transmitting the visual validation display object is further comprised of:
transmitting in a manner to cause the visual validation display object to be automatically displayed on a screen without the user having to input a command to cause the transmission of the validating visual object.
14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
transmitting to the user's computer device through the persistent channel a visual image comprising one of an advertisement or a discount coupon.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
selecting a visual image for transmission to the user's computer device from a plurality of stored visual images, said selection step made in dependence on data associated with the purchased electronic ticket.
16. The method of claim 15 where the selection step is further comprised of
determining predetermined features of the validated ticket or purchasing transaction and then making a selection on the basis of those features.
17. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
transmitting an image that encodes a data value that corresponds to data representing indicia of identity of the persistent channel.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:
receiving from the user's computer device a request to provide a payment authorization, and in response, performing the transmitting an image step;
receiving a request to verify a purchase transaction, said request containing a challenge data;
determining whether the challenge data corresponds to the identity of the persistent channel used to transmit the image; and causing a payment to be made to a payment entity associated with the received request to verify the purchase transaction.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional item is selected from the group of luggage, suitcase, briefcase, bicycle, musical instrument, wheelchair, car, vehicle, motorcycle, automobile.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication device attached to the additional item is selected from the group of Bluetooth sensors, Bluetooth LE sensors, antennas, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), cellular data, WiFi, cell signal detection, radio frequency sensors, cell signal detection on LTE, LTE Advanced, cell signal detection on GSM, near field communication, wireless frequency standards of communication.
21. A system for obtaining visual validation of possession of a purchased electronic ticket and previous payment for an additional item on a user's computer device for presentation to a ticket taker, the system comprising:
one or more computers operatively connected that are configured to:
receive from the user's computer device a request to verify purchase of an electronic ticket and to obtain a visual validation display object that confirms that the user possesses the electronic ticket and has previously paid for at least one additional item for utilization of a service monitored by the ticket taker, the visual validation display object configured to be readily recognizable visually by the ticket taker;
receive from the user's computer device a first token associated with the received request to verify purchase of the electronic ticket and to obtain a visual validation display object;
receive from at least one of the user's computer device and a wireless communication device attached to the additional item a second token associated with the received request to verify purchase of the electronic ticket and to obtain a visual validation display object;
determine whether a third token associated with the purchased electronic ticket has been stored in a data record associated with the received request, and if it has, whether the first token and the second token are valid; and
in dependence on the determination that the first token is valid, causing an activation of the purchased electronic ticket by transmitting to the user's computer device a data file comprising the visual validation display object that causes upon visual recognition by the ticket taker, the user to be permitted to utilize the service monitored by the ticket taker and
in dependence on the determination that the second token is valid including in the visual validation display object an indicator that the additional item is permitted,
wherein the wireless communication device that is attached to the additional item comprises a reusable physical media with a viewable screen, and
wherein the reusable physical media is integrated and synchronized with the user's computer device for the visual validation display object to be displayed on the reusable physical media,
wherein the reusable physical media is configured to change based on instructions from the user's computer device, and wherein the reusable physical media has a display format that is configured to display data information, colors, and animation, and
wherein the user's computer device is configured to monitor operation when the visual validation display object is displayed on the user's computer device to check for a condition that the user captures an image of the visual validation display object and, upon detection of the condition, is configured to log the activity and send an alert data message to a central server.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the first token, the second token and the third token are the same for a valid electronic ticket and a valid additional item.
23. The system of claim 21 , wherein the data record resides on the server and associates at least one of the request to verify purchase of the electronic ticket, a user file, the first token, the second token, the third token, the visual validation display object and the indicator that the additional item is permitted.
24. The system of claim 21 , wherein the system is further configured to:
in response to the determining whether a third token associated with the electronic ticket is stored in a data record, results in a determination that no such token has been stored, initiating confirmation that the electronic ticket has been purchased;
in dependence on such confirmation, storing a third token in the data record associated with the purchased electronic ticket; and
transmitting to the user's computer device a visual validation display object corresponding to the purchased electronic ticket.
25. The system of claim 21 , wherein the system is further configured to:
store in the data record associated with the electronic ticket a data value representing a predetermined lock time; and
determine whether a duration of time from the transmission of the visual validation display object to the predetermined lock time has expired; and
in dependence on such determination, permitting or not permitting the visual validation display object to be transmitted to the user's computer device.
26. The system of claim 21 , wherein the system is further configured to:
transmit an authorization key to the user's computer device that transmitted the received request.
27. The system of claim 21 , wherein the system is further configured to:
encrypt the visual validation display object using an authorization key.
28. The system of claim 21 , wherein the system is further configured to:
encrypt the visual validation display object with a public key of a public/private key pair for which a transmitted authorization key is an associated private key.
29. The system of claim 21 , wherein the system is further configured to:
establish a persistent channel between the server system and the user's computer device, the persistent channel being configured to permit the server system to push data to the user's computer device in the absence of a specific request for such data being initiated by the user's computer device.
30. The system of claim 29 , where the persistent channel is a bi-directional and full-duplex communications channel.
31. The system of claim 21 , wherein the system is further configured to:
transmit a command to the user's computer device that causes the transmitted visual validation display object to be automatically deleted from the user's computer device.
32. The system of claim 21 , wherein the system is further configured to:
transmit commands that cause the server system to control a computer process operating on the user's computer device in order to cause the user's computer device to receive the visual validation display object,
display the validation display visual object on the user's computer device, and
automatically delete the validation display visual object.
33. The system of claim 21 , where the step of transmitting the visual validation display object is further comprised of:
transmitting in a manner to cause the visual validation display object to be automatically displayed on a screen without the user having to input a command to cause the transmission of the validating visual object.
34. The system of claim 21 , wherein the system is further configured to:
transmit an image that encodes a data value that corresponds to data representing indicia of identity of a persistent channel.
35. The system of claim 21 , wherein the system is further configured to:
receive from the user's computer device a request to provide a payment authorization, and in response, performing a transmitting an image step;
receiving a request to verify a purchase transaction, said request containing a challenge data;
determining whether the challenge data corresponds to an identity of the persistent channel used to transmit the image; and
causing a payment to be made to a payment entity associated with the received request to verify the purchase transaction.
36. The system of claim 21 , wherein the additional item is selected from the group of luggage, suitcase, briefcase, bicycle, musical instrument, wheelchair, car, vehicle, motorcycle, automobile.
37. The system of claim 21 , wherein the wireless communication device attached to the additional item is selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth sensors, Bluetooth LE sensors, antennas, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), cellular data, WiFi, cell signal detection, radio frequency sensors, cell signal detection on LTE, LTE Advanced, cell signal detection on GSM, near field communication, wireless frequency standards of communication.