Queuing system
A technique for controlling access to one or more attractions is achieved using a number of access keys, each being issued to one or more users. An electronic queue management part manages a virtual queue in respect of each attraction and receives electronic requests for attraction access, each request relating to an access key and being for the users associated with it to access a particular attraction. Receipt of each request causes the respective users to be added to a corresponding virtual queue. A time at which each group of users reaches the front of the virtual queue and can access the attraction is determined. The users access the attractions by presenting an access key to an access control part, in communication with the electronic queue management part. Only a user presenting an access key at the correct time for accessing the attraction is allowed access to the attraction.
1. A queuing system for controlling access by a plurality of users to a plurality of attractions, the plurality of users having a plurality of access keys, each access key being associated with at least one user from the plurality of users, the queuing system comprising:
an electronic queue management server, configured to manage a plurality of virtual queues, each virtual queue being associated with a respective attraction of the plurality of attractions, the electronic queue management server being further configured to receive electronic requests for attraction access, each request relating to a respective access key and being for the at least one user associated with the access key to access an attraction from the plurality of attractions, receipt of each request causing the respective at least one user to be allocated to the virtual queue associated with the attraction and wherein the electronic queue management server is further configured to determine a time at which the respective at least one user in respect of each request reaches a front of the allocated virtual queue and can access the attraction on presentation of the respective access key;
an access barrier for each of the plurality of attractions, the access barrier being configured to allow access by one or more users to the respective attraction on presentation of an access key associated with the one or more users at the determined time, wherein each access barrier defines a respective physical buffer queue, the physical buffer queue allowing access to the respective attraction for users that have passed through the access barrier,
wherein, for each user in a first physical buffer queue defined by a first access barrier corresponding to a first attraction, the electronic queue management server is configured to either:
reallocate the user to an alternative virtual queue with a priority setting; or
allocate to the user, a pass for an alternative attraction or for the first attraction when it reopens.
2. The queuing system of claim 1 , wherein the pass allows the user to either:
immediately join the buffer queue of the alternative attraction or first attraction; or
proceed immediately to the alternative attraction or first attraction.
3. The queuing system of claim 1 , wherein the reallocation of the user to an alternative virtual queue or allocation of a pass to the user is performed in response to a closure of the first attraction or a reduction of a throughput associated with the first attraction.
4. The queuing system of claim 1 , wherein the access barrier is arranged to control access to each of the one or more attractions such that only a user presenting an access key at the determined time for accessing the respective attraction is allowed to access the attraction and no other access to the respective attraction is permitted.
5. The queuing system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic queue management server is further configured to keep a respective current position or wait time the same for each of the users allocated to the alternative virtual queues that are not the reallocated users from the first virtual buffer queue, when the users are reallocated to the alternative virtual queue with a priority setting.
6. The queuing system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic queue management part is configured to manage a first virtual queue in respect of the first attraction from the one or more attractions and to manage each alternative virtual queue in respect of an attraction from the one or more attractions that is different to the first attraction.
7. The queuing system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic queue management server is further configured to:
offer reallocation to a choice of alternative attractions to each of the users in the first physical buffer queue; and
receive a request from one or more users in response to each of the users being offered reallocation, the electronic queue management server being further configured to reallocate each of the users to the respective alternative virtual queue in response to receipt of the request.
8. The queuing system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic queue management server is further configured to identify a throughput parameter of the attraction associated with each virtual queue and to adjust the virtual queue in accordance with the determined throughput parameter,
wherein the identified throughput parameter of the attraction associated with each virtual queue comprises one of more of: a throughput rate of the attraction associated with the virtual queue; a change in throughput rate of the attraction associated with the virtual queue; and a rate of change in the throughput rate of the attraction associated with the virtual queue.
9. The queuing system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of access keys comprises one or more of: a portable communications device (for example a mobile telephone, smartphone or pager device); a RFID device; a short range wireless communications device; a biometric feature; and a paper ticket.
10. The queuing system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic queue management server is configured to receive the electronic requests through a wireless interface from an access key.
11. The queuing system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic queue management server is configured to manage the virtual queue associated with the other attraction so that the position of the user having the priority setting moves forward at a faster rate than other users in the virtual queue.
12. The queuing system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic queue management server is configured to allocate the user to the alternative virtual queue associated with an alternative attraction, wherein the alternative virtual queue is a priority virtual queue having a first rate of predicting removal or removal from the front of the priority virtual queue to access the alternative attraction, and wherein a second virtual queue associated with the alternative attraction has a second rate of predicting removal or removal from the front of the second virtual queue to access the alternative attraction, the priority and second virtual queues being managed in parallel by the electronic queue management part, wherein the electronic queue management part is further configured to control the addition of users to the priority and second virtual queues and the first and second rates of predicting removal or removal, such that an average wait time for a user in the priority virtual queue is less than an average wait time for a user in the second virtual queue.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time at which the respective at least one user in respect of each request reaches a front of the allocated virtual queue and can access the attraction on presentation of the respective access key comprises a window of time during which the at least one user can access the attraction on presentation of the respective access key.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic queue management server is further configured to:
maintain a list of guests that have joined the first physical buffer queue by presenting an access key to pass through the first access barrier; and
identify each of the users in the first physical buffer queue, based on an order of guests in the list and a scanned access key associated with a user at a front of the first buffer queue.
15. A method of managing a queuing system for controlling access by a plurality of users to a plurality of attractions, the plurality of users having a plurality of access keys, each access key being associated with at least one user from the plurality of users, the method comprising:
receiving, by an electronic queue management server, electronic requests for attraction access, each request relating to a respective access key and being for the at least one user associated with the access key to access an attraction from the plurality of attractions,
managing, by the electronic queue management server, a plurality of virtual queues, each virtual queue being associated with a respective attraction of the plurality of attractions,
for each request received, allocating, by the electronic queue management server, the respective at least one user to the virtual queue associated with the attraction;
determining, by the electronic queue management server, a time at which the respective at least one user in respect of each request reaches a front of the allocated virtual queue and can access the attraction on presentation of the respective access key;
for each of the plurality of attractions, allowing, by a respective access barrier for the attraction, access by one or more users to the attraction on presentation of an access key associated with the one or more users at the determined time, wherein each access barrier defines a respective physical buffer queue, the physical buffer queue allowing access to the respective attraction for users that have passed through the access barrier,
for each user in a first physical buffer queue defined by a first access barrier corresponding to a first attraction, either:
reallocating, by the electronic queue management server, the user to an alternative virtual queue with a priority setting; or
allocating to the user, by the electronic queue management server, a pass for an alternative attraction or for the first attraction.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
maintaining a list of guests that have joined the first physical buffer queue by presenting an access key to pass through the first access barrier;
scanning an access key associated with a user at a front of the first buffer queue; and
identifying each of the users in the first physical buffer queue, based on one or more guests associated with the scanned access key and an order of guests in the list.