CLIAMS:What is claimed is:

1. A method for managing a plurality of seats, comprising:

providing a ticket management platform that communicates with a mobile device of a user over a communication network;

acquiring seat information of one or more seats booked by the user in one of an active mode and a passive mode by the ticket management platform, wherein the seat information comprises seat location of the one or more booked seats;

receiving a confirmation message from the mobile device of the user by the ticket management platform, wherein the confirmation message comprises identity information that identifies the user for confirming occupation of one or more booked seats of the user;

verifying the confirmation message by the ticket management platform; and

modifying seat status of the seats based on the verified confirmation message by the ticket management platform, wherein the seat status is indicative of number of occupied seats in the plurality of seats.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring of the seat information in the active mode comprises:

reading a communication tag on the mobile device of the user by an active terminal for extracting mobile identity information associated with the user;

transmitting the extracted mobile identity information to the ticket management platform by the active terminal;

retrieving seat information of the one or more booked seats of the user using the mobile identity information; and

transmitting a confirmation request to the mobile device of the user by the ticket management platform.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring of the seat information in the passive mode comprises:

reading one or more communication tags located proximal to the one or more booked seats, by the mobile device of the user, wherein the one or more communication tags comprise the seat information associated with the one or more booked seats.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the modified seat status of the seats from the ticket management platform to a display device and displaying the modified seat status on the display device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a number of unoccupied seats in said plurality of seats based on the modified seat status by the ticket management platform.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the confirmation message in the passive mode further comprises the seat information associated with the one or more booked seats.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising reallocating the unoccupied seats to one or more waitlisted users by the ticket management platform, comprising:

assigning the unoccupied seats to the one or more waitlisted users; and

transmitting one or more assignment notifications to one or more mobile devices of the one or more waitlisted users.

8. A system for managing a plurality of seats, comprising:

a ticket management platform that communicates with a mobile device of a user over a communication network, wherein the ticket management platform comprises

a data acquisition that acquires seat information of one or more seats booked by the user in one of an active mode and a passive mode, wherein the seat information comprises seat location of the one or more booked seats;

a receiver that receives a confirmation message from the mobile device of the user, wherein the confirmation message comprises identity information that identifies the user for confirming occupation of one or more booked seats of the user;

a verification module that verifies the confirmation message; and

a modification module that modifies seat status of the seats based on the verified confirmation message, wherein the seat status is indicative of number of occupied seats in the plurality of seats.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a reader in the mobile device of the user that scans one or more communication tags located proximal to the one or more booked seats in the passive mode.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising an active terminal that reads a communication tag on the mobile device of the user in the active mode, wherein the active terminal is located proximal to the one or more booked seats of the user.
,TagSPECI:A METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR MANAGING A PLURALITY OF SEATS

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to seat management and more particularly towards a method and a system for managing a plurality of seats using a mobile device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Seat management, in context of the present invention relates to management of reserved seats so as to ensure that the reserved seats are occupied only by the rightful users, and to identify and reallocate unoccupied but reserved seats to those people who are waiting for seats to become available. This is of particular importance in public venues like stadiums, theaters, etc., or in vehicles such as trains, buses, etc., so as to ensure efficient and optimal usage of public resources.

[0003] Seat management is conventionally performed by management personnel. Typically, the management personnel make routine rounds to verify identities of the users occupying the seats and to identify unoccupied seats. However, this process is rather tedious and time consuming as it is done manually using a paper based mechanism. Moreover, due to delays in updating status of the seats, often, some of the seats remain vacant despite the fact that there are people waiting for seats to become available. Furthermore, as the management personnel cannot monitor all the seats simultaneously, additional delay generally occurs.

[0004] To address these issues some of the prior art solutions (See WO 2003019458, Stephen P. Shoemaker, Jr.; WO 2004025527, Xavier Piednoir et al.) have suggested automation of seat management though the usage of barcodes on paper tickets. As per the suggested method, upon booking, a paper ticket having a barcode is provided to the user. Upon arriving within the proximity of the seats, the user is required to scan the barcode on the paper ticket at a barcode scanner installed near the seats. The barcode reader verifies the barcode to identity the user.

[0005] While this approach does automate the seat management process, it relies on a paper ticket and would typically fail to work in a situation where the user might have lost his ticket. Moreover, tickets which are supposed to be legally non-transferable can be sold or transferred freely and the suggested mechanism would typically be unable to address this problem since this method relies solely on the paper ticket without any additional identity verification mechanism.

[0006] Therefore, there is a long felt but unresolved need for an automated, efficient, paperless seat management method and system which offers better security and can provide instantaneous updates regarding the seats.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The principal object of the present invention is to provide an automated seat management method and system.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a seat management method and system which offers better security.

[0009] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide seat management method and system that provides instantaneous updates regarding status of the seats.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The above-mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein which will be understood by reading and understanding the following specification.

[0011] A method and system for managing a plurality of seats is provided. A ticket management platform that communicates with a mobile device of a user is provided. The ticket management platform comprises a data acquisition module, a receiver, a verification module, and a modification module.

[0012] As per the method provided, the ticket management platform acquires seat information of one or more seats booked by the user in an active mode or a passive mode. The seat information comprises seat location of the booked seats.

[0013] In the active mode, a communication tag on the mobile device of the user is read by an active terminal for extracting mobile identity information associated with the user. Mobile identity information refers to information on or about the mobile device that can used to uniquely identify the mobile device, thereby uniquely identifying the user. Mobile identity information, for example, is the subscriber identity module (SIM), international mobile equipment identity number (IMEI), mobile digital signature stored on the mobile device, etc.

[0014] The active terminal transmits the extracted mobile identity information to the ticket management platform. Using the mobile identity information, the ticket management platform retrieves the seat information of the one or more booked seats of the user. The ticket management platform transmits a confirmation request to the mobile device of the user.

[0015] In the passive mode, one or more communication tags are located proximal to the booked seats of the user. The communication tag/s comprise the seat information associated with the booked seats of the user. The mobile device of the user reads the communication tags to extract the seat information. Further, the confirmation message comprises the seat information associated with the booked seats in the passive mode.

[0016] The ticket management platform receives a confirmation message from the mobile device of the user. The confirmation message comprises identity information that identifies the user for confirming occupation of the booked seats of the user.

[0017] The ticket management platform verifies the confirmation message. The ticket management platform modifies seat status of the seats based on the verified confirmation message. The seat status is indicative of number of occupied seats in plurality of seats.

[0018] In an embodiment, the ticket management platform transmits the modified seat status of the seats to a display device and displaying the modified seat status on the display device.

[0019] In an embodiment, the ticket management platform determines a number of unoccupied seats in said plurality of seats based on the modified seat status.

[0020] In an embodiment, the ticket management platform reallocates unoccupied seats to one or more waitlisted users. The ticket management platform reallocates the unoccupied seats by assigning the unoccupied seats to the waitlisted users and transmitting one or more assignment notifications to mobile devices of the waitlisted users.

[0021] Systems and methods of varying scope are described herein. In addition to the aspects and advantages described in this summary, further aspects and advantages will become apparent by reference to the drawings and with reference to the detailed description that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 exemplarily illustrates a system for managing a plurality of seats as per the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 1A illustrates an embodiment of the system for managing a plurality of seats in an active mode.

[0024] FIG. 1B illustrates another embodiment of the system for managing a plurality of seats in a passive mode.

[0025] FIG. 2 exemplarily illustrates a method for managing the seats.

[0026] FIG. 2A illustrates an embodiment of the method for managing the seats.

[0027] FIG. 3A is a sequence diagram of the method for managing the seats in active mode.

[0028] FIG. 3B is a sequence diagram of the method for managing the seats in a passive mode.

[0029] FIG. 4A exemplarily illustrates a mobile device upon reading a communication tag from the communication tags located proximal to the booked seats in passive mode.

[0030] FIG. 4B exemplarily illustrates a mobile device requiring the user to enter a security passcode.

[0031] FIG. 4C exemplarily illustrates a mobile device upon receiving a verification message from the ticket management platform, upon successful verification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments, which may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical, electrical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0033] The present invention provides a method and system for managing a plurality of seats. The seats may be located in public venues like stadiums, theaters, etc., or in vehicles such as trains, buses, etc. FIG. 1 exemplarily illustrates a system 100 for managing the plurality of seats. The system 100 comprises a ticket management platform 110 that communicates with a mobile device 150 of a user over a communication network 160.

[0034] The term “mobile device” 150 refers to a handheld electronic device that can be used to communicate over a communication network. The mobile device 150 is, for example, a cell phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless email terminal, a laptop, a tablet computer, etc.

[0035] The communication network 160 is, for example, a local area network, a wide area network, a wireless network, a telecommunication network, etc. The telecommunication network 160 is, for example, a global system for mobile communication (GSM) network, a general packet radio service (GPRS) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, enhanced data GSM environment (EDGE), wideband CDMA (WCDMA), etc.

[0036] In an embodiment, the ticket management platform 110 is provided on a single computing device. In another embodiment, the ticket management platform 110 is provided on multiple computing devices which are interconnected. The ticket management platform 110 comprises a data acquisition module 130, a receiver 120, a verification module 115, and a modification module 125.

[0037] The data acquisition module 130 acquires seat information of one or more seats booked by the user in one of an active mode and a passive mode. Seat information comprises seat location of the booked seats.

[0038] In an embodiment, the data acquisition module 130 of the ticket management platform 110 acquires seat information in the active mode using an active terminal 140. In this embodiment, an active terminal 140 is located within the proximity of the booked seats. A communication tag is on the mobile device 150 which has mobile identity information associated with the user, encoded on the communication tag. The communication tag includes barcode, quick response code, Bluetooth enabled chip, Near Field Communication tag, etc. Mobile identity information refers to information on or about the mobile device that can used to uniquely identify the mobile device 150, thereby uniquely identifying the user. Mobile identity information, for example, is the subscriber identity module (SIM), international mobile equipment identity number (IMEI), mobile digital signature stored on the mobile device,etc.

[0039] Upon reaching near the seats, the user scans the communication tag against the active terminal 140. The active terminal 140 extracts the mobile identity information and transmits it to the transport management platform 110. The transport management platform 110, upon receiving the mobile identity information from the active terminal 140, notes that the user is near the seats and uses the mobile identity information retrieves the seat information of the one or more booked seats of the user. The ticket management platform 110 queries the database having ticket information for seat information using the mobile identity information. Ticket information relates to all the relevant data about the ticket, such as, user name, user identity, seat information of the one or more booked seats, etc.

[0040] Then the ticket management platform sends a confirmation request to his mobile device 150. The confirmation request acts like a stimulus for prompting the transmission of the confirmation message.

[0041] In another embodiment, the data acquisition module 130 of the ticket management platform 110 acquires seat information in the passive mode from the mobile device 150 of the user. In this embodiment, one or more communication tags 145 are located proximal to the booked seats. The one or more communication tags includes barcode, quick response code, Bluetooth enabled chip, Near Field Communication tag, etc. Each of the communication tags 145 is encoded with the seat position of the seat with which it is associated. In an embodiment, in addition to the seat position, the communication tags are encoded with seating venue information. For example, the communications tags located proximal to seats in a train, would be encoded with information about the coach number in which the seats are located, station schedule of the train, etc.

[0042] The user reads the communication tags 145 using his mobile device 150 to extract the encoded seat position. FIG. 4A depicts the mobile device 150 upon reading a communication tag from the communication tags 145 located proximal to the booked seats.

[0043] The mobile device 150 then transmits this extracted information, as a part of the confirmation message, to the data acquisition module 130 of the ticket management platform 110. This mode is called the passive mode, as the mobile device 150 is completely responsible for transmission.

[0044] The receiver 120 of the ticket management platform 110 receives the confirmation message from the mobile device 150 of the user. The confirmation message comprises of identity information. Identity information herein refers to information that can be used to uniquely identity the user. In an embodiment the identity information can include biometric signatures.

[0045] In an embodiment, relating to the passive mode, the confirmation message comprises the seat information associated with the booked seats.

[0046] In another embodiment, the confirmation message is digitally signed using a mobile digital signature application present on the mobile device 150 of the user. The mobile digital signature application on the mobile device 150 can either generate a unique digital signature or obtain a digital signature from a secure third party for the purpose of signing the confirmation message.

[0047] In yet another embodiment, the mobile digital signature application on the mobile device 150 would receive a digital signature from a ticketing data server upon booking the seats. In yet another embodiment, confirmation message is a security passcode unique to the mobile device 150 of the user. The security passcode is generated by an encryption module present on the mobile device 150. FIG. 4B depicts mobile device 150 requiring the user to enter the security passcode.The security passcode is used to identify the mobile device uniquely associated with it, thereby serves the purpose of a unique identifier.

[0048] The verification module 115 of the ticket management platform 110 verifies the confirmation message received by the receiver 120. In an embodiment, the verification module 115 records the time and date of successful verification along with the confirmation message in a database, thereby ensuring a precise and accurate timestamp. In an embodiment, the verification module 115 transmits a verification message that informs the user about the verification result. FIG. 4C depicts the mobile device 150 upon receiving the verification message

[0049] The modification module 125 modifies seat status of the seats based on the verified confirmation message. Upon successful verification, the modification module 125 updates the seat status of the seats to reflect that the seats have been occupied. The seat status is indicative of the number of the occupied seats in the plurality of seats.

[0050] FIG. 2 illustrates a method for managing a plurality of seats. The method provides a ticket management platform 110 that communicates with a mobile device 150 of a user over a communication network 160 at step 210. At step 220, seat information of the seats booked by the user is acquired in one of an active mode and a passive mode by the ticket management platform 110.

[0051] At step 230, a confirmation message is received from the mobile device 150 of the user by ticket management platform 110. At step 240, the confirmation message is verified by the ticket management platform 110. Finally at step 260, seat status of the seats is modified by the ticket management platform 110, based on the verified confirmation message.

[0052] In an embodiment, the method further comprises transmitting the modified seat status of the seats from the ticket management platform 110 to a display device and displaying on the display device the modified seat status. The display device would enable the management personnel to keep track of the seats. The display device is, for example, a mobile tablet on which the modified seat status can be displayed in a graphical format. In another example, the display device is a video display monitor located proximal to the seats.

[0053] In another embodiment, the method further comprises determining a number of unoccupied seats in said plurality of seats based on the modified seat status by the ticket management platform 110. By determining the number of unoccupied seats, the management personnel can calculate the number of people to whom these unoccupied seats can be allocated. Moreover, the number of unoccupied seats can be used in analyzing reservation and occupation patterns over long term, so as to determine the number of tickets that have to be oversold in order to attain better occupancy rates.

[0054] In yet another embodiment, the method further comprises reallocating unoccupied seats to one or more waitlisted users by the ticket management platform 110. The reallocating step comprises of assigning the unoccupied seats to the waitlisted users and transmitting one or more assignment notifications to the mobile devices of the waitlisted users. By automatically reallocating the unoccupied seats to the waitlisted users, a low latency rate is ensured.

[0055] This written description uses examples to describe the subject matter herein, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the subject matter. The patentable scope of the subject matter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.