Patent ID: 6363351
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: G06Q,G07B,G07C

Abstract:
A system for granting authorized subscribers access to selected ones of a plurality of entertainment events at a plurality of separate and geographically spaced entertainment venues wherein said entertainment venues are operated or owned by the same or different organizations, said system comprising:a central processing station comprising: registration means for permitting the registering of subscribers that can later purchase admission rights and be authorized to be admitted into and attend selected entertainment events wherein said entertainment event can be located at one of either the same or geographically spaced entertainment venues; and event authorization means for generating and storing a record relating to authorization of a subscriber to attend a selected entertainment event after the subscriber purchased the rights to attend the entertainment event wherein said entertainment event can be located at one of either the same or geographically spaced entertainment venues; a plurality of access point controllers located at respective entertainment venues; and a publicly accessible communications network interconnecting the central processing station and said plurality of access point controllers; each of said access point controllers comprising: subscriber identifier reading means for reading a subscriber identifier presented by the subscriber attending the respective entertainment event; authorization confirming means communicating over the communications network and cooperating with said event authorization means for confirming that the subscriber has been authorized to attend the entertainment event based upon the subscriber identifier; and access granting means positioned at the entrance to the preauthorized entertainment event located at an entertainment venue, cooperating with said authorization confirming means, for granting access at the entertainment event to the authorized subscriber to attend the entertainment event; attendance storing means, cooperating with said plurality of reading means, for generating and storing a record relating to actual attendance of the subscriber at the selected entertainment venue; actual attendance analyzing means, cooperating with said attendance storing means, for analyzing actual attendance at a past entertainment event; and expected attendance analyzing means, cooperating with said event authorization means, for analyzing expected attendance at a future entertainment event.