Patent ID: 8606605
Filing Date: 2013-12-10
Classification: G06Q,G07C

Abstract:
1. A portable module for managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, the portable module comprising: a module input to allow entry to the module of a reservation request indicative of a desire to access the said resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users; a processor arranged upon receipt of the reservation request to identify a time slot during which the said at least one of the plurality of resource users may access the resource, based upon an updatable resource access parameter which is determined statistically upon the basis of: (i) a number of reservation requests for the resource made by resource users, having further portable modules; and (ii) an estimated throughput for each user of the resource that has a portable module, the estimated throughput being determined on the basis of a combination of (a) the ratio of the number of potential users of the resource having a portable module to a total number of potential users of the resource, and (b) an assessed throughput for the resource; and a module output arranged to indicate the identified time slot to a user of the module; wherein the resource is situated in a visitor location having a measurable total number of visitors such that the measurable total number of visitors is comprised of the number of the users having the portable module and the number of any users without the portable module, the total number of potential users of the resource being the measurable total number of visitors.