Patent Publication Number: US-11657381-B2

Title: Positional ticketing

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/064,853, filed Aug. 12, 2020, entitled “POSITIONAL TICKETING,” the disclosure thereof incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
     The disclosed technology relates generally to ticketing, and more particularly some embodiments relate to ticketing using positioning. 
     SUMMARY 
     In general, one aspect disclosed features a system, comprising: a hardware processor; and a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by the hardware processor to perform operations comprising: identifying a seat in which a passenger is seated in a conveyance having multiple seats based on wireless signals exchanged with a device of a passenger; determining a payment status of the ticket of the passenger using the wireless signals; and generating a map of the conveyance indicating the seat in which the passenger is seated and the payment status of the ticket of the passenger. 
     Embodiments of the system may include one or more of the following features. In some embodiments, the operations further comprise: displaying the map on a device of a conductor of the conveyance. In some embodiments, the operations further comprise: displaying the payment status of the ticket of the passenger map on a device of a conductor of the conveyance. In some embodiments, the operations further comprise: responsive to determining the payment status of the ticket of the passenger is paid, activating the ticket of the passenger. In some embodiments, identifying the seat in which the passenger is seated using the wireless signals comprises: determining multiple times-of-flight of the wireless signals; determining a location of the device of the passenger relative to the conveyance based on the multiple times-of-flight; and identifying the seat in which the passenger is seated based on the location of the device of the passenger relative to the conveyance and locations of the multiple seats of the conveyance. In some embodiments, the operations further comprise: determining whether the passenger&#39;s use of the conveyance has exceeded the value of the ticket; and responsive to determining the passenger&#39;s use of the conveyance has exceeded the value of the ticket, sending a message to the device of the passenger, wherein the message prompts the passenger to make an additional payment. In some embodiments, the wireless signals comprise at least one of: ultrawideband (UWB) signals; Bluetooth signals; and WiFi signals. 
     In general, one aspect disclosed features a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a hardware processor of a computing component, the machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause the hardware processor to perform operations comprising: identifying a seat in which a passenger is seated in a conveyance having multiple seats based on wireless signals exchanged with a device of a passenger; determining a payment status of the ticket of the passenger using the wireless signals; and generating a map of the conveyance indicating the seat in which the passenger is seated and the payment status of the ticket of the passenger. 
     Embodiments of the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium may include one or more of the following features. In some embodiments, the operations further comprise: displaying the map on a device of a conductor of the conveyance. In some embodiments, the operations further comprise: displaying the payment status of the ticket of the passenger map on a device of a conductor of the conveyance. In some embodiments, the operations further comprise: responsive to determining the payment status of the ticket of the passenger is paid, activating the ticket of the passenger. In some embodiments, identifying the seat in which the passenger is seated using the wireless signals comprises: determining multiple times-of-flight of the wireless signals; determining a location of the device of the passenger relative to the conveyance based on the multiple times-of-flight; and identifying the seat in which the passenger is seated based on the location of the device of the passenger relative to the conveyance and locations of the multiple seats of the conveyance. In some embodiments, the operations further comprise: determining whether the passenger&#39;s use of the conveyance has exceeded the value of the ticket; and responsive to determining the passenger&#39;s use of the conveyance has exceeded the value of the ticket, sending a message to the device of the passenger, wherein the message prompts the passenger to make an additional payment. In some embodiments, the wireless signals comprise at least one of: ultrawideband (UWB) signals; Bluetooth signals; and WiFi signals. 
     In general, one aspect disclosed features a computer-implemented method comprising: exchanging wireless signals with a device of a passenger seated in a seat of a conveyance having multiple seats; identifying the seat in which the passenger is seated using the wireless signals; determining a payment status of the ticket of the passenger using the wireless signals; and generating a map of the conveyance indicating the seat in which the passenger is seated and the payment status of the ticket of the passenger. 
     Embodiments of the computer-implemented method may include one or more of the following features. Some embodiments comprise displaying the map on a device of a conductor of the conveyance. Some embodiments comprise displaying the payment status of the ticket of the passenger map on a device of a conductor of the conveyance. Some embodiments comprise responsive to determining the payment status of the ticket of the passenger is paid, activating the ticket of the passenger. In some embodiments, identifying the seat in which the passenger is seated using the wireless signals comprises: determining multiple times-of-flight of the wireless signals; determining a location of the device of the passenger relative to the conveyance based on the multiple times-of-flight; and identifying the seat in which the passenger is seated based on the location of the device of the passenger relative to the conveyance and locations of the multiple seats of the conveyance. Some embodiments comprise determining whether the passenger&#39;s use of the conveyance has exceeded the value of the ticket; and responsive to determining the passenger&#39;s use of the conveyance has exceeded the value of the ticket, sending a message to the device of the passenger, wherein the message prompts the passenger to make an additional payment. In some embodiments, the wireless signals comprise at least one of: ultrawideband (UWB) signals; Bluetooth signals; and WiFi signals. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure, in accordance with one or more various embodiments, is described in detail with reference to the following figures. The figures are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict typical or example embodiments. 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a positional ticketing system according to some embodiments of the disclosed technologies. 
         FIG.  2    is a plan view of a train car using a positional ticketing system according to some embodiments of the disclosed technologies. 
         FIG.  3    is a flowchart illustrating a process for positional ticketing according to some embodiments of the disclosed technologies. 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a graphical interface representing an example map of the train car of  FIG.  2    according to some embodiments of the disclosed technologies. 
         FIG.  5    is an example computing component that may be used to implement various features of embodiments described in the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     The figures are not exhaustive and do not limit the present disclosure to the precise form disclosed. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the disclosure provide positional ticketing, that is, ticketing using position information. In the described embodiments, the tickets are for passengers seated in a conveyance such as a train car, subway car, bus, airplane, and similar conveyances. However, the disclosed technology is not limited to conveyances, and may be applied to structures that are not conveyances, for example such as stadiums, theaters, and similar structures. 
     Currently, ticketing passengers on the train car is a manual process performed by a person such as a conductor. That is, the conductor manually observes each passenger, inspects the passenger&#39;s ticket, confirms the ticket is activated, confirms the passenger is in the correct seat, and later confirms the passenger has not traveled beyond the ticketed destination. For example, the conductor may manually punch a paper ticket for a passenger. However, these manual processes are time-consuming and subject to human error. For example, the conductor may not notice that a passenger has traveled beyond ticketed destination, or that the passenger is in the wrong seat. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a positional ticketing system  100  according to some embodiments of the disclosed technologies. The positional ticketing system  100  will be described as being disposed within a train. However, as noted above, the positional ticketing system  100  may be disposed within other conveyances and structures. Referring to  FIG.  1   , the positional ticketing system  100  may include a server computer  104 . A mobile device ticketing server  102  may execute on the server computer  104 . 
     The positional ticketing system  100  may include one or more databases  106 . The databases  106  may store data for use by the mobile device ticketing server  102 . The databases  106  may store data concerning the train. For example, the data may include schedules, stops, identification of train cars, seats or other locations within the train cars, and similar data. The data may include location information for each seat or other location relative to the train car in which the seat is located. For conciseness, in the remainder of this description the term “seat” will be used to represent a seat or other passenger location. 
     The databases  106  may store data concerning the passengers. The data may include identification information for each passenger. For example, the identification information may include the passengers name, a passenger identification number, ticket numbers associated with the passenger, and similar data. 
     The databases  106  may store data concerning the tickets. The data may include ticket numbers, identification information of passengers associated with the tickets, identification information of trains associated with the tickets, identification information of train schedules associated with the tickets, identification information of stops associated with the tickets, identification information of trains and cars associated with the tickets, and similar information. 
     The databases  106  may store processing rules for use by the mobile device ticketing server  102 . The rules may govern the operation of the mobile device ticketing server  102 . For example, a rule may cause the mobile device ticketing server  102  to alert the conductor when a passenger has traveled beyond the passenger&#39;s ticketed destination. 
     The positional ticketing system  100  may include one or more wireless transceivers  108 . The wireless transceivers  108  may be connected to the server computer  104 . The wireless transceivers  108  may be controlled by the mobile device ticketing server  102 . The wireless transceivers  108  may employ one or more wireless communication protocols. The wireless communication protocols may include one or more of ultrawideband (UWB) signals, Bluetooth signals, WiFi signals, and similar wireless communication protocols. 
     The positional ticketing system  100  may include a passenger device  110  for use by a passenger  112 . The passenger device  110  may be implemented as a smart phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, or a similar computing device. The passenger device  110  may exchange wireless signals  132  with one or more of the wireless transceivers  108 . 
     A passenger ticketing client  114  may execute on the passenger device  110 . The passenger device  110  may store one or more electronic tickets  116 . Each electronic ticket  116  may be a virtual ticket or a record of a physical ticket. For example, the passenger  112  may purchase a virtual ticket using the passenger ticketing client  114  or another app executing on the passenger device  110 , and the virtual ticket may be stored on the passenger device  110 . The physical ticket may be a paper ticket, which may be ingested and stored on the passenger device by scanning the paper ticket. 
     The positional ticketing system  100  may include a conductor device  120  for use by a conductor  122 . The conductor device  120  may be implemented as a smart phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, or a similar computing device. A conductor ticketing client  124  may execute on the conductor device  120 . The conductor device  120  may exchange wireless signals  134  with one or more of the wireless transceivers  108 . The conductor device  120  may exchange wireless signals  136  with the passenger device  110 . 
       FIG.  2    is a plan view of a train car  200  using a positional ticketing system according to some embodiments of the disclosed technologies. Referring to  FIG.  2   , the train car  200  includes multiple seats  206 . A passenger  212  is shown seated in one of the seats  206 . A conductor  214  is shown at one end of the train car  200 . 
     The train car  200  may include some or all of the elements of the positional ticketing system  100  of  FIG.  1   . The train car  200  may include multiple wireless transceivers  204 A,B. In the example of  FIG.  2   , the wireless transceivers  204  may employ the UWB protocol. But as noted above, in other examples, the wireless transceivers  204  may employ other wireless protocols instead of, or in addition to, the UWB protocol, or any combination thereof. 
     In the example of  FIG.  2   , the UWB signals may be used for communications. For example, the wireless UWB signals may provide a communication link between a passenger device  110  and the server computer  104 . The wireless UWB signals may provide a communication link between a conductor device  120  and the server computer  104 . The wireless UWB signals may provide a communication link directly between a passenger device  110  and a conductor device  120 . The mobile device ticketing server  102 , the passenger ticketing client  114 , and the conductor ticketing client  124  may exchange data over these communication links to perform various ticketing functions, for example as described elsewhere in this description. 
     The UWB signals may be used for ranging. For example, the UWB signals may be used to determine times-of-flight of the UWB signals between the UWB transceivers  204 A,B and the passenger device  110 , as illustrated at  208 A,B in  FIG.  2   . The times-of-flight may be used together with conventional positioning techniques to determine a position of the passenger device  110  relative to the train car  200 . Similar techniques may be employed to determine a position of the conductor device  120  relative to the train car  200 . With the position of the passenger device  110  relative the train car  200 , and knowledge of the location of each seat relative to the train car  200 , it may be determined in which seat  206  the passenger  212  is seated. 
       FIG.  3    is a flowchart illustrating a process  300  for positional ticketing according to some embodiments of the disclosed technologies. The process  300  may be implemented in any conveyance or other structure having multiple seats. For example, the process  300  may be implemented in the positional ticketing system  100  of  FIG.  1   , in the train car  200  of  FIG.  2   , or both. 
     The elements of the process  300  are presented in one arrangement. However, it should be understood that one or more elements of the process may be performed in a different order, in parallel, omitted entirely, and the like. Furthermore, the process  300  may include other elements in addition to those presented. For example, the process  300  may include error-handling functions if exceptions occur, and the like. 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   , the process  300  may include exchanging wireless signals with a device of a passenger seated in a seat of a conveyance having multiple seats, at  302 . In the example of  FIG.  1   , wireless transceivers  108  and/or the conductor device  120  may exchange wireless signals with the passenger device  110 . As noted above, any wireless signals or combination of wireless signals may be used. Each wireless signal may be used for communications, ranging, or both. 
     Referring again to  FIG.  3   , the process  300  may include identifying the seat in which the passenger is seated using the wireless signals, at  304 . For example, as described elsewhere in this disclosure, the process  300  may include determining a time-of-flight of each wireless signal between the passenger device  110  and the wireless transceiver  108 , the conductor device  120 , or both. The process  300  may include determining a location of the device of the passenger  112  relative to the conveyance based on the multiple times-of-flight, and identifying the seat in which the passenger  112  is seated based on the location of the passenger device  110  relative to the conveyance and locations of the multiple seats in the conveyance. 
     It is not uncommon for one passenger to hold the tickets for a group of passengers. For example, one family member may hold all of the tickets for the family. In these cases, the process  300  may include identifying the seats in which all of passengers in the group are seated. Other steps of process  300  may apply to this example as well. 
     In some embodiments, the process of identifying the seat in which the passenger  112  is seated may be initiated automatically. For example, the process may be initiated automatically by the mobile device ticketing server  102  on detecting the presence of the passenger device  110 . As another example, the process may be initiated by the passenger ticketing client  114  on detecting wireless signals transmitted by the wireless transceivers  108  or the conductor device  120 . 
     In some embodiments, the process of identifying the seat in which the passenger  112  is seated may be initiated manually by the passenger  112 . For example, the passenger ticketing client  114  may display a graphical user interface containing a “locate me” display element on a touchscreen of the passenger device  110 . The process of identifying the seat in which the passenger  112  is seated may be initiated responsive to the passenger  112  operating the display element. 
     In some embodiments, the passenger  112  may launch the passenger ticketing client  114  manually, for example by operating a user interface of the passenger device  110 . In some embodiments, the passenger  112  may launch the passenger ticketing client  114  by scanning a barcode, QR code, NFC tag, or similar device located on or in the train car  200 , for example on one of the seats. 
     In some embodiments, the passenger ticketing client  114  may launch automatically. For example, the passenger ticketing client  114  may launch automatically responsive to detecting the wireless signals transmitted by the wireless transceivers  108  or the conductor device  120 . The passenger ticketing client  114  may launch automatically when the conductor device  120  is within a predetermined range of the passenger device  110 . 
     In some embodiments, the process of identifying the seat in which the passenger  112  is seated may be initiated manually by the conductor  122 . In some embodiments, the conductor  122  may launch the conductor ticketing client  124  by scanning a barcode, QR code, NFC tag, or similar code or device located on or in the train car  200 , for example on one of the seats. In some embodiments, the conductor ticketing client  124  may display a graphical user interface containing a “locate passengers” display element on a touchscreen of the passenger device  110 . The process of identifying the seat in which the passenger  112  is seated may be initiated responsive to the conductor  122  operating the display element. In some embodiments, the conductor  122  may launch the conductor ticketing client  124  manually, for example by operating a user interface of the conductor device  120 . 
     In some embodiments, the conductor ticketing client  124  may launch automatically responsive to detecting the wireless signals transmitted by the wireless transceivers  108  or the passenger device  110 . For example, the conductor ticketing client  124  may launch automatically when the conductor device  120  is within a predetermined range of the passenger device  110 . 
     Referring again to  FIG.  3   , the process  300  may include determining a payment status of a ticket of the passenger for the conveyance using the wireless signals, at  306 . In some cases, the ticket may be a physical ticket. In such cases, the passenger ticketing client  114  may ingest the ticket information by scanning the ticket, by scanning a barcode, QR code, NFC tag, or similar code or device located on or in the ticket. In other cases, the ticket may be a virtual ticket that exists as a record stored on the passenger device  110 , for example such as the electronic ticket  116  of  FIG.  1   . The ticket information may indicate the payment status of the ticket, which may indicate the ticket is paid or not paid. In some examples, the passenger ticketing client  114  may transmit the ticket payment status as an electronic message over the wireless signals. In other examples, the passenger ticketing client  114  may transmit the ticket information over the wireless signals, and the mobile device ticketing server  102  or the conductor ticketing client  124  may determine the ticket status based on the ticket information. 
     Referring again to  FIG.  3   , the process  300  may include generating a map of the conveyance indicating the seat in which the passenger is seated and the payment status of the ticket of the passenger, at  308 . The map may take any form. For example, the map may take the form of a table or spreadsheet. In other examples, the map may take a graphical form. 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   , the process  300  may include displaying the map on a device of a conductor of the conveyance, at  310 . For example, the conductor ticketing client  124  may display the map on a display of the conductor device  120  of  FIG.  1   . 
       FIG.  4    illustrates a graphical interface  400  representing an example map of the train car  200  of  FIG.  2    according to some embodiments of the disclosed technologies. Referring to  FIG.  4   , the map may include display elements  406  representing the seats of the train car  200 . The map may also include display elements  412  representing the passengers in their seats. The display elements  412  representing the passengers may differ based on the payment status of their tickets. In the example of  FIG.  4   , passengers having tickets with a paid status may be represented by unmarked display elements  412 A, while passengers having tickets with an unpaid status may be represented by marked display elements such as the cross-hatched display elements  412 B. The map may also include a display element  414  having a different marking that represents the location of the conductor  122 . The map may be updated frequently to show changes in the payment status of the passenger&#39;s tickets, as well as movements of the conductor  122 . 
     Referring again to  FIG.  3   , the process  300  may include, responsive to determining the payment status of the ticket of the passenger is paid, activating the ticket of the passenger, at  312 . Activating the ticket may be the virtual equivalent of a conductor  122  punching a hole in the paper ticket. Activating the ticket may include flagging a record of the ticket in the databases  106  of  FIG.  1   . Activating the ticket may also include flagging a record of the ticket on the passenger device  110  and/or the conductor device  120 . Activation status of passengers&#39; tickets may be indicated on the map of the train car. 
     Referring again to  FIG.  3   , the process  300  may include determining whether the passenger&#39;s use of the conveyance has exceeded the value of the ticket, at  314 . For example, the mobile device ticketing server  102  may determine the passenger&#39;s destination according to information stored in the databases  106 , such as the passenger information and ticket information. The mobile device ticketing server  102  may also track the location of the train car  200  along its route. In some embodiments, the mobile device ticketing server  102  may cause the passenger ticketing client  114  to alert the passenger  112  when the train car  200  is approaching the passenger&#39;s destination. 
     Referring again to  FIG.  3   , the process  300  may include, responsive to determining the passenger&#39;s use of the conveyance has exceeded the value of the ticket, sending a message to the device of the passenger, wherein the message prompts the passenger to make an additional payment, at  316 . For example, the mobile device ticketing server  102  may cause the passenger ticketing client  114  to alert the passenger  112  when the passenger  112  has remained on the train car  200  past the passenger&#39;s destination. The mobile device ticketing server  102  may cause the passenger ticketing client  114  to display a user interface to allow the passenger  112  to add funds to the ticket. In some embodiments, responsive to determining the passenger  112  has remained on the train car  200  past the passenger&#39;s destination, the mobile device ticketing server  102  may cause the conductor ticketing client  124  to alert the conductor  122  so the conductor  122  may assist the passenger  112  to add funds to the ticket. 
     Embodiments of the disclosed technologies provide several significant advantages over current solutions. For example, by automating much of the ticketing process, the disclosed technologies reduce the human labor required by, and the human error incurred in, current processes. As another example, the disclosed technologies reduce the time required by current processes. Passengers often are not prepared to show the conductor the virtual ticket on their devices. This results in wasted time while the conductor waits for the passenger to wake their device, and find the application and the ticket to show to the conductor. As noted above, the device carried by the conductor is capable of activating the tickets on the passenger device using a background waking function. Thus, in situations where rail cars are crowded and/or passengers are standing and cannot be definitively distinguished as being assigned to a particular seat, the communication between the conductor device and the passenger device can dynamically wake the device and activate the virtual ticket for visual or automatic inspection. 
       FIG.  5    depicts a block diagram of an example computer system  500  in which embodiments described herein may be implemented. The computer system  500  includes a bus  502  or other communication mechanism for communicating information, one or more hardware processors  504  coupled with bus  502  for processing information. Hardware processor(s)  504  may be, for example, one or more general purpose microprocessors. 
     The computer system  500  also includes a main memory  506 , such as a random access memory (RAM), cache and/or other dynamic storage devices, coupled to bus  502  for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor  504 . Main memory  506  also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by processor  504 . Such instructions, when stored in storage media accessible to processor  504 , render computer system  500  into a special-purpose machine that is customized to perform the operations specified in the instructions. 
     The computer system  500  further includes a read only memory (ROM)  508  or other static storage device coupled to bus  502  for storing static information and instructions for processor  504 . A storage device  510 , such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, or USB thumb drive (Flash drive), etc., is provided and coupled to bus  502  for storing information and instructions. 
     The computer system  500  may be coupled via bus  502  to a display  512 , such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) (or touch screen), for displaying information to a computer user. An input device  514 , including alphanumeric and other keys, is coupled to bus  502  for communicating information and command selections to processor  504 . Another type of user input device is cursor control  516 , such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys for communicating direction information and command selections to processor  504  and for controlling cursor movement on display  512 . In some embodiments, the same direction information and command selections as cursor control may be implemented via receiving touches on a touch screen without a cursor. 
     The computing system  500  may include a user interface module to implement a GUI that may be stored in a mass storage device as executable software codes that are executed by the computing device(s). This and other modules may include, by way of example, components, such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components and task components, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. 
     In general, the word “component,” “engine,” “system,” “database,” data store,” and the like, as used herein, can refer to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, possibly having entry and exit points, written in a programming language, such as, for example, Java, C or C++. A software component may be compiled and linked into an executable program, installed in a dynamic link library, or may be written in an interpreted programming language such as, for example, BASIC, Perl, or Python. It will be appreciated that software components may be callable from other components or from themselves, and/or may be invoked in response to detected events or interrupts. Software components configured for execution on computing devices may be provided on a computer readable medium, such as a compact disc, digital video disc, flash drive, magnetic disc, or any other tangible medium, or as a digital download (and may be originally stored in a compressed or installable format that requires installation, decompression or decryption prior to execution). Such software code may be stored, partially or fully, on a memory device of the executing computing device, for execution by the computing device. Software instructions may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. It will be further appreciated that hardware components may be comprised of connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and/or may be comprised of programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors. 
     The computer system  500  may implement the techniques described herein using customized hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware and/or program logic which in combination with the computer system causes or programs computer system  500  to be a special-purpose machine. According to one embodiment, the techniques herein are performed by computer system  500  in response to processor(s)  504  executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory  506 . Such instructions may be read into main memory  506  from another storage medium, such as storage device  510 . Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in main memory  506  causes processor(s)  504  to perform the process steps described herein. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions. 
     The term “non-transitory media,” and similar terms, as used herein refers to any media that store data and/or instructions that cause a machine to operate in a specific fashion. Such non-transitory media may comprise non-volatile media and/or volatile media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device  510 . Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory  506 . Common forms of non-transitory media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, solid state drive, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic data storage medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical data storage medium, any physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, NVRAM, any other memory chip or cartridge, and networked versions of the same. 
     Non-transitory media is distinct from but may be used in conjunction with transmission media. Transmission media participates in transferring information between non-transitory media. For example, transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise bus  502 . Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio-wave and infra-red data communications. 
     The computer system  500  also includes a communication interface  518  coupled to bus  502 . Network interface  518  provides a two-way data communication coupling to one or more network links that are connected to one or more local networks. For example, communication interface  518  may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, cable modem, satellite modem, or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, network interface  518  may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN (or a WAN component to communicate with a WAN). Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, network interface  518  sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information. 
     A network link typically provides data communication through one or more networks to other data devices. For example, a network link may provide a connection through local network to a host computer or to data equipment operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The ISP in turn provides data communication services through the world wide packet data communication network now commonly referred to as the “Internet.” Local network and Internet both use electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. The signals through the various networks and the signals on network link and through communication interface  518 , which carry the digital data to and from computer system  500 , are example forms of transmission media. 
     The computer system  500  can send messages and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), network link and communication interface  518 . In the Internet example, a server might transmit a requested code for an application program through the Internet, the ISP, the local network and the communication interface  518 . 
     The received code may be executed by processor  504  as it is received, and/or stored in storage device  510 , or other non-volatile storage for later execution. 
     Each of the processes, methods, and algorithms described in the preceding sections may be embodied in, and fully or partially automated by, code components executed by one or more computer systems or computer processors comprising computer hardware. The one or more computer systems or computer processors may also operate to support performance of the relevant operations in a “cloud computing” environment or as a “software as a service” (SaaS). The processes and algorithms may be implemented partially or wholly in application-specific circuitry. The various features and processes described above may be used independently of one another, or may be combined in various ways. Different combinations and sub-combinations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure, and certain method or process blocks may be omitted in some implementations. The methods and processes described herein are also not limited to any particular sequence, and the blocks or states relating thereto can be performed in other sequences that are appropriate, or may be performed in parallel, or in some other manner. Blocks or states may be added to or removed from the disclosed example embodiments. The performance of certain of the operations or processes may be distributed among computer systems or computers processors, not only residing within a single machine, but deployed across a number of machines. 
     As used herein, a circuit might be implemented utilizing any form of hardware, or a combination of hardware and software. For example, one or more processors, controllers, ASICs, PLAs, PALs, CPLDs, FPGAs, logical components, software routines or other mechanisms might be implemented to make up a circuit. In implementation, the various circuits described herein might be implemented as discrete circuits or the functions and features described can be shared in part or in total among one or more circuits. Even though various features or elements of functionality may be individually described or claimed as separate circuits, these features and functionality can be shared among one or more common circuits, and such description shall not require or imply that separate circuits are required to implement such features or functionality. Where a circuit is implemented in whole or in part using software, such software can be implemented to operate with a computing or processing system capable of carrying out the functionality described with respect thereto, such as computer system  500 . 
     As used herein, the term “or” may be construed in either an inclusive or exclusive sense. Moreover, the description of resources, operations, or structures in the singular shall not be read to exclude the plural. Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or steps. 
     Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. Adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,” “standard,” “known,” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at any time in the future. The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent.