Patent ID: 7606899

Claim:
A method for regulating access by users to a scarce resource, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a request for immediate access to the scarce resource; determining, upon receipt of the request, whether the access level for said scarce resource is currently at a desired maximum, the desired maximum indicating a fixed predetermined maximum number of users, the desired maximum indicating a plurality of users and being independent of a maximum physical capacity for the scarce resource, that it is desired be simultaneously accessing the scarce resource; responsive to determining that said access level is currently at a desired maximum, automatically allocating to a server determined access slot, which specifies a time period during which the scarce resource may be accessed, said requester; providing said requester with a notification of their allocated access slot, access being available to said requester at any point in the time period during which said allocated slot is enabled; receiving a late request for access to said scarce resource; determining that said requester had been previously allocated to a slot and had missed the time period during which the allocated slot was enabled; determining, upon receipt of the late request, whether the access level for said scarce resource is currently at a desired maximum; responsive to determining that said access level is currently at a desired maximum, determining whether said scarce resource is able to accommodate immediate access by said late requester; and responsive to determining that it is possible to accommodate immediate access, granting immediate access to said requester.