Patent ID: 8294549

Claim:
An access control system, comprising: at least one system configured to: receive over a network a request from a user for a plurality of access permits for an event, wherein the plurality of access permits are associated with respective different seats; receive from the user user-specified allocations of the plurality of access permits to respective intended recipients including an allocation of an access permit to the user; enable the user to transfer one or more access permits in the plurality of access permits, and inhibit transfer by the user of the access permit allocated to the user; a scanner located adjacent to a venue entrance; and a computer system coupled to the scanner, the computer system configured to: receive coded user identification data scanned from an event admission token for a ticketed event from a token bearer via the scanner, wherein the admission token includes information identifying the ticketed event, and wherein the coded user identification data includes a reference to a record stored in a database that stores an identification code from the token bearer's driver license, credit card, passport, or state identification card; decode the coded user identification data, use the user identification data to access from the database the identification code from the token bearer's driver license, credit card, passport, or state identification card; receive coded information, scanned from the admission token for the ticketed event, including a unique event ticket identifier; transmit the identification code of the token bearer's driver license, credit card, passport, or state identification card and an indication as to whether the admission token is valid for the ticketed event to a terminal for display to a gate keeper so that the gate keeper can determine whether the token bearer is to be admitted.