Patent ID: 7548867

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for maintaining coherency of data entries related to a database that relates to an inventory for a venue and providing access to a plurality of users to the database, the method comprising: receiving, from a first general purpose computer, a query for information from the database regarding a status of one or more seats in the venue; determining information indicating an availability of the one or more seats in the venue based on parameters specified in the query; transmitting, to the first general purpose computer, a response to the query that includes information to be displayed to a first user, wherein the information to be displayed to the user comprises an interactive set of user interface elements that allow the first user to select one or more seats in the venue, wherein, in response to the first user placing a mouse over at least a portion of the interactive set of user interface elements, current available seat information in the venue indicating seats that are currently available is transmitted to the first general purpose computer; receiving, from the first general purpose computer, information indicating selections with a mouse by the first user; creating a temporary record in the database, for the first user, based on the information indicating selections by the first user; transmitting, to the first general purpose computer, a request for confirmation of the selections by the first user based on information in the temporary record; receiving, from the first general purpose computer, the confirmation of the selections by the first user; locking entries in the database based on the confirmation, wherein the lock prevents a second user from selecting any seat confirmed for the first user; and transmitting, to a second general purpose computer, information to be displayed to the second user that indicates seats selected by the first user.