FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to E-ticketing (Electronic ticketing). In particular, the invention relates to the issuance of E-tickets and use thereof for purposes of access control to venues and/or to paid services such as public transport.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

There are numerous drawbacks associated with the use of paper-based tickets for controlling access to events and services such as public transportation services. Although some event organisers and service providers have migrated to electronic ticketing systems, presentation of the electronic ticket is still a requirement to gain access to a venue or paid service. If many paper-based tickets are issued, production and printing costs may become a significant financial consideration, not to mention the detrimental environmental impact caused by single-use tickets.

Another drawback of paper-based tickets is that they can get lost or misplaced which creates an administrative headache for a customer, not to mention a penalty fee which is usually associated with a replacement ticket. Furthermore, paper-based tickets are susceptible to counterfeiting. Also, a more serious problem associated with paper-based tickets is their susceptibility to illegal trade or fraudulent resale on the black market. Inaccessibility of ticket-issuing offices or inconvenience associated with the purchase of physical tickets from only designated ticket offices is also a problem. This may result in a reduction in ticket sales which leads to revenue loss.

The present invention aims to alleviate the drawbacks discussed above. SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an access control method for controlling access to venues and/or services using an e-ticketing system which comprises a server having a processor and a data store, and at least one computing device which includes a biometric reader which is configured to read a biometric parameter associated with a ticket purchaser, the computing device being communicatively linked to the server by way of a communication module, the method including: recording, using the biometric reader, the biometric parameter associated with the ticket purchaser; associating, using the processor, the biometric parameter with at least one e-ticket purchased by the ticket purchaser; and issuing, using the processor, the e-ticket to the ticket purchaser.

The access control method may include: scanning, using an access control device, the biometric parameter of the ticket purchaser; authenticating, using the processor, the ticket purchaser based on the scanned biometric parameter; and provided authentication was successful, granting, using the access control device, the ticket purchaser access to a restricted area.

Authenticating may include matching, using the processor, the scanned biometric parameter against a number of pre-recorded biometric parameters to find a match.

Upon finding a matching biometric parameter, the access control method may include checking, using the processor, ticket purchases associated with the matching biometric parameter in order to grant or deny the ticket purchaser access to the restricted area. The restricted area may be a venue. The method may include directing, using the computing device, the ticket purchaser to a seat assigned to the purchased e-ticket.

The access control method may include displaying on a graphical display of the computing device a row and seat number as well as navigation instructions to reach the seat number assigned to the e-ticket from a current location of the computing device.

The access control method may include displaying, using the computing device, a maximum capacity of the restricted area and a current occupancy of the restricted area.

The computing device may be a smartphone or any other suitable computing device such as a tablet, laptop, wearable device or PDA etc.

The biometric reader may be a fingerprint reader. However, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to a fingerprint reader. Accordingly, any other suitable biometric reader such as an Irisreader may be used. Similarly, the access control device may include a fingerprint scanner to control access to the venue.

The access control method may include: digitally transferring, using the computing device, the at least one e- ticket from the computing device associated with the ticket purchaser to a third-party computing device; scanning a third-party biometric parameter using the third-party computing device; and associating the transferred e-ticket with the scanned third-party biometric parameter.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an e- ticketing system which includes: a server having a processor and a data store; at least one computing device which includes: a biometric reader which is configured to read a biometric parameter associated with a ticket purchaser; and a communication module communicatively linked to the server; and at least one access control device which is configured to scan the biometric parameter of the ticket purchaser, wherein the processor, computing device and access control device have program instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor and/or devices, enable the e-ticketing system to: record, using the biometric reader, the biometric parameter associated with the ticket purchaser; associate, using the processor, the biometric parameter with at least one e-ticket purchased by the ticket purchaser; and issue, using the processor, the e-ticket to the ticket purchaser.

The e-ticketing system may be configured to: scan, using the access control device, the biometric parameter of the ticket purchaser; authenticate, using an authentication module, the ticket purchaser based upon the scanned biometric parameter; and provided authentication was successful, grant, using the access control device, the ticket purchaser access to a restricted area.

The e-ticketing system may be configured to: display on a graphical display of the computing device a row and seat number of an e-ticket; and navigate, using a navigation module, the ticket purchaser to the seat number assigned to the e-ticket from a current location of the computing device.

Furthermore, the e-ticketing system may be configured to: digitally transfer, using a ticket transfer module, the e-ticket from the computing device associated with the ticket purchaser to a third-party computing device; scan a third-party biometric parameter using the third-party computing device; and associate the transferred e-ticket with the scanned third-party biometric parameter.

The e-ticketing system may also be configured to display, using an occupancy module, on a graphical display of the computing device, a maximum capacity of the restricted area and a current occupancy of the restricted area.

The e-ticketing system may be configured to process electronic payment for purchase of an e-ticket using a payment module.

The invention extends to a computer readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a computing device or system enable the computing device or system to perform any of the access control method steps described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1A shows a functional block diagram of an e-ticketing system in accordance with a first aspect of the invention;

Figure 1 B shows a block diagram of a server forming part of the e- ticketing system of Figure 1 A; and

Figure 2 shows a flow diagram of an access control method in accordance with a second aspect of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT

The following description of the invention is provided as an enabling teaching of the invention. Those skilled in the relevant art will recognise that many changes can be made to the embodiments described, while still attaining the beneficial results of the present invention. It will also be apparent that some of the desired benefits of the present invention can be attained by selecting some of the features of the present invention without utilising other features. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognise that modifications and adaptations to the present invention are possible and can even be desirable in certain circumstances, and are a part of the present invention. Thus, the following description is provided as illustrative of the principles of the present invention and not a limitation thereof.

In Figure 1A, reference numeral 50 refers generally to an e-ticketing system for issuing e-tickets as well as for controlling access to a restricted area such as a venue or paid services such as public transport. The e-ticketing system 50 includes a server 52 which includes a processor 12 and a data store 14 (see Figure 1 B). The system 50 further includes at least one computing device in the form of a smartphone 51 of a user or ticket purchaser 54. The smartphone 51 includes a communication module whereby it is communicatively coupled to the server 52 via a communications network 53. The e-ticketing system 50 further includes at least one access control device 55 in the form of a biometric scanner which is configured to control access to the restricted area by authenticating attendees based on their fingerprint. In this example embodiment, a 3 ^rd party computing device in the form of another smartphone 59 has also been illustrated in Figure 1A. Through use of an exemplary e-ticket transfer module 23 of the system 50, the ticket purchaser 54 can transfer his/her e-ticket to the 3 ^rd party smartphone 59 of a different user. The smartphone 51 includes a biometric reader in the form of a fingerprint reader 56 which is configured to read fingerprints associated with the ticket purchaser 54. As is conventional, the smartphone 51 includes a navigation module 58 whereby the smartphone 51 is configured to navigate the ticket purchaser 54 to a predetermined location, e.g. their designated seat at the venue.

In Figure 2, reference numeral 30 refers generally to an access control method, in accordance with another aspect of the invention, for controlling access to venues and/or services using the e-ticketing system 50. It will be appreciated that the processor 12, access control device 55 and smartphones 51 , 59 contain program instructions stored thereon. For example, in order to enjoy the functionality of the access control method 30, the ticket purchaser 54 is required to download 31 a mobile application onto their smartphone 51 . It will further be appreciated that the program instructions may be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, declarative or procedural languages, and can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, object, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. The program instructions may, but need not, correspond to a file in a file system. The program instructions can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a mark-up language document), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, subprograms, or portions of code). The program instructions can be deployed to be executed by one processor or computing device or by multiple processors, even those distributed across multiple locations, for example, in different servers and interconnected by the communications network 53.

The program instructions may be stored in the data store 14 and/or in memory provided in the processor 12 and smartphones 51 , 59. Though not illustrated or discussed herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the field of the invention that the server 52 may comprise a plurality of logic components, electronics, driver circuits, peripheral devices, etc. not described herein for brevity.

In any event, the processor 12 is configured/programmed to provide a number of software implemented modules 20 to 23 corresponding to functional operation of the processor 12. The processor 12 may in particular comprise an authentication module 20, an occupancy module 21 , a payment module 22, and the e-ticket transfer module 23.

The functionality of the modules 20 to 23 will become apparent to those skilled in the field of invention with reference to Figure 2. The access control method 30 described herein may be implemented by computer systems and means not described herein. However, by way of a non-limiting example, reference is made to the method 30 being implemented by way of the e-ticketing system 50. Moreover, it will be understood that though certain functions are described with reference to certain modules 20 to 23, nothing precludes overlap of functionality between the modules 20 to 23 as part of the processor 12 and program instructions stored on the smartphones and access control device.

Before being able to purchase e-tickets, the ticket purchaser 54 is required to register on the mobile application and to record 32 their fingerprint using the fingerprint reader 56 of the smartphone 51 . Using the mobile application, the ticket purchaser 54 then accesses a specific event of interest to him/her from a list of events and selects 33 one or more tickets to purchase by designating seats at the venue, for example. The access control method 30 includes associating 34 the ticket purchaser’s recorded fingerprint with the e-ticket(s) purchased. This information may be stored in the data store 14 of the server 52. Finally, the payment module 22 of the e-ticketing system 50 facilitates online electronic payment 35 to conclude the purchase of the e-tickets. The ticket purchaser 54 may be issued with the e-ticket(s) by way of an electronic communication such as an e-mail or text message containing, for example, a QR or barcode.

The system 50 and method 30 in accordance with the invention permit transfer 36 of e-tickets between customers using the e-ticket transfer module 23. In order to transfer an e-ticket, the ticket purchaser 54 accesses the mobile application and designates 37 the 3 ^rd party smartphone 59 to receive the one or more selected e-ticket(s) by specifying a mobile number of the smartphone 59 or simply selecting it from a contact list. If not already associated with a 3 ^rd party user account, the 3 ^rd party user is required to scan his/her fingerprint 38 using the smartphone 59, which 3 ^rd party fingerprint is then associated 39 with the transferred e-ticket(s). The server 52 records are also updated to reflect the transfer of ownership.

On the appropriate date and at the appointed time, the ticket holder approaches the access control device 55 provided at the venue or public transport service provider to gain access to the venue or transportation services. In doing so, the method 30 includes scanning 40, using the biometric scanner of the access control device 55, the ticket holder’s fingerprint. The ticket holder is then authenticated 41 using the authentication module 20 of the processor 12 prior to granting him/her access. In authenticating the ticket holder’s fingerprint, the processor 12 checks the scanned fingerprint against the records stored in the datastore 14 for a match. If a matching fingerprint is found, the authentication module 20 is configured to check whether an e-ticket granting the ticket holder access to the venue is associated with the matching fingerprint. If so (see Block 42), access to the restricted area is granted 43 by the access control device 55. If not, access is denied.

Once inside, the mobile application has the functionality to navigate 44 the ticket holder to his/her assigned or designated seat through use of the navigation module 58 of the smartphone 51 . The level, row and seat number of the designated seat may also be displayed on a graphical display of the smartphone 51 . Finally, through use of the occupancy module 21 , the mobile application has the ability to provide real-time feedback to the ticket holder occupancy figures relating to the venue in question. In other words, as the ticket holder commutes to the event or venue, he/she can check how many people have accessed the venue, i.e. current occupancy figures and how many open seats are still available. Other live updates such as time remaining before an event ends or a destination is reached should also be conveyed to the user by the mobile application. The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product at any possible technical detail level of integration. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention. The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, configuration data for integrated circuitry, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer/server or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and/or computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions. These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create modules for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process (or method), such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. The flowchart and/or block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Based upon the way existing ticketing systems function, the customer will be denied access if he/she is not able to produce an e-ticket using their smartphone or other electronic device or a unique identifier such as a QR or barcode. However, in some cases, a customer’s smartphone battery may run down, or they may not have their smartphone with them when attempting to access to the restricted area which may make it impossible for them to gain access the area despite having paid for the event/service. In addition to addressing all drawbacks associated with paper-based tickets, the e-ticketing system 50 and method 30 in accordance with the invention obviate the need for an electronic device or smartphone to be used to access the venue or service. Instead, the customer/ticket holder may simply present their fingerprint for authentication and verification to be granted access.