Automated ticket sales and dispensing system

An automatic ticket sales and dispensing system for use by customers to select and purchase tickets for events and other activities comprising;

• a ticket sales and vending console connected to a source of electrical current and including a microprocessor control system operated in part by the input of the customer in response to displayed messages;
• said console having a video display monitor with a touch sensitive screen coupled with said microprocessor control system adapted to display messages and supply data input signals relative to the displayed messages in response to the customer touching designated areas of the screen, a video cassette player operatively connected with said microprocessor control system and said video display screen for displaying recorded video images, an audio system including loudspeakers operatively connected with said microprocessor control system and said video cassette player, currency handling means in said terminal controlled by said microprocessor control system for accepting and verifying currency and dispensing change, and ticket printing and vending means controlled by said microprocessor control system for printing tickets;
• first memory means connected with said microprocessor having stored programs for controlling the operation of said video display monitor and touch sensitive screen, said video cassette player, said audio system, said currency handling means, and said ticket printing and vending means;
• second memory means connected with said microprocessor for storing inputted data in the course of computation and controlling the operation of said microprocessor;
• event data memory means operatively connected with said microprocessor having stored data representing events for which tickets may be purchased, said event data being classified and retrievable according to main category of event types, sub-categories of each main category event type, type of seating, name, date, time of performance, price of tickets for specific events, and number of tickets available to be purchased;
• a modem operatively connected to said console microprocessor and to a central data bank for periodically sending and receiving data and updating data stored in said event data memory means;
• an event selection program stored in said first memory means that displays on said video display monitor a series of titles of the main categories of event types for which tickets may be purchased and a message instructing the customer to select the desired type of event by touching said touch sensitive screen at the appropriate main category title;
• image memory means operatively connected with said microprocessor having stored image data representing the seating area maps of various venues and seating view memory means operatively connected with said microprocessor and said image memory means, said seating view memory means having stored views of the stage or field as seen from various seating areas in the venues;
• at least one payment insertion slot on said console for accepting currency and other payment instruments and a currency drop slot on said console for dispensing currency change;
• a ticket purchase program stored in said first memory means which controls the operation of said currency handling means to accept and verify currency and to calculate and dispense change;
• and
• a ticket issuance program stored in said first memory means which controls the operation of said ticket printing and vending means;
• wherein
• upon the customer touching said touch sensitive screen at the desired type of event, a signal is generated to cause said microprocessor control system to retrieve from said event data memory means a list of all the sub-categories for the selected main category of event type and display a series of titles of the sub-categories for which tickets may be purchased and a message instructing the customer to select the desired sub-category of event by touching said touch sensitive screen at the appropriate sub-category title;
• upon the customer touching said touch sensitive screen at the desired sub-category title, a signal is generated to cause said microprocessor control system to retrieve from said event data memory means a list of all the specific events for the selected sub-category and display them in chronological order with the name, date, time of performance, type of seating, and price of tickets along with a highlighted area on the monitor, a symbol for scrolling the list, a selection symbol for entering a selection, and a message instructing the customer to select the desired specific event by positioning it in the highlighted area and then touching said selection symbol;
• upon the customer selecting a specific event having the desired type of seating, a signal is generated to cause said microprocessor control system to retreive from said image memory means and display an image of a map of the seating areas in the venue where the event is to take place along with a message instructing the customer to select the desired general seating area by touching the screen at the appropriate seating area;
• upon the customer touching said touch sensitive screen at the desired seating area of the displayed map, a signal is generated to cause said microprocessor control system to display an image of the selected seating area with only the seats for which tickets are available shown and a message instructing the customer to select the exact seats desired in that area;
• upon the customer touching said touch sensitive screen at the desired seating area of the displayed map, a signal is generated to cause said microprocessor control system to display an image of the selected seating area with only the seats for which tickets are available shown along with an "unselect" symbol, a "proceed" symbol, an "exit" symbol, a "seating view" symbol, and a message instructing the customer to select the exact seats desired in that area by touching each desired seat;
• upon the customer touching said touch sensitive screen at each desired seat, a signal is generated to cause said microprocessor control system to highlight the selected seat;
• upon the customer touching said touch sensitive screen at the "seating view" symbol, a signal is generated to cause said microprocessor control system to retreive from said seating view memory means and display an image of the field or stage as seen from the selected seating area as though the customer were actually sitting in the selected seating area;
• upon the customer touching said touch sensitive screen at the "unselect" symbol, a signal is generated to cause said microprocessor control system to cancel the current seat selection and upon touching it again to cancel the previous seat selection;
• upon the customer touching said touch sensitive screen at the "exit" symbol, a signal is generated to cause said microprocessor control system to cancel the transaction and return to the main event category level;
• upon the customer touching said touch sensitive screen at the "proceed" symbol, a signal is generated causing said microprocessor control system to display a "return" symbol and a "proceed" symbol along with a message asking the customer to touch the "return" symbol if it is desired to return to the main event category selection menu to select another event or to touch the "proceed" symbol if it is desired to proceed with the purchase of the current selections;
• upon the customer touching said touch sensitive screen at the "return" symbol, a signal is generated causing said microprocessor control system to return to the main event category level;
• and
• upon the customer touching said touch sensitive screen at the "proceed" symbol, a signal is generated causing said microprocessor control system to initiate said ticket purchase program.