Computer-implemented method and system for authenticating event tickets

Abstract

The present invention relates to a computer-implemented method and system for authenticating event tickets, comprising: receiving, in a central processing unit (1), a request (P) for the creation of an event ticket, generated by means of an interface (2) of a user terminal (3) and transmitted via a communications network (4); receiving, in the central processing unit (1), a ticket file (A), linked to the request (P) for the creation of a ticket; sending, via the communications network (4), the ticket file (A) to an authentication unit (5) and converting the ticket file (A) into an authenticated entry ticket (B), assigning a unique digital identifier registered in a blockchain to said ticket file (A).

Description

[0001] COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD AND EVENT TICKET AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present invention belongs primarily to the technical field of digital cryptography and is useful, among other sectors, in the purchase and sale of event tickets.

[0004] More specifically, the object of the invention is a computer-implemented method which, among other advantages that will be described in detail later, allows for the authentication of event entries, preventing them from being falsified.

[0005] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Tickets are currently sold for all types of events, including musical performances, theater shows, film screenings, circus shows, sports competitions and games, exhibitions, displays, and food and business fairs.

[0007] The growing success of this sector has likely been influenced by the emergence of digital platforms that have greatly facilitated and simplified the purchase and sale of tickets, eliminating the need for customers to physically visit points of sale.

[0008] This phenomenon has had a counterpart in an increase in ticket fraud. Thus, despite the progressive incorporation of various security measures, such as watermarks or QR codes, into admission tickets, cases of counterfeiting or duplication continue to occur.

[0009] Furthermore, the sale of counterfeit tickets can lead to overcrowding during the event, which can compromise the safety of such events and, in extreme cases, even force their cancellation.

[0010] On the other hand, the existence of digital platforms makes it easy to purchase a large number of tickets online, which has led to cases of ticket hoarding, which have subsequently been resold at an inflated price, with neither the promoters nor the artists or participants in said events receiving any extra money, despite the considerable increase in their final sale price.

[0011] In fact, currently neither promoters nor artists and / or event participants have any control over the resale of their tickets, nor over who ends up buying them, nor at what price they will ultimately be resold, despite the fact that they are legally responsible for the event and must incur multiple expenses, such as: license and permit payments, liability insurance, security, artist fees, royalties from the General Society of Authors and Publishers (SGAE), set-up, and lighting. In light of this, it seems logical that they should receive at least a portion of the resale revenue generated by the events they own.

[0012] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] In order to address the above-mentioned problems, limitations and disadvantages of the prior art, a first object of the present invention relates to a computer-implemented method of authenticating event entries, comprising the following steps: receiving, at a central processing unit, a request for creation of at least one event entry, said request for creation of an entry being generated by an interface of a user terminal and transmitted via a communications network; receiving, at the central processing unit, at least one input file, associated with the request for creation of an entry and transmitted from the user terminal via the communications network; sending, via the communications network, the input file from the central processing unit (1) to an authentication unit;and converting, in the authentication unit, the input file into an authenticated entry ticket, assigning to said input file a unique digital identifier recorded in a blockchain. Thanks to the present invention, it is possible to create unique entry tickets, whose authenticity and ownership can be easily verified and which, moreover, cannot be copied, replaced or subdivided.

[0014] In fact, when the input file is assigned to a blockchain to become an authenticated entry ticket, the file is tagged using a data structure grouped into a set of blocks (blockchain). Each of these blocks contains metadata relating to another block in the chain, preceding it in time, allowing for secure tracking through cryptographic calculations. In this way, the information contained in a block can only be repudiated or edited by modifying all previous blocks, turning the blockchain into an unrelated public database containing an irrefutable history of information.

[0015] Furthermore, thanks to the method of the present invention, an event promoter can avoid potential problems with overcrowding during the event, since, when generating the request to create event tickets, they can choose the exact number of tickets to be created, based on the capacity of the venue where the event will be held. Furthermore, since said tickets are unique and unforgeable, there is virtually no possibility of increasing said capacity without the knowledge and express authorization of the event promoter.

[0016] Preferably, the computer-implemented method object of the present invention comprises sending, via the communications network, the authenticated entry ticket to a digital platform, for example, a digital platform for the purchase and sale of event tickets or non-fungible tokens (in English, “Non-Fungible Tokens” or NFT).

[0017] This particular embodiment of the invention also allows authenticated tickets to be put up for sale through a digital buying and selling platform, facilitating their commercialization. Furthermore, said digital platform can be configured so that ticket resale takes place exclusively within it, which prevents potential unwanted behavior, such as ticket hoarding. It also makes it possible, by properly configuring the operation of said digital platform, for promoters, artists, and / or participants in said events to receive a percentage of the additional cost of the tickets when they are resold, something that was not possible until now. In this way, the event owners, as well as the artists and / or participants, gain absolute control over the results of their work.Additionally, this prevents a third party from purchasing tickets to resell them outside the platform without the consent of the event's legitimate owners.

[0018] On the other hand, uploading the authenticated entry ticket to a digital NFT platform and reselling it within it is advantageous because it connects the world of cryptocurrencies with the digital web environment.

[0019] The input file (which is transmitted from the user terminal to the central processing unit via the communications network) is preferably a digital file. For example, a digital image file, such as a JPEG-compressed digital image as defined by the Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG) standard in ISO / IEDC 10918-ITU Recommendation T81; a digital image in Graphics Interchange Format (.gif); a digital image in Portable Network Graphics (.png) format; or a file in Portable Document Format (.pdf).

[0020] Preferably, at least one user terminal employed in the input authentication method of the present invention comprises a smart mobile phone, a tablet, a smart watch, a smart TV, a laptop computer or a desktop computer.

[0021] Furthermore, in the method according to the present invention, the step of converting the input file into an authenticated entry ticket is preferably performed according to the ERC-721 standard or alternatively, according to the ERC-1155 standard.

[0022] The ERC-721 standard is the first standard developed for the creation of non-fungible digital assets, specifically non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on blockchains compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). On the other hand, the ERC-1155 standard is an update of the ERC-721 standard, proposed by Enjin in 2018 and accepted by the open-source Ethereum platform (trading name), commonly used to execute smart contracts on cryptocurrency exchanges.

[0023] A second aspect of the invention relates to a computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed on a computer, cause said computer to carry out the steps of an input authentication method according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0024] Throughout the present invention, the term “computer” should be understood to include not only desktop and laptop computers, but also other programmable digital devices, which expressly include: smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, smart televisions, and programmable digital assistants (PDAs). Similarly, the term “computer-readable medium” expressly encompasses any medium or support with instructions capable of being read and executed by at least one of the following devices: desktop and laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, smart televisions, and programmable digital assistants.

[0025] Finally, a third object of the present invention relates to an event ticket authentication system, for carrying out a method according to the first object of the invention.Said system comprises: at least one user terminal, provided with an interface configured to generate a request for creating at least one event entry, the user terminal also being configured to transmit at least one input file, associated with the request for creating an event entry; a central processing unit, configured to receive the request for creating an event and associated input file and to transmit the associated input file; a communications network, configured to connect the user terminal to the central processing unit and to connect the central processing unit to an authentication unit; and an authentication unit, configured to convert the input file into an authenticated entry ticket, assigning to said input file a unique digital identifier recorded in a blockchain.

[0026] DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0027] The above advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, which should be considered as illustrative and not limiting, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a system for carrying out a method of authenticating event tickets according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating the different steps comprising a possible embodiment of a method of authenticating event tickets according to the present invention.

[0028] LIST OF REFERENCES

[0029] 1 Central processing unit (CPU);

[0030] 2 Interface (of the user terminal);

[0031] 3 User terminal;

[0032] 4 Communications network;

[0033] 5 Authentication unit;

[0034] 6 Digital platform;

[0035] 7 Purchase terminal;

[0036] 8 Electronic wallet;

[0037] 10 Stage of receiving request for creating event entry (in CPU);

[0038] 20 Input file reception stage (on the CPU);

[0039] 30 Input file submission stage (to the authentication unit);

[0040] 40 Stage of converting the input file into an authenticated ticket; 50 Stage of sending the authenticated ticket to a digital platform;

[0041] P Request to create event entry;

[0042] To Input File;

[0043] B Authenticated entry ticket.

[0044] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0045] Embodiments of the invention, illustrated in the figures listed above, will now be described in detail. Elements with identical or similar functions will be designated, throughout said figures, with the same reference numbers.

[0046] Figure 1 schematically shows a possible embodiment of an event ticket authentication system according to the present invention.

[0047] Said system is provided, first, with a user terminal 3, provided with an interface 2. In this particular embodiment of the invention, the user terminal 3 is a smartphone, and the interface used to operate it would be the touch screen provided therein. However, the user interface can also be a tablet, a smartwatch, a smart TV, a laptop, or a desktop computer.

[0048] Although only a single user terminal 3 has been represented in Figure 1, the present invention expressly contemplates the possibility of having several different user terminals 3, interacting in parallel with the central processing unit 1 and the rest of the elements of the system.

[0049] Terminal 3 allows a user, when running a computer application, to generate a request P to create one (or more) event entries. Said request P is sent to a central processing unit 1 via a communications network 4 which, in this particular embodiment of the invention, is a mobile telephone network. Furthermore, in this particular embodiment of the invention, the computer application associates the user terminal 3 with an electronic wallet 8 (in English, "e-wallet") owned by the user who created the event.

[0050] In response to said request P to create event tickets, the central processing unit 1 requests the user to send a file to which it wants to assign the corresponding tickets. In this particular example, said input file A is a digital image in jpg format, which the user sends from the mobile phone to the central unit 1, through the communications network 4, together with complementary information about said tickets. Said complementary information may include, for example, information related to the location of the tickets (row number, seat, etc.), their price, the identity of the user who created the event (promoter), and the electronic wallet 8 of said user.

[0051] Once the central processing unit 1 receives the input file A in .jpg format via the communications network 4, it forwards it, via the communications network 4, to an authentication unit 5, in this case the open-source Ethereum platform, which converts the input file A into an authenticated input ticket B, assigning to said input file A a unique digital identifier recorded in a blockchain. This conversion into an authenticated ticket is carried out according to the ERC-1155 standard.

[0052] However, the invention contemplates the possibility of using other different authentication units 5, for example the Polygon Mainnet platform (trade name).

[0053] Once the authenticated entry ticket B has been created, the central processing unit 1 sends it, through the communications network 4, to a digital platform 6, where it is put up for sale.

[0054] In this way, the digital platform 6 advertises the authenticated entry ticket B, for example, on a website and makes it available to potential buyers.

[0055] If a buyer accesses platform 6 through a purchase terminal 7 and ultimately decides to purchase authenticated entry ticket B, the price paid for said ticket B is transferred to the promoter's electronic wallet 8. In this particular case, the transaction is carried out in the Ethereum cryptocurrency. However, the invention also expressly contemplates the possibility of using conventional currencies, such as the US dollar, euro, or yen, as well as other cryptocurrencies.

[0056] Furthermore, in this particular embodiment of the invention, the authenticated entry ticket B can only be resold through the digital platform 6, thus avoiding possible unwanted behaviors, such as cases of ticket hoarding.

[0057] Likewise, digital platform 6 is configured, in this case, so that a predefined percentage of the final resale price is transferred to the event promoter, thereby causing the promoter to receive a percentage of the additional cost of authenticated B entry tickets when they are ultimately resold.

[0058] Finally, Figure 2 shows, in block diagram form, the different stages comprising an authentication method carried out by means of the system in Figure 1. Said system comprises, as explained above, the following stages:

[0059] In a first step 10, the central processing unit 1 receives the request P for creating at least one event entry, said request P for creating the entry being generated by means of the interface 2 (touch screen) of the user's terminal 3 (smartphone) and transmitted through the communications network 4.

[0060] Next, in step 20, the central processing unit 1 receives the input file A, a digital image in jpg format, associated with the request P to create entry(s) and which is transmitted from the user terminal 3, through the communications network (4).

[0061] At stage A, the input file A is sent, via the communications network 4, from the central processing unit 1 to the authentication unit 5 (in this case, the Ethereum open source platform).

[0062] Next, in step 40, the authentication unit 5 converts the input file A into an authenticated input ticket B by assigning to said input file A a unique digital identifier recorded in a blockchain.

[0063] Finally, in step 50, the authenticated entry ticket B is sent through the communications network 4, from the authentication unit 5 to the central processing unit 1 and subsequently, from said central unit 1, to the digital platform 6, where the sale will be placed.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A computer-implemented method for authenticating event entries, comprising the following steps: receiving (10), at a central processing unit (1), a request (P) for creating at least one event entry, said request (P) for creating the entry being generated by means of an interface (2) of a user terminal (3) and transmitted via a communications network (4); receiving (20), at the central processing unit (1), at least one input file (A), associated with the request (P) for creating the entry and transmitted from the user terminal (3) via the communications network (4); sending (30), via the communications network (4), the input file (A) from the central processing unit (1) to an authentication unit (5);and converting (40), in the authentication unit (5), the input file (A) into an authenticated entry ticket (B), assigning to said input file (A) a unique digital identifier recorded in a blockchain.; 2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising sending (50) through the communications network (4), the authenticated entry ticket (B) to a digital platform (6).

3. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the input file (A) is a digital file.

4. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the user terminal (3) comprises a smart mobile phone, a tablet, a smart watch, a smart TV, a laptop or a desktop computer.

5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the step of converting the input file (A) into an entry ticket (B) authenticated, it is done according to the ERC-721 standard or alternatively, according to the ERC-1155 standard.

6. Computer-readable medium, comprising instructions which, when executed on a computer, cause said computer to carry out the steps of an input authentication method according to any of claims 1 to 5.

7. Event entry authentication system, for carrying out a method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, said system comprising: at least one user terminal (3), provided with an interface (2) configured to generate a request (P) for creating at least one event entry, the user terminal (3) also being configured to transmit at least one input file (A), associated with the event entry creation request (P); a central processing unit (1), configured to receive the event creation request (P) and associated input file (A) and to transmit the associated input file (A); a communications network (4), configured to connect the user terminal (3) to the central processing unit (1) and to connect the central processing unit (1) to an authentication unit (5);and an authentication unit (5), configured to convert the input file (A) into an authenticated entry ticket (B), assigning to said input file (A) a unique digital identifier recorded in a blockchain;

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