Crowdsourcing Seat Quality via User Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users purchasing tickets for events are often unsure about the quality of their seats due to lack of information on personal experiences from previous occupants, which is not represented in traditional seating charts.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for crowdsourcing seat quality by collecting user experience information from previous seat occupants, calculating quality ratings, and displaying these ratings and comments alongside seating charts to potential buyers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If traditional seating charts are used to display venue information, then the system structure remains simple, but users lack information about actual seat quality and previous occupants' experiences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseat quality informationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary system comprising a server and database that mediates between users and venue seating information. This intermediary collects, stores, and processes seat quality data from multiple users, then delivers personalized information back to users. The intermediary handles the complexity of data collection, validation, storage, and retrieval, allowing the overall system to provide comprehensive seat quality information without requiring direct complex interactions between users

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where users who have occupied seats can submit quality ratings and comments about their seating experiences. This feedback is collected by the server, stored in the database, and made available to other users considering the same seats. The feedback loop continues as new users experience the seats and provide their own feedback, progressively improving the accuracy and reliability of seat quality information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If seat quality information from previous occupants is collected and provided to potential buyers, then purchasing decision accuracy is improved, but information collection and processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseat quality assessment accuracyVSAvoiddata collection and processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service where users who have occupied seats automatically become data sources for seat quality information. The server sends requests to these users to provide feedback, and users who participate contribute their experiences to the database. This self-service approach distributes the data collection effort across many users rather than requiring centralized active collection, reducing the processing burden on the system while accumulating comprehensive seat quality data

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-collecting and storing seat quality information from previous occupants before potential buyers need to make decisions. The database is populated in advance with ratings, comments, and occupancy data, so when users query about specific seats, the information is already prepared and available for immediate delivery, eliminating the need for real-time data collection and processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If user experience information is displayed alongside seating charts, then user satisfaction and informed decision-making are improved, but the interface complexity and data display requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveticket purchasing easeVSAvoidinterface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments seat quality information into distinct components including quality ratings, occupancy history, user comments, and venue-specific data. Each segment is processed and stored separately in the database, then selectively assembled and delivered based on user queries. This segmentation allows the interface to display only relevant information for each seat without overwhelming users with all possible data, maintaining simplicity while providing comprehensive information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10963928B2Crowdsourcing seat quality in a venue
Publication Date: 2021.03.30 STUBHUB INC
  • US10963928B2 patent drawing
  • US10963928B2 patent drawing
  • US10963928B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Systems and methods for crowdsourcing seat quality are provided. An example method for crowdsourcing seat quality includes receiving an indication of user interest in an event taking place at a venue, determining information about a seat in the venue from previous users of the seat, and displaying a seat map with the information about a seat of the at least one seat.