WO2016091226A1

WO2016091226A1 - Ticket checking system

Info

Publication number: WO2016091226A1
Application number: PCT/CZ2014/000152
Authority: WO
Inventors: Zdenek NOVY
Original assignee: Cool Ticketing S.R.O.
Priority date: 2014-12-09
Filing date: 2014-12-09
Publication date: 2016-06-16
Also published as: WO2016091226A9

Abstract

A ticket checking system, in particular with respect to entrance tickets for cultural and sporting events, sales coupons, travel tickets and parking tickets, composed of a personal mobile device connectible with the ticket seller for the purpose of inserting the basic visual element (7) with a control element (8, 10) into the personal mobile device and a control sample (6) for the operator. The personal mobile device is equipped with a control element to visually differentiate the checked visual element from the basic visual element (7) without having to take the personal mobile device (12) from the checked person.

Description

TICKET CHECKING SYSTEM

Technical field

The technical solution concerns a ticket checking system, in particular with respect to entrance tickets for cultural and sporting events, sales coupons, travel tickets and parking tickets. State of the art

Most electronic tickets, travel tickets, coupons and similar papers today contain a unique bar code or QR code. The validity of this type of ticket, coupon or similar paper needs to be checked using a hardware reader, which can only be used by trained staff. Bar codes and QR codes can also be simply copied, which is the source of potential complications when checking the authenticity of entrance tickets, travel tickets, coupons etc. resulting in the need to apply reinforced organizational measures.

If the buyer stores an entrance ticket, travel ticket, coupon etc. with a bar code or a QR code in their mobile device, there are additional possible technical problems. Existing mobile devices are not designed to display these codes and high-quality scanning is impossible e.g. due to display glare. Checking electronic entrance and travel tickets, coupons etc. in this manner is not therefore as efficient as a check of conventional printed documents with a counterfoil.

Active electronic tickets can be encountered in today's practice. They are stored in the ticket owner's mobile device and their validity is verified using visual elements, easily visible to the human eye. No hardware reader or any other list of valid ticket codes on the part of the inspector is necessary for their verification. Active electronic tickets, containing such visual elements, for a single specific event are visually uniform just like traditional printed tickets with a counterfoil. See also EP1668598.

To protect the active electronic ticket against counterfeiting, the aforementioned visual elements and/or decryption keys are sent to the ticket owner's mobile device just before authenticity check. See also US2Q 120296828.

This protection and ticket activation just before its validity is checked requires the ticket owner's mobile device to have the ability of network communication, which may pose technical complications. If network communication was disabled for any reason at the time of activation of the electronic ticket, the ticket owner would be prevented from validating the ticket. This risk, associated with functional network communication, is low for tickets used in transport - buses, underground, trains, boats etc., where potential connection problems relate to a particular time and to specific individuals and where the inspector usually checks validity only after the user boards the means of transport. However, if such a failure occurred at a cultural or sporting event, where up to thousands of visitors are checked for ticket validity at one time, it would significantly affect organization of the event. The guarantee of stable stable network communication during the event may be then less effective for the organizers than the operation and maintenance of readers for checking bar codes.

With active electronic tickets, there is a security risk on the part of the inspector because the aforementioned general visual elements apply to a single event. By disclosing the visual elements for the event, the inspector would considerably facilitate the possibility of falsifying the active electromc ticket. There are typically several ticket inspectors for a single event and they are not often the organizers, but the organizer's employees.

In practice, the above-described current technical condition results in costs required for the ticket process. If the event organizer accepts only traditional printed tickets, the buyer does not have the opportunity to purchase the ticket electronically and must pay for its delivery by post or directly visit a shop. If the organizer accepts electromc tickets, this is a convenient way of purchase. However, the organizer must buy, rent or borrow hardware components in order to check electronic tickets and to train ticket inspectors accordingly. Just like with entrance tickets, bar codes can be also used in gift and discount coupons. The reasons why electronic coupons are not widespread nowadays are the same as those for tickets. It is not acceptable for restaurant owners to make sure that each member of the attending personnel carried the hardware required to validate such electronic coupons. Such hardware means acquisition and maintenance costs. Other obstacles include personnel training and the ability to master such a technical element.

Today, electronic payments in restaurants are made using credit cards and payment terminals. Payments by phone are the future - the terminal will accept a wireless payment from a phone moved close to the terminal. It might be also possible to accept electronic coupons in mobile phones, too, but there are still many complications to this technology. Payment terminals are designed for final payments, not for continuous payments. Not all members of the staff have the right to operate a payment terminal. At present, it is widely believed that payments by phone are not as safe as credit card payments. Essence of the technical solution

The deficiencies mentioned above are eliminated by a ticket checking system, in particular with respect to entrance tickets for cultural and sporting events, sales coupons, travel tickets and parking tickets, as specified in this invention. Its essence is that it is made up of a personal mobile device connectible with the ticket seller for the purpose of inserting the basic visual element with a control element into the personal mobile device and a control sample for the operator. The personal mobile device is equipped with a control element to visually differentiate the checked visual element from the basic visual element without having to take the personal mobile device from the checked person. The control element is advantageously made up of a changing symbol displayed in the personal mobile device. The personal mobile device can be fitted with a visible countdown meter for the changing symbol.

The changing symbol is advantageously the visible countdown meter as such or a text string.

The basic visual element stored in the personal mobile device is advantageously provided with a monitoring software to identify any non-permitted handling of the control element and this monitoring software is connected to the organizer's and/or the system operator's checking device.

The visual element can be a conventional printed ticket with a counterfoil or a sales coupon with a control code, primarily a bar code.

The solution allows active protection of the electronic ticket, such as an entrance ticket or a sales coupon, making it possible to save them safely and activate them so that network communication is not necessary during the check as such. The solution protects active electronic tickets against disclosure by the ticket inspector using visual elements. These new security features can also be used for active electronic tickets where network communication is required for the ticket check, and for checking sales coupons. The technical solution focuses on situations in which ticket validity is checked at a predetermined time and where the ticket is also invalidated. Typically, these are primarily cultural and sporting events. They are also single-use travel tickets, checked and invalidated upon boarding the vehicle, and parking tickets, checked before entering the parking lot. It is therefore a specific process, where it is sufficient to show visual security features on the ticket for several seconds after the ticket inspector's prompt. Sales coupons are also checked and invalidated at once, with only the expiry date set. The operators' security features will change regularly at agreed intervals, e.g. once a week, month and so on.

The implementation of this solution in practice means that the event organizer does not have to have any technology for ticket checking and does not depend on functional network communication. The ticket is stored in the mobile device of the visitor, who is responsible for the functionality of their device and for submitting a valid ticket as well as for having a printed ticket with a counterfoil, if necessary.

The described process of securing the active electronic ticket is therefore similar to the process of checking conventional printed tickets with a counterfoil and becomes extremely effective for the organizer. If no device or technology is necessary for checking the ticket by the organizer, the risk of technical complications on the part of the organizer will be reduced significantly and the demand for using such electronic tickets in practice will grow. The sales and distribution of tickets purely electronically is very effective for the organizer since they do not have to provide for any technical background for their checking.

In practice, a number of conventional printed tickets can be replaced with electronic tickets without the need to learn new ticket principles. Both on the side of the buyer and the organizer. The broad introduction of this technology brings a strong environmental benefit because the number of conventional printed tickets will decrease significantly. In addition, an electronic ticket provides the option to display much more content than a printed ticket, which is limited by its physical size. The electronic ticket therefore offers a wide range of commercial applications, such as more space for advertising. This is highly effective in terms of efficiency measurement because the buyer has to work actively with the ticket content.

The solution contributes to eliminating the ticket black market. For example, many festival organizers issue the first round of tickets at the best price a few months before the event. There are visitors who demand this. At the same time, it is necessary to eliminate the black market, i.e. somebody buying hundreds of tickets and then selling them expensively, i.e. cheap tickets are not available any more. What promoters do is that they sell tickets to specific names and check ID cards at the entrance. Another complication is that this is not probably legal. Both the demand for the ID card and the ban on re-sale of the tickets. If a ticket is delivered according to the present invention and the possibility of forwarding it is prohibited, the situation is solved. There is no need to tie the ticket to a specific name. The ticket is tied to a particular mobile device. An essential difference of the system according to the present invention over a ticket with a bar code is that a ticket according to the present invention cannot be copied, i.e. forwarded.

Bars and restaurants are prepared to give drinks to their guests as part of promotion, which makes it possible to implement the solution according to the invention. The solution enables protection against copying the coupon and clear invalidation, i.e. prevention of repeated use. An advantage of this solution is effective distribution, i.e. the guarantee that one mobile phone equals one free drink - coupon. The acquisition price of a smart phone guarantees the solvency of the customer, i.e. the coupon is not taken from a flyer given out in the street.

Clarification of drawings

The electronic ticket checking system, in particular with respect to entrance tickets for cultural and sporting events, sales coupons, travel tickets and parking tickets, according to the present invention will be described in greater detail on specific embodiments using the attached drawings, where figure 1 shows a conventional printed ticket with a counterfoil. Figure 2 shows an active electronic ticket - entrance ticket in the mobile device. Figure 3 shows a sample ticket with a valid and invalid form of the electronic ticket.

Embodiments of the technical solution Figure 1 shows a conventional printed ticket 1 with information on the organizer 2 and the event 3, which can be in a graphical form, such as a logo or a picture. A counterfoil 4 and a basic security feature 5 preventing the ticket 1 from being simply copied are other essential part of a printed ticket.

Figure 2 shows an example of an active electronic ticket 7 - entrance ticket in the mobile device 12. It shows an example of the form of the electronic ticket on the display 13 of the mobile device 12. Just like a conventional printed ticket 1, the electronic ticket contains information on the organizer 2 and the event 3, including a valid counterfoil - control element 8.

Figure 3 shows a sample 6 with a valid and invalid form of the electronic ticket 7 - entrance ticket. It shows the design of the sample of a valid electronic ticket 7 and an invalid ticket 9 in the mobile device 12 of the ticket owner. This sample 6 is available to ticket inspectors prior to the start of the event. The control element 10 is necessary information. An invalidated electronic ticket features an invalid or missing counterfoil - control element 8, 11, just like a conventional printed ticket 1.

The control electronic ticket 7 is composed of visual elements in the personal mobile device 12, fitted with a control element 10, which is visually differentiated from the basic valid electronic ticket 7 after the check, without the need to take the personal mobile device 12 of the checked person. The control element 10 is made up of a dynamic symbol displayed on the personal mobile device 12 for the time of check by an inspector only. The personal mobile device 12 is equipped with a visual countdown meter for the dynamic symbol. The following text defines individual security features of the active electronic ticket so that the complete entrance ticket is safely stored in the mobile device 12 of the event visitor. If the control electronic ticket 7 contains the necessary complete information when it is stored in the mobile device 7 for the first time, no network communication is necessary for its checking. The aforementioned security features can be deployed in practice gradually or in any combination. The process of checking tickets for an event is prepared so that the organizer familiarizes the inspectors with the valid sample ticket 6 to be checked at the entrance. A conventional printed ticket 1 with a counterfoil has specific security features 5, for example a silver symbol, to prevent the printed ticket 1 from being simply copied.

If an active electronic ticket 7 is used for an event, a printed sample 6 is also available, displaying the valid and invalid form of the electronic ticket in the mobile device 12. This sample 6 also includes a control element 10 in the form of a text string or picture. Alternatively, a preview of the active electronic ticket is displayed as a static image in digital form. Maximum unification of printed and electronic ticket processes is crucial for the organizer to ensure effective organization of the event and training of inspectors. Therefore, the active electronic ticket also works as a counterfoil - control element 8, 11.

During the checking process, the ticket owner shall submit a valid active electronic ticket 7 in their mobile device 12 when prompted by an inspector. As the inspector knows the valid form of the active electronic ticket, they can check its validity by looking at the mobile device 12 and prompt the ticket owner to invalidate the ticket in the mobile device 12. They can do so with a simple gesture in their mobile device 12 and the inspector again verifies that the ticket in the mobile device 12 is invalidated and cannot be used again - invalid ticket 9. This successfully concludes the validity check of the ticket. The method in which the inspector does not come into direct contact with the ticket owner's mobile device 12 and verifies ticket validity only by looking at it and instructing the ticket owner to invalidate the ticket is crucial for an effective process. The organizer therefore does not need to purchase its own hardware and does not have to teach its instructors how to control other hardware, in this case the visitor's mobile device 12. The principle described above, when the inspector receives a printed sample 6_ of the valid active electronic ticket for inspection, brings a security risk. The inspector could copy the printed sample 6 and give it to unauthorized persons, who would thus obtain a sufficient material to manufacture a counterfeit. This risk will be prevented by converting the security control element 10 into a dynamic form. The dynamic element is for example a rotating text, a geometrical shape or another shape. The direction of rotation is random, but identical for all active electronic tickets for a specific event. This dynamic element will only be displayed on the invalidated counterfoil and the organizer as well as the inspector are not familiar with it.

The dynamic symbol for each ticket for a single event, where one or several inspectors check dozens to thousands of active electronic tickets, is the same. The inspector can therefore easily identify a missing or incorrect dynamic symbol on the active electronic ticket. However, they see the dynamic symbol for the first time with the first checked active electronic ticket.

To ensure further protection of the active electronic ticket, the dynamic symbol is displayed in the mobile 12 only during the inspection by the inspector. This only takes several seconds. It is also possible to activate visual countdown of the display time of the dynamic symbol. The number of seconds remaining for the display of the dynamic symbol is shown on the mobile device 12. Visual countdown is launched on the display of the mobile device 12 when prompted by the inspector, which divides the process of checking the active electronic ticket into logical steps. This is another level of protection of active electronic tickets against counterfeiting. The dynamic symbol and visual countdown can be combined so that for example the visual countdown as such becomes a dynamic symbol. Alternatively, the dynamic symbol can be formed by the aforementioned security feature 10 in the form of a text string, displayed in the printed sample 6 of the active electronic ticket.

A full-featured active electronic ticket 7 is saved in the mobile device 12 sufficiently in advance of the start of the event. The ticket owner can be therefore sure that any potentially non- functional network communication would jeopardize their access to the event. The active electronic ticket stored in the mobile device 12 is monitored in order to identify suspicious handling of the ticket. Suspicious handling refers for example to attempts to invalidate a ticket before the day of the event in order to determine the form of control security features 10 of the active electronic ticket. Attempts to manipulate the data of the active electronic ticket are also suspicious handling.

A message of any such suspicious handling is sent from the mobile device 12 to the organizer or operator of the ticket system via network communication. If there is no available network communication, the message will be delayed and repeated.

The solution can be used even in bars and restaurants, where the guest receive free drinks as part of promotion. The guests submit their personal mobile devices with a coupon and the coupon is invalidated when the drink is served. Industrial use

A ticket checking system, in particular with respect to entrance tickets for cultural and sporting events, sales coupons, travel tickets and parking tickets, according to the present invention can be particularly used for organizing cultural and sporting events, checking travel and parking tickets, selling by means of sales coupons etc.

Claims

P A T E N T C L A I M S

1) A ticket checking system, in particular with respect to entrance tickets for cultural and sporting events, sales coupons, travel tickets and parking tickets, characterized in that it is made up of a personal mobile device connectible with the ticket seller for the purpose of inserting the basic visual element (7) with a control element (8, 10) into the personal mobile device and a control sample (6) for the operator, wherein the personal mobile device is provided with a control element to visually differentiate the checked visual element from the basic visual element (7) without having to take the personal mobile device (12) from the checked person.

2) A system as in Claim 1, wherein the control element (10) is formed by a changing symbol displayed in the personal mobile device (12).

3) A system as in Claim 2, wherein the personal mobile device (12) is fitted with a visible countdown meter for the changing symbol. 4) A system as in Claim 3, wherein the changing symbol is the visible countdown meter as such.

5) A system as in Claim 3, wherein the changing symbol is a text string.

6) A system as in any of the above Claims, wherein the basic visual element (7) stored in the personal mobile device (12) is provided with a monitoring software to identify any non- permitted handling of the control element (8, 0) and this monitoring software is connected to the organizer's and/or the system operator's checking device.

7) A system as in any of the above Claims, wherein the visual element (7) is a conventional printed ticket (1) with a counterfoil (4).

8) A system as in any of the above Claims 1 to 6, wherein the visual element (7) is a conventional printed ticket with a control code.

9) A system as in any of the above Claims, wherein the basic visual element (7) is provided with another security feature to prevent its forwarding to another mobile device. Summary; A ticket checking system, in particular with respect to entrance tickets for cultural and sporting events, sales coupons, travel tickets and parking tickets, composed of a personal mobile device coimectible with the ticket seller for the purpose of inserting the basic visual element (7) with a control element (8, 10) into the personal mobile device and a control sample (6) for the operator. The personal mobile device is equipped with a control element to visually differentiate the checked visual element from the basic visual element (7) without having to take the personal mobile device (12) from the checked person.