Dynamic Management of Virtual Queues

Number: 20210150421
Published: 2021-05-20
Filed: 2019-11-19
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Abbe; Seth, Nightingale; Michael, Graham; Todd, Meyer; Alexander Logan, Umstead; Joshua Caleb, Ogrin; Robert Todd, Fisher; Paul David, Flexwala; Zulekha Banu, Smith; Jason Daniel, Pastuszek; Brandon J., Raja; Ramkrish, Nelson; Amy Elizabeth
CPC: G06Q10/02; G06F9/44521
Verdict: Set aside park queue management, ops/business
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

Abstract

A dynamic queue management system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code. The hardware processor executes the software code to receive queue enrollment data identifying a first guest and a first attraction, determine whether the first guest is enrolled in a second queue for a second attraction, and assign the first guest to one of multiple groups seeking admission to the first attraction based on whether the first guest is enrolled in the second queue. The software code further obtains a current occupancy state of the first attraction, determines an attendance period corresponding to an average duration of attendance at the first attraction by previous guests, and identifies one of the groups for admission to the first attraction based on the number of guests in the group, the current occupancy state of the first attraction, and the attendance period of the attraction.

Background

BACKGROUND

A popular attraction in a shopping mall, resort property, or recreation area, for example, may need to restrict its occupancy in the interests of safety, or simply to optimize the experience of those guests granted admission to the attraction. One conventional and time honored approach to limiting the number of guests occupying an attraction at the same time include use of a waiting line or queue to delay the admission of guests while honoring the order in which the waiting guests arrived. Despite being an effective way to limit entry and prevent overcrowding of an attraction, the use of physical queues has several significant drawbacks.

One drawback of requiring guests to wait in a queue is the psychological and physical toll that a prolonged wait can impose on those guests. As common experience will testify, waiting in line is at best tedious and, depending on the length of the wait and environmental conditions, may be physically uncomfortable. Another drawback of physical queues is that they prevent a guest waiting in line from enjoying other attractions available in the same venue, which may further frustrate the waiting guests while also depriving other attractions of traffic and potential revenue. Depending on the length of the queue, a physical queue can also have unpleasant consequences for other users of the venue, for example, by congesting public spaces and restricting freedom of movement for non-queueing users of the venue. SUMMARY

Claims

1. A system comprising: a computing platform including a hardware processor and a system memory storing a dynamic queue management software code; the hardware processor being configured to execute the dynamic queue management software code to: receive a queue enrollment data identifying a first guest and a first attraction to which the first guest seeks admission; determine whether the first guest is enrolled in a second queue for a second attraction to which the first guest also seeks admission; assign the first guest to a first one of a plurality of groups each including other guests also seeking admission to the first attraction, wherein when the first guest is enrolled in the second queue, the first guest is assigned to the first one of the plurality of groups based on the first guest being enrolled in the second queue for admission to the second attraction; obtain a current occupancy state of the first attraction; determine an attendance period corresponding to an average time duration of attendance at the first attraction by previous guests of the first attraction; and identify a second one of the plurality of groups for admission to the first attraction based on a number of guests included in the second one of the plurality of groups, the current occupancy state of the first attraction, and the attendance period. || 11. A method for use by a system including a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a dynamic queue management software code, the method comprising: receiving, by the dynamic queue management software code executed by the hardware processor, a queue enrollment data identifying a first guest and a first attraction to which the first guest seeks admission; determining, by the dynamic queue management software code executed by the hardware processor, whether the first guest is enrolled in a second queue for a second attraction to which the first guest also seeks admission; assigning, by the dynamic queue management software code executed by the hardware processor, the first guest to a first one of a plurality of groups each including other guests also seeking admission to the first attraction, wherein when the first guest is enrolled in the second queue, the first guest is assigned to the first one of the plurality of groups based on the first guest being enrolled in the second queue for admission to the second attraction; obtaining, by the dynamic queue management software code executed by the hardware processor, a current occupancy state of the first attraction; determining, by the dynamic queue management software code executed by the hardware processor, an attendance period corresponding to an average time duration of attendance at the first attraction by previous guests of the first attraction; and identifying, by the dynamic queue management software code executed by the hardware processor, a second one of the plurality of groups for admission to the first attraction based on a number of guests included in the second one of the plurality of groups, the current occupancy state of the first attraction, and the attendance period.