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EP-4513395-B1 - VIRTUAL QUEUING TECHNIQUES

EP4513395B1EP 4513395 B1EP4513395 B1EP 4513395B1EP-4513395-B1

Inventors

  • POLK, JEFF
  • DERDA, DAVID
  • SCHWARTZ, JUSTIN MICHAEL
  • GERAGHTY, THOMAS MARTIN
  • TRAYNOR, MARK JAMES

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20171109

Claims (15)

  1. A virtual queue system (114), comprising: at least one monitoring device (466) configured to monitor current queue conditions of an attraction (112) and output a queue condition signal; and a virtual queue controller (430) comprising a processor (356a) and communications circuitry, wherein the virtual queue controller (430) is configured to: receive the queue condition signal; determine a number of guest groups and size of guest groups in an attraction area based on the queue condition signal; determine a current wait time based on the number of guest groups, size of guest groups in an attraction area, an average wait time for the attraction (112) and/or a capacity of the attraction (112); and output a queue modification signal (474) in response to the determined current wait time being outside of a predetermined wait time range.
  2. The virtual queue system (114) of claim 1, wherein the average wait time is based on a dynamic wait time buffer that changes in duration based on a time of day.
  3. The virtual queue system (114) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the queue modification signal (474) is configured to cause the virtual queue controller (430) to temporarily disable an ability to add a guest to the virtual queue of the attraction (112) when the current wait time is above a maximum wait time of the predetermined wait time range.
  4. The virtual queue system (114) of any preceding claim, wherein the virtual queue controller (430) is configured to communicate the queue modification signal (474) to a guest-associated device to cause the guest-associated device to disable a user input, wherein the guest-associated device is configured to transmit a request for a position in the virtual queue of the attraction (112) via the user input.
  5. The virtual queue system (114) of any preceding claim, wherein the virtual queue controller (430) is configured to: determine an updated average wait time for the attraction (112); and enable an ability of the virtual queue controller (430) to add new guests to the virtual queue upon determining that the updated average wait time is below a threshold wait time.
  6. The virtual queue system (114) of claim 5, wherein enabling the ability of the virtual queue controller (430) to add new guests to the virtual queue comprises sending instructions to the guest-associated device to enable the user input.
  7. The virtual queue system (114) of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one monitoring device (466) comprises an optical sensor.
  8. The virtual queue system (114) of any preceding claim, wherein the virtual queue controller (430) is configured to receive location information for guests via the queue condition signal and update the current wait time based on the location information.
  9. A virtual queue method, comprising: monitoring, using at least one monitoring device (466), current queue conditions of an attraction (112); outputting, at the at least one monitoring device (466), a queue condition signal; receiving, at a virtual queue controller, the queue condition signal; determining, at the virtual queue controller, a number of guest groups and size of guest groups in an attraction area based on the queue condition signal; determining, at the virtual queue controller, a current wait time based on the number of guest groups, size of guest groups in an attraction area, an average wait time for the attraction (112) and/or a capacity of the attraction (112); and, outputting, at the virtual queue controller, a queue modification signal (474) in response to the determined current wait time being outside of a predetermined wait time range.
  10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining the average wait time based on a dynamic wait time buffer that changes in duration based on a time of day.
  11. The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein the queue modification signal (474) is configured to cause the virtual queue controller (430) to temporarily disable an ability to add a guest to the virtual queue of the attraction (112) when the current wait time is above a maximum wait time of the predetermined wait time range.
  12. The method of any of claims 9 to 11, further comprising communicating, at the virtual queue controller, the queue modification signal (474) to a guest-associated device to cause the guest-associated device to disable a user input, wherein the guest-associated device is configured to transmit a request for a position in the virtual queue of the attraction (112) via the user input.
  13. The method of any of claims 9 to 12, further comprising determining, at the virtual queue controller, an updated average wait time for the attraction (112), and enabling an ability of the virtual queue controller (430) to add new guests to the virtual queue upon determining that the updated average wait time is below a threshold wait time.
  14. The method of claim 13, wherein enabling the ability of the virtual queue controller (430) to add new guests to the virtual queue comprises sending instructions to the guest-associated device to enable the user input.
  15. The method of any of claims 9 to 14, further comprising receiving location information for guests via the queue condition signal and updating the current wait time based on the location information.

Description

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/419,837, entitled "Systems and Methods for Pre-Scheduling In Virtual Queuing Systems," filed November 9, 2016; and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/419,833, entitled "Systems and Methods for Automatically Monitoring and Dynamically Adjusting A Queue," filed on November 9, 2016. BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates generally to the field of amusement parks. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to techniques to manage amusement park experiences, including queuing for attractions. Since the early twentieth century, amusement parks have substantially grown in popularity. In order to address this increasing demand, amusement parks have been expanding by adding attractions and space. The addition of attractions (e.g., rides, restaurants, shops, and shows) generally provides an amusement park with additional capacity to handle a larger number of guests. However, the additional attractions also typically provide potential guests with an incentive to visit the amusement park. Thus, while a particular amusement park may add additional capacity, the additional capacity does not always result in an increased ability for guests to participate in park entertainment (e.g., shopping, viewing shows, riding rides) or reduced wait times for attractions. This is because there is often a corresponding increase in attendance. Further, due to operating efficiencies, it is often desirable to limit the availability of attractions during low attendance times. Thus, queuing for attractions, which may limit participation in park activities, is a perennial issue for amusement parks. While guests have demanded bigger, better, and more elaborate attractions, they also require and expect a positive overall experience. Providing a positive overall experience for amusement park guests entails addressing certain issues related to queuing for attractions. Indeed, it is now recognized that park guests can be deterred from returning to a particular amusement park due to negative experiences with queue waiting times. Further, guests may be prevented from accessing amusement park businesses (e.g., shops) due to time spent waiting in queues. Indeed, in the past, guests have waited hours in line to experience some of the more popular attractions at an amusement park. Additionally, it is now recognized that park capacity does not always result in efficient guest utilization of that capacity due to individual guest preferences for certain attractions over others. Accordingly, it is now recognized that it is desirable to improve amusement park queuing systems and methods. Document WO 2016/028895 A1 describes a system which includes a plurality of virtual queuing stations associated with respective attractions within a theme park and a virtual queue control system configured to maintain respective virtual queues for the respective attractions and in communication with the plurality of virtual queuing stations. The virtual queue control system is configured to receive communications from the plurality of virtual queuing stations and add guests to the respective virtual queues based on the communications. SUMMARY According to the present invention, there is described a virtual queue system according to Claim 1 and a virtual queue method according to Claim 9. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in Claims 2 to 8 and 10 to 15. In the following description, embodiments will be described. These embodiments fall within the scope of the present invention only if they are in accordance with Claim 1 or 9. Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimed subject matter are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, but rather these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief summary of certain disclosed embodiments. Indeed, the present disclosure may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below. In accordance with one embodiment, a virtual queue system is provided. The virtual queue system includes a virtual queue controller comprising processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor and is configured to receive a request. The request is associated with an individual guest and is for a position in a virtual queue of an attraction comprising a plurality of rides. The virtual queue permits access of the individual guest to one of the plurality of rides of the attraction and guests in the virtual queue are distributed between the plurality of rides of the attraction via the virtual queue. The memory is further configured to assign the individual guest to the position in the virtual queue in response to the request, receive ride schedule data for the attraction comprising information about a change in status of individual rides of the plurality of rides, and determine