Systems and methods for queue management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9633319-B2
Application number	US-201514680568-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2015
Priority date	Apr 7, 2014
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A queue management scheme whereby a system-wide status is considered together with a status of each and every specific or particular queue and associated device within the system, in order to efficiently and effectively balance the needs and desires of customers with the needs and desires of an entity that provides services to the customers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
monitoring, by a computing system, a customer queue for an in-service transit ticketing device at a transit system;
determining, by the computing system based on the monitoring, that a parameter associated with customer wait time to interact with the in-service transit ticketing device is greater than or equal to a particular threshold value;
in response to the computing system determining that the parameter is greater than or equal to the particular threshold value, identifying an out of service transit ticketing device with a lowest in-service time for the out of service transit ticketing device, the out of service transit ticketing device being identified from a plurality of out of service transit ticketing devices proximate to the in-service transit ticketing device;
in response to the computing system determining that the parameter is greater than or equal to the particular threshold value, the computing system communicating an automated command to the identified out of service transit ticketing device, the automated command causing the identified out of service transit ticketing device to activate to a fully-powered, in-service state; and
in response to the determining, controlling the extent or amount of content output for presentation by the in-service transit ticketing device to decrease customer wait time to interact with the in-service transit ticketing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
monitoring the customer queue for the in-service transit ticketing device comprising monitoring the customer queue using an image capture system;
the parameter comprises an average customer wait time;
the particular threshold value comprises a time threshold value; and
determining that the parameter associated with the customer wait time to interact with the in-service transit ticketing device is greater than or equal to the particular threshold value is based on an analysis of at least one image acquired by the image capture system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
monitoring the customer queue for the in-service transit ticketing device comprising monitoring the customer queue using an image capture system;
the parameter comprises total number of customers in the customer queue;
the particular threshold value comprises an integer threshold value; and
determining that the parameter associated with the customer wait time to interact with the in-service transit ticketing device is greater than or equal to the particular threshold value is based on an analysis of at least one image acquired by the image capture system.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
controlling the extent or amount of content output comprises preventing the output of particular audio content queued for output by the in-service transit ticketing device to control customer cognitive load.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
controlling the extent or amount of content output comprises preventing the output of particular video or image content queued for output by the in-service transit ticketing device to control customer cognitive load.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
controlling the extent or amount of content output comprises preventing the output of particular advertising content queued for output by the in-service transit ticketing device to control customer cognitive load.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
controlling the extent or amount of content output comprises preventing the output of particular transit system status content queued for output by the in-service transit ticketing device to control customer cognitive load.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
controlling the extent or amount of content output comprises preventing the output of content of a particular color queued for presentation by the in-service transit ticketing device to control customer cognitive load.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
controlling the extent or amount of content output comprises preventing the output of particular textual content queued for output by the in-service transit ticketing device to control customer cognitive load.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling a number of payment methods instantly accepted by the in-service transit ticketing device to control customer cognitive load.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling a number of types of ticket media processed or ticket operations performed to control customer cognitive load.

12. A transit ticket vending machine, comprising:
at least one camera;
at least one display screen;
at least one audio speaker;
at least one processor; and
at least one non-transitory memory element communicatively coupled with and readable by the at least one processor, and having stored therein processor-readable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to:
monitor using the at least one camera a customer queue for the transit ticket vending machine;
determine that a parameter associated with customer wait time to interact with the transit ticket vending machine is greater than or equal to a particular threshold value and, in response, control the extent or amount of content output by at least one of the at least one display screen and the at least one audio speaker to decrease customer wait time to interact with the transit ticket vending machine; and
in response to the computing system determining that the parameter is greater than or equal to the particular threshold value, identify an out of service transit ticketing device with a lowest in-service time for the out of service transit ticketing device, the out of service transit ticketing device being identified from a plurality of out of service transit ticketing devices proximate to the in-service transit ticketing device;
in response to the at least one processor determining that the parameter is greater than or equal to the particular threshold value, the processor communicating an automated command to the identified out of service transit ticket vending machine, the automated command causing the identified out of service transit ticket vending machine to activate to a fully-powered, in-service state.

13. The transit ticket vending machine of claim 12 , wherein:
controlling the extent or amount of content output comprises preventing the output of particular audio content queued for output by the at least one audio speaker to control customer cognitive load.

14. The transit ticket vending machine of claim 12 , wherein:
controlling the extent or amount of content output comprises preventing the output of particular video or image content queued for output by the at least one display screen to control customer cognitive load.

15. The transit ticket vending machine of claim 12 , wherein:
controlling the extent or amount of content output comprises preventing the output of particular advertising content queued for output by at least one of the at least one display screen and the at least one audio speaker to control customer cognitive load.

16. The transit ticket vending machine of claim 12 , wherein:
controlling the extent or amount of content output comprises preventing the output of particular transit system status content queued for output by at least one of the at least one display screen and the at least one audio speaker to control customer cognitive load.

17. The transit ticket vending machine of claim 12 , wherein:
controlling the extent or amount of content output comprises preventing the output of content of a par

Assignees

• Cubic Corp

Inventors

• Monk Paul

Classifications

• G06Q10/06315

  Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis · CPC title

• G06F3/013

  Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G07F11/00

  Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles · CPC title

• G06Q30/02

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title

• G07F19/201

  Accessories of ATMs · CPC title