Systems and methods for managing an event

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method, a system and a physical computer readable medium for distributing payment to a host of an event and a second entity by receiving payment confirmations indicating payment amounts from guests for the event. The payment amounts for all received confirmations are aggregated. Using the aggregated payment amounts, a first payment total and a second payment total are calculated and distributed to the host of the event and a second entity, respectively. The present invention further relates to a method for managing an event. The method involves registering a host, registering an event, and registering guests for the event. In response to receiving notification from at least one guest, status information for the event is provided to the host. The status information includes: the event, the guests, and at least some information based on the received notification.

1 . A method for managing an event, the method comprising:
 registering a host of the event by receiving a plurality of host attributes;   registering the event by receiving a plurality of event attributes; and   registering a plurality of guests by receiving a plurality of guest identifiers, each guest identifier being associated with one of the plurality of guests for the event;   receiving notification from at least one guest, wherein each notification comprises a plurality of guest attributes; and   providing status information for the event to the host, wherein the status information comprises: the event, the plurality of guests, and at least a portion of the plurality of guest attributes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein registering the event further comprises:
 providing a listing of a plurality of electronic invitation formats, each electronic invitation format being selectable by the host; and 
 receiving at least one selected electronic invitation format for use in creating a plurality of electronic invitations. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 providing the host with an option to send an electronic invitation for the event to each guest of the plurality of guests. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 providing the host with an option to register an additional guest for the event. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 providing a payment gateway to at least one guest of the plurality of guests for receiving a payment confirmation; and 
 receiving the payment confirmation from the at least one guest, wherein each received payment confirmation indicates a payment amount. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 providing the host with the option to close the event. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 receiving a selection from the host to close the event; 
 aggregating the payment amounts for all received payment confirmations; 
 calculating a first payment total using the aggregated payment amounts; and 
 distributing the first payment total to the host of the event. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein registering the event further comprises:
 providing a listing of a plurality of charity organizations, each charity organization being selectable by the host; 
 receiving a selected charity organization from the listing of the plurality of charity organizations; 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 receiving a selection from the host to close the event; 
 aggregating the payment amounts for all received payment confirmations; 
 calculating a first payment total and a second payment total using the aggregated payment amounts; 
 distributing the first payment total to the host of the event; and 
 distributing the second payment total to the selected charity organization. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the status information comprises the payment amount of each received payment confirmation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the status information comprises a total payment amount calculated by aggregating the payment amounts for all received payment confirmations. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each guest identifier comprises an email address. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising validating each email address. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 providing the host with an option to send a reminder for the event; 
 in response to receiving a selection from the host to send a reminder for the event, determining which guests of the plurality of guests for the event a notification has not been received from; and 
 sending an electronic reminder for the event to the determined guests. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a plurality of friend identifiers from the host; 
 providing a listing of the plurality of friend identifiers, each friend identifier being selectable by the host; and 
 receiving at least one selected friend identifier as a guest identifier of the plurality of guest identifiers received at the step of registering the guests. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of guest attributes comprises one or more attributes selected from the group consisting of: a guest name, a guest telephone number, a guest address, an event acceptance, an event refusal, number of guests attending, a guest allergy, a guest special need, a guest medical condition, an event wish, a payment request, and a payment amount. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 registering an additional event for the host by receiving a plurality of second event attributes; 
 registering a plurality of guests for the additional by receiving a plurality of guest identifiers, each guest identifier being associated with one of the plurality of guests for the additional event; 
 receiving notification from at least one guest for the additional event, wherein each notification comprises a plurality of guest attributes; and 
 providing status information for the additional event to the host, wherein the status information indicates the additional event, the plurality of guests for the additional event, and at least a portion of the plurality of guest attributes received. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising:
 providing a listing of all events for the host, each event being selectable by the host; and 
 in response to the host selecting an event of the listing of all events for the host, providing the status information for the selected event to the host.