Dynamic group purchases using barcodes

Abstract

A movie theatre shows a barcode on an electronic screen separate from the projection screen, on a side wall of the movie room. The barcode lets a patron buy tickets to movies shown in trailers on the projection screen. The patron uses a mobile device, like a cellphone, to image the barcode and decode an URL to a web page. The electronic screen also shows a table of ticket purchases, with thresholds allowing for discounted prices. The purchases are mostly from patrons in the theatre, but could also include from patrons at other theatres seeing the same trailers. This allows dynamic group purchasing of tickets in an interactive feedback loop.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method of selling movie tickets, comprising:
 displaying a barcode in a theatre, visible by patrons, the barcode comprising an encoded uniform resource locator (URL) of a webpage, wherein the displaying the barcode is displayed on an electronic screen, wherein the barcode is adapted to be imaged and decoded with a mobile device connectable with the Internet and wherein a browser to be opened with the mobile device is adapted to display a webpage according to the URL in order to sell, via the webpage, tickets to movies depicted in movie trailers shown on the electronic screen in the theatre,   displaying results of tickets sold as a consequence of the movie trailers shown in the theatre;   lowering the ticket prices if the number of tickets sold as a consequence of the movie trailers shown in the theatre is greater than or equal to a threshold number; and   displaying the threshold number and current number of tickets sold as a consequence of the movie trailers shown in the theatre on the electronic screen.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising: displaying the barcode in one or more theatres, wherein each of the one or more theatres shows a same movie trailer. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising: varying a plurality of movie trailers across the one or more theatres and/or across different movie sessions, thus maximizing revenue from ticket sales. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: playing a plurality of non-movie trailers in addition to the plurality of movie trailers, the one or more theatres varying an order of the plurality of non-movie trailers with the plurality of movie trailers, thus maximizing revenue from ticket sales. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the threshold number varies as a function of an estimated number of patrons currently in attendance in the theatre, and/or a function of an estimated number of patrons previously attended in the theatre. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the barcode is displayed either before a movie is shown in the theatre or after the movie is shown in the theatre, wherein the ticket prices after the movie is shown are different from the ticket prices before the movie is shown. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 determining a most revenue generating movie trailer by showing a plurality of different movie trailers in a plurality of theatres across a plurality of screenings; and   showing the most revenue generating movie trailer in future screenings.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 providing results pertaining to the most revenue generating movie trailer to movie studios; and   finalizing, by the movie studios, movies according to the results provided.   
     
     
         27 . A method comprising:
 displaying a barcode encoded with a uniform resource locator (URL) on an electronic display, the electronic display being connectable with the Internet, the barcode adapted to be imaged and decoded with a mobile device connectable with the Internet;   retrieving a webpage associated with the URL from a web server and displaying the webpage on the mobile device;   sending, by the web server, a signal to the electronic display, wherein the signal is adapted to alter an image displayed on the electronic display;   selling one or more items via the webpage, the items adapted to be shown on the electronic display;   displaying results of the one or more items sold to a plurality of users on the electronic display;   adjusting prices of the one or more items as a function of a number of items sold, wherein if the number is greater than or equal to a threshold, a price of the one or more items is lowered; and   displaying the threshold and current number of the one or more items sold on the electronic display.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the electronic display is part of a billboard. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the billboard is a mobile billboard. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the billboard is at or near a location selected from the group consisting of: a bus station, a train station, a stadium, a sporting event and a night club. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the web server comprises a blacklist of prohibited items from being displayed on the electronic display, wherein the blacklist of prohibited items is a function of a location of the electronic display. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the web server comprises a blacklist of prohibited retailers from displaying products on the electronic display, wherein the blacklist of prohibited retailers is a function of a location of the electronic display. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the electronic display is a plurality of electronic displays, wherein the results of purchases is an aggregate of the purchases across the plurality of electronic displays.