System and method for enhanced virtual queuing

Abstract

A system and method for managing virtual queues. A cloud-based queue service manages a plurality of queues hosted by one or more entities. The queue service is in constant communication with the entities providing queue management, queue analysis, and queue recommendations. The queue service is likewise in direct communication with queued persons. Sending periodic updates while also motivating and incentivizing punctuality and minimizing wait times based on predictive analysis. The predictive analysis uses “Big Data” and other available data resources such as schedule data and historical throughput data for various resources associated with an entity, for which the predictions assist in the balancing of persons across multiple queues for the same event or multiple persons across a sequence of queues for sequential events.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for enhanced virtual queuing, comprising:
 a mobile computing device comprising at least a wireless transceiver and a mobile software application executable thereon;   a cloud-based queue manager comprising a processor, a memory, and a first plurality of programming instructions stored in the memory and operating on the processor, wherein the first plurality of programming instructions, when operating on the processor, causes the cloud-based queue manager to:
 establish a virtual queue associated with a virtual event; 
 upon receipt of a message from the mobile software application via a network, add the mobile computing device to the virtual queue; 
 send periodic update notifications to the mobile computing device based on a status of the virtual queue; and 
 notify the mobile computing device when it has exited the virtual queue. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cloud-based queue manager is further configured to:
 obtain schedule data and historical throughput data associated with a plurality of resources associated with the virtual event;   determine an estimated wait time based on analysis of the schedule data and the historical throughput data; and   send the estimated wait time to the mobile computing device as an update notification.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cloud-based queue manager is further configured to:
 establish a connection with a plurality of beacons or sensors;   receive location signals from the plurality of beacons and sensors and from the mobile computing device, the location signals comprising a signal strength and composition;   determine a user location based on the received location signals; and   update the estimated wait time based on the determined user location.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the user location is determined by using triangulation of at least two of the plurality of location signals and the location signal of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein a subset of the plurality of beacons and sensors transmit and receive signals via a Bluetooth protocol. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual queue is a virtual queue for transportation and the text message comprises a request for transportation. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the cloud-based queue manager is further configured to:
 generate a user identifier; and   send the user identifier to a transportation module.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising the transportation module comprising a second plurality of programming instructions stored in the memory and operating on the processor, wherein the second plurality of programming instructions, when operating on the processor, causes the transportation module to:
 receive the user identifier;   monitor the current position of the mobile computing device in the virtual queue;   wherein if the current position surpasses a predetermined threshold position, send the user identifier to the mobile computing device;   receive the user identifier from a transportation provider device;   send user information to the transportation provider device; and   upon matching the mobile computing device and the transportation provider device, remove the mobile computing device form the virtual queue.   
     
     
         9 . A method for enhanced virtual queuing, comprising the steps of:
 establishing a virtual queue associated with a virtual event;   upon receipt of a message from a mobile software application operating on a mobile computing device via a network, adding the mobile computing device to the virtual queue;   sending periodic update notifications to the mobile computing device based on a status of the virtual queue; and   notifying the mobile computing device when it has exited the virtual queue.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 obtaining schedule data and historical throughput data associated with a plurality of resources associated with the virtual event;   determining an estimated wait time based on analysis of the schedule data and the historical throughput data; and   sending the estimated wait time to the mobile computing device as an update notification.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 establishing a connection with a plurality of beacons or sensors;   receiving location signals from the plurality of beacons and sensors and from the mobile computing device, the location signals comprising a signal strength and composition;   determining a user location based on the received location signals; and   updating the estimated wait time based on the determined user location.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user location is determined by using triangulation of at least two of the plurality of location signals and the location signal of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a subset of the plurality of beacons and sensors transmit and receive signals via a Bluetooth protocol. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the virtual queue is a virtual queue for transportation and the text message comprises a request for transportation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the steps of:
 generating a user identifier; and   sending the user identifier to a transportation module.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving the user identifier;   monitoring the current position of the mobile computing device in the virtual queue;   wherein if the current position surpasses a predetermined threshold position, sending the user identifier to the mobile computing device;   receiving the user identifier from a transportation provider device;   sending user information to the transportation provider device; and   upon matching the mobile computing device and the transportation provider device, removing the mobile computing device form the virtual queue.