Methods and systems for determining user location

Abstract

Methods and systems of determining the approximate location of a terminal are described herein. In one embodiment, a computer system receives from a first mobile computer terminal and/or from a communication system in communication with the first mobile computer terminal, global positioning satellite and/or cellular network location data, wherein the location data corresponds to the approximate location of the first mobile computer terminal. Based at least in part on the location data, the system determines if the first mobile computer terminal is within a first area, wherein presence in the first area is needed in order to be authorized to access a first service. The system, at least partly in response to failing to determine that the first mobile terminal is in the first area, transmits to the first mobile computer terminal location information regarding at least a first location in the first area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of facilitating formation of ticket pools, the method comprising:
 receiving a request, from a first device of a first user, to form a new ticket pool to be associated with a multiple users to financially support a purchase of one or more tickets, the one or more tickets including a ticket to a concert or sporting event;   identifying a ticket-group parameter associated with the first user;   identifying a set of second users, each second user in the set of second users being associated with a characteristic matching the ticket-group parameter;   causing identifications of the set of second users to be presented to the first user as potential members for the ticket pool;   receiving a selection of a subset of the set of second users;   causing, for each second user in the subset, an invitation to be transmitted to a second device of the second user;   identifying a group of users for the ticket pool, the group of users including the second users in the subset determined to have accepted the invitation;   determining a contribution provided by each user in the group of users;   identifying a set of tickets purchased by the group using the contributions collectively provided by the group of users;   automatically allocating, to each user in the group of users, a portion of the purchase to each user in the group of users.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the causing, for each second user in the subset, the invitation to be transmitted to the second device of the second user includes causing an email to be sent to an account of the second user, the email including a link to use for accepting the invitation. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ticket-group parameter includes a geographical location identified by the first user, and wherein each second user in the set of second users is associated with the characteristic matching the ticket-group parameter due to the second user being identified as residing within the geographical location. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ticket-group parameter includes a first location of the first device, and wherein each second user in the set of second users is associated with the characteristic matching the ticket-group parameter due to the second device of the second user being at a second location within a prescribed geographical area relative to the first location. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ticket-group parameter includes a contact list, and wherein each second user in the set of second users is associated with the characteristic matching the ticket-group parameter due to being identified in the contact list. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ticket-group parameter includes a preference set by the first user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ticket-group parameter includes an identification of a particular athletic or musical performing entity, and wherein the characteristic of each second user in the set of second users indicates that the second user is a fan of the particular athletic or musical performing entity. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ticket-group parameter is identified using an analysis of previous ticket purchases made by the first user. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising recommending, to the first user, the set of tickets for purchase. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining the portion to allocate to each user in the group of users based on the contribution determined to have been provided by the user. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contribution provided by at least two users in the group of users is different. 
     
     
         12 . A system comprising:
 one or more data processors; and   a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing instructions which when executed on the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to perform actions including:
 receiving a request, from a first device of a first user, to form a new ticket pool to be associated with a multiple users to financially support a purchase of one or more tickets, the one or more tickets including a ticket to a concert or sporting event; 
 identifying a ticket-group parameter associated with the first user; 
 identifying a set of second users, each second user in the set of second users being associated with a characteristic matching the ticket-group parameter; 
 causing identifications of the set of second users to be presented to the first user as potential members for the ticket pool; 
 receiving a selection of a subset of the set of second users; 
 causing, for each second user in the subset, an invitation to be transmitted to a second device of the second user; 
 identifying a group of users for the ticket pool, the group of users including the second users in the subset determined to have accepted the invitation; 
 determining a contribution provided by each user in the group of users; 
 identifying a set of tickets purchased by the group using the contributions collectively provided by the group of users; 
 automatically allocating, to each user in the group of users, a portion of the purchase to each user in the group of users. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions which when executed on the one or more data processors, cause, for each second user in the subset, the invitation to be transmitted to the second device of the second user includes causing an email to be sent to an account of the second user, the email including a link to use for accepting the invitation. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the ticket-group parameter includes a geographical location identified by the first user, and wherein each second user in the set of second users is associated with the characteristic matching the ticket-group parameter due to the second user being identified as residing within the geographical location. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the ticket-group parameter includes a first location of the first device, and wherein each second user in the set of second users is associated with the characteristic matching the ticket-group parameter due to the second device of the second user being at a second location within a prescribed geographical area relative to the first location. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the ticket-group parameter includes a contact list, and wherein each second user in the set of second users is associated with the characteristic matching the ticket-group parameter due to being identified in the contact list. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the ticket-group parameter includes a preference set by the first user. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the ticket-group parameter includes an identification of a particular athletic or musical performing entity, and wherein the characteristic of each second user in the set of second users indicates that the second user is a fan of the particular athletic or musical performing entity. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the ticket-group parameter is identified using an analysis of previous ticket purchases made by the first user. 
     
     
         20 . A machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause one or more data processors to perform actions including:
 receiving a request, from a first device of a first user, to form a new ticket pool to be associated with a multiple users to financially support a purchase of one or more tickets, the one or more tickets including a ticket to a concert or sporting event;   identifying a ticket-group parameter associated with the first user;   identifying a set of second users, each second user in the set of second users being associated with a characteristic matching the ticket-group parameter;   causing identifications of the set of second users to be presented to the first user as potential members for the ticket pool;   receiving a selection of a subset of the set of second users;   causing, for each second user in the subset, an invitation to be transmitted to a second device of the second user;   identifying a group of users for the ticket pool, the group of users including the second users in the subset determined to have accepted the invitation;   determining a contribution provided by each user in the group of users;   identifying a set of tickets purchased by the group using the contributions collectively provided by the group of users;   automatically allocating, to each user in the group of users, a portion of the purchase to each user in the group of users.