Reservation system

Abstract

A reservation system associated with an app installed on a user device can be used to regulate access to network-based features of a primary software service offered by the app. Network-based features can include providing access to online content items. Regulating access to these features can prevent overloading the backend service components that provide the network-based features. Growing the user base in a controlled fashion can benefit the user experience. A waitlist with a countdown can be used for users that have installed the app, but who are not yet allowed access to the network-based features of the primary software service. A user interface can display a reservation status (e.g., how many people are in front of the user in line, how many people are behind the user in line, and the like). This can increase user anticipation of the app features and reduce user attrition.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 requesting a reservation code, wherein the reservation code is associated with a position in a line and is used to enable a predefined action of an application;   displaying, on a user device associated with a first user account, a number of other user accounts ahead of the first user account in the line for the predefined action; and   upon detecting that the position reaches an allowed position, activating the predefined action of the application.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displaying of the number of other user accounts ahead of the first user account in the line includes generating a countdown animation. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the countdown animation is based on the number of other user accounts ahead of the first user account in the line and a previous number of other user accounts ahead of the first user account in the line. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a new reservation code in response to the request for a reservation code, wherein the new reservation code is generated by a remote server computer. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request for a reservation code corresponds to an entry of an existing reservation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reservation code includes a sequential reservation number. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the reservation code includes authentication data linked to the sequential reservation number. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 receiving, by user device, a current allowed reservation number, wherein the current allowed reservation number is transmitted by the remote server computer; and 
 calculating, by the user device, the number of other user accounts ahead of the first user account in the line using the sequential reservation number and the current allowed reservation number. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 receiving, by user device, a total number of user accounts in the line, wherein the total number of user accounts in the line is transmitted by the remote server computer; 
 calculating, by the user device, a number of user accounts behind the first user account in the line using the sequential reservation number and the total number of user accounts in the line; and 
 displaying the total number of user accounts behind the first user account in the line. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined action is an add mail account action. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:
 request a reservation code, wherein the reservation code is associated with a position in a line and is used to enable a predefined action of an application;   display, on a user device associated with a first user account, a number of other user accounts ahead of the first user account in the line for the predefined action; and   upon detecting that the position reaches an allowed position, activate the predefined action of the application.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-program product of  claim 11 , wherein the displaying of the number of other user accounts ahead of the first user account in the line includes generating a countdown animation based on the number of other user accounts ahead of the first user account in the line and a previous number of other user accounts ahead of the first user account in the line. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-program product of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:
 receive a new reservation code in response to the request for a reservation code, wherein the new reservation code is generated by a remote server computer.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-program product of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:
 receive, by the user device, a current allowed reservation number, wherein the current allowed reservation number is transmitted by the remote server computer; and   calculating, by the user device, the number of other user accounts ahead of the first user account in the line using a sequential reservation number and the current allowed reservation number.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-program product of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:
 receiving, by user device, a total number of user accounts in the line, wherein the total number of user accounts in the line is transmitted by the remote server computer;   calculating, by the user device, a number of user accounts behind the first user account in the line using the sequential reservation number and the total number of user accounts in the line; and   displaying the total number of user accounts behind the first user account in the line.   
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 generating a plurality of reservation records, wherein each reservation includes a reservation identifier, authentication code, and access permissions for a primary service;   for each reservation record, transmitting the reservation identifier and the authentication code to one of plurality of mobile devices;   maintaining reservation system state information;   periodically transmitting reservation system state information to one or more of the plurality of mobile devices; and   updating access permissions associated with a particular reservation record to allow the reservation.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the reservation state information includes a current allowed reservation identifier. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the reservation state data includes a reservation count. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the access permissions include an allowed flag. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 responsive to a user request to access the primary service, determining whether a reservation record is allowed; and 
 allowing access to the primary service based on the access permissions; 
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising:
 responsive to allowing access to the primary service, updating access permissions associated with the particular reservation. 
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 transmitting a notification to a device associated with the particular reservation after the access permissions associated with the particular reservation have been update to allow the reservation. 
 
     
     
         23 . A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:
 generate a plurality of reservation records, wherein each reservation includes a reservation identifier, authentication code, and access permissions for a primary service;   for each reservation record, transmit the reservation identifier and the authentication code to one of plurality of mobile devices;   maintain reservation system state information;   periodically transmit reservation system state information to one or more of the plurality of mobile devices; and   update access permissions associated with a particular reservation record to allow the reservation.   
     
     
         24 . The computer-program product of  claim 23 , wherein the reservation state information includes a current allowed reservation identifier and a reservation count. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-program product of  claim 23 , wherein the access permissions include an allowed flag and a claimed flag.