Apparatus and method for executing on-line purchases

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for executing on-line purchases. The apparatus includes three different servers, a ticket server, a doorman server, and a checkout server. The purchase tasks are spread among the servers, and timed, so that the on-line purchase can be handled without server overload and customers losing their place in line. The ticket server issues a purchase ticket to a customer. The purchase ticket includes a predetermined time after which the customer can present the ticket to purchase the purchase item. On or after the predetermined time, the customer presents the purchase ticket to the doorman server. The doorman server validates the ticket and checks that the predetermined time has passed. Once the doorman server approves the purchase ticket, the doorman server passes the purchase ticket to the checkout server with a purchase approval indicator. The checkout server then executes the on-line purchase of the purchase item.

1 . A method of handling an on-line purchase, the method comprising:
 receiving, with a ticket server, a purchase request for an on-line purchase of an item, wherein the purchase request is received from a customer;   determining, with the ticket server, a redemption time after which a checkout server is available to process the purchase of the item;   issuing, by the ticket server, a purchase ticket to the customer for redemption on-line after the redemption time, wherein the purchase ticket is for the on-line purchase of the item;   issuing, by a doorman server in network communication with the ticket server, a purchase approval indicator in response to both of: a) the purchase ticket being presented to the doorman server after the predetermined redemption time, and b) the doorman server receiving a ticket validation indicator from the ticket server, wherein the ticket server sends the ticket validation indicator to the doorman server in response to the ticket server receiving a ticket validation request from the doorman server, and the ticket server determining that the purchase ticket is valid;   and   executing, by a checkout server in network communication with the doorman server, the online purchase of the item in response to the checkout server receiving the purchase approval indicator from the doorman server.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 collecting, by the checkout server, an on-line payment for the item; and   sending, by the checkout server, a purchase payment complete indicator to a fulfilment center.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising issuing a reward coupon with the purchase ticket. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the purchase request is received from a computing device operated by the customer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the purchase ticket is issued to a computing device operated by the customer. 
     
     
         6 . A method of executing an on-line purchase, the method comprising:
 issuing, by a ticket server, a purchase ticket to a customer to purchase an item, wherein the purchase ticket is for redemption on-line after a redemption time;   receiving, by a doorman server in network communication with the ticket server, the purchase ticket from the customer for purchase of the item;   sending, with the doorman server, a ticket validation request to the ticket server;   determining, with the ticket server, that the purchase ticket is valid;   sending, with the ticket server, a ticket validation indicator to the doorman server;   determining, with the doorman server, that the redemption time has passed;   sending a purchase approval indicator via network connection from the doorman server to a checkout server in network communication with the doorman server;   and   executing, by the checkout server, the online purchase of the item in response to the checkout server receiving the purchase approval indicator from the doorman server.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising receiving, with the ticket server, a purchase request from the customer for an on-line purchase of the item. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the purchase request is received from a computing device operated by the customer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising determining, with the ticket server, the redemption time after which the checkout server is available to process the purchase of the item. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising approving the purchase ticket with the doorman server. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising issuing a reward coupon with the purchase ticket.