Interactive venue seat map

Abstract

Methods and systems provide an interactive venue seat map that shows where a user's contacts or friends are sitting to help the user select seats when purchasing tickets for an event, such as a concert or sporting event. The tickets can be purchased from an online ticket seller, such as StubHub, Inc. Information regarding where the friends are sitting can be obtained from a ticker server of the online ticket seller, a social network, or a list of contacts. The interactive venue map can show the seats or sections where the friends are sitting using photos of the friends. The user can use the map to determine which seats the user would like to purchase.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 directing presentation of an interactive map of a venue including one or more user-selectable venue features;   obtaining input selecting a first feature of the one or more user-selectable venue features;   identifying a second feature of the venue related to the first feature;   obtaining foot traffic congestion data for the venue;   calculating a route from a current location to at least the second feature based on the foot traffic congestion data; and   directing presentation of the route on the interactive map.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second feature is related to the first feature based on the second feature being a same type of feature as the first feature but at a different location in the venue than the first feature. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second feature is identified based on a first line at the first feature being longer than a second line at the second feature. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the second feature is identified based on a first time duration that includes a combination of a first walking time to the first feature and a first wait time in the first line at the first feature being longer than a second time duration that includes a combination of a second walking time to the second feature and a second wait time in the second line at the second feature. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first feature and the second feature include at least one of a restroom, a food stand, and a beverage stand. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the foot traffic congestion data for the venue includes congestion related to a specific feature in the venue. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the foot traffic congestion data for the venue includes congestion data for the first feature. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 determining that the congestion data for the second feature is less than congestion data for the first feature;   wherein the route is calculated from the current location to at least the second feature based on the congestion data for the second feature being less than the congestion data for the first feature.   
     
     
         9 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media containing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause a system to perform one or more operations, the operations comprising:
 directing presentation of an interactive map of a venue including one or more user-selectable venue features;   obtaining input selecting a first feature of the one or more user-selectable venue features;   identifying a second feature of the venue related to the first feature;   obtaining foot traffic congestion data for the venue;   calculating a route from a current location to at least the second feature based on the foot traffic congestion data; and   directing presentation of the route on the interactive map.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 9 , wherein the second feature is related to the first feature based on the second feature being a same type of feature as the first feature but at a different location in the venue than the first feature. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 10 , wherein the second feature is identified based on a first line at the first feature being longer than a second line at the second feature. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the second feature is identified based on a first time duration that includes a combination of a first walking time to the first feature and a first wait time in the first line at the first feature being longer than a second time duration that includes a combination of a second walking time to the second feature and a second wait time in the second line at the second feature. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 9 , wherein the foot traffic congestion data for the venue includes congestion related to a specific feature in the venue. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 13 , wherein the foot traffic congestion data for the venue includes congestion data for the first feature. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the operations further comprise determining that the congestion data for the second feature is less than congestion data for the first feature; and   the route is calculated from the current location to at least the second feature based on the congestion data for the second feature being less than the congestion data for the first feature.   
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more non-transitory computer-readable media containing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform one or more operations, the operations comprising:
 directing presentation of an interactive map of a venue including one or more user-selectable venue features; 
 obtaining input selecting a first feature of the one or more user-selectable venue features; 
 identifying a second feature of the venue related to the first feature; 
 obtaining foot traffic congestion data for the venue; 
 calculating a route from a current location to at least the second feature based on the foot traffic congestion data; and 
 directing presentation of the route on the interactive map. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second feature is related to the first feature based on the second feature being a same type of feature as the first feature but at a different location in the venue than the first feature. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the second feature is identified based on a first line at the first feature being longer than a second line at the second feature. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the second feature is identified based on a first time duration that includes a combination of a first walking time to the first feature and a first wait time in the first line at the first feature being longer than a second time duration that includes a combination of a second walking time to the second feature and a second wait time in the second line at the second feature. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the foot traffic congestion data for the venue includes congestion related to the first feature.