Patents by Inventor Ian Michael FRANCIS

Ian Michael FRANCIS has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240104991
    Abstract: A technique for controlling access to one or more attractions is achieved using a number of access keys, each being issued to one or more users. An electronic queue management part manages a virtual queue in respect of each attraction and receives electronic requests for attraction access, each request relating to an access key and being for the users associated with it to access a particular attraction. Receipt of each request causes the respective users to be added to a corresponding virtual queue. A time at which each group of users reaches the front of the virtual queue and can access the attraction is determined. The users access the attractions by presenting an access key to an access control part, in communication with the electronic queue management part. Only a user presenting an access key at the correct time for accessing the attraction is allowed access to the attraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: Accesso Technology Group PLC
    Inventors: Christopher Simon GALLEY, Christopher Simon Peter BARNABY, Ian Michael FRANCIS
  • Patent number: 11869277
    Abstract: A technique for controlling access to one or more attractions is achieved using a number of access keys, each being issued to one or more users. An electronic queue management part manages a virtual queue in respect of each attraction and receives electronic requests for attraction access, each request relating to an access key and being for the users associated with it to access a particular attraction. Receipt of each request causes the respective users to be added to a corresponding virtual queue. A time at which each group of users reaches the front of the virtual queue and can access the attraction is determined. The users access the attractions by presenting an access key to an access control part, in communication with the electronic queue management part. Only a user presenting an access key at the correct time for accessing the attraction is allowed access to the attraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: ACCESSO TECHNOLOGY GROUP PLC
    Inventors: Christopher Simon Galley, Christopher Simon Peter Barnaby, Ian Michael Francis
  • Publication number: 20230351832
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a method of estimating a length of a queue associated with a resource within a venue. Images of the queue may be received, each image corresponding to a segment of the queue. A server may estimate a number of venue guests in the queue by: for each of a first subset of the images, estimating a number of pixels of the image that correspond to venue guests in the queue; and for each of a second subset of the images, detecting and counting individual venue guests visible in the image. A notification including the estimated number of venue guests in the queue, an estimated current wait time, and/or a time at which a venue guest joining the queue is permitted entry to the resource, may be sent to devices corresponding to venue guests.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher Simon Galley, Christoper Simon Peter Barnaby, Ian Michael Francis, Benjamin Keeling Mathews, Christoper Andrew Ella
  • Patent number: 11393271
    Abstract: A technique for controlling access to one or more attractions is achieved using a number of access keys, each being issued to one or more users. An electronic queue management part manages a virtual queue in respect of each attraction and receives electronic requests for attraction access, each request relating to an access key and being for the users associated with it to access a particular attraction. Receipt of each request causes the respective users to be added to a corresponding virtual queue. A time at which each group of users reaches the front of the virtual queue and can access the attraction is determined. The users access the attractions by presenting an access key to an access control part, in communication with the electronic queue management part. Only a user presenting an access key at the correct time for accessing the attraction is allowed access to the attraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: ACCESSO TECHNOLOGY GROUP PLC
    Inventors: Christopher Simon Galley, Christopher Simon Peter Barnaby, Gary Richard Miller, Ian Michael Francis
  • Publication number: 20210134101
    Abstract: A technique for controlling access to one or more attractions is achieved using a number of access keys, each being issued to one or more users. An electronic queue management part manages a virtual queue in respect of each attraction and receives electronic requests for attraction access, each request relating to an access key and being for the users associated with it to access a particular attraction. Receipt of each request causes the respective users to be added to a corresponding virtual queue. A time at which each group of users reaches the front of the virtual queue and can access the attraction is determined. The users access the attractions by presenting an access key to an access control part, in communication with the electronic queue management part. Only a user presenting an access key at the correct time for accessing the attraction is allowed access to the attraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher Simon GALLEY, Christopher Simon Peter BARNABY, Ian Michael FRANCIS
  • Publication number: 20170098337
    Abstract: A technique for controlling access to one or more attractions is achieved using a number of access keys, each being issued to one or more users. An electronic queue management part manages a virtual queue in respect of each attraction and receives electronic requests for attraction access, each request relating to an access key and being for the users associated with it to access a particular attraction. Receipt of each request causes the respective users to be added to a corresponding virtual queue. A time at which each group of users reaches the front of the virtual queue and can access the attraction is determined. The users access the attractions by presenting an access key to an access control part, in communication with the electronic queue management part. Only a user presenting an access key at the correct time for accessing the attraction is allowed access to the attraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher Simon GALLEY, Christopher Simon Peter BARNABY, Gary Richard MILLER, Ian Michael FRANCIS