A computer-implemented technique can process overhead images of users in a line at a venue to obtain a user wait time for the line. The processing can include (a) identifying a user of the group of users that is second in the line to obtain a target user, (b) detecting when the target user becomes first in the line to obtain a start time, (c) after the target user becomes first in the line, detecting when the target user leaves the line to obtain an end time, (d) determining a period from the start time to the end time, and (e) calculating the user wait time by calculating a product of (i) the determined period and (ii) a quantity of the group of users in the line after the target user leaves the line. The calculated user wait time can then be output.

A gate system control device is a gate system control device configured to control a gate system having an exit gate, and includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The first sensor senses that a passport of a person who is in the gate system is placed on a placement region. The second sensor senses that the person is moving. The controller controls the gate system. When the first sensor senses that the passport is placed on the placement region and the second sensor senses that the person is moving to the exit gate, the controller causes the gate system to execute processing for notifying the person.

An information processing device that can accurately estimate the waiting time in a queue even if the queue is extended is provided. The information processing device includes a calculator that performs a first calculation process for calculating the waiting time of a subject person in the queue on the basis of the time when the subject person detected by a first detector passes through a first line and the time when the subject person detected by a second detector passes through a second line or a second calculation process for calculating the waiting time of a subject person in the queue on the basis of the time when the number of people lined up in the queue including the subject person is acquired by the acquirer and the time when the subject person detected by the second detector passes through the second line.

The invention relates to a system, means and method for managing a queue of patrons seeking access to a product offering, for example entry to a private venue for which a ticket is required, or purchase of a product offered online of which a limited supply is available. A user of a system that implements the invention will receive priority attention when wishing, in the role of a patron, to order a product offering (be it a good or a service), on-demand and across varied platforms, which may include, in-store, online and telephony platforms. An advantage of the invention is that data generated from interactions with patrons can be recorded, stored and shared and may be used to provide real-time information and feedback to system users in the role of product offerors. The information may relate to queue place allocation, ranking and wait time in a queue being managed using the invention.

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.

A computer-implemented technique can process overhead images of users in a line at a venue to obtain a user wait time for the line. The processing can include (a) identifying a user of the group of users that is second in the line to obtain a target user, (b) detecting when the target user becomes first in the line to obtain a start time, (c) after the target user becomes first in the line, detecting when the target user leaves the line to obtain an end time, (d) determining a period from the start time to the end time, and (e) calculating the user wait time by calculating a product of (i) the determined period and (ii) a quantity of the group of users in the line after the target user leaves the line. The calculated user wait time can then be output.

An information processing apparatus predicts a waiting time by suppressing a reduction in accuracy of waiting-time prediction even if the number of people waiting in a line is small. The information processing apparatus includes a calculation unit that calculates a waiting time, based on a first set of counted objects in a case where the number of first set of counted objects is less than a predetermined number and based on a second set of counted objects in a case where the first set of counted objects is greater than or equal to the predetermined number.

An information processing apparatus detects an object that enters or exits a predetermined region, manages, in a queue, data based on the detection, and counts the number of predetermined object(s) based on an image obtained by capturing the predetermined region. The apparatus, in a case where the predetermined object is detected, the queue is corrected based on the number counted by and the number of data managed in the queue.

A computer implemented method for controlling a queue for services including providing a user with a software application for use with a device that can send the device's location, receiving at the server the location of the user's device, maintaining a virtual queue with the server, and sending a request to the user's device for the user to join the queue when the user's device is within a predetermined space.

A platform provides recommendations for points of interest in a venue to venue attendees. Different points of interest are recommended in different amounts in order to prevent congestion in the venue in the form of extremely long queues or extremely large crowds. To achieve this, the platform divides a large group of venue attendees into multiple sub-groups, with each sub-group being recommended a different point of interest, and the size of each sub-group based on a difference between an optimal queue or crowd size and an actual queue or crowd size of a queue or crowd associated with that point of interest.