Cloud terminals for ticketing systems

• Author(s): Ferreira, João C. ; Porfírio, Filipe ; Cunha, Gonçalo ; Silva, João
• Date: 2013
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/1822/24614
• Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
• Subject(s): Cloud computing; Software as a service (SaaS); Ticketing system; Terminal device
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

In this research work, we introduce the concept of a thin device implemented on a cloud platform for terminal devices on the front end of ticketing systems. Therefore, we propose the evolution of the traditional architecture of ticketing for a cloud based architecture in which the core processes of ticketing are offered through a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business model, which can be subscribed by transport operators that pay-per-use. Ticketing terminal devices (e.g., gates, validators, vending machines) are integrated in the cloud environment creating the concept for a ‘thin’ device. This approach is achieved by moving business logic from terminals to the cloud. Each terminal is registered to be managed by each own operator, configuring a multi-tenancy implementation which is vendor hardware independent, allowing to address elasticity and interoperability issues. The elasticity of the cloud will support the expansion/implosion of small (transport) operators business around electronic ticketing. In the near future, this ticketing solution will promote collaboration between operators.