Computerized apparatus and method for awarding credits to persons for travel related purchases

• US 20020038250A1
• Filed: 11/20/2001
• Published: 03/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1993
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Radisson Hotels International Incorporated (Choice Hotels International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Radisson Hotels International Incorporated (Choice Hotels International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Storey, Thomas W., Medina, Steven J., Heintzeman, Scott B., Monson, Barbara, Malark, Gregory A.
• Application Number:
  US09/991,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20020038250A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

A computerized system provides incentives for travel agents and similar persons to book particular travel-related reservations. The system achieves this by awarding cumulative credits to travel agents based upon bookings of travel-related reservations. The system receives a booking format which identifies a travel-related reservation. The system further receives a code which identifies a travel agent or other person who entered the travel-related reservation. Upon receiving the travel-related reservation, the system assigns cumulative credits to the travel agent identified by the code based upon the travel-related reservation. Travel agents can thus build up credits over time based upon their bookings of travel-related reservations and use those credits to receive a particular award or prize.

Claims

1. A computerized system for awarding credits to persons who book travel-related reservations, comprising:

a) receive means for receiving information, comprising;

i) means for receiving a booking format which includes a plurality of fields, one or more of the fields including information identifying a travel-related reservation; and

ii) means for receiving a code identifying a person who booked the travel-related reservation; and

b) record means for awarding incentives based on travel-related reservations, comprising;

i) means for specifying an identification of the person corresponding to the code; and

ii) assignment means for assigning cumulative credits to the person identified by the code based upon the travel-related reservation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the record means further comprises verification means for classifying the credits as pending credits until a predetermined event occurs and for converting the pending credits to redeemable credits after the occurrence of the event.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the record means further comprises verification means for classifying the credits as pending credits for a predetermined amount of time after the assignment of the credits and for converting the pending credits to redeemable credits after the predetermined amount of time.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the record means further comprises:

a) first verification means for classifying the credits as pending credits until a predetermined event occurs; and

b) second verification means for maintaining the credits as pending credits for a predetermined amount of time after the occurrence of the event and for converting the pending credits to redeemable credits after the predetermined amount of time.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for receiving a code comprises means for receiving the code from one of the fields of the booking format.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the means for receiving a code comprises means for receiving the code from a special instruction field of the booking format.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the means for receiving a code comprises means for receiving the code from a log-in identifier related to the person.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the record means further comprises report means for reporting the cumulative credits assigned to the person.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the report means comprises means for reporting on-line the cumulative credits assigned to the person.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the report means comprises means for reporting in a hard copy format the cumulative credits assigned to the person.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the report means comprises means for reporting a cumulative total pending credits assigned to the person.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the report means comprises means for reporting a cumulative total redeemable credits assigned to the person.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the assignment means comprises means for assigning the credits to the person based upon the monetary value of the travel-related reservation.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the assignment means comprises means for identifying on-line whether the person has previously received credits.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the assignment means comprises means for assigning bonus credits to the person based upon a predetermined activity in conjunction with the travel-related reservation.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the assignment means comprises means for assigning the bonus credits to the person based upon one or more of the following:

a product booked by the person;

lodging booked by the person;

when the person books the travel-related reservation;

when a customer who requested the travel-related reservation uses the travel-related reservation;

how the customer pays for the travel-related reservation;

how the customer guarantees the travel-related reservation;

a class of the customer;

or a class of the person.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for receiving a code comprises means for receiving a character string identifying the person.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for specifying an identification of the person comprises means for linking the code to an identifier for an agency which engages the person.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the assignment means comprises means for modifying the credits in response to adjustment or cancellation of the travel-related reservation.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the assignment means comprises means for storing a cumulative number of credits assigned to the person following entry of the travel-related reservation.

21. A computerized method of awarding credits to persons who book travel-related reservations, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving information, comprising the steps of;

i) receiving electronically a booking format which includes a plurality of fields, one or more of the fields including information identifying a travel-related reservation; and

ii) receiving electronically a code identifying a person who entered the travel-related reservation; and

b) awarding incentives based on travel-related reservations, comprising the steps of;

i) specifying electronically an identification of the person corresponding to the code; and

ii) assigning electronically cumulative credits to the person identified by the code based upon the travel-related reservation.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the awarding incentives step further comprises the step of classifying the credits as pending credits until a predetermined event occurs and converting the pending credits to redeemable credits after the occurrence of the event.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the awarding incentives step further comprises the step of classifying the credits as pending credits for a predetermined amount of time after the assignment of the credits and converting the pending credits to redeemable credits after the predetermined amount of time.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the awarding incentives step further comprises the steps of:

a) classifying the credits as pending credits until a predetermined event occurs; and

b) maintaining the credits as pending credits for a predetermined amount of time after the occurrence of the event and converting the pending credits to redeemable credits after the predetermined amount of time.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the receiving a code step comprises the step of receiving the code from one of the fields of the booking format.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the receiving a code step comprises the step of receiving the code from a special instruction field of the booking format.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the receiving a code step comprises the step of receiving the code from a log-in identifier related to the person.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein the awarding incentives step further comprises the step of reporting the cumulative credits assigned to the person.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the reporting step comprises the step of reporting on-line the cumulative credits assigned to the person.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the reporting step comprises the step of reporting in a hard copy format the cumulative credits assigned to the person.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the reporting step comprises the step of reporting a cumulative total pending credits assigned to the person.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein the reporting step comprises the step of reporting a cumulative total redeemable credits assigned to the person.

33. The method of claim 21 wherein the assigning step comprises the step of assigning the credits to the person based upon the monetary value of the travel-related reservation.

34. The method of claim 21 wherein the assigning step comprises the step of identifying on-line whether the person has previously received credits.

35. The method of claim 21 wherein the assigning step comprises the step of assigning bonus credits to the person based upon a predetermined activity in conjunction with the travel-related reservation.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the assigning step comprises the step of assigning the bonus credits to the person based upon one or more of the following:

a product booked by the person;

lodging booked by the person;

when the person books the travel-related reservation;

when a customer who requested the travel-related reservation uses the travel-related reservation;

how the customer pays for the travel-related reservation;

how the customer guarantees the travel-related reservation;

a class of the customer;

or a class of the person.

37. The method of claim 21 wherein the receiving a code step comprises the step of receiving a character string identifying the person.

38. The method of claim 21 wherein the specifying an identification step comprises the step of linking the code to an identifier for an agency which engages the person.

39. The method of claim 21 wherein the assigning step comprises the step of modifying the credits in response to adjustment or cancellation of the travel-related reservation.

40. The method of claim 21 wherein the assigning step comprises the step of storing a cumulative number of credits assigned to the person following entry of the travel-related reservation.