Availability based value creation method and system

• US 20020059101A1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sabre Incorporated (Sabre Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sabre Incorporated (Sabre Corp.)
• Inventors: Brice, Tony Joe, Smith, Barry C., Walker, Alan, Ratliff, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US09/961,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059101A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method and system for providing price information, comprising receiving a request for price information associated with at least one item; obtaining from a database results responsive to the request; modifying at least one entry in the database results to reflect a more competitive price, when compared to another entry in the database results; and providing the database results to a consumer after completing the modifying step.

Claims

1. A method for providing price information, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for price information associated with at least one item;

obtaining database results from a database responsive to the request;

modifying at least one entry in the database results to reflect a more competitive price when compared to another entry in the database results; and

providing the database results to a consumer after completing the modifying step.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one entry is modified in real time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one entry is modified based on recently obtained information stored in cache.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one entry is modified based on information obtained through a batch process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the database results are modified by combining a price and a non-monetary incentive to produce the more competitive price.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the database results are modified using at least one of increasing the price, decreasing the price, and modifying the price, based on a level of service provided, to produce the more competitive price.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the database results are modified by changing the availability of a class fare to produce the more competitive price.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the database results are modified by marking up the at least one entry, while maintaining a competitive price.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the database results are modified by submitting in real time a second request to a second database and receiving information to produce the more competitive price.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the received information from the second database is based on information received with the second request.

11. A method for receiving price information, comprising:

providing a request for price information associated with an item;

receiving database results responsive to the request, including at least one entry that has been modified with information from a database to reflect a more competitive price when compared to another entry in the database results.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one entry is modified in real time.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one entry is modified based on recently obtained and stored information.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one entry is modified based on information obtained through a batch process.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one entry is modified by combining a price and a non-monetary incentive to produce the more competitive price.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one entry is modified by using at least one of increasing the price, decreasing the price, and modifying the price, based on a level of service provided, to produce the more competitive price.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one entry is modified by changing the availability of a class fare to produce the more competitive price.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one entry is modified by marking up the at least one entry, while maintaining a competitive price.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one entry is modified by submitting in real time a second request to a second database and receiving information to produce the more competitive price.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the received information from the second database is based on information received with the second request.

21. A method for providing information, comprising:

receiving a request for information associated with an item;

obtaining database results from a database responsive to the request;

modifying at least one entry in the database results to reflect a more competitive position when compared to another entry in the database results; and

providing the database results to a consumer after completing the modifying step.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one entry is modified in real time.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one entry is modified based on recently obtained and stored information.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one entry is modified based on information obtained through a batch process.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one entry is modified by combining a price and a non-monetary incentive to produce the more competitive position.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one entry is modified by using at least one of increasing a price, decreasing the price, and modifying the price, based on a level of service provided, to produce the more competitive position.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one entry is modified by changing the availability of a class fare to produce the more competitive position.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one entry is modified by marking up the at least one entry, while maintaining a competitive position.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one entry is modified by submitting in real time a second request to a second database and receiving information to produce the more competitive position.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the received information from the second database is based on information received with the second request.

31. A method for providing information, comprising:

receiving from a requestor a request specifying at least one item from a set of products and services of interest;

determining a price for the specified at least one item associated with at least one supplier from a set of suppliers capable of providing the specified at least one item;

modifying the price for the at least one item associated with the at least one supplier from the set of suppliers to reflect a more competitive position when compared to the price associated with at least one other supplier in the set of suppliers; and

providing price information to the requestor, including the modified price.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the price for the at least one item is modified in real time.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the price for the at least one item is modified based on recently obtained and stored information.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the price for the at least one item is modified based on information obtained through a batch process.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the price to reflect the more competitive position is modified by combining the price with a non-monetary incentive to produce the more competitive position.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the price of at least one item is modified by using at least one of increasing a price, decreasing the price, and modifying the price, based on a level of service provided, to produce the more competitive position.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the price of the at least one item is modified by changing the availability of a class fare to produce the more competitive position.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the price of the at least one item is modified by marking up the price, while maintaining a competitive position.

39. The method of claim 31, wherein the price of the at least one item is modified by submitting in real time a second request to a database and receiving information to produce the more competitive position.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the received information from the second database is based on information received with the second request.

41. A network node that provides information, comprising:

a receiving device for receiving a request for information associated with an item;

a database, accessible by the device, that provides results responsive to the request;

a rule processor that modifies at least one entry in the database results to reflect a more competitive position when compared to another entry in the database results; and

a display device that displays the results to a consumer after the rule processor modifies the at least one entry.

42. The network node of claim 41, wherein the rule processor modifies the at least one entry in real time.

43. The network node of claim 41, wherein the rule processor modifies the at least one entry based on recently obtained and stored information.

44. The network node of claim 41, wherein the rule processor modifies the at least one entry based on information obtained through a batch process.

45. The network node of claim 41, wherein the rule processor modifies the at least one entry by combining a price and a non-monetary incentive to produce the more competitive position.

46. The network node of claim 41, wherein the rule processor modifies the at least one entry by using at least one of increasing a price, decreasing the price, and modifying the price, based on a level of service provided, to produce the more competitive position.

47. The network node of claim 41, wherein the rule processor modifies the at least one entry by changing the availability of a class fare to produce the more competitive position.

48. The network node of claim 41, wherein the rule processor is located in a second network node and modifying the at least one entry comprises submitting in real time the request to the rule processor and receiving information with the more competitive position.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the means for modifying the at least one entry modifies the at least one entry in real time.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the means for modifying the at least one entry modifies the at least one entry based on recently obtained and stored information.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein the means for modifying the at least one entry modifies the at least one entry based on information obtained through a batch process.

53. The system of claim 49, wherein the means for modifying the at least one entry modifies the at least one entry by combining a price and a non-monetary incentive to produce the more competitive position.

54. The system of claim 49, wherein the means for modifying the at least one entry modifies the at least one entry by using at least one of increasing a price, decreasing the price, and modifying the price, based on a level of service provided, to produce the more competitive position.

55. The system of claim 49, wherein the means for modifying the at least one entry modifies the at least one entry by changing the availability of a class fare to produce the more competitive position.

56. The system of claim 49, wherein the means for modifying the at least one entry modifies the at least one entry by marking up the at least one entry, while maintaining a competitive position.

57. The system of claim 49, wherein the means for modifying the at least one entry modifies the at least one entry by submitting in real time a second request to a second database and receiving information to produce the more competitive position.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the received information from the second database is based on information received with the second request.

49. A network node system that provides information, comprising:

means for receiving a request for information associated with an item;

means for obtaining from a database results responsive to the request;

means for modifying at least one entry in the results to reflect a more competitive position when compared to another entry in the results; and

means for providing the results to a consumer after completing the modification of the at least one entry.