Systems and methods of matching customer preferences with available options

• US 20020082877A1
• Filed: 12/01/2000
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Travel Services International, Inc. (Thomas Cook Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Travel Services International, Inc. (Thomas Cook Group PLC)
• Inventors: Carpenter, Michael A., Bastnagel, Maryann, Ferguson, Bradley, Helms, Kevin, Reynolds, Karen J., Loiselle, Vance M., Leslie, Keith J., Cox, Mitch, Burkard, Anne D., Forman, David A., Moorhead, Timothy M., Ewart, Vivian D., Locicero, Fred, DelPino, George, DeLand, Joanell U., Delva, Joelle S., Codd, Tracey Lee, Sussman-Wiles, Kathleen M., Judy, Elizabeth K., Tolle, Dot, Porter, Nancy, Fitton, Paul, Berk, Byron J., Levy, Sandi B., Luna, Charlotte A., Christen, Holley S., Fessenden, Timothy, Elenberger, Maureen J., Schiff, Martin R., Klotz, Irwin D., Nickerson, Jeffrey A., Scanlon, Monica, Sherota, Michael T., Quintana, Adolf, Huff, Wallace C., Hintz, Samuel L., Everhart-Brooks, Sharon, Rodriguez, Elena M., Colangelo, Paul Lee, Kurk, Courtney W. T., Elliot, Todd
• Application Number:
  US09/734,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082877A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• 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 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/14 Travel agencies

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for matching customer preferences with available options determining customer needs which may be used for the purpose of facilitating the cruise selling and booking process. The cruise selling and booking system is designed to store customer information and preferences and use the information to query available cruise options. The results of the query represent optimized cruise selections for which the customer will be well suited. The user quickly accesses relevant cruise package and pricing information which may be used for detailed comparisons between individual cruise packages.

Claims

1. A method for selecting cruise sailings among a plurality of cruise packages utilizing a cruise web server environment to electronically communicate via a data communications network with a plurality of remote users using web browser programs, the method comprising:

providing an electronic cruise sailing database wherein the electronic cruise sailing database includes detailed information about a plurality of cruise sailings for a plurality of cruise lines;

receiving a set of customer preferences from a remote user'"'"'s web browser;

searching the electronic cruise sailing database for a subset of the cruise sailings that correspond to the set of customer preferences; and

returning the subset of the cruise sailings to the remote user'"'"'s web browser for display as an electronic document.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

formatting the subset of the cruise sailings in a table format.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein searching the electronic cruise sailing database includes formulating a query to search for exact matches.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein searching the electronic cruise sailing database includes formulating a query to search for close matches.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein searching the electronic cruise sailing database includes formulating a query to search for exact matches and close matches.

6. A cruise qualification system for managing and suggesting cruise sailing data implemented in a web server environment wherein a plurality of remote users using web browser programs electronically communicate with the cruise qualification system via a data communications network, the cruise qualification system comprising:

an electronic cruise sailing database of cruise sailing data wherein the cruise sailing data includes data for at least two cruise lines;

a customer query program module configured to send and receive queries to a user, wherein the queries include cruise preference data; and

a cruise sailing search program module configured to search the electronic cruise sailing database for cruise sailing data that corresponds to the cruise preference data.

7. The cruise qualification system of claim 6, further comprising a cruise data presentation program module configured to present the cruise sailing data that corresponds to the preference data, where in the cruise sailing data is presented in the form of an electronic document.

8. The cruise qualification system of claim 6, wherein the cruise sailing data that corresponds to the cruise preference data includes exact matches.

9. The cruise qualification system of claim 6, wherein the cruise sailing data that corresponds to the cruise preference data includes close matches.

10. The cruise qualification system of claim 6, wherein the cruise sailing data that corresponds to the cruise preference data includes exact matches and close matches.

11. The cruise qualification system of claim 6, further comprising an electronic customer database of customer data, wherein the cruise preference data includes at least a portion of the customer data.

12. The cruise qualification system of claim 6, wherein the cruise sailing search program module is further configured to search electronic the cruise sailing database for data that corresponds to a customer'"'"'s stored data.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising selecting at least one of the set of cruise sailing data for additional detailed information.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the cruise sailing data includes at least one of itinerary information, cabin availability, and pricing information.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of cruise sailing data is retrieved based in part on customer information in the cruise preference data.

19. The network mode of claim 18, further comprising a cruise line database configured to store the cruise package and pricing information for the at least two cruise lines.

13. A method for searching a cruise sailing and booking system for cruise sailing data using a web browser program to electronically communicate with a remote cruise web server via a data communications network, the method comprising:

submitting cruise preference data to the remote cruise web server, wherein the cruise preference data designates at least one of preferred sailing dates, preferred sailing length, preferred destination, and preferred sailing port; and

receiving from the remote cruise web server a set of cruise sailing data that matches or closely matches at least a portion of the cruise preference data, wherein the set of cruise sailing data is retrieved from an electronic cruise sailing database of cruise sailing data for a plurality of cruise lines.

17. A method for selecting cruise package information utilizing a cruise web server environment to electronically communicate via a data communications network with a plurality of remote users using web browser programs, the method comprising:

receiving a range of search criteria from a remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

obtaining cruise package information for a plurality of cruise lines that relates to the range of search criteria from an electronic database of cruise line data; and

outputting the cruise package information to the remote user'"'"'s web browser for display in an electronic document.

18. In a network comprising a user node having a browser program coupled to the network, the user node providing request for information on the network, a network node comprising:

a cruise booking node responsive to a request to obtain cruise package information from the user node that relates to a range of search criteria received from said user node, wherein the cruise package information includes information from at least two cruise lines.

20. A cruise selling system for selecting cruise package information implemented in a web server system wherein a plurality of remote users communicate via a data communications network with the cruise selling system using web browser programs, the cruise selling system comprising:

an electronic database of cruise pricing information wherein the cruise pricing information comprises information from different cruise lines;

a software module programmed to receive a range of search criteria;

a software module programmed to obtain cruise price information from the electronic database related to the range of search criteria; and

a software module programmed to output cruise package information.

21. A system for finding cruise package information that corresponds to a user'"'"'s preferences implemented in conjunction with a web browser program wherein the web browser program communicates with a remote cruise web server system via a data communications network, the system comprising:

a user preference programming module configured to send a set of user preferences to the remote cruise web server system; and

a display programming module configured to receive a display of cruise package and pricing information corresponding to the set of user preferences.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the cruise package and pricing information also corresponds in part to customer profile information stored in an electronic customer database of the remote cruise web server system.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the set of user preferences includes at least one of number of passengers per cabin, travel date, travel region, cruise line, cruise ship, and departure date.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the system communicates with the remote cruise web server system using standard web based protocols.

25. A method for selecting cruise sailings among a plurality of cruise packages utilizing a cruise web server environment to electronically communicate via a data communications network with a plurality of remote users using web browser programs, the method comprising:

means for providing an electronic cruise sailing database wherein the electronic cruise sailing database includes detailed information about a plurality of cruise sailings for a plurality of cruise lines;

means for receiving a set of customer preferences from a remote user'"'"'s web browser;

means for searching the electronic cruise sailing database for a subset of the cruise sailings that correspond to the set of customer preferences; and

means returning the subset of the cruise sailings to the remote user'"'"'s web browser for display as an electronic document.

26. A method for searching a cruise sailing and booking system for cruise sailing data using a web browser program to electronically communicate with a remote cruise web server via a data communications network, the method comprising:

means for submitting cruise preference data to the remote cruise web server, wherein the cruise preference data designates at least one of preferred sailing dates, preferred sailing length, preferred destination, and preferred sailing port; and

means for receiving from the remote cruise web server a set of cruise sailing data that matches or closely matches at least a portion of the cruise preference data, wherein the set of cruise sailing data is retrieved from an electronic cruise sailing database of cruise sailing data for a plurality of cruise lines.