System and method for managing reservation requests for one or more inventory items

• US 20030036929A1
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Expedia Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Expedia Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Siegal, Seth L., Vaughan, Richard A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,783,506 B2
• 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 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A system and method for managing reservation requests for one or more inventory items are provided. A user reservation request is obtained and processed to identify inventory data matching the reservation request. Reservation transaction, reservation items and reservation inventory records are generated corresponding to the user reservation request. If the transaction can be completed, a confirmation is sent to the user and a notification is sent to a supplier.

Claims

1. A method for processing reservation requests for one or more inventory items, the method comprising:

obtaining a user request for reservation of at least one inventory item;

obtaining inventory data corresponding to the one or more inventory items and matching the user request for reservation;

generating reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records corresponding to the matching inventory data, wherein the reservation transaction records include data associated with one or more reservation requests, wherein one or more reservation items records correspond to the reservation transaction records and identify a set of inventory items associated with the specific reservation request, and wherein one or more reservation inventory records correspond to the reservation items records and include data associated with reservation requests for inventory items identified in the inventory reservation items records;

processing the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records; and

transmitting results of the processing of the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user request for reservation includes a set of criteria for identifying matching inventory items.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the set of criteria includes a date or date range for the reservation request.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the set of criteria includes the selection of a hotel room or hotel room type.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the set of criteria includes a selection of an airline flight or airline carrier.

6. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the set of criteria includes a selection of car rental agency or car rental type.

7. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the set of criteria includes the selection of a cruise or cabin type.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the inventory data corresponding to one or more inventory items is represented by at least a SKU and SKU inventory record, and wherein obtaining inventory data includes obtaining at least a SKU and SKU inventory record matching the reservation request.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein obtaining inventory data includes obtaining a number of SKU and SKU inventory records matching the reservation request.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the inventory data corresponding to the one or more inventory items is further represented by a SKU group record.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records includes calculating a consumer price for the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records includes calculating a supplier cost for the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records includes confirming a completion of a financial transaction corresponding to the reservation request.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records include:

placing the inventory data matching the user reservation request on hold;

confirming a completion of a financial transaction corresponding to the reservation request;

updating the reservation transaction, reservation items and reservation inventory records with the confirmation data; and

updating the inventory data to reflect a completed reservation request.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein placing the inventory data matching the user reservation request on hold includes placing the inventory data in a hold table.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein updating the inventory data includes deleting the inventory data from the hold table.

17. The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising deleting the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records and adding the matching inventory data to a corresponding SKU inventory record if the transfer of a monetary amount cannot be confirmed.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein transmitting the results of the processing includes transmitting a notification to a supplier corresponding to the process reservation request.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the notification includes a confirmation number.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the notification includes utilization information.

21. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the notification includes a cost code associated with a supplier cost for the inventory item.

22. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein transmitting the results of the reservation requests includes transmitting a confirmation to a user corresponding to the process reservation request.

23. The method as recited in claim 24 further comprising obtaining a supplier confirmation of the transmitted notification prior to transmitting the confirmation to the user.

24. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the inventory items are travel-based goods and services and wherein the reservation request is a travel-based reservation request.

25. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in any one of claims 1-24.

26. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to perform the method recited in any one of claims 1-24.

27. A system for processing reservation of one or more inventory items, the system comprising:

at least one client computer operable to generate a request for reservation of at least one inventory item; and

a travel server for storing inventory data corresponding to the one or more inventory items, the travel server operable to obtain the reservation request from the client computer;

wherein the travel server generates and processes at least one reservation transaction record, one or more reservation items records, and one or more reservation inventory records corresponding to a new reservation request and the inventory data.

28. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the inventory data corresponding to one or more inventory items is represented by at least a SKU and SKU inventory records.

29. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the travel server processes the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records by confirming the completion of a financial transaction.

30. The system as recited in claim 29 further comprising at least one supplier corresponding to the one or more inventory items, wherein the travel server is operable to transmit a notification of the processed reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records to the supplier associated with the process reservation request.

31. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the notification includes one or more cost codes operable to define a supplier cost authorization code for the processed reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records.

32. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the travel server is further operable to transmit a confirmation of the processed reservation request to the user associated with the process reservation request.

33. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the travel server includes a communication component operable to obtain a standard formatted notification to a supplier and to generate and transmit a supplier specified formatted notification.

34. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records include a price component, and wherein the travel server is operable to calculate a price based on the sum of the price components of the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records.

35. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records include a cost component, and wherein the travel server is operable to calculate a cost based on the sum of the cost components of the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records.

36. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the inventory items correspond to travel-based goods and services, and wherein the reservation request is a travel-based reservation request.

37. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the travel server is further operable to obtain a reservation cancellation request from the client computer and to process pre-existing reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records in accordance with the reservation cancellation request.

38. The system as recited in claim 37, wherein the processing of the pre-existing reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records include updating the inventory data corresponding to the cancelled reservation request.

39. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the travel server is further operable to obtain a reservation modification request from the client computer and process pre-existing reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records in accordance with the reservation modification request.

40. The system as recited in claim 39, wherein the travel server is further operable to generate additional reservation items records in accordance with the reservation modification request.

41. The system as recited in claim 39, wherein the travel server is further operable to generate additional reservation inventory records in accordance with the reservation modification request.

42. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for processing reservation of one or more inventory items, comprising:

a reservation transaction component operable to identify one or more reservation requests for inventory items;

one or more reservation items components corresponding to the reservation transaction record and operable to identify reservation requests for inventory items; and

one or more reservation inventory components associated with the reservation items component and operable to define a reservation request for an individual inventory item.

43. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 42 further comprising a price component associated with the reservation transaction component, the one or more reservation items components, and the one or more reservation inventory components, the price component operable to define a price adjustment associated with each component.

44. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 42 further comprising a reservation traveler component operable to define one or more user preferences associated with the reservation request.

45. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 42, wherein the inventory items correspond to travel-based goods and services and wherein the reservation request is a travel based reservation request.

46. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 45, wherein at least one reservation inventory component corresponds to a hotel room.

47. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 45, wherein at least one reservation inventory component corresponds to an airline seat.

48. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 45, wherein at least one reservation inventory component corresponds to a room on a cruise ship or cabin type.

49. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 45, wherein at least one reservation inventory component corresponds to car rental type.

50. A method for processing reservation requests from one or more inventory items, the method comprising:

obtaining a user request for a reservation action corresponding to at least one inventory item;

obtaining pre-existing reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records corresponding to the inventory item, wherein the reservation transaction records include data associated with one or more reservation requests, wherein one or more reservation items records correspond to the reservation transaction records and identify a set of inventory items associated with the specific reservation request, and wherein one or more reservation inventory records correspond to the reservation items records and include data associated with reservation requests for inventory items identified in the inventory reservation items records;

processing the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records according to the reservation action request; and

transmitting results of the processing of the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records.

51. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein the reservation action request is a reservation cancellation request, and wherein processing reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records according to the reservation action request includes:

placing inventory item information corresponding to the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records on hold;

updating the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records;

confirming the completion of a financial transaction corresponding to the cancellation request; and

if the financial transaction is confirmed, updating an inventory item store with the inventory item information on hold.

52. The method as recited in claim 51 further comprising updating inventory item utilization information in accordance with the cancellation request.

53. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein placing the inventory item information on hold includes placing the inventory item information in a hold table.

54. The method as recited in claim 53, wherein updating the inventory item store includes deleting the inventory item information in the hold table.

55. The method as recited in claim 51 further comprising rolling back the reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records if the financial transaction cannot be confirmed.

56. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein the reservation action request is a reservation modification request, and wherein processing reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records according to the reservation action request includes:

generating new reservation transaction, reservation items, or reservation inventory records corresponding to a new reservation portion of the modification request;

placing inventory item information corresponding to the new reservation transaction, reservation items, or reservation inventory records on hold;

placing inventory item information corresponding to the pre-existing reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records on hold;

updating the pre-existing reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records;

confirming the completion of a financial transaction corresponding to the cancellation request; and

if the financial transaction is confirmed, updating an inventory item store with the inventory item information on hold.

57. The method as recited in claim 56 further comprising updating inventory item utilization information in accordance with the modification request.

58. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein placing the inventory item information on hold includes placing the inventory item information in a hold table.

59. The method as recited in claim 58, wherein updating the inventory item store includes deleting the inventory item information in the hold table.

60. The method as recited in claim 56 further comprising rolling back the pre-existing reservation transaction, reservation items, and reservation inventory records if the financial transaction cannot be confirmed.

61. The method as recited in claim 60 further comprising updating inventory item utilization information in accordance with the modification request.

62. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in any one of claims 50-61.

63. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to perform the method recited in any one of claims 50-61.