Method and system for creating travel packages

• US 20030036930A1
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Expedia Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Expedia Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roberts, Christopher, Murch, Steve, Monsowitz, Eric, Bogdanovic, Maja, Matos, Tomas A.D., Frink, Lloyd
• Application Number:
  US09/932,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20030036930A1
• 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 20/0457 the tickets being sent electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards

Abstract

The present invention relates in general to on-line transportation reservation processing and, in particular, to a system and method for identifying and purchasing travel packages on-line.

In one embodiment, package components are retrieved by a package server in response to a query from a consumer. A best package component is identified from the retrieved package components. Then a listing of packages matching the best package component is depicted for the consumer with real-time prices to the consumer.

In another embodiment of the present invention, real-time prices corresponding to travel packages are related to published fares for package components. The relationship is calculated to maximize the real-time price relative to the price for published fares for the travel components.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, travel packages are cross-sold to consumers when they are seeking to purchase a travel component that may be included in a travel package.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a travel package, the method comprising:

retrieving a plurality of package components in response to a package query;

determining a best package component from said package components; and

depicting a plurality of packages with package components that match said best package component with a real-time price for each package.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said package components include a lodging component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said package components further include a vehicle component.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said package components further include a transportation component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said best package component comprises a transportation component.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said best package component comprises a lodging component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said best package component comprises a vehicle component.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said best package component comprises an add-on component.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein depicting a plurality of packages comprises depicting said plurality of packages within a hypertext interactive environment using only two hypertext pages.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising booking a travel package, wherein depicting a plurality of travel packages and booking one of said plurality of travel packages and booking one of said plurality of travel packages within a noninteractive hypertext environment using fewer than seven hypertext pages.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said real-time price includes a real-time price for a package component determined in relation to a corresponding published price for said package component.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the relation between the real-time price at said package component and said published price for said package component is calculated to maximize said real-time price of said package component relative to said published price for said package component.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said real-time price is calculated by increasing a merchant price to correspond to a predetermined percentage of said published price.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a desired package from said plurality of packages within a hypertext interactive environment.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining any add-ons that match said desired package.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting any desired add-ons to said desired package and adding said add-ons to said desired package.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising delivering vouchers for any desired add-ons via the hypertext interactive environment.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said voucher includes tamper-resistant elements.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said tamper-resistant elements include a registered serial number for each voucher.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said tamper resistant elements include a security code corresponding to a type of voucher and an authorized user.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said voucher comprises a graphical image delivered in the hypertext interactive environment.

22. A method of finding a travel package corresponding to a component, the method comprising:

obtaining a component query;

responding to said component query by depicting real-time prices for a plurality of components along with an abbreviated listing of packages matching said component query.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said component query is a flight query and said components are flight components.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said component query is a lodging query and said components are lodging components.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said component query is a vehicle query and said components are vehicle components.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein said component query is an add-on query and said components are add-on components.

27. A method for finding a travel package, the method comprising:

retrieving a plurality of types of package components in response to a package query;

depicting a plurality of packages with a first type of package components that correspond to each class of a second type of package components with real-time prices for each package.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising selecting a desired package from said plurality of packages within a hypertext interactive environment.

29. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions for identifying a travel package, comprising:

retrieving a plurality of package components in response to a package query;

determining a best package component from said package components; and

depicting a plurality of packages with package components that match said best package component with a real-time price for each package.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein said package components include a lodging component.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein said package components further include a vehicle component.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein said package components further include a transportation component.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein said best package component comprises a transportation component.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein said best package component comprises a lodging component.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein said best package component comprises a vehicle component.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein said best package component comprises an add-on component.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein depicting a plurality of packages comprises depicting said plurality of packages within a hypertext interactive environment using only two hypertext pages.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 29, further comprising booking a travel package, wherein depicting a plurality of travel packages and booking one of said plurality of travel packages within noninteractive hypertext environment using fewer than seven hypertext pages.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein said real-time price includes a real-time price for a package component determined in relation to a corresponding published price for said package component.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the relation between the real-time price at said package component and said published price for said package component is calculated to maximize said real-time price of each package component relative to said published package price for said package component.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein said real-time price is calculated by increasing a discount price to correspond to a predetermined percentage of said published package price.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 29, further comprising selecting a desired package from said plurality of packages within a hypertext interactive environment.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, further comprising determining any add-ons that match said desired package.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, further comprising selecting any desired add-ons to said desired package and adding said add-ons to said desired package.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 44, further comprising delivering vouchers for any desired add-ons via the hypertext interactive environment.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 45, wherein said voucher includes tamper-resistant elements.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 46, wherein said tamper-resistant elements include a registered serial number for each voucher.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 46, wherein said tamper resistant elements include a security code corresponding to a type of voucher and an authorized user.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein said voucher comprises a graphical image delivered in the hypertext interactive environment.

50. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions for finding a travel package corresponding to a component comprising:

obtaining a component query;

responding to said component query by depicting real-time prices for a plurality of components along with an abbreviated listing of packages matching said component query.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said component query is a flight query and said components are flight components.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein said component query is a lodging query and said components are lodging components.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein said component query is a vehicle query and said components are vehicle components.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein said component query is an add-on query and said components are add-on components.

55. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions for finding a travel package comprising:

retrieving a plurality of types of package components in response to a package query;

depicting a plurality of packages with a first type of package components that correspond to each class of a second type of package components with real-time prices for each package.

56. The computer readable medium of claim 55, further comprising selecting a desired package from said plurality of packages within a hypertext interactive environment.

57. A computing apparatus for identifying a travel package, the computing apparatus operative to:

retrieve a plurality of package components in response to a package query;

determine a best package component from said package components; and

depict a plurality of packages with package components that match said best package component with a real-time price for each package.

58. The computing apparatus of claim 57, wherein said package components include a lodging component.

59. The computing apparatus of claim 58, wherein said package components further include a vehicle component.

60. The computing apparatus of claim 58, wherein said package components further include a transportation component.

61. The computing apparatus of claim 57, wherein said best package component comprises a transportation component.

62. The computing apparatus of claim 57, wherein said best package component comprises a lodging component.

63. The computing apparatus of claim 57, wherein said best package component comprises a vehicle component.

64. The computing apparatus of claim 57, wherein said best package component comprises an add-on component.

65. The computing apparatus of claim 57, wherein depicting a plurality of packages comprises depicting said plurality of packages within a hypertext interactive environment using only two hypertext pages.

66. The computing apparatus of claim 57, further comprising booking a travel package, wherein depicting a plurality of travel packages and booking one of said plurality of travel packages and booking one of said plurality of travel packages within a noninteractive hypertext environment using fewer than seven hypertext pages.

67. The computing apparatus of claim 57, wherein said real-time price includes a real-time price for a package component determined in relation to a corresponding published price for said package component.

68. The computing apparatus of claim 67, wherein the relation between the real-time price at said package component and said published price for said package component is calculated to maximize said real-time price of said package component relative to said published package price for said package component.

69. The computing apparatus of claim 67, wherein said real-time price is calculated by increasing a discount price to correspond to a predetermined percentage of said published package price.

70. The computing apparatus of claim 57, further comprising selecting a desired package from said plurality of packages within a hypertext interactive environment.

71. The computing apparatus of claim 70, further comprising determining any add-ons that match said desired package.

72. The computing apparatus of claim 71, further comprising selecting any desired add-ons to said desired package and adding said add-ons to said desired package.

73. The computing apparatus of claim 72, further comprising delivering vouchers for any desired add-ons via the hypertext interactive environment.

74. The computing apparatus of claim 73, wherein said voucher includes tamper-resistant elements.

75. The computing apparatus of claim 74, wherein said tamper-resistant elements include a registered serial number for each voucher.

76. The computing apparatus of claim 74, wherein said tamper resistant elements include a security code corresponding to a type of voucher and an authorized user.

77. The computing apparatus of claim 73, wherein said voucher comprises a graphical image delivered in the hypertext interactive environment.

78. A computing apparatus of finding a travel package corresponding to a component, the computing apparatus operative to:

obtaining a component query;

responding to said component query by depicting real-time prices for a plurality of components along with an abbreviated listing of packages matching said component query.

79. The computing apparatus of claim 78, wherein said component query is a flight query and said components are flight components.

80. The computing apparatus of claim 78, wherein said component query is a lodging query and said components are lodging components.

81. The computing apparatus of claim 78, wherein said component query is a vehicle query and said components are vehicle components.

82. The computing apparatus of claim 78, wherein said component query is an add-on query and said components are add-on components.

83. A computing apparatus for finding a travel package, the computing apparatus operative to:

retrieving a plurality of types of package components in response to a package query;

depicting a plurality of packages with a first type of package components that correspond to each class of a second type of package components with real-time prices for each package.

84. The computing apparatus of claim 83, further comprising selecting a desired package from said plurality of packages within a hypertext interactive environment.

85. A computing system for finding a travel package comprising:

a requesting device operative to;

transmit a travel package query via a Web server;

said travel server operative to;

retrieve a plurality of package components in response to a package query;

determining a best travel component from said package components; and

depict a plurality of packages to said consumer device with package components that match said best travel component with a real-time price for each package.

86. The system of claim 85, wherein said consumer device is further operative to select a desired package from said plurality of packages within a hypertext interactive environment and to forward said selection of said desired package to said travel server.

87. The system of claim 86, wherein said travel server is further operative to determine any add-ons that match said desired package and to forward a list of said add-ons to said consumer device.

88. The system of claim 87, wherein said consumer device is further operative to select any desired add-ons from said list of matching add-ons and forward said selection of any desired add-ons to said travel server;

and

said travel server further operative to add said add-ons to said desired package.

89. The system of claim 88, wherein said travel server is further operative to forward voucher information for said desired add-ons to said Web server;

and

said Web server is further operative to create a voucher from said voucher information and forward said voucher to said consumer device.

90. The system of claim 89, wherein said voucher includes tamper-resistant elements.

91. A computer readable medium containing computer executable routines comprising:

a package routine operative to;

retrieve a plurality of package components from a package search routine in response to a package query;

said package search routine operative to;

identify desired packages from said package query in cooperation with a package creation routine; and

said package creation routine operative to;

create packages having real-time prices and availability information.

92. The computer readable medium of claim 91, further comprising a booking routine operative to:

book one of said packages created by said package creation routine.

93. The computer readable medium of claim 93, wherein said booked package contains at least one add-on component, and said package routine is further operative to:

communicate voucher information for said at least one add-on to a voucher creation routine for creating at least one voucher for said at least one add-on.