Hotel guest services online

• US 20030083889A1
• Filed: 10/31/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Macklin, Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/984,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083889A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• 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: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system providing hotel or other accommodation guest services on-line in a guest room. The system includes one or more guest client devices located in the guest room and connected to a server. One or more service client devices also connected with the server are located throughout the hotel in the various service areas of the hotel and elsewhere. The various on-line services provided by the system, such as the ability to order room service, schedule wake-up calls, request house keeping, access on-line gambling, and others, are displayed on the guest client device. When a guest requests one of the on-line guest services, the request is displayed on the appropriate service client device associated with the request.

Claims

1. A system for a guest of an accommodation to submit a request from a guest room for a guest service from a service area of the accommodation comprising:

a server, wherein the server processes at least one guest service request;

a guest client device having a display, the guest client device in communication with the server, the guest client device being located in the guest room;

a service client device having a second display, the service client device in communication with the server, the service client device being located in the service area; and

whereby the guest requests the at least one guest service using the guest client device, and the requested at least one guest service is received by the server, and then displayed on the second display of the service client device.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an e-mail server in communication with the guest client device, the e-mail server adapted to provide the guest with a temporary e-mail account accessible from the guest client device.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a web server in communication with the guest client device, the web server adapted to provide the guest with Internet access accessible from the guest client device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one guest service request includes a wake-up call request link, and further comprising an on-line settable wake-up call request clock.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one guest service request includes a room service request link, and further comprising an on-line room service request menu with a plurality of selectable menu items wherein the guest requests room service by selecting one or more- of the plurality of selectable menu items.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one guest service request includes a house keeping request link, and further comprising an on-line house keeping menu with a plurality of selectable house keeping categories wherein the guest requests house keeping by selecting one or more of the plurality of selectable house keeping categories.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the service client device includes:

a house keeping client device adapted to be located in a house keeping area of the accommodation and display guest house keeping requests;

a wake-up call client device adapted to be located in a phone operation area of the accommodation and display guest wake-up call requests;

a food services client device adapted to be located in a food preparation area of the accommodation and display guest room service requests; and

a concierge client device located at a concierge desk of the accommodation and display guest taxi requests.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a command client device adapted to be located at a front desk of the accommodation and to display the at least one guest service request.

9. A method for a guest of an accommodation to submit a request from a guest room for a service from a service area of the accommodation comprising:

providing a server;

providing a first client device in the guest room, the first client device in communication with the server, the first client device having a first display;

providing a second client device in the service area, the second client device in communication with the server, the second client device having a second display;

displaying a selectable guest service link on the first display;

receiving a selection of the selectable guest service at the server; and

displaying the selection of the selectable guest service on the second display.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving at the server from the second client device an indication that the selection of the selectable guest service is being acted on; and

displaying the indication on the first display.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

providing a command client device in communication with the server, the command client device having a third display; and

displaying the indication on the third display.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

displaying a message window on the first display, wherein the user provides a request message;

receiving the request message at the server; and

displaying the request message on the third display.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

displaying a wake-up call guest service link on the first display, the wake-up call guest service link for requesting a wake-up call;

receiving the wake-up call request at the server;

displaying a programmable wake-up call clock for setting a wake-up time;

receiving at the server the wake-up time; and

displaying on the second display the wake-up time.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

displaying a house keeping guest service link on the first display, the house keeping guest service link for requesting house keeping;

receiving the house keeping request at the server; and

displaying the house keeping request on the second display.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

displaying a plurality of selectable house keeping categories;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of house keeping requests; and

displaying the selection of one of the plurality of house keeping requests on the second display.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the selectable house keeping categories include a towel request, a toiletries request, a bedding request, and a room cleaning request.

17. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

displaying a selectable room service link on the first display, the selectable room service link for accessing an on-line room service menu;

receiving the room service request at the server;

displaying the on-line room service menu with a plurality of selectable menu items;

receiving a selection of one or more of the plurality of selectable menu items; and

displaying the selection of one or more of the plurality of selectable menu items on the second display.

18. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

displaying a taxi link on the first display, the taxi link for requesting a taxi;

receiving the taxi request at the server;

displaying a programmable taxi clock on the first display, wherein the guest provides a taxi service request time;

receiving the taxi service request time; and

displaying the taxi service request time on the second display.

19. A computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed, perform the method of claim 9.

20. The method of claim 9 further including providing an on-line gambling link accessible from the guest client device.