Systems and methods of comparing product information

• US 20030187705A1
• Filed: 12/01/2000
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: National Leisure Group Incorporated (World Travel Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: National Leisure Group Incorporated (World Travel Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Judy, Elizabeth K., Ferguson, Bradley, Helms, Kevin, Elliott, Todd, Reynolds, Karen J., Cox, Mitch, Locicero, Fred, Codd, Tracey Lee, Porter, Nancy, Quintana, Adolf, Rodriquez, Elena M., Carpenter, Michael A., Bastnagel, Maryann, Loiselle, Vance M., Leslie, Keith J., Burkard, Anne D., Forman, David A., Moorhead, Timothy M., Ewart, Vivian D., DelPino, George, DeLand, Joanell U., Delva, Joelle S., Kurk, Courtney W.T., Sussman-Wiles, Kathleen M., Tolle, Dot, 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., Colangelo, Paul, Scanlon, Monica, Sherota, Michael T., Huff, Wallace C., Hintz, Samuel L., Everhart-Brooks, Sharon
• Application Number:
  US09/728,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20030187705A1
• 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 comparing multiple sets of information in a compare display. One embodiment of the invention includes a system for displaying cruise package and pricing information in side-by-side windows wherein the user may replace the contents of each of the windows with an alternate selection of cruise package and pricing information. The compare display enables the users to compare accurately the detailed cruise package and pricing information.

Claims

1. A method of providing cruise package and pricing information for comparison 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 selection of at least two cruise packages from a remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

obtaining cruise package and pricing information that corresponds to the at least two cruise packages from an electronic database of cruise data;

preparing the cruise package and pricing information for display in an electronic web document; and

sending the prepared cruise package pricing information to the remote user'"'"'s web browser program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two cruise packages correspond to at least two cruise lines.

3. A method of using a computer to compare cruise package and pricing 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 request for cruise package and pricing information for at least two cruise different cruise lines from a remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

retrieving cruise package and pricing information that corresponds to the request from a database of electronically stored cruise line data; and

outputting the cruise package and pricing information for display as an electronic document by the remote user'"'"'s web browser program.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising preparing the cruise package and pricing information for the at least two different cruise lines for side-by-side display.

5. A method of requesting cruise package and pricing information for comparison using a web browser program to electronically communicate with a remote cruise web server system via a data communications network, the method comprising:

sending a request to the remote cruise web server system for cruise package and pricing information for at least two different cruise lines; and

receiving cruise package and pricing information from the remote cruise web server system that corresponds to the request, wherein the cruise package and pricing information was retrieved from an electronic database of cruise line data and the cruise package and pricing information is formatted for side-by-side display by the web browser program.

6. A method of using a computer to book a cruise package using a web browser program to electronically communicate with a remote cruise web server system via a data communications network, the method comprising:

sending a request to the remote cruise web server system for cruise package and pricing information for at least two cruise different cruise ships; and

receiving from the remote cruise web server system the cruise package and pricing information for the at least two different cruise ships, wherein the cruise package and pricing information is displayed in a side-by-side display using the web browser program.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising preparing the cruise package and pricing information for the at least two different cruise ships for side-by-side display.

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

a cruise booking node responsive to a request to retrieve cruise package and pricing information for at least two different cruise lines from the user node, wherein the cruise booking node retrieves cruise package and pricing information from an electronic database for display in an electronic document and sends the cruise package and pricing information to the user node.

9. The network node of claim 8, wherein the cruise package and pricing information is prepared for side-by-side display.

10. The network node of claim 8, wherein the electronic database is a cruise line database configured to store cruise package and pricing information for at least two different cruise lines wherein the cruise line database is in communication with the cruise booking node.

11. A system for comparing cruise packages implemented in a web server environment, wherein a plurality of remote users using web browser programs electronically communicate with the system via a data communications network, the system comprising:

an electronically stored data structure of cruise package and pricing information wherein the cruise package and pricing information includes information from different cruise lines;

a program module configured to receive a display request from a remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

a program module configured to obtain cruise package and pricing information from the electronically stored data structure based at least upon the display request;

a program module configured to prepare the obtained cruise package and pricing information for display in an electronic web document; and

a program module configured to output to the remote user'"'"'s web browser program the prepared cruise package and pricing information for display in the electronic web document.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the display is a side-by-side display.

13. A method of organizing cruise package and pricing information for display utilizing a cruise selling and booking web server system to electronically communicate via a data communications network with a plurality of remote users using web browser programs, the method comprising:

receiving a first identifier corresponding to a first cruise package from a remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

retrieving a first set of cruise package and pricing information from an electronic database, wherein the first set of cruise package and pricing information corresponds to the first identifier;

receiving a second identifier corresponding to a second cruise package from the remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

retrieving a second set of cruise package and pricing information from the electronic database, wherein the second set of cruise package and pricing information corresponds to the second identifier;

formatting at least a portion of the first set of cruise package and pricing information and at least a portion of the second set of cruise package and pricing information for display in a side-by-side comparison section of an electronic document, wherein the side-by-side comparison section includes at least a first window and a second window; and

returning to the remote user'"'"'s web browser program the formatted at least a portion of the first set of cruise package and pricing information and at least a portion of the second set of cruise package and pricing information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the electronic database includes a cruise information database.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the electronic database includes a cruise pricing database.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the electronic database includes a cruise information database and a cruise pricing database.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the electronic database includes an internal database and an external database.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein retrieving a first set of cruise package and pricing information further includes querying a first cruise line system that corresponds to the first cruise package.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein formatting at least a portion of the first set of cruise package and pricing information and at least a portion of the second set of cruise package and pricing information for display includes preparing the at least a portion of the first set of cruise package for display in the first window and preparing the at least a portion of the second set of cruise package for display in the second window.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the first window and the second window are configured to be displayed side-by-side.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the first window and the second window are configured to scroll at the same time.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the first window and the second window are configured to be displayed side-by-side.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the first window and the second window are configured to scroll at the same time.

24. A method of using a computer to compare cruise package information using a web browser program to electronically communicate with a remote cruise web server system via a data communications network, the method comprising:

sending a request for a first set of cruise package and pricing information to the remote cruise web server system;

sending a request for a second set of cruise package and pricing information to the remote cruise web server system;

receiving from the remote cruise web server system the first set of cruise package and pricing information in a first window of a display, wherein the display is included in a web document accessible by the web browser program; and

receiving from the remote cruise web server system the second set of cruise package and pricing information in a second window of the display.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first window and the second window are displayed side-by-side.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

sending a request to clear one of the first window or the second window to the remote cruise web server system; and

viewing the display using the web browser program wherein the selected one of the first window or the second window is cleared.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

sending a request for a third set of cruise package and pricing information to the remote cruise web server system; and

receiving from the remote cruise web server system the third set of cruise package and pricing information in the selected one of the first window or the second window.

28. A method of providing cruise package information for display 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 request for cruise package and pricing information from a remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

determining whether a card is available;

if there is no card available, returning an error message to the remote user'"'"'s web browser program; and

if card is available, retrieving the requested cruise package and pricing information from an electronic database of cruise data and returning to the remote user'"'"'s web browser program the cruise package and pricing information for electronic display in an available card.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

processing the cruise package and pricing information.

30. A system for comparing cruise package information 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 selection software component configured to send requests to the remote cruise web server system for cruise package and pricing information for at least two cruise packages; and

a display software component configured to display in the web browser program the requested cruise package and pricing information for the at least two cruise packages in a side-by-side display as part of an electronic document.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the selection software component is further configured to send requests to the remote cruise web server system for clearing at least a portion of the display.

32. A method of providing cruise package and pricing information for comparison 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 receiving a selection of at least two cruise packages from a remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

obtaining cruise package and pricing information that corresponds to the at least two cruise packages from an electronic database of cruise data;

means for preparing the cruise package and pricing information for display in an electronic web document; and

means for sending the prepared cruise package pricing information to the remote user'"'"'s web browser program.

33. A method of using a computer to book a cruise package using a web browser program to electronically communicate with a remote cruise web server system via a data communications network, the method comprising:

means for sending a request to the remote cruise web server system for cruise package and pricing information for at least two cruise different cruise ships; and

means for receiving from the remote cruise web server system the cruise package and pricing information for the at least two different cruise ships, wherein the cruise package and pricing information is displayed in a side-by-side display using the web browser program.