Wireless reservation, check-in, access control, check-out and payment
First Claim
1. A system providing wireless hotel search and selection, and, for the selected hotel, room reservation/booking, check-in, room access control, check-out and payment services for hotel customers by combining wireless applications for hotel search and reservation/booking services, a wireless applications for check-out and payment services, and wireless hardware and applications for hotel door locks, characterised in that the system comprises a plurality of appropriately adapted mobile terminals (1), each such mobile terminal including a short range wireless device (25) and a long or medium range mobile telephone and processing unit (23) operating with wireless application programs, network communication means (5), hotel search and reservation/booking server means (12), and a plurality of hotel reservation/It systems (7), wherein said mobile terminals (1), server means (12) and reservation/It systems (7) communicate by said communication network means (5), and wherein each hotel reservation/It system (7) is in communication (8) with a plurality of associated short range wireless door lock devices (9,32) capable of communicating with in-range wireless devices (25) of said mobile terminals (1).
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for, by means of a mobile terminal, wireless hotel search and selection, reservation/booking, check-in, room access control, check-out and payment services for hotel customers is disclosed. The mobile terminal (1) comprises a mobile telephone and processing unit (23), operating with wireless applications, for wireless communication (2) with a hotel search and reservation server (12) and a reservation/IT system (7) of a selected hotel, and a short-range wireless device (25) for wireless communication (10) with wireless devices (9,16) of door locks (32) and user locating arrangements, respectively. By means of the wireless application of the mobile terminal (1), the user reserves a hotel room. A hotel room key token is transferred from the reservation/IT system (7) to the wireless device (35) of the mobile terminal, and hence to the wireless door lock (9,32). When the terminal (1) and the wireless door lock (9,31) are in-range, the hotel room key token is transferred from mobile terminal (1) to the wireless door lock (9,32), the door is unlocked and check-in is registered. On departure, exit or expiration of the reservation period, the system provides wireless check-out and electronic bill settlement.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A system providing wireless hotel search and selection, and, for the selected hotel, room reservation/booking, check-in, room access control, check-out and payment services for hotel customers by combining wireless applications for hotel search and reservation/booking services, a wireless applications for check-out and payment services, and wireless hardware and applications for hotel door locks,
characterised in that the system comprises a plurality of appropriately adapted mobile terminals (1), each such mobile terminal including a short range wireless device (25) and a long or medium range mobile telephone and processing unit (23) operating with wireless application programs, network communication means (5), hotel search and reservation/booking server means (12), and a plurality of hotel reservation/It systems (7), wherein said mobile terminals (1), server means (12) and reservation/It systems (7) communicate by said communication network means (5), and wherein each hotel reservation/It system (7) is in communication (8) with a plurality of associated short range wireless door lock devices (9,32) capable of communicating with in-range wireless devices (25) of said mobile terminals (1).
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5. A method providing wireless hotel search and selection, reservation/booking, check-in, room access control, check-out and/or payment services for hotel customers by means of a system combining Wireless application for search and reservation/booking service applications, a Wireless application for check-out and payment service application, and wireless hardware and applications for hotel door locks,
characterised in that the method includes the steps of a user connecting, by means of a appropriately adapted mobile terminal including a short range wireless device and a long or medium range mobile telephone and processing unit operating with wireless application programs, to a hotel search and reservation/booking server, searching for, finding and selecting a suitable hotel, sending a reservation/booking request and, optionally, information on a preferred method of payment to a connected hotel reservation/IT system, receiving by the mobile terminal a reservation/booking request confirmation including a key token, transferring the key token from the mobile telephone and processing unit to the wireless device of the mobile terminal, transmitting from the hotel reservation/IT system the key token to a wireless device of a wireless door of the reserved hotel room, and, upon arrival at the hotel of the user carrying the mobile terminal, transmitting wirelessly, by means of the wireless device of the mobile terminal, the key token to nearby wireless devices of wireless door locks, whereby, on receiving the appropriate key token, the arrival of the user is registered in the hotel reservation/IT system and the wireless door lock of the reserved room unlocks the door.
Specification