System and method for facilitating transactions among consumers and providers of travel services

• US 20040059610A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Iyer, Meera, Winterton, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,539,620 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 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system for facilitating transactions among consumers and providers of travel-related services includes a technology provider and a host in communication with an agent and a provider of travel-related services. The technology provider is configured for operating independently from any provider of travel-related services. The host is configured for receiving a request from the agent, retrieving one or more displays from the technology provider, presenting the displays to the agent, and facilitating a transaction among the consumer and the provider of travel-related services. A display comprises an information content such as available inventory from a predefined carrier within a predefined time period. The display may be configured for excluding content, for example, in accordance with a predefined editing criteria. The format may be configured for presenting information in accordance with one or more predefined ranking criteria, which may be a discriminatory criteria, such as an identity of a carrier.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating transactions among consumers and providers of travel-related services comprising a technology provider and a host:

wherein said technology provider is in communication with said host, and said host is in communication with an agent and at least one provider of travel-related services;

wherein said technology provider is configured to operate independently from any provider of travel-related services, and said technology provider is configured to facilitate the receipt, maintenance and provision of information regarding available travel-related services;

wherein said host is configured to receive a request from said agent, retrieve at least one display from said technology provider in accordance with said request, present at least one of said displays to said agent, and to facilitate a transaction between said agent and said provider of travel-related services;

wherein said display comprises information content responsive to said request from said agent; and

wherein said display comprises an information format configured for presenting said information content.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said information content comprises information regarding available inventory from a predefined carrier within a predefined time period.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said display is configured for excluding information content that has been selected for exclusion.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said display is configured for excluding information content regarding available inventory from one or more predefined carrier.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said display is configured for excluding information content regarding one or more predefined parameter.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said information content may be configured for presenting information in accordance with one or more predefined editing criteria.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said information format may be configured for presenting information in accordance with one or more predefined ranking criteria.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said information format may be configured for presenting information in accordance with one or more discriminatory criteria;

wherein at least one of said discriminatory criteria is configured for discriminating on the basis of an identity of a carrier.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said host comprises a booking engine configured for facilitating the transaction among the agent and the provider of travel-related services;

wherein said booking engine is configured for receiving, from said agent, an order configured for reserving a service in the name of a consumer;

wherein said booking engine is configured for facilitating the updating of a database to reflect the reservation of the service;

wherein said booking engine is configured to facilitate sending to consumer or agent information or indicia sufficient to enable consumer to enjoy the service;

wherein said booking engine is configured for receiving a payment from or on behalf of the consumer or the agent;

wherein said booking engine is configured for effecting distribution of fees and commissions among the agent and provider;

wherein said booking engine is configured for facilitating payment, from the agent to the carrier, of a fee for the service;

wherein said booking is configured for facilitating payment, from the carrier to the host, of a commission for facilitating the transaction; and

wherein said host is configured for facilitating payment of fees to the technology provider, the agent, and the booking engine to settle the transaction.

10. A method for facilitating transactions among consumers and providers of travel-related services comprising the steps of:

receiving, by an independent technology provider, information regarding available travel-related services;

receiving, by the host, a request from an agent;

retrieving, by the host, one or more displays from the technology provider, said step of retrieving comprising defining an information content and an information format;

presenting one or more of those displays to an agent, said step of presenting comprising the step of excluding information that has been selected for exclusion; and

facilitating a transaction among the consumer and the provider of travel-related services;

wherein step of facilitating the transaction among the consumer and the provider of travel-related services comprises the steps of;

receiving, from agent, an order configured for reserving a service in the name of a consumer;

facilitating updating a database to reflect the reservation of the service;

facilitating a reduction of an inventory, maintained on a database, of available services;

sending to agent information or indicia sufficient to enable consumer to enjoy service; and

receiving a payment from or on behalf of agent; and

effecting distribution of fees and commissions among agent and provider;

wherein said step of effecting distribution of fees comprises the steps of;

facilitating payment, from the agent to the carrier, of a fee for the service;

facilitating payment, from the carrier to the host, of a commission for facilitating the transaction; and

facilitating payment, to one or more of the technology provider, the agent, and the booking engine, of fees to settle the transaction.