Itinerary optimizer

• US 20040225539A1
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Airtreks Com, Airtreks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Airtreks, Inc.
• Inventors: Taylor, John L., Scarola, Ben, Beug, Anne, Pilaar, James G.
• Application Number:
  US10/778,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225539A1
• 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 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202

Abstract

A method of generating an itinerary using a computer is provided. The itinerary includes nodes that represent a location serviced by scheduled transport services. A specification including a plurality of nodes is received. The specification may be in a specified order. An itinerary is then determined where a first fare is calculated that omits a node in the plurality of nodes received. A second fare is then calculated that includes the node omitted in the first fare. Thus, an itinerary that includes fares for each of the plurality of nodes is calculated; however, a fare is calculated that does not include a node in the plurality of nodes and thus does not adhere to the specified ordering of the plurality of nodes received.

Claims

1. A method of generating an itinerary using a computer, the itinerary includes nodes each representing a location accessible by a scheduled transport service, the method comprising:

receiving a specification including a plurality of nodes;

determining an itinerary that includes a first fare that omits at least one node in the plurality of nodes; and

determining a second fare that includes the node omitted in the first fare and a node included in the first fare.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes are specified in an order, wherein the first fare includes a sequence of nodes that are not in the specified order.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second fare includes the omitted node and a node that is before or after the omitted node in the specified order.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first fare and the second fare include nodes not included in the specification of the plurality of nodes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes comprise destinations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second fare comprises a round trip route for the omitted node to the node included in the first itinerary.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the round trip route comprises arriving and departing from a different transportation hub for at least one of the omitted node and the node included in the first itinerary.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein certainty values are associated with the plurality of nodes, wherein determining the itinerary that includes a first fare that omits at least one node comprises:

using the certainty values to determine the at least one node.

9. A method for generating an itinerary using a computer, the itinerary includes nodes each representing a location accessible by a scheduled transport service, the method comprising:

receiving a specification of a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes specified in an order of destination;

determining a first fare that omits a node in the plurality of nodes, the first fare including a sequence of nodes that are not in the order specified; and

determining a second fare that includes the omitted node and a node in the first itinerary.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second fare include nodes that are not included in the received specification of the plurality of nodes.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first fare and the second fare include nodes not included in the specification of the plurality of nodes.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of nodes comprise destinations.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the second fare comprises a round trip route for the omitted node to the node included in the first itinerary.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the round trip route comprises arriving and departing from a different transportation hub for at least one of the omitted node and the node included in the first itinerary.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein certainty values are associated with the plurality of nodes, wherein determining a first fare that omits the node comprises:

using the certainty values to determine the omitted node.

16. A method for generating an itinerary using a computer, the itinerary includes nodes each representing a location accessible by a scheduled transport service, the method comprising:

receiving a specification of a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes specified in an order of destination;

determining a first fare that includes nodes that are not in the specified order; and

determining a second fare that includes a node that was skipped in the first itinerary.

17. A method for generating an itinerary using a computer, the itinerary includes nodes each representing a location accessible by a scheduled transport service, the method comprising:

receiving a specification of a plurality of nodes;

determining, from nodes in the plurality of nodes, a replacement node that may replace a node in the plurality of nodes; and

calculating a fare for an itinerary that includes the replacement node instead of the replaced node in the specification.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the replacement node comprises a major hub.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the itinerary calculated with the replacement node for the specification is cheaper than an itinerary calculated for the specification with the replaced node.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining a side trip fare that includes the replaced node and a node in the calculated itinerary.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein certainty values are associated with the plurality of nodes, wherein determining the replacement node comprises:

using the certainty values to determine a node to replace.