System and method for receiving and loading fare and schedule data

• US 20060161540A1
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orbitz LLC (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Orbitz LLC (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chauncey, Patrick D., Jaeger, Mark W., Schmitz, Benjamin W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,412,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A system and method for loading a new data and searching data sets to identify data elements with the data set that meet user defined criteria. A notification that new data set is available is received by a first server, the new data set is transferred to the first server, and the first server stores the new data set and an old data. At least a portion of the old data set and the new data set are transferred from the first server to the second server, which is in communication with the first server, which stores the portions of the old data set and new data set. The second server receives user search requests and: (1) processes queries in response to the user search requests by running a first search process using the portion of the old data set prior to receiving a command to switch to the new data set; and (2) processes queries in response to the user search requests by running a second search process using the portion of the new data set after receiving the command to switch to the new data set.

Claims

1. A system for searching data sets to identify data elements within the data sets that meet user defined search criteria, comprising:

a first server adapted to store an old data set, receive a notification that a new data set is available, and store the new data set in response to receipt of the notification; and

a second server, in communication with the first server, adapted to;

(1) receive and store at least a portion of the old data set and a portion of the new data set from the first server;

(2) receive user search requests;

(3) process queries, in response to the user search requests, using the stored portion of the old data set prior to receiving a command to switch to the new data set; and

(4) process queries, in response to the user search requests, using the stored portion of the new data set after receiving the command to switch to the new data set.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server is a data loading master server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the data loading master server is in communication with and is adapted to provide data from the old data set and the new data set to a plurality of servers.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second server is a system server.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of system servers in communication with the first server.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a master database in communication with the first server, the master database adapted to receive and store the new data set and provide a notification to the first server that the new data set is available.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the old and new data sets comprise airline flight schedule and fare data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server receives a notification that a global distribution system is operating with data corresponding to the new data set and to provide a command to switch to the new data set.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server is adapted to monitor a global distribution system to determine whether the global distribution system is operating with data corresponding to the old data set or the new data set and wherein the first server is adapted to provide a command to switch to the new data set when the global distribution system begins operating with data corresponding to the new data set.

10. A method of loading a new data set on a system configured to search a data set for data that meet user defined search criteria, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a notification that a new data set is available;

transferring the new data set to a first server in response to receipt of the notification;

transferring at least a portion of the new data set from the first server to a second server;

running a first search process searching an old data set and a second search process searching the portion of the new data set;

processing queries in response to user search requests using the first search process prior to receiving a command to switch to the new data set; and

processing queries in response to user search requests using the second search process after receiving the command to switch to the new data set.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first server is a data loading master server.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second server is a system server.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the new data set and storing the new data set in the master database; and

providing a notification that the new data set is available.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the old and new data sets comprise airline flight schedule and fare data.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a notification that a global distribution system is operating with data corresponding to the new data set; and

issuing the command to switch to the new data set.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring a global distribution system to determine whether the global distribution system is operating with data corresponding to the old data set or the new data set; and

issuing the command to switch to the new data set when the global distribution system begins operating with data corresponding to the new data set.