Computer System for Processing Rental Car Reservations with Automated Callback Reminders

• US 20070174081A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Crawford Group Incorporated (Jack Taylor Family Voting Trust U A D 4 14 99)
• Original Assignee: The Crawford Group Incorporated (Jack Taylor Family Voting Trust U A D 4 14 99)
• Inventors: Smith, David, Miller, Owen, Jouris, Jon, Concannon, Maribeth, Cormier, Shawn
• Application Number:
  US11/609,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20070174081A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions

Abstract

Computer based rental vehicle tracking and reservation systems provide a callback reminder function. An automated scheduler uses a rules engine to create and update the callback reminders. The scheduler uses one or more sets of business rules embodied as algorithms in a rules engine to process the rental records. The business rules are flexible and may be tailored to specific scenarios. The rules engine is preferably executed each time a record is updated to correspondingly update the associated callback reminders.

Claims

1. In a computer based rental vehicle transaction system having the abilities to track rental records in a database and to schedule callback reminders associated with said rental records, the improvement comprising:

an automated scheduler, which creates and updates said callback reminders based upon a set algorithm.

2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said automated scheduler creates and updates said callback reminders based upon a plurality of different algorithms using one or more variables from said rental records.

3. The improvement of claim 2, wherein said callback reminders designate one of a plurality types of parties to callback.

4. The improvement of claim 2, wherein said automated scheduler is executed each time said rental record is updated.

5. The improvement of claim 4, wherein said automated scheduler has inputs for a plurality of variables taken from said rental record.

6. The improvement of claim 5, wherein said variables include an identity of a payor for said rental record.

7. The improvement of claim 5, wherein said variables include an identity of a repair facility associated with said rental record.

8. The improvement of claim 5, wherein said automated scheduler includes functions using a plurality of variables simultaneously.