Determining reissue methods for ticket changes

• US 20080010101A1
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Marcken, Carl De, Knight, James, Williamson, Todd, Thumim, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US11/607,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20080010101A1
• 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 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00

Abstract

Systems and techniques for reissuing a purchased ticket are described. A first reissue method that is applicable to a reconstructed ticket is determined to be applicable to a first partial pricing solution selected from a plurality of partial pricing solutions that each includes a fare and an itinerary that partially satisfies a new travel request. The first reissue method is determined to be applicable to a second, different partial pricing solution selected from the plurality of partial pricing solutions. The first partial pricing solution and the second partial pricing solution are combined to form a larger partial pricing solution or a reissued ticket according to specifications of the first reissue method.

Claims

1. A method for reissuing a purchased ticket, the method comprising:

determining a first reissue method selected from a plurality of reissue methods that is applicable to a reconstructed ticket;

determining that the first reissue method is applicable to a first partial pricing solution selected from a plurality of partial pricing solutions, each of the plurality of partial pricing solutions including a fare and an itinerary that partially satisfies a new travel request;

determining that the first reissue method is applicable to a second, different partial pricing solution selected from the plurality of partial pricing solutions; and

combining the first partial pricing solution and the second partial pricing solution to form a larger partial pricing solution according to specifications of the first reissue method.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the larger partial pricing solution is a reissued ticket.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a response to a new travel request made by a holder of the purchased ticket.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reconstructed ticket includes fares, itineraries, and fare rules corresponding to a pricing solution of the purchased ticket, and each of the plurality of reissue methods specifies a type of change to an issued ticket and conditions under which the change may be made.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning status vectors to each of the plurality of partial pricing solutions, the status vectors representing applicability of the plurality of reissue methods to the plurality of partial pricing solutions; and

updating first and second status vectors associated with the respective first and second partial pricing solutions to indicate that the first reissue method is applicable to the first and second partial pricing solutions.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a second reissue method selected from the plurality of reissue methods is not applicable to any of the plurality of partial pricing solutions; and

eliminating the second reissue method from consideration.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that none of the plurality of reissue methods are applicable to a third partial pricing solution selected from the plurality of partial solutions; and

eliminating the third partial pricing solution from consideration.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining comprises determining that a status vector associated with the third partial pricing solution is a status vector that has all zeros.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that none of the plurality of reissue methods are applicable to a third partial solution selected from the plurality of partial pricing solutions.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining that a rule associated with the first reissue method may be modified to cause the first reissue method to be applicable to the third partial pricing solution;

and

modifying the rule.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein modifying the rule comprises waiving the rule.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the itinerary and fare of the first partial pricing solution are the same as an itinerary and fare included in the purchased ticket.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising updating the status vector of the third partial pricing solution to reflect that the first reissue method is applicable to the third partial pricing solution.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the status vector includes bits corresponding different reissue methods, and wherein a value of a bit indicates whether a corresponding reissue method is applicable to a partial pricing solution.

15. A system for reissuing a purchased ticket, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured to;

determine a first reissue method selected from a plurality of reissue methods that is applicable to a reconstructed ticket;

determine that the first reissue method is applicable to a first partial pricing solution selected from a plurality of partial pricing solutions, each of the plurality of partial pricing solutions including a fare and an itinerary that partially satisfies a new travel request;

determine that the first reissue method is applicable to a second, different partial pricing solution selected from the plurality of partial pricing solutions; and

combine the first partial pricing solution and the second partial pricing solution to form a larger partial pricing solution according to specifications of the first reissue method.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the larger partial pricing solution is a reissued ticket.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive a response to a new travel request made by a holder of the purchased ticket.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the reconstructed ticket includes fares, itineraries, and fare rules corresponding to a pricing solution of the purchased ticket, and each of the plurality of reissue methods specifies a type of change to an issued ticket and conditions under which the change may be made.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

assign status vectors to each of the plurality of partial pricing solutions, the status vectors representing applicability of the plurality of reissue methods to the plurality of partial pricing solutions; and

update first and second status vectors associated with the respective first and second partial pricing solutions to indicate that the first reissue method is applicable to the first and second partial pricing solutions.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine that a second reissue method selected from the plurality of reissue methods is not applicable to any of the plurality of partial pricing solutions; and

eliminate the second reissue method from consideration.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine that none of the plurality of reissue methods are applicable to a third partial pricing solution selected from the plurality of partial solutions; and

eliminate the third partial pricing solution from consideration.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine that a status vector associated with the third partial pricing solution is a status vector that has all zeros.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine that none of the plurality of reissue methods are applicable to a third partial solution selected from the plurality of partial pricing solutions.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine that a rule associated with the first reissue method may be modified to cause the first reissue method to be applicable to the third partial pricing solution; and

modify the rule.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to modify the rule by waiving the rule.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the itinerary and fare of the first partial pricing solution are the same as an itinerary and fare included in the purchased ticket.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

updating the status vector of the third partial pricing solution to reflect that the first reissue method is applicable to the third partial pricing solution.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the status vector includes bits corresponding different reissue methods, and wherein a value of a bit indicates whether a corresponding reissue method is applicable to a partial pricing solution.

29. A computer program product for reissuing a purchased ticket, the computer program product being tangibly stored on machine readable media, comprising instructions operable to cause one or more processors to:

determine a first reissue method selected from a plurality of reissue methods that is applicable to a reconstructed ticket;

determine that the first reissue method is applicable to a first partial pricing solution selected from a plurality of partial pricing solutions, each of the plurality of partial pricing solutions including a fare and an itinerary that partially satisfies a new travel request;

determine that the first reissue method is applicable to a second, different partial pricing solution selected from the plurality of partial pricing solutions; and

combine the first partial pricing solution and the second partial pricing solution to form a larger partial pricing solution according to specifications of the first reissue method.

30. The product of claim 29, wherein the larger partial pricing solution is a reissued ticket.

31. The product of claim 29, further comprising instructions to:

receive a response to a new travel request made by a holder of the purchased ticket.

32. The product of claim 29, wherein the reconstructed ticket includes fares, itineraries, and fare rules corresponding to a pricing solution of the purchased ticket, and each of the plurality of reissue methods specifies a type of change to an issued ticket and conditions under which the change may be made.

33. The product of claim 29, further comprising instructions to:

assign status vectors to each of the plurality of partial pricing solutions, the status vectors representing applicability of the plurality of reissue methods to the plurality of partial pricing solutions; and

update first and second status vectors associated with the respective first and second partial pricing solutions to indicate that the first reissue method is applicable to the first and second partial pricing solutions.

34. The product of claim 29, further comprising instructions to:

determine that a second reissue method selected from the plurality of reissue methods is not applicable to any of the plurality of partial pricing solutions; and

eliminate the second reissue method from consideration.

35. The product of claim 29, further comprising instructions to:

determine that none of the plurality of reissue methods are applicable to a third partial pricing solution selected from the plurality of partial solutions; and

eliminate the third partial pricing solution from consideration.

36. The product of claim 35, further comprising instructions to:

determine that a status vector associated with the third partial pricing solution is a status vector that has all zeros.

37. The product of claim 29, further comprising instructions to:

determine that none of the plurality of reissue methods are applicable to a third partial solution selected from the plurality of partial pricing solutions.

38. The product of claim 37, further comprising instructions to:

determine that a rule associated with the first reissue method may be modified to cause the first reissue method to be applicable to the third partial pricing solution; and

modify the rule.

39. The product of claim 38, further comprising instructions to waiving the rule.

40. The product of claim 29, wherein the itinerary and fare of the first partial pricing solution are the same as an itinerary and fare included in the purchased ticket.

41. The product of claim 38, further comprising instructions to:

update the status vector of the third partial pricing solution to reflect that the first reissue method is applicable to the third partial pricing solution.

42. The product of claim 33, wherein the status vector includes bits corresponding different reissue methods, and wherein a value of a bit indicates whether a corresponding reissue method is applicable to a partial pricing solution.