Database for storing historical travel information

• US 20080010102A1
• 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: de Marcken, Carl, Knight, James, Williamson, Todd, Thumim, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US11/607,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20080010102A1
• 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 50/14 Travel agencies

Abstract

Systems and techniques for reconstructing a historical record are described. A query including information associated with a purchased ticket is received. Records that have information that match at least a portion of the information associated with the purchased ticket are determined. Those records having transmission dates preceding an issue date of the purchased ticket are selected and used to reconstruct a record corresponding to the purchased ticket.

Claims

1. A method for reconstructing a historical record from information stored in a database, the method comprising:

receiving a query including information associated with a purchased ticket;

determining records that have information that match at least a portion of the information associated with the purchased ticket, the records having transmission dates indicating dates when the records were transmitted to the database;

selecting from the records, those records having transmission dates preceding an issue date of the purchased ticket; and

reconstructing a record corresponding to the purchased ticket from those records having transmission dates preceding the issue date of the purchased ticket.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing from consideration, those records having transmission dates following the issue date of the purchased ticket.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the records are fare records.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the records are fare records and the method further comprises:

merging the fare records to obtain a candidate fare record; and

constructing a ticket having information included in the candidate fare record.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the records are rule records.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

removing from consideration, those rule records having transmission dates following the issue date of the purchased ticket; and

selecting from the remaining rule records, a rule record having a most recent transmission date.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein selecting the rule records further comprises:

restoring the rule record to its original form to obtain a candidate rule record; and

constructing a ticket having information complying with one or more rules specified in the candidate rule record.

8. A system for reconstructing a historical record, the system comprising:

a database storing records having transmission dates indicating dates when the records were transmitted to the database; and

one or more processors configured to;

receive a query including information associated with a purchased ticket;

identify records in the database that have information that match at least a portion of the information associated with the purchased ticket;

select from the identified records, those records having transmission dates preceding an issue date of the purchased ticket; and

reconstruct a record corresponding to the purchased ticket from those records having transmission dates preceding the issue date of the purchased ticket.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

remove from consideration, those records having transmission dates following the issue date of the purchased ticket.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the records are fare records.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the records are fare records, and the one or more processors are further configured to:

merge the fare records to obtain a candidate fare record; and

construct a ticket having information included in the candidate fare record.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the records are rule records.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

remove from consideration, those rule records having transmission dates following the issue date of the purchased ticket; and

select from the remaining rule records, a rule record having a most recent transmission date.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

restore the rule record to its original form to obtain a candidate rule record; and

construct a ticket having information complying with one or more rules specified in the candidate rule record.

15. A computer program product for reconstructing a historical record from information stored in a database, the computer program product being tangibly stored on machine readable media, comprising instructions operable to cause one or more processors to:

receive a query including information associated with a purchased ticket;

determine records that have information that match at least a portion of the information associated with the purchased ticket, the records having transmission dates indicating dates when the records were transmitted to the database;

select from the records, those records having transmission dates preceding an issue date of the purchased ticket; and

reconstruct a record corresponding to the purchased ticket from those records having transmission dates preceding the issue date of the purchased ticket.

16. The product of claim 15, further comprising instructions to:

remove from consideration, those records having transmission dates following the issue date of the purchased ticket.

17. The product of claim 15, wherein the records are fare records.

18. The product of claim 15, wherein the records are fare records, and the product further comprising instructions to:

merge the fare records to obtain a candidate fare record; and

construct a ticket having information included in the candidate fare record.

19. The product of claim 18, wherein the records are rule records.

20. The product of claim 19, further comprising instructions to:

remove from consideration, those rule records having transmission dates following the issue date of the purchased ticket; and

select from the remaining rule records, a rule record having a most recent transmission date.

21. The product of claim 20, further comprising instructions to:

restore the rule record to its original form to obtain a candidate rule record; and

construct a ticket having information complying with one or more rules specified in the candidate rule record.