Low fare search for ticket changes using married segment indicators

• US 20080010103A1
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: De Marcken, Carl, Knight, James, Williamson, Todd, Thumim, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,688,485 B2
• 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 managing ticket changes are described. for managing changes to a purchased ticket. A married segment indicator associated with first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket is located. It is determined whether changes to the purchased ticket affect existing bookings of the first and second married flight segments. Based on the determination, a replacement ticket is constructed to include the first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket utilizing the existing booked inventory; otherwise, a replacement ticket is constructed using current availability information for the first and second married flight segments from the replacement ticket.

Claims

1. A method for managing changes to a purchased ticket, the method comprising:

locating a married segment indicator associated with first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket;

determining whether changes to the purchased ticket do not affect existing bookings of the first and second married flight segments;

if the ticket changes do not affect the existing booking at least one of the first and second married flight segments,

constructing a replacement ticket including changes to the purchased ticket, the replacement ticket including the first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket utilizing the existing booked inventory;

otherwise,

if the ticket changes affect at least one of the first and second married flight segments,

using current availability information for the first and second married flight segments from the replacement ticket.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the changes affect the existing booking of one of the first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket; and

discarding a candidate replacement ticket including the married flight segment, the candidate replacement ticket including the changes to the purchased ticket.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving a response to an availability query associated with the replacement ticket, the response including a married segment indicator associated with the first and second married flight segments of the replacement ticket.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the married segment indicator indicates that the first and second flight segments held in the passenger name record of the purchased ticket are to be considered as one indivisible unit of travel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the changes affect a destination airport of one of the first and second married flight segment.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the first and second married flight segments from the purchased ticket when constructing the replacement ticket if the changes do not affect the first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket.

7. A system for managing changes to a purchased ticket, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured to;

locate a married segment indicator associated with first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket;

determine whether changes to the purchased ticket do not affect existing bookings of the first and second married flight segments;

if the ticket changes do not affect the existing booking at least one of the first and second married flight segments,

construct a replacement ticket including changes to the purchased ticket, the replacement ticket including the first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket utilizing the existing booked inventory;

otherwise,

if the ticket changes affect at least one of the first and second married flight segments,

using current availability information for the first and second married flight segments from the replacement ticket.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine that the changes affect the existing booking of one of the first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket; and

discard a candidate replacement ticket including the married flight segment, the candidate replacement ticket including the changes to the purchased ticket.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive a response to an availability query associated with the replacement ticket, the response including a married segment indicator associated with the first and second married flight segments of the replacement ticket.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the married segment indicator indicates that the first and second flight segments held in the passenger name record of the purchased ticket are to be considered as one indivisible unit of travel.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the changes affect a destination airport of one of the first and second married flight segment.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

use the first and second married flight segments from the purchased ticket when constructing the replacement ticket if the changes do not affect the first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket.

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

locate a married segment indicator associated with first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket;

determine whether changes to the purchased ticket do not affect existing bookings of the first and second married flight segments;

if the ticket changes do not affect the existing booking at least one of the first and second married flight segments,

construct a replacement ticket including changes to the purchased ticket, the replacement ticket including the first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket utilizing the existing booked inventory;

otherwise,

if the ticket changes affect at least one of the first and second married flight segments,

use current availability information for the first and second married flight segments from the replacement ticket.

14. The product of claim 13, further comprising instructions to:

determine that the changes affect the existing booking of one of the first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket; and

discard a candidate replacement ticket including the married flight segment, the candidate replacement ticket including the changes to the purchased ticket.

15. The product of claim 13, further comprising instructions to:

receive a response to an availability query associated with the replacement ticket, the response including a married segment indicator associated with the first and second married flight segments of the replacement ticket.

16. The product of claim 13, wherein the married segment indicator indicates that the first and second flight segments held in the passenger name record of the purchased ticket are to be considered as one indivisible unit of travel.

17. The product of claim 13, wherein the changes affect a destination airport of one of the first and second married flight segment.

18. The product of claim 13, further comprising instructions to:

use the first and second married flight segments from the purchased ticket when constructing the replacement ticket if the changes do not affect the first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket.