Verified transaction evaluation

• US 20080077454A1
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: OpenTable, Inc. (Booking Holdings, Inc., fka Priceline Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: OpenTable, Inc. (Booking Holdings, Inc., fka Priceline Group Inc.)
• Inventors: Xenakis, Michael William, Layton, Thomas H., McCarthy, Scott, Shepherd, Ann Elizabeth, Morneau, Jocelyn Collins, McCullough, Charles Norman
• Application Number:
  US11/517,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077454A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

Verifying a transaction evaluation is disclosed. A transaction request is received from a user. A verification of the user'"'"'s utilization of a good or service is received. The verification of use is received from a provider of the requested transaction. The user is qualified to provide an evaluation based at least in part on the verification.

Claims

1. A method of verifying a transaction evaluation comprising:

receiving a transaction request from a user;

receiving a verification of the user'"'"'s utilization of a good or service, wherein the verification of use is received from a provider of the requested transaction;

qualifying the user to provide an evaluation based at least in part on the verification.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the transaction comprises a restaurant reservation at a restaurant.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein the restaurant reservation includes one or more of the following:

a reservation restaurant name, restaurant address, restaurant phone number, cuisine type, price, neighborhood, hours of operation, a reservation date, a reservation party size, a reservation time, a user name, a user email, and a user phone number.

4. A method as in claim 2, wherein the verification of the user'"'"'s utilization comprises one or more of the following:

a confirmation that the user arrived at the restaurant, a confirmation that the user was seated at the restaurant associated with the restaurant reservation, a confirmation that the user ordered at the restaurant associated with the restaurant reservation, or a confirmation that the user paid at the restaurant associated with the restaurant reservation.

5. A method as in claim 2, wherein the verification of the user'"'"'s utilization is received from a software module that receives input from an employee of the restaurant.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the software module that receives input from an employee of the restaurant also receives information including one or more of the following:

reservation information, seating information, server information, chef information, order information, time and date information, cancellation information, arrival information, or payment information.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the transaction is a reservation for at least one of the following:

a hotel reservation, an airplane reservation, a rental car reservation, an entertainment performance reservation, a sporting event reservation, a theater performance reservation, a dance performance reservation, a musical performance reservation, a museum reservation, a tour reservation, a movie rental, a movie theater reservation, a medical appointment, a vehicle repair appointment, an appliance repair appointment, a peripheral repair appointment, or a travel reservation.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the reservation includes one or more of the following:

a reservation name, a reservation date, a reservation party size, a reservation time, a reservation contact information, a reservation contact email address, or a reservation contact phone number.

9. A method as in claim 7, wherein the verification of the user'"'"'s utilization comprises a confirmation from a provider employee that the user used the good or service associated with the reservation.

10. A method as in claim 7, wherein the verification of the user'"'"'s utilization is received from a software module that receives input from an employee of the provider.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein the software module that receives input from an employee of the goods or service provider also receives information including one or more of the following:

reservation information, seating information, time and date information, or payment information.

12. A method as in claim 1, wherein the user provides an evaluation by one or more of the following:

replying to an email, entering information at a web site, providing information via phone, responding to a text message, responding to a voice message, or responding to a letter or questionnaire, or in-person interview.

13. A method as in claim 1, wherein the user is only allowed to provide an evaluation once for a verified user utilization of a good or service.

14. A method as in claim 1, further comprising producing a report based at least in part on the user provided evaluation.

15. A method as in claim 1, further comprising producing a report based at least in part on the user provided evaluation, wherein the report includes information regarding one or more of the following:

dollars spent by one or more users, server performance as rated by one or more users, chef quality as rated by one or more users, noise levels as rated by one or more users, ambiance as rated by one or more users, service quality as rated by one or more users, location as rated by one or more users, view as rated by one or more users, or cleanliness as rated by one or more users.

16. A method as in claim 1, further comprising producing a rating list based at least in part on the user provided evaluation.

17. A method as in claim 1, further comprising producing a rating list based at least in part on the user provided evaluation, wherein the rating list is one or a combination of a “

Top <

n>

”

or “

Best of”

or “

Top <

characteristic>

list”

.

18. A computer program product for verifying a transaction evaluation, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a transaction request from a user;

receiving a verification of the user'"'"'s utilization of a good or service associated with the requested transaction, wherein the verification is received from a provider of the requested transaction;

qualifying the user to provide an evaluation based at least in part on the verification.

19. A system for verifying a transaction evaluation comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to;

receive a transaction request from a user;

receive a verification of the user'"'"'s utilization of a good or service associated with the requested transaction, wherein the verification is received from a provider of the requested transaction;

qualify the user to provide an evaluation based at least in part on the verification.