Method and System for Creating and Processing Rental Vehicle Reservations Using Vouchers
First Claim
1. A system for creating and managing a rental vehicle reservation, the system comprising:
- a user computer; and
a reservation computer system that is in communication with the user computer via a network; and
wherein the reservation computer system is configured to accept input over the network from a user of the user computer to create a pended rental vehicle reservation for storage and processing by the reservation computer system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for creating and managing rental vehicle reservations. According to one embodiment, a system is disclosed for creating and managing a rental vehicle reservation, the system comprising: (a) a user computer, and (b) a reservation computer system that is in communication with the user computer via a network, and wherein the reservation computer system is configured to accept input from a user of the user computer over the network to create a pended rental vehicle reservation for storage and processing by the reservation computer system. The inventors herein believe that the ability of a reservation computer system to maintain such a pended status for rental vehicle reservations is particularly useful in connection with processing vouchers for replacement rental vehicles.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A system for creating and managing a rental vehicle reservation, the system comprising:
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a user computer; and a reservation computer system that is in communication with the user computer via a network; and wherein the reservation computer system is configured to accept input over the network from a user of the user computer to create a pended rental vehicle reservation for storage and processing by the reservation computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for creating and managing a plurality of rental vehicle reservations, the system comprising:
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a user computer; and a reservation computer system that is in communication with the user computer via a network; and wherein the reservation computer system is configured to accept input over the network from a user of the user computer to create and manage rental vehicle reservations of at least two types, one type being a standard reservation intended for processing and fulfillment without further authorization and another type being a pended reservation.
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16. A method for creating and managing a rental vehicle reservation, the method comprising:
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creating, in a reservation computer system, a pended rental vehicle reservation for a person; providing a voucher to the person, the voucher corresponding to the pended rental vehicle reservation; receiving an indication from the person that the person intends to rent a rental vehicle in accordance with the voucher; and within the reservation computer system, unpending the pended rental vehicle reservation in response to the received indication, thereby allowing the person to use the voucher when renting a rental vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for processing a rental vehicle reservation, the method comprising:
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storing in a reservation computer system a rental vehicle reservation corresponding to a voucher; assigning a status to the rental vehicle reservation in response to input from a user, the status being stored by the reservation computer system and indicating that further authorization is required for the reservation to become active; and transforming the assigned status in response to a further input to the reservation computer system, thereby activating the reservation in the reservation computer system. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for creating and managing a rental vehicle reservation, the method comprising:
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providing a reservation computer system through which a plurality of users can create and manage rental vehicle reservations; assigning the users with a plurality of different authority levels for creating and managing rental vehicle reservations, wherein a first plurality of users are assigned with authority that includes an ability to create a pended rental vehicle reservation but does not include an ability to unpend a pended rental vehicle reservation, and wherein a second plurality of users are assigned with authority that includes the ability to unpend a pended rental vehicle reservation; and limiting the users'"'"' interaction with the reservation computer system in accordance with their assigned authority levels. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A system for creating and managing a rental vehicle reservation, the system comprising:
a reservation computer system configured to permit a plurality of users to create and manage rental vehicle reservations, the reservation computer system being further configured to (1) assign the users with a plurality of different authority levels for creating and managing rental vehicle reservations, wherein a first plurality of users are assigned with authority that includes an ability to create a pended rental vehicle reservation but does not include an ability to unpend a pended rental vehicle reservation, and wherein a second plurality of users are assigned with authority that includes the ability to unpend a pended rental vehicle reservation, and (2) limit the users'"'"' interaction with the reservation computer system in accordance with their assigned authority levels. - View Dependent Claims (44)
Specification