System and Method of Providing Travel-related Tools for Use with Transportation Services
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of providing travel-related tools for use with transportation services, comprising:
- providing a transportation service system which receives reservation inquiries from customers, presents vendor rental resources matching the reservation inquiries, and books the rental resource upon selection by the customer; and
providing a plurality of travel-related tools for the customer to use before and during rendition of the transportation services.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system makes reservations for transportation services. Vendor information for rental resources is stored in a central database. A customer makes a reservation inquiry. The central database is searched to find availability of the rental resources for the reservation inquiry. A rate is calculated for the rental resources based on customer-supplied and vendor-supplied information, as well as public sources. The availability of the rental resources and rates are reported to the customer. The customer selects the desired rental resources. The customer selection is confirmed with the vendor. An estimate of charges is provided initially and then updated following the customer'"'"'s use of the reserved rental resources. Vendor payments are aggregated for multiple reservations. Travel-related tools are provided for the customer while utilizing the reserved rental resources. If one vendor cannot service a customer, the system transfers the reservation to another affiliated vendor.
18 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of providing travel-related tools for use with transportation services, comprising:
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providing a transportation service system which receives reservation inquiries from customers, presents vendor rental resources matching the reservation inquiries, and books the rental resource upon selection by the customer; and providing a plurality of travel-related tools for the customer to use before and during rendition of the transportation services. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-implemented method of providing travel-related tools for use with transportation services, comprising:
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providing a transportation service system for booking rental resources; and providing a plurality of travel-related tools for use during rendition of the transportation services. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer program product usable with a programmable computer processor having computer readable program code embodied therein, comprising;
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computer readable program code which provides for a transportation service system which receives reservation inquiries from customers, presents vendor rental resources matching the reservation inquiries, and books the rental resource upon selection by the customer; and computer readable program code which provides a plurality of travel-related tools for the customer to use before and during rendition of the transportation services. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer system for providing travel-related tools for use with transportation services, comprising;
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means for providing a transportation service system which receives reservation inquiries from customers, presents vendor rental resources matching the reservation inquiries, and books the rental resource upon selection by the customer; and means for providing a plurality of travel-related tools for the customer to use before and during rendition of the transportation services. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification