SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACCESSING TRAVEL SERVICES USING A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20100190510A1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Maranhas, Jeff, Ng, Stanley Carl, Westendorf, Courtnee
• Granted Patent: US 8,463,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

This is directed to systems and methods for integrating travel services in a single application available to a portable electronic device. Using the single application, a user can access and control travel services before arriving at the initial location of travel, on arriving at the initial location of travel, during travel, and after travel. Such services can include, for example, reserving a travel itinerary, checking-in remotely for a reservation, providing airport information, providing for social networking, obtaining dining or entertainment during travel, controlling and requesting cabin services, providing arrival notifications to third parties, providing destination location information, and the like.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a user is scheduled to travel to a destination on a current date;

determining a portable electronic device in possession by the user is powered off;

determining the user arrived at the destination by detecting that the portable electronic device has been powered back on; and

transmitting an arrival notification of the arrival of the user to at least one third party recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the user is scheduled to travel to a destination comprises:

determining the user is scheduled to travel to a destination by airplane.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the determining a user is scheduled to travel, the determining a portable electronic device is powered off, the determining the user has arrived, and the transmitting is integrated into a single application of the portable electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the user is scheduled to travel to a destination comprises:

accessing calendar information of the user, wherein the calendar information is stored locally on the portable electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the user is scheduled to travel to a destination comprises:

accessing calendar information of the user, wherein the calendar information is stored in a database remote to the portable electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the arrival notification comprises one of an e-mail, a text message, a voicemail, a push notification, and a pop-up notification.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting an arrival notification comprises:

receiving a listing from the user of at least one recipient;

transmitting the arrival notification to the at least one recipient.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a notification comprises:

accessing a contact book of the user;

determining at least one contact from the contact book; and

transmitting the arrival notification to the at least one contact.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining at least one contact from the contact book comprises:

determining which contacts of the contact book are family members of the user; and

transmitting the arrival notification to the family members.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a confirmation that the at least one third party recipient has received the arrival notification.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the confirmation comprises one of an e-mail, a text message, a voicemail, a push notification, and a pop-up notification.

12. An electronic device comprising:

communication circuitry;

a storage component operable to store travel itinerary information of a user; and

control circuitry operable to;

determine, based on the stored travel itinerary information, that the user is scheduled to travel by airplane within a predetermined period of time;

determine the electronic device is powered back on; and

instruct the communication circuitry to transmit an arrival notification to a third party in response to determining the user is scheduled to travel by airplane within a predetermined period of time and determining the electronic device is powered back on.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the electronic device comprises a portable electronic device.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, further comprising:

a positioning system operable to determine the current position; and

wherein

the processor is further operable to;

determine a destination location based on the stored travel itinerary information;

determine the current position matches the destination location; and

instruct the communication circuitry to transmit the arrival notification in response to determining the current position matches the destination location.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, further comprising:

clock circuitry operable to determine a first time corresponding to when the electronic device is powered back on; and

wherein

the processor is further operable to;

determine a scheduled arrival time based on the stored travel itinerary information;

determine the scheduled arrival time is within a first particular timeframe of the first time; and

instruct the communication circuitry to transmit the arrival notification in response to determining scheduled arrival time is within the first particular timeframe of the first time.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the clock circuitry is further operable to:

determine a second time corresponding to when the electronic device is powered off; and

wherein

the processor is further operable to;

determine a scheduled departure time based on the stored travel itinerary information;

determine the scheduled departure time is within a second particular timeframe of the second time; and

instruct the communication circuitry to transmit the arrival notification in response to determining scheduled departure time is within the second particular timeframe of the second time.

17. The electronic device of claim 12, further comprising:

a display operable to display an optical pattern for unlocking a door of a travel service provider.

18. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the communication circuitry is further operable to:

receive upgrade offers from a server of the travel service provider.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein:

the storage device is further operable to store user preferences; and

the processor is further operable to;

compare the stored user preferences to the received upgrade offers to determine at least one matching upgrade offer; and

provide the at least one matching upgrade offer to the user.

20. The electronic device of claim 12, further comprising:

an input component operable to receive user selections for controlling at least one cabin service of the airplane.

21. Machine-readable media comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for:

determining a user is scheduled to travel to a destination on a current date;

determining a portable electronic device in possession by the user is powered off;

determining the user arrived at the destination by detecting that the portable electronic device has been powered back on; and

transmitting an arrival notification of the arrival of the user to at least one third party recipient.