System and Method for Obtaining Accommodations

• US 20100257001A1
• Filed: 04/06/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Priceline.com LLC (Booking Holdings, Inc., fka Priceline Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Consumer Club, Inc. (Booking Holdings, Inc., fka Priceline Group Inc.)
• Inventors: Diener, Robert B., Litman, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,621,637 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 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering

Abstract

A system and method are provided whereby a consumer is provided with nonpublic hotel rate accommodations for specifically identified hotels. In particular, a consumer provides a query as to whether a non-public rate exists for an accommodation at a specific hotel or property.

Claims

1. A method for providing hotel accommodations to a consumer, comprising:

gathering, in an electronic database, information about hotel accommodations including public rates for hotel accommodations at specific hotels and nonpublic rates at the specific hotels available to a service provider;

providing a computer based search form accessible by the consumer over a network;

using at least one criteria entered by the consumer into said computer based search form to automatically, electronically search an electronic database of hotel accommodations for hotel accommodations that meet the at least one criteria entered by the consumer;

formatting the results of the search for display on a display device of the consumer, the results including at least one hotel specifically identified by name that meets the at least one criteria;

engaging in a realtime dialogue with the consumer in which information regarding the availability of a nonpublic rate available to the consumer for the at least one specifically identified hotel; and

accepting payment from the consumer to secure accommodations in the at least one specifically identified hotel at a final nonpublic rate available to the consumer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one criteria includes at least one of:

geographical location of interest, hotel name, check-in date and check-out date.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the final nonpublic rate available to the consumer of accommodations in the specifically identified hotel is not disclosed to the consumer until after the accepting payment step, whereby the consumer is not informed of the actual, final nonpublic rate paid by the consumer for the accommodations until after paying for the accommodations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a specific monetary amount of a nonpublic rate available to the consumer is not provided to the consumer as part of the formatted results.

6. The method of claim 5, including the step of providing, as part of the formatted results for display on a display device of the consumer, a telephone number of a call center;

7. The method of claim 6, including the step of providing, in realtime over the telephone to a consumer who calls the telephone number of the call center, information regarding the availability of a nonpublic rate available for the at least one specifically identified hotel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the realtime dialogue is engaged between the consumer and a call center.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the realtime dialogue occurs via at least one of SMS message or live computer chat.

10. A method for providing hotel accommodations to a consumer, comprising:

providing a call center;

providing a computer based search form accessible by the consumer over a network;

using at least one criteria entered by the consumer into said computer based search form to automatically, electronically search an electronic database of hotel accommodations for hotel accommodations that meet the at least one criteria entered by the consumer;

formatting the results of the search for display on a display device of the consumer, the results including at least one hotel specifically identified by name that meets the at least one criteria, the formatted results not including specific information relating to a nonpublic rate available to the consumer;

providing, as part of the formatted results for display on a display device of the consumer, information on how to contact the call center;

providing in realtime, to a consumer who has contacted the call center, information regarding the availability of a nonpublic rate available for the at least one specifically identified hotel, and

accepting payment from the consumer to secure accommodations in the at least one specifically identified hotel at a final nonpublic rate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one criteria includes at least one of:

geographical location of interest, hotel name, check-in date and check-out date.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the network includes the Internet.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the call center communicates with the consumer, in realtime, by telephone.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the call center communicates with the consumer, in realtime, by computer chat.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the call center communicates with the consumer, in realtime, by SMS messaging service.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the call center engages in a realtime dialogue with the consumer regarding the availability of a nonpublic rate for the specifically named hotel.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the final nonpublic rate is not disclosed to the consumer in the realtime providing step, but rather, is disclosed to the consumer only after the step of accepting payment, whereby the consumer is not informed of the actual, final nonpublic rate paid by the consumer for the accommodations until after paying for the accommodations.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one criteria includes at least one of:

geographical location of interest, hotel name, check-in date and check-out date.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein the realtime providing step includes providing the consumer with a value meter rating representative of a relative value of the at least one specifically identified hotel.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the value meter rating is calculated by:

acquiring identifying information on a hotel;

assigning a qualitative numerical value to each of price, location, and travel industry rating;

evaluating a combination of said numerical values; and

outputting a value for the hotel correlated to the result of the evaluating step.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the evaluating step includes providing an unequal evaluation of said numerical values to produce a numerical value weighted in favor of at least one of price, location, and travel industry rating.

22. A method for obtaining hotel accommodations, comprising:

entering at least one criteria into a computer based search form accessible over a network to automatically, electronically search an electronic database of hotel accommodations for hotel accommodations that meet the at least one criteria;

reviewing, on a display device, a report including results of the search, the results including at least one hotel specifically identified by name that meets the at least one criteria, the formatted results not including specific information relating to a nonpublic rate available for the at least one hotel;

contacting a call center and engaging in a dialogue, in realtime, about a possible nonpublic rate for the at least one specifically identified hotel; and

making a payment to secure accommodations in the at least one specifically identified hotel at a final nonpublic rate.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one criteria includes at least one of:

geographical location of interest, hotel name, check-in date and check-out date.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the report includes information about how to contact the call center.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the consumer contacts the call center by telephone.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the consumer contacts the call center by computer chat.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the consumer contacts the call center by SMS messaging service.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the contacting step includes engaging in a realtime dialogue with the call center regarding the availability of a nonpublic rate for the specifically named hotel.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the final nonpublic rate is not disclosed in the contacting step, but rather, is disclosed only after the step of making a payment, whereby a consumer is not informed of the actual, final nonpublic rate paid by the consumer for the accommodations until after paying for the accommodations.

30. A method for providing hotel accommodations to a consumer, comprising:

informing a consumer of a the availability of accommodations for a hotel specifically identified by name at a nonpublic rate without informing the consumer of a final nonpublic rate chargeable to the consumer for accommodations in the at least one specifically identified hotel;

accepting payment from the consumer to secure accommodations in the at least one specifically identified hotel at the final nonpublic rate; and

only after the accepting payment step, informing the consumer of the final nonpublic rate paid by the consumer for the accommodations in the at least one specifically identified hotel.

31. A method of providing a consumer with a value meter rating representative of a relative value of at least one specifically identified hotel, comprising the steps of:

acquiring identifying information on a hotel;

assigning a qualitative numerical value to each of price, location, and travel industry rating;

evaluating a combination of said numerical values; and

outputting a value for the hotel correlated to the result of the evaluating step.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the evaluating step includes providing an unequal evaluation of said numerical values to produce a numerical value weighted in favor of at least one of price, location, and travel industry rating.