System and Method of Transferring Reservations for Transportation Services

• US 20100257105A1
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cars To Go LLC
• Original Assignee: Cars To Go LLC
• Inventors: Wurster, Charles
• Application Number:
  US12/816,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20100257105A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

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.

Claims

1. A method of controlling access to transportation resources through a transportation service system, comprising:

providing a transportation resource service provider;

providing first and second transportation resource vendors;

establishing an electronic communication link between a transportation resource user and the transportation resource service provider through the transportation service system;

providing a database by the transportation resource service provider of presently available transportation resources controlled by the first and second transportation resource vendors;

linking the database to first and second reservation systems operated by the first and second transportation resource vendors, respectively, to update in real-time the available transportation resources in the database;

transmitting a reservation inquiry from the transportation resource user through the electronic communication link to the transportation resource service provider, the reservation inquiry requesting a transportation resource with specified features, wherein the transportation resource service provider searches the database for the available transportation resources that match the specified features in the reservation inquiry;

if requested by the transportation resource user, presenting the available transportation resources that closely align with the reservation inquiry if no match is found to the specified features or if the number of matches is below a threshold;

transmitting the available transportation resources corresponding to the reservation inquiry from the transportation resource service provider to the transportation resource user, wherein the transportation resource user selects one of the available transportation resources controlled by the first transportation resource vendor and makes a reservation;

establishing an agreement between the first and second transportation resource vendors through the transportation resource service provider to control rendition of transportation services within the transportation service system through the electronic communication link, the agreement providing for transfer of the reservation from the first transportation resource vendor to the second transportation resource vendor if the first transportation resource vendor cannot service the reservation, the agreement including a revenue sharing provision which is managed by the transportation resource service provider;

enabling the transportation resource service provider to control rendition of transportation services within the transportation service system by transferring the reservation from the first transportation resource vendor to the second transportation resource vendor via the electronic communication link if the first transportation resource vendor cannot service the reservation, the second transportation resource vendor providing the transportation resource to the transportation resource user in accordance with the reservation; and

receiving payment from the transportation resource user for the transportation resource through the transportation resource service provider which distributes the payment between the first and second transportation resource vendors and the transportation resource service provider in accordance with the revenue sharing provision of the agreement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second transportation resource vendor receives a larger portion of the revenue for providing the transportation resource to the transportation resource user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second transportation resource vendors are located in different markets.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second transportation resource vendors are located in the same market.

5. A method of controlling access to transportation resources through a transportation service system, comprising:

establishing an electronic communication link between a transportation resource user and a transportation resource service provider through the transportation service system;

providing a database by the transportation resource service provider of available transportation resources controlled by first and second transportation resource vendors;

linking the database to first and second reservation systems operated by the first and second transportation resource vendors, respectively, to update the available transportation resources in the database;

transmitting a reservation inquiry from the transportation resource user through the electronic communication link to the transportation resource service provider, the reservation inquiry requesting a transportation resource with specified features, wherein the transportation resource service provider searches the database for the available transportation resources that match the specified features in the reservation inquiry;

presenting the available transportation resources that closely align with the reservation inquiry if no match is found to the specified features or if the number of matches is below a threshold;

transmitting the available transportation resources corresponding to the reservation inquiry from the transportation resource service provider to the transportation resource user, wherein the transportation resource user selects one of the available transportation resources controlled by the first transportation resource vendor and makes a reservation;

establishing an agreement between the first and second transportation resource vendors through the transportation resource service provider to control rendition of transportation services within the transportation service system through the electronic communication link, the agreement providing for transfer of the reservation from the first transportation resource vendor to the second transportation resource vendor if the first transportation resource vendor cannot service the reservation, the agreement including a revenue sharing provision which is managed by the transportation resource service provider;

enabling the transportation resource service provider to control rendition of transportation services within the transportation service system by transferring the reservation from the first transportation resource vendor to the second transportation resource vendor via the electronic communication link if the first transportation resource vendor cannot service the reservation, the second transportation resource vendor providing the transportation resource to the transportation resource user in accordance with the reservation; and

receiving payment from the transportation resource user for the transportation resource through the transportation resource service provider which distributes the payment between the first and second transportation resource vendors and the transportation resource service provider.

6. The method of claim 5, further including distributing the payment between the first and second transportation resource vendors and the transportation resource service provider in accordance with the revenue sharing provision of the agreement.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second transportation resource vendor receives a larger portion of the revenue for providing the transportation resource to the transportation resource user.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first and second transportation resource vendors are located in different markets.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the first and second transportation resource vendors are located in the same market.

10. The method of claim 5, further including updating in real-time the available transportation resources in the database.

11. A method of controlling access to transportation resources through a transportation service system, comprising:

establishing an electronic communication link between a transportation resource user and a transportation resource service provider through the transportation service system;

providing a database by the transportation resource service provider of available transportation resources controlled by first and second transportation resource vendors;

linking the database to first and second reservation systems operated by the first and second transportation resource vendors, respectively, to update the available transportation resources in the database;

transmitting a reservation inquiry from the transportation resource user through the electronic communication link to the transportation resource service provider, the reservation inquiry requesting a transportation resource with specified features, wherein the transportation resource service provider searches the database for the available transportation resources that match the specified features in the reservation inquiry;

transmitting the available transportation resources corresponding to the reservation inquiry from the transportation resource service provider to the transportation resource user, wherein the transportation resource user selects one of the available transportation resources controlled by the first transportation resource vendor and makes a reservation;

establishing an agreement between the first and second transportation resource vendors through the transportation resource service provider to control rendition of transportation services within the transportation service system through the electronic communication link, the agreement providing for transfer of the reservation from the first transportation resource vendor to the second transportation resource vendor if the first transportation resource vendor cannot service the reservation;

enabling the transportation resource service provider to control rendition of transportation services within the transportation service system by transferring the reservation from the first transportation resource vendor to the second transportation resource vendor via the electronic communication link if the first transportation resource vendor cannot service the reservation, the second transportation resource vendor providing the transportation resource to the transportation resource user in accordance with the reservation; and

receiving payment from the transportation resource user for the transportation resource through the transportation resource service provider which distributes the payment between the first and second transportation resource vendors and the transportation resource service provider.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the agreement includes a revenue sharing provision which is managed by the transportation resource service provider.

13. The method of claim 12, further including distributing the payment between the first and second transportation resource vendors and the transportation resource service provider in accordance with the revenue sharing provision of the agreement.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the second transportation resource vendor receives a larger portion of the revenue for providing the transportation resource to the transportation resource user.

15. The method of claim 11, further including presenting the available transportation resources that closely align with the reservation inquiry if no match is found to the specified features or if the number of matches is below a threshold.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second transportation resource vendors are located in different markets.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second transportation resource vendors are located in the same market.

18. The method of claim 11, further including updating in real-time the available transportation resources in the database.

19. A computer program product comprising computer readable program code embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer readable program code controlling access to transportation resources through a transportation service system by the steps comprising:

establishing an electronic communication link between a transportation resource user and a transportation resource service provider through the transportation service system;

providing a database by the transportation resource service provider of available transportation resources controlled by first and second transportation resource vendors;

linking the database to first and second reservation systems operated by the first and second transportation resource vendors, respectively, to update the available transportation resources in the database;

transmitting a reservation inquiry from the transportation resource user through the electronic communication link to the transportation resource service provider, the reservation inquiry requesting a transportation resource with specified features, wherein the transportation resource service provider searches the database for the available transportation resources that match the specified features in the reservation inquiry;

transmitting the available transportation resources corresponding to the reservation inquiry from the transportation resource service provider to the transportation resource user, wherein the transportation resource user selects one of the available transportation resources controlled by the first transportation resource vendor and makes a reservation;

establishing an agreement between the first and second transportation resource vendors through the transportation resource service provider to control rendition of transportation services within the transportation service system through the electronic communication link, the agreement providing for transfer of the reservation from the first transportation resource vendor to the second transportation resource vendor if the first transportation resource vendor cannot service the reservation;

enabling the transportation resource service provider to control rendition of transportation services within the transportation service system by transferring the reservation from the first transportation resource vendor to the second transportation resource vendor via the electronic communication link if the first transportation resource vendor cannot service the reservation, the second transportation resource vendor providing the transportation resource to the transportation resource user in accordance with the reservation; and

receiving payment from the transportation resource user for the transportation resource through the transportation resource service provider which distributes the payment between the first and second transportation resource vendors and the transportation resource service provider.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the agreement includes a revenue sharing provision which is managed by the transportation resource service provider.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, further including distributing the payment between the first and second transportation resource vendors and the transportation resource service provider in accordance with the revenue sharing provision of the agreement.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the second transportation resource vendor receives a larger portion of the revenue for providing the transportation resource to the transportation resource user.

23. The computer program product of claim 19, further including presenting the available transportation resources that closely align with the reservation inquiry if no match is found to the specified features or if the number of matches is below a threshold.

24. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the first and second transportation resource vendors are located in different markets.

25. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the first and second transportation resource vendors are located in the same market.