INTERMODAL TRIP PLANNER

• US 20100305984A1
• Filed: 05/26/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scopia Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Scopia, LLC
• Inventors: Ben-Yitschak, Ophir, Graziano, James A. II, Nissenboim, Yoram P.
• Application Number:
  US12/787,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20100305984A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation

Abstract

A method and apparatus identify a set of trips satisfying base criteria, at least some of the trips comprising a series of trip segments connected to an intermediate location between an origin location and the destination location. Each intermediate location is connected to only two of the trip segments. At least two of the trip segments have different transportation modes. The method and apparatus further identify a subset of the trips that satisfy secondary criteria.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing at least one database of trips between an origin location and a destination location, at least some of the trips each comprising;

a series of connected trip segments, each trip segment connected to an intermediate location between the origin location and the destination location, wherein each intermediate location is connected to only two of the trip segments and wherein at least two of the trip segments have different transportation modes; and

;

applying one or more criteria to the trips of the at least one database; and

outputting one or more trips based on the applied criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria include availability of a transportation mode for every trip segment of a trip.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more criteria further comprise a second criteria of availability of a bonus for an available transportation mode of at least one trip segment.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more criteria include a third criteria of a minimal cost savings of using an available bonus.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more criteria include a second criteria of maximum layover time between adjacent trip segments.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing a total layover cost of each of the trips, wherein the total layover cost of each trip comprises a layover time between adjacent segments of a trip multiplied by an assigned hourly cost.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting comprises sorting and ordering based upon one or more criteria.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria include transportation mode exclusions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the trip segments include modes of transportation other than planes and trains.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one database is updated at least every predetermined time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the trips of the databases have a predetermined maximum layover time at intermediate locations between trip segments.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the trips of the at least one database have a predetermined minimum layover time at specific intermediate locations between trip segments.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the trips of the at least one database have a predetermined maximum total time for completing the trip.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the database includes trips having consecutive segments beginning and ending on different days.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more criteria include available overnight accommodations at an intermediate location between the consecutive segments.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the criteria include a second criteria of accommodation price for the available accommodations at the intermediate location.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising requesting a range of departure dates from the origin location and a range of arrival dates at the destination location, wherein the at least one databases is limited to trips having a departure date from the origin location within the range of departure dates and having an arrival date at the destination location within the range of arrival dates.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the trips being output includes an intermediate location, wherein the output is limited to a single segment extending to each intermediate location and a single segment extending from each intermediate location.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

booking travel for different transportation modes associated with different segments of a trip; and

accepting a single payment for the different transportation modes.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the one or more criteria. are from a stored travel profile.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising usage of a discount plan from a pool of discounts.

22. A method comprising:

storing a set of one or more secondary criteria;

receiving base criteria comprising an origin location, a destination location, a range of travel departure dates from the origin location and a range of travel arrival dates at the destination location;

identifying a set of trips satisfying the base criteria, at least one of the trips comprising a series of connected trip segments, each trip segment connected to an intermediate location between the origin location and the destination location, wherein each intermediate location is connected to only two of the trip segments and wherein at least two of the trip segments have different transportation modes; and

identifying and outputting a subset of the set of trips that satisfy the stored secondary criteria and that are available.

23. An apparatus comprising:

an input element configured to receive basic criteria comprising an origin location, a destination location, a range of travel departure dates from the origin location and a range of travel arrival dates at the destination location;

a search element configured to identify a set of trips satisfying the base criteria, at least one of the trips comprising a series of connected trip segments, each trip segment connected to an intermediate location between the origin location and the destination location, wherein each intermediate location is connected to only two of the trip segments and wherein at least two of the trip segments have different transportation modes; and

a filtering element configured to identify and output a subset of the set of trips that satisfy the stored secondary criteria and that are available.