Method, System, and Article for Management of Travel

• US 20110161121A1
• Filed: 12/25/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Patil, Sandeep Ramesh, Nagpal, Abhinay R., Shah, Dhaval K., Stein, Yan W.
• Application Number:
  US12/647,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20110161121A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

A method, system, and article for management of travel and travel related matters. Both a source and a designation are selected, together with the associated departure and arrival information and the mode of transportation. A geographic region affected by a health related event is identified, and then employed to determine if a craft in support of the selected travel has been or is intended to be in the identified region. Exposure to the identified health related event may be mitigated by supporting an amendment to the mode of transportation.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for travel management, comprising:

selecting a source and destination for travel, including departure and arrival dates;

selecting a mode of transportation to support the selected source and destination travel;

identifying a geographic area affected by a health related event;

evaluating the selected mode of transportation to determine if at least one craft supporting the selected mode of transportation matches the identified geographic area affected by the identified health related event;

mitigating exposure to the identified health related event, including supporting a change to the selected mode of transportation if the transportation matches the identified geographic area affected; and

a reservation to support the selected travel based upon evaluation of the mode of transportation and with the identified health related event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of evaluating the select mode of transportation further comprises evaluating at least one recent destination port for the selected craft and determining exposure of the craft to the identified health related event.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising evaluating the sanitization record of the selected craft.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of mitigating exposure to the identified health related event further comprises reserving a seat on the craft, including evaluating the travel history of people assigned to the seats in the vicinity of the reserved seat to determine prior travel to the geographic area affected by the identified health related event, and finalizing the seat selection based upon the evaluation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of mitigating exposure to the identified health related event further comprises evaluating the supply chain for a source of food to be served on the craft.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying a geographic region affected by the health related event includes selecting a threshold limit to define the level of the health related event to affect travel arrangements.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a notification of the identified health related event following reservation of the selected travel, and modifying the reservation to mitigate exposure to the identified health related event.

8. A system to facilitate management of travel comprising:

a processor in communication with a data storage medium;

a management tool in communication with the data storage medium, the tool comprising;

a selection module to select a source and destination for travel, including departure and arrival dates;

the selection module to select a mode of transportation to support the selected source and destination travel;

an identification module in communication with the selection module, the identification module to identify a geographic area affected by an identified health related event;

an evaluation module in communication with the selection and identification modules, the evaluation module to determine if at least one craft supporting the selected mode of transportation matches the identified geographic area affected by the identified health related event;

a manager in communication with the evaluation module, the manager to mitigate exposure to the identified health related event, including supporting a change to the selected mode of transportation if the transportation matches the identified geographic area affected by the identified health related event; and

a reservation to support the selected travel based upon evaluation of the mode of transportation and with the identified health related event.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising the evaluation module to determine exposure of the craft to the identified health related event, including a review of the sanitization record of the craft.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising the manager to reserve a seat on the craft, including the manager to evaluate the travel history of people assigned to the seats in the vicinity of the reserved seat to determine prior travel to the geographic area affected by the identified health related event, and to finalize the seat selection based upon the evaluation.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising the manager to evaluate the supply chain for a source of food to be served on the craft.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the identification modules employs a threshold limit to define the level of the health related event to affect travel arrangements.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising a notification module in communication with the manager, the notification module to receive a notification of the identified health related event following reservation of the selected travel and to modify the reservation to mitigate exposure to the identified health related event.

14. An article configured to manage travel, the article comprising:

a computer readable storage medium in communication with computer program instructions to collect and evaluate travel related data, the instructions comprising;

selection of a source and a destination for travel, including departure and arrival dates;

selection of a mode of transportation to support the selected source and destination travel;

identification of a geographic area affected by a health related event;

evaluation of the selected mode of transportation, including instructions to determine if at least one craft supports the selected mode of transportation and matches the identified geographic area affected by the health related event;

mitigation of exposure to the health related event, including instructions to support a change to the selected mode of transportation if the transportation matches the identified geographic area affected by the health related event; and

a reservation to support the selected travel based upon evaluation of the mode of transportation and with the identified health related event.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein the evaluating instructions of the select mode of transportation further comprises evaluation of at least one recent destination port for the selected craft and determining exposure of the craft to the health related event, and evaluation of the sanitization record of the selected craft.

16. The article of claim 14, wherein the mitigation of exposure to the health related event further comprises instructions to reserve a seat on the craft, including evaluating the travel history of people assigned to the seats in the vicinity of the reserved seat to determine prior travel to the geographic area affected by the health related event, and finalizing the seat selection based upon the evaluation.

17. The article of claim 14, wherein the mitigation of exposure to the health related event further comprises evaluation of the supply chain for a source of food to be served on the craft.

18. The article of claim 14, wherein the geographic region identification affected by the health related event includes selection of a threshold limit to define the level of the health related event to affect travel arrangements.

19. The article of claim 14, further comprising a notification of the identified health related event following reservation of the selected travel, and modification of the reservation to mitigate exposure to the identified health related event.