SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPTIMIZING THE SCHEDULING OF RESOURCES ON AN AIRPLANE
First Claim
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1. A method for reassigning seats for airline passengers who have preassigned seats on a flight, the method comprising:
- providing a memory containing information identifying a plurality of passengers and their preassigned seats, and seat attributes for the flight;
providing a user interface for displaying information regarding the preassigned seats;
receiving via the user interface seat reassignment requests from the passengers, the requests including at least one seat attribute and one trade value;
storing in the memory the seat reassignment requests;
accessing from the memory information regarding the passengers, preassigned seats, seat attributes, and seat reassignment requests;
using a processor to compute a configuration of reassigned seats, wherein the computation jointly uses the reassignment requests of two or more of the passengers;
charging or compensating the passengers in accordance with the reassigned seats and trade values; and
informing the passengers of the reassigned seats.
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Abstract
A system and method for enabling passengers to swap seats with other passengers, so that they may obtain seats that appear to be unavailable because they are occupied. Passengers use an interface to specify their desire and/or willingness to switch seats, and the conditions, if any, for switching. A processor runs an algorithm reassigning passenger seats based on the conditions inputted at the interface. Passengers are notified of their new seats, and may be charged or compensated for switching seats.
8 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for reassigning seats for airline passengers who have preassigned seats on a flight, the method comprising:
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providing a memory containing information identifying a plurality of passengers and their preassigned seats, and seat attributes for the flight; providing a user interface for displaying information regarding the preassigned seats; receiving via the user interface seat reassignment requests from the passengers, the requests including at least one seat attribute and one trade value; storing in the memory the seat reassignment requests; accessing from the memory information regarding the passengers, preassigned seats, seat attributes, and seat reassignment requests; using a processor to compute a configuration of reassigned seats, wherein the computation jointly uses the reassignment requests of two or more of the passengers; charging or compensating the passengers in accordance with the reassigned seats and trade values; and informing the passengers of the reassigned seats. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for facilitating seat reassignment for airline passengers who have preassigned seats on a flight, the method comprising:
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receiving via a user interface seat reassignment requests for the flight from a plurality of passengers, the request including at least one of a seat attribute and a trade value; storing the requests in a memory; and accessing the stored requests with a processor and using the processor to compute a reassigned seating configuration, wherein the computation jointly uses the reassignment requests of two or more of the passengers. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for reassigning seats for airline passengers who have been preassigned seats on a flight, the method comprising:
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accessing information about seat reassignment requests that have been made by a plurality of passengers, the reassignment requests including at least one of a seat attribute and a trade value; and using a processor to compute a reassigned seating configuration, wherein the computation jointly uses the reassignment requests of two or more of the passengers. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for reassigning a seat for an airline passenger who has been preassigned to a seat on a flight, the method comprising:
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receiving from the passenger a seat reassignment request for the flight, the request comprising at least one of a seat attribute and a trade value; storing the request; and using a processor, one or more times after the passenger has been preassigned, to access and attempt to fulfil the request. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for reassigning seats for airline passengers who have preassigned seats on a flight, comprising:
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accessing information about seat reassignment requests that have been made by a plurality of passengers, the reassignment requests including at least a seat attribute or a trade value; and using a processor to compute reassigned seats for the passengers wherein the reassigned seats may be such that, if intermediate sequential moves of individual passengers were used to move from the preassigned seats to the reassigned seats, then at least one passenger would be assigned to an invalid seat during at least one of the intermediate moves.
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Specification