APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING A MESSAGE

• US 20140237383A1
• Filed: 02/24/2014
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CWT Digital Limited
• Original Assignee: Worldmate Incorporated
• Inventors: Kirshenboim, Amir, Gur, Nadav
• Granted Patent: US 9,590,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/205 Parsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/14 Travel agencies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

A system for handling automated messages from a travel supplier includes a messaging client configured to receive an automated message generated by a remote travel supplier. The message comprises a link to a web address for completing a travel action associated with the link. A parsing unit configured to extract the link from the automated message, identify the travel action associated with the link, and store the extracted link and a representation of the travel action in a non-volatile memory device.

Claims

1. A computerized method for handling automated messages generated by a remote travel supplier, the method comprising:

receiving, at a user device, an automated message generated by a remote travel supplier, wherein the message comprises a link to a web address for completing a travel action associated with the link;

parsing, by the user device, the automated message, wherein parsing the automated message includes;

extracting the link from the automated message;

identifying the travel action associated with the link;

automatically storing the extracted link and a representation of the travel action associated with the link in a local non-volatile memory of the user device;

automatically displaying a user interface on a display of the user device, wherein the user interface prompts a user for feedback regarding whether to perform the travel action; and

automatically performing, by the user device, the travel action in response to positive user feedback received via the user interface.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein parsing the automated message further includes determining a time for performing the travel action, the method further comprising:

automatically storing a representation of the time for performing the travel action in the local non-volatile memory of the user device,

wherein the user interface is displayed in response to a determination, by the user device, that a current time is the time for performing the travel action.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the link is a deep-link enabling inputting information included in the link into a specific field of a web page,

wherein parsing the automated message further includes extracting the information from the link and identifying a field for which the extracted information is designated,

wherein the method further includes automatically storing the extracted information and an indication of the field for which the extracted information is designated in the local non-volatile memory of the user device.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein performing the travel action comprises automatically filling the identified field of the web page with the extracted information designated for the identified field.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the step of automatically filling the identified field of the web page is performed by a remote server in response to a request received from the user device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein parsing the automated message further includes:

determining whether the automated message includes a plurality of links associated with a single travel action; and

automatically selecting one of the plurality of links to extract from the automated message and store in the local non-volatile memory of the user device in response to a determination that the automated message includes a plurality of links associated with a single travel action, wherein the link selection is based on a characteristic of the user device with which the associated action is to be performed;

wherein performing the associated action comprises;

determining whether the web address for completing the travel action requires additional information not included in the automated message;

identifying a field of the web address requiring the additional information and a type of additional information required by the identified field in response to a determination that the web address requires additional information not included in the automated message;

automatically retrieving, from the local non-volatile memory of the user device, the additional information required for completing the travel action; and

automatically filling the identified field using the additional information.

7. A method for handling automated messages generated by a travel supplier, the method comprising:

receiving, at a remote server, an automated message generated by a remote travel supplier, wherein the remote travel supplier is separate from the remote server and wherein the message comprises a link to a web address for completing a travel action associated with the link;

parsing, by the remote server, the automated message, wherein parsing the automated message includes

extracting the link from the automated message, and

identifying the travel action associated with the link;

automatically storing the extracted link and a representation of the travel action associated with the link in a non-volatile memory device;

automatically causing a user interface to be displayed on a display of a user device, wherein the user interface prompts a user for feedback regarding whether to perform the travel action; and

automatically performing, by the remote server, the travel action in response to positive user feedback received via the user interface.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting the automated message from the user device in response to a determination that the automated message is a travel-related message,

wherein the extracted link and representation of the travel action associated with the link are stored in a local non-volatile memory of the user device.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein parsing the automated message further includes determining a time for performing the travel action, the method further comprising:

automatically storing a representation of the time for performing the travel action in a non-volatile memory device,

wherein the user interface is displayed on the display of the user device in response to a determination that a current time is the time for performing the travel action.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the representation of the time for performing the travel action is stored in a trips database accessible by the remote server,

wherein the determination that the current time is the time for performing the travel action is made by the remote server, and

wherein the remote server automatically performs the travel action in response to a determination that a current time is the time for performing the travel action.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein parsing the automated message further includes extracting pricing information corresponding to the travel action, the method further comprising:

automatically storing, in a trips database, pricing information extracted from multiple automated messages, wherein information parsed from each automated message is stored as a separate travel event; and

determining whether the travel supplier has changed an offered price by comparing multiple travel events stored in the trips database;

causing a user interface to be displayed on the user device associated with a travel event in response to a determination that the travel supplier has decreased the offered price from the price associated with the travel event,

wherein the user interface prompts a user to cancel the travel event and schedule a new travel event at the decreased price.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the link is a deep-link enabling inputting information included in the link into a specific field of the web address;

wherein parsing the automated message further includes extracting the information from the link and identifying a field for which the extracted information is designated;

wherein the method further comprises storing the extracted information and an indication of the field for which the extracted information is designated in the non-volatile memory device;

wherein performing the travel action comprises automatically filling the identified field of the web address with the extracted information designated for the identified field.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein parsing the automated message further includes:

determining whether the automated message includes a plurality of links associated with a single travel action;

selecting one of the plurality of links to extract from the automated message and store in the non-volatile memory device in response to a determination that the automated message includes a plurality of links associated with a single travel action,

wherein the link selection is based on a characteristic of a device with which the travel action is to be performed.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein performing the travel action comprises:

determining whether the web address for completing the travel action requires additional information not included in the automated message;

identifying a field of the web address requiring the additional information and a type of additional information required by the identified field in response to a determination that the web address requires additional information not included in the automated message;

retrieving, from a user profile database, the additional information required for completing the travel action; and

automatically filling the identified field using the additional information.

15. A system for handling automated messages from a travel supplier, the system comprising:

a messaging client configured to receive an automated message generated by a remote travel supplier, wherein the message comprises a link to a web address for completing a travel action associated with the link;

a parsing unit configured to extract the link from the automated message, identify the travel action associated with the link, and store the extracted link and a representation of the travel action in a non-volatile memory device; and

a logic unit configured to cause a user interface to be displayed on a display of a user device, wherein the user interface prompts a user for feedback regarding whether to perform the travel action,

wherein the logic unit is configured to automatically perform the travel action in response to positive user feedback received via the user interface.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the messaging client, parsing unit, and logic unit are components of the user device;

wherein the extracted link and the representation of the travel action associated with the link are stored in a local non-volatile memory of the user device; and

wherein the user device is configured to display the user interface without requiring an active network connection at a time the user interface is displayed.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the messaging client and parsing unit are components of a remote server and wherein the logic unit is a component of the user device;

wherein the remote server is configured to store the extracted link and a representation of the action associated with the link in a local non-volatile memory of the user device; and

wherein the user device is configured to display the user interface without requiring an active network connection at a time the user interface is displayed.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the messaging client and logic unit are components of user device and wherein the parsing unit is a component of the remote server;

wherein the user device is configured to determine whether a message received at the messaging client is a travel related message and relay the message to the remote server in response to a positive determination;

wherein the remote server is configured to extract the link from the automated message, identify the travel action associated with the link, and store the extracted link and a representation of the travel action in a local non-volatile memory of the user device; and

wherein the user device is configured to display the user interface without requiring an active network connection at a time the user interface is displayed.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the messaging client, parsing unit, logic unit, and performance module are components of a remote server;

wherein parsing unit is further configured to determine a time for performing the travel action,

wherein the extracted link, a representation of the travel action associated with the link, and the time for performing the travel action are stored in a trips database accessible by the remote server;

wherein the logic unit is configured to cause the user interface to be displayed on the user device in response to a determination, by the remote server, that a current time is the time for performing the travel action

wherein the remote server is further configured to;

determine whether the web address for completing the travel action requires additional information not included in the automated message;

identify a field of the web address requiring the additional information and a type of additional information required by the identified field in response to a determination that the web address requires additional information not included in the automated message;

retrieve, from a user profile database, the additional information required for completing the travel action; and

automatically fill the identified field using the additional information.