Interactively Scheduling an Itinerary

• US 20160131491A1
• Filed: 11/11/2015
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Reservation Counter, LLC (TravelPass Group, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Reservation Counter, LLC (TravelPass Group, LLC)
• Inventors: Nelson, Daniel A., Williams, Ryan, McCoy, Ryan, Valentine, Neil, Dalley, Steven, Pace, Bradley P.
• Application Number:
  US14/938,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20160131491A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/14 Travel agencies

Abstract

An itinerary can be scheduled interactively by assisting a user in identifying which destinations or attractions can be visited during a vacation based on a specified location where the user intends to be during the vacation. A database of information about each possible destination or attraction as well as about available transportation between such destinations and attractions can be maintained. This information can identify many different criteria that can be used to determine whether it would be desirable or feasible for the user to visit the destination or attraction based on an intended location of the user. The information can be compiled based on input from locals or other experts that are familiar with the destinations or attractions. Once an itinerary is scheduled, reservation requests can be automatically generated for any destination and/or mode of transportation that was selected for inclusion in the itinerary.

Claims

18. One or more computer storage media storing computer executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors implement a method for interactively scheduling an itinerary, the method comprising:

storing, for each of a plurality of destinations, information which identifies a starting point with which the destination is related and one or more criteria for visiting the destination from the starting point;

receiving, from the user computing device, input which defines a user'"'"'s starting point and a starting date when the user will be at the starting point;

accessing the stored information for each of the plurality of destinations to identify one or more destinations that are related to the user'"'"'s starting point;

for each of the one or more destinations that are related to the user'"'"'s starting point, comparing the starting date to the one or more criteria for visiting the destination to identify whether the destination can be a next destination after the user'"'"'s starting point based on the starting date;

for each destination that can be the next destination after the user'"'"'s starting point based on the starting date, displaying a recommendation to visit the destination;

receiving user input that selects a recommendation to visit a first destination; and

adding the first destination to an itinerary for the user such that the itinerary defines that the first destination is the next destination after the starting point.

19. The computer storage media of claim 18, wherein the one or more criteria for visiting the first destination comprise one or more of:

a travel time from the starting point to the first destination;

a duration of time required or recommended to visit the first destination;

or

an indication of when the first destination is available to be visited.

20. The computer storage media of claim 18, wherein the user'"'"'s starting point comprises a destination that was previously recommended to the user and selected by the user for inclusion in the itinerary.