Computerized reservations and scheduling system

• US 5,253,165 A
• Filed: 12/12/1990
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eduardo Leiseca, Ramon F. Aguero
• Original Assignee: Eduardo Leiseca, Ramon F. Aguero
• Inventors: Leiseca, Eduardo, Aguero, Ramon F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Baker, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US07/625,993
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 364/407
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

A computerized reservations and scheduling system is provided which alternately allows transportation consumers to select from pre-scheduled transportation services provided by transportation providers or to negotiate and contract with transportation providers who have available unscheduled transportation space. The system comprises a central computerized data base. Transportation providers and consumers alike access the computer via a plurality of terminal units. The central computerized data base comprises a "maybe" file for storing information regarding available unscheduled transportation space which may be offered by a provider for service if a suitable consumer demand exists and for storing information regarding unscheduled transportation space which is needed by consumers. The "maybe" file facilitates negotiating and contracting between the parties.

Claims

1. A method of negotiating and contracting for unscheduled space suitable for a particular need using a computerized data base comprising the steps of:

accessing the computerized data base on a terminal unit connected thereto via telecommunication lines;

browsing, at the terminal unit, a screen of displayed information detailing several entries of scheduled available transportation space which have been stored in the computerized data base;

determining whether scheduled transportation space suitable for the particular need exists based on the information displayed on the scheduled transportation space screen;

entering an appropriate key stroke or key stroke sequence on a keyboard of the terminal unit when suitable transportation space for the particular need is determined not to exist based on the scheduled transportation space screen information, thereby causing the computerized data base to output to the terminal unit a screen of displayed information detailing several entries of available unscheduled transportation space;

browsing, at the terminal unit, the screen detailing the several entries of the available unscheduled transportation space, said available unscheduled transportation space comprising restrictions and conditions;

determining whether available unscheduled transportation space suitable for the particular need exists based on the information displayed on the available unscheduled transportation space screen;

entering an appropriate key stroke or key stroke sequence on the keyboard of the terminal unit when suitable transportation space for the particular need is determined to exist based on the available unscheduled transportation space screen information, thereby causing the computerized data base to output to the terminal unit a contract screen means for facilitating contracting for the suitable transportation space;

contracting for the suitable transportation space through the computerized data base by entering a keystroke or key stroke sequence on the keyboard of the terminal unit to fill in the contract screen means;

entering an appropriate key stroke or key stroke sequence on the keyboard of the terminal unit, when suitable transportation space for the particular need is determined not to exist based on the available unscheduled transportation space screen information, to store consumer needs in said computer data base, said consumer needs comprising restrictions and conditions acceptable to the consumer;

browsing, at the terminal unit, a screen detailing the consumer needs stored in said computer data base;

entering an appropriate key stroke or key stroke sequence on the keyboard of the terminal unit to negotiate the restrictions and conditions of the consumer needs and the available unscheduled transportation space stored in the computer data base;

wherein a compromise regarding the restrictions and conditions may be reached resulting in a negotiated transportation space, thereby causing the computerized data base to output to the terminal unit a contract screen for facilitating contracting for the negotiated transportation space;

contracting for the negotiated transportation space through the computerized data base by entering a keystroke or key stroke sequence on the keyboard of the terminal unit to fill in the contract screen means;

wherein, after this step, the computerized data base is programmed to perform the steps of;

outputting and providing each of the parties to the contract with a copy of the contract which has been concluded for the suitable or negotiated transportation space, and

updating the information stored in the computerized data base which details the entries of the available unscheduled transportation space so as to delete from this information the entry which comprised the suitable or negotiated transportation space so that, upon the next occurrence of negotiating and contracting for which the computerized data base is employed, when the computerized data base outputs to the terminal unit the screen of information detailing available unscheduled transportation space, the entry which comprised the suitable or negotiated transportation space will not appear.