Transfer information management device and transfer information management method

• US 6,003,009 A
• Filed: 09/16/1996
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Nishimura, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kazimi, Hani M.
• Application Number:
  US08/714,602
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 705/6, 705/41, 705/411, 707/202.2, 345/341, 345/501
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/366 Check-in counters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation

Abstract

A transfer information management device provides helpful transfer information to airport users. The transfer information management device is used in connection with a plurality of management devices which control a corresponding plurality of databases storing airport operation information. The databases manage airport operations by updating and referring to the contents of the databases. The transfer information management device is provided with a display section, a read-out section, a creating section, and a display control section. The read-out section reads out information stored in the plurality of databases. The creating section creates a transfer information database which is a database storing flight arrival information relating to flight arrivals and flight departure information relating to flight departures. The transfer information database matches flight arrival information and flight departure information relating to the same passenger, based on information read out by the read-out section. The display control section displays flight arrival information and flight departure information stored in the transfer information database in a format whereby the combinations of a flight arrival and a flight departure relating to the same passenger can be seen.

Claims

1. A transfer information management device connected to a plurality of management devices each of which manages airport operations by means of updating and referring to a database, comprising:

display means;

read-out means for reading out flight information stored in the databases provided respectively in the plurality of information management devices;

creating means for creating a flight arrival information database storing flight arrival information from the flight information read out by said read-out means, a flight departure information database storing flight departure information from the flight information read out by said read-out means, wherein passenger information is extracted from a passenger information database using index keys from said flight arrival information database and said flight departure information database and stored in said flight arrival information database and said flight departure information database;

combining means for combining the flight arrival information with the flight departure information in a transfer information database, wherein flight arrival information having a passenger information index key matching a passenger information index key from the flight departure information is combined in the transfer information database; and

display control means for displaying, on said display means, the flight arrival information and flight departure information stored in the transfer information database, in a format whereby combinations of flight arrival and flight departure relating to the same passenger can be seen using said passenger information index key.

2. A transfer information management device according to claim 1, wherein the passenger information index key is a passenger name, and said combining means combines baggage information from a baggage information database with the transfer information database in accordance with the passenger information index key, the transfer information device further comprising:

second display control means for displaying, on the display means, the passenger names from the transfer information database corresponding to the combination of flight arrival information and flight departure information selected by the first selecting means; and

third display control means for displaying, on the display means, baggage information from the transfer information database corresponding to the passenger names.

3. A transfer information management device according to claim 2, further comprising:

flight departure information selecting means for selecting one flight departure information item from the flight arrival information and flight departure information displayed by the display control means; and

alternative flight information display control means for displaying in the form of alternative flight information on the display means, further flight departure information from the transfer information database having the same destination as the flight departure information selected by said flight departure information selecting means.

4. A transfer information management device according to claim 3, further comprising:

alternative flight information selecting means for selecting one alternative flight information item from the alternative flight information displayed by the alternative flight information display control means; and

inquiry means for inquiring, with respect to a management device managing flight departures corresponding to the alternative flight information selected by this alternative flight information selecting means, whether a flight reservation is possible, and displaying the results of this inquiry on the display means.

5. A transfer information management device according to claim 4, wherein when a flight reservation is possible, the inquiry means make a reservation using the passenger name selected by a second selecting means.

6. A transfer information management device according to claim 5, wherein when the flight reservation has been made, the inquiry means issue information for settlement of charges to the management device.

7. A transfer information management device according to claim 5, further comprising:

instruction means for instructing a management device managing baggage transfer operations, of the plurality of management devices, to transfer baggage to an alternative flight where a reservation has been made, when a reservation has been made by the inquiry means.

8. A transfer information management method used in a device connected to a plurality of management devices provided with databases wherein information relating to airport operations are stored, which manage airport operations by means of updating and referring to the contents of these databases, comprising:

a read-out step for reading out flight information stored in the respective databases provided in the plurality of information management devices;

a create step for creating a flight arrival information database storing flight arrival information from the flight information read out by said read-out means, a flight departure information database storing flight departure information from the flight information read out by said read-out step, wherein passenger information is extracted from a passenger information database using index keys from said flight arrival information database and said flight departure information database and stored in said flight arrival information database and said flight departure information database;

combining step for combining the flight arrival information with the flight departure information in a transfer information database, wherein flight arrival information having a passenger information index key matching a passenger information index key from the flight departure information is combined in the transfer information database; and

a display control step for displaying, on display means, the flight arrival information and flight departure information stored in the transfer information database, in a format whereby combinations of flight arrival and flight departure relating to the same airplane can be seen using said passenger information index key.

9. A transfer information management method according to claim 8, wherein passenger information index key is a passenger name, and said combining means combines baggage information from a baggage information database with the transfer information database in accordance with the passenger information index key, the transfer information device further comprising:

a second display control step for displaying, on the display means, the passenger names from the transfer information database corresponding to the combination of flight arrival information and flight departure information selected in the first selecting step; and

a third display control step for displaying, on the display means, baggage information from the transfer information database corresponding to the passenger names.

10. A transfer information management method according to claim 9, further comprising:

a flight departure information selecting step for selecting one flight departure information item from the flight arrival information and flight departure information displayed by the display control step, on the basis of input information; and

an alternative flight information display control step for displaying in the form of alternative flight information on the display means, further flight departure information from the transfer information database having the same destination as the flight departure information selected in said flight departure information selecting step.

11. A transfer information management method according to claim 10, further comprising:

an alternative flight information selecting step for selecting one alternative flight information item from the alternative flight information displayed by the alternative flight information display control step, on the basis of input information; and

an inquiry step for inquiring, with respect to the management device managing flight departures corresponding to the alternative flight information selected in said alternative flight information selecting step, whether a flight reservation is possible, and displaying the results of this inquiry on the display means.

12. A transfer information management method according to claim 11, wherein when a flight reservation is possible, said inquiry step makes a reservation using the passenger name selected in the second selecting step.

13. A transfer information management method according to claim 12, wherein when the flight reservation has been made, said inquiry step issues information for settlement of charges to the management device.

14. A transfer information management method according to claim 12, further comprising:

an instruction step for instructing a management device managing baggage transfer operations, of the plurality of management devices, to transfer baggage to an alternative flight where a reservation has been made, when a reservation has been made in said inquiry step.