Travel information method and associated system

• US 6,842,737 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2000
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WorldAware, Inc.
• Original Assignee: WorldAware, Inc.
• Inventors: Meyer, Mark Gregory, McIndoe, Darrell Bruce, Stiles, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dixon, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US09/619,245
• Time in Patent Office: 1,637 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 705/6, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/6
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method and system for providing travel information to a consumer are disclosed. The method includes acquiring information from at least one information source, which may be a variety of sources such as external or consumer-driven sources; characterizing the acquired information by its pertinence to travel; transforming the characterized travel information into a useable format; applying rules to this transformed travel information in connection with the consumer-specific travel profile; and, delivering a report to the consumer of the results of this application. The associated system performs these functions, among others, to provide information for a traveler planning a trip to a particular destination or destinations.

Claims

1. A computer system for providing travel related information to a consumer having a consumer-specific profile, comprising:

a. means for acquiring information from at least one information source;

b. means for transforming said acquired information into information pertinent to travel related activities;

c. means for applying said transformed travel information to said consumer-specific travel profile;

d. means for creating a product for said consumer indicative of the results of said application of said transformed travel information to said consumer-specific travel profile and;

e. a content identification segment (CIS) for performing identification of potential said information sources.

2. The system of claim 1, further including a content acquisition/aggregation segment for acquiring and identifying the content of said acquired information with regard to a specific domain of said acquired information.

3. The system of claim 1, further including a rules engine for applying rules to the said traveler profile.

4. The system of claim 1, further including a travel information report segment for generating a report indicative of said results of said application of said transformed travel information to said consumer-specific travel profile.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said travel information report comprises a pre-Trip information section, a destination information section, a general advice section, and a products/services section.

6. The system of claim 5, where each of said sections contains travel information customized for said consumer including data selected from the group consisting of said consumer'"'"'s personal profile, a destination, and a season of travel.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein said report is generated in at least one electronic format.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein said report includes a trip rating indicative of the risk of the trip represented by said travel related information.

9. The system of claim 4 further including an event/alert segment for managing the receipt of at least one event corresponding to the definition of at least one alert to said consumer.

10. The system of claim 9, further including distributing said defined alert.

11. The system of claim 9, further including means for applying keyword analysis to said event/alert segment for analyzing said received event/alert.

12. A computer-readable medium containing instruction steps for controlling a computer system to provide travel-related information to a consumer having a consumer-specific profile, comprising:

a. acquiring information from at least one information source;

b. transforming said acquired information into information pertinent to travel related activities;

c. using rules for applying said transformed travel information to said consumer-specific travel profile;

d. creating a product for said consumer indicative of the results of said application of said transformed travel information to said consumer-specific travel profile; and

e. performing identification of potential said information sources using a content identification segment (CIS).

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein said creating step includes creating a travel report for said consumer.

14. The medium of claim 12, further including identifying alert information related to a travel destination of said consumer.

15. The medium of claim 14, further including distributing said alert information to said consumer.

16. The medium of claim 12, further including delivering a product to said consumer indicative of said transformed travel data.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein said delivering step is performed using a distribution channel selected from the group consisting of the internet, wireless communication media, and physical delivery locations.