Travel system and methods utilizing multi-application traveler devices

• US 6,926,203 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard P. Sehr
• Original Assignee: Richard P. Sehr
• Inventors: Sehr, Richard P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Application Number:
  US10/356,966
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 235/385, 235/380, 235/492, 705/5, 705/6, 705/7, 705/8
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A travel system and methods that encompass a plurality of travel service providers and multi-application traveler devices for the automated compilation, issuance and utilization of reusable traveling permits, and implementation of travel-related application scenarios. The multi-application devices are realized by portable device technologies, such as, smart cards or pocket-sized computers, and have the ability to store and activate, via a built-in travel template, the traveling permits for transportation and other travel services. Biometrics identification of permit-holders, as well as cryptographic certification of data and travel-related information, can optionally be encoded onto the devices, and verified, including validated, at various point-of-travel locations upon presentation of the device for utilization.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing a portable traveler device, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling said portable traveler device to a travel center database including a travel map;

conveying including displaying by said travel map a travel itinerary available for selection;

selecting onto the map said travel itinerary;

automatically compiling the selected itinerary and downloading the compiled itinerary into said portable traveler device; and

automatically associating by the portable device the downloaded itinerary with a traveling permit and storing the permit in the traveler device;

said travel itinerary comprising a departure location a particular transportation carrier departs from, and a destination location the carrier arrives at;

said traveling permit comprising a right of a holder of said portable traveler device to utilize, including travel with, said particular transportation carrier.

2. The method in claim 1 wherein said portable traveler device is a smart card comprising:

a means for communicating card data with said travel center database; and

a means for storing in the device said travel itinerary including said traveling permit;

said travel center database comprising a ticket vending machine for issuing tickets, including the device-holder'"'"'s utilization right, valid for said particular transportation carrier.

3. The method in claim 1 wherein said portable traveler device is a pocket-sized computer comprising a means for processing and communicating data relating to said travel itinerary including said traveling permit.

4. The method in claim 1 wherein the step of selecting said travel itinerary comprising:

selecting onto the map said departure and destination locations; and

in response to said selecting, automatically compiling said travel itinerary including a set of travel data, and downloading, including storing by said portable traveler device, the compiled travel data into the device;

said set of travel data comprising the time of departure and time of arrival of said particular transportation carrier.

5. The method in claim 4 wherein said set of travel data further comprising the price of a ticket authorizing a particular device-holder to travel on said particular transportation carrier.

6. The method in claim 4 wherein said set of travel data further comprising a connecting transportation carrier, including departure and destination locations, and departure and arrival times, for the connecting carrier;

said connecting transportation carrier serving a predetermined travel segment that is part of said travel itinerary.

7. The method in claim 4 wherein said set of travel data further comprising alternative travel itineraries available in connection with said departure and destination locations;

said alternative travel itineraries comprising a ticket price and departure and arrival times associated with the alternative itineraries.

8. The method in claim 1, further including the steps of:

in response to selecting onto the map said travel itinerary, automatically communicating by the traveler device to said travel map a set of restrictions to be considered when selecting the itinerary; and

based upon said set of restrictions, the map automatically compiling including selecting a corresponding travel itinerary;

said set of restrictions comprising a predetermined time period said corresponding travel itinerary should commence or conclude.

9. The method in claim 8 wherein said set of restrictions further comprising a predetermined dollar amount to be spent for said corresponding travel itinerary.

10. The method in claim 8 wherein said set of restrictions further comprising a predefined transportation carrier to be used for said corresponding travel itinerary.

11. The method in claim 8 wherein said set of restrictions further comprising a preferred seat available for the corresponding travel.

12. The method in claim 1, further including the steps of:

storing in the device said traveling permit valid for said particular transportation carrier including for a plurality of connecting transportation carriers serving said travel itinerary;

subsequently coupling the device to a station control module monitoring access of travelers to the connecting carriers from among said plurality of connecting transportation carriers;

uploading by the device the permit to the control module for verification; and

verifying by said station control module the uploaded permit and, if successful, automatically compiling into the device an admission pass for the connecting carriers;

said admission pass comprising a set of transfer times the pass is valid for the connecting carriers including a particular carrier from among the plurality of connecting carriers;

said admission pass further being valid for a corresponding travel segment from among said travel itinerary.

13. A method for utilizing a reusable traveling permit for a plurality of travel applications, the method comprising the steps of:

storing said reusable traveling permit in a portable traveler device including a multi-application travel template;

associating with said multi-application travel template a set of application codes;

subsequently coupling the traveler device to a travel service database and requesting the implementation of a particular travel application from among said plurality of travel applications;

uploading by the device a particular application code from among said set of application codes; and

verifying by the database the uploaded code, and

if the verification is successful, then implementing via the traveler device said particular travel application from among said plurality of travel applications in response to said particular application code being uploaded; and

otherwise, denying implementation of the application;

said reusable traveling permit comprising the device-holder'"'"'s right to use said portable traveler device for different applications from among said plurality of travel applications;

said multi-application travel template comprising a decision means including means for storing, processing, and communicating data relating to said plurality of travel applications;

said set of application codes comprising a means for automatically configuring said multi-application travel template, such that said reusable traveling permit can be used for an application implemented from among said plurality of travel applications.

14. The method in claim 13 wherein said portable traveler device is a pocket-sized computer comprising processing and communication means for processing data relating to said multi-application travel template, said reusable traveling permit, or associated application codes.

15. The method in claim 13 wherein said portable traveler device is a smart card comprising means for storing and communicating traveling permit data and application code information.

16. The method in claim 13 wherein said multi-application travel template further comprising a means for automatically:

storing in the travel template a list of transportation carriers; and

subsequently selecting via said set of application codes a particular transportation carrier from among said list;

said list comprising carriers for facilitating travel by land, air or sea.

17. The method in claim 16, further including:

in response to the selecting via said set of application codes, automatically displaying by the travel template a seating map of said particular transportation carrier;

selecting onto the map a particular seating assignment;

automatically communicating the selected seating assignment to said travel service database;

confirming and downloading by the travel database the selected seat into said portable traveler device; and

storing into the device the confirmed and downloaded seat as said particular seating assignment valid on said particular transportation carrier.

18. The method in claim 16, further including:

subsequently utilizing said particular transportation carrier for a predetermined trip;

in exchange for utilizing the carrier, automatically computing by said multi-application travel template a set of frequent traveler points; and

storing into the traveler device the computed traveler points to be used towards future trips, via the travel template and with said particular transportation carrier including entities rewarding said set of frequent traveler points.

19. The method in claim 13, further including the steps of:

subsequently uploading to the service database by the device a different application code from among said set of application codes; and

verifying by the database the uploaded different code, and

if the verification is successful, then implementing via said portable traveler device including said multi-application travel template a different travel application in response to said different application code being uploaded; and

otherwise, denying implementation of said different application;

said different application code comprising a means for automatically reconfiguring the travel template, such that the same traveling permit can be reused for said different travel application from among said plurality of travel applications.

20. The method in claim 19, further including the steps of:

subsequently evoking by said multi-application travel template a particular application-specific applet from among a set of applets tailored to a predefined travel application task;

communicating by the multi-application template said particular application-specific applet to a different travel service database; and

automatically assembling the communicated applet and implementing said predefined travel application task by the different service database;

said set of applets comprising reusable and reconfigurable means for allowing the travel template to serve new or multiple travel applications via the same traveler device;

said communicating and assembling steps being automatically performed via the Internet.