Method and system for presenting rates for travel services
First Claim
1. A method for presenting rates for travel services, the method comprising:
- obtaining a dynamic range of available rates for a travel service from a least expensive rate to a most expensive rate;
subdividing the dynamic range of available rates into a limited number of pricing bands, wherein each pricing band represents a portion of the dynamic range of available rates and each pricing band is computed based on an algorithm using at least the least expensive rate;
wherein the pricing bands that represent each portion of the dynamic range of available rates that do not include the least expensive rate are defined by a from value representing the lowest rate in the portion, and a to value representing the highest rate in the portion;
wherein the from value is computed using a first algorithm, L+(x−
1*(R/N−
1))+1, and the to value is computed using a second algorithm, L+(x*(R/N−
1)), wherein L represents the least expensive rate that was obtained in the dynamic range of available rates, R represents the range of rates that were obtained as determined by subtracting the least expensive from the most expensive rate, N represents the limited number of pricing bands, and x represents an integer value incremented from 1 to N−
1 for computing each successive one of the limited number of pricing bands;
determining an approximate rate for the travel service based on the pricing band corresponding to the portion of the dynamic range of available rates within which an exact rate for the travel service falls; and
presenting the approximate rate for the travel service in an interactive interface using a characteristic keyed to the corresponding pricing band, the characteristic including at least one of a graphical and audio characteristic that conveys a relative expense of the approximate rate for the travel service compared to other approximate rates for the travel service presented in the same interface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system are provided for presenting rates for travel services using dynamic pricing bands. The dynamic pricing bands represent approximate rates for travel services relative to available rates during or close to the proposed dates of travel, or at or near the proposed travel destination. Each dynamic pricing band is keyed to a particular color, intensity, pattern, sound, or other graphical and/or audio characteristic, thereby providing the consumer a sense of the seasonal, regional, day of week, or other variability of rates for travel services without having to compare actual numbers. The dynamic pricing bands are applied to an interactive presentation of rates for travel services to allow the consumer to explore possible rate variations for particular travel services in a manner that provides a birds-eye view, is intuitive and user-friendly.
30 Citations
81 Claims
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1. A method for presenting rates for travel services, the method comprising:
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obtaining a dynamic range of available rates for a travel service from a least expensive rate to a most expensive rate; subdividing the dynamic range of available rates into a limited number of pricing bands, wherein each pricing band represents a portion of the dynamic range of available rates and each pricing band is computed based on an algorithm using at least the least expensive rate; wherein the pricing bands that represent each portion of the dynamic range of available rates that do not include the least expensive rate are defined by a from value representing the lowest rate in the portion, and a to value representing the highest rate in the portion; wherein the from value is computed using a first algorithm, L+(x−
1*(R/N−
1))+1, and the to value is computed using a second algorithm, L+(x*(R/N−
1)), wherein L represents the least expensive rate that was obtained in the dynamic range of available rates, R represents the range of rates that were obtained as determined by subtracting the least expensive from the most expensive rate, N represents the limited number of pricing bands, and x represents an integer value incremented from 1 to N−
1 for computing each successive one of the limited number of pricing bands;determining an approximate rate for the travel service based on the pricing band corresponding to the portion of the dynamic range of available rates within which an exact rate for the travel service falls; and presenting the approximate rate for the travel service in an interactive interface using a characteristic keyed to the corresponding pricing band, the characteristic including at least one of a graphical and audio characteristic that conveys a relative expense of the approximate rate for the travel service compared to other approximate rates for the travel service presented in the same interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A computer-implemented system for presenting rates for travel services, the system comprising:
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A processor; and A memory, the memory including computer-executable components including; a rate generator to generate an approximate rate for a travel service based on a pricing band associated with a portion of a dynamic range of available rates within which an exact rate for the travel service falls, wherein the pricing band is computed based on an algorithm using at least a least expensive rate from the dynamic range of available rates; wherein the dynamic range of available rates for the travel service spans a least expensive rate to a most expensive rate, and further wherein the dynamic range is subdivided into a limited number of portions based on the least and most expensive rates, including the portion within which the exact rate for the travel service falls; wherein the pricing band associated with any portion of the dynamic range of available rates that does not include the least expensive rate is defined by a from value representing the lowest rate in the portion, and a to value representing the highest rate in the portion; wherein the from value is computed using a first algorithm, L+(x−
1*(R/N−
1))+1, and the to value is computed using a second algorithm, L+(x*(R/N−
1)), wherein L represents the least expensive rate in the dynamic range of available rates, R represents the range of rates as determined by subtracting the least expensive from the most expensive rate, N represents the limited number of pricing bands, and x represents an integer value incremented from 1 to N−
1 for computing each successive one of the limited number of pricing bands; andan interactive rate interface, communicatively coupled to the rate generator, in which to present the approximate rate for the travel service using a characteristic keyed to the associated pricing band, the characteristic including at least one of a graphical and audio characteristic that conveys a relative expense of the approximate rate for the travel service compared to other approximate rates for the travel service presented in the same interface. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A computer-accessible medium having encoded thereon instructions to present rates for travel services, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computing apparatus, cause the computing apparatus to:
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obtain a range of available rates for a travel service from a least expensive rate to a most expensive rate; subdivide tire range of available rates into a limited number of pricing bands, wherein each pricing band corresponds to a portion of the range of available rates and each pricing band is computed based on an algorithm using at least the least expensive rate; determine an approximate rate for the travel service based on the pricing band corresponding to the portion of the range of available rates within which an exact rate for the travel service falls; wherein the instructions to subdivide the range of available rates into the limited number of pricing bands includes an instruction to determine a from value representing the lowest rate in each portion of the range of available rates that excludes the least expensive rate, and a to value representing the highest rate in each portion of the range of available rates that excludes the least expensive rate; wherein the instruction to determine the from value includes an instruction to compute the from value using a first algorithm, L+(x−
1*(R/N−
1))+1, and an instruction to compute the to value using a second algorithm, L+(x*(R/N−
1)), wherein L represents the least expensive rate that was obtained in the range of available rates R resents the range of rates that were obtained as determined by subtracting the least expensive from the most expensive rate, N represents the limited number of pricing bands, and x represents an integer value incremented from 1 to N−
1 for computing each successive one of the limited number of pricing bands; andpresent the approximate rate for the travel service in arm interactive interface using a characteristic keyed to the corresponding pricing band, the characteristic including at least one of a graphical and audio characteristic that conveys a relative expense of the approximate rate for the travel service compared to other approximate rates for the travel service presented in the same interface. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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Specification