Integrated travel industry system

• US 7,499,864 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2002
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Garcia, Philip A., Fitzgerald, Matt, Schultz, Debbie L., Laughlin, Michael Keith, Klein, James, Qualantone, Mike, Campbell, David E., Shapiro, Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Erb, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US10/217,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20030144867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,395 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 705/6, 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

A system and method providing a centralized network for facilitating travel reservations and/or services. The system comprises a network with hub sites that provide a centralized connection for Global Distribution Systems/Computer Reservation Systems, travel vendors, and travel office point of service terminals. The travel office point of service terminals provide a plurality of modules for various travel related applications such as a low fare search module, a computer telephony integration module, a super passenger name record database, a customer database, a trip planning module, a customer relationship management module, a workflow module, and an integrated e-mail booking system.

Claims

1. An integrated travel industry system comprising:

an integrated travel network having an integrated travel network connection, wherein said integrated travel network connection connects to a plurality of Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites independent from a particular computer system, such that said plurality of travel counselors have access to said travel vendor databases and said GDSs, wherein said integrated travel network connection is accomplished via a frame relay network having a plurality of centralized hub sites, wherein each of said plurality of centralized hub sites comprises a hub site network connection, a transport mechanism, and a redundant data center, and uses an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone to communicate with the other centralized hub sites,

wherein said redundant data center of each of said plurality of centralized hub sites is configured to store a database for said plurality of GDSs;

a first remote travel office site, wherein said first remote travel office site is connected to said integrated travel network by said integrated travel network connection, wherein said first remote travel office site comprises a first point of service terminal connected to at least one of said plurality of centralized hub sites of said integrated travel network, such that said first point of service terminal is configured to access each of said plurality of GDSs, wherein said first point of service terminal is further configured to determine that a previously connected hub site is disabled and then automatically connect to an active centralized hub site;

a second remote travel office site, wherein said second remote travel office site comprises a second point of service terminal connected, via said integrated travel network connection, to at least one of said plurality of centralized hub sites of said integrated travel network, such that said second point of service terminal is configured to access each of said plurality of GDSs, wherein said second point of service terminal is connected, via said integrated travel network connection, to said first point of service terminal such that said second point of service terminal can communicate with said first point of service terminal; and

wherein each of said point of service terminals comprises a GDS-indevendent travel agent user interface for managing a plurality of travel bookings, wherein each travel booking comprises one or more travel reservations for at least one of an airline reservation, a car rental reservation, a hotel reservation, a train reservation, a bus reservation, a limousine reservation, a cruise line reservation, a ferry reservation, and a conference center reservation, wherein said GDS-independent travel agent user interface is configured to allow simultaneous access to said plurality of GDSs for managing a single travel booking across said plurality of GDSs, whereby said GDS-independent travel agent user interface provides a single source for accessing a plurality of travel services;

wherein each of said point of service terminals is configured to translate information received, via said integrated travel network connection, from each of said plurality of GDSs into a format that is compatible with said GDS-independent travel agent user interface, and wherein each of said point of service terminals is further configured to translate inquiries received from the GDS-independent travel agent user interface into a plurality of formats that are compatible with said plurality of GDSs; and

wherein each of said point of service terminals is further configured to automatically change said accessed GDS to a different GDS, using said integrated travel network connection, in order to meet a contracted minimum transaction amount.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of travel vendors are connected to at least one of said plurality of centralized hub sites.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an e-mail database with a plurality of e-mail messages; and

wherein said integrated travel network is further configured to provide Internet access.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said point of service terminals are configured to access said Internet and to access and display said plurality of e-mail messages.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said point of service terminals further comprise a customer service application tier having at least one of a super passenger name record database, a low fare search module, a customer database, a trip planning module, a customer relationship management module, and a workflow module, wherein said super passenger name record database is configured to store travel reservation information, including flight reservation information, hotel reservation information, car rental information, passenger travel history information, and passenger fulfillment information.

6. A method of providing an integrated travel industry solution, comprising the steps of:

providing an integrated travel network having an integrated travel network connection, wherein said integrated travel network connection connects to a plurality of Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites independent from a particular computer system, such that said plurality of travel counselors have access to said travel vendor databases and said GDSs, wherein said integrated travel network connection is accomplished via a frame relay network having a plurality of centralized hub sites, wherein each of said plurality of centralized hub sites comprises a hub site network connection, a transport mechanism, and a redundant data center, and uses an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone to communicate with the other centralized hub sites,

configuring said redundant data center of each of said plurality of centralized hub sites to store a database for each of said plurality of GDSs;

connecting, using said integrated travel network connection, a first remote travel office site to said integrated travel network;

connecting, using said integrated travel network connection, a second remote travel office site to said integrated travel network;

providing a first point of service terminal at said first remote travel office site;

providing a second point of service terminal at said second remote travel office site, wherein said second point of service terminal is connected to said first point of service terminal such that said second point of service terminal can communicate with said first point of service terminal;

connecting, using said integrated travel network connection, each of said point of service terminals to at least one of said plurality of centralized hub sites, such that each of said point of service terminals is configured to access said plurality of GDSs, further configuring each of said point of service terminals to determine that a previously connected hub site is disabled and then automatically connect to an active centralized hub site; and

configuring each of said point of service terminals to have a GDS-independent travel agent user interface for managing a plurality of travel bookings, wherein each travel booking comprises one or more travel reservations for at least one of an airline reservation, a car rental reservation, a hotel reservation, a train reservation, a bus reservation, a limousine reservation, a cruise line reservation, a ferry reservation, and a conference center reservation, wherein said GDS-independent travel agent user interface is configured to allow simultaneous access, using said integrated travel network connection, to said plurality of GDSs for managing a single travel booking across said plurality of GDSs, whereby said GDS-independent travel agent user interface provides a single source for accessing, using said integrated travel network connection, a plurality of travel services; and

further configuring each of said point of service terminals to translate information received from each of said plurality of GDSs into a format that is compatible with said GDS-independent travel agent user interface, further configuring each of said point of service terminals to translate inquiries received, using said network connection, from the GDS-independent travel agent user interface into a plurality of formats that are compatible with said plurality of GDSs, and further configuring each of said point of service terminals to automatically change, using said integrated travel network connection, said accessed GDS to a different GDS in order to meet a contracted minimum transaction amount.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising said step of connecting a plurality of travel vendors to at least one of said plurality of centralized hub sites.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of configuring said point of service terminals further comprises configuring said point of service terminals to have a customer service application tier having at least one of a super passenger name record database, a low fare search module, a customer database, a trip planning module, a customer relationship management module, and a workflow module, and configuring said super passenger name record database to store travel reservation information, including flight reservation information, hotel reservation information, car rental information, passenger travel history information, and passenger fulfillment information.

9. A method of providing access to a plurality of travel services in a manner that is independent from any particular computer system, wherein said plurality of travel services include services provided by a plurality of airlines, a plurality of car rental companies, and a plurality of hotels, comprising the steps of:

providing an integrated travel network having an integrated travel network connection, wherein said integrated travel network connection connects to a plurality of Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites independent from any particular computer system, such that said plurality of travel counselors have access to said travel vendor databases and said GDSs, wherein said integrated travel network connection is accomplished via a frame relay network having a plurality of centralized hub sites, wherein each of said plurality of centralized hub sites comprises a hub site network connection, a transport mechanism, and a redundant data center, and uses an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone to communicate with the other centralized hub sites;

configuring said redundant data center of each of said plurality of centralized hub sites to store a database for said plurality of GDSs;

connecting, using said integrated travel network connection, a first multi-use terminal to one of said plurality of centralized hub sites;

connecting, using said integrated travel network connection, a second multi-use terminal to one of said plurality of centralized hub sites, wherein said second multi-use terminal is connected to said first multi-use terminal such that said second multi-use terminal can communicate with said first multi-use terminal;

configuring each of said multi-use terminals to determine that a previously connected hub site is disabled and then automatically connect, using said integrated travel network connection, to an active centralized hub site; and

configuring each of said multi-use terminals to access, using said integrated travel network connection, each of said plurality of GDSs and further configuring each of said multi-use terminals to have a GDS-independent travel agent user interface for managing a plurality of travel bookings, wherein each travel booking comprises one or more travel reservations for at least one of an airline reservation, a car rental reservation, a hotel reservation, a train reservation, a bus reservation, a limousine reservation, a cruise line reservation, a ferry reservation, and a conference center reservation, wherein said GDS-independent travel agent user interface is configured to allow simultaneous access, using said integrated travel network connection, to said plurality of GDSs for managing a single travel booking across said plurality of GDSs, whereby said GDS-indevendent travel agent user interface provides a single source for accessing said plurality of travel services; and

further configuring each of said multi-use terminals to translate information received from each of said plurality of GDSs into a format that is compatible with said GDS-independent travel agent user interface, further configuring each of said multi-use terminals to translate inquiries received from the GDS-independent travel agent user interface into a plurality of formats that are compatible with said plurality of GDSs, and further configuring each of said multi-use terminals to automatically change, using said integrated travel network connection, said accessed GDS to a different GDS in order to meet a contracted minimum transaction amount.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of configuring said multi-use terminals further comprises configuring said multi-use terminals to have a customer service application tier having at least one of a super passenger name record database, a low fare search module, a customer database, a trip planning module, a customer relationship management module, and a workflow module, and configuring said super passenger name record database to store travel reservation information, including flight reservation information, hotel reservation information, car rental information, passenger travel history information, and passenger fulfillment information.

11. An integrated travel industry system comprising:

an integrated travel network having an integrated travel network connection, wherein said integrated travel network connection connects to a plurality of Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites independent from a particular computer system, such that said plurality of travel counselors have access to said travel vendor databases and said GDSs wherein said integrated travel network connection is accomplished via a frame relay network having a plurality of centralized hub sites, wherein each of said plurality of centralized hub sites comprises a hub site network connection, a transport mechanism, and a redundant data center, uses an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone to communicate with the other centralized hub sites,

wherein said redundant data center of each of said plurality of centralized hub sites is configured to store a database for said plurality of GDSs;

wherein said integrated travel network communicates, using said integrated travel network connection, with a remote travel office site, wherein said remote travel office site comprises a point of service terminal communicating, using said integrated travel network connection, with at least one of said plurality of centralized hub sites of said integrated travel network, such that said point of service terminal is configured to access, using said integrated travel network connection, each of said plurality of GDSs, wherein said point of service terminal is further configured to determine that a previously connected hub site is disabled and then automatically connect, using said integrated travel network connection, to an active centralized hub site; and

wherein said point of service terminal comprises a GDS-independent travel agent user interface for managing a plurality of travel bookings, wherein each travel booking comprises one or more travel reservations for at least one of an airline reservation, a car rental reservation, a hotel reservation, a train reservation, a bus reservation, a limousine reservation, a cruise line reservation, a ferry reservation, and a conference center reservation, wherein said GDS-independent travel agent user interface is configured to allow simultaneous access, using said integrated travel network connection, to said plurality of GDSs for managing a single travel booking across said plurality of GDSs, whereby said GDS-independent travel agent user interface provides a single source for accessing, using said integrated travel network connection, a plurality of travel services;

wherein said point of service terminal is configured to translate information received from each of said plurality of GDSs into a format that is compatible with said GDS-independent travel agent user interface, wherein said point of service terminal is further configured to translate inquiries received from the GDS-independent travel agent user interface into a plurality of formats that are compatible with said plurality of GDSs, and wherein said point of service terminal is further configured to automatically change, using said integrated travel network connection, said accessed GDS to a different GDS in order to meet a contracted minimum transaction amount.

12. An integrated travel industry system comprising:

an integrated travel network having an integrated travel network connection, wherein said integrated travel network connection connects to a plurality of Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites independent from a particular computer system, such that said plurality of travel counselors have access to said travel vendor databases and said GDSs, wherein said integrated travel network connection is accomplished via a frame relay network having a plurality of centralized hub sites, wherein each of said plurality of centralized hub sites comprises a hub site network connection, a transport mechanism, and a redundant data center, and uses an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone to communicate with the other centralized hub sites, wherein said redundant data center of each of said plurality of centralized hub sites is configured to store a database for said plurality of GDSs;

a remote travel office site communicating with said integrated travel network and having a point of service terminal which is configured to determine that a previously connected hub site is disabled and then automatically connect, using said integrated travel network connection, to an active centralized hub site; and

wherein said point of service terminal comprises a GDS-independent travel agent user interface for managing a plurality of travel bookings, wherein each travel booking comprises one or more travel reservations for at least one of an airline reservation, a car rental reservation, a hotel reservation, a train reservation, a bus reservation, a limousine reservation, a cruise line reservation, a ferry reservation, and a conference center reservation, wherein said GDS-independent travel agent user interface is configured to allow simultaneous access, using said integrated travel network connection, to said plurality of GDSs for managing a single travel booking across said plurality of GDSs, whereby said GDS-independent travel agent user interface provides a single source for accessing, using said integrated travel network connection, a plurality of travel services;

wherein said point of service terminal is configured to translate information received from each of said plurality of GDSs into a format that is compatible with said GDS-indevendent travel agent user interface, wherein said point of service terminal is further configured to translate inquiries received from the GDS-indevendent travel agent user interface into a plurality of formats that are compatible with said plurality of GDSs, and wherein said point of service terminal is further configured to automatically change, using said integrated travel network connection, said accessed GDS to a different GDS in order to meet a contracted minimum transaction amount.