System and method for facilitating transactions among consumers and providers of travel services
First Claim
1. A system for facilitating a transaction among a consumer and a provider of travel-related services comprising:
- a booking engine in communication with a technology provider, wherein said technology provider is in communication with a provider of travel-related services, and wherein said technology provider is configured to operate independently from said provider of travel-related services and said booking engine to minimize updates for said booking engine, and wherein said technology provider is configured to facilitate receipt, maintenance and provision of information regarding available travel-related services, wherein said technology provider retrieves said information by connecting to a plurality of global distribution systems (GDS), travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites such that the plurality of travel counselors have access to the travel vendor databases and the plurality of GDSs, wherein the connection is accomplished via a frame relay network having hubsites and using an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone and multiple redundant data centers;
wherein the connection further includes a translation server configured to communicate natively with the plurality of GDSs, travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites;
wherein the translation server is configured to communicate with the plurality of GDSs, travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites via at least one of;
(i) XML, (ii) a native application programming interface (API), or (iii) an open standard alliance;
switching among GDSs for the trip request, using the connection, in response to a configuration item which identifies a particular GDS based upon minimum transaction requirement;
said booking engine is configured to receive a request from an agent in communication with said booking engine, retrieve information from said technology provider in accordance with said request, present said retrieved information to said agent, and facilitate a transaction between said agent and said provider of travel-related services; and
,wherein said retrieved information comprises information content responsive to said request from said agent, and an information format configured for presenting said information content.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for facilitating transactions among consumers and providers of travel-related services includes a technology provider and a host in communication with an agent and a provider of travel-related services. The technology provider is configured for operating independently from any provider of travel-related services. The host is configured for receiving a request from the agent, retrieving one or more displays from the technology provider, presenting the displays to the agent, and facilitating a transaction among the consumer and the provider of travel-related services. A display comprises an information content such as available inventory from a predefined carrier within a predefined time period. The display may be configured for excluding content, for example, in accordance with a predefined editing criteria. The format may be configured for presenting information in accordance with one or more predefined ranking criteria, which may be a discriminatory criteria, such as an identity of a carrier.
183 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for facilitating a transaction among a consumer and a provider of travel-related services comprising:
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a booking engine in communication with a technology provider, wherein said technology provider is in communication with a provider of travel-related services, and wherein said technology provider is configured to operate independently from said provider of travel-related services and said booking engine to minimize updates for said booking engine, and wherein said technology provider is configured to facilitate receipt, maintenance and provision of information regarding available travel-related services, wherein said technology provider retrieves said information by connecting to a plurality of global distribution systems (GDS), travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites such that the plurality of travel counselors have access to the travel vendor databases and the plurality of GDSs, wherein the connection is accomplished via a frame relay network having hubsites and using an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone and multiple redundant data centers; wherein the connection further includes a translation server configured to communicate natively with the plurality of GDSs, travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites; wherein the translation server is configured to communicate with the plurality of GDSs, travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites via at least one of;
(i) XML, (ii) a native application programming interface (API), or (iii) an open standard alliance;switching among GDSs for the trip request, using the connection, in response to a configuration item which identifies a particular GDS based upon minimum transaction requirement; said booking engine is configured to receive a request from an agent in communication with said booking engine, retrieve information from said technology provider in accordance with said request, present said retrieved information to said agent, and facilitate a transaction between said agent and said provider of travel-related services; and
,wherein said retrieved information comprises information content responsive to said request from said agent, and an information format configured for presenting said information content. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for facilitating a transaction among a consumer and a provider of travel-related services comprising:
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receiving a request from an agent; retrieving information from a technology provider, wherein said technology provider receives information regarding available travel-related services and, wherein said technology partner is independent from said booking engine and said provider of travel-related services and, wherein said information is received by said technology provider by connecting to a plurality of global distribution systems (GDS), travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites such that the plurality of travel counselors have access to the travel vendor databases and the plurality of GDSs, wherein the connection is accomplished via a frame relay network having hubsites and using an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone and multiple redundant data centers; wherein the connection further includes a translation server configured to communicate natively with the plurality of GDSs, travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites; wherein the translation server is configured to communicate with the plurality of GDSs, travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites via at least one of;
(i) XML, (ii) a native application programming interface (API), or (iii) an open standard alliance;switching among GDSs for the trip request, using the connection, in response to a configuration item which identifies a particular GDS based upon minimum transaction requirement; defining an information content and an information format; presenting said retrieved information to an agent and excluding information that has been selected for exclusion; receiving, from said agent, an order configured for reserving a service for said consumer; updating a database to reflect said reservation of said service; reducing an inventory, maintained on a database, of available services; sending, to said agent, information to enable said consumer to utilize said service; receiving a payment on behalf of said agent; and distributing fees and commissions among said agent and said provider of travel-related services. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification