System and method of matching vehicle ratings using a central database

• US 7,676,494 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: U-Haul International Incorporated (U-Haul Holding Co.)
• Original Assignee: U-Haul International Incorporated (U-Haul Holding Co.)
• Inventors: Bierman, Eric L., Dilgard, David M., Long, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene; John E
• Assistant Examiner(s): MYINT, DENNIS Y
• Application Number:
  US10/674,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,353 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 701/29, 701/214, 707/104.1, 707/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A computer reservation system matches vehicle ratings using a central database. Vehicle information and rental equipment information are stored in the central database. A user specifies a vehicle description including make, model, and year of the vehicle on a website. The central database is searched based on the vehicle description to find related vehicle information including physical characteristics of the vehicle. The rental equipment in the central database is identified which is compatible with the vehicle as determined by a comparison of the rental equipment information to the vehicle information. The physical characteristics of the vehicle are compared to physical characteristics of the rental equipment to determine compatibility between the vehicle and the rental equipment. The compatible rental equipment is displayed on the website for the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of matching vehicle ratings to rental equipment using a central database, comprising:

storing vehicle information and rental equipment information in the central database;

providing a website for a user to specify a description of a vehicle;

retrieving the vehicle information from the central database based on the description of the vehicle as specified by the user;

searching the central database based on the vehicle information retrieved from the central database to identify rental equipment in the central database which is compatible with the user-specified vehicle by a computer-implemented comparison of the rental equipment information to the vehicle information, wherein the computer implemented method selects the rental equipment based on compatible attributes between the rental equipment information and vehicle information, including height of the vehicle and hitch assembly, length and width of the vehicle, weight ratio, electrical wiring harness, ground clearance, engine size, drive configuration, wheel base, and towing capacity; and

displaying the compatible rental equipment on the website.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the description of the vehicle includes make, model, and year of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 further including the step of providing a webpage to enter the make, model, and year of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle information in the central database includes physical characteristics of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the physical characteristics of the vehicle include height, width, length, weight, and ground clearance.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the physical characteristics of the vehicle are compared to physical characteristics of the rental equipment to determine compatibility between the vehicle and the rental equipment.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the central database resides on a first computer system.

8. The method of claim 7 further including:

entering the description of the vehicle on a second computer system remote from the first computer system;

sending the description of the vehicle to the first computer system through a communication network;

sending a listing of the compatible rental equipment to the second computer system through the communication network; and

displaying the listing of the compatible rental equipment on the second computer system.

9. The method of claim 8 further including:

determining a need for additional information based on a search of the central database with the description of the vehicle; and

requesting the additional information from a user operating the second computer system.

10. A computer-implemented method of matching vehicle information to equipment, comprising:

receiving a description of a vehicle from a user;

searching a central database based on the description of the vehicle to identify equipment in the central database which is compatible with the vehicle by a computer-implemented comparison of the equipment to the vehicle information, wherein the computer-implemented method selects the equipment based on compatible attributes between the equipment and vehicle information, including at least one attribute from the group consisting of height of the vehicle and hitch assembly, length and width of the vehicle, weight ratio, electrical wiring harness, ground clearance, engine size, drive configuration, wheel base, and towing capacity; and

sending a listing of the compatible equipment to the user.

11. The method of claim 10 further including the step of storing vehicle information and equipment information on the central database.

12. The method of claim 10 further including the step of providing a website for the user to specify the description of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12 further including the step of displaying the compatible rental equipment on the website for the user.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the description of the vehicle includes make, model, and year of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the vehicle information in the central database includes physical characteristics of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the physical characteristics of the vehicle include height, width, length, weight, and ground clearance.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the physical characteristics of the vehicle are compared to physical characteristics of the equipment to determine compatibility between the vehicle and the equipment.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the central database resides on a first computer system.

19. The method of claim 18 further including:

entering the description of the vehicle on a second computer system remote from the first computer system;

sending the description of the vehicle to the first computer system through a communication network;

sending a listing of the compatible equipment to the second computer system through the communication network; and

displaying the listing of the compatible equipment on the second computer system.

20. The method of claim 19 further including:

determining a need for additional information based on a search of the central database with the description of the vehicle; and

requesting the additional information from the user operating the second computer system.

21. A computer-implemented method of matching a vehicle with rental equipment, comprising:

storing vehicle information and rental equipment information in a central database;

receiving a description of a vehicle from a website;

retrieving the vehicle information from the central database based on the description of the vehicle;

searching the central database based on the vehicle information retrieved from the central database to identify rental equipment which is compatible with the vehicle by a computer-implemented comparison of the rental equipment information to the vehicle information, wherein the computer-implemented method selects the rental equipment based on compatible attributes between the rental equipment information and vehicle information; and

displaying the compatible rental equipment on the website.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the description of the vehicle includes make, model, and year of the vehicle.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the vehicle information in the central database includes physical characteristics of the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the physical characteristics of the vehicle are compared to physical characteristics of the rental equipment to determine compatibility between the vehicle and the rental equipment.

25. A computer system, comprising:

means for storing vehicle information and equipment information in a central database;

means for providing a website;

means for receiving a description of a vehicle;

means for retrieving the vehicle information from the central database based on the description of the vehicle;

means for searching the central database based on the vehicle information retrieved from the central database to identify rental equipment in the central database which is compatible with the vehicle as determined by a computer-implemented comparison of the rental equipment to the vehicle information, wherein the computer-implemented method selects the rental equipment based on compatible attributes between the rental equipment information and vehicle information; and

means for displaying the compatible rental equipment on the website.

26. The computer system of claim 25 wherein the vehicle information in the central database includes physical characteristics of the vehicle.

27. The computer system of claim 26 wherein the physical characteristics of the vehicle are compared to physical characteristics of the rental equipment to determine compatibility between the vehicle and the rental equipment.

28. The computer system of claim 25 wherein the central database resides on a first computer system.

29. The computer system of claim 28 further including:

means for entering the description of the vehicle on a second computer system remote from the first computer system;

means for sending the description of the vehicle to the first computer system through a communication network;

means for sending a listing of the compatible equipment to the second computer system through the communication network; and

means for displaying the listing of the compatible equipment on the second computer system.

30. A mass storage device, comprising:

means for storing vehicle information and equipment information in a central database;

means for providing a website;

means for receiving a description of a vehicle;

means for retrieving the vehicle information from the central database based on the description of the vehicle;

means for searching the central database based on the vehicle information retrieved from the central database to identify rental equipment in the central database which is compatible with the vehicle as determined by a computer-implemented comparison of the rental equipment to the vehicle information, wherein the computer-implemented method selects the rental equipment based on compatible attributes between the rental equipment information and vehicle information; and

means for displaying the compatible rental equipment on the website.

31. The mass storage device of claim 30 wherein the vehicle information in the central database includes physical characteristics of the vehicle which are compared to physical characteristics of the rental equipment to determine compatibility between the vehicle and the rental equipment.