System and method for processing trip requests

• US 7,761,314 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Schultz, Debbie L., Fitzgerald, Matt, Garcia, Philip A., Laughlin, Michael Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAMPBELL, SHANNON S
• Application Number:
  US11/468,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20060287880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 705/1.1
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/14 Travel agencies

Abstract

A system and method for planning trips and for processing trip requests that utilizes a centralized network for facilitating travel reservations and/or services. The system and method allow for the integration of various and disparate travel related applications to enable sophisticated travel booking processes. In various embodiments, a translation server is used to aggregate data from disparate sources and optimal travel arrangements are provided responsive to the data.

Claims

1. A method of planning a trip for a traveler, comprising the steps of:

connecting, using a connection, 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), and (iii) an open standard alliance;

wherein the translation server is configured to communicate with each of the hubsites;

receiving the trip request, using the connection, via email;

parsing, by a trip module, the trip request to obtain trip request data;

selecting, using the trip module comprising a processor and a data store, among GDSs for the trip request, using the connection, based upon a comparison of a prior trip request and a contractual requirement, wherein said contractual requirement is embodied in a configuration item;

storing, in said data store of said trip module, the selected GDS;

automatically receiving negotiated contract pricing information;

receiving a trip request with trip information for the trip, wherein the receiving step comprises;

scanning a queue containing a plurality of messages;

identifying a message that contains the trip request for the traveler, wherein the trip request comprises unformatted trip information;

deleting a record that does not contain the trip request;

extracting the unformatted trip information from the identified message;

converting the unformatted trip information into a formatted trip request;

determining whether the trip request is a new trip request or a modified trip request;

checking for conflicting trip requests for the traveler, wherein the step of checking comprises;

identifying and retrieving stored trip requests for the traveler from a database containing a plurality of trip requests for a plurality of travelers;

comparing trip information from the stored trip requests to the trip information from the received trip request; and

identifying conflicting trip requests based on the comparison of the trip information from the stored trip requests to the trip information from the received trip request;

setting a status for the trip request;

matching the formatted trip request to a designated queue using skill based routing rules;

forwarding the formatted trip request to the matched queue for a next available travel counselor to process;

populating a screen pop with the trip information, using the connection;

determining an available travel counselor from a plurality of travel counselors;

presenting the screen pop to the available travel counselor, using the connection;

searching, using the connection, for an air itinerary for the trip;

determining, using the connection, a plurality of air travel options for the air itinerary by utilizing a policy, wherein the policy comprises a plurality of criteria including the negotiated contract pricing information and flight window timing, and wherein the plurality of air travel options are determined by applying the negotiated contract pricing information and the flight window timing;

displaying the plurality of air travel options for the air itinerary, wherein the plurality of options are displayed based upon a first weighted hierarchy wherein the first weighted hierarchy weighs certain criteria including the policy, price, travel distance, travel time, travel duration, and vendor preferences;

searching, using the connection, for a car itinerary for the trip and displaying a plurality of car options for the car itinerary, wherein the plurality of car options are displayed in a second weighted hierarchy based on the policy;

selecting one of the plurality of air travel options and one of the plurality of car options using the connection;

booking, using the connection, the selected air travel option and the selected car option verifying that the trip request is fulfilled without modification;

confirming that compliance is achieved with a negotiated contract; and

processing a second trip request, using the trip module, based upon said selected GDS and said contractual requirement.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of displaying a plurality of air travel options, the policy comprises a company policy for the traveler.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps are repeated for a plurality of trips.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of searching for an air itinerary and searching for a car itinerary, are performed by clicking once on a button of a user interface for a software application.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising propagating a user profile update via the translation server to the plurality of GDSs, travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising propagating a pricing structure update via the translation server to the plurality of GDSs, travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying to obtain trip information from the plurality of GDSs, travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving stored trip requests for display to the agent, using the connection, wherein the retrieving is from the plurality of GDSs, travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a telephony function which is independent of the plurality of GDSs.

5. A method of planning a trip for a traveler, comprising the steps of:

connecting, using a connection, 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), and (iii) an open standard alliance;

wherein the translation server is configured to communicate with each of the hubsites;

receiving the trip request, using the connection, via email;

parsing, by a trip module, the trip request to obtain trip request data;

selecting, using the trip module comprising a processor and a data store, among GDSs for the trip request, using the connection, based upon a comparison of a prior trip request and a contractual requirement, wherein said contractual requirement is embodied in a configuration item;

storing, in said data store of said trip module, the selected GDS;

receiving a trip request with trip information for the trip, wherein the receiving step comprises;

scanning a queue containing a plurality of messages;

identifying a message that contains the trip request for the traveler, wherein the trip request comprises unformatted trip information;

deleting a record that does not contain the trip request;

extracting the unformatted trip information from the identified message;

converting the unformatted trip information into a formatted trip request;

determining whether the trip request is a new trip request or a modified trip request;

checking for conflicting trip requests for the traveler, wherein the step of checking comprises;

identifying and retrieving stored trip requests for the traveler from a database containing a plurality of trip requests for a plurality of travelers;

comparing trip information from the stored trip requests to the trip information from the received trip request; and

identifying conflicting trip requests based on the comparison of the trip information from the stored trip requests to the trip information from the received trip request;

setting a status for the trip request;

matching the formatted trip request to a designated queue using skill based routing rules;

forwarding the formatted trip request to the matched queue for a next available travel counselor to process;

populating a screen pop with the trip information, using said connection;

determining an available travel counselor from a plurality of travel counselors;

presenting the screen pop to the available travel counselor, using said connection;

searching for an air itinerary for the trip, using said connection;

determining, using said connection, a plurality of air travel options for the air itinerary by utilizing a policy, wherein the policy comprises a plurality of criteria including negotiated contract pricing and flight window timing, and wherein the plurality of air travel options are determined by applying the negotiated contract pricing and the flight window timing to the air itinerary;

displaying, using said connection, the plurality of air travel options for the air itinerary, wherein the plurality of options are displayed based upon a first weighted hierarchy wherein the first weighted hierarchy weighs certain criteria including the policy, price, travel distance, travel time, travel duration, and vendor preferences;

searching, using said connection, for a limousine itinerary for the trip and displaying a plurality of limousine options for the limousine itinerary, wherein the plurality of limousine options are displayed in a second weighted hierarchy based on the policy;

verifying that the trip request is fulfilled without modification;

confirming that compliance is achieved with a negotiated contract; and

processing a second trip request, using the trip module, based upon said selected GDS and said contractual requirement.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein in the step of displaying a plurality of air travel options, the policy comprises a company policy for the traveler.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the steps are repeated for a plurality of trips.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the steps of searching for an air itinerary and searching for a limousine itinerary, are performed by clicking once on a button of a user interface for a software application.

9. A method of planning a trip for a traveler, comprising the steps of:

connecting, using a connection, 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), and (iii) an open standard alliance;

wherein the translation server is configured to communicate with each of the hubsites;

receiving the trip request, using the connection, via email;

parsing, by a trip module, the trip request to obtain trip request data;

selecting, using the trip module comprising a processor and a data store, among GDSs for the trip request, using the connection, based upon a comparison of a prior trip request and a contractual requirement, wherein said contractual requirement is embodied in a configuration item;

storing, in said data store of said trip module, the selected GDS;

receiving a trip request with trip information for the trip, wherein the receiving step comprises;

scanning a queue containing a plurality of messages;

identifying a message that contains the trip request for the traveler, wherein the trip request comprises unformatted trip information;

deleting a record that does not contain the trip request;

extracting the unformatted trip information from the identified message;

converting the unformatted trip information into a formatted trip request;

determining whether the trip request is a new trip request or a modified trip request;

checking for conflicting trip requests for the traveler, wherein the step of checking comprises;

identifying and retrieving stored trip requests for the traveler from a database containing a plurality of trip requests for a plurality of travelers;

comparing trip information from the stored trip requests to the trip information from the received trip request; and

identifying conflicting trip requests based on the comparison of the trip information from the stored trip requests to the trip information from the received trip request;

setting a status for the trip request;

matching the formatted trip request to a designated queue using skill based routing rules;

forwarding the formatted trip request to the matched queue for a next available travel counselor to process;

populating a screen pop with the trip information, using said connection;

determining an available travel counselor from a plurality of travel counselors;

presenting the screen pop to the available travel counselor, using said connection;

searching, using said connection, for an air itinerary for the trip;

determining, using said connection, a plurality of air travel options for the air itinerary by utilizing a policy, wherein the policy comprises a plurality of criteria including negotiated contract pricing and flight window timing, and wherein the plurality of air travel options are determined by applying the negotiated contract pricing and the flight window timing to the air itinerary;

displaying, using said connection, the plurality of air travel options for the air itinerary, wherein the plurality of options are displayed based upon a first weighted hierarchy wherein the first weighted hierarchy weighs certain criteria including the policy, price, travel distance, travel time, travel duration, and vendor preferences; and

searching, using said connection, for a hotel itinerary for the trip and displaying a plurality of hotel options for the hotel itinerary, wherein the plurality of hotel options are displayed in a second weighted hierarchy based on the policy;

verifying that the trip request is fulfilled without modification;

confirming that compliance is achieved with a negotiated contract; and

processing a second trip request, using the trip module, based upon said selected GDS and said contractual requirement.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein in the step of displaying a plurality of air travel options, the policy comprises a company policy for the traveler.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the steps are repeated for a plurality of trips.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the steps of searching for an air itinerary and searching for a hotel itinerary, are performed by clicking once on a button of a user interface for a software application.