System and method for automating travel agent operations

• US 7,769,611 B1
• Filed: 11/03/2000
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Spinac, Clifford Jay, Rodriguez, Herman, Smith, Newton James Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, AKIBA KANELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/704,569
• Time in Patent Office: 3,560 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/8, 705/9, 705/10, 705/1, 705/6, 705/5
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/14 Travel agencies
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00

Abstract

A system and method for automatically performing actions in response to a user making travel arrangements. Delivery services, such as postal and parcel services, are instructed to take certain actions while the user is traveling. For example, the delivery can be instructed to hold packages for pickup by the user, deliver the packages to the user when the user returns, or forward the packages to another location. In addition, a system and method for notifying a company mailroom with travel instructions is included. An electronic calendar is automatically updated with information related to the user'"'"'s travel plans. Other users with access to the calendar can view the user'"'"'s travel agenda. The user can gather travel specific details from the calendar for use in traveling, for example the flight and hotel information, is readily available. The user'"'"'s telephone can also be configured as preferred by the user. Calls can be forwarded to the user'"'"'s travel location, voice mail greetings can be updated to reflect the user'"'"'s out-of-office status, and backup and emergency information can be updated. Destination information such as driving information, GPS data for use by GPS devices, medical services information, and civic, cultural, or attraction information can be downloaded to the user for use while at the destination.

Claims

1. A method of handling travel arrangements, said method comprising:

scheduling the travel arrangements using a computer system;

recording the scheduled travel arrangements on a nonvolatile storage device connected to the computer system; and

sending one or more automated requests corresponding to the travel arrangements from the computer system to one or more service agents, wherein the automated requests are based on a traveler'"'"'s user profile, and wherein at least one of the service agents are selected from the group consisting of a delivery service agent, a telephone system, an electronic calendar system, and a medical information system;

wherein the delivery service agent includes one or more parcel services, and

wherein the automated requests include one of holding packages for customer pickup, delivering packages on a future date, and leaving packages with a neighbor.

2. A method of handling travel arrangements, said method comprising:

scheduling the travel arrangements using a computer system;

recording the scheduled travel arrangements on a nonvolatile storage device connected to the computer system; and

sending one or more automated requests corresponding to the travel arrangements from the computer system to one or more service agents, wherein the automated requests are based on a traveler'"'"'s user profile, and wherein at least one of the service agents are selected from the group consisting of a delivery service agent, a telephone system, an electronic calendar system, and a medical information system;

wherein the delivery service agent includes a post office, and

wherein the automated requests include at least one of holding mail for customer pickup, delivering mail on a future date, and forwarding mail to another address.

3. A method of handling travel arrangements, said method comprising:

scheduling the travel arrangements using a computer system;

recording the scheduled travel arrangements on a nonvolatile storage device connected to the computer system; and

sending one or more automated requests corresponding to the travel arrangements from the computer system to one or more service agents, wherein the automated requests are based on a traveler'"'"'s user profile, and wherein at least one of the service agents are selected from the group consisting of a delivery service agent, a telephone system, an electronic calendar system, and a medical information system;

wherein the service agents include one or more of the telephone systems and

wherein the sending automated requests include configuring instructions corresponding to a telephone.

4. A method of handling travel arrangements, said method comprising:

scheduling the travel arrangements using a computer system;

recording the scheduled travel arrangements on a nonvolatile storage device connected to the computer system; and

sending one or more automated requests corresponding to the travel arrangements from the computer system to one or more service agents, wherein the automated requests are based on a traveler'"'"'s user profile, and wherein at least one of the service agents are selected from the group consisting of a delivery service agent, a telephone system, an electronic calendar system, and a medical information system;

wherein the service agents include one or more of the telephone systems and wherein the sending automated requests include configuring instructions corresponding to a telephone; and

wherein the configuring requests include at least one of changing a voicemail greeting, forwarding calls received at a first phone number to a second phone number, transferring a caller to an alternate phone number, and providing the caller with an emergency contact.

5. A method of handling travel arrangements, said method comprising:

scheduling the travel arrangements using a computer system;

recording the scheduled travel arrangements on a nonvolatile storage device connected to the computer system; and

sending one or more automated requests corresponding to the travel arrangements from the computer system to one or more service agents, wherein the automated requests are based on a traveler'"'"'s user profile, and wherein at least one of the service agents are selected from the group consisting of a delivery service agent, a telephone system, an electronic calendar system, and a medical information system;

wherein the service agents include one or more of the telephone systems and wherein the sending automated requests include configuring instructions corresponding to a telephone; and

registering the telephone with an email system prior to the configuring, wherein the registering includes sending a message to the email system.

6. A method of handling travel arrangements, said method comprising:

scheduling the travel arrangements using a computer system;

recording the scheduled travel arrangements on a nonvolatile storage device connected to the computer system; and

sending one or more automated requests corresponding to the travel arrangements from the computer system to one or more service agents, wherein the automated requests are based on a traveler'"'"'s user profile, and wherein at least one of the service agents are selected from the group consisting of a delivery service agent, a telephone system, an electronic calendar system, and a medical information system;

wherein the service agents include one or more of the telephone systems and wherein the sending automated requests include configuring instructions corresponding to a telephone; and

setting a backup contact name, wherein the backup contact name corresponds with an alternate phone number; and

receiving a predefined signal from a calling telephone requesting the transferring to the alternate phone number.

7. A method of handling travel arrangements, said method comprising:

scheduling the travel arrangements using a computer system;

recording the scheduled travel arrangements on a nonvolatile storage device connected to the computer system;

sending one or more automated requests corresponding to the travel arrangements from the computer system to one or more service agents, wherein the automated requests are based on a traveler'"'"'s user profile, and wherein at least one of the service agents are selected from the group consisting of a delivery service agent, a telephone system, an electronic calendar system, and a medical information system;

receiving the automated request at the medical information system; and

downloading destination related medical information to a computing device that is accessible by a user in response to the received request.

8. A method of handling travel arrangements, said method comprising:

scheduling the travel arrangements using a computer system;

recording the scheduled travel arrangements on a nonvolatile storage device connected to the computer system; and

sending one or more automated requests corresponding to the travel arrangements from the computer system to one or more service agents, wherein the automated requests are based on a traveler'"'"'s user profile, and wherein at least one of the service agents are selected from the group consisting of a delivery service agent, a telephone system, an electronic calendar system, and a medical information system; and

wherein the medical information corresponds with one or more medical services offered at a travel destination.

9. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a nonvolatile storage device accessible by the processors; and

a travel automation tool, the travel automation tool including;

means for scheduling travel arrangements using a computer system;

means for recording the scheduled travel arrangements on the nonvolatile storage device;

means for sending one or more automated requests corresponding to the travel arrangements from the computer system to one or more service agents, wherein the automated requests are based on a traveler'"'"'s user profile, and wherein at least one of the service agents are selected from the group consisting of a delivery service agent, a telephone system, an electronic calendar system, and a medical information system;

means for receiving the automated request at a second information handling system;

means for searching a database connected to the second information handling system for requested information; and

means for downloading destination related medical information resulting from the searching to a computing device that is accessible by a user.

10. A computer program product stored in a computer storage media, the computer storage media containing instructions for execution by a computer, which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to implement a method for handling travel arrangements, said method comprising:

scheduling the travel arrangements using a computer system;

recording the scheduled travel arrangements on a nonvolatile storage device connected to the computer system; and

sending one or more automated requests corresponding to the travel arrangements from the computer system to one or more service agents, wherein the automated requests are based on a traveler'"'"'s user profile, and wherein at least one of the service agents are selected from the group consisting of a delivery service agent, a telephone system, an electronic calendar system, and a medical information system;

wherein the service agents include one or more of the telephone systems and

wherein the sending automated requests include configuring a telephone based on the automated requests.

11. A method of handling travel arrangements, said method comprising:

scheduling the travel arrangements using a computer system;

recording the scheduled travel arrangements on a nonvolatile storage device connected to the computer system; and

sending one or more automated requests corresponding to the travel arrangements from the computer system to one or more service agents, wherein the automated requests are based on a traveler'"'"'s user profile, and wherein at least one of the service agents are selected from the group consisting of a delivery service agent, a telephone system, an electronic calendar system, and a medical information system;

wherein one of the automated requests results in increasing a user'"'"'s electronic wallet balance and decreasing a user'"'"'s bank account balance, the user corresponding to the travel arrangements.

12. A method of handling travel arrangements, said method comprising:

scheduling the travel arrangements using a computer system;

recording the scheduled travel arrangements on a nonvolatile storage device connected to the computer system;

sending one or more automated requests corresponding to the travel arrangements from the computer system to one or more service agents, wherein the automated requests are based on a traveler'"'"'s user profile, and wherein at least one of the service agents are selected from the group consisting of a delivery service agent, a telephone system, an electronic calendar system, and a medical information system;

receiving the automated request at the electronic calendar system; and

updating an electronic calendar maintained by the electronic calendar system with information related to the travel arrangements.