System and method for processing trip requests

• US 7,805,323 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• 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:
  US10/347,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,811 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 includes multi-purpose point of service terminals that provide a plurality of modules for various travel related applications such as an integrated e-mail booking 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 a low fare search module.

Claims

1. A method for processing a trip request having trip information, 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 the contractual requirement is embodied in a configuration item;

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

receiving, using the connection, a weightings policy for a traveler;

receiving, using the connection, a plurality of travel policies for an employer of the traveler;

receiving the trip request from the traveler;

automatically building a plurality of travel options for a trip utilizing the plurality of travel policies of the employer of the traveler, wherein the plurality of travel policies comprise a plurality of criteria including negotiated contract pricing information and flight window timing, and wherein the plurality of travel options are determined by applying the negotiated contract pricing information and the flight window timing;

sorting the plurality of travel options in a weighted hierarchy based on the weightings policy;

automatically routing the trip request and the plurality of sorted options to a travel counselor;

checking, using the connection, for other trip requests for the traveler; and

completing the trip request utilizing the trip information and the plurality of sorted options;

verifying that the trip request is fulfilled without modification;

achieving compliance with a negotiated contract; and

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

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of routing comprises routing the trip request to an available travel counselor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of routing comprises routing the trip request to a skilled travel counselor.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of monitoring a pre-specified location for the trip request.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising presenting the trip request to a POS terminal via a screen pop.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of populating the screen pop with the trip information.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of setting, by the travel counselor, a status of the trip request.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of checking the status of the trip request.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of viewing a plurality of trip requests for a plurality of travelers.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of filling out a trip request form with the trip information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of filling out comprises utilizing a formatted trip request form to provide the trip information;

and further comprising the step of submitting the formatted trip request form via an Internet.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of filling out comprises utilizing an email template to fill out the trip request form with the trip information;

and further comprising the step of submitting the email template via an email.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of filling out comprises utilizing an unformatted message to fill out the trip request form with the trip information;

and further comprising the step of submitting the unformatted message via an email.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing comprises mandating contract compliance.

14. An article of manufacture including a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

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 the contractual requirement is embodied in a configuration item;

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

receiving, using the connection, a weightings policy for a traveler;

receiving, using the connection, a plurality of travel policies for an employer of the traveler

receiving the trip request from the traveler;

automatically building a plurality of travel options for a trip utilizing the plurality of travel policies of the employer of the traveler, wherein the plurality of travel policies comprise a plurality of criteria including negotiated contract pricing information and flight window timing, and wherein the plurality of travel options are determined by applying the negotiated contract pricing information and the flight window timing;

sorting the plurality of travel options in a weighted hierarchy based on the weightings policy;

automatically routing the trip request and the plurality of sorted options to an available travel counselor;

checking, using the connection, for other trip requests for the traveler;

completing the trip request utilizing the trip information and the plurality of sorted options;

verifying that the trip request is fulfilled without modification;

achieving compliance with a negotiated contract; and

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

15. A method for processing a trip request, 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 the contractual requirement is embodied in a configuration item;

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

verifying that the trip request is fulfilled without modification;

achieving compliance with a negotiated contract; and

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

16. The method of claim 15, 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.

17. The method of claim 15, 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.

18. The method of claim 17, 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.

19. The method of claim 15, 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.