Extended web enabled business to business computer system for rental vehicle services
First Claim
1. An Internet-enabled rental vehicle reservation management system, the system comprising:
- an Internet web portal in communication with the Internet, wherein the Internet web portal is configured for access by an authorized purchaser computer via the Internet to provide a user of the authorized purchaser computer with an ability to book a rental vehicle reservation with any of a plurality of competitive rental vehicle service providers, wherein the Internet web portal is further configured to provide a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) menus to the authorized purchaser computer for display thereon, wherein at least one of the GUI menus is configured to accept a selection by the user as to which one of the plurality of competitive rental vehicle service providers that a rental vehicle reservation is to be booked with, and wherein the Internet web portal is further configured to transmit the rental vehicle reservation to the selected one of the competitive rental vehicle service providers;
a computer network operated by one of the competitive rental vehicle service providers, the computer network being in communication with the Internet web portal, the computer network comprising a mainframe that is configured to execute a rental vehicle software program;
wherein at least one of the GUI menus is configured to interface a user of the authorized purchaser computer with the rental vehicle software program; and
wherein the rental vehicle software program is configured to (1) automatically book, in response to input from the user, a rental vehicle reservation with the competitive rental vehicle service provider that operates the computer network without human intervention on the part of personnel of the competitive rental vehicle service provider that operates the computer network and (2) manage the booked rental vehicle reservation in response to input from the user.
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Abstract
An Internet enabled, business-to-business computerized transaction system is disclosed in its preferred embodiment for use in providing rental car services for high volume users and comprises an Internet web portal through which the high volume user may access a plurality of service providers including an integrated business computer network for at least one rental vehicle service provider. The rental vehicle services provider computer network is configured to interconnect a geographically diverse plurality of branch offices, cataloguing their available rental vehicles and schedules for same as well as handling all transactional data relating to its business. The Internet web portal provides ubiquitous connectivity and portability for a multi-level business organization who regularly places high volumes of rental purchases with its business partner and also those other service providers who may or may not have the same integrated business computer system and software. Utilizing the method and apparatus of the present invention large volumes of rental transactions may be placed, monitored, altered during performance, and closed out with financial accounting and payment being made virtually without human intervention.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. An Internet-enabled rental vehicle reservation management system, the system comprising:
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an Internet web portal in communication with the Internet, wherein the Internet web portal is configured for access by an authorized purchaser computer via the Internet to provide a user of the authorized purchaser computer with an ability to book a rental vehicle reservation with any of a plurality of competitive rental vehicle service providers, wherein the Internet web portal is further configured to provide a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) menus to the authorized purchaser computer for display thereon, wherein at least one of the GUI menus is configured to accept a selection by the user as to which one of the plurality of competitive rental vehicle service providers that a rental vehicle reservation is to be booked with, and wherein the Internet web portal is further configured to transmit the rental vehicle reservation to the selected one of the competitive rental vehicle service providers; a computer network operated by one of the competitive rental vehicle service providers, the computer network being in communication with the Internet web portal, the computer network comprising a mainframe that is configured to execute a rental vehicle software program; wherein at least one of the GUI menus is configured to interface a user of the authorized purchaser computer with the rental vehicle software program; and wherein the rental vehicle software program is configured to (1) automatically book, in response to input from the user, a rental vehicle reservation with the competitive rental vehicle service provider that operates the computer network without human intervention on the part of personnel of the competitive rental vehicle service provider that operates the computer network and (2) manage the booked rental vehicle reservation in response to input from the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for creating and managing a plurality of rental vehicle reservations, the method comprising:
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providing an Internet web portal in communication with an authorized purchaser computer via the Internet; providing a user of the authorized purchaser computer with an option through the Internet web portal to select a rental vehicle service provider with which to book a rental vehicle reservation from among a plurality of competitive rental vehicle service providers, wherein at least one of the competitive rental vehicle service providers maintains a computer network in communication with the Internet web portal, wherein the computer network comprises a rental vehicle software program; in response to a selection by the user of a competitive rental vehicle service provider that maintains the computer network, (1) interfacing the user with the rental vehicle software program via a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) menus that are displayed on the authorized purchaser computer, (2) receiving input at the Internet web portal from the user through the GUI menus, (3) in response to the received input, providing a series of commands to the rental vehicle software program, and (4) executing the rental vehicle software program in response to the series of commands to thereby (a) automatically book a rental vehicle reservation with the competitive rental vehicle service provider that maintains the computer network without human intervention on the part of personnel of the competitive rental vehicle service provider that maintains the computer network and (b) manage the booked rental vehicle reservation; and in response to a selection by the user of a different competitive rental vehicle service provider, transmitting a rental vehicle reservation from the user to the selected different competitive rental vehicle service provider through the Internet web portal. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification