System and method for processing trip requests

• US 7,996,248 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Laughlin, Michael Keith, Schultz, Debbie L., Garcia, Philip A., Fitzgerald, Matt
• Primary Examiner(s): Saliard, Shannon S
• Application Number:
  US12/870,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20100324921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 347 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, comprising:

receiving, by a computer-based system for processing a trip request having trip information, a trip request via email, wherein the computer-based system comprises a processor and non-transitory memory, wherein the receiving is via a connection to a plurality of hubsites using a translation server, wherein the translation server is configured to communicate natively with a plurality of global distribution systems (GDSs), travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites;

parsing, by the computer-based system, the trip request to obtain trip request data;

selecting, by the computer-based system, among the plurality of GDSs for the trip request based upon a comparison of a prior trip request and a contractual requirement;

storing, by the computer-based system, the selected GDS;

receiving, by the computer-based system, a weightings policy for a traveler;

building, by the computer-based system, a plurality of travel options for a trip utilizing a plurality of travel policies of an employer of the traveler;

sorting, by the computer-based system, the plurality of travel options in a weighted hierarchy based on the weightings policy;

routing, by the computer-based system, the trip request and the plurality of sorted options to a travel counselor; and

completing, by the computer-based system, the trip request utilizing the trip information and the plurality of sorted options.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving said trip request is received via a connection, 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.

3. The method of claim 1, 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.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the contractual requirement is embodied in a configuration item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the hubsites include the GDSs, travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites.

6. The method of claim 1, 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.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying that the trip request is fulfilled without modification.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising achieving compliance with a negotiated contract.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing a second trip request based upon the selected GDS and a contractual requirement.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a pre-specified location for the trip request.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the email includes an email template with a populated trip request form having the trip information.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying to obtain the trip information from 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 retrieving stored trip requests for display to the travel counselor, wherein the retrieving is 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 mandating contract compliance.

17. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer-based system for processing a trip request having trip information, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the computer-based system, a trip request via email, wherein the computer-based system comprises a processor and non-transitory memory, wherein the receiving is via a connection to a plurality of hubsites using a translation server, wherein the translation server is configured to communicate natively with a plurality of global distribution systems (GDSs), travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites;

parsing, by the computer-based system, the trip request to obtain trip request data;

selecting, by the computer-based system, among the plurality of GDSs for the trip request based upon a comparison of a prior trip request and a contractual requirement;

storing, by the computer-based system, the selected GDS;

receiving, by the computer-based system, a weightings policy for a traveler;

building, by the computer-based system, a plurality of travel options for a trip utilizing a plurality of travel policies of an employer of the traveler;

sorting, by the computer-based system, the plurality of travel options in a weighted hierarchy based on the weightings policy;

routing, by the computer-based system, the trip request and the plurality of sorted options to a travel counselor; and

completing, by the computer-based system, the trip request utilizing the trip information and the plurality of sorted options.

18. A system comprising:

a tangible, non-transitory memory communicating with a processor for processing a trip request having trip information,

the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by the processor, a trip request via email, wherein the receiving is via a connection to a plurality of hubsites using a translation server, wherein the translation server is configured to communicate natively with a plurality of global distribution systems (GDSs), travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites;

parsing, by the processor, the trip request to obtain trip request data;

selecting, by the processor, among the plurality of GDSs for the trip request based upon a comparison of a prior trip request and a contractual requirement;

storing, by the processor, the selected GDS;

receiving, by the processor, a weightings policy for a traveler;

building, by the processor, a plurality of travel options for a trip utilizing a plurality of travel policies of an employer of the traveler;

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

routing, by the processor, the trip request and the plurality of sorted options to a travel counselor; and

completing, by the processor, the trip request utilizing the trip information and the plurality of sorted options.