Method and system for searching availability of an entity for purchase or reservation

• US 8,065,287 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amadeus S.A.S. (Amadeus Global Travel Distribution S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Amadeus S.A.S. (Amadeus Global Travel Distribution S.A.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Tran-Dzien, Johnston, Wilfrid, Heyraud, Jean-Noël
• Primary Examiner(s): THAI, HANH B
• Application Number:
  US11/820,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20080319946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 707 3- 6, 707/104.1, 707706-736, 705/14
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

A method of searching for availability of an entity for purchase or reservation. The method comprises the steps of searching for an entity matching a search criterion to obtain a list of entities, wherein the or each entity comprises a parameter having a predetermined availability; automatically searching for one or more available parameters associated with the or each entity at substantially the same time; incrementally generating a list of each entity and one or more available parameters associated therewith to generate a list of entity and available parameters as the automatic search provides one or more results, and displaying the list as it is generated for selection by a user of a predetermined combination of entity and parameter.

Claims

1. A method of searching for availability of an entity for purchase or reservation, comprising:

receiving a search request from a user specifying a required entity having at least one parameter;

launching a first search for at least one entity matching the search request to obtain a first result containing a set of matching entities;

automatically simultaneously launching a second search based on the result of the first search for each matching entity of the set of matching entities to find matching entities which match the at least one parameter thereby producing a second result comprising matching entities combined with corresponding matching parameters;

storing the second result;

displaying the second result to the user to enable the user to select a predetermined combination of entity and parameter;

continuing to incrementally collect first results from the first search and launching in parallel said second searches as soon as the first results are obtained;

updating the stored second result as new matching entities with corresponding matching parameters are found;

periodically updating the displaying of the second result to the user, until a predetermined state is reached.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein displaying the second result comprises displaying at least one descriptive property associated with each entity of the second result.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of searching for at least one entity comprises requesting a database to obtain a set of entities matching the search request.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of launching a first search comprises searching for an entity related to a hotel.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of launching a first search comprises searching for a room in the hotel.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein displaying the second result comprises displaying a price of each entity of the second result.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of automatically launching simultaneous second searches comprises launching simultaneous second searches based on an instruction from a server.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of automatically launching simultaneous second searches comprises launching simultaneous second searches based on an instruction from a user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined state occurs when the user selects one of the combinations of entity and parameter.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined state occurs when a predetermined number of searches has been completed.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined state occurs when a predetermined length of time has elapsed since the first search was launched.

9. A system comprising:

a computer-implemented search module for;

launching a first search for at least one entity having at least one parameter by matching a search request received from a user to obtain a first result containing a set of matching entities;

automatically simultaneously launching a second search based on the result of the first search for each matching entity of the set of matching entities to find matching entities which match the at least one parameter to thereby produce a second result comprising matching entities combined with corresponding matching parameters; and

continuing to incrementally collect first results from the first search and launching in parallel the second searches as soon as the first results arc obtained;

a memory for;

storing the second result; and

updating the stored second result as new matches arc found;

a computer-implemented interface module for periodically requesting the stored second result;

a display for periodically displaying the requested second result for selection by the user of a predetermined combination of entity and parameter.

10. A computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions which, when read by a computer, cause the computer to search for availability of an entity for purchase or reservation by a method comprising:

receiving a search request from a user specifying a required entity having at least one parameter;

launching a first search for at least one entity matching the search request to obtain a first result containing a set of matching entities;

automatically simultaneously launching a second search based on the result of the first search for each matching entity of the set of matching entities to find matching entities which match the at least one parameter thereby producing a second result comprising matching entities combined with corresponding matching parameters;

storing the second result;

displaying the second result to the user to enable the user to select a predetermined combination of entity and parameter;

continuing to incrementally collect first results from the first search and launching in parallel said second searches as soon as the first results are obtained;

updating the stored second result as new matching entities with corresponding matching parameters arc found;

periodically updating the displaying of the second result to the user, until a predetermined state is reached.