Collapsible itineraries

• US 8,155,986 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Deljo, Shai, Amibar, Anat, Shaked, Ofer, Yang, James, Delgo, Lior
• Primary Examiner(s): JABR, FADEY S
• Application Number:
  US11/544,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20070112606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 705 5- 6, 707/705, 707/722
• US Class Current: 705/6
• 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 50/14 Travel agencies

Abstract

Method and system for grouping and displaying travel itineraries are disclosed. The method for grouping travel itineraries includes receiving a list of travel itineraries, grouping the list of travel itineraries to one or more clusters according to a set of grouping parameters, selecting a lead itinerary to represent each of the one or more clusters, determining additional itineraries in each cluster, and displaying the lead itinerary and a link referencing to further details about the additional itineraries in each cluster.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a list of travel itineraries;

grouping, using the computing device, the list of travel itineraries into a plurality of clusters of travel itineraries according to a set of grouping parameters;

selecting, using the computing device, a respective lead itinerary from each of plurality of clusters, the respective lead itinerary for each cluster having a value of one of the set of grouping parameters shared by the travel itineraries in the respective cluster;

determining, using the computing device, for each the plurality of clusters, a respective plurality of additional itineraries in the respective cluster such that a value of each of the set of grouping parameters for each of the respective plurality of additional itineraries matches the value of the respective grouping parameter for the respective lead itinerary;

causing the display, on a display device, for each cluster of the plurality of clusters, the respective lead itinerary and a respective link referring to further details about the additional itineraries in the respective cluster, the display of the lead itinerary reflecting data relating to the lead itinerary that the lead itinerary shares with all additional itineraries in the respective cluster; and

causing the display, on a display device, for one cluster of the plurality of clusters, details of the respective plurality of additional itineraries in the one of the plurality clusters in response to a user selecting the respective link associated with the respective lead itinerary displayed in relation to the one cluster of the plurality clusters, such that the respective lead itinerary is displayed first and the additional itineraries are displayed sorted according to the set of grouping parameters shared by the travel itineraries in the respective cluster.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of travel itineraries comprises:

travel itineraries in dynamic form that change with respect to time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of travel itineraries includes a list of airline reservations, and wherein the set of grouping parameters comprises at least one of carrier, time of departure, airfare, number of stops, airport, frequent flyer alliance, type of aircraft, flight class, meal service, or amenities, and wherein the common segment comprises at least one of a departure segment, a return segment, or an intermediate segment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel itineraries include a list of hotel reservations, and wherein the set of grouping parameters comprises price, hotel class, brand, location, and amenities.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel itineraries include a list of rental car reservations, and wherein the set of grouping parameters comprises price, rental agency, model, type, pickup location, drop-off location, proximity, and features of the car.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective link further indicates a number of itineraries in the cluster.

7. A computing device comprising:

a processor;

a display device;

a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

user browser logic executed by the processor for a browser, displayed on the display device, the user browser further comprising;

travel itinerary receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving, over a network, a list of travel itineraries,

travel itinerary grouping logic executed by the processor for grouping the list of travel itineraries into a plurality of clusters of travel itineraries according to a set of grouping parameters;

lead itinerary selection logic executed by the processor for selecting a respective lead itinerary from each of plurality of clusters, the respective lead itinerary for each cluster having a value of one of the set of grouping parameters shared by the travel itineraries in the respective cluster;

additional itinerary determination logic executed by the processor for determining, for each the plurality of clusters, a respective plurality of additional itineraries in the respective cluster;

such that a value of each of the set of grouping parameters for each of the respective plurality of additional itineraries matches the value of the respective grouping parameter for the respective lead itinerary;

itinerary display logic executed by the processor for displaying, on the display device, via the user browser, for each of the plurality of clusters, the respective lead itinerary and a respective link referring to further details about the respective plurality of additional itineraries in the respective cluster;

the display of the lead itinerary reflecting data relating to the lead itinerary that the lead itinerary shares with all additional itineraries in the respective cluster, and

additional itinerary detail display logic executed by the processor for displaying details of the respective plurality of additional itineraries in the one of the plurality clusters in response to a user selecting the respective link associated with the respective lead itinerary displayed in relation to the one cluster of the plurality clusters, such that the respective lead itinerary is displayed first and the additional itineraries are displayed sorted according to the set of grouping parameters shared by the travel itineraries in the respective cluster.

8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the list of travel itineraries include a list of airline reservations, and wherein the set of grouping parameters comprises at least one of carrier, time of departure, airfare, number of stops, airport, frequent flyer alliance, type of aircraft, flight class, meal service, or amenities, and wherein the common segment comprises at least one of a departure segment, a return segment, or an intermediate segment.

9. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the travel itineraries further include a list of hotel reservations, and wherein the set of grouping parameters comprises price, hotel class, brand, location, and amenities.

10. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the travel itineraries further include a list of rental car reservations, and wherein the set of grouping parameters comprises price, rental agency, model, type, pickup location, drop-off location, proximity, and features of the car.

11. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the respective link further indicates a number of itineraries in the cluster.