Trip comparison system

• US 8,200,549 B1
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Farecast, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Crean, Hugh, Pelter, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Haq, Naeem
• Application Number:
  US12/253,195
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1, 705/26.2, 705/26.25, 705/26.3, 705/26.35, 705/26.4, 705 2641- 2644, 705/26.5, 705 2661- 2664, 705/26.7, 705/26.8, 705/26.81, 705/26.82, 705/26.9, 705/27.1, 705/27.2
• US Class Current: 705/26.64
• 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 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons

Abstract

A method and system is provided for making price-related predictions of items based on training a classifier using historical information including pricing information for the items and labels relating to the price-related information that are generated automatically from the historical information. A prediction system provides price-related predictions for airline tickets. The prediction system collects flight information for flights on a daily basis. The prediction system generates training data to train a classifier to make the price-related predictions using the flight information. After training the classifier, the prediction system then can make the price-related predictions for a trip.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computing device with a processor and memory for providing a trip comparison user interface for flight information, the method comprising:

providing a data store storing trip overview information having data elements that include flight identification information, total duration, total distance, number of stops, on-time information, and seats remaining information;

flight details information having data elements that include flight identification information, aircraft model, aircraft type, aircraft dimensions, and seat information;

airport details information having data elements that include flight identification information, car rental information, security wait times, and airport amenities; and

airline details information having data elements that include flight identification information, number of airplanes of the airline, market share of the airlines, average aircraft age, on-time ranking, and complaint ranking;

displaying a trip overview information button, a trip comparison information button, an airport details information button, and an airline details information button;

receiving from a user an indication of trip, the trip including an outbound flight leaving from a outbound airport and a return flight leaving from a return airport;

receiving from the user a selection of one of the displayed buttons to indicate the type of trip comparison information to be displayed;

determining whether the type of trip comparison information indicates trip overview information;

upon determining that the type of trip comparison information indicates trip overview information,

retrieving trip overview information from the data store; and

generating by the computing device a trip overview display page that includes the retrieved trip overview information for the outbound flight and the inbound flight, the retrieved trip overview information having data elements that include flight identification information, total duration, total distance, number of stops, on-time information, and seats remaining information;

determining whether the type of trip comparison information indicates flight details information;

upon determining that the type of trip comparison information indicates flight details information,

retrieving flight details information from the data store; and

generating by the computing device a flight details display page that includes the retrieved flight details information for the outbound flight and the inbound flight, the retrieved flight details information having data elements that include flight identification information, aircraft model, aircraft type, aircraft dimensions, and seat information;

determining whether the type of trip comparison information indicates airport details information;

upon determining that the type of trip comparison information indicates airport details information,

retrieving airport details information from the data store; and

generating by the computing device an airport details display page that includes the retrieved airport details information for the outbound flight and the inbound flight, the retrieved airport details information having data elements that include flight identification information, car rental information, security wait times, and airport amenities;

determining whether the type of trip comparison information indicates airline details information;

upon determining that the type of trip comparison information indicates airline details information,

retrieving airline details information from the data store; and

generating by the computing device an airline details display page that includes the retrieved airline details information for the outbound flight and the inbound flight, the retrieved airline details information having data elements that include flight identification information, number of airplanes of the airline, market share of the airlines, average aircraft age, on-time ranking, and complaint ranking;

such that, for each display page, the data elements of the inbound flight are aligned vertically and the data elements of the outbound flight are aligned vertically, each data element of the outbound flight being aligned horizontally with a corresponding data element of the inbound flight; and

outputting the generated display page for display to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each display page includes an icon representing a score for a data element.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the icon representing a score indicates a favorable data element, neutral data element, or an unfavorable data element.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each generated display page includes a “

buy now”

button for purchasing tickets for the outbound flight and the return flight.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each display page includes the price of the trip represented by the outbound flight and the return flight.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the computing device is a web server and the display page is a web page.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the aircraft dimensions include aircraft width and aircraft length.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the seat information includes seat layout and seat pitch.

9. A computer for providing a trip comparison user interface for flight information, comprising:

a memory storing computer-executable instructions of;

a component that receives from a user an indication of trip and a type of trip comparison information, the trip including an outbound flight leaving from a outbound airport and a return flight leaving from a return airport;

a component that determines whether the type of trip comparison information indicates trip overview information, flight details information, airport details information, and airport details information;

a component that, upon determining that the type of trip comparison information indicates trip overview information, generates a trip overview display page that includes trip overview information for the outbound flight and the inbound flight, the trip overview information having data elements selected from the group consisting of flight identification information, total duration, total distance, number of stops, on-time information, and seats remaining information;

a component that, upon determining that the type of trip comparison information indicates flight details information, generates a flight details display page that includes flight details information for the outbound flight and the inbound flight, the flight details information having data elements selected from the group consisting of flight identification information, aircraft model, aircraft type, aircraft dimensions, and seat information;

a component that, upon determining that the type of trip comparison information indicates airport details information, generates an airport details display page that includes airport details information for the outbound flight and the inbound flight, the airport details information having data elements selected from the group consisting of flight identification information, car rental information, security wait times, and airport amenities;

a component that, upon determining that the type of trip comparison information indicates airline details information, generates an airline details display page that includes airline details information for the outbound flight and the inbound flight, the airline details information having data elements selected from the group consisting of flight identification information, number of airplanes of the airline, market share of the airlines, average aircraft age, on-time ranking, and complaint ranking;

such that, for each display page, the data elements of the inbound flight are aligned vertically and the data elements of the outbound flight are aligned vertically, each data element of the outbound flight being aligned horizontally with a corresponding data element of the inbound flight; and

a component that sends the generated display page for display to the user; and

a processor for executing the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory.

10. The computer of claim 9 wherein each display page includes an icon representing a score for a data element.

11. The computer of claim 10 wherein the icon representing a score indicates a favorable data element, neutral data element, or an unfavorable data element.

12. The computer of claim 9 wherein each generated display page includes a “

buy now”

button for purchasing tickets for the outbound flight and the return flight.

13. The computer of claim 9 wherein each display page includes the price of the trip represented by the outbound flight and the return flight.

14. The computer of claim 9 wherein the display page is a web page.

15. The computer of claim 9 wherein the aircraft dimensions include aircraft width and aircraft length.

16. The computer of claim 9 wherein the seat information includes seat layout and seat pitch.