Extended web enabled multi-featured business to business computer system for rental vehicle services
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for managing a rental vehicle reservation for a replacement vehicle corresponding to a disabled vehicle, the method comprising the following steps performed by a computer system:
- providing a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) screens for display over the Internet;
accepting input over the Internet through the provided GUI screens, the accepted input comprising a placement by a purchaser of an order for the rental vehicle reservation with a rental vehicle service provider;
creating a reservation transaction corresponding to the order in response to the accepted input;
opening a rental contract for the reservation transaction, the rental contract having a rental duration;
receiving vehicle repair data related to the disabled vehicle into a computer program;
automatically computing with the computer program a duration-related parameter for the rental vehicle reservation based at least in part on the received vehicle repair data; and
modifying the rental contract by automatically extending the rental duration in response to the automatically computed duration-related parameter.
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Accused Products
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.
498 Citations
64 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for managing a rental vehicle reservation for a replacement vehicle corresponding to a disabled vehicle, the method comprising the following steps performed by a computer system:
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providing a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) screens for display over the Internet; accepting input over the Internet through the provided GUI screens, the accepted input comprising a placement by a purchaser of an order for the rental vehicle reservation with a rental vehicle service provider; creating a reservation transaction corresponding to the order in response to the accepted input; opening a rental contract for the reservation transaction, the rental contract having a rental duration; receiving vehicle repair data related to the disabled vehicle into a computer program; automatically computing with the computer program a duration-related parameter for the rental vehicle reservation based at least in part on the received vehicle repair data; and modifying the rental contract by automatically extending the rental duration in response to the automatically computed duration-related parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer-implemented method for managing a rental vehicle reservation for a replacement vehicle corresponding to a disabled vehicle, the method comprising the following steps performed by a computer system:
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providing data to a remote purchaser computer over the Internet for populating a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) screens for display on the remote purchaser computer; accepting input from the remote purchaser computer over the Internet through the GUI screens, the accepted input comprising a placement by a purchaser of an order for the rental vehicle reservation with a rental vehicle service provider; creating a rental vehicle reservation corresponding to the order in response to the accepted input; opening a rental contract for the rental vehicle reservation, the rental contract having an authorization period; receiving vehicle repair data related to the disabled vehicle into a computer program; and automatically computing with the computer program a duration-related parameter for the rental vehicle reservation based at least in part on the received vehicle repair data, wherein the duration-related parameter comprises a value indicative of an estimate as to how long the repair facility will need to complete repairs to the disabled vehicle; comparing data corresponding to the authorization period for the rental vehicle reservation with the computed duration-related parameter to determine whether the authorization period will end prior to the repairs being completed; and automatically extending the rental vehicle reservation to a last authorized day in response to the comparing step resulting in a determination that the authorization period will end prior to the repairs being completed. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A computer-implemented method for coordinating data exchanges among a plurality of computer systems to automate an extension process for a rental contract corresponding to a replacement rental vehicle, the replacement rental vehicle replacing a disabled vehicle that is undergoing a repair at a repair facility, the method comprising:
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maintaining a first electronic data connection through which a purchaser computer system communicates data to a rental vehicle service provider computer system; maintaining a second electronic data connection through which a repair facility computer system communicates data to the rental vehicle service provider computer system; the rental vehicle service provider computer system interacting with the purchaser computer system through the first electronic data connection and providing rental management services by (1) receiving authorization input from the purchaser computer system through the first electronic data connection, (2) creating a rental vehicle transaction in response to the received authorization input, (3) creating a rental contract based on the created reservation transaction, the rental contract having an authorized rental duration, (4) receiving management input from the purchaser computer system through the first electronic data connection, and (5) making a transactional change to the rental contract in response to the received management input; and the rental vehicle service provider computer system interacting with the repair facility computer system through the second electronic data connection and providing rental management services by (1) receiving vehicle repair data related to the disabled vehicle from the repair facility computer system through the second electronic data connection, the received vehicle repair data indicative of an expected amount of time needed to complete the repair, (2) automatically computing a duration-related parameter for the rental contract in response to the received vehicle repair data, and (3) modifying the rental contract by automatically extending the rental duration in response to the automatically-computed duration-related parameter. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An Internet enabled automatic rental vehicle transaction system for managing a rental vehicle reservation for a replacement vehicle corresponding to a disabled vehicle, the system comprising:
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a processor; and memory; wherein the processor and memory are configured to; provide data to a remote purchaser computer over the Internet for populating a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) screens for display on the remote purchaser computer; accept input from the remote purchaser computer over the Internet through the GUI screens, the accepted input comprising a placement by a purchaser of an order for the rental vehicle reservation with a rental vehicle service provider; create a rental vehicle reservation corresponding to the order in response to the accepted input; open a rental contract for the rental vehicle reservation, the rental contract having an authorization period; receive vehicle repair data related to the disabled vehicle into a computer program; and automatically compute with the computer program a duration-related parameter for the rental vehicle reservation based at least in part on the received vehicle repair data, wherein the duration-related parameter comprises a value indicative of an estimate as to how long the repair facility will need to complete repairs to the disabled vehicle; compare data corresponding to the authorization period for the rental vehicle reservation with the computed duration-related parameter to determine whether the authorization period will end prior to the repairs being completed; and automatically extend the rental vehicle reservation to a last authorized day in response to the comparison operation resulting in a determination that the authorization period will end prior to the repairs being completed. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An Internet enabled automatic rental vehicle transaction system for managing a rental vehicle reservation for a replacement vehicle corresponding to a disabled vehicle, the system comprising:
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a processor; and memory; wherein the processor and memory are configured to; provide a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) screens for display over the Internet; accept input over the Internet through the provided GUI screens, the accepted input comprising a placement by a purchaser of an order for the rental vehicle reservation with a rental vehicle service provider; create a reservation transaction corresponding to the order in response to the accepted input; open a rental contract for the reservation transaction, the rental contract having a rental duration; receive vehicle repair data related to the disabled vehicle into a computer program; and automatically compute with the computer program a duration-related parameter for the rental vehicle reservation based at least in part on the received vehicle repair data; and modify the rental contract by automatically extending the rental duration in response to the automatically computed duration-related parameter. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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Specification