System and method for redemption and exchange of unused tickets

• US 8,700,435 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Cross, Robert B., Espinosa, Diego, Freiland, Krista S., Harris, Traci L., Chism, Wade, Licht, Tovah L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, George
• Application Number:
  US11/617,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,664 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705 5- 6, 705 711- 742, 705/400
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

A method of facilitating and performing the redemption and exchange of unused tickets includes steps of determining the availability of unused tickets, calculating a redemption value of an available unused ticket, and updating a status of the unused ticket. The availability is determined by querying a database containing information pertaining to unused tickets. The redemption value is calculated based on the application of validation rules. The status is updated after a decision as to whether to redeem the unused ticket has been made. The redemption value is obtainable by exchanging the unused ticket for a new ticket. The tickets may be for air travel.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer based system for exchanging unused tickets, a booking for a new ticket;

obtaining, by the computer based system, new ticket information from a passenger name record (PNR) associated with the new ticket, wherein the PNR is in a global distribution system (GDS);

querying, by the computer based system, a centralized repository of unused tickets;

retrieving, by the computer-based system, unused ticket PNRs from a plurality of GDS queues, wherein the retrieving is based on specific formats and commands of a particular GDS and a ticket number associated with the unused ticket;

parsing, by the computer-based system, PNR remarks from the unused ticket PNRs to obtain ticket information related to the unused tickets;

standardizing, by the computer based system, the PNR remarks to create standardized PNR remarks;

receiving, by the computer based system, new price information for the new ticket, wherein the new price information is based upon the new ticket, validation rules using the standardized PNR remarks and a value of at least a portion of the unused tickets that can be applied to the price of the new ticket;

updating, by the computer based system, a status of the unused ticket PNRs to indicate that the unused tickets have been used;

adding, by the computer based system, the new price information to the PNR for the new ticket; and

enabling, by the computer based system, the new ticket to be purchased based upon the new price information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the booking includes at least one of a new booking and a reservation change.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the new price information includes at least one of value from the old ticket to be applied to the new ticket price and restrictions for the new ticket.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the computer based system, the new price information for the new ticket for consideration; and

receiving, by the computer based system, approval of the new price information for the new ticket.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the PNR includes at least one of face value of the unused ticket, date of issue of the unused ticket, whether the unused ticket is fully open, whether the unused ticket is partially open, and flight information associated with the unused ticket.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling is restricted to redemption of the unused ticket, use of the value of the unused ticket as credit toward the purchase of the new ticket.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the computer based system, an indication that the unused ticket is not redeemable towards the value of the new ticket.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the computer based system, a reason that the unused ticket is not redeemable towards the value of the new ticket.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an alternative new ticket purchase for which the unused ticket is redeemable.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the computer based system, an explanation of the value of at least a portion of the unused tickets that can be applied to the price of the new ticket.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing suggestions for optimizing the new price information.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the computer based system, suggestions for increasing the value of at least a portion of the unused tickets that can be applied to the price of the new ticket.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the computer based system, a decline of the new price information.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting, by the computer based system, the new price information based on adjustments to the new ticket.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting, by the computer based system, the new price information based on adjustments to the value of at least a portion of the unused tickets.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting, by the computer based system, the new price information based on adjustments to the validation rules.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the validation rules are based on at least one of airline terms and issuing agency terms.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the validation rules include a redemption penalty applied to the price of the new ticket.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a credit in response to the value of the unused tickets being greater than an original price for the new ticket.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the status of the unused tickets.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the standardizing further comprises:

determining where the GDS places the PNR remark in the PNR, wherein different GDSs place the same type of data in a different location of the PNR, and wherein different PNRs are obtained from different GDSs; and

determining where to add the PNR remark to a database, such that similar PNR remarks are in the same location in the database.

22. 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 exchanging unused tickets, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the computer based system, a booking for a new ticket;

obtaining, by the computer based system, new ticket information from a passenger name record (PNR) associated with the new ticket, wherein the PNR is in a global distribution system (GDS);

querying, by the computer based system, a centralized repository of unused tickets;

retrieving, by the computer-based system, unused ticket PNRs from a plurality of GDS queues, wherein the retrieving is based on specific formats and commands of a particular GDS and a ticket number associated with the unused ticket;

parsing, by the computer-based system, PNR remarks from the unused ticket PNRs to obtain ticket information related to the unused tickets;

standardizing, by the computer based system, the PNR remarks to create standardized PNR remarks;

receiving, by the computer based system, new price information for the new ticket, wherein the new price information is based upon the new ticket, validation rules using the standardized PNR remarks and a value of at least a portion of the unused tickets that can be applied to the price of the new ticket;

updating, by the computer based system, a status of the unused ticket PNRs to indicate that the unused tickets have been used;

adding, by the computer based system, the new price information to the PNR for the new ticket; and

enabling, by the computer based system, the new ticket to be purchased based upon the new price information.

23. A system comprising:

a processor for exchanging unused tickets,

a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor,

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 booking for a new ticket;

obtaining, by the processor, new ticket information from a passenger name record (PNR) associated with the new ticket, wherein the PNR is in a global distribution system (GDS);

querying, by the processor, a centralized repository of unused tickets;

retrieving, by the processor, unused ticket PNRs from a plurality of GDS queues, wherein the retrieving is based on specific formats and commands of a particular GDS and a ticket number associated with the unused ticket;

parsing, by the processor, PNR remarks from the unused ticket PNRs to obtain ticket information related to the unused tickets;

standardizing, by the processor, the PNR remarks to create standardized PNR remarks;

receiving, by the processor, new price information for the new ticket, wherein the new price information is based upon the new ticket, validation rules using the standardized PNR remarks and a value of at least a portion of the unused tickets that can be applied to the price of the new ticket;

updating, by the processor, a status of the unused ticket PNRs to indicate that the unused tickets have been used;

adding, by the processor, the new price information to the PNR for the new ticket; and

enabling, by the processor, the new ticket to be purchased based upon the new price information.