System and method for improved rental vehicle reservation management
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for managing a rental vehicle reservation for a replacement vehicle corresponding to a disabled vehicle, wherein the replacement rental vehicle reservation is associated with data indicative of an authorization duration for that replacement rental vehicle reservation, the method comprising:
- receiving data representative of an estimation of a number of labor hours to repair the disabled vehicle;
storing a plurality of labor hours scalars in a memory, the labor hours scalars being associated with a plurality of parties such that each labor hours scalar is associated with at least one party;
determining a party associated with the received labor hours estimation data;
selecting the stored labor hours scalar that is associated with the determined party;
automatically computing data indicative of an estimated duration for the repair to the disabled vehicle based on an application of the selected labor hours scalar to the received labor hours estimation data; and
determining whether the authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation that corresponds to the disabled vehicle would end prior to repairs being completed for the disabled vehicle based on the computed repair duration data and the authorization duration data; and
in response to a determination that the authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation would end prior to repairs being completed for the disabled vehicle, automatically extending the replacement rental vehicle reservation to thereby associate the replacement rental vehicle reservation with a new authorization duration, wherein the automatically extending step comprises;
determining whether a difference between an end of the authorization duration and an end of the repair duration corresponding to the computed repair duration data is less than a threshold; and
in response to a determination that the difference is less than the threshold, automatically storing data in the memory that is indicative of the new authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation such that an expiration of the new authorization duration coincides in time with the end of the repair duration corresponding to the computed repair duration data; and
wherein the method steps are performed by a processor in cooperation with the memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system are disclosed for managing a rental vehicle reservation based at least in part on automated processing of vehicle repair data corresponding to a disabled vehicle that is related to the rental vehicle reservation. For example, a preferred method and system can automatically compute from the vehicle repair data an amount of time that is likely to be needed by a repair facility to complete repairs to the disabled vehicle, which in turn can drive more accurate management of an authorization period for the rental vehicle reservation.
271 Citations
43 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, wherein the replacement rental vehicle reservation is associated with data indicative of an authorization duration for that replacement rental vehicle reservation, the method comprising:
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receiving data representative of an estimation of a number of labor hours to repair the disabled vehicle; storing a plurality of labor hours scalars in a memory, the labor hours scalars being associated with a plurality of parties such that each labor hours scalar is associated with at least one party; determining a party associated with the received labor hours estimation data; selecting the stored labor hours scalar that is associated with the determined party; automatically computing data indicative of an estimated duration for the repair to the disabled vehicle based on an application of the selected labor hours scalar to the received labor hours estimation data; and determining whether the authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation that corresponds to the disabled vehicle would end prior to repairs being completed for the disabled vehicle based on the computed repair duration data and the authorization duration data; and in response to a determination that the authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation would end prior to repairs being completed for the disabled vehicle, automatically extending the replacement rental vehicle reservation to thereby associate the replacement rental vehicle reservation with a new authorization duration, wherein the automatically extending step comprises; determining whether a difference between an end of the authorization duration and an end of the repair duration corresponding to the computed repair duration data is less than a threshold; and in response to a determination that the difference is less than the threshold, automatically storing data in the memory that is indicative of the new authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation such that an expiration of the new authorization duration coincides in time with the end of the repair duration corresponding to the computed repair duration data; and wherein the method steps are performed by a processor in cooperation with the memory. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31)
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2. A computer-implemented method for managing a rental vehicle reservation for a replacement vehicle corresponding to a disabled vehicle, wherein the replacement rental vehicle reservation is associated with data indicative of an authorization duration for that replacement rental vehicle reservation, the method comprising:
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receiving data representative of an estimation of a number of labor hours to repair the disabled vehicle; storing a plurality of labor hours scalars and a plurality of business rules in a memory, the labor hours scalars being associated with a plurality of parties such that each labor hours scalar is associated with at least one party, the business rules being associated with a plurality of parties such that each business rule is associated with at least one party, wherein the business rules comprise a plurality of automated extensions rules such that a plurality of different parties employ different business rules for automatically extending replacement rental vehicle reservations; determining a party associated with the received labor hours estimation data; selecting the stored labor hours scalar that is associated with the determined party; selecting the stored automated extension rule that is associated with the determined party; automatically computing data indicative of an estimated duration for the repair to the disabled vehicle based on an application of the selected labor hours scalar to the received labor hours estimation data; and determining whether the authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation that corresponds to the disabled vehicle would end prior to repairs being completed for the disabled vehicle based on the computed repair duration data and the authorization duration data; and in response to a determination that the authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation would end prior to repairs being completed for the disabled vehicle, automatically extending the replacement rental vehicle reservation in accordance with the selected automated extension rule to thereby associate the replacement rental vehicle reservation with a new authorization duration.
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3. An apparatus for managing a rental vehicle reservation for a replacement vehicle corresponding to a disabled vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor; and a memory, the memory configured to (1) store a plurality of labor hours scalars, the labor hours scalars being associated with a plurality of parties such that each labor hours scalar is associated with at least one party, and (2) store data indicative of an authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation in association with that replacement rental vehicle reservation; and wherein the processor is configured to (1) receive data representative of an estimation of a number of labor hours to repair the disabled vehicle, (2) determine a party associated with the received labor hours estimation data, (3) select the stored labor hours scalar that is associated with the determined party, (4) automatically compute data indicative of an estimated duration for the repair to the disabled vehicle based on an application of the selected labor hours scalar to the received labor hours estimation data, and (5) perform a management operation on the replacement rental vehicle reservation that corresponds to the disabled vehicle by (i) determining whether the authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation would end prior to repairs being completed for the disabled vehicle based on the computed repair duration data and the authorization duration data, and (ii) in response to a determination by the processor that the authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation would end prior to repairs being completed for the disabled vehicle, automatically extending the replacement rental vehicle reservation to thereby associate the replacement rental vehicle reservation with a new authorization duration; and wherein the processor is further configured to automatically extend the replacement rental vehicle reservation by (1) determining whether a difference between an end of the authorization duration and an end of the repair duration corresponding to the computed repair duration data is less than a threshold, and (2) in response to a determination by the processor that the difference is less than the threshold, automatically storing data in the memory that is indicative of the new authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation such that an expiration of the new authorization duration coincides in time with the end of the repair duration corresponding to the computed repair duration data.
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4. An apparatus for managing a rental vehicle reservation for a replacement vehicle corresponding to a disabled vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor; and a memory, the memory configured to (1) store a plurality of labor hours scalars, the labor hours scalars being associated with a plurality of parties such that each labor hours scalar is associated with at least one party, (2) store a plurality of business rules, the business rules being associated with a plurality of parties such that each business rule is associated with at least one party, wherein the business rules comprise a plurality of automated extensions rules such that a plurality of different parties employ different business rules for automatically extending replacement rental vehicle reservations, and (3) store data indicative of an authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation in association with that replacement rental vehicle reservation; and wherein the processor is configured to (1) receive data representative of an estimation of a number of labor hours to repair the disabled vehicle, (2) determine a party associated with the received labor hours estimation data, (3) select the stored labor hours scalar that is associated with the determined party, (4) select the stored automated extension rule that is associated with the determined party, (5) automatically compute data indicative of an estimated duration for the repair to the disabled vehicle based on an application of the selected labor hours scalar to the received labor hours estimation data, and (5) perform a management operation on the replacement rental vehicle reservation that corresponds to the disabled vehicle by (i) determining whether the authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation would end prior to repairs being completed for the disabled vehicle based on the computed repair duration data and the authorization duration data, and (ii) in response to a determination by the processor that the authorization duration for the replacement rental vehicle reservation would end prior to repairs being completed for the disabled vehicle, automatically extending the replacement rental vehicle reservation in accordance with the selected automated extension rule to thereby associate the replacement rental vehicle reservation with a new authorization duration. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43)
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5. A computer-implemented method for managing a rental vehicle reservation for a replacement vehicle corresponding to a disabled vehicle, the method comprising:
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receiving data representative of an estimation of a number of labor hours to repair the disabled vehicle; receiving data corresponding to an explanation for a repair delay to the disabled vehicle; storing a plurality of labor hours scalars in a memory, the labor hours scalars being associated with a plurality of parties such that each labor hours scalar is associated with at least one party; determining a party associated with the received labor hours estimation data; selecting the stored labor hours scalar that is associated with the determined party; automatically computing data indicative of an estimated duration for the repair to the disabled vehicle, wherein the automatically computing step comprises (1) applying the selected labor hours scalar to the received labor hours estimation data to translate the labor hours estimation data into a number of business days needed by the repair facility to perform those labor hours and (2) automatically computing the estimated repair duration data based at least in part on an adjustment amount corresponding to whether the time needed to complete repairs to the disabled vehicle will include any holiday days and an adjustment amount corresponding to the explanation data; and performing a management operation on the replacement rental vehicle reservation that corresponds to the disabled vehicle based on the computed data indicative of the estimated repair duration; and wherein the method steps are performed by a processor in cooperation with the memory. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 29, 30)
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6. An apparatus for managing a rental vehicle reservation for a replacement vehicle corresponding to a disabled vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor; and a memory, the memory configured to store a plurality of labor hours scalars, the labor hours scalars being associated with a plurality of parties such that each labor hours scalar is associated with at least one party; and wherein the processor is configured to (1) receive data representative of an estimation of a number of labor hours to repair the disabled vehicle, (2) receive data corresponding to an explanation for a repair delay to the disabled vehicle, (3) determine a party associated with the received labor hours estimation data, (4) select the stored labor hours scalar that is associated with the determined party, (5) apply the selected labor hours scalar to the received labor hours estimation data to translate the labor hours estimation data into a number of business days needed by the repair facility to perform those labor hours, (6) automatically compute data indicative of an estimated duration for the repair to the disabled vehicle based at least in part on (i) the translated number of business days, (ii) an adjustment amount corresponding to whether the time needed to complete repairs to the disabled vehicle will include any holiday days, and (iii) an adjustment amount corresponding to the explanation data, and (7) perform a management operation on the replacement rental vehicle reservation that corresponds to the disabled vehicle based on the computed data indicative of the estimated repair duration. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 39, 40)
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Specification