Travel services search

• US 9,449,288 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2012
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deem, Incorporated (Jack Taylor Family Voting Trust U A D 4 14 99)
• Original Assignee: Deem, Incorporated (Jack Taylor Family Voting Trust U A D 4 14 99)
• Inventors: Swann, Garner, Sundaram, Parthasarathy, Todd, Jeremy Paul, Shroff, Rajat, Kaiser, Alan Todd, Briggs, Nicholas, Falk, David, Pritchett, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleurantin, Jean B
• Application Number:
  US13/476,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20130041902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/707, 707/737, 707/804, 707/805, 705/5, 705/6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/355 Class or cluster creation or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/14 Travel agencies

Abstract

A system and method for searching travel services. A server computer receives a travel request from a client device operated by a user. The server computer identifies travel options according to the travel request. The server computer classifies the travel options into predefined groups, the classifying based on at least one of past transactions, input from domain experts, input from semantic analysts, analytics data, user preferences, and company policies. The server computer presents the options via presentation of the predefined groups.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a server computer from a client device operated by a user, a travel request;

identifying, by the server computer, travel options according to the travel request;

ranking, by the server computer, each travel option in the identified travel options, the ranking based on travel attributes of each travel option and user preferences;

training, by the server computer, a bucket configuration module to determine a bucket algorithm and a bucket context for grouping travel options, one or more of the bucket algorithm and the bucket context based on input from domain experts, input from semantic analysts, analytics data, user preferences, company policies, and past transaction analysis;

classifying, by a bucket orchestration module of the server computer from the bucket algorithm and the bucket context, the ranked travel options into predefined buckets, the classifying further comprising defining, by the server computer, the buckets, the defining of the buckets personalized for the user;

filtering, by the server computer, the ranked travel options in the predefined buckets;

communicating, by the server computer to the client device, the filtered classified ranked travel options in the corresponding predefined buckets for display, the filtered classified ranked travel options in the corresponding predefined buckets displayed at the client device in an order associated with the user, the order enabling the user to determine a tradeoff between one bucket and another bucket;

receiving, by the server computer from the client device, interactions from the user with one or more of the displayed predefined buckets, the interactions comprising a voting of the travel options in the bucket; and

in response to receiving the interactions from the user with the one or more of the displayed predefined buckets, using, by the bucket configuration module, the interactions in the bucket algorithm for future classifying.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating of the options is personalized for the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the classifying of the travel options into the predefined buckets further comprises defining, by the user, a function to classify an option.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the defining, by the user, of the function further comprises defining the function via one or more votes.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising classifying a first bucket, the classifying based on a model function of the first bucket.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the classifying of the first bucket is further based on attributes associated with the travel options.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the server computer, a plurality of buckets specifically for the user.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing, by the server computer to the client device, the plurality of buckets as recommendations for the user based on the travel request.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining of the plurality of buckets further comprises determining buckets that are one or more of personalized to a user'"'"'s search behavior and personalized based on social connections.

10. A system comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions configured to instruct the processor to;

receive, from a client device operated by a user, a travel request;

identify travel options according to the travel request;

rank each travel option in the identified travel options, the ranking based on travel attributes of each travel option and user preferences;

train a bucket configuration module to determine a bucket algorithm and a bucket context for grouping travel options, one or more of the bucket algorithm and the bucket context based on input from domain experts, input from semantic analysts, analytics data, user preferences, company policies, and past transaction analysis;

classify, from the bucket algorithm and the bucket context, the ranked travel options into predefined buckets the instructions configured to instruct the processor to classify further comprises instructions to define the buckets, the instructions to define the buckets further comprise instructions that are personalized for the user;

filter the ranked travel options in the predefined buckets;

communicate, to a client device for display, the filtered classified ranked travel options in the corresponding predefined buckets, the filtered classified ranked travel options in the corresponding predefined buckets displayed at the client device in an order associated with the user, the order enabling the user to determine a tradeoff between one bucket and another bucket;

receive, from the client device, interactions from the user with one or more of the displayed predefined buckets, the interactions comprising a voting of the travel options in the bucket; and

in response to receiving the interactions from the user with the one or more of the displayed predefined buckets, use, by the bucket configuration module, the interactions in the bucket algorithm for future classifying.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions to communicate the options further comprises instructions to communicate that are personalized for the user.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions to classify the travel options into the predefined buckets further comprises instructions to enable the user to define a function to classify an option.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions to enable the user to define the function further comprises instructions to enable the user to define the function via one or more votes.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising instructions to classify a first bucket, the instructions based on a model function of the first bucket.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions to classify the first bucket is further based on attributes associated with the travel options.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising instructions to determine a plurality of buckets specifically for the user.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising instructions to provide, to the client device, the plurality of buckets as recommendations for the user based on the travel request.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions to determine the plurality of buckets further comprises instructions to determine buckets that are one or more of personalized to a user'"'"'s search behavior and personalized based on social connections.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer program instructions configured to instruct a computer processor to at least:

receive, from a client device operated by a user, a travel request;

identify travel options according to the travel request;

rank each travel option in the identified travel options, the ranking based on travel attributes of each travel option and user preferences;

train a bucket configuration module to determine a bucket algorithm and a bucket context for grouping travel options, one or more of the bucket algorithm and the bucket context based on input from domain experts, input from semantic analysts, analytics data, user preferences, company policies, and past transaction analysis;

classify, by a bucket orchestration module from the bucket algorithm and the bucket context, the ranked travel options into predefined buckets, the computer program instructions configured to instruct a computer processor to classify further comprises instructions to define the buckets, the instructions to define the buckets further comprise instructions that are personalized for the user;

filter the ranked travel options in the predefined buckets;

communicate, to a client device for display, the filtered classified ranked travel options in the corresponding predefined buckets, the filtered classified ranked travel options in the corresponding predefined buckets displayed at the client device in an order associated with the user, the order enabling the user to determine a tradeoff between one bucket and another bucket;

receive, from the client device, interactions from the user with one or more of the displayed predefined buckets, the interactions comprising a voting of the travel options in the bucket; and

in response to receiving the interactions from the user with the one or more of the displayed predefined buckets, use, by the bucket configuration module, the interactions in the bucket algorithm for future classifying.