Facilitating passenger to manage airline reservation within electronic message

• US 9,990,682 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2013
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airto,Inc
• Original Assignee: Airto,Inc
• Inventors: Li, Shi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gort, Elaine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Go, John P
• Application Number:
  US14/043,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20150095073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,708 Days
• Field of Search: 705 5, 705 6
• 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 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/14 Travel agencies

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating passengers to manage airline reservations within electronic messages are disclosed. Interactive content may be determined based on airline reservation information associated with the passengers. The interactive content may include content sets for the passengers to purchase flight options such as upgrading seats, meals, entertainment, and the like within the electronic message. The interactive content may include content sets for the passengers to interact with (e.g., select) offers by merchants. Targeted offers or advertisements may be obtained from the merchants by providing passenger information. In some examples, selection of targeted offers for presentation to the passenger in the electronic messages may be made based on historical information related to the passenger (e.g., such as product preferences manifested by the passengers in the past).

Claims

1. A system for facilitating passengers to manage airline reservations within emails, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured by machine readable instructions to;

receive reservation information regarding airline reservations associated with passengers, the received reservation information comprising first reservation information regarding a first airline reservation associated with a first passenger;

obtain itinerary information associated with the passengers based on the reservation information, the obtained itinerary information including first itinerary information associated with the first passenger indicating that the first passenger has made a reservation on a first flight for a first passage to a first destination;

obtain flight information regarding flights on which reservations have been made for passengers as indicated by the itinerary information, the flight information comprising a current status of a plurality of assignable seats for the flights on which reservations have been made, the status being changeable prior to a time at which the flights are scheduled to begin, and determine, based on the obtained flight information, flight options available to the passengers for purchase such that responsive to the first itinerary information associated with the first passenger indicating that the first passenger has made a reservation on the first flight, the one or more processors;

obtains first flight information regarding the first flight, and

determines a first set of flight options available to the first passenger for purchase based on the first flight information;

dynamically determine interactive content for inclusion in the emails, the dynamically determined interactive content including interactive content sets facilitating passengers to purchase the flight options such that the dynamically determined interactive content includes a first interactive content set for facilitating the first passenger to purchase the first set of flight options;

generate interactive electronic messages emails for interaction by the passengers, the generated interactive emails including the interactive content sets such that the one or more processors generates a first interactive email for interaction by the first passenger, the first interactive email including the first interactive content set,

wherein;

the interactive content sets include selectable options to select or purchase the flight options, the selectable options further include a visual mapping of the plurality of assignable seats and the current status of the plurality of assignable seats, with at least any of the plurality of seats having an available status being selectable;

the generated interactive emails are Internet Message Format compliant or Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions compliant, individual generated interactive emails including a message header section and a message body section;

the dynamically determined interactive content for inclusion in the emails includes elements that cause dedicated email clients displaying the generated interactive emails on client computing platforms to present the dynamically determined interactive content natively within the message body section of the generated interactive emails without using any other applications outside of the dedicated email clients; and

the presentation of the dynamically determined interactive content within the message body section of the generated interactive emails includes presentation of the selectable options to select or purchase the flight options within the message body section of the generated interactive emails;

cause transmission of the first interactive email to an email address associated with the first passenger;

receive, responsive to the first interactive email being accessed by a dedicated email client, a request for updated status data for the plurality of assignable seats; and

transmit, to the dedicated email client accessing the first interactive email, updated status data for the plurality of assignable seats, to enable the dedicated email client to render an updated interactive visual mapping of the plurality of assignable seats upon the first interactive email being accessed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is further configured such that receiving reservation information regarding airline reservations associated with passengers comprises receiving such reservation information through electronic messages from client computing platforms associated with the passengers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to obtain historical information related to passengers such that the one or more processors obtains historical information related to the first passenger.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the obtained historical information related to the first passenger includes information indicating products and/or services liked by the first passenger as manifested by one or more external accounts associated with the first passenger, travel products purchased by the first passenger in the past, reservation choices made for the first passenger in the past, product and/or service preferences manifested by the first passenger in the past, travel experiences of the first passenger in the past, and/or behaviors exhibited by the first passenger in the past travel experiences.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is further configured such that the obtained flight information regarding the first flight includes information indicates seat assignments for existing passengers of the first flight, social media profiles associated with the existing passengers of the first flight, preferred seat assignments by the existing passengers, checked baggage by the existing passengers, flight upgrades made by the existing passengers of the first flight, levels of priority boarding selected by the existing passenger of the first flight, travel insurance associated with the existing passengers of the first flight, extra mileage accrual for loyalty program associated with the existing passengers of the first flight, airport lounge access available to the existing passengers of the first flight, meals purchased by the existing passenger of the first flight, destination information associated with the existing passenger of the first flight, priority boarding, advanced check-in, ground transportation or transfers, airport parking, pet carriage, car rental, destination activities, a price scheme for seat upgrades, a price scheme for in-flight meal, internet, and entertainment upgrades, a price scheme for luggage upgrades, a mileage program in connection with the first flight, and/or a promotion in connection with the first flight.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to obtain sets of offers made by merchants, the offers in the obtained offer sets being related to destinations of the passengers as indicated in the itinerary information such that responsive to the first itinerary information indicating the first destination of the first flight passage reserved by the first passenger on the first flight, the one or more processors obtains a first set of offers related to the first destination, the first set of offers including a first offer made by a first merchant and wherein:

the one or more processors is further configured such that the determination of the interactive content for inclusion in the emails includes a determination of interactive content sets for facilitating the passengers to interact with the offers such that the dynamically determined interactive content includes a second interactive content set for facilitating the first passenger to interact with one or more offers in the first set of offers; and

the one or more processors is further configured such that the first interactive email includes the second interactive content set.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to transmit the first passenger itinerary information to the first merchant prior to obtaining the first offer from the first merchant.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to select one or more offers from the first set of offers for inclusion in the second interactive content set.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors is further configured such that the dynamic determination of the first interactive content set for facilitating the first passenger to purchase the first set of flight options comprises generating controls by which the first passenger may purchase the first set of flight options within the first interactive email, and wherein one or more processors is further configured such that the dynamic determination of the second interactive content set for facilitating the first passenger to interact with the first set of offers comprises generating controls by which the first passenger may accept the first set of one or more offers within the first interactive email.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein browser plugins are embedded in the dedicated email clients to present the dynamically determined interactive content natively within the generated interactive emails.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the dedicated email clients include a webmail.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of seats as depicted in the visual mapping are configured to change visual appearance when selected to indicate that the particular seat is selected.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit further updated status data for the plurality of assignable seats upon each subsequent accessing of the first interactive email.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the interactive content within the message body section of the generated interactive emails further includes presentation of static content within the message body section of the generated interactive emails, wherein the static content is based at least in part on the reservation information.

10. A method for facilitating passengers to manage airline reservations within emails, the method being electronically executed in one or more physical processors configured to execute computer programs, the method comprising:

receiving reservation information regarding airline reservations associated with passengers, the received reservation information comprising first reservation information regarding a first airline reservation associated with a first passenger;

obtaining itinerary information associated with the passengers based on the received reservation information, the obtained itinerary information including first itinerary information associated with the first passenger indicating that the first passenger has made a reservation on a first flight for a first passage to a first destination;

obtaining flight information regarding flights on which reservations have been made for passengers as indicated by the obtained itinerary information, the flight information comprising a current status of a plurality of assignable seats for the flights on which reservations have been made, the status being changeable prior to a time at which the flights are scheduled to begin, and determining, based on the obtained flight information, flight options available to the passengers for purchase such that, responsive to the first itinerary information associated with the first passenger indicating that the first passenger has made a reservation on the first flight, the one or more processors;

obtains first flight information regarding the first flight, and

determines a first set of flight options available to the first passenger for purchase based on the first flight information;

dynamically determining interactive content for inclusion in the emails, the dynamically determined interactive content including interactive content sets facilitating passengers to purchase the flight options such that the dynamically determined interactive content includes a first interactive content set for facilitating the first passenger to purchase the first set of flight options;

generating interactive emails for interaction by the passengers, the generated interactive emails including interactive content sets such that a first interactive email is generated for interaction by the first passenger, the first interactive email including the first interactive content set,

wherein;

the interactive content sets include selectable options to select or purchase the flight options, the selectable options further include a visual mapping of the plurality of assignable seats and the current status of the plurality of assignable seats, with at least any of the plurality of seats having an available status being selectable;

the generated interactive emails are Internet Message Format compliant or Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions compliant, individual generated interactive emails including a message header section and a message body section;

the dynamically determined interactive content for inclusion in the emails includes elements that cause dedicated email clients displaying the generated interactive emails on client computing platforms to present the dynamically determined interactive content natively within the message body section of the generated interactive emails without using any other applications outside of the dedicated email clients; and

the presentation of the dynamically determined interactive content within the message body section of the generated interactive emails includes presentation of the selectable options to select or purchase the flight options within the message body section of the generated interactive emails;

causing transmission of the first interactive email to an email address associated with the first passenger;

receiving, responsive to the first interactive email being accessed by a dedicated email client, a request for updated status data for the plurality of assignable seats; and

transmitting, to the dedicated email client accessing the first interactive email, updated status data for the plurality of assignable seats, to enable the dedicated email client to render an updated interactive visual mapping of the plurality of assignable seats upon the first interactive email being accessed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving reservation information regarding airline reservations associated with passengers comprises receiving such reservation information through electronic messages from client computing platforms associated with the passengers.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising obtaining historical information related to passengers, the obtaining historical information related to passengers comprising obtaining historical information related to the first passenger.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the obtained historical information related to the first passenger includes information indicating products and/or services liked by the first passenger as manifested by one or more external accounts associated with the first passenger, travel products purchased by the first passenger in the past, reservation choices made for the first passenger in the past, product and/or service preferences manifested by the first passenger in the past, travel experiences of the first passenger in the past, purchase behavior by the first passenger in the past from other airlines/service providers and/or behaviors exhibited by the passenger in the past travel experiences.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the obtained flight information regarding the first flight includes information indicates seat assignments for existing passengers of the first flight, social media profiles associated with the existing passengers of the first flight, preferred seat assignments by the existing passengers, checked baggage by the existing passengers, flight upgrades made by the existing passengers of the first flight, levels of priority boarding selected by the existing passenger of the first flight, travel insurance associated with the existing passengers of the first flight, extra mileage accrual for loyalty program associated with the existing passengers of the first flight, airport lounge access available to the existing passengers of the first flight, meals purchased by the existing passenger of the first flight, destination information associated with the existing passenger of the first flight, priority boarding, advanced check-in, ground transportation or transfers, airport parking, pet carriage, car rental, destination activities, a price scheme for seat upgrades, a price scheme for in-flight meal, internet, and entertainment upgrades, a price scheme for luggage upgrades, a mileage program in connection with the first flight, and/or a promotion in connection with the first flight.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising obtaining sets of offers made by merchants, the offers in the obtained offer sets being related to destinations of the passengers as indicated in the obtained itinerary information such that responsive to the first itinerary information indicating the first destination of the first flight passage reserved by the first passenger on the first flight being obtained, obtaining a first set of offers related to the first destination, the first set of offers including a first offer made by a first merchant, and wherein:

the determination of the interactive content for inclusion in the emails includes a determination of interactive content sets for facilitating the passengers to interact with the obtained offers such that the dynamically determined interactive content includes a second interactive content set for facilitating the first passenger to interact with one or more offers in the first set of offers; and

the first interactive email includes the second interactive content set.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting one or more offers from the first set of offers for inclusion in the second interactive content set.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the dynamic determination of the first interactive content set for facilitating the first passenger to purchase the first set of flight options available to the first passenger comprises generating controls by which the first passenger may purchase the one or more flight options within the first interactive email, and wherein the dynamic determination of the second interactive content set for facilitating the first passenger to interact with the first set of offers comprises generating controls by which the first passenger may accept the first set of offers within the first interactive email.