Travel management system utilizing multiple computer reservation systems (CRSs)

• US 20020152100A1
• Filed: 04/12/2001
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GetThere LP (Sabre Corp.)
• Original Assignee: GetThere, Inc. (Sabre Corp.)
• Inventors: Chen, Jerome, Goyal, Narendra, GaBany, Robert Jay
• Granted Patent: US 7,493,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

A system and method for travel management that utilizes multiple computer reservation systems (CRSs) for making travel related bookings. In one embodiment, a server provides access to a plurality of computer reservation systems (CRSs) for a client initiating a travel booking request. The client can book a travel item segment from any one of the accessible CRSs. CRSs for particular travel item segments are predefined for the client, along with particular conditions, prior to a travel booking request. The predefined CRSs are accessed to check the availability of travel items. The available travel items are displayed to the client for booking. When the client books a travel item, the booked travel item segment is stored in a super passenger name record (PNR). In some embodiments, the super PNR includes a CRS designation associated with each travel item segment.

Claims

1. A method for making travel related bookings, comprising:

providing access to a plurality of computer reservation systems (CRSs) for a client initiating a travel booking request, CRSs including global distribution systems (GDSs); and

allowing the client to book at least one travel item segment from any one of the accessible CRSs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a travel item segment is one of an air segment, a car segment, or a hotel segment.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, identifying each booked travel item segment with a CRS designation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the CRS designation is a name of a CRS or a CRS locator.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising, storing a travel itinerary booking record for the at least one booked travel item segment.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising, displaying the travel itinerary booking record to the client.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, allowing the client to modify the travel itinerary booking record.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing access to the plurality of computer reservation systems (CRSs) for the client includes:

reading a predefined selection of the plurality of CRSs to be accessed during the travel booking request; and

accessing the selected plurality of CRSs to check the availability of travel items at the CRSs for the travel booking request.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the predefined selection of the plurality of CRSs includes a default CRS or a primary CRS and at least one secondary CRS.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein allowing the client to book at least one travel item segment from any one of the accessible CRSs includes:

displaying available travel items accessed from the selected plurality of CRSs for the travel booking request;

allowing the client to select a desired travel item; and

for each selected travel item,

booking the selected travel item with the respective CRS.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein only a lowest cost travel item accessed from the selected plurality of CRSs is displayed.

13. The travel management system of claim 12, wherein a travel item segment is one of an air segment, a car segment, or a hotel segment.

14. The travel management system of claim 12, further comprising, a database to store a super passenger name record (PNR) including the at least one booked travel item segment, the super PNR storing a CRS designation for each booked travel segment.

15. The travel management system of claim 14, wherein the CRS designation is a name of a CRS or a CRS locator.

16. The travel management system of claim 14, further comprising, a client interface to cause the display of the super PNR to the client.

17. The travel management system of claim 15, wherein the client interface allows the client to modify the super PNR.

18. The travel management system of claim 12, further comprising a terminal access editor (TAE) to define a selection of the plurality of computer reservation systems (CRSs) for the client to be stored in a database and accessed during the travel booking request for the client.

19. The travel management system of claim 18, wherein the booking engine:

reads the database to determine the selected plurality of CRSs to be accessed during the travel booking request; and

accesses the selected plurality of CRSs to check the availability of travel items at the CRSs for the travel booking request.

20. The travel management system of claim 19, wherein the selection of the plurality of CRSs includes a default CRS or a primary CRS and at least one secondary CRS.

21. The travel management system of claim 19, further comprising a client interface to:

display available travel items accessed from the selected plurality of CRSs for the travel booking request at the client; and

allow the client to select a desired travel item.

22. The travel management system of claim 21, wherein for each selected travel item, the booking engine books the selected item with the respective CRS.

23. The travel management system of claim 21, wherein only the lowest cost travel item accessed from the selected plurality of CRSs is displayed.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein a travel item segment is one of an air segment, a car segment, or a hotel segment.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, further comprising, identifying each booked travel item segment with a CRS designation.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the CRS designation is a name of a CRS or a CRS locator.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 26, further comprising, storing a travel itinerary booking record for the at least one booked travel item segment.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising, displaying the travel itinerary booking record to the client.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 29, further comprising, allowing the client to modify the travel itinerary booking record.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein providing access to the plurality of computer reservation systems (CRSs) for the client includes:

reading a predefined selection of the plurality of CRSs to be accessed during the travel booking request; and

accessing the selected plurality of CRSs to check the availability of travel items at the CRSs for the travel booking request.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the predefined selection of the plurality of CRSs includes a default CRS or a primary CRS and at least one secondary CRS.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 31, wherein allowing the client to book at least one travel item segment from any one of the accessible CRSs includes:

displaying available travel items accessed from the selected plurality of CRSs for the travel booking request;

allowing the client to select a desired travel item; and

for each selected travel item,

booking the selected travel item with the respective CRS.

34. The machine-readable medium of claim 33, wherein only a lowest cost travel item accessed from the selected plurality of CRSs is displayed.

12. A travel management system (TMS) for making travel related bookings, the TMS comprising:

a server to provide access to a plurality of computer reservation systems (CRSs) for a client initiating a travel booking request, CRSs including global distribution systems (GDSs); and

a booking engine to allow the client to book at least one travel item segment from any one of the accessible CRSs.

24. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the following:

providing access to a plurality of computer reservation systems (CRSs) for a client initiating a travel booking request, CRSs including global distribution systems (GDSs); and

allowing the client to book at least one travel item segment from any one of the accessible CRSs.