SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING TRAVEL SERVICE INFORMATION BASED UPON A SPEECH-BASED REQUEST

• US 20030158738A1
• Filed: 11/01/1999
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Travelocity.com LP (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Travelocity.com LP (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: BOMAR, KEVIN, CROSBY, CAROLYN
• Application Number:
  US09/431,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20030158738A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/228 of application context

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing travel-related speech input is presented. A travel server receives a speech input corresponding to a travel-related task. The travel server then converts the speech input into data reflecting the travel-related task and accesses a database for stored information corresponding to the travel-related task. This stored information is returned to the source of the speech input.

Claims

1. A method for processing travel-related speech input in a network having a travel server, the method comprising the steps, performed by the travel server, of:

receiving a speech input corresponding to a travel-related task;

converting the speech input into data reflecting the travel-related task;

accessing a database for stored information corresponding to the travel-related task; and

returning the stored information.

2. The method of claim 1, said converting step further comprising:

parsing the speech input to get required values;

determining whether all of the required values were received; and

determining whether any ambiguities exist in the speech input.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the required values are selected from a group including type of asset, reference points, geographic operations, Boolean operations, and asset qualifiers.

4. The method of claim 2, said accessing step further comprising:

performing a search of the database based on the required values to retrieve asset data; and

sending the asset data to a computerized reservation system to check availability.

5. The method of claim 4, said accessing step further comprising:

retrieving map data from the database based on the asset data.

6. The method of claim 1, said returning step further comprising:

returning speech output in addition to the stored information.

7. An apparatus for processing travel-related speech input comprising:

means for receiving a speech input corresponding to a travel-related task;

means for converting the speech input into data reflecting the travel-related task;

means for accessing a database for stored information corresponding to the travel-related task; and

means for returning the stored information.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, said means for converting further comprising:

means for parsing the speech input to get required values;

means for determining whether all of the required values were received; and

means for determining whether any ambiguities exist in the speech input.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the required values are selected from a group including type of asset, reference points, geographic operations, Boolean operations, and asset qualifiers.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, said means for accessing further comprising:

means for performing a search of the database based on the required values to retrieve asset data; and

means for sending the asset data to a computerized reservation system to check availability.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, said means for accessing further comprising:

means for retrieving map data from the database based on the asset data.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, said means for returning further comprising:

means for returning speech output in addition to the stored information.

13. A user interface for providing travel-related information, comprising:

a first view showing text indicative of a speech input corresponding to a travel-related task, wherein the speech input is received by a travel server connected to the user interface and converted into data reflecting the travel-related task;

a second view showing stored information corresponding to the travel related task, wherein the travel server accessed a database to retrieve the stored information and returned the stored information to the user interface; and

a third view showing a map corresponding to the stored information.

14. A method for processing purchase-related speech input in a network having a server, the method comprising the steps, performed by the server, of:

receiving a speech input corresponding to a purchase-related task;

converting the speech input into data reflecting the purchase-related task;

accessing a database for stored information corresponding to the purchase-related task; and

returning the stored information.