Method of providing children's restraint devices at consolidated car rental facilities and public carrier terminals

• US 20110015953A1
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Deborah M. Maunus
• Original Assignee: Deborah M. Maunus
• Inventors: Maunus, Deborah M.
• Application Number:
  US12/804,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20110015953A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system and method are presented for providing a service to travelers to enable them to acquire, at one'"'"'s destination, essential items that may be checked or carried on an aircraft or available at an alternative mode of transportation, such items including child restraint devices for use in cars, mobility assistance devices. A consumer may initiate a rental of the child'"'"'s restraint device through either an operating company'"'"'s website, a car leasing or rental company'"'"'s website, airline website that would furnish a link to the operating company'"'"'s site, or at the point of purchase. Upon initiating a reservation, the consumer would initiate data file containing reservation to the operating company'"'"'s website. The method is responsive to the needs of travelers, airlines, airports, and other public carriers including trains, rental car companies, buses, and cruise ships for providing the consumer convenience, efficiency, reliability and high standard of hygienic inventory in the rental or purchase of children'"'"'s restraint devices at either the baggage area within an airport terminal, at the car rental companies within the terminal or outside the airport, at CONRACs, or in any nearby area.

Claims

1. A method of providing a service to travelers enabling them to acquire, at their destination within a time frame set by user, one or more essential items provided by operator for sale or rent, that may be checked or carried on an aircraft or available at an alternative mode of transportation, such items may include child restraint devices required for use in cars and mobility assistance devices, the method comprising the steps of:

determining by said user essential items needed at their destination, within a time frame determined by said user, as a means for reducing the amount of checked and carry on baggage whereby avoiding or eliminating checked and carry on baggage fees and decreasing risk of loss and damage of such items in the course of transit;

describing in at least one database accessible via a network, website, telephone or at the point of service, each of the plurality of destinations to which such user can travel, each of the plurality of essential items at said destination, designating user'"'"'s time frame for use of said essential items, said essential items being provided by means of spoken word, internet or point of service at said destination;

processing a rental reservation, in a computerized system said rental reservation from a consumer via interface with, airline, car rental companies, third party websites and entities such as travel agents and travel web sites, directly with operator web site or at the point of service, the essential items designated to be rented or purchased by the consumer at designated location, time and rental period;

providing a direct link with a data file in a computerized system to operator receiving and processing a transaction or reservation, comprised of information between user, airline, car rental companies, third party websites and entities such as travel agents and travel web sites, to incorporate rental or purchase of such essential items into a reservation process or providing such service at the point of service to users and travelers who have not previously initiated such link whether or not with reference to the rental of an automobile;

providing the essential items to a consumer in either a centrally located kiosk, a retail management unit, in-line space, baggage claim area, passenger terminal, car rental company within or near the airport, or in a consolidated rental car facility or CONRAC at or near the airport, or an alternative mode of transportation terminal whether or not with reference to the rental of an automobile;

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising a step of receiving and processing payment information from the consumer at operator web site, via third party, car rental company or point of service.

3. The method as in claim 1 of generating a user profile, within said computerized system, a database including information relating to destination, time frame, and essential items previously indicated by user.

4. The method as in claim 1 of managing inventory control of essential items wherein a mobile management system with enabling software and PC based hardware enables procurement, delivery and inventory management through the use of a combination of mobile computing units which may include but not be limited to, Radio Frequency Identification chip technology using optical readers or UPC bar codes to identify and control inventory distribution, tracking and storage, monitor and manage recalled, retired and or expired inventory.

5. The method as in claim 1 of providing real time supply chain visibility, monitoring said inventory for damage, linking to manufacturer and consumer web sites for notification of recalled, retired or expired inventory and guarantying inventory availability.

6. The method as in claim 1 of implementing a sanitation and compliance protocol wherein such essential items are sanitized and inspected for compliance with federal safety standards.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the improvements further comprise a process for said car rental companies to outsource the rental or operation of an alternative revenue source to operator of one or more essential items which may be offered as part of car rental options as a means to reduce overhead including labor and inventory.

8. The method as in claim 1 whereby such rental car companies may monitor parameters of interest inclusive of reservation numbers, cancelations, modifications in reservation and pick up and drop off location and time, returns, inventory availability, financial transactions and consumer usage patterns.

9. The method as in claim 1, whereby providing airlines, airports or alternative venues a means for alternative revenue sources, additional concession revenue and an increase in passenger service.

10. The method as in claim 1, providing essential items which are inconvenient, bulky, restricted as checked baggage, seasonal, physically or logistically difficult to transport to a consumer in either a centrally located kiosk, a Retail Management Unit, in-line space, baggage claim area, passenger terminal, or in a Consolidated Rental Car Facility or CONRAC at or near the airport, or an alternative mode of transportation terminal whether or not with reference to the rental of an automobile.

11. The method as in claim 1, enhancing compliance with legal requirements in area of children'"'"'s restraint devices, availability of medically necessary equipment and mobility devices.

12. The method as in claim 1, further comprising a step of reducing environmentally adverse levels of carbon emissions, baggage area congestion, the incidence of lost or damaged checked baggage and resulting liability, airline turnaround time, providing a system by which a more cost-effective use of CONRAC and rental car areas, both inside and outside airports may be affected.