FACILITATING PASSENGER TO MANAGE AIRLINE RESERVATION WITHIN ELECTRONIC MESSAGE

• US 20150095073A1
• Filed: 10/01/2013
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airto,Inc
• Original Assignee: Shi Li
• Inventors: Li, Shi
• Granted Patent: US 9,990,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 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 electronic messages, the system comprising

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising:

a reservation information receipt module configured 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;

a passenger-itinerary module configured to obtain itinerary information associated with the individual ones of the passengers based on the reservation information received by the reservation information module, 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;

a flight module configured to obtain flight information regarding flights on which reservations have been made for passengers as indicated by the itinerary information obtained by the passenger-itinerary module and to 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 being obtained by the passenger-itinerary module, the flight information module

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;

an interactive content module configured to dynamically determine interactive content for inclusion in electronic messages, the dynamically determined interactive content including interactive content sets facilitating passengers to purchase flight options determined by the flight module and 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; and

an electronic message module configured to generate interactive electronic messages for interaction by the passengers, the generated interactive electronic messages including the interactive content sets determined by the interactive content module such that the electronic message module generates a first interactive electronic message for interaction by the first passenger, the first interactive electronic message including the first interactive content set.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reservation information receipt module 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 passenger-itinerary module is further configured to obtain historical information related to passengers such that the passenger-itinerary module 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 social medial accounts associated with the first user, 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 flight module 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 computer program modules further comprise an offer module 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 obtained by the passenger-itinerary module 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 by the passenger-itinerary module, the offer module 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 interactive content module is further configured such that the determination of the interactive content for inclusion in the electronic message includes a determination of interactive content sets for facilitating the passengers to interact with the offers obtained by the offer module 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 electronic message module is further configured such that the first electronic message includes the second interactive content set.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the offer module is further configured to transmit the first passenger information to the first merchant prior to obtaining the first offer from the first merchant.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the offer module 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 5, wherein the interactive content module 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 electronic message, and wherein the interactive content module 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 electronic message.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the interactive content module is configured such that the dynamically determined interactive content for inclusion in the electronic messages includes elements that cause the programs displaying the electronic messages on client computing platforms to present the dynamically determined interactive content natively within the electronic messages without using any other applications outside of the client programs.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein

the reservation information receipt module is further configured such that the received reservation information comprising second reservation information regarding a second airline reservation associated with a second passenger;

the passenger-itinerary module is further configured such that the obtained itinerary information including second itinerary information associated with the second passenger indicating that the second passenger has made a reservation on a second flight for a second passage to a second destination;

the flight module is further configured such that responsive to the second itinerary information associated with the second passenger indicating that the second passenger has made a reservation on the second flight being obtained by the passenger-itinerary module, the flight information module;

obtains second flight information regarding the second flight, and

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

the interactive content module is further configured such that the dynamically determined interactive content includes a third interactive content set for facilitating the second passenger to purchase the second set of flight options; and

the electronic message module is further configured such that the electronic message module generates a second interactive electronic message for interaction by the second passenger, the second interactive electronic message including the third interactive content set.

12. A method for facilitating passengers to manage airline reservations within electronic messages, 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 individual ones of 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 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 being obtained;

obtaining first flight information regarding the first flight, and

determining 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 electronic messages, the dynamically determined interactive content including interactive content sets facilitating passengers to purchase 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; and

generating interactive electronic messages for interaction by the passengers, the generated interactive electronic messages such that generating a first interactive electronic message for interaction by the first passenger, the first interactive electronic message including the first interactive content set.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein 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.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising obtain historical information related to passengers such that obtaining historical information related to the first passenger.

15. The method of claim 14, 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 social medial accounts associated with the first user, 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 first passenger in the past travel experiences.

16. The method of claim 12, 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.

17. The method of claim 12, 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 electronic message 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 electronic message includes the second interactive content set.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising selecting one or more offers from the first set of offers for inclusion in the second interactive content set.

19. The method of claim 17, 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 electronic message, 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 electronic message.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the dynamically determined interactive content for inclusion in the electronic messages includes elements that cause the programs displaying the electronic messages on client computing platforms to present the dynamically determined interactive content natively within the electronic messages without using any other applications outside of the client programs.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving reservation information comprising second reservation information regarding a second airline reservation associated with a second passenger;

obtaining second itinerary information associated with the second passenger indicating that the second passenger has made a reservation on a second flight for a second passage to a second destination;

responsive to the second itinerary information associated with the second passenger indicating that the second passenger has made a reservation on the second flight being obtained;

obtaining second flight information regarding the second flight, and

determining second set of flight options available to the second passenger for purchase based on the second flight information;

dynamically determining a third interactive content set for facilitating the second passenger to purchase the second set of flight options; and

generating a second interactive electronic message for interaction by the second passenger, the second interactive electronic message including the third interactive content set.