Method and system for accessing travel services

• US 6,959,298 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne, Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Assistant Examiner(s): FILIPCZYK, MARCIN R
• Application Number:
  US09/607,605
• Time in Patent Office: 1,943 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707/104, 707100-102, 382/287, 382/306, 382/312, 382/313, 235/462.01, 358/112, 358/473
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed which relate to accessing travel services via interface surfaces printed with information and coded data. The coded data, encoded visibly or invisibly, may be queried by an appropriate sensing device. The sensing device communicates with a computer system. Together, the interface surfaces, sensing device and computer system are capable of effecting travel service transactions over a network.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a user to access travel services using a paper form containing information relating to a travel service transaction, the form including printed coded data, configured as tags, indicative of an identity of the form and of at least one location on the form, the method including the steps of:

receiving, in a computer system, indicating data from a hand-held sensing device regarding the identity of the form and a position of the sensing device relative to the form, the sensing device, when placed by a hand of the user in an operative position relative to the form, sensing at least some of the coded data and generating the indicating data using at least some of the sensed coded data; and

identifying, in the computer system and from the indicating data, at least one parameter relating to the travel service transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one parameter relating to the travel service transaction is associated with at least one zone of the form and in which the method includes identifying, in the computer system and from the zone relative to which the sensing device is located, said at least one parameter.

3. The method of claim 2 which includes:

receiving, in the computer system, data regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the form, the sensing device sensing its movement relative to the form using at least some of the coded data; and

identifying, in the computer system and from said movement being at least partially within said at least one zone, said at least one parameter of the travel service transaction.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the parameter is an option parameter of the travel service transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the user has entered a hand-drawn mark by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the option parameter.

5. The method of claim 4 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

searching for a travel product, requesting information relating to a travel product, selecting a travel product to purchase, confirming payment for a travel product, searching for a flight, requesting information relating to a flight, selecting a flight to purchase, confirming payment for a flight, searching for a car rental, requesting information relating to a car rental, selecting a car rental to purchase, confirming payment for a car rental, searching for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to hotel accommodation, selecting hotel accommodation to purchase, confirming payment for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to a vacation package, requesting a quotation relating to a vacation package, selecting a vacation package to purchase, confirming payment for a vacation package, requesting information relating to a travel insurance, requesting a quotation relating to a travel insurance, selecting travel insurance to purchase, confirming payment for travel insurance, a class of travel, a fare type, an airline, a payment card type, a car type, a car equipment option, a payment card, a property type, an amenities option, a travel insurance cover type, and a travel insurance destination region.

6. The method of claim 3 in which the parameter is a text parameter of the travel service transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the user has entered handwritten text data by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the text parameter.

7. The method of claim 6 which includes converting, in the computer system, the handwritten text data to computer text.

8. The method of claim 7 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

a travel departure location, a travel destination location, a number of travelers, an airline, a carrier, a frequent flyer membership number, a traveler name, a traveler address, a traveler telephone number, a traveler age, a payment cardholder name, a payment card number, a payment card expiry date, a car rental pick-up location, a car rental drop-off location, a car rental pick-up date, a car make, a city, a check-in date, a number of guests, a number of rooms, a hotel chain, a hotel name, a departure date, and a trip cost.

9. The method of claim 3 in which the parameter is an authorization parameter of the travel service transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the user has entered a handwritten signature by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the authorization parameter.

10. The method of claim 9 which includes verifying, in the computer system, that the signature is that of the user.

11. The method of claim 10 in which the authorization parameter is associated with payment authorization.

12. The method of claim 2 in which the parameter is an action parameter of the travel service transaction, the method including effecting, in the computer system, an operation in respect of the action parameter.

13. The method of claim 12 in which the action parameter of the travel service transaction is selected from the group comprising:

searching for a travel product, requesting information relating to a travel product, selecting a travel product to purchase, confirming payment for a travel product, searching for a flight, requesting information relating to a flight, selecting a flight to purchase, confirming payment for a flight, searching for a car rental, requesting information relating to a car rental, selecting a car rental to purchase, confirming payment for a car rental, searching for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to hotel accommodation, selecting hotel accommodation to purchase, confirming payment for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to a vacation package, requesting a quotation relating to a vacation package, selecting a vacation package to purchase, confirming payment for a vacation package, requesting information relating to a travel insurance, requesting a quotation relating to a travel insurance, selecting travel insurance to purchase, and confirming payment for travel insurance.

14. The method of claim 1 in which the form contains information relating to at least one of:

1. searching for a travel product, requesting information relating to a travel product, selecting a travel product to purchase, confirming payment for a travel product, acceptance of an order for a travel product, a flight, car rental, hotel accommodation, a vacation package, and travel insurance.

15. The method of claim 1 which includes printing the form on demand.

16. The method of claim 15 which includes printing the form on a surface of an object and, at the same time that the form is printed, printing the coded data on the surface.

17. The method of claim 16 which includes printing the coded data to be substantially invisible in the visible spectrum.

18. The method of claim 1 which includes retaining a retrievable record of each form generated, the form being retrievable using its identity as contained in its coded data.

19. The method of claim 1 which includes distributing a plurality of the forms using a mixture of multicast and pointcast communications protocols.

20. The method of claim 1 in which the sensing device contains an identification means which imparts a unique identity to the sensing device and identifies it as belonging to a particular user and in which the method includes monitoring, in the computer system, said identity.

21. The method of claim 1 which includes providing all required information relating to the travel service transaction in the form to eliminate the need for a separate display device.

22. The method of claim 1 in which the form is printed on multiple pages and in which the method includes binding the pages.

23. A system for enabling a user to access travel services using a paper form containing information relating to a travel service transaction, the form including printed coded data, configured as tags, indicative of an identity of the form and of at least one location on the form, the system including:

a computer system for receiving indicating data from a hand-held sensing device for identifying at least one parameter relating to the travel service transaction, the indicating data being indicative of the identity of the form and a position of the sensing device relative to the form, the sensing device, when placed by a hand of the user in an operative position relative to the form, sensing at least some of the coded data and generating the indicating data using at least some of the sensed coded data.

24. The system of claim 23 in which said at least one parameter relating to the travel service transaction is associated with at least one zone of the form.

25. The system of claim 23 which includes the sensing device, the sensing device sensing its movement relative to the form using at least some of the coded data.

26. The system of claim 25 in which the sensing device includes a marking nib.

27. The system of claim 25 in which the sensing device contains an identification means which imparts a unique identity to the sensing device and identifies it as belonging to a particular user.

28. The system of claim 23 in which said at least one parameter of the travel service transaction is selected from the group comprising an action parameter of the travel service transaction, an option parameter of the travel service transaction, a text parameter of the travel service transaction, an authorization parameter of the travel service transaction, and a picture parameter of the travel service transaction.

29. The system of claim 28 in which the action parameter of the travel service transaction is selected from the group comprising:

searching for a travel product, requesting information relating to a travel product, selecting a travel product to purchase, confirming payment for a travel product, searching for a flight, requesting information relating to a flight, selecting a flight to purchase, confirming payment for a flight, searching for a car rental, requesting information relating to a car rental, selecting a car rental to purchase, confirming payment for a car rental, searching for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to hotel accommodation, selecting hotel accommodation to purchase, confirming payment for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to a vacation package, requesting a quotation relating to a vacation package, selecting a vacation package to purchase, confirming payment for a vacation package, requesting information relating to a travel insurance, requesting a quotation relating to a travel insurance, selecting travel insurance to purchase, and confirming payment for travel insurance.

30. The system of claim 28 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

searching for a travel product, requesting information relating to a travel product, selecting a travel product to purchase, confirming payment for a travel product, searching for a flight, requesting information relating to a flight, selecting a flight to purchase, confirming payment for a flight, searching for a car rental, requesting information relating to a car rental, selecting a car rental to purchase, confirming payment for a car rental, searching for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to hotel accommodation, selecting hotel accommodation to purchase, confirming payment for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to a vacation package, requesting a quotation relating to a vacation package, selecting a vacation package to purchase, confirming payment for a vacation package, requesting information relating to a travel insurance, requesting a quotation relating to a travel insurance, selecting travel insurance to purchase, confirming payment for travel insurance, a class of travel, a fare type, an airline, a payment card type, a car type, a car equipment option, a payment card, a property type, an amenities option, a travel insurance cover type, and a travel insurance destination region.

31. The system of claim 28 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

a travel departure location, a travel destination location, a number of travelers, an airline, a carrier, a frequent flyer membership number, a traveler name, a traveler address, a traveler telephone number, a traveler age, a payment cardholder name, a payment card number, a payment card expiry date, a car rental pick-up location, a car rental drop-off location, a car rental pick-up date, a car make, a city, a check-in date, a number of guests, a number of rooms, a hotel chain, a hotel name, a departure date, and a trip cost.

32. The system of claim 28 in which the authorization parameter is associated with payment authorization.

33. The system of claim 23 in which the form is printed on a surface of an object and in which the system includes a printer for printing the form on demand.

34. The system of claim 33 in which the printer prints the coded data at the same time as printing the form on the object.

35. The system of claim 33 in which, to cater for a form printed on multiple pages, the printer includes a binding means for binding the pages.

36. The system of claim 23 in which the coded data is substantially invisible in the visible spectrum.

37. The system of claim 23 which includes a database for keeping a retrievable record of each form generated, each form being retrievable by using its identity as included in its coded data.

38. A method of enabling a user to access travel services using a paper form containing information relating to a travel service transaction, the form including printed coded data, configured as tags, indicative of at least one parameter of the travel service transaction, the method including the steps of:

receiving, in a computer system, data from a hand-held sensing device regarding said at least one parameter and regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the form, the sensing device, when moved by a hand of the user relative to the form, sensing the data regarding said at least one parameter using at least some of the coded data and generating the data regarding its own movement relative to the form; and

interpreting, in the computer system, said movement of the sensing device as it relates to said at least one parameter.

39. The method of claim 38 in which the parameter is an action parameter of the travel service transaction, the method including effecting, in the computer system, an operation in respect of the action parameter.

40. The method of claim 39 in which the action parameter of the travel service transaction is selected from the group comprising:

searching for a travel product, requesting information relating to a travel product, selecting a travel product to purchase, confirming payment for a travel product, searching for a flight, requesting information relating to a flight, selecting a flight to purchase, confirming payment for a flight, searching for a car rental, requesting information relating to a car rental, selecting a car rental to purchase, confirming payment for a car rental, searching for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to hotel accommodation, selecting hotel accommodation to purchase, confirming payment for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to a vacation package, requesting a quotation relating to a vacation package, selecting a vacation package to purchase, confirming payment for a vacation package, requesting information relating to a travel insurance, requesting a quotation relating to a travel insurance, selecting travel insurance to purchase, and confirming payment for travel insurance.

41. The method of claim 38 in which the parameter is an option parameter of the travel service transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the user has entered a hand-drawn mark by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the option parameter.

42. The method of claim 41 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

searching for a travel product, requesting information relating to a travel product, selecting a travel product to purchase, confirming payment for a travel product, searching for a flight, requesting information relating to a flight, selecting a flight to purchase, confirming payment for a flight, searching for a car rental, requesting information relating to a car rental, selecting a car rental to purchase, confirming payment for a car rental, searching for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to hotel accommodation, selecting hotel accommodation to purchase, confirming payment for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to a vacation package, requesting a quotation relating to a vacation package, selecting a vacation package to purchase, confirming payment for a vacation package, requesting information relating to a travel insurance, requesting a quotation relating to a travel insurance, selecting travel insurance to purchase, confirming payment for travel insurance, a class of travel, a fare type, an airline, a payment card type, a car type, a car equipment option, a payment card, a property type, an amenities option, a travel insurance cover type, and a travel insurance destination region.

43. The method of claim 38 in which the parameter is a text parameter of the travel service transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the user has entered handwritten text data by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the text parameter.

44. The method of claim 43 which includes converting, in the computer system, the handwritten text data to computer text.

45. The method of claim 44 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

a travel departure location, a travel destination location, a number of travelers, an airline, a carrier, a frequent flyer membership number, a traveler name, a traveler address, a traveler telephone number, a traveler age, a payment cardholder name, a payment card number, a payment card expiry date, a car rental pick-up location, a car rental drop-off location, a car rental pick-up date, a car make, a city, a check-in date, a number of guests, a number of rooms, a hotel chain, a hotel name, a departure date, and a trip cost.

46. The method of claim 38 in which the parameter is an authorization parameter of the travel service transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the user has entered a handwritten signature by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the authorization parameter.

47. The method of claim 46 which includes verifying, in the computer system, that the signature is that of the user.

48. The method of claim 47 in which the authorization parameter is associated with payment authorization.

49. The method of claim 38 in which the form contains information relating to at least one of:

searching for a travel product, requesting information relating to a travel product, selecting a travel product to purchase, confirming payment for a travel product, acceptance of an order for a travel product, a flight, car rental, hotel accommodation, a vacation package, and travel insurance.

50. The method of claim 38 which includes printing the form on demand.

51. The method of claim 50 which includes printing the form on a surface of an object and, at the same time that the form is printed, printing the coded data on the surface.

52. The method of claim 51 which includes printing the coded data to be substantially invisible in the visible spectrum.

53. The method of claim 38 which includes retaining a retrievable record of each form generated, the form being retrievable using its identity as contained in its coded data.

54. The method of claim 38 which includes distributing a plurality of the forms using a mixture of multicast and pointcast communications protocols.

55. The method of claim 38 in which the sensing device contains an identification means which imparts a unique identity to the sensing device and identifies it as belonging to a particular user and in which the method includes monitoring, in the computer system, said identity.

56. The method of claim 38 which includes providing all required information relating to the travel service transaction in the form to eliminate the need for a separate display device.

57. The method of claim 38 in which the form is printed on multiple pages and in which the method includes binding the pages.

58. A system for enabling a user to access travel services using a paper form containing information relating to a travel service transaction, the form including printed coded data, configured as tags, indicative of at least one parameter of the travel service transaction, the system including:

a computer system for receiving data from a hand-held sensing device regarding said at least one parameter and regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the form, and for interpreting said movement of the sensing device as it relates to said at least one parameter, the sensing device, when moved by a hand of the user relative to the form, sensing at least some of the coded data and generating the data regarding said at least one parameter using at least some of the sensed coded data, and generating the data regarding its own movement relative to the form.

59. The system of claim 58 in which said at least one parameter of the travel service transaction is selected from the group comprising an action parameter of the travel service transaction, an option parameter of the travel service transaction, a text parameter of the travel service transaction, an authorization parameter of the travel service transaction, and a picture parameter of the travel service transaction.

60. The system of claim 59 in which the action parameter of the travel service transaction is selected from the group comprising:

searching for a travel product, requesting information relating to a travel product, selecting a travel product to purchase, confirming payment for a travel product, searching for a flight, requesting information relating to a flight, selecting a flight to purchase, confirming payment for a flight, searching for a car rental, requesting information relating to a car rental, selecting a car rental to purchase, confirming payment for a car rental, searching for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to hotel accommodation, selecting hotel accommodation to purchase, confirming payment for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to a vacation package, requesting a quotation relating to a vacation package, selecting a vacation package to purchase, confirming payment for a vacation package, requesting information relating to a travel insurance, requesting a quotation relating to a travel insurance, selecting travel insurance to purchase, and confirming payment for travel insurance.

61. The system of claim 59 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

searching for a travel product, requesting information relating to a travel product, selecting a travel product to purchase, confirming payment for a travel product, searching for a flight, requesting information relating to a flight, selecting a flight to purchase, confirming payment for a flight, searching for a car rental, requesting information relating to a car rental, selecting a car rental to purchase, confirming payment for a car rental, searching for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to hotel accommodation, selecting hotel accommodation to purchase, confirming payment for hotel accommodation, requesting information relating to a vacation package, requesting a quotation relating to a vacation package, selecting a vacation package to purchase, confirming payment for a vacation package, requesting information relating to a travel insurance, requesting a quotation relating to a travel insurance, selecting travel insurance to purchase, confirming payment for travel insurance, a class of travel, a fare type, an airline, a payment card type, a car type, a car equipment option, a payment card, a property type, an amenities option, a travel insurance cover type, and a travel insurance destination region.

62. The system of claim 59 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

a travel departure location, a travel destination location, a number of travelers, an airline, a carrier, a frequent flyer membership number, a traveler name, a traveler address, a traveler telephone number, a traveler age, a payment cardholder name, a payment card number, a payment card expiry date, a car rental pick-up location, a car rental drop-off location, a car rental pick-up date, a car make, a city, a check-in date, a number of guests, a number of rooms, a hotel chain, a hotel name, a departure date, and a trip cost.

63. The system of claim 59 in which the authorization parameter is associated with payment authorization.

64. The system of claim 58 in which the sensing device includes a marking nib.

65. The system of claim 58 in which the sensing device contains an identification means which imparts a unique identity to the sensing device and identifies it as belonging to a particular user.

66. The system of claim 58 in which the form is printed on a surface of an object and in which the system includes a printer for printing the form on demand.

67. The system of claim 66 in which the printer prints the coded data at the same time as printing the form on the object.

68. The system of claim 66 in which, to cater for a form printed on multiple pages, the printer includes a binding means for binding the pages.

69. The system of claim 58 in which the coded data is substantially invisible in the visible spectrum.

70. The system of claim 58 which includes a database for keeping a retrievable record of each form generated, each form being retrievable by using its identity as included in its coded data.