Methods and apparatus for accessing information from multiple remote sources

• US 7,350,150 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2003
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sabre GLBL Inc. (Sabre Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sabre Incorporated (Sabre Corp.)
• Inventors: Gerra, Michael, Offutt, Joseph Robert Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Ba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hassan; Rashedul
• Application Number:
  US10/677,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20040070603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: 345/744, 345/733, 345/804, 345/854, 345/840, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/218, 715/744, 715/738, 715/748, 715/733, 715/717, 715/737, 715/761, 715/764, 715/769, 715/781
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention a process is provided for interfacing a legacy application and internet-based application and for displaying information from each application in a frame of a multi-frame browser on a client workstation. Further, the interface system enables users to transact business with the legacy application based on information retrieved from the internet-based application, and to retrieve information from the internet-based application based on information retrieved from the legacy application.

Claims

1. A user interface for accessing information from multiple remote sources comprising:

a first machine for receiving a request for data and for providing the requested data to be displayed in a first display area, wherein the first machine comprises a legacy computerized reservation system application;

a second machine in communication with said first machine and having a display comprising at least the first display area and a second display area; and

a third machine for receiving a query based at least in part upon the request for data automatically without a user initiating the query, wherein the third machine comprises a web-based application for providing results of the query in a web page, wherein the results of the query include at least one item for which booking is capable of being completed at the first machine, and wherein the results of the query are displayed in the second display area of the second machine, wherein the first machine further comprises a processor for;

determining whether the web page of the results contains a tag; and

displaying a button corresponding to the tag in the second display area, and wherein the processor further comprises machine-readable instructions for;

determining when the button is activated;

extracting the results of the query from the second display area when the button is activated;

composing a booking transaction from the results;

transmitting the booking transaction to the first machine; and

displaying a confirmation message in the first display area.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein said third machine is also for storing data responsive to the query, and for providing the results of the query to the second machine.

3. A computer-implemented method for accessing information from multiple remote sources, comprising:

issuing a request for data to a first machine, wherein the first machine comprises a legacy computerized reservation system application;

displaying the requested data from the first machine in a first display area of a second machine;

transmitting a query based at least in part upon the request for data to at least a third machine automatically without a user initiating the query, wherein the third machine comprises a web-based application for providing results of the query in a web page;

receiving results of the query from the third machine, wherein the results of the query includes at least one item for which booking is capable of being completed at the first machine;

displaying results of the query in a second display area of the second machine;

determining whether the web page of the results contains a tag;

displaying a button corresponding to the tag in the second display area;

determining when the button is activated;

extracting the results of the query from the second display area when the button is activated;

composing a booking transaction from the results;

transmitting the booking transaction to the first machine; and

displaying a confirmation message that the at least one item has been booked at the first machine in the first display area.

4. A non-volatile or volatile machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon machine executable instructions, the execution of said instructions adapted to implement a method for accessing information from multiple remote sources, said method comprising:

issuing a request for data to a first machine, wherein the first machine comprises a legacy computerized reservation system application;

displaying the requested data from the first machine in a first display area of a second machine;

transmitting a query based at least in part upon the request for data to at least a third machine automatically without a user initiating the query, wherein the third machine comprises a web-based application for providing results of the query in a web page;

receiving results of the query from the third machine, wherein the results of the query includes at least one item for which booking is capable of being completed at the first machine;

displaying results of the query in a second display area of the second machine;

determining whether the web page of the results contains a tag;

displaying a button corresponding to the tag in the second display area;

determining when the button is activated;

extracting the results of the query from the second display area when the button is activated;

composing a booking transaction from the results;

transmitting the booking transaction to the first machine; and

displaying a confirmation message that the at least one item has been booked at the first machine in the first display area.

5. A user interface for accessing information from multiple remote sources comprising:

a first machine in communication with a display, wherein the first machine comprises a legacy computerized reservation system application, and wherein the first machine is for;

receiving a request for data; and

displaying the requested data in a first display area in response to the request;

a second machine for;

providing the first display area and a second display area for displaying data therein; and

a third machine for;

receiving a query based at least in part on the request for data automatically without a user initiating the query, wherein the third machine comprises a web-based application for providing results of the query in a web page, and wherein the results of the query are displayed in the second display area of said second machine and wherein said second machine is also for;

determining whether the web page of the results of the query contains a tag for booking at least one item within the results;

displaying a button corresponding to the tag in the second display area;

determining when the button is activated;

extracting the at least one item within the results of the query from the second display area when the button is activated;

composing a booking transaction for booking the at least one item;

transmitting the booking transaction to the first machine; and

displaying a confirmation message that the at least one item has been booked at the first machine in the first display area.

6. A computer-implemented method for accessing information from multiple remote sources, comprising:

receiving, by a first machine, a request for data, wherein the first machine comprises a legacy computerized reservation system application;

displaying the requested data, from the first machine, in a first display area on a display;

transmitting a query based at least in part upon the request for data to at least a third machine automatically without a user initiating the query, wherein the third machine comprises a web-based application for providing results of the query in a web page; and

displaying results of the query in a second display area on the display;

determining whether the web page of the results contains a tag for booking at least one item within the results;

displaying a button corresponding to the tag in the second display area;

determining when the button is activated;

extracting the at least one item within the results of the query from the second display area when the button is activated;

composing a booking transaction for booking the at least one item;

transmitting the booking transaction to the first machine; and

displaying a confirmation message that the at least one item has been booked at the first machine in the first display area.