CA2196936A1 - System and method for planning and managing group travel - Google Patents
System and method for planning and managing group travelInfo
- Publication number
- CA2196936A1 CA2196936A1 CA002196936A CA2196936A CA2196936A1 CA 2196936 A1 CA2196936 A1 CA 2196936A1 CA 002196936 A CA002196936 A CA 002196936A CA 2196936 A CA2196936 A CA 2196936A CA 2196936 A1 CA2196936 A1 CA 2196936A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- group
- data
- travel
- name record
- participants
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
- G06Q10/02—Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
Abstract
A computer program for planning and managing group travel comprising an administrator module resident within a computer for creating a group travel database which includes group name records, global inventory data, a participant profile associated with each group name record, and categories containing selected global inventory data associated with each group name record and a booking module resident within a computer that is in communication with the group travel database for updating the group travel database such that each group name record may include a plurality of participants and data associated with the plurality of participants.
Description
A SYSTEM AND MET~OD FOR PLANNING
AND MANAGING GROUP TRAVEL
TECHNICAL FIELD OF T~E lNV~l~lON
This invention relates in general to a method and apparatus forming a system for planning and managing group travel and, in particular to, a computer software package having an administrator module for creating a group travel database and a booking module for recording and reporting information about groups of people and inventory items that are assigned to individual participants in the group travel database.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the travel industry, computer technology has been utilized for several decades. For example, numerous computerized reservation systems (CRS) are available, lncluding SABRE (American Airlines), COVIA (United Airlines, U.S. Air), and PARS (T~A and Northwest). Generally, the data in the CRS is arranged, organized and stored based upon a traveler's desired origination-to-destination journey. The data pertaining to a traveler is generally stored in several databases within each CRS which may include schedules, rates tariffs, and rules databases.
Booking travel on a CRS involves creating a computer record known as a Passenger Name Record (PNR) containing data from these databases. The PNR is used to generate tickets, itineraries, and interface records, which are used by travel agency accounting systems to perform on-site accounting of the amount payable due to a vendor, e.g., airline, hotel, tour operator, and the receivable due from the client.
Even with the use of a CRS, a travel agent often has to sift through vast amounts of information in order to satisfy the needs of a client. For example, information relating to local seminars or sight seeing tours is generally available only in individual pamphlets or brochures. A travel agent, - 21 9693~
therefore, must be a person of high skill and great knowledge concernlng all these various pieces of information, since in order to properly advise the client, the travel agent must present a realistic number of choices that are selected from only the appropriate information so that travel, accommodations, tours, and the like may be closely interrelated in order to permit the client to optimize his selections.
The burden on the travel agent is compounded when group travel is necessary. For example, management of group bookings remains a largely unautomated process, primarily due to the tight control held by most vendors with regard to block space inventory. Most group bookings, therefore, are largely manual and labor intensive, requiring much time on the lS telephone relaying information, as well as unnecessarily protracted time spent seeking information received by phone or fax pertaining to a given group.
Group travel is further complicated when the itinerary of the participants within the group are not identical. For example, travelers within a group may require different outbound or inbound flights at different times or from different cities, may require different hotel accommodations, and may participate in different tours in the destination location. Furthermore, the number of participants and the participants themselves may change during the planning phase of group travel, thereby requiring the travel agent to change or update both the individual traveler's itinerary and the group travel itinerary.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for planning and managing group travel that provides for block space booking, that handles block space arrangements with multiple vendors, that handles outbound and inbound travel spanning several days each way, that enables name changes within a group, changes in the number of participants within a group, and frequent traveler information, that associates selected inventory items to individual participants in a group and that generates management and accounting reports. The present invention provides such a system and method.
SUMMARY OF THE I~v~.~lON
The present invention disclosed herein comprises a computer program which includes an admlnistrator module for creating a group travel database having group name records, global inventory data, profiles associated with each group name record, and categories containing selected global inventory data which are associated with each group name record. The computer program also includes a booking module that is in co~mlln;cation with the group travel database. The booking module allows the user to update the group travel database to include a plurality of participants and data associated with the plurality of participants within each group name record.
The global inventory data of the group travel database may include air travel data, rental car data, hotel accommodation data, rail data, cruise data, bus data, tour data, and air charter data. The inventory data for participants within the same group name record may be different to accommodate different outbound or inbound flights spanning more than one day, different hotel accommodation or different tours in the destination city. Also, the inventory data for participants within the same group name record may correspond to block seating on a single airline flight, block booking in a hotel or block seating for rail travel.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the computer having the administrator module and the booking module resident thereon is communicably linked to a CRS. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the computer having the administrator module resident thereon, is a client-server computer and the computer having the booking module resident thereon is communicably linked to the client-server computer.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, each group name record in the group travel database may include at least 999 participants. In addition, participants within each group name record may be added, changed, or deleted.
These and other features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a simplified platform diagram showing the hardware configuration of one embodiment of the system for planning and managing group travel according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram of the method for planning and managing group travel in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 3 is a detailed block diagram describing the process of creating a group travel database in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 4 is a detailed block diagram describing the process of adding participants to the group travel database in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 5, consisting of Figures 5A - 5E, are graphical user interfaces associated with the administrator module of the system for planning and managing group travel according to the present invention; and Figure 6, consisting of Figures 6A - 6G, are graphical user interfaces associated with the booking module of the system for planning and managing group travel according to the present invention.
- 21 9693~
Corresponding numerals and symbols in different figures refer to corresponding parts unless otherwise indicated.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE I-NV~:N110N
While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention, and do not limit the scope of the invention.
Figure 1 is a platform diagram showing a hardware configuration of a preferred embodiment of the system for planning and managing group travel in accordance with the present invention. A client-server computer 10 is communicably linked to a terminal computer 12. The computer lS 10 and the computer 12 may be personal computers which are composed of a CPU 14, a RAM 16, a ROM 18, and I/O ports 20 for connecting various peripheral units such as a mouse 22 for inputting various information, a network card 24 for facilitating communication between the computer 10 and the computer 12, a keyboard 26 for inputting various information not inputted through the mouse 22, a CRT 28 for displaying images, a hard disk 30 for loading application programs, a floppy disk 32 for loading optional application programs, an optical disk 34 for loading additional application programs, and a modem 36 for communicating with a CRS 38 via telecommunication link 40.
The computer 10 and the computer 12 are communicably linked to one another via a network connection 42. The computer 10 and the computer 12 may be any conventional personal computer running a suitable operating system such as Windows, Windows 95, or OS/2. The telecommunication link 40 preferably consists of high speed modems and telephone lines or the equivalent thereof. The CRS 38 may be any airline CRS
such as American Airlines' SABRE computerized reservation system.
In a preferred embodiment, the administrator module and the booking module of the system for planning and managing group travel of the present invention are resident within computer 10. Both modules of the system for'planning and managing group travel of the present invention are accessible from computer 12. Even though Figure 1 depicts the platform for the system for planning and managing group travel as comprising the computer 10, the computer 12 and the CRS 38, it should be understood by one skilled in the art that a variety of platforms are equally well-suited for the present invention including, but not limited to, a stand-alone personal computer which is not linked to a CRS, a client-server network having a plurality of client work stations wherein the client-server computer is linked to the CRS, or a client-server network having the administrator module on the client-server computer and the booking modules on the workstations.
Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram of the process for planning and managing group travel in accordance with the present invention and is generally denoted 50. After the computer program for planning and managing group travel is loaded onto a computer an administrator opens the administrator module in step 52. Once the administrator has opened the administrator module, the administrator has the ability to design the system for planning and managing group travel to meet his or her needs. The administrator, in step 54, creates a group travel database which includes group travel parameters for specific group events. After the group travel database has been created, a user may access the group travel database by opening the booking module in step 56.
Once the booking module has been opened, the user may add participants to specific group events in the group travel database. After the participants have been added to the group travel database or at any time throughout the process for planning and managing group travel, the user of the booking module or the administrator can generate a variety of reports including accounting reports, arrival/departure reports, and itinerary reports, in step 60.
Figure 3 is a detailed block diagram further describing the create a group-travel-database process of step 54 in Figure 2. In creating the group travel database which is stored on computer 10, the administrator creates group name records in steps 62, creates global inventory in step 64, creates categories in step 66, assigns inventory to categories in step 68 and assigns profiles to group name records in step 70. In addition, the administrator may define back office parameters in step 72 and define reports in step 74.
Each group name record created in step 62 represents a travel event into which a group of participants will be added.
Step 64 involves creating a list of inventory items which consists of both travel inventory such as air, car, hotel, rail, cruise, bus and tour items and non-travel inventory such as t-shirts, coffee mugs, seminars, golf packages, or sight seeing tours. Specific items from the global inventory will be attached to specific participants within specific group name records. In step 66, the administrator creates categories which consist of a group of similar inventory items. For example, the air category would contain all of the - - -21 9693~
associated air segments for a group name record, while a miscellaneous category could contain non-travel inventory items. The categories will subsequently be attached to specific group name records and specific participants. The administrator, in step 70, will assign a participant profile to each group name record. The profile will consist of specific data elements selected by the administrator and may be different for each group name record.
In addition, the administrator may define back office parameters in step 72 and define reports in step 74. The back office parameters may include accounting information such as bank I.D. number, customer I.D. number, and branch office I.D.
number which may be transferred to an accounting system to facilitate payment. Similarly, the administrator may design a variety of reports which may be utilized, for example, by the traveler, the travel agency, or a hotel.
Figure 4 is a detailed block diagram of the add participants to group travel database process of step 56 in Figure 2 and is generally designated 70. The user of the booking module performs these steps after the administrator has designed the group travel database including creating at least one group name record, creating a global inventory, creating categories, assigning inventory to those categorieS, -2 ! 96936 and defining a participant profile for the group name record.
The user, in step 72, adds participants to the group name records. The participants may be individuals, groups, or groups of individuals. In step 74, the user attaches a profile to each participant based upon the profile assigned to the group name record by the administrator. In step 76, the user attaches inventory items to each participant. The inventory items are selected from the inventory items in the categories associated with the group name record of the participant. The user may also upload participant information into a CRS to create a PNR for that participant, in step 78.
Similarly, in step 80, the user may download participant data which already exists on a CRS into the group travel database.
Figure 5, consisting of Figures 5A - 5E, are graphical user interfaces associated with the administrator module of the system for planning and managing group travel. Figure 5A
depicts the main screen for the administrator module 100.
This screen allows the administrator to enter new groups and controls access to all the other administrator module functions. In a group name record text box 102, the administrator enters a group name records for each group which will be stored in the group travel database. These group name records will appear in a group name record list box 104. The group name record list box 104 contains main records and subrecords which appear indented under the main record, for example, "summer" is a subrecord under the main record "incentives."
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are at least five levels of records. However, only the lowest level record can hold participants, for example, "summer" may contain participants while "incentives" could not. A left arrow push button 106 allows the administrator to promote a group name record from a subgroup to a higher subgroup or a main level in the group name record hierarchy. Similarly, a right arrow push button 108 allows the administrator to demote a main level group name record or a subgroup group name record to a lower subgroup in the group name record hierarchy. A new push button 110 allows the administrator to add a new group name record into the group name record text box io2. A delete push button 112 allows the administrator to delete the group name record that appears in the group name record text box 102.
A brief description of the selected group name record is presented in a description list box 114. The description list box 114 may contain information such as the dates of travel, special option packages available, or other information the administrator wants the users of the booking module to remember about the group name record. The description list box 114 will appear on the main screen 130 of the booking module whenever the group name record is selected.
A name search push button 116 allows the administrator to search the group name records for a specific group name record based upon a full or partial text string entered by the administrator in the group name record text box 102. An update database push button 118 allows the administrator to commit any changes made to the group name records in the group name record text box 102 or the descriptions in the description list box 114 to the group travel database 54. A
reset push button 120 allows the administrator to reset the group name records and descriptions to their state prior to any changes made since the last time the update database push button 118 was selected.
The main screen 100 includes category push button 122 which allows the administrator to attach inventory to the currently selected group name record in the group name record text box 102 and to organize that inventory into groups as described in reference to Figure 5C below. A back office record push button 124 allows the administrator to update the back office records for the currently selected group name record as described in reference to Figure 5E below. A
profile designer push button 126 allows the administrator to add or change the profile for the currently selected group name record as discussed in reference to Figure 5D below. A
tool bar push button 128 allows the administrator to add or change the custom tool bar icons which appears on the main screen 130 of the booking module as discussed in reference to Figure 6A below.
Figure 5B is a defined inventory graphlcal user interface 132 used to define and update global inventory data that can be subsequently attached to group name records. An inventory list box 134 has a columnar format that allows update and entry of all of the details pertinent to a particular inventory item. Under the column heading inventory elements 136, the generic names for inventory elements are listed.
Under the column heading settings 138, the specific inventory elements which correspond to the general elements are inputted by the administrator. For example, corresponding to inventory element "segment type" is the setting "air" and corresponding to "flight number" is "456." A global inventory list box 140 contains all the inventory currently defined for the system for planning and managing group travel.
When an inventory item is highlighted, its details are displayed in the inventory list box 134 and can be modified or deleted. The types of inventory available may include air, car, hotel, rail, cruise, bus, air charter, other, tour and none. An add push button 142 allows the administrator to add inventory items in the inventory list box 134. A modify push button 142 allows the administrator to modify a currently selected inventory item from the global inventory list box 140. A delete push button 146 allows the administrator to delete a currently selected inventory item from the global inventory list box 140.
Figure 5C is a category graphical user interface 148 which allows the admlnistrator to define specific inventory categories for the selected group name record and allows the administrator to attach inventory items to the categories that can be allocated to participants within each group name record. In general, a category is a group of similar inventory items. For example, the "air package" category in the category list box 150 may contain air segments associated with the group name record. In the category list box 150, the administrator enters the names of new categories which will contain inventory items or renames existing category items.
The left arrow push button 106 and the right arrow push button 108 allow the administrator to create a hierarchy within the categories slmilar to that described in reference to group name records in Figure 5A. The new push button 110 and the delete push button 112 allow the administrator to add new categories or delete existing categories, respectively. The global inventory list box 140 displays all the inventory associated with the system for planning and managing group travel.
The administrator may select one or more of the inventory items from the global inventory list box 140 and attach that inventory to the category selected in the category list box 150. A category inventory list box 152 includes the inventory currently defined to the category selected in category list box 150. A copy push button 154 allows the administrator to copy selected inventory items from the global inventory list box 140 to the category inventory list box 152. A remove push button 156 allows the administrator to remove selected inventory items from the category inventory list box 152. An update database push button 15a allows the administrator to update the group travel database to include new or updated information from the category list box 150 and the category inventory list box 152.
2~ 96936 Figure 5D is a profile designer graphical user interface 160 which allows the administrator to design individual participant profile screens for each group name record which will subsequently be filled in by the user of the booking module when participants are added to the group travel database. The profile designer 160 can be modified by the administrator by adding, deleting or rearranging fields based on the requirements of the group name record. The profile designer 160 consists of two parts, a tool bar 162 and a profile window 164. The profile designer 160 may include fields such as participant name list box 166, street address text box 168, city text box 170, state text box 172, zip code text box 174, country text box 176, fax number text box 178, work phone text box 180 and home phone text box 182. It lS should be understood, however, that the administrator could design the profile designer 160 to include any information which may be relevant to the group name record.
The tool bar 162 allows an administrator to design the profile window 164. An open push button 184 allows the administrator to open an existing profile window to use as a starting point in designing a new profile window. A save push button 186 allows the administrator to save the open profile as a template to use in future profile designs. An add push button 188 allows the administrator to add a new field in the profile window 164. A text push button 190 is used to change the label associated with an existing field in profile window 164. A delete push button 192 is used to delete a field from the profile window 164. A set tab push button 194 allows the administrator to select the tab order for the fields in profile window 164. A save push button 196 allows the administrator to save the profile design in connection with a group name record.
The administrator of the system for planning and managing group travel may create a variety of report templates. For example, a back office record 196 may include bank I.D. text box 200, customer I.D. text box 202, country code text code 204 and branch office I.D. text box 206 as depicted in Figure 5E.
In Figure 6, which includes Figures 6A - 6G, a series of graphical user interfaces which are associated with the booking module of the system for planning and managing group travel are depicted. These graphical user interfaces will be displayed for the user of the booking module after the administrator has created the group travel database. In Figure 6A, the main screen 130 of the booking module contains the group name record list box 104 and the description list box 114 created by the administrator as discussed in reference to Figure 5A.
The main screen 130 also includes a tool bar 208 that provides the user with access to all the functions available to the user of the booking module. For example, a new push button 210 allows the user to add a new participant as described in reference to Figure 6B below, a profile push button 212 allows the user to add profile information for a participant as described in reference to Figure 6C, a merge push button 214 allows the user to merge information from the system for planning and managing group travel to a CRS as described in reference to Figure 6F, an inventory push button 216 allows the user to attach inventory to a participant as described in reference to Figure 6D below, a payment push button 218 allows the user to record payments from a participant, and a report push button 220 allows the user to run reports as described in reference to Figure 6G below. The main screen 130 also includes a participant list box 222 that displays a list of participants associated with the selected group name record from the group name record list box 104. A
name search push button 224 allows the user to search the entire database for a specific participant or group name record based on a partial name entry.
21 ~6936 Figure 6B is a new participant graphical user interface 226 which provides the ability to enter new participants into the group name record selected from main screen 130. The user may add participants to the group name record selected in the main screen 130. For example, if the participant is an individual, the user may add the participant's first name in a first name text box 228 and a last name in a last name text box 230. If the participant is any entity other than an individual such as a corporation, the user may check the corporate name check box 232 and enter the corporate name in the corporate name text box 234.
Participants added to the selected group name record may be categorized as main participants by activating the main participant radio button 236 or as group with participant by activating a group with radio button 238. The group with option allows individuals to be grouped together when it is logical to do so, for example, when a family is traveling together. The new participant interface 226 also includes an add push button 240 which allows the user to update the group name record with a new participant, a delete push button 242 which allows the user to delete a participant from the group name record, a rename push button 244 which allows the user to change the name of a participant selected in the participant 21 q6936 list box 222, and a profile push button 246 which takes the user to the profile window 164.
Figure 6C is the profile window 164 as designed by the administrator and described in reference to Figure 5D. It should be noted, however, that the profile window is customized and may be unique for each group name record, as such, the profile window 164 is only an example of what a profile window may look like. The participant selected in the participant list box 122 is displayed in the participant name list box 166. The user may then add the information requested by the particular fields in the profile window 164.
The participant name list box 166 includes delete push button 248 which allows the user to delete the selected participant from the group name record, a separate push button 250 which allows the user to separate a participant that is grouped with a main participant to establish the selected participant as a main participant, and a rename push button 252 which allows the user to change the name of the selected participant. The profile window 164 includes a copy push button 254 which allows the user to copy profile information from one participant to another and an update database push button 158 which allows the user to update the group travel 2 ! 96936 database with the changes made to the profile of the selected participant.
Figure 6D is an inventory graphical user interface 256 which provides the ability to manage the attachment of inventory to selected participants. Once the participants have been entered into a group name record and the inventory has been defined and attached to the group name record, inventory can be attached to individual participants. The category list box 150 displays the categories associated with the selected group name records that were created by the administrator as discussed in reference to Figure 5C. An inventory detail list box 58 displays the inventory items assigned to the selected category in category list box 150.
An add button 258 attaches the selected information in inventory detail list box 258 to the selected participant in participant name list box 166. The inventory assigned to the selected participant in participant name list box 166 is displayed in participant inventory list box 260. All of the inventory assigned to the selected participant from the group travel database is viewable in the participant inventory list box 260.
A remove button 262 allows the user to remove inventory items selected in participant list box 260 from the selected participant in participant name list box 166. A merge push button 264 opens a merge graphical user interface 266 as discussed in reference to Figure 6F below. A details push button 266 opens a inventory detail graphical user interface 268 as discussed in reference to Figure 6E below. A total purchase text box displays the total amount for the inventory displayed in the participant inventory list box 260. Figure 6E is the inventory detail graphical user interface 268 which is a "read only" function that shows the detailed information about a specific inventory item. Each of the individual fields for the inventory item are displayed, but cannot be updated by the user of the booking module of the system for planning and managing group travel. Updates can only be made by the administrator.
Figure 6F is the merge graphical user interface 266 which allows the user of the booking module to upload data to or download data from a CRS. The user may select a current participant by selecting the participant name radio button 268 in which case the current participant is used for receiving or sending information to the CRS. If the new participant radio button 270 is selected, a new participant is created with information that is downloaded from the CRS. If the user selects the create new PNR radio button 272, inventory information relating to the selected participant is uploaded to the CRS to create a PNR.
If the PNR exists radio button 274 is selected, an existing PNR on the CRS is updated or current information from the CRS can be accessed and downloaded into the group travel database. A database list box 276 contains inventory information that can be selected for uploading to the CRS or downloaded from the CRS. The CRS data list box 278 displays information to be uploaded to the CRS or downloaded from the CRS to the group travel database. The copy push buttons 280 and 282 allow the user to copy information from the database list box 276 to the CRS list box 287 and vice versa. A send to CRS button 284 allows the user to update the CRS with data from the group travel database.
Figure 6G is a report graphical user interface 286 which allows the user to select reports from the group travel database including inventory reports, group name record reports, participant reports, or other reports which can be viewed on the screen, printed to hard copy, or exported to another file or another application. The reports list box 288 contains report templates created by the administrator as well as existing reports.
While this invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiment as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description. It is, therefore, intended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments.
AND MANAGING GROUP TRAVEL
TECHNICAL FIELD OF T~E lNV~l~lON
This invention relates in general to a method and apparatus forming a system for planning and managing group travel and, in particular to, a computer software package having an administrator module for creating a group travel database and a booking module for recording and reporting information about groups of people and inventory items that are assigned to individual participants in the group travel database.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the travel industry, computer technology has been utilized for several decades. For example, numerous computerized reservation systems (CRS) are available, lncluding SABRE (American Airlines), COVIA (United Airlines, U.S. Air), and PARS (T~A and Northwest). Generally, the data in the CRS is arranged, organized and stored based upon a traveler's desired origination-to-destination journey. The data pertaining to a traveler is generally stored in several databases within each CRS which may include schedules, rates tariffs, and rules databases.
Booking travel on a CRS involves creating a computer record known as a Passenger Name Record (PNR) containing data from these databases. The PNR is used to generate tickets, itineraries, and interface records, which are used by travel agency accounting systems to perform on-site accounting of the amount payable due to a vendor, e.g., airline, hotel, tour operator, and the receivable due from the client.
Even with the use of a CRS, a travel agent often has to sift through vast amounts of information in order to satisfy the needs of a client. For example, information relating to local seminars or sight seeing tours is generally available only in individual pamphlets or brochures. A travel agent, - 21 9693~
therefore, must be a person of high skill and great knowledge concernlng all these various pieces of information, since in order to properly advise the client, the travel agent must present a realistic number of choices that are selected from only the appropriate information so that travel, accommodations, tours, and the like may be closely interrelated in order to permit the client to optimize his selections.
The burden on the travel agent is compounded when group travel is necessary. For example, management of group bookings remains a largely unautomated process, primarily due to the tight control held by most vendors with regard to block space inventory. Most group bookings, therefore, are largely manual and labor intensive, requiring much time on the lS telephone relaying information, as well as unnecessarily protracted time spent seeking information received by phone or fax pertaining to a given group.
Group travel is further complicated when the itinerary of the participants within the group are not identical. For example, travelers within a group may require different outbound or inbound flights at different times or from different cities, may require different hotel accommodations, and may participate in different tours in the destination location. Furthermore, the number of participants and the participants themselves may change during the planning phase of group travel, thereby requiring the travel agent to change or update both the individual traveler's itinerary and the group travel itinerary.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for planning and managing group travel that provides for block space booking, that handles block space arrangements with multiple vendors, that handles outbound and inbound travel spanning several days each way, that enables name changes within a group, changes in the number of participants within a group, and frequent traveler information, that associates selected inventory items to individual participants in a group and that generates management and accounting reports. The present invention provides such a system and method.
SUMMARY OF THE I~v~.~lON
The present invention disclosed herein comprises a computer program which includes an admlnistrator module for creating a group travel database having group name records, global inventory data, profiles associated with each group name record, and categories containing selected global inventory data which are associated with each group name record. The computer program also includes a booking module that is in co~mlln;cation with the group travel database. The booking module allows the user to update the group travel database to include a plurality of participants and data associated with the plurality of participants within each group name record.
The global inventory data of the group travel database may include air travel data, rental car data, hotel accommodation data, rail data, cruise data, bus data, tour data, and air charter data. The inventory data for participants within the same group name record may be different to accommodate different outbound or inbound flights spanning more than one day, different hotel accommodation or different tours in the destination city. Also, the inventory data for participants within the same group name record may correspond to block seating on a single airline flight, block booking in a hotel or block seating for rail travel.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the computer having the administrator module and the booking module resident thereon is communicably linked to a CRS. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the computer having the administrator module resident thereon, is a client-server computer and the computer having the booking module resident thereon is communicably linked to the client-server computer.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, each group name record in the group travel database may include at least 999 participants. In addition, participants within each group name record may be added, changed, or deleted.
These and other features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a simplified platform diagram showing the hardware configuration of one embodiment of the system for planning and managing group travel according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram of the method for planning and managing group travel in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 3 is a detailed block diagram describing the process of creating a group travel database in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 4 is a detailed block diagram describing the process of adding participants to the group travel database in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 5, consisting of Figures 5A - 5E, are graphical user interfaces associated with the administrator module of the system for planning and managing group travel according to the present invention; and Figure 6, consisting of Figures 6A - 6G, are graphical user interfaces associated with the booking module of the system for planning and managing group travel according to the present invention.
- 21 9693~
Corresponding numerals and symbols in different figures refer to corresponding parts unless otherwise indicated.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE I-NV~:N110N
While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention, and do not limit the scope of the invention.
Figure 1 is a platform diagram showing a hardware configuration of a preferred embodiment of the system for planning and managing group travel in accordance with the present invention. A client-server computer 10 is communicably linked to a terminal computer 12. The computer lS 10 and the computer 12 may be personal computers which are composed of a CPU 14, a RAM 16, a ROM 18, and I/O ports 20 for connecting various peripheral units such as a mouse 22 for inputting various information, a network card 24 for facilitating communication between the computer 10 and the computer 12, a keyboard 26 for inputting various information not inputted through the mouse 22, a CRT 28 for displaying images, a hard disk 30 for loading application programs, a floppy disk 32 for loading optional application programs, an optical disk 34 for loading additional application programs, and a modem 36 for communicating with a CRS 38 via telecommunication link 40.
The computer 10 and the computer 12 are communicably linked to one another via a network connection 42. The computer 10 and the computer 12 may be any conventional personal computer running a suitable operating system such as Windows, Windows 95, or OS/2. The telecommunication link 40 preferably consists of high speed modems and telephone lines or the equivalent thereof. The CRS 38 may be any airline CRS
such as American Airlines' SABRE computerized reservation system.
In a preferred embodiment, the administrator module and the booking module of the system for planning and managing group travel of the present invention are resident within computer 10. Both modules of the system for'planning and managing group travel of the present invention are accessible from computer 12. Even though Figure 1 depicts the platform for the system for planning and managing group travel as comprising the computer 10, the computer 12 and the CRS 38, it should be understood by one skilled in the art that a variety of platforms are equally well-suited for the present invention including, but not limited to, a stand-alone personal computer which is not linked to a CRS, a client-server network having a plurality of client work stations wherein the client-server computer is linked to the CRS, or a client-server network having the administrator module on the client-server computer and the booking modules on the workstations.
Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram of the process for planning and managing group travel in accordance with the present invention and is generally denoted 50. After the computer program for planning and managing group travel is loaded onto a computer an administrator opens the administrator module in step 52. Once the administrator has opened the administrator module, the administrator has the ability to design the system for planning and managing group travel to meet his or her needs. The administrator, in step 54, creates a group travel database which includes group travel parameters for specific group events. After the group travel database has been created, a user may access the group travel database by opening the booking module in step 56.
Once the booking module has been opened, the user may add participants to specific group events in the group travel database. After the participants have been added to the group travel database or at any time throughout the process for planning and managing group travel, the user of the booking module or the administrator can generate a variety of reports including accounting reports, arrival/departure reports, and itinerary reports, in step 60.
Figure 3 is a detailed block diagram further describing the create a group-travel-database process of step 54 in Figure 2. In creating the group travel database which is stored on computer 10, the administrator creates group name records in steps 62, creates global inventory in step 64, creates categories in step 66, assigns inventory to categories in step 68 and assigns profiles to group name records in step 70. In addition, the administrator may define back office parameters in step 72 and define reports in step 74.
Each group name record created in step 62 represents a travel event into which a group of participants will be added.
Step 64 involves creating a list of inventory items which consists of both travel inventory such as air, car, hotel, rail, cruise, bus and tour items and non-travel inventory such as t-shirts, coffee mugs, seminars, golf packages, or sight seeing tours. Specific items from the global inventory will be attached to specific participants within specific group name records. In step 66, the administrator creates categories which consist of a group of similar inventory items. For example, the air category would contain all of the - - -21 9693~
associated air segments for a group name record, while a miscellaneous category could contain non-travel inventory items. The categories will subsequently be attached to specific group name records and specific participants. The administrator, in step 70, will assign a participant profile to each group name record. The profile will consist of specific data elements selected by the administrator and may be different for each group name record.
In addition, the administrator may define back office parameters in step 72 and define reports in step 74. The back office parameters may include accounting information such as bank I.D. number, customer I.D. number, and branch office I.D.
number which may be transferred to an accounting system to facilitate payment. Similarly, the administrator may design a variety of reports which may be utilized, for example, by the traveler, the travel agency, or a hotel.
Figure 4 is a detailed block diagram of the add participants to group travel database process of step 56 in Figure 2 and is generally designated 70. The user of the booking module performs these steps after the administrator has designed the group travel database including creating at least one group name record, creating a global inventory, creating categories, assigning inventory to those categorieS, -2 ! 96936 and defining a participant profile for the group name record.
The user, in step 72, adds participants to the group name records. The participants may be individuals, groups, or groups of individuals. In step 74, the user attaches a profile to each participant based upon the profile assigned to the group name record by the administrator. In step 76, the user attaches inventory items to each participant. The inventory items are selected from the inventory items in the categories associated with the group name record of the participant. The user may also upload participant information into a CRS to create a PNR for that participant, in step 78.
Similarly, in step 80, the user may download participant data which already exists on a CRS into the group travel database.
Figure 5, consisting of Figures 5A - 5E, are graphical user interfaces associated with the administrator module of the system for planning and managing group travel. Figure 5A
depicts the main screen for the administrator module 100.
This screen allows the administrator to enter new groups and controls access to all the other administrator module functions. In a group name record text box 102, the administrator enters a group name records for each group which will be stored in the group travel database. These group name records will appear in a group name record list box 104. The group name record list box 104 contains main records and subrecords which appear indented under the main record, for example, "summer" is a subrecord under the main record "incentives."
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are at least five levels of records. However, only the lowest level record can hold participants, for example, "summer" may contain participants while "incentives" could not. A left arrow push button 106 allows the administrator to promote a group name record from a subgroup to a higher subgroup or a main level in the group name record hierarchy. Similarly, a right arrow push button 108 allows the administrator to demote a main level group name record or a subgroup group name record to a lower subgroup in the group name record hierarchy. A new push button 110 allows the administrator to add a new group name record into the group name record text box io2. A delete push button 112 allows the administrator to delete the group name record that appears in the group name record text box 102.
A brief description of the selected group name record is presented in a description list box 114. The description list box 114 may contain information such as the dates of travel, special option packages available, or other information the administrator wants the users of the booking module to remember about the group name record. The description list box 114 will appear on the main screen 130 of the booking module whenever the group name record is selected.
A name search push button 116 allows the administrator to search the group name records for a specific group name record based upon a full or partial text string entered by the administrator in the group name record text box 102. An update database push button 118 allows the administrator to commit any changes made to the group name records in the group name record text box 102 or the descriptions in the description list box 114 to the group travel database 54. A
reset push button 120 allows the administrator to reset the group name records and descriptions to their state prior to any changes made since the last time the update database push button 118 was selected.
The main screen 100 includes category push button 122 which allows the administrator to attach inventory to the currently selected group name record in the group name record text box 102 and to organize that inventory into groups as described in reference to Figure 5C below. A back office record push button 124 allows the administrator to update the back office records for the currently selected group name record as described in reference to Figure 5E below. A
profile designer push button 126 allows the administrator to add or change the profile for the currently selected group name record as discussed in reference to Figure 5D below. A
tool bar push button 128 allows the administrator to add or change the custom tool bar icons which appears on the main screen 130 of the booking module as discussed in reference to Figure 6A below.
Figure 5B is a defined inventory graphlcal user interface 132 used to define and update global inventory data that can be subsequently attached to group name records. An inventory list box 134 has a columnar format that allows update and entry of all of the details pertinent to a particular inventory item. Under the column heading inventory elements 136, the generic names for inventory elements are listed.
Under the column heading settings 138, the specific inventory elements which correspond to the general elements are inputted by the administrator. For example, corresponding to inventory element "segment type" is the setting "air" and corresponding to "flight number" is "456." A global inventory list box 140 contains all the inventory currently defined for the system for planning and managing group travel.
When an inventory item is highlighted, its details are displayed in the inventory list box 134 and can be modified or deleted. The types of inventory available may include air, car, hotel, rail, cruise, bus, air charter, other, tour and none. An add push button 142 allows the administrator to add inventory items in the inventory list box 134. A modify push button 142 allows the administrator to modify a currently selected inventory item from the global inventory list box 140. A delete push button 146 allows the administrator to delete a currently selected inventory item from the global inventory list box 140.
Figure 5C is a category graphical user interface 148 which allows the admlnistrator to define specific inventory categories for the selected group name record and allows the administrator to attach inventory items to the categories that can be allocated to participants within each group name record. In general, a category is a group of similar inventory items. For example, the "air package" category in the category list box 150 may contain air segments associated with the group name record. In the category list box 150, the administrator enters the names of new categories which will contain inventory items or renames existing category items.
The left arrow push button 106 and the right arrow push button 108 allow the administrator to create a hierarchy within the categories slmilar to that described in reference to group name records in Figure 5A. The new push button 110 and the delete push button 112 allow the administrator to add new categories or delete existing categories, respectively. The global inventory list box 140 displays all the inventory associated with the system for planning and managing group travel.
The administrator may select one or more of the inventory items from the global inventory list box 140 and attach that inventory to the category selected in the category list box 150. A category inventory list box 152 includes the inventory currently defined to the category selected in category list box 150. A copy push button 154 allows the administrator to copy selected inventory items from the global inventory list box 140 to the category inventory list box 152. A remove push button 156 allows the administrator to remove selected inventory items from the category inventory list box 152. An update database push button 15a allows the administrator to update the group travel database to include new or updated information from the category list box 150 and the category inventory list box 152.
2~ 96936 Figure 5D is a profile designer graphical user interface 160 which allows the administrator to design individual participant profile screens for each group name record which will subsequently be filled in by the user of the booking module when participants are added to the group travel database. The profile designer 160 can be modified by the administrator by adding, deleting or rearranging fields based on the requirements of the group name record. The profile designer 160 consists of two parts, a tool bar 162 and a profile window 164. The profile designer 160 may include fields such as participant name list box 166, street address text box 168, city text box 170, state text box 172, zip code text box 174, country text box 176, fax number text box 178, work phone text box 180 and home phone text box 182. It lS should be understood, however, that the administrator could design the profile designer 160 to include any information which may be relevant to the group name record.
The tool bar 162 allows an administrator to design the profile window 164. An open push button 184 allows the administrator to open an existing profile window to use as a starting point in designing a new profile window. A save push button 186 allows the administrator to save the open profile as a template to use in future profile designs. An add push button 188 allows the administrator to add a new field in the profile window 164. A text push button 190 is used to change the label associated with an existing field in profile window 164. A delete push button 192 is used to delete a field from the profile window 164. A set tab push button 194 allows the administrator to select the tab order for the fields in profile window 164. A save push button 196 allows the administrator to save the profile design in connection with a group name record.
The administrator of the system for planning and managing group travel may create a variety of report templates. For example, a back office record 196 may include bank I.D. text box 200, customer I.D. text box 202, country code text code 204 and branch office I.D. text box 206 as depicted in Figure 5E.
In Figure 6, which includes Figures 6A - 6G, a series of graphical user interfaces which are associated with the booking module of the system for planning and managing group travel are depicted. These graphical user interfaces will be displayed for the user of the booking module after the administrator has created the group travel database. In Figure 6A, the main screen 130 of the booking module contains the group name record list box 104 and the description list box 114 created by the administrator as discussed in reference to Figure 5A.
The main screen 130 also includes a tool bar 208 that provides the user with access to all the functions available to the user of the booking module. For example, a new push button 210 allows the user to add a new participant as described in reference to Figure 6B below, a profile push button 212 allows the user to add profile information for a participant as described in reference to Figure 6C, a merge push button 214 allows the user to merge information from the system for planning and managing group travel to a CRS as described in reference to Figure 6F, an inventory push button 216 allows the user to attach inventory to a participant as described in reference to Figure 6D below, a payment push button 218 allows the user to record payments from a participant, and a report push button 220 allows the user to run reports as described in reference to Figure 6G below. The main screen 130 also includes a participant list box 222 that displays a list of participants associated with the selected group name record from the group name record list box 104. A
name search push button 224 allows the user to search the entire database for a specific participant or group name record based on a partial name entry.
21 ~6936 Figure 6B is a new participant graphical user interface 226 which provides the ability to enter new participants into the group name record selected from main screen 130. The user may add participants to the group name record selected in the main screen 130. For example, if the participant is an individual, the user may add the participant's first name in a first name text box 228 and a last name in a last name text box 230. If the participant is any entity other than an individual such as a corporation, the user may check the corporate name check box 232 and enter the corporate name in the corporate name text box 234.
Participants added to the selected group name record may be categorized as main participants by activating the main participant radio button 236 or as group with participant by activating a group with radio button 238. The group with option allows individuals to be grouped together when it is logical to do so, for example, when a family is traveling together. The new participant interface 226 also includes an add push button 240 which allows the user to update the group name record with a new participant, a delete push button 242 which allows the user to delete a participant from the group name record, a rename push button 244 which allows the user to change the name of a participant selected in the participant 21 q6936 list box 222, and a profile push button 246 which takes the user to the profile window 164.
Figure 6C is the profile window 164 as designed by the administrator and described in reference to Figure 5D. It should be noted, however, that the profile window is customized and may be unique for each group name record, as such, the profile window 164 is only an example of what a profile window may look like. The participant selected in the participant list box 122 is displayed in the participant name list box 166. The user may then add the information requested by the particular fields in the profile window 164.
The participant name list box 166 includes delete push button 248 which allows the user to delete the selected participant from the group name record, a separate push button 250 which allows the user to separate a participant that is grouped with a main participant to establish the selected participant as a main participant, and a rename push button 252 which allows the user to change the name of the selected participant. The profile window 164 includes a copy push button 254 which allows the user to copy profile information from one participant to another and an update database push button 158 which allows the user to update the group travel 2 ! 96936 database with the changes made to the profile of the selected participant.
Figure 6D is an inventory graphical user interface 256 which provides the ability to manage the attachment of inventory to selected participants. Once the participants have been entered into a group name record and the inventory has been defined and attached to the group name record, inventory can be attached to individual participants. The category list box 150 displays the categories associated with the selected group name records that were created by the administrator as discussed in reference to Figure 5C. An inventory detail list box 58 displays the inventory items assigned to the selected category in category list box 150.
An add button 258 attaches the selected information in inventory detail list box 258 to the selected participant in participant name list box 166. The inventory assigned to the selected participant in participant name list box 166 is displayed in participant inventory list box 260. All of the inventory assigned to the selected participant from the group travel database is viewable in the participant inventory list box 260.
A remove button 262 allows the user to remove inventory items selected in participant list box 260 from the selected participant in participant name list box 166. A merge push button 264 opens a merge graphical user interface 266 as discussed in reference to Figure 6F below. A details push button 266 opens a inventory detail graphical user interface 268 as discussed in reference to Figure 6E below. A total purchase text box displays the total amount for the inventory displayed in the participant inventory list box 260. Figure 6E is the inventory detail graphical user interface 268 which is a "read only" function that shows the detailed information about a specific inventory item. Each of the individual fields for the inventory item are displayed, but cannot be updated by the user of the booking module of the system for planning and managing group travel. Updates can only be made by the administrator.
Figure 6F is the merge graphical user interface 266 which allows the user of the booking module to upload data to or download data from a CRS. The user may select a current participant by selecting the participant name radio button 268 in which case the current participant is used for receiving or sending information to the CRS. If the new participant radio button 270 is selected, a new participant is created with information that is downloaded from the CRS. If the user selects the create new PNR radio button 272, inventory information relating to the selected participant is uploaded to the CRS to create a PNR.
If the PNR exists radio button 274 is selected, an existing PNR on the CRS is updated or current information from the CRS can be accessed and downloaded into the group travel database. A database list box 276 contains inventory information that can be selected for uploading to the CRS or downloaded from the CRS. The CRS data list box 278 displays information to be uploaded to the CRS or downloaded from the CRS to the group travel database. The copy push buttons 280 and 282 allow the user to copy information from the database list box 276 to the CRS list box 287 and vice versa. A send to CRS button 284 allows the user to update the CRS with data from the group travel database.
Figure 6G is a report graphical user interface 286 which allows the user to select reports from the group travel database including inventory reports, group name record reports, participant reports, or other reports which can be viewed on the screen, printed to hard copy, or exported to another file or another application. The reports list box 288 contains report templates created by the administrator as well as existing reports.
While this invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiment as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description. It is, therefore, intended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments.
Claims (28)
1. A system for planning and managing group travel comprising:
an administrator module resident within a computer for creating a group travel database which includes group name records, global inventory data, a participant profile associated with each group name record, and categories containing selected global inventory data associated with each group name record; and a booking module resident within a computer that is communicably linked to the computer having the group travel database therein for updating the group travel database to include a plurality of participants and data associated with the plurality of participants within each group name record.
an administrator module resident within a computer for creating a group travel database which includes group name records, global inventory data, a participant profile associated with each group name record, and categories containing selected global inventory data associated with each group name record; and a booking module resident within a computer that is communicably linked to the computer having the group travel database therein for updating the group travel database to include a plurality of participants and data associated with the plurality of participants within each group name record.
2. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 1 wherein the computer having the booking module resident thereon is communicably linked to a computerized reservation system.
3. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 1 wherein the computer having the administrator module resident thereon is a client-server computer and the computer having the booking module resident thereon is a workstation that is communicably linked to the client-server computer.
4. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 1 wherein the global inventory data includes air travel data.
5. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 4 wherein the global inventory data further includes rental car data, hotel data, rail data, cruise data, bus data, tour data, and air charter data.
6. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 4 wherein participants within the same group name record may have different air travel data which accommodates different outbound or inbound flights for participants within the same group name record.
7. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 4 wherein participants within the same group name record may have air travel data corresponding to a block of seats on a flight.
8. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 1 wherein the group name record in the group travel database include up to 999 participants.
9. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 1 wherein participants may be added to, changed within, and canceled from each group name record.
10. A method for planning and managing group travel comprising the steps of:
creating a group travel database resident on a computer which includes the steps of creating at least one group name record, defining a global inventory, creating a participant profile for each group name record and associating categories containing selected global inventory with each group name record;
accessing the group travel database;
adding participants to each group name record to form a group of participants within each group name record; and updating the group travel database.
creating a group travel database resident on a computer which includes the steps of creating at least one group name record, defining a global inventory, creating a participant profile for each group name record and associating categories containing selected global inventory with each group name record;
accessing the group travel database;
adding participants to each group name record to form a group of participants within each group name record; and updating the group travel database.
11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the step of adding participants further includes accessing the participant profile for a specific group name record and adding the data requested in the participant profile relating to each participant.
12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the step of defining global inventory includes specifying air travel data.
13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of defining global inventory further includes specifying rental car data, hotel data, rail data, cruise data, bus travel data, tour data, and charter air travel data.
14. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising the step of uploading participant data to a computerized reservation system.
15. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising the step of downloading data associated with participants from a computerized reservation system to the group travel database.
16. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising the step of generating accounting reports.
17. A computer readable memory containing a computer program for group travel planning and managing for execution on at least one computer comprising:
instructional means for creating a group travel database having at least one group name record, global inventory data, a participant profile associated with each group name record, and categories containing selected global inventory data which are associated with each group name record;
instructional means for accessing the group travel database;
instructional means for adding participants to each group name record in the group travel database; and instructional means for updating the group travel database.
instructional means for creating a group travel database having at least one group name record, global inventory data, a participant profile associated with each group name record, and categories containing selected global inventory data which are associated with each group name record;
instructional means for accessing the group travel database;
instructional means for adding participants to each group name record in the group travel database; and instructional means for updating the group travel database.
18. The computer readable memory as recited in claim 17 further comprising instructional means for downloading data associated with participants from a computerized reservation system to the group travel database via a telecommunication link.
19. The computer readable memory as recited in claim 17 further comprising instructional means for uploading participant data to a computerized reservation system via a telecommunication link.
20. The computer readable memory as recited in claim 17 further including instructional means for generating accounting reports.
21. A system for planning and managing group travel comprising:
a computer program resident on a computer having an administrator module for creating a group travel database which includes at least one group name record, global inventory data, a participant profile associated with each group name record, and categories containing selected global inventory data associated with each group name record and a booking module for updating the group travel database to include a plurality of participants and selected inventory data associated with the plurality of participants within each group name record.
a computer program resident on a computer having an administrator module for creating a group travel database which includes at least one group name record, global inventory data, a participant profile associated with each group name record, and categories containing selected global inventory data associated with each group name record and a booking module for updating the group travel database to include a plurality of participants and selected inventory data associated with the plurality of participants within each group name record.
22. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 21 wherein the computer is communicably linked to a computerized reservation system.
23. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 21 wherein the global inventory data includes air travel data.
24. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 23 wherein the global inventory data further includes rental car data, hotel data, rail data, cruise data, bus data, tour data, and air charter data.
25. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 23 wherein participants within the same group name record may have different air travel data which accommodates different outbound or inbound flights for participants within the same group name record.
26. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 23 wherein participants within the same group name record may have air travel data corresponding to a block of seats on a flight.
27. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 21 wherein the group name record in the group travel database includes 999 participants.
28. The system for planning and managing group travel as recited in claim 21 wherein participants may be added to, changed within, and canceled from each group name record.
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| US59825296A | 1996-02-08 | 1996-02-08 | |
| US08/598,252 | 1996-02-08 |
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| CA002196936A Abandoned CA2196936A1 (en) | 1996-02-08 | 1997-02-06 | System and method for planning and managing group travel |
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| CA (1) | CA2196936A1 (en) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2013187778A2 (en) | 2012-06-14 | 2013-12-19 | Mercatus Limited | Resource crew management |
Families Citing this family (2)
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8751272B1 (en) * | 1999-07-20 | 2014-06-10 | Expedia, Inc. | Fare compare—a system for collecting and displaying price information |
| US7085726B1 (en) * | 2000-11-01 | 2006-08-01 | Ita Software, Inc. | Robustness and notifications in travel planning system |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5648900A (en) * | 1991-02-20 | 1997-07-15 | Galileo International Partnership | Method and apparatus for controlling and monitoring group travel related services |
| US5237499A (en) * | 1991-11-12 | 1993-08-17 | Garback Brent J | Computer travel planning system |
-
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- 1997-01-30 GB GB9701967A patent/GB2310058A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1997-02-06 CA CA002196936A patent/CA2196936A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2013187778A2 (en) | 2012-06-14 | 2013-12-19 | Mercatus Limited | Resource crew management |
| WO2013187778A3 (en) * | 2012-06-14 | 2014-10-23 | Serko Limited | Resource crew management |
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|---|---|
| BR9700931A (en) | 1998-09-01 |
| GB2310058A (en) | 1997-08-13 |
| GB9701967D0 (en) | 1997-03-19 |
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