WO2006083173A1

WO2006083173A1 - Apparatus and method for ticket booking over the internet

Info

Publication number: WO2006083173A1
Application number: PCT/NO2006/000043
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans-Petter Aanby
Original assignee: Norwegian Air Shuttle Asa
Priority date: 2005-02-04
Filing date: 2006-01-31
Publication date: 2006-08-10
Also published as: NO20050632L; NO20050632D0; EP1849146A1

Abstract

A server computer apparatus (100) or method for use in connection with a data network (200) for providing a calendar-like user interface on a client computer (300) connected to a data network (200). A specification of a desired product or service, for example, a flight, and a period, indicated by using a first calendar unit, for example, a month, is received from the client computer. Information pertaining to those of the products or services, for example, all the flights, that correspond to the specification and are available in the specified period is selectively retrieved from a database, along with the respective availabilities and lowest prices of each such product or service. On the basis of the information, the calendar-like user interface is produced with a field for each value of a second calendar unit, for example a day, on which the specified product or service is available and in each such field a display of the respective lowest price. Thus, the calendar can, for example, show for each day in a period of one month all the days on which a flight to the specified destination is available and respective lowest prices.

Description

Apparatus and method for ticket booking over the Internet

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for making a booking over the Internet, and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for making available to a customer, via an offer mechanism, the cheapest tickets in a selected calendar period.

In particular for travellers wishing to book tickets over the Internet, a common problem has been to find the most favourable tickets at any given time, and the customer has had to perform many search operations on the Internet in order to obtain an overview of the times at which the cheapest journeys can be made.

There is therefore a need for simpler solution which allows a user by making a single inquiry to obtain an overview of all available journeys in a desired price category and in a desired period of time.

The aforementioned and other objects and advantages are achieved in that the present invention provides a server computer for use in a system for booking a product or a service over a data network, characterised by the features set forth in attached independent claim 1.

Additional advantageous features of the server computer of the invention are set forth in attached dependent claims 2 to 6.

The present invention further provides a method for use in a system for booking a product or service over a data network, characterised by the features set forth in attached independent claim 7.

Additional advantageous features of the method of the present invention are set forth in dependent claims 8 to 12.

A server computer apparatus or method for use in connection with a data network for providing a calendar-like user interface on a client computer linked to the server via a data network. A specification of a desired product or service, for example, a flight, and a period, indicated by using a first calendar unit, for example a month, is received from the client computer. Information pertaining to those of the products or services, for example all the flights, that correspond to the specification and are available within the specified time period is selectively retrieved from a database, along with the respective availabilities and lowest prices for each such product or service. On the basis of the information, the calendar-like user interface is produced with a field for each value of a second calendar unit, for example, a day, on which the specified product or service is available and in each such field a display of the respective lowest price. Thus, the calendar may, for example, show for each day in the period of a month all days on which a flight to a specified destination is available and respective lowest fares.

The invention will be explained in more detail below by means of examples and with reference to the attached figures, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows an image of an example of a previously known user interface in an Internet system for flight booking;

Fig. 2 shows an example of a standard network system which may comprise a server computer according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 shows an image of a first example of a graphic user interface, possibly produced according to the apparatus or method of the invention, for the user's specification, when using the present invention for booking a trip to a desired destination in a desired period of time;

Fig. 4 shows an image of a second user interface provided on the use of a server computer or method according to the invention for producing a calendar indicating available trips and lowest fares;

Fig. 5 shows an image of an example of a calendar as shown in Figure 4, which illustrates the apparatus or method of the invention for allowing a user wishing to utilise the invention to book or purchase a journey to select an outward journey and a return journey;

Fig. 6 shows an image of an example of a user interface provided on the use of a server computer or method according to the invention for booking and purchasing a journey as specified, offered and selected according to Figure 4 and Figure 5, respectively; ^{" ■}

Fig. 7 is a flow chart presentation of a method according to the invention; and Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing schematically functional aspects of an apparatus according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows an example of a previously known user interface in an Internet-based system for flight booking. In this user interface, the user is allowed to give a specification of his itinerary, i.e., departure and destination cities, and optional return journey, and to specify a date for the outward journey and, if applicable, a date for the return journey. The specification that has been entered via the user interface is then transferred from the user's computer, via the Internet, to a server computer at the travel provider. At the travel provider, availability of the specified journey on the given date is checked, and the server computer then transfers data to the user's computer which creates an image on the user's computer showing available alternatives and respective fares for the specified itinerary and date. Furthermore, the user can select one of the available departures displayed, in order to then make a booking or reservation.

Figure 2 shows schematically an example of a standard network system, which may comprise a server computer according to the present invention. A typical system comprises a server computer 100, a network 200, such as the Internet, and a plurality of user terminals or user computers 300 arranged to communicate with the server computer 100 over the network 200. Thus, the server computer 100 can serve several users of client computers 300.

In what follows, reference is made to Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, and to Figures 7 A and TB, in order to explain, by means of an example, the mode of operation of the invention, with the aid of user interfaces that are used or produced by the invention, and an example of a process for realising the invention.

In a realisation of the invention in connection with the Internet, an Internet-based solution is provided in which the user can retrieve the cheapest available tickets in a selected calendar period.

The user of the system (the customer) selects his desired destination and a relevant period of time in which he wishes to make the journey, and optionally the number of tickets required in one or more categories, such as adult, child or infant, and optionally whether the journey is to be a round trip. In a system where the invention has been implemented, the cheapest available tickets are automatically popped up. This information is shown in a calendar, in the selected period that has been specified for a search for the cheapest available tickets.

Referring to Figure 7 A, reference is first made to process step 710 in which the server computer 100 of the invention, on request, sends a search box to the client computer 300. Figure 3 shows an example of a search box which allows the user to specify departure city and desired month for the outward journey, and destination city, and optionally the desired month for the return journey if a round trip is required. At process step 720 the data the user has entered in the search box is transferred to the server, so that the server receives information about the product sought for and the period of time for which the user requires information about the product's availability. In the example shown in Figure 3, the server at process step 720 will receive a specification of the desired travel product in the form of departure and destination cities, and at least a specification of the time period in which the outward journey is to be made.

At step 725 the server computer 100 carries out a search in data for information about the specified product that is available in the specified period. Then, at process step 730, after having found in step 725 available occurrences of the specified product in the specified period, the server seeks out the lowest price for each of the products that has been found to be available in the specified period. Next, in step 735, the server computer produces calendar data. The calendar data is such that after transfer from the server computer 100 to the client computer 300, it will be displayable as indicated in the example in Figure 4. In the calendar, which in Figure 4 is referred to as a low fare calendar, a square appears for each day on which the specified product was found to be available in preceding process step 725. Added as data for each calendar square is the respective lowest price for the product when it was found to be available, the price having previously been found at process step 730.

After calendar data has been produced, it is transferred in step 740 to the client machine, and is displayed there, for example, like the calendar shown in Figure 4.

Each calendar square which represents a calendar unit, for example, a day as shown in Figure 4, is preferably associated with a data input device, whereby the client computer 300 can register a user choice made, e.g., by a user placing a mouse pointer on a calendar square and clicking so that the client machine 300 registers a specification for a choice from among the products that are shown to be available in the calendar, e.g., as in the calendar in Figure 4. hi a preferred embodiment of the calendar, which corresponds to that shown in Figure 4, all the days of a month are shown, where a square with price data numbers indicates that a product at the lowest price for the day in question is available in the square shown. For the sake of simplicity, each square also includes a day number which corresponds to the date of the month, and the squares are presented preferably in a matrix of seven rows or seven columns, each row or column representing a particular day of the week.

In an alternative embodiment that is not shown in the exemplary images, the period specification may be a week, several months, a year, several years, etc., with a corresponding calendar showing day, week or month depending on the level of precision that is desirable in order to obtain information about the availability of the product and the lowest price for each of the availabilities of the product.

Furthermore, the process can comprise, at step 745, the user entering a choice as mentioned above by, e.g., placing a mouse pointer on one of the calendar squares, whereby the choice can be made visible to the user as shown, for example, in Figure 5, where the user has specified an outward journey on Tuesday 9 May 2006 and a return journey on Thursday 11 May 2006. After having specified the preferred one of the products that are shown to be available on the calendar, the user-entered product choice can be transferred to the server, for example, at process step 750.

At process step 755, the server machine 100, after having received at process step 750 a user-entered specification of a product choice, produces a product list which at least shows the product with the lowest price that was displayed on the calendar, optionally also with corresponding products on the selected dates that are offered under other conditions, e.g., products of a higher price. The product list is then transferred to the client at step 760, and is displayed on the client machine 300. An example of a product list as displayed on a client machine 300 is shown in Figure 6.

After the transfer 760 of the product list to the client machine, the user of the client machine 300 can perform an optional purchase process, as indicated at process step 765, given by possible option functions related to user interface functionality assigned to the product list. For example, a user of the product list, as shown in the image in Figure 6, has decided to use a different product for his outward journey than the product with the lowest price that was evident from the calendar, the user specifying an outward journey at 12.00 on Tuesday 9 May 2006 at a fare of NOK 500 instead of the product with departure at 07.20 on Tuesday 9 May 2006 that was offered at the lowest fare of NOK 370.

Furthermore, referring to Figures 7 A and 7B, it can be seen that a server machine 100 according to the invention will be arranged to at least receive search box data including a specification of product and period as indicated at process step 720, to search for information, preferably in a database, about the specified product that is available in a specified period as indicated in process step 725, to seek out the lowest price for each available product as indicated at process step 730, to produce calendar data with a square for each day on which the specified product is available, and to find and put the lowest price for each available product in a respective calendar square as indicated at process step 735, and to transfer the calendar data produced at process step 735 to the client computer as indicated in process step 740.

Preferably, a server computer 100 according to the invention is also arranged to incorporate into the calendar data a user interface for each square in the calendar for registering a further specification for selection of at least one product which is indicated as available in the calendar, for the user's entry of a choice of calendar-shown products as indicated at process step 745.

Preferably, a server machine 100 according to the invention is arranged to receive a user-entered product choice transferred to the server as indicated at process step 750, and to produce a product list as indicated at process step 755 for transfer to the client and display there as indicated in process step 760.

Reference is now made to Figure 8, which illustrates block diagrammatically an example of a server machine 100 comprising functional means that are designed to perform the process steps which characterise the present invention.

The example shown block schematically comprises at least one communication means 810, a selective database information centre 830, and a calendar generator 840. Preferably, a server machine 100 according to the invention also comprises a search box generator and manager 820, a product selector 860, a product list generator 870 and a purchase process manager 890.

The communication means 810 comprises in a known way a communication interface 805, which corresponds to the connection shown in Figure 1 between the client machine 100 and the network 200. The communication means 810 may also be arranged to provide communication between the other elements shown in Figure 8. For performing process step 710, the search box generator may be arranged to produce data in order to create on the client machine 300 a user interface as shown in Figure 3, which the user, e.g., himself can retrieve by network addressing an inquiry to the server machine 100. In response to the inquiry, the search box is sent to the client as indicated at process step 710.

The communication means 810 is designed to channel data which specifies product and period as entered by the user using the search box, to a selective database information centre 830, which is arranged to perform process steps 725 and 730. The transfer can take place through a connection 825 between the communication means and selective database information centre 830. Selective database information centre 830 maybe connected to the calendar generator 840 through a connection 835 for transfer of information about available products in the specified period and the lowest price for each available product. The calendar generator 840 is designed to produce calendar data, with data representing a square in the calendar for each day the specified product is available, and to link data for the lowest price to a respective square. The calendar generator 840 is thus designed to perform process step 735, and the connection 835 to the communication means 810 and to effect transfer of the calendar data to the client machine for its display there, as indicated at process step 740.

As mentioned above, the server computer can preferably also be arranged to provide product choice and a purchase process, in that the communication means 810 is arranged to receive a user-entered product choice in accordance with process step 750, and select additional product alternatives according to the user-entered product choice, and to stimulate through the connection 865 the product list generator 870 to produce a product list of further additional products for its transfer via the connection 875 and the communication means 810 to the client machine 300 in accordance with process step 760.

A preferred variant of the server machine 100 according to the invention also comprises the purchase process manager 890 which by a connection 885 to the communication means 810 can communicate with the client machine 300 in order to effect a booking and a purchase of a product that has been displayed and offered through the product list that has been produced and transferred in process steps 755 and 760, respectively. Preferably, the invention is designed to receive a specified period for a desired product when the product is a journey with a scheduled means of transport, a month number or a month name, whilst calendar data is preferably produced with a calendar unit equal to one day. Other alternatives are disclosed in one or more of the attached claims. By means of the server machine 100 of the invention, or similar device, which is designed to provide a method including process steps as disclosed above, a computer-based booking system for booking a product or service, which is especially advantageous for users who would like a simple overview of the best prices over a specified time period by means of a single operation over a single user interface, can be provided by using available means with only the addition of such data or instructions which are produced and transferred when using the method or apparatus of the invention. Thus, the user is saved from having to carry out a large number of individual searches in order to find all the best offers over a lengthy period.

Claims

P a t e n t c l a i m s

1.

A server computer for use in a system for booking a product or service over a data

5 network, the server computer comprising a database containing information about the products or services, the availability of the products or services and calendar-dependent prices, and is arranged to communicate over a data network with a client computer having a display means and a user interface for receipt of user data or user instructions, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the server computer comprises a first o means designed to receive from the client computer user data or user instructions comprising a specification of a desired product or service and a period indicated by using a first calendar unit; a second means designed to retrieve selectively from the database information pertaining to those of the products or services that correspond to the specification, are s available in the specified period and have the lowest price, and the respective availabilities and lowest prices of each such product or service; and a third means designed to produce, on the basis of selectively retrieved information, client data or client instructions which can be transferred to the client computer, and which after receipt in the client computer will result in a display on the display means of 0 a calendar image containing a second calendar unit, the calendar image including a field for each value of the second calendar unit when the specified product or service is available and in each such field a display of the respective lowest price.

2. S A server computer according to claim 1, wherein the second calendar unit is a month day number.

3.

A server computer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second calendar unit is a year 0 number, a month number or a month name, a week number, a month day number, a week day number or a week day name.

4.

A server computer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the third means is designed to produce client data or client instructions so that in each such field there is provided a display of a respective calendar unit value for the field.

5.

A server computer according to claim 4, wherein the calendar unit value is formed of a particular year number, month number, month name, week number, month day number, week day number or week day name.

6.

A server computer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the field constitutes a selectable part of the user interface and is designed to produce user data or user instructions which can be transferred to the server computer as a specification for use in a booking or request for further information about the product or service that is associated with the field.

7.

A method for use in a system for booking a product or service over a data network, the system comprising a server computer with a database containing information about the products or services, the availability of the products or services and calendar-dependent prices, and is arranged to communicate over a data network with a client computer having a display means and a user interface for receiving user data or user instructions, c h a r a c t e r i s e d b y receiving in the server computer user data or user instructions from the client computer, the user data or user instructions comprising a specification of a desired product or service and a period indicated by using a first calendar unit; retrieving selectively from the database information pertaining to those of the products or services that correspond to the specification, are available in the specified period and have lowest price, and the respective availabilities and lowest prices of each such product or service; and producing, on the basis of selectively retrieved information, client data or client instructions which can be transferred to the client computer and which after receipt in the client computer will result in a display on the display means of a calendar image having a second calendar unit, the calendar image including a field for each value of the second calendar unit when the specified product or service is available and in each such field a display of the respective lowest price.

8.

A method according to claim 7, wherein the second calendar unit is a month day number. s

9.

A method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the second calendar unit is a year number, a month number or month name, a week number, a month day number, a week day number or a week day name. 0

10.

A method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, including producing client data or client instructions so that in each such field there is provided a display of a respective calendar unit value for the field. 5

11.

A method according to claim 10, wherein the calendar unit value is formed of a particular year number, month number, month name, week number, month day number, week day number or week day name. 0

12.

A method according to any one of claims 7 to 11, including making the field a selectable part of the user interface and designed to produce user data or user instructions that can be transferred to the server computer as a specification for use in an 5 booking or request for further information about the product or service associated with the field.

13.

A server computer apparatus for connection to a data network for providing a calendar- 0 like user interface on a client computer linked to the data network, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that it includes a first means arranged to receive from the client computer a specification of a desired product or service and a period indicated by using a first calendar unit; a second means arranged to retrieve selectively from a database information pertaining 5 to those of the products or services that correspond to the specification and are available in the specified period, and the respective availabilities and lowest prices of each such product or service; and a third means arranged to produce, on the basis of the information, the calendar-like user interface having a field for each value of a second calendar unit when the specified product or service is available and in each such field a display of the respective lowest price. s

14.

A computer-based booking system for booking a product or service, including a server computer according to one of claims 1 to 6, or according to claim 13.

Q 15.

A data storage means provided with an executable program code which, when loaded in a computer, can result in the establishment of a server computer according to one of claims 1 to 6, or according to claim 13.

5