Patent ID: 7440918
Filing Date: 2008-10-21
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating an auction of a travel service comprising: compiling, at a travel reservations database, a first user profile based on first consumer rules defined by a first consumer, wherein said first consumer rules relate to departure time, arrival time, airport pair, class, and seating; storing said first user profile in said reservations database; compiling, at said travel reservations database, a first organization profile based on first organization rules defined by a first organization, wherein said first organization rules relate to departure time, arrival time, airport pair, class, and seating; storing said first organization profile in said reservations database; compiling, at a travel reservations database, a second user profile based on second consumer rules defined by a second consumer, wherein said second consumer rules relate to departure time, arrival time, airport pair, class, and seating; storing said second user profile in said reservations database; compiling, at said travel reservations database, a second organization profile based on second organization rules defined by a second organization, wherein said second organization rules relate to departure time, arrival time, airport pair, class, and seating; storing said second organization profile in said reservations database; establishing, via said travel reservations database, a network connection with a plurality of Customer Reservations Systems, wherein one of said plurality of Customer Reservations Systems was used to book travel reservations to create one of a plurality of consumer itineraries; analyzing, via said travel reservations database, said plurality of consumer itineraries stored at said plurality of Customer Reservations Systems to identify similar itineraries, wherein said similar itineraries include a similar departure time, similar arrival time, similar airport pair, similar class, and similar seating, and wherein said similar itineraries comprise reserved travel arrangements with a first vendor; retrieving, at said travel reservations database, said first user profile and said first organization profile corresponding to a first itinerary, wherein said first itinerary is one of said similar itineraries; retrieving, at said travel reservations database, said first user profile and said first organization profile corresponding to a second itinerary, wherein said second itinerary is one of said similar itineraries; comparing, at said travel reservations database, said first consumer rules and said first organization rules relating to said first itinerary to said second consumer rules and said second organization rules relating to said second itinerary to determine when said first itinerary and said second itinerary match within a predefine threshold defined within said first consumer rules, said first organization rules, said second consumer rules, and said second organization rules; grouping, at said travel reservations database, said first itinerary and said second itinerary to create a subset of consumer itineraries; retrieving, from said travel reservations database, a said subset of said consumer itineraries; providing, via said travel reservations database, said subset of consumer itineraries to a vendor offering a travel service; accepting, at said travel reservations database, a bid from said vendor to provide said travel service to said first consumer and said second consumer associated with said subset of said consumer itineraries based on an ability of said vendor to accommodate within a said predefine threshold defined within said first consumer rules, said first organization rules, said second consumer rules, and said second organization rules; verifying, at said travel reservations database, that said bid is in accordance with said said predefine threshold defined within said first consumer rules, said first organization rules, said second consumer rules, and said second organization rules; confirming, at said travel reservations database, that said bid is an optimum bid; and, modifying a second subset of said plurality of itineraries of said subset of consumer itineraries to include said travel arrangements with a second different vendor according to said bid, wherein said second subset of consumer itineraries does not include said second different vendor.