Patent ID: 7908207
Filing Date: 2011-03-15
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: determining, by an automated programmed computer system for accepting a bid for a travel service, that a first itinerary of a first consumer and a second itinerary of a second consumer match within a predefined threshold defined within first consumer rules, first organization rules, second consumer rules, and second organization rules; grouping, by said computer system, said first itinerary and said second itinerary to create a subset of consumer itineraries with reservations that are booked but not ticketed; providing by said computer system, said subset of consumer itineraries to a vendor offering said travel service; accepting, by said computer system, said bid from said vendor to provide said travel service to said first consumer and said second consumer based on an ability of said vendor to provide said travel service within said predefined threshold defined within said first consumer rules, said first organization rules, said second consumer rules, and said second organization rules; wherein said first consumer rules relate to at least one of: first consumer departure time, first consumer arrival time, first consumer airport pair, first consumer class, and first consumer seating; wherein said first organization rules relate to at least one of: first organization departure time, first organization arrival time, first organization airport pair, first organization class, and first organization seating; wherein said second consumer rules relate to at least one of: second consumer departure time, second consumer arrival time, second consumer airport pair, second consumer class, and second consumer seating; wherein said second organization rules relate to at least one of: second organization departure time, second organization arrival time, second organization airport pair, second organization class, and second organization seating; verifying, by said computer system, that said bid is in accordance with said predefined threshold defined within said first consumer rules, said first organization rules, said second consumer rules, and said second organization rules; confirming, by said computer system, that said bid is an optimum bid; and modifying, by said computer system, a second subset 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.