Patent ID: 7499864
Filing Date: 2009-03-03
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. An integrated travel industry system comprising: an integrated travel network having an integrated travel network connection, wherein said integrated travel network connection connects to a plurality of Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), travel vendor databases, multi-use terminals of a plurality of travel counselors, and travel websites independent from a particular computer system, such that said plurality of travel counselors have access to said travel vendor databases and said GDSs, wherein said integrated travel network connection is accomplished via a frame relay network having a plurality of centralized hub sites, wherein each of said plurality of centralized hub sites comprises a hub site network connection, a transport mechanism, and a redundant data center, and uses an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone to communicate with the other centralized hub sites, wherein said redundant data center of each of said plurality of centralized hub sites is configured to store a database for said plurality of GDSs; a first remote travel office site, wherein said first remote travel office site is connected to said integrated travel network by said integrated travel network connection, wherein said first remote travel office site comprises a first point of service terminal connected to at least one of said plurality of centralized hub sites of said integrated travel network, such that said first point of service terminal is configured to access each of said plurality of GDSs, wherein said first point of service terminal is further configured to determine that a previously connected hub site is disabled and then automatically connect to an active centralized hub site; a second remote travel office site, wherein said second remote travel office site comprises a second point of service terminal connected, via said integrated travel network connection, to at least one of said plurality of centralized hub sites of said integrated travel network, such that said second point of service terminal is configured to access each of said plurality of GDSs, wherein said second point of service terminal is connected, via said integrated travel network connection, to said first point of service terminal such that said second point of service terminal can communicate with said first point of service terminal; and wherein each of said point of service terminals comprises a GDS-indevendent travel agent user interface for managing a plurality of travel bookings, wherein each travel booking comprises one or more travel reservations for at least one of an airline reservation, a car rental reservation, a hotel reservation, a train reservation, a bus reservation, a limousine reservation, a cruise line reservation, a ferry reservation, and a conference center reservation, wherein said GDS-independent travel agent user interface is configured to allow simultaneous access to said plurality of GDSs for managing a single travel booking across said plurality of GDSs, whereby said GDS-independent travel agent user interface provides a single source for accessing a plurality of travel services; wherein each of said point of service terminals is configured to translate information received, via said integrated travel network connection, from each of said plurality of GDSs into a format that is compatible with said GDS-independent travel agent user interface, and wherein each of said point of service terminals is further configured to translate inquiries received from the GDS-independent travel agent user interface into a plurality of formats that are compatible with said plurality of GDSs; and wherein each of said point of service terminals is further configured to automatically change said accessed GDS to a different GDS, using said integrated travel network connection, in order to meet a contracted minimum transaction amount.