Abstract:
A personal travel assistant for a user includes a wireless communication device adapted to communicate with a base network having flight schedule information relating to a plurality of flights. The travel assistant stores time-based traveler location information, including different time periods and a traveler location associated with each of the time periods. A clock provides the current time for determining a current one of the time periods. A logic unit causes selective communication with the base network to selectively obtain flight schedule information, for example, for a first flight having a flight departure time after the expiration of the current time period, with the current traveler location as originating location, and the traveler next destination as destination location.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Technical Field  
           [0002]    The present invention is directed toward a system and device for assisting a traveler, and more particularly toward a system and device for assisting a traveler in scheduling airline travel.  
           [0003]    2. Background Art  
           [0004]    Travelers, particularly business travelers, typically follow a schedule or itinerary to assist them in being where they need to be when they need to be there. However, unscheduled events can cause such travelers to get off their schedule, causing conflicts between scheduled events and difficulties in traveling from one location to another on a timely basis. As such, travelers are frequently subjected to delays which can make them late for a subsequent event, or to cancellations and shorter than expected events which can leave them with idle time in uncomfortable locations with nothing to do.  
           [0005]    Typically, travelers have no convenient way of managing their travel information while traveling. Such travelers use manual methods such as pieces of paper, or through rudimentary phone books stored in mobile phones allowing them to call travel agencies or secretarial staff when scheduling changes occur. Self contained devices for keeping such information have also been used.  
           [0006]    A few portable communication devices have been developed to assist such travelers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,499 shows a system for assisting groups of travelers for planning trips. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,859 discloses a system and device for assisting travelers in coordinating schedules among a group of travelers, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,974 discloses a device for assisting a traveler in coordinating and updating his/her schedule with travel times between events on the schedule using location information as received by a GPS receiver interface.  
           [0007]    While the above prior systems can be useful in assisting a traveler, they do not address many issues which may arise for a traveler, including particularly the information needs for persons who encounter schedule changes or delays on a trip involving traveling by commercial airlines. Such travelers are often particularly hurried and in need of quick information about flight times so that they can quickly change not only flight tickets but also subsequent events on their schedule based on those flight times. Of course, flight schedules are published in paper form, but such publications can be bulky (a particular disadvantage to a traveler who is already carrying heavy baggage), easy to lose track of in luggage, and difficult to read and use. Further, even if a user is able to find and properly use such publications while on his trip, such publications may well be out of date and, even if up to date, cannot keep track of real time flight information (for example, delayed departures).  
           [0008]    The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    In one aspect of the present invention, a personal travel assistant for a user is provided, including a wireless communication device adapted to communicate with a base network having flight schedule information relating to a plurality of flights and including originating location, destination location and flight departure time for each such flight, a memory, a clock, a logic unit, a display unit and a display control. The memory is adapted to store travel related information of a travel itinerary of the user, the travel itinerary having different time periods and a traveler location associated with each of the time periods. The clock keeps a current time for determining a current one of the different time periods. The logic unit is adapted to cause selective communication of the wireless communication device with the base network to selectively obtain flight schedule information for a first flight having a flight departure time after a selected time, the current traveler location as originating location, and the traveler next destination as destination location. The display control causes the display unit to selectively display the selectively obtained flight schedule information, the flights of the selectively obtained flight schedule information having the same originating location as the traveler location associated with the current one of the different time periods and flight departure times after the selected time.  
           [0010]    In a preferred form of this aspect of the invention, a manual input is provided for the display control for controlling which of the selectively obtained flight schedule information is displayed on the display unit.  
           [0011]    In another preferred form, the logic unit is further adapted to cause selective communication of the wireless communication device to selectively obtain flight schedule information for a second flight having a flight departure time next after the flight departure time of the first flight, the current traveler location as originating location, and the traveler next destination as destination location, where the display control is adapted to selectively cause the information display to display selected portions of the flight schedule information of the second flight. In other preferred forms, the memory is adapted to store flight schedule information for the first and second flights, and the display control includes a manual input for causing the information display to change between the flight schedule information of the first and second flights.  
           [0012]    In still another preferred form of this aspect of the invention, the time periods of the travel itinerary have an end time as the scheduled departure time of the traveler from the location of that time period, and the first flight has a departure time after the end time of the current one of the different time periods.  
           [0013]    In yet another preferred form, the first flight is the flight which has the first departure time after the end time of the current one of the different time periods.  
           [0014]    In still another preferred form, the wireless communication device further includes a manual input for activating the logic unit to cause the selective communication with the base network.  
           [0015]    In another aspect of the present invention, a flight travel assistance system for a traveler is provided, including a base network and a mobile wireless communication unit adapted to communicate with the base network. The base network includes flight schedule information, the flight schedule information relating to a plurality of flights and including originating location, destination location and flight departure time for each such flight. The mobile wireless communication unit includes an information display, a clock for determining time, a memory for storing a user travel itinerary, a logic unit adapted to cause selective communication with the base network, and a display control adapted to cause the information display to display selected information. The travel itinerary stored in the memory has time-based traveler location information including current traveler location and traveler next destination. The logic unit causes the communication unit to selectively obtain next flight schedule information for a flight having a flight departure time next after a specified time, the current traveler location as its originating location, and the traveler next destination as its destination location. The displayed selected information is selected portions of the next flight schedule information.  
           [0016]    In one preferred form of this aspect of the invention, the logic unit is a synchronizer adapted to update the memory with the selected travel related information relevant to the travel itinerary.  
           [0017]    In another preferred form, the base network further includes the travel itinerary, and an input is provided for selectively revising the travel related information of the travel itinerary.  
           [0018]    In still another preferred form, the logic unit is further adapted to cause selective communication with the base network to selectively obtain subsequent flight schedule information for a flight having a flight departure time next after the flight departure time of the next flight schedule information displayed on the information display, the current traveler location as originating location, and the traveler next destination as destination location, with the display control adapted to cause the information display to display selected portions of the subsequent flight schedule information. In other preferred forms, the memory is adapted to store next flight information and subsequent flight information, and the display control includes a manual input for causing the information display to change between the next flight schedule information and the subsequent flight schedule information.  
           [0019]    In yet another preferred form, the mobile wireless communication unit further includes a manual input for activating the logic unit to cause the selective communication with the base network.  
           [0020]    It is an object of the invention to provide reliable assistance to itinerary travelers who travel by commercial airline. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is an illustration of a wireless communication device embodying the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating one method of employing the present invention; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is a chart of a communication network according to the present invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0024]    A mobile communication device  10  according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The device  10  includes suitable wireless communication components such as the illustrated antenna  12 , and is preferably a cellular device as is well known in the art. For example, the device  10  may be a cellular telephone, with a suitable speaker, microphone, keypad, etc. as is well known in the art and not shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0025]    The device  10  also includes a suitable information display  14 , which in a preferred embodiment can also serve as a user input by provision of a suitable touch sensitive face such as is also known in the art and as discussed further below.  
         [0026]    A processor  18  for handling communicated information is further included, which processor  18  includes a logic unit  20  adapted to cause selective communication with a base network  24  as also further described below. The processor  18  and logic unit  20  work in conjunction with a clock  30  for determining time and a memory  32 . A suitable display control  38  is also provided for controlling the information display  14 . Suitable display technologies which may be used include the Wireless Application Protocol&#39;s Wireless Markup Language, Hyper Text Markup Language (HTMP), Java, Java Script, native implementations or HDML, although it should be understood that this invention is not limited to such display technologies and still others (including technologies not yet developed) could also be used within the scope of the invention once a full understanding of the invention is had.  
         [0027]    In accordance with the present invention, the communication device  10  stores the travel itinerary of a user in the memory  32 , with the travel itinerary having time-based traveler location information including current traveler location and subsequent traveler destinations. For example, the travel itinerary could include a time block of from noon on the first day of a month until 9:35 p.m. the next day during which the traveler is scheduled to be in Boston, with a flight scheduled to leave at the end of that time block for Newark. A time block could also then be included in the itinerary from the arrival time in Newark (for example, 10:25 p.m.) until a subsequent departure time from Newark.  
         [0028]    With such a travel itinerary in the device memory  32 , the processor  18  recognizes based on the time from the clock  30  which time block the traveler is in. In the example given, for example, if the clock  30  indicates that it is prior to 9:35 p.m. on the second day of the month, the processor will recognize that the user is in the Boston time block. Recognizing this, the processor  18  will, with the display control  38 , cause the information display  14  to show the flight scheduled in the travel itinerary for the end of that time block.  
         [0029]    The present invention is adapted to provide assistance to the traveler if, as frequently occurs, the traveler may not be able to conform to the predetermined flight travel on his/her itinerary.  
         [0030]    Specifically, if a traveler determines that he/she will be delayed so that he/she will not be able to make the scheduled flight, he/she may select the Next Flight option on the communication device  10  as illustrated in FIG. 2 (box  50 ). This selection may be made by touching the touch sensitive screen on the portion with the “Check Next Flight” icon displayed thereon. Since, in the example used herein, the clock  30  indicates a time which is in the time block which the stored itinerary indicates to be in Boston, and which the itinerary also indicates is to be followed by a time block in Newark, the processor  18  and logic unit  20  will formulate and send a request of alternative flights (box  52 ) to the base network  24  (as discussed further below in connection with FIG. 3) for scheduled airline flights from Boston to Newark after the traveler&#39;s scheduled flight.  
         [0031]    The base network  24  responds via wireless communication to the traveler&#39;s communication device  10  with information regarding the requested alternative flights (box  54 ), and the information is intelligently cached in the memory  32 . (Similarly, if the traveler is completing business early, the traveler may obtain information about earlier flights by touching the “Check Previous Flight” icon, in which case the processor  18  and logic unit  20  will send a request for information on flights before the traveler&#39;s scheduled flight).  
         [0032]    In the preferred embodiment, given the greater processing capacities of the base network  24 , the information is formatted appropriately prior to communicating it to the device  10 . It should be recognized, however, that it would be in the scope of the invention if the information is formatted as needed by the device processor  18 .  
         [0033]    Information on a selected number of flights may be communicated in response to a request from the device  10 , depending upon the memory  32  available in the device  10  for caching such information.  
         [0034]    The processor  18  in cooperation with the display control  38  then causes the information display  14  to display information (e.g., flight departure time, airline, departure airport, destination airport, destination time) about the “next flight”. The traveler may then observe that displayed information (box  56 ) and decide what he/she wishes to do (box  58 ). If the traveler does not wish to change his/her original schedule, he/she may do so and take no further action (box  60 ) in which case his/her original ticketing will remain unchanged. If the traveler wishes to change to a different flight, he/she may do so by, for example, touching the touch sensitive screen on the portion with the “Change Flight” icon displayed thereon. At that point, the display  14  will indicate the options available to the traveler. For example, the device  10  may allow the traveler to change the flight by either using a data link (box  62 ), or a voice call (box  64 ), or may provide the traveler with both options.  
         [0035]    With a data link, the information display  14  will, for example, display a flight option with an icon asking whether to “Confirm Change to This Flight”. By touching this icon (or otherwise providing input to indicate this choice), the traveler causes the processor  18  and input logic  20  to communicate with the base network  24  to reserve a seat on that flight for the traveler and to cancel the traveler&#39;s original reservation on a different flight.  
         [0036]    Alternatively, by choosing a voice call option, the information display  14  will be caused to institute a wireless voice call to an appropriate location where flight reservations may be made. For example, a travel agency used by the traveler may be automatically called (without need for the traveler to look up and enter the number), or calls to the airlines themselves may be initiated. In the later case, the device memory  32  may include several airline numbers, with the processor  18  causing the airline of the desired flight to be called.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 3 illustrates a variety of methods by which the device  10  of the present invention may communicate with a base network  24  to enable it to automatically obtain additional information such as indicated above.  
         [0038]    For example, the device  10  may communicate with a wireless network  70  (such as a cellular telephone system) which includes or is otherwise connected to an information server. That is, the network may itself be provided with its own information server  72  which has the information responsive to the request of the device  10 , or may be connected to a suitable server such as the Internet  74  or a private Intranet  76  which includes such information. Alternatively, the device may communicate with private wireless systems via short wave or infrared communication such as Bluetooth and IrDA systems  78 . Such alternate systems may then provide a suitable connection to the required information (e.g., either by including the information in a private PC  80  in the network, or by suitable connection, such as through local area network or modem  82 , to a suitable server which does have the information such as the Internet  74  or a private Intranet  76 ).  
         [0039]    It should be recognized, however, that the most up to date information for flights will typically not be maintained on a private network, but rather will most likely be maintained on a more broadly available service such as the Internet  76  (where each airline and/or the FAA are likely to keep real time information about flights), so that while any suitable connection to such information is possible, the most timely flight information will most likely be found by connection to the Internet  76 . For example, if a flight has been delayed, or is canceled, or is sold out, such information (which will most likely be available from the airlines&#39; own Internet sites) may also be used to ensure that the traveler be provided with the most helpful information. For example, a sold out flight could be skipped in informing the traveler of the next flight (or at least an indication to that effect be provided to allow the traveler to decide for himself/herself where to attempt to get on it), or a delayed flight departure might provide the traveler with a convenient flight which the traveler might otherwise think he/she could not catch based on the scheduled departure time.  
         [0040]    It should also be recognized that the wireless communication technology used need not be limited to those mentioned above, nor is the technology of transporting the information limited. For example, while WAP Session and/or Transport Layers may be used, still other technologies, including those not yet developed, may be used within the scope of the present invention so long as those technologies permit the wireless communication of the information used in accordance with the invention as described herein.  
         [0041]    It should be recognized that the device  10  could also communicate with the base network  24  for other advantageous purposes. For example, the device  10  could obtain information about the traveler&#39;s itinerary and display that information to assist the traveler. For example, “On Time” or “Delayed” indications could be displayed on the display  14  according to the status of the traveler&#39;s next scheduled flight based on periodic information requests from the device  10  to the base network  24 . Further, if the traveler&#39;s itinerary changes, such changes could be input (either in the base network  24  or in the device  10 ) and the changed itinerary synchronized between the device  10  and the network  24 . This is particularly helpful where extensive data input into the device  10  is difficult (due to a typical lack of full keyboard) but the traveler&#39;s secretarial staff at his/her home office may easily make such itinerary changes, with such changes thereby automatically (or by user input) synchronized in the traveler&#39;s device. Such synchronized changes can also be maintained when a flight schedule is changed in accordance with the invention as discussed above.  
         [0042]    The device  10  may also be used to provide the traveler with other information based on his/her itinerary and the time, for example, hotel numbers and information for the area where you are scheduled to spend that night, and/or local taxi companies, restaurants, car rental companies, etc. with the device  10  automatically calling (without user input of the number) to contact any of them (e.g., for reservations or directions).  
         [0043]    The device  10  may also be set so that the processor  18  will use the time determined by the clock  30  and, with the location information for that time as determined from the traveler&#39;s itinerary, automatically change the clock  30  to display the time according to the local time zone.  
         [0044]    It should thus be appreciated that the present invention will provide a traveler with context-sensitive information based on the current time and his/her scheduled travel. Still further, the device  10  according to the present invention provides the traveler information which may be quickly and reliably updated periodically, either automatically or upon user demand. Still further, such information will be provided to the user in a manner which is easy to browse, and which will be available even when communication with the network is lost.  
         [0045]    Still other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the specification, the drawings, and the appended claims. It should be understood, however, that the present invention could be used in alternate forms where less than all of the objects and advantages of the present invention and preferred embodiment as described above would be obtained.