Patent ID: 7529681

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for facilitating automated redemption of an unused electronic ticket, comprising the steps of: setting, via a computer system, an aging period; identifying, via a computer system, a scheduled date of an issued ticket; adding, via a computer system, the aging period to the scheduled date and, if the scheduled date plus the aging period is earlier than a current date, determining, via a computer system, whether all or a portion of the issued ticket is unused; and if all or a portion of the issued ticket has not been used, comparing, via a computer system, information in an invoice table and a central reservation system database to determine at least one of a use of the issued ticket and a change to the issued ticket, the comparing forming comparison data; calculating, via a computer system, a residual value of the ticket based on a contract term associated with the ticket and any changes to the issued ticket or partial use of the issued ticket as indicated by the comparison data; determining, via a computer system, an offer to redeem the issued ticket based on the residual value and a contract term associated with the ticket, the offer not including a refund; and presenting, via a computer system, the offer to redeem the issued ticket.