Booking method and system
AssigneeSmartcom Labs Oy
InventorJukka Kalevi Salonen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and system for booking reservations in a booking system and synchronizing bookings among several booking systems. The system comprises at least one booking system; at least one service provider; a mediator service; a client, and at least one client terminal device that can be a mobile device and that includes a dialogue. The client uses the dialogue to enter information into the system and the mediator receives inquiries and answers from the at least one booking system, the at least one service provider, and the at least one client. The mediator transfers and adapts information between them. The method and system are particularly suited for use with mobile phone users by Small Message Service messages.
Claims102
A network server that facilitates communications over at least one communication network between a provider and a mobile device associated with a user and having an identifier address in the at least one communication network, the network server:
- analyzing user profile information, and at least one of usage history of the user's mobile device and physical location information of the user, which is based on physical location of the user's mobile device, to formulate an offer relating to a product or service provided by the provider, wherein the offer is prepared based on the analysed physical location information of the user;
- preparing an inquiry message relating to the formulated offer, wherein the inquiry message includes the offer and is prepared for transmission to the mobile device over the at least one communication network by specifying a reply address in the at least one communication network that is specific to the offer specified in the prepared inquiry message;
- transmitting the inquiry message to the mobile device over the at least one communication network;
- receiving a reply message to the inquiry message from the mobile device over the at least one communication network at the specified reply address provided in the inquiry message;
- and
- associating the reply message with the inquiry message and with the offer specified in the inquiry message based on the specified reply address at which the reply message was received, wherein content input via the user's mobile device and included in the reply message is analyzed by the network server to determine whether to authorize a transaction involving the offer,
- wherein the inquiry message and reply message are associated with one another as a pair based on at least one identification criterion that identifies the user associated with the mobile device,
- wherein use of the at least one identification criterion to pair the inquiry message and reply message includes performing analysis of the mobile device sending the reply message, information about the inquiry message including whether inquiry message was sent to the mobile device sending the reply message, and analysis of the content of the reply message to determine whether the reply message includes a suitable reply appropriate for replying to the offer, wherein the suitability of the reply in the content of the reply message is determined based on the content of the reply message including one of a plurality of choices offered in the inquiry message.
A method for facilitating communications through at least one communication network between a provider and a mobile device associated with a user and having an identifier address in the at least one communication network, the method comprising:
- analyzing user profile information, by at least one network server, and at least one of usage history and physical location information of the user, which is based on physical location of the user's mobile device, to formulate an offer relating to a product or service provided by the provider, wherein the offer is prepared based on the analysed physical location information of the user;
- preparing, by the at least one network server, an inquiry message relating to the offer, wherein the inquiry message includes the offer and is prepared for transmission to the mobile device over the at least one communication network by specifying, by the at least one network server, a reply address in the at least one communication network that is specific to the offer specified in the prepared inquiry message;
- transmitting, by the at least one network server, the inquiry message to the mobile device over the at least one communication network;
- receiving, by the at least one network server, a reply message to the inquiry message from the mobile device over the at least one communication network at the specified reply address provided in the inquiry message;
- and
- associating, by the at least one network server, the reply message with the inquiry message and with the offer specified in the inquiry message based on the specified reply address at which the reply message was received,
- wherein content input via the user's mobile device and included in the reply message is analyzed by the network server to determine whether to authorize a transaction involving the offer,
- wherein the inquiry message and reply message are associated with one another as a pair based on at least one identification criterion that identifies the user associated with the mobile device,
- wherein use of the at least one identification criterion to pair the inquiry message and reply message includes performing analysis of the mobile device sending the reply message, information about the inquiry message including whether inquiry message was sent to the mobile device sending the reply message, and analysis of the content of the reply message to determine whether the reply message includes a suitable reply appropriate for replying to the offer, wherein the suitability of the reply in the content of the reply message is determined based on the content of the reply message including one of a plurality of choices offered in the inquiry message.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.