US 2007/0185744 A1 · System and method for providing customized travel guides and itineraries over a distributed network

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for providing a customized travel guide and customized travel itinerary, combining segments from multiple travel service providers. The system programmatically creates itineraries, checking for time constraints and interferences. Travelers prioritize activities allowing for a traveler to instruct the service to expand or shrink the trip time to include all activities of highest priority, or vice versa. In addition, the service can make recommendations for activities and scheduling based upon the traveler's profile, other traveler's ratings and recommendations, and similar user profiles. Output can be used in an offline mode, or, upon connecting to the online service, take advantage of automatic alarms and updates should the planned activities data change. With the addition of a GPS locating device, or through tracking the dates of travel, the system is able to present the traveler with only the data most relevant to their location while traveling.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for providing a customized travel output for a traveler over a distributed network, the system comprising:

at least one computer hosting a travel site, operatively connected to the distributed network;
the travel site further operatively connected to at least one information source of travel content, the at least one information source of travel content residing on computer readable media;
at least one input device through which a traveler accesses the travel site and inputs data;
at least one output device through which a traveler accesses the travel site and receives selected output;
an application running on the travel site, wherein the application is adapted to:
a. process at least one traveler selected travel datum input;
b. find corresponding or related data from the at least one information source;
and
c. generate at least one travel related output selected from the group of outputs consisting of a customized travel itinerary and a customized travel guide.

6 more elements

A method for providing a selected travel related output for a traveler over a distributed network;

the method comprising the steps of:
a. receiving from a traveler input of traveler related travel data;
b. accessing at least one information source of travel content, the data in the source selectably relating to travel content, service providers, application business rules, user (traveler) profiles, traveler choices, traveler priority assignments, previously generated travel itineraries and travel guides, traveler ratings and recommendations and any other such information as may be deemed useful in the creation of travel related outputs;
c. selecting from the at least one information source data corresponding or relating to selected traveler input;
and
d. programmatically generating a travel related output, the output selected from the group of outputs consisting of a customized travel itinerary and a customized travel guide.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for providing customized travel guides and itineraries over a distributed network

Life of this patent

System and method for providing customized travel guides and itineraries over a distributed network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20