Methods and apparatus for determining non-obvious savings in the purchase of goods and services

A method for providing information regarding savings associated with travel alternatives comprising the steps, performed by a processor, of:

• receiving a request from a user specifying a travel itinerary that includes a selected originating location and a selected destination location;
• analyzing the travel itinerary specified in the request, including the selected originating and destination locations, to determine a set of alternative itineraries different than the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• determining a value for the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• determining a value for each of the alternative itineraries;
• and
• generating a report reflecting the analysis and determinations,
• wherein the analyzing step includes identifying at least one alternative itinerary including an alternate originating location or destination location that is different than the selected originating location or destination location of the travel itinerary specified in the request, wherein the analyzing step includes locating any predetermined travel packages that include travel for the travel itinerary reflected in the request, and any predetermined travel packages that includes travel for the at least one alternative itinerary, and whereinthe travel packages are pre-configured packages based upon prior negotiations with providers of travel services.

A method for providing information regarding savings associated with travel alternatives comprising the steps, performed by a processor, of:

• receiving a request from a user specifying a travel itinerary that includes a selected originating location and a selected destination location;
• analyzing the travel itinerary specified in the request, including the selected originating and destination locations, to determine a set of alternative itineraries different than the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• determining a value for the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• determining a value for each of the alternative itineraries;
• generating a report reflecting the analysis and determinations;
• sending at least one price-to-beat request to a plurality of service providers reflecting information an the travel itinerary with a value associated with the determined value for the travel itinerary specified in the request and the determined value for each of the alternative itineraries;
• receiving a response from each of the service providers with information on a service provider travel itinerary and a value of the service provider travel itinerary, wherein the travel itinerary from each of the service providers may be the same or comparable, according to each respective service provider, to the user's travel itinerary or one of the alternative itineraries;
• reconfiguring the value of the travel itinerary specified in the request and the values for each of the alternative itineraries based on the responses from each of the service providers;
• and
• providing a report based on the analysis, determination and reconfiguration including an indication of the reconfigured values of the travel itinerary and the alternative itineraries.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer to perform a method for providing information regarding savings associated with travel alternatives the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request from a user specifying a travel itinerary that includes a selected originating location and a selected destination location, wherein the request includes information identifying the selected originating and destination locations, and proximity tolerances specifying a user's acceptable distance range of at least one of the selected originating location or selected destination location for searching for alternative itineraries;
• analyzing the travel itinerary specified in the request including the selected originating and destination locations, to determine a set of alternative itineraries different than the travel itinerary specified in the request, wherein the analyzing step includes identifying at least one alternative itinerary including an alternate originating location or destination location that is within the proximity tolerances and different than the selected originating location or destination location of the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• determining a value for the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• determining a value for each of the alternative itineraries;
• and generating a report, based on the analysis and determination, including a value for each alternative itinerary reflecting a savings in travel costs in comparison with the travel itinerary reflected by the request.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer to perform a method for providing information regarding savings associated with travel alternatives, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request from the user specifying a travel itinerary that includes a selected originating location and a selected destination location, wherein the request includes information identifying the selected originating and destination locations, and proximity tolerances specifying a user's acceptable distance range at least one of the selected originating location or selected destination location for searching for alternative itineraries;
• analyzing the travel itinerary specified in the request, including the selected originating and destination locations, to determine a set of alternative itineraries different than the travel itinerary specified in the request, wherein the analyzing step includes identifying at least one alternative itinerary including an alternate originating location or destination location that is within the proximity tolerances and different than the selected originating location or destination location of the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• and
• determining a value for the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• determining a value for each of the alternative itineraries;
• and generating a report reflecting the analysis and determinations.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer to perform a method for providing information regarding savings associated with travel alternatives, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request from the user specifying a trayel itinerary that includes a selected originating location and a selected destination location;
• analyzing the travel itinerary specified in the request, including the selected originating and destination locations, to determine a set of alternative itineraries different than the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• determining a value for the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• determining a value for each of the alternative itineraries;
• sending at least one price-to-beat request to a plurality of service providers reflecting information on the travel itinerary with a value associated with the determined value for the travel itinerary specified in the request and the determined value for each of the alternative itineraries;
• receiving a response from each of the service providers with information on a service provider travel itinerary and a value of the service provider travel itinerary, wherein the travel itinerary from each of the service providers may be the same or comparable, according to each respective service provider, to the user's travel itinerary or one of the alternative itineraries;
• reconfiguring the values of the travel itinerary specified in the request and the values for each of the alternative itineraries based on the responses from each of the service providers;
• and
• providing a report including an indication of the reconfigured values of the travel itinerary and the alternative itineraries.

A computer system for providing information regarding savings associated with travel alternatives comprising:

• a buyer interface for producing a request from a user specifying a travel itinerary that includes a selected originating location and a selected destination location, wherein the request includes information identifying the selected originating and destination locations, and proximity tolerances specifying a user's acceptable distance range of at least one of the selected originating location or selected destination location for searching for alternative itineraries;
• and
• a server for analyzing the travel itinerary specified in the request, including the selected originating and destination locations, to determine a set of alternative itineraries different than the travel itinerary specified in the request, for determining a value for the travel itinerary specified in the request, for determining a value for each of the alternative itineraries, and for generating a report, based on the analysis and determination, including a value for each alternative itinerary reflecting a savings in travel costs in comparison with the travel itinerary reflected by the request,
• wherein analyzing the travel itinerary includes identifying at least one alternative itinerary including an alternate originating location or destination location that is within the proximity tolerances and different than the selected originating location or destination location of the travel itinerary specified in the request.

A computer system for providing information regarding savings associated with travel alternatives comprising:

• a buyer interface for producing a request from a user specifying a travel itinerary that includes a selected originating location and a selected destination location;
• and
• a server for analyzing the travel itinerary specified in the request, including the selected originating and destination locations, to determine a set of alternative itineraries different than the travel itinerary specified in the request, for determining a value for the travel itinerary specified in the request, for determining a value for each of the alternative itineraries, and for generating a report reflecting the analysis and determinations,
• wherein the analyzing step includes identifying at least one alternative itinerary including an alternate originating location or destination location that is different than the selected originating location or destination location of the travel itinerary specified in the request, and wherein analyzing the travel itinerary includes locating any predetermined travel packages that include travel for the travel itinerary reflected in the request, and any predetermined travel packages that include travel for the at least one alternative itinerary, and wherein the travel packages are pre-configured packages based on prior negotiations with providers of travel resources.

A computer system for providing information regarding savings associated with travel alternatives comprising:

• a buyer interface for producing a request from a user specifying a travel itinerary that includes a selected originating location and a selected destination location;
• a server for analyzing the travel itinerary specified in the request, including the selected originating and destination locations, to determine a set of alternative itineraries different than the travel itinerary specified in the request, for determining a value for the travel itinerary specified in the request and for determining a value for each of the alternative itineraries;
• and
• a trader interface for receiving price-to-beat requests from the server and for providing a response from a trader with information on a trader travel itinerary and a value of the trader travel itinerary, wherein the travel itinerary from the trader interface may be the same or comparable, according to the trader, to the user's travel itinerary or one of the alternative itineraries
• wherein the server is configured to reconfigure the value of the travel itinerary specified in the request and the values for each of the alternative itineraries based on the response from the trader and generate a report including an indication of the reconfigured values of the travel itinerary and the alternative itineraries.

A computer system for providing information regarding savings associated with travel alternatives comprising:

• a buyer interface for producing a request from a user specifying a travel itinerary that includes a selected originating location and a selected destination location;
• a server for analyzing the travel itinerary specified in the request, including the selected originating and destination locations, to determine a set of alternative itineraries different than the travel itinerary specified in the request, for determining a value for the travel itinerary specified in the request and for determining a value for each of the alternative itineraries;
• and
• a supplier interface for receiving price-to-beat requests from the server and for providing responses from a plurality of service providers with information on service provider travel itineraries and respective values of the service provider travel itineraries, wherein each of the travel itineraries from the supplier interface may be the same or comparable, according to each of the plurality of service providers, to the user's travel itinerary or one of the alternative itineraries
• wherein the server is configured to reconfigure the value of the travel itinerary specified in the request and the values for each of the alternative itineraries based on the responses from the service providers and generate a report including an indication of the reconfigured values of the travel itinerary and the alternative itineraries.

A computer system for providing information regarding savings associated with travel alternatives comprising:

• an interface means for producing a request from a user specifying a travel itinerary that includes a selected originating location and a selected destination location, wherein the request includes information identifying the selected originating and destination locations, and proximity tolerances specifying a user's acceptable distance range of at least one of the selected originating location or selected destination location for searching for alternative itineraries;
• and
• a serving means for analyzing the travel itinerary specified in the request, including the selected originating and destination locations, to determine a set of alternative itineraries different than the travel itinerary specified in the request, for determining a value for the travel itinerary specified in the request, for determining a value for each of the alternative itineraries, and for generating a report, based on the analysis and determination, including a value for each alternative itinerary reflecting a savings in travel costs in comparison with the travel itinerary reflected by the request,
• wherein analyzing the travel itinerary includes identifying at least one alternative itinerary including an alternate originating location or destination location that is within the proximity tolerances and different than the selected originating location or destination location of the travel itinerary specified in the request.

A method for providing information regarding savings associated travel alternatives comprising the steps, performed by a processor, of:

• receiving a request from a user specifying a travel itinerary that includes a selected originating location and a selected destination location, wherein the request includes information identifying the selected originating and destination locations, and proximity tolerances specifying a user's acceptable distance range of at least one of the selected originating location or selected destination location for searching for alternative itineraries;
• analyzing the travel itinerary specified in the request, including the selected originating and destination locations, to determine a set of alternative itineraries different than the travel itinerary specified in the request, wherein the analyzing step includes identifying at least one alternative itinerary including an alternate originating location or destination location that is within the proximity tolerances and different than the selected originating location or destination location of the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• determining a value for the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• determining a value for each of the alternative itineraries;
• and
• generating a report reflecting the analysis and determinations.

A method for providing travel alternatives, comprising:

• receiving, from a user, a request specifying a travel itinerary that includes a selected origination location and a selected destination location, a first value associated with the itinerary, and proximity tolerances specifying a user's acceptable distance range of at least one of the selected originating location or selected destination location for searching for alternate itineraries;
• determining, without user intervention, a set of alternate itineraries different than the travel itinerary specified in the request, at least one alternate itinerary being associated with an alternative value and a route between an alternate originating location or alternate destination location that is within the proximity tolerances, and either the origination or destination location of the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• and
• providing a report including a indication of the first value, the altenate value for each alternate itinerary, and a savings value for each alternate itinerary reflecting a difference between the first value and the respective alternate value.

A method for providing travel alternatives, comprising:

• receiving, from a user, a request specifying a travel itinerary that includes a selected origination location and a selected destination location, a first value associated with the itinerary, and proximity tolerances specifying a user's acceptable distance range of at least one of the selected originating location or selected destination location for searching for alternative itineraries;
• determining, without user intervention, a set of alternative itineraries different than the itinerary specified in the request, at least one alternative itinerary including a route between an alternate origination location or alternate destination location that is within the proximity tolerances, and either the selected origination or destination location of the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• determining an alternate value for each alternative itinerary;
• and providing a report including a geographical map that contains:
• a graphical representation of the origination location, destination location, and each alternate location,
• a graphical representation of a first path between the origination and destination locations and a corresponding cost of travel for the first path, and
• a graphical representation of an alternate path between each alternate location and either the origination or destination locations and a corresponding cost of travel for each respective alternate path.

A method for providing travel alternatives, comprising:

• receiving, from a user, a request specifying a travel itinerary that includes a travel route between a selected origination location and selected destination location, and proximity tolerances specifying a user's acceptable distance range of at least one of the selected originating location or selected destination location for searching for alternative itineraries;
• determining, without user intervention, a set of alternative itineraries different than the itinerary specified in the request, at least one alternative itinerary including an alternate route between an alternate origination location or alternate destination location that is within the proximity tolerances, and either the origination or destination location of the travel itinerary specified in the request;
• and
• providing a report to the user such that the user may visually inspect a map including a graphical representation of the route between the origination and destination locations and the alternate routes, and a travel cost for each corresponding route.