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 Title: |
US5897620:
Method and apparatus for the sale of airline-specified flight tickets
[ Derwent Title ]
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| Country: |
US United States of America
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| Inventor: |
Walker, Jay S.; Ridgefield, CT
Sparico, Thomas M.; Riverside, CT
Case, T. Scott; Darien, CT
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| Assignee: |
priceline.com Inc., Stamford, CT
other patents from PRICELINE.COM INC. (753345) (approx. 14)
News, Profiles, Stocks and More about this company
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| Published / Filed: |
1999-04-27
/ 1997-07-08
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| Application Number: |
US1997000889304
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| IPC Code: |
Advanced:
G06Q 10/00;
G06Q 30/00;
Core:
more...
IPC-7:
G06F 17/60;
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| ECLA Code: |
G06Q10/00A;
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| U.S. Class: |
Current:
705/005;
705/006;
Original:
705/005;
705/006;
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| Field of Search: |
705/005,6,7,9,28
707/001,2,3,102,104
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| Priority Number: |
| 1997-07-08 |
US1997000889304 |
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| Abstract: |
An unspecified-time airline ticket representing a purchased seat on a flight to be selected later, by the airlines, for a traveler-specified itinerary (e.g., NY to LA on March 3rd) is disclosed. Various methods and systems for matching an unspecified-time ticket with a flight are also disclosed. An exemplary method includes: (1) making available an unspecified-time ticket; (2) examining a plurality of flights which would fulfill the terms of the unspecified-time ticket to determine which flight to select; and (3) providing notification of the selected flight prior to departure. The disclosed embodiments provide travelers with reduced airfare in return for flight-time flexibility and, in turn, permits airlines to fill seats that would have otherwise gone unbooked. Because of the flexibilities required of the unspecified-time traveler, unspecified-time tickets are likely to attract leisure travelers unwilling to purchase tickets at the available published fares and, at the same time, are likely to "fence out" business travelers unwilling to risk losing a full day at either end of their trip. Moreover, the flexibilities required of the unspecified-time traveler need not be limited to a departure time; the flexibilities may also include the airline, the departing airport, the destination airport, or any other restriction that increases the flexibility afforded the airline in placing the traveler aboard a flight. The disclosed embodiments thus permit airlines to fill otherwise empty seats in a manner that stimulates latent and unfulfilled leisure travel demand while leaving their underlying fare structures intact.
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| Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Morgan & Finnegan LLP ;
Brandt, Jeffrey L. ;
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| Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Tkacs, Stephen R.;
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| INPADOC Legal Status: |
Show legal status actions
Family Legal Status Report
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| Designated Country: |
AL AM AP AT AZ BA BB BG BR BY CA CH CN CU CZ DE DK EA EE EP ES FI GB GE GH GM GW HR HU ID IL IS JP KE KG KP KR KZ LC
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| Family: |
Show 11 known family members
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First Claim:
Show all 101 claims |
We claim:
1. A method comprising the steps of:
- viewing, using a computer, special fare listing information for air travel to a specified destination location from a specified departure location within a specified time range, said special fare listing information excluding a specified departure time;
- transmitting, using a computer, a request to purchase a commitment for carriage corresponding to said special fare listing information;
- receiving a commitment for carriage, including an obligation by an airline to provide a seat on a flight, that satisfies said request but does not specify a departure time;
- accepting said commitment for carriage; and
- receiving at a time subsequent to said accepting an identification of said departure time.
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| Background / Summary: |
Show background / summary
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| Drawing Descriptions: |
Show drawing descriptions
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| Description: |
Show description
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| Forward References: |
Show 164 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one
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| Foreign References: |
None
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| Other Abstract Info: |
DERABS G1999-121144
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| Other References: |
Richard Carroll, Hitch a Flight to Europe, p. 1, . not dated.
Airhitch Your Way To Low Cost Travel, pp. 1, 2, . not dated.
Sue Goldstein, Airhitch, p. 1. not dated.
Miles Poindexter, Airhitch: Myth or Fact, pp. 1, 2. not dated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Airhitch, pp. 1-5, 1995, .
Across the Atlantic Anytime for $169!!!, pp. 1, 2, . not dated.
Airhitch, General Information, New!!! Target Flights Update, pp. 1-6, . not dated
Target Flight(R) Quote Request Form, pp. 1, 2, -- qrf.txt>. not dated.
Working For/With Airhitch, pp. 1-5, . not dated.
Marketel says it plans to launch air fare "auction" in June: Marketel Int'l Inc., Travel Weekly, vol. 50, No. 34, p. 1, Apr. 29, 1991.
Ticketing Revolution Could Triple Airline Profits, Analyst Says, Aviation Daily, vol. 325, No. 11, p. 87, Jul. 17, 1996.
Cathay Pacific to Auction Off Airline Tickets on the Internet, The San Francisco Chronicle, Business, p. C4, Apr. 30, 1996.
Going Once, Going Twice, Going Online, The San Francisco Chronicle, Business, p. B1, Nov. 13, 1995.
Auctioning Unsold Airline Tickets, . not dated.
Ticket-Bidding Firm Closes Its Doors; Marketel Int'l, Travel Weekly, vol. 51, No. 21, p. 1, Mar. 12, 1992.
Travelers Bidding On Airline Tickets--SF Firm Offers Chance for Cut/Rate Fares, The San Francisco Chronicle, News, p. A4, Aug. 19, 1991.
An Experiment In Economic Theory: Labs Testing Real Markets, The Record, Business, p. B01, Nov. 26, 1989.
AAL's Riga Doubts Marketel's Appeal to Retailers; Chris Riga of American Airlines, Travel Weekly, vol. 48, No. 91, p. 4, Nov. 13, 1989.
Computers May Turn the World Into One Big Commodities Pit, Business Week, Economic ViewPoint, No. 3123, p. 17, Sep. 11, 1989.
"Northeastern International Airways Offers a $79 One-way Low Fare Between Florida and New York"; PR Newswire; FLPR3; Sep. 11, 1984; Dialog: File 148, Acc# 02199728.
Greene; "Student Standby Fares Now a Flight of Fancy"; Chicago Tribune; Nov. 20, 1985; Dialog: File 632, Acc# 01076578.
Shea; "Despite Hitches, Airhitch Offers Rock-bottom Flights"; San Jose Mercury News; Mar. 22, 1992; Dialog: File 634, Acc# 06582190.
Miskin; "On the Go"; Newsday; Jul. 10, 1994; Dialog: File 638, Acc# 07691008.
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| Continuity Data: |
| Application Number | Filed | Notes |
|---|
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US2005000088084 | 2005-03-23 | is a
continuation of |
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US2000000518495
| 2000-03-03 |
(abandoned)
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US20020156659A1 issued 2002-10-24 Method and apparatus for the sale of airline-specified flight tickets
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US2000000518495 | 2000-03-03 | is a
continuation of |
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US1999000238546
| 1999-01-28 |
(pending)
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US20020161610A1 issued 2002-10-31 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE SALE OF AIRLINE-SPECIFIED FLIGHT TICKETS
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US2000000518495 | 2000-03-03 | is a
continuation of |
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US1999000238546
| 1999-01-28 |
(abandoned)
|
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US20020161610A1 issued 2002-10-31 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE SALE OF AIRLINE-SPECIFIED FLIGHT TICKETS
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US2005000088084 | 2005-03-23 | is a
continuation of |
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US1998000205787
| 1998-12-04 |
(granted)
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US6041308 issued 2000-03-21 System and method for motivating submission of conditional purchase offers
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US1998000205787 | 1998-12-04 | is a
continuation in part of |
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US1997000943483
| 1997-10-03 |
(abandoned)
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US1997000943483 | 1997-10-03 | is a
continuation in part of |
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US1997000923683
| 1997-09-04 |
(granted)
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US6553346 issued 2003-04-22 Conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system for packages
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US1997000923683 | 1997-09-04 | is a
continuation in part of |
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US1997000889319
| 1997-07-08 |
(granted)
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US6085169 issued 2000-07-04 Conditional purchase offer management system
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US1999000238546 | 1999-01-28 | is a
division of |
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>US1997000889304<
| 1997-07-08 |
(granted)
|
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US5897620 issued 1999-04-27 Method and apparatus for the sale of airline-specified flight tickets
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|
|
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US1999000238546 | 1999-01-28 | is a
continuation of |
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>US1997000889304<
| 1997-07-08 |
(granted)
|
| |
US5897620 issued 1999-04-27 Method and apparatus for the sale of airline-specified flight tickets
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|
|
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US1997000889319 | 1997-07-08 | is a
continuation in part of |
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US1996000707660
| 1996-09-04 |
(granted)
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US5794207 issued 1998-08-11 Method and apparatus for a cryptographically assisted commercial network system designed to facilitate buyer-driven conditional purchase offers
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