U.S. patent application number 10/289327 was filed with the patent office on 2003-04-03 for demand aggregation and distribution system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sabre Inc.. Invention is credited to Jones, Terrell B..
Application Number | 20030065591 10/289327 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23742721 |
Filed Date | 2003-04-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030065591 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jones, Terrell B. |
April 3, 2003 |
Demand aggregation and distribution system
Abstract
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with
the present invention use a data processing system to aggregate
information reflecting demand for an item based on input requests
associated with the item, each request having been received from a
remote user and including remote user identification information,
provide the aggregated information to a plurality of suppliers,
each capable of supplying the item, receives at least one proposed
response from at least one of the suppliers, including a proposal
for providing the item to the remote users, and provides the
proposed response to the remote users based on the remote user
identification information. Aggregated information is provided
without the remote user identification information associated the
requests.
Inventors: |
Jones, Terrell B.;
(Arlington, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT &
DUNNER LLP
1300 I STREET, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Assignee: |
Sabre Inc.
|
Family ID: |
23742721 |
Appl. No.: |
10/289327 |
Filed: |
November 7, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10289327 |
Nov 7, 2002 |
|
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09438957 |
Nov 12, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/28 ;
705/26.1; 705/7.36 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/0637 20130101;
G06Q 10/087 20130101; G06Q 10/06 20130101; G06Q 40/04 20130101;
G06Q 30/0601 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/28 ; 705/10;
705/26 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for aggregating and satisfying demand for items, the
method comprising the steps performed by a data processing system,
of: aggregating information reflecting demand for an item based on
input requests associated with the item, each request having been
received from a remote user and including remote user
identification information; providing the aggregated information to
a plurality of suppliers, each capable of supplying the item
without also providing remote user identification information from
the requests; receiving at least one proposed response from at
least one of the suppliers, including a proposal for providing the
item to the remote user; and providing the proposed response to the
remote user based on the remote user identification
information.
2. A method for aggregating and satisfying demand for travel
products, the method comprising the steps performed by a data
processing system, of: aggregating information reflecting demand
for a set of travel products based on input requests, each request
having been received from a remote user and including remote user
identification information; selecting a group travel product based
on the aggregated information; and providing information reflecting
the group travel product to the remote user based on the remote
user identification information.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of selecting a group
travel product based on the aggregated information includes the
substeps of: providing the aggregated information to a plurality of
travel product suppliers; and receiving responses from a set of the
travel product suppliers, each response including information
reflecting a proposed group travel product, wherein each proposed
group travel product reflects a discount for the corresponding
travel product that is determined based on the aggregated
information, and wherein the step of providing information
reflecting the group travel product to the remote user based on the
remote user identification information includes the substep of:
transmitting travel option information related to at least one of
the proposed group travel products to a set of remote users based
on the aggregated information.
4. A system for aggregating and satisfying demand for items,
comprising: a processor for executing programs; and a memory for
storing a program executable by the processor, the stored program
including instructions for (i) aggregating information reflecting
demand for an item based on input requests associated with the
item, each request having been received from a remote user and
including remote user identification information, (ii) providing
the aggregated information to a plurality of suppliers, each
capable of supplying the item without also providing remote user
identification information from the requests, (iii) receiving at
least one proposed response from at least one of the suppliers,
including a proposal for providing the item to the remote users,
and (iv) providing the proposed response to the remote users based
on the remote user identification information.
5. A system for aggregating and satisfying demand for travel
products. comprising: a processor for executing programs; and a
memory for storing a program executable by the processor, the
stored program including instructions for (i) aggregating
information reflecting demand for a set of travel products based on
input requests, each request having been received from a remote
user and including remote user identification information, (ii)
selecting a group travel product based on the aggregated
information, and (iii) providing information reflecting the group
travel product to the remote users based on the remote user
identification information.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein selecting a group travel product
based on the aggregated information includes (a) providing the
aggregated information to a plurality of travel product suppliers,
and (b) receiving responses from a set of the travel product
suppliers, each response including information reflecting a
proposed group travel product, wherein each proposed group travel
product reflects a discount for the corresponding travel product
that is determined based on the aggregated information, and wherein
providing information reflecting the group travel product to the
remote users based on the remote user identification information
includes (a) transmitting travel option information related to at
least one of the proposed group travel products to a set of the
remote users based on the aggregated information.
7. A computer readable medium containing instructions for
controlling a computer system to perform a method for aggregating
and satisfying demand for items, the method comprising: aggregating
information reflecting demand for an item based on input requests
associated with the item, each request having been received from a
remote user and including remote user identification information;
providing the aggregated information to a plurality of suppliers,
each capable of supplying the item without also providing remote
user identification information from the requests; receiving at
least one proposed response from at least one of the suppliers,
including a proposal for providing the item to the remote users;
and providing the proposed response to the remote users based on
the remote user identification information.
8. A computer readable medium containing instructions for
controlling a computer system to perform a method for aggregating
and satisfying demand for travel products, the method comprising:
aggregating information reflecting demand for a set of travel
products based on input requests, each request having been received
from a remote user and including remote user identification
information; selecting a group travel product based on the
aggregated information; and providing information reflecting the
group travel product to the remote users based on the remote user
identification information.
9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein selecting a
group travel product based on the aggregated information includes:
providing the aggregated information to a plurality of travel
product suppliers; and receiving responses from a set of the travel
product suppliers, each response including information reflecting a
proposed group travel product, wherein each proposed group travel
product reflects a discount for the corresponding travel product
that is determined based on the aggregated information, and wherein
providing information reflecting the group travel product to the
remote users based on the remote user identification information
includes: transmitting travel option information related to at
least one of the proposed group travel products to a set of the
remote users based on the aggregated information.
10. A method for aggregating and satisfying demand for items, the
method comprising the steps performed by a data processing system,
of: receiving information reflecting demand for a set of items by a
plurality of users; accessing a memory for information on a
plurality of suppliers and their offerings to identify suppliers
having offerings capable of satisfying the demand; generating one
or more package responses, each package response reflecting
offerings of at least one of the identified suppliers; notifying
each of the plurality of users of each package response using
stored information identifying a location to address any package
responses to each of the user.
11. The method of claim 1O, further comprising: receiving a
purchase commitment from a first user of the plurality of users,
including information identifying a package response selected by
the first user and payment information identifying the first user's
selected form of payment for the selected package response.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: notifying the
supplier associated with the selected package response the purchase
commitment.
13. A method for aggregating and satisfying demand for items, the
method comprising the steps performed by a data processing system,
of: receiving information reflecting demand for a set of items by a
plurality of users; providing a plurality of suppliers with a
notification reflecting the demand information; receiving one or
more package responses from suppliers, each package response
representing a supplier's offering intended by the supplier to
satisfy the demand; notifying each of the plurality of users of
each package response using stored information identifying a
location to address any package responses to each of the user.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving a
purchase commitment from a first user of the plurality of users,
including information identifying a package response selected by
the first user and payment information identifying the first user's
selected form of payment for the selected package response.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: notifying the
supplier associated with the selected package response the purchase
commitment.
16. A system for aggregating and satisfying demand for items
comprising: means for receiving information reflecting demand for a
set of items by a plurality of users; means for accessing a memory
for information on a plurality of suppliers and their offerings to
identify suppliers having offerings capable of satisfying the
demand; means for generating one or more package responses, each
package response reflecting offerings of at least one of the
identified suppliers; means for notifying each of the plurality of
users of each package response using stored information identifying
a location to address any package responses to each of the
user.
17. The system of claim 16, further comprising: means for receiving
a purchase commitment from a first user of the plurality of users,
including information identifying a package response selected by
the first user and payment information identifying the first user's
selected form of payment for the selected package response.
18. The system of claim 17, further comprising: means for notifying
the supplier associated with the selected package response the
purchase commitment.
19. A system for aggregating and satisfying demand for items,
comprising: means for receiving information reflecting demand for a
set of items by a plurality of users; means for providing a
plurality of suppliers with a notification reflecting the demand
information; means for receiving one or more package responses from
suppliers, each package response representing a supplier's offering
intended by the supplier to satisfy the demand; and means for
notifying each of the plurality of users of each package response a
using stored information identifying a location to address any
package responses to each of the user.
20. The system of claim 19, further comprising: means for receiving
a purchase commitment from a first user of the plurality of users,
including information identifying a package response selected by
the first user and payment information identifying the first user's
selected form of payment for the selected package response.
21. The system of claim 20, further comprising: means for notifying
the supplier associated with the selected package response the
purchase commitment.
22. A computer-implemented method for aggregating and satisfying
demand for items using a network, comprising: providing an
interface in the network for consumer and supplier to share
information concerning items; permitting each one of a set of
consumers access to the interface to provide consumer demand
information reflecting demand for a set of items; permitting a set
of suppliers access to the interface to review aggregated demand
information that reflects the information provided by all of the
consumers in the set of consumers, each one of the suppliers in the
set of suppliers being selected based on stored information
reflecting each supplier's ability to satisfy the demand for the
set of items; receiving one or more package responses, each package
response reflecting offerings of at least one of the selected
suppliers; notifying each of the plurality of users of each package
response using stored information identifying a location to address
any package responses to each of the user.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] A. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to electronic commerce and, more
particularly, to an apparatus and methods for determining consumer
demand for goods and services such as travel-related products. This
invention also relates to an apparatus and methods for distributing
information reflecting consumer demand for goods and services to
multiple suppliers capable of supplying the goods and services in
demand for the purpose of packaging goods and services and offering
those packages to the consumers.
[0003] B. Description of the Related Art
[0004] The Internet has been hailed the marketplace of the future,
a result of its accessibility and usability. A computer equipped
with a communication mechanism such as a modem and telephone
connection is nearly all that is necessary to gain access to the
Internet. A program called a browser, such as the Netscape
Navigator from Netscape Corporation, makes it a simple task to
traverse the vast network of information available on the Internet
and, specifically, its subpart known as the "World Wide Web."
[0005] The architecture of the Web follows a conventional
client-server model. The terms "client" and "server" are used to
refer to a computer's general role as a requester of data (the
client) or provider of data (the server). Under the Web
environment, Web browsers reside in clients and specially formatted
"Web documents" reside on Internet (Web) servers. Web clients and
Web servers communicate using a conventional protocol called
"HyperText Transfer Protocol" (HTTP).
[0006] In operation, a browser opens a connection to a server and
initiates a request for a document. The server delivers the
requested document, typically in the form coded in a standard such
as the "HyperText Markup Language" (HTML) format. After the
document is delivered, the connection is closed. The browser
displays the document or performs a function designated by the
document.
[0007] Every day, more people gain access to the Web, and every
day, more of them are shopping online. Online shopping provides a
level of convenience they want, need and will soon demand.
Electronic commerce or "e-commerce" is the term often used to
refer, at least in part, to online shopping on the Web. E-commerce
is a unique opportunity for businesses of any size. E-commerce can
expand a company's marketplace-and consequently, its customer
database. By simply providing a Web server having information on
the company's product offerings and the customer database, and
linking the Web server to the Web, the company can track visits,
sales, buying trends and product preferences-all at the customer
level. The company can then present its customers with products
they are most likely to buy-on an individual basis. For this reason
alone most marketing professionals consider the Web to be one of
the best direct marketing tools.
[0008] But the number of retailers with online stores is growing
exponentially every year, making it increasingly difficult for
online shoppers to navigate the Web to locate particular products
at the best prices. This challenge for consumers also introduces a
problem for merchants in designing campaigns to attract consumers
to the merchants' Web sites and away from their competitors'
sites.
[0009] Certain known business methods, and conventional
implementations of those methods on the Internet, give consumers
greater control over a business deal by permitting consumers to
request products and services and set the price they are willing to
pay for those products and services, such as travel products like
airfare, car rentals, and similar travel commodities. See, for
example, systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,794,207 and
5,845,265. One example of this type of business method is currently
available on the Internet at the Uniform Resource Locator ("URL")
www.priceline.com. Priceline.com claims to communicate consumer
demand for products and services derived from the requests directly
to suppliers or to their private databases. Consumers agree to hold
their offers open for a specified period of time to enable
priceline.com to fulfill their offers from inventory provided by
the suppliers. By requiring consumers to be flexible with respect
to suppliers, priceline.com claims to enable suppliers to generate
incremental revenue without disrupting their existing distribution
channels or retail pricing structures. But this approach fails to
recognize the importance of the information on consumer demand that
is not satisfied by the inventory provided by the suppliers.
[0010] Other business methods, and conventional implementations of
those methods on the Internet, also collect demand but for a
different purpose. One conventional approach (currently located at
the URL www.accompany.com) collects demand for a particular product
or service for the purpose of securing increased savings on that
product or service based on the demand. For example, using this
approach one to five consumers would obtain a particular discount
on a product but if an additional consumer also seeks to obtain the
same product then all six consumers would obtain a further
discount. Like the priceline.com example, this too fails to
recognize the importance of the information on consumer demand that
is not satisfied by the inventory provided by the suppliers.
[0011] There is therefore a need for a system that can attract more
consumers to a Web server by delivering products and services based
on demand collected from consumers but not otherwise satisfied by
suppliers. Such a system not only permits the server to expose more
consumers to its products and services but also it permits the
server to expose an increasing number of consumers to information
such a advertisements for products and services.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent
with the present invention overcome the shortcomings of existing
systems by aggregating and satisfying demand for items. In one
implementation consistent with the present invention a data
processing system aggregates information reflecting demand for an
item based on input requests associated with the item each request
having been received from a remote user and including remote user
identification information, provides the aggregated information to
a plurality of suppliers, each capable of supplying the item,
receives at least one proposed response from at least one of the
suppliers, including a proposal for providing the item to the
remote users, and provides the proposed response to the remote
users based on the remote user identification information.
Aggregated information is provided without the remote user
identification information associated the requests.
[0013] In another implementation consistent with the present
invention that aggregates and satisfies demand for travel products,
a data processing system aggregates information reflecting demand
for a set of travel products based on input requests, each request
having been received from a remote user and including remote user
identification information, selects a group travel product based on
the aggregated information, and provides information reflecting the
group travel product to the remote users based on the remote user
identification information. To select the group travel product
based on the aggregated information, the data processing system may
provide the aggregated information to a plurality of travel product
suppliers, and receive responses from a set of the travel product
suppliers, each response including information reflecting a
proposed group travel product, wherein each proposed group travel
product reflects a discount for the corresponding travel product
that is determined based on the aggregated information. With this
approach for selecting the group travel product, information
reflecting the group travel product may be provided to the remote
users based on the remote user identification information by
transmitting travel option information related to at least one of
the proposed group travel products to a set of the remote users
based on the aggregated information.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an
implementation of the invention and, together with the description,
serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In
the drawings,
[0015] FIG. 1 is a pictorial diagram of a computer network in which
systems consistent with the present invention may be
implemented;
[0016] FIG. 2 shows a computer network containing a client system
and a server system;
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates the retrieval of remote image and text
and their integration in a document;
[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates a savings discovery server and its
relationship to other computers in a manner consistent with the
principle of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the architecture of a savings
discovery server in a manner consistent with the principle of the
present invention; and
[0020] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the steps performed by a savings
discovery server in a manner consistent with the principle of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Reference will now be made in detail to an implementation
consistent with the present invention as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference
numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following
description to refer to the same or like parts.
[0022] Introduction
[0023] Systems consistent with the present invention enable
consumers to specify demand for particular goods and services. The
systems use this information to target particular goods and
services to the consumers.
[0024] Systems consistent with the present invention collect
consumer demand for particular goods and services. In the case of
travel, this demand may include preferred travel itineraries,
including the location of departure and destination, travel dates,
and period of stay at the destination.
[0025] The systems then derive a package including a set of goods
or services capable of satisfying the consumer demand. In the
travel example, a package may include all components of the
consumers' preferred travel itinerary, i.e., round trip airfare and
accommodations during a stay at the destination.
[0026] The package may be derived from stored information
reflecting the goods and services available from multiple
suppliers. In another configuration, suppliers capable of providing
the goods and services in demand may be notified of demand from a
pool of consumers and asked to provide one or more components to a
package. Again in the travel example, a repository such as a
computerized reservation system ("CRS"), an example of which is
available from Sabre Inc., may be used to identify the suppliers as
well as their inventory of travel products such that a set of
products can be combined to form a package. The CRS also has
pricing information with which to properly price the package.
Alternative, the repository, such as a CRS, may be used to identify
potential suppliers for a package for the purpose of seeking input
from each potential supplier on a component or components for a
package.
[0027] Information reflecting these packages is then provided to
selected consumers based on the demand information. If a consumer
indicates interest in travel from point A to point B, he receives
information on any packages satisfying this interest. The consumer
generally does not receive information on any other packages unless
a determination is made that such other package(s) would be of
interest to the consumer. For example, it may be determined that a
package involving travel from point A to point C might be of
interest to a particular consumer because of a relationship between
points B and C. In this event, the consumer that indicates interest
in travel from point A to point B may also receive information on a
package from point A to point C.
[0028] Systems consistent with the present invention may also be
used to complete a transaction involving a package offered to the
consumers by accepting payment for the package. Additionally,
payment may be made to the supplier(s) of component(s) of the
package based on the component provided. At this point the
component supplier(s) may learn the identity of the consumer(s)
making the purchase for the first time. This protects the consumer
from unwanted solicitations directly from the suppliers.
[0029] Network Architecture
[0030] FIG. 1 illustrates a conceptual diagram of a computer
network 100, such as the Internet. Computer network 100 comprises
small computers (such as computers 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10 and
112) and large computers (such as servers 120 and 122). In general,
small computers are "personal computers" or workstations and are
the sites at which a human user operates the computer to make
requests for data from other computers or servers on the network.
Usually, the requested data resides in large computers. In this
scenario, small computers are clients and the large computers are
servers.
[0031] In this specification, the terms "client" and "server" are
used to refer to a computer's general role as a requester of data
(client) or provider of data (server). In general, the size of a
computer or the resources associated with it do not preclude the
computer's ability to act as a client or a server. Further, each
computer may request data in one transaction and provide data in
another transaction, thus changing the computer's role from client
to server, or vice versa.
[0032] A client, such as computer 102, may request a file from
server A 120. Since computer 102 is directly connected to server A
120, for example, through a local area network, this request would
not normally result in a transfer of data over what is shown as
"network" of FIG. 1. The "network" of FIG. 1 represents, for
example, the Internet, which is an interconnection of networks. A
different request from computer 102 may be for a file that resides
in server B 122. In this case, the data is transferred from server
B 122 through the network to server A 120 and, finally, to computer
102. The distance between server A 120 and server B 122 may be very
long, e.g. across continents, or very short, e.g., within the same
city. Further, in traversing the network the data may be
transferred through several intermediate servers and many routing
devices, such as bridges and routers.
[0033] FIG. 2 shows, in more detail, an example of a client-server
system interconnected through network 100. In this example, a
server system 222 is interconnected through network 100 to client
system 220. Client system 220 includes conventional components such
as a processor 224, memory 225 (e.g. RAM), a bus 226 which couples
processor 224 and memory 225, a mass storage device 227 (e.g. a
magnetic hard disk or an optical storage disk) coupled to processor
224 and memory 225 through an I/O controller 228 and a network
interface 229, such as a conventional modem.
[0034] Server system 222 also includes conventional components such
as a processor 234, memory 235 (e.g. RAM), a bus 236 which couples
processor 234 and memory 235, a mass storage device 237 (e.g. a
magnetic or optical disk) coupled to processor 234 and memory 235
through an I/O controller 238 and a network interface 239, such as
a conventional modem. It will be appreciated from the description
below that the present invention may be implemented in software
which is stored as executable instructions on a computer readable
medium on the client and server systems, such as mass storage
devices 227 and 237 respectively, or in memories 225 and 235
respectively.
[0035] Distributed Document Retrieval
[0036] The Internet consists of a worldwide computer network that
communicates using well defined protocol known as the Internet
Protocol (IP). Computer systems that are directly connected to the
Internet each have an unique address consisting of four numbers
separated by periods such as "192.101.0.3". To simplify Internet
addressing, a "Domain Name System" was created that allows users to
access Internet resources with a simpler alphanumeric naming
system. For example, the name "travelocity.com" is the name for a
computer operated by SABRE Inc.
[0037] To further define the addresses of resources on the
Internet, a Uniform Resource Locator system was created that uses a
Uniform Resource Locator (URL) as a descriptor that specifically
defines a type of Internet resource and its location. URLs have the
following format: "resource-type://domain.address/path-name." The
"resource-type" defines the type of Internet resource. Web
documents, for example, are identified by the resource type "http",
which indicates the protocol used to access the document.
[0038] To access a document on the Web, the user enters a URL for
the Web document into a browser program executing on a client
system with a connection to the Internet. The Web browser then
sends a request in accordance with the HTTP protocol to the Web
server that has the Web document using the URL. The Web server
responds to the request by transmitting the requested object to the
client. In most cases, the object is a plain text document
containing text (in ASCII) that is written in HTML. Such objects
often contain hyperlinks to other Web documents. The Web browser
displays the HTML document on the screen for the user and the
hyperlinks to other Web documents are emphasized in some fashion
such that the user can selected the hyperlink.
[0039] In some instances, the HTML document may contain data from
more than one server. For example, FIG. 3 illustrates the retrieval
of remote text and images and their integration in a Web document
by a client system 340. In FIG. 3, server A 310 contains an image
315, server B 320 contains a combination of text and image data 325
and server C 330 contains text data 335. Each of these servers is
remotely located from the other servers and client 340. The
transfer of data is via network 100. It should be appreciated that
the text and image files could be located in the same server which
is remote from client 340.
[0040] Different techniques are available to display these types of
composite Web documents. For example, a program called a servlet
executing on one of the servers may combine data from the various
servers referenced in a selected Web document and transmit the
composite Web document to the client. In other configurations, the
client may utilize a program called an applet, which may be
transmitted to the client from one of the servers, to access the
multiple servers offering parts of the composite and to build the
composite Web document.
[0041] System Architecture and Operation
[0042] Systems consistent with the present invention employ a
demand aggregation and distribution server, for example, the server
400 shown in FIG. 4. Server 400 is connected to a network interface
445 that facilitates communication with consumers and suppliers on
the Internet. Server 400 includes a number of components, demand
aggregation processor 405, response packaging processor 420,
consumer demand datastore 425 and supplier datastore 430. The
operation of each of these components will be explained below with
reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
[0043] FIG. 5 shows a demand aggregation and distribution server
400 and machines distributed in the network having facilities such
as interfaces for a consumer and supplier to communicate with
server 400. These interfaces may be, for example, Web browser
programs. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of this configuration with
consumer interface 510 and supplier interface 530 communicably
connected to server 400. As shown multiple consumers and multiple
suppliers connect to and communicate with server 400.
[0044] Consumer demand for particular goods and services is stored
in datastore 425. For example, datastore 425 may include
information reflecting a particular consumer's interest (i.e.,
demand) for a particular product. The datastore 425 also includes
information identifying the consumer. This identifying information
may be used to contact the consumer when the product in demand or a
product that is determined to be a comparable product becomes
available. For example, the identifying information may be selected
from the group consisting of the consumer's name, street address,
telephone number, facsimile number, and e-mail address.
[0045] In one configuration, suppliers provide information on
available goods and services. This information is stored in
datastore 430. For example, datastore 430 may include a product
inventory, such as seats available on scheduled flights, rooms
available in hotels, cars available at airports for rental, and
similar travel resources. This inventory may be combined in advance
by suppliers into packages, or response packaging processor 420 can
perform this function. In an alternative configuration, datastore
430 may include information identifying suppliers and reflecting
the ability of suppliers to satisfy demand for particular goods and
services but not specific information on the inventory of the
suppliers. In this case, suppliers capable of satisfying consumer
demand for particular goods and services can be identified with
reference to datastore 430 but the selected suppliers based on the
stored information would have to be contacted to determine whether
those suppliers have the necessary inventory to satisfy the
demand.
[0046] In operation, server 400 receives demand information from
consumers, including for example information reflecting interest in
acquiring particular products and services. This information can be
gathered using a variety of conventional approaches. For example, a
lottery may be used with a free prize to the winner. Each consumer
(i.e., a perspective buyer) would fill out an entry form for the
lottery available at the server 400. The form would include fields
for information on the consumer's travel demand. For example, a
group of consumers may indicate that they all wish to travel from
New York, New York to Miami, Fla. on Dec. 23, 1999 and return to
New York on Jan. 5, 2000. One participant in the lottery would win
a free prize, for example, a trip of the participant's design or a
trip specified by the operator. The server 400, however, would
maintain the demand
[0047] Consumer interface 510 allows each buyer to input
information reflecting demand for products and services. Datastore
425 persistently stores the consumers' demand for subsequent
access/marketing analysis. The interface 510 also permits each
consumer to receive information from the server 400, including
information on package responses. In the example where multiple
consumers indicate an interest in round trip travel between New
York and Miami on particular dates, server 400 would offer those
consumers a travel package including, for example, the requested
round trip travel, accommodations during their stay in Miami and
transportation such as a car rental. Information on such a package
may be stored in the supplier datastore 430. Alternatively, server
400 may provide available suppliers with information on the
aggregated consumer demand with the suppliers providing the package
responses. The server 400 would then offer all of the package
responses to the consumers or select one or more of the responses
and provide only the selected response(s) to the consumers.
[0048] Supplier interface 530 allows product and service suppliers
to input, configure, target, and maintain products, including
pre-packaged products and services in the datastore 430. This
datastore 430 may contain pre-packaged offerings of products and
services that have been pre-configured and pre-negotiated by
consolidators. Alternatively, in the configuration where server 400
provides available suppliers with information on the aggregated
consumer demand with the suppliers providing the package responses,
the information identifying suppliers in datastore 430 may be used
to locate the available suppliers to whom the demand information
should be transmitted.
[0049] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the operations performed by server
400. Two alternative methods of operation are illustrated (i.e.
steps 610 to 630 and steps 650 to 675). In the first step of both
methods the server 400 receives the buyers' demand for products
and/or services (step 605). Preferably, demand aggregation
processor 405 performs this operation. Then in the first method,
after server 400 receives the demand information (and stores it in
datastore 425), server 400 accesses datastore 430 for information
on suppliers and their offerings (e.g., products and services)
(step 610) for the purpose of generating one or more package
responses (step 615). Response packaging processor 420 performs
this operation. For example, one supplier may offer round trip air
travel between New York and Miami and another supplier may offer
hotel accommodations in Miami. In this case server 400 combines
information on the offerings of both of these companies together
into a package.
[0050] Server 400 then uses response packaging processor 420 to
notify the relevant consumers, based on the demand information, of
the available package(s) that likely satisfy the consumer demand
(step 620). Server 400 uses the stored identification information
for consumers to perform this notification step. Assuming consumers
are interested in purchasing a package provided by server 400,
response packaging processor 420 may receive a purchase commitment
from one or more consumers (step 625). This commitment can take the
form of an unsecured reservation or a purchase using, for example,
a credit card or other electronic payment method. The server 400
then notifies the relevant supplier(s) of the purchase commitments
received from the consumers (step 630). This notification may
simply be a indication of the purchase commitment or it may include
a payment to the supplier(s) for the purchased package. With the
latter approach, suppliers do not have access to information
identifying the consumers until after the consumer commits to a
particular package. This protects the consumer's anonymity from the
supplier(s) until after a purchase commitment is made.
[0051] In the alternative operation, server 400 accesses datastore
430 for information identifying suppliers capable of providing one
or more components to a package derived from the consumer demand
information (step 650). Server 400 then provides information on the
consumer demand to the identified suppliers (step 655) and receives
any responses with information useful for a package response (step
660). For example, Alpha Airlines may be identified as a potential
supplier to respond to consumer demand. Alpha Airlines may respond
with information reflecting an offer to carry 50 or more consumers
from New York to Miami on Dec. 23, 1999 at a particular airfare.
Hospitality Hotels may have also been identified as a potential
supplier to respond to consumer demand. The hotel company may have
responded with information reflecting an offer to house 50 or more
consumers between Dec. 23, 1999 to Jan. 3, 2000 at a particular
price per room per night. Server 400 combines this information into
a package response and notifies the relevant consumers (step 665).
Alternatively, one supplier may provide a complete package response
that server 400 passes on to the consumers. The remaining steps 670
and 675 are the same as steps 625 and 630 of the first method.
[0052] Conclusion
[0053] As explained, systems consistent with the present invention
permit consumers to specify demand for particular goods and
services. Such systems use this demand information to target
packages of goods or services to the consumers.
[0054] The foregoing description of an implementation of the
invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and
description. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the invention
to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are
possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from
practicing of the invention. For example, the described
implementation includes software but the present invention may be
implemented as a combination of hardware and software or in
hardware alone. The invention may be implemented with both
object-oriented and non-object-oriented programming systems.
Additionally, although aspects of the present invention are
described as being stored in memory, one skilled in the art will
appreciate that these aspects can also be stored on other types of
computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices, like
hard disks, floppy disks, or CD-ROM: a carrier wave from the
Internet or other propagation medium; or other forms of RAM or ROM.
The scope of the invention is defined by the claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *
References