U.S. patent application number 11/428833 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-18 for travel information method and associated system.
This patent application is currently assigned to iJET Travel Intelligence, Inc.. Invention is credited to Darrell Bruce McIndoe, Mark Gregory Meyer, Paul W. Stiles.
Application Number | 20070016439 11/428833 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33552848 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070016439 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stiles; Paul W. ; et
al. |
January 18, 2007 |
Travel Information Method And Associated System
Abstract
A method and system for providing travel information to a
consumer are disclosed. The method and system may include
identifying one or more potential information sources using a
content identification segment (CIS). Further, the method and
system may include acquiring information from at least one
information source, which may be a variety of sources such as
external or consumer-driven sources; characterizing the acquired
information by its pertinence to travel; transforming the
characterized travel information into a useable format; applying
rules to this transformed travel information in connection with the
consumer-specific travel profile; and, delivering a report to the
consumer of the results of this application. Finally, an
information system segment may be provided that may include a
collection subsystem, and analysis subsystem, and a distribution
subsystem. The associated system may perform these functions, among
others, to provide information for a traveler planning a trip to a
particular destination or destinations.
Inventors: |
Stiles; Paul W.; (Annapolis,
MD) ; McIndoe; Darrell Bruce; (Brookeville, MD)
; Meyer; Mark Gregory; (Denton, MD) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOLFF LAW OFFICE, PLLC
209 PROVIDENCE RD.
CHAPEL HILL
NC
27514
US
|
Assignee: |
iJET Travel Intelligence,
Inc.
|
Family ID: |
33552848 |
Appl. No.: |
11/428833 |
Filed: |
July 5, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10968288 |
Oct 20, 2004 |
|
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|
11428833 |
Jul 5, 2006 |
|
|
|
09619245 |
Jul 19, 2000 |
6842737 |
|
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10968288 |
Oct 20, 2004 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/5 ;
705/300 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0601 20130101;
G06Q 10/025 20130101; G06Q 30/02 20130101; G06Q 10/101 20130101;
G06Q 10/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/001 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 99/00 20060101
G06Q099/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 2, 2000 |
JP |
2000-302734 |
Claims
1. A method for providing travel-related information to a user,
comprising: identifying one or more potential information sources
using a content identification segment (CIS).
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more potential
information sources is manually identified by subject matter
experts.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more potential
information sources is identified by domain experts.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more potential
information sources is identified by an automated process.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more potential
information sources is identified by a combination of (1) manually
identified by subject matter experts or domain experts and (2)
identified by an automated process.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring information
from at least one information source.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising transforming said
acquired information into information pertinent to travel related
activities.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing a user
profile.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a product
to the user indicative of said transformed travel data.
10. The method of claim 8, further comprising creating a product
for said user indicative of the results of said application of said
transformed travel information to said profile.
11. A system for providing travel related information to a user
having a profile, comprising: a content identification segment
(CIS) including a content opportunities list containing a listing
of identified one or more potential content sources so as to
maintain them in the list.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein said one or more potential
content sources is manually identified by subject matter
experts.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein said one or more potential
content sources is identified by domain experts.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein content identification segment
(CIS) further includes a content robot engine that automatically
identifies at least some of the one or more potential content
sources and includes them in the content opportunities list.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more potential
content sources are identified by a combination of (1) manually
identified by subject matter experts or domain experts and (2)
identified by the content robot engine with an automated
process.
16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a content
acquisition/aggregation segment that acquires and classifies the
content of acquired content with regard to a specific domain.
17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a transformation
layer that transforms the acquired content into information
pertinent to travel related activities.
18. The system of claim 17, further comprising an information
application layer that applies the travel related information to a
user profile.
19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a product creation
layer that creates a product for a user indicative of applying the
transformed travel information to the user profile.
20. The system of claim 19, further including a rules engine for
applying rules to the profile.
21. An information system segment implemented, at least in part, in
a computer system, and structured for use in a system for providing
travel related information to a consumer having a consumer-specific
profile, comprising: a collection subsystem obtaining information
from at least one data source; an analysis subsystem filtering said
obtained information to identify characteristics of said obtained
information that will impact travel or the consumer; and a
distribution-subsystem directing said filtered data to at least one
portion of said system for providing travel related information,
said distribution subsystem having a component for classifying said
filtered data as supplemental content or as an alert.
22. The segment of claim 21, wherein said collection subsystem
includes means for applying queries to obtain said information.
23. The segment of claim 21, wherein said analysis subsystem
includes a filter pipe and an index pipe.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/968,288, filed Oct. 20, 2004, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/619,245, filed
Jul. 19, 2000, the entire disclosures of which are hereby
incorporated by reference as if set forth fully herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention generally relates to a method and
system for creating personalized travel information products for
business and consumer use. The present invention more particularly
relates to a method and system for preventing and solving travel
problems.
[0004] 2. Background Information
[0005] Millions of travelers are afflicted with problems each year,
problems involving their health and safety, the timeliness and
quality of their trip, and their familiarity with their
destination. These problems cost time, money, and even lives.
Whenever a travel problem occurs, however, typically the
information necessary to avoid it, or solve it, is available
somewhere, if only the traveler had known about it. Thus, there is
a pressing need to develop a system which continually monitors the
world for pertinent travel-related information, on the one hand,
and on the other hand, delivers relevant information to travelers
when, where, and how they need to use this information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The method and system of the present invention have met the
above-described needs by providing a method and system for the
automated delivery of travel information when, where, and how
travelers need it.
[0007] The invention provides a method for providing travel-related
information to a consumer having a consumer-specific profile. This
method includes acquiring information from at least one information
source; transforming the acquired information into information
pertinent to travel related activities; using rules for applying
the transformed travel information to the consumer-specific travel
profile; and, creating a product for said consumer indicative of
the results of the application of the transformed travel
information to the consumer-specific travel profile. A system
implementation of this method is also provided in another aspect of
the invention. It can be appreciated that the invention can also be
embodied in a computer-readable medium.
[0008] In a further aspect of the invention, an information system
segment is provided that is structured for use in a system for
providing travel related information to a consumer with a
consumer-specific profile. This information system segment includes
a collection subsystem for obtaining information from at least one
data source; an analysis subsystem for filtering the obtained
information to identify its travel related characteristics; and, a
distribution/storage subsystem for directing the filtered data to
at least one portion of the system for providing travel related
information.
[0009] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide, in one aspect, a system based on five elements: a global
operations center, which continuously collects, analyzes, and
processes information pertaining to travel from at least one
information source; a data store for holding the information; a
profiling system, for capturing and maintaining traveler profiles;
a rules engine for applying rules pertaining to travel based on the
traveler's profile; and a plurality of online products that
incorporate and deliver the relevant travel information.
[0010] It is a further object of the invention to provide, in
another aspect, a continuous creation of information in an
intelligence operations center, and its storage in the data store,
to provide travel related information on a plurality of global
destinations.
[0011] It is a further object of the invention to provide, in
another aspect, a profiling system that captures a traveler's
profile, triggers the application of relevant rules (e.g. if the
traveler has a respiratory problem, and the altitude of the
destination is sufficiently high, then a warning notice will be
retrieved), and retrieves pertinent information from the data
store.
[0012] It is a further object of the invention, in another aspect,
to package travel information in an electronic product and deliver
that product in an on-line environment.
[0013] It is a further object of the invention to provide, in
another aspect, connectivity with an external, global airline
reservation system, such that the invention is associated with the
act of buying an airline ticket, for example, as well as for boats,
trains, and other similar consumer transportation.
[0014] These and other objects of the present invention will be
more fully understood from the following description of the
invention and by reference to the figures and claims appended
hereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] A full understanding of the invention can be gained from the
following detailed description of the invention when read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a logical and functional architecture diagram
showing an embodiment of the method and system of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0024] FIG. 9 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0025] FIG. 10 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0026] FIG. 11 is a combined system/flow diagram of an embodiment
of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 12 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0028] FIG. 13 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0029] FIG. 14 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0030] FIG. 15 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0031] FIG. 16 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0032] FIG. 17 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0033] FIG. 18 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0034] FIG. 19 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0035] FIG. 20 is a conceptual flow diagram of an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0036] FIG. 21 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0037] FIG. 22 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0038] FIG. 23 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention; and,
[0039] FIG. 24 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0040] Travel Information Logical and Functional Architectures
[0041] In the method and system of the present invention, a logical
architecture and its corresponding functional architecture are
provided that can operate on an Internet-based information exchange
medium or another similarly structured and suitable medium. This
architecture permits a breadth of information sources from which
information related to travel, in particular, can be gathered,
transformed and provided to a consumer in the form of a product
and/or service.
[0042] As used herein, the term "travel-related information"
includes any information which is related to a particular mode of
travel or travel destination. As used herein, a "consumer" can be
an individual, a plurality of individuals, a company, and/or any
other entity that uses travel-related information. As used herein,
a "consumer-specific profile" can include any information that
relates to a consumer's travel preferences, such as, but not
limited to, any one or more of the following: destination, mode of
travel, health condition of traveler, travel risks associated with
a particular destination, and the like. An "information source" as
used herein can be any electronic, written, verbal or other source
from which data can be derived. A "product" as used herein can
refer to a product and/or a service.
[0043] Referring now to FIG. 1, in the form of the invention shown,
the method and system of the present invention can be represented
as five architectural layers that represent data processing from
information acquisition to product/service delivery. In the
information acquisition layer 2, information regarding travel can
be acquired from information sources 4 such as other Internet
sites. In performing the function of information acquisition, these
information sources 4 may or may not be partnered with the home
Internet site from which travel analysis is delivered to the
individual consumer.
[0044] Referring again to FIG. 1, in the information transformation
layer 6, data retrieved from information sources in layer 2 are
processed through at least two logical steps in the method and
system architecture: one is an oversight and advisement step 8 and
another is the research and analysis step 10. A functional
architecture of the invention corresponding to the information
transformation 6 logical architecture can be provided that can be
designated as an information validation and recommendations 12
function. The oversight and advisement step 8 can include, for
example, processing acquired data through a health information
board, performing an advisement function, and developing business
rules 14 for treatment of current and future travel data related to
health and medicine. The research and analysis step 10 of the
information transformation layer 6 can include, for example,
applying medical information and epidemiology findings from clinic
networks 16 that are researching the status of communicable
diseases at a given travel destination. In the information
transformation layer 6, data acquired is validated and
recommendations for further processing of that acquired data
through the travel method and system of the invention are
developed.
[0045] Referring again to FIG. 1, in the information
development/application step 18, business rules, some of which can
be substantially continuously and dynamically generated in the
oversight and advisement step 8 of the method and system, are
applied to the travel data. In this step 18, factors such as
health, security and safety business rules 20 are determined and
applied relative to the acquired and transformed travel data. In
the product/service creation step 22 of the method and system of
the present invention, a report is generated 24 for use by a
consumer to evaluate a decision regarding travel to a particular
country or region of the world. Also, in this step 22, activities
such as alert characterization and distribution list development 24
(discussed in more detail hereinafter) are produced and provided as
products/services for the consumer.
[0046] Referring again to FIG. 1, product/service delivery 26
occurs with regard to providing the travel information to a
consumer. In this step 26, the consumer receives desired
information regarding travel to and from a particular location of
the world. The product/service delivery step 26 can be performed
through a variety of suitable delivery channels 28, including
without limitation, the Internet, wireless communication media and
apparatus, business intranets, kiosks or other virtual and/or
physical locations from which it is desirable for a consumer to
request and obtain travel information.
[0047] Referring again to FIG. 1, in summary, the functional
architecture of the invention is a layered architecture, with five
distinct functional layers corresponding to the logical
architecture layers. The information acquisition layer 2 includes a
unique collection of travel information sources and a robust set of
mechanisms for acquiring varied information sources. The
information transformation layer 6 includes extract, transform, and
load sub-processes, and a unique, external application of expert
research and analysis. The information development/application
layer 18 includes interactions with subsystems such as alert and
event monitoring; extract, transform, and load sub-processes; and
external oversight, advisement, and travel business rules
development such as by industry experts. The product/service
creation/delivery layers 22,26 include content management and
global travel information, including workflow, version control,
personalization, and content integration; creation of unique,
personalized products based on a combination of personalized travel
profile information of the global travel information; and a rich
and diverse set of delivery channels.
[0048] It can be understood by one skilled in the art that the
foregoing logical steps can be applied, for purposes of
implementing the method and system of the present invention, to a
plurality of functional modules. It can be further understood that
the specific functional architecture aspects of the invention
described herein are intended to be illustrative, and not limiting,
as to the scope of the invention.
[0049] Travel Information Technology Implementation
Architecture
[0050] In summary, referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the technology
implementation architecture of the invention is a descriptive set
of a plurality of technology subsystems or segments, each of which
can be considered as part of one of several functional systems:
collection 32, back office 34, content repository 36, products 38,
internet site 40, and distribution 42. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the
relationships between and among these different technology
segments.
[0051] Content Identification Segment (CIS)
[0052] Referring now to FIG. 4, a content identification segment
(CIS) (51) relates to the initial and ongoing identification of
information sources such as internet sites that enhance the
products and services provided by the invention. The CIS (51) also
enables the determination of sites in use that should, based on
subjective or objective criteria, no longer be relied upon for
accurate, timely, or value-added content.
[0053] Content in the invention can be identified by manual methods
performed by subject matter experts (SME's) 52 or individuals with
domain expertise using public search engines, for example. In
another aspect of the invention, once a base set of content sources
has been established, an automated robot process 54 can be employed
to identify potential sites on a regular basis. To improve their
performance, such robot processes can be monitored and reviewed by
the SME's 52 on a regular basis with periodic validation of the
criteria driving these robots. In general, the robot process begins
by returning identified site lists. Refinements can then be added
by applying SME-developed context to text returned by these robot
processes.
[0054] With this SME-developed context, a high-level classification
of the sites returned can be developed. The granularity of robot 54
returns be fairly coarse initially, and more finely grained as
identification techniques are honed. Likewise, the levels of
classification of robot 54 returns can be limited, with additional
levels added as identification techniques are honed. Multiple
levels of robot activity can therefore be implemented in accordance
with the invention.
[0055] A blanket robot can exist, for example, that combs the web
simply for the word "travel," then discards duplicate hits or hits
outside of <Title> or <meta> tags. Ultimately, these
robot processes may evolve to several robot processes that can look
for specific occurrences of the word "travel" in conjunction with
other words (e.g., "health") in very specific structural elements
of the document (e.g., only if both words occur in both the
<title> tag and in <meta name=keywords> tag). It can be
appreciated that the robot technology can also be effective for
non-HTML sources, provide mechanisms for natural language queries,
and can be able to route hit returns substantially automatically to
specific SME's 52.
[0056] Content Acquisition/Aggregation Segment (CAAS)
[0057] Referring now to FIG. 5, in the invention a CAAS (71)
defines the processes by which identified content (see CIS (51)
discussion above) is acquired and classified as belonging to a
specific domain, then stored in a format by which the content
management system (see CMS (131) discussion hereinafter) can
use.
[0058] The CAAS (71) includes developing agents 72 to retrieve
identified content from an information source 74 and implementing a
scheduling mechanism 76 to initiate these agents. In general,
content acquisition schedules 76 range from completely static
(e.g., a single agent initiation for the power requirements in
France) to hourly (e.g., a five-day weather forecast for Paris).
Notification agents 78 can also be developed and scheduled for
initiation at regular intervals. These notification agents 78 can
inform content acquisition personnel that a particular content
source has changed in content or structure.
[0059] If a relatively simple change in content is indicated, the
acquisition agent 72 can be manually initiated to bring in the
latest content for a given information source 74. Integration with
the Administration Segment (ADMS) (181) (discussed hereinafter) is
required for this process, as an initial acquisition agent schedule
76 is sparse until the frequency at which site content changes is
understood. If a notification agent 78 returns information on a
content structure change, for example, content management personnel
can modify the corresponding acquisition agent 72 so that the
change content is correctly acquired. In addition, an environment
can be created whereby SME's can create ad hoc acquisition and
notification agents for alert purposes. In another aspect of the
invention, the modification of acquisition agents 72 can be
automated and based on the return information of notification
agents 78. It can be appreciated, however, that some manual
oversight is desirable in this process.
[0060] Content Repository Segment (CRS)
[0061] In the invention, the content repository segment (CRS) 91
stores, manages, and distributes substantially all acquired travel
information that is considered persistent.
[0062] Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the content repository can
be considered a "hub" for content and data. Although the content
repository 91 includes both relational and object XML data stores
92, it can be accessed and managed through a central mechanism and
driven by a single engine 94. The content repository 91, as shown,
can provide facilities to store, view, import, organize, modify,
export, and query travel-related information. It can include one or
more physical data stores 92,96,98,100,102,104,106; the data engine
94; an integrated tool set for development; and, a centralized
management facility 108.
[0063] It can be appreciated, in an alternative aspect of the
invention, that the content repository 91 could support extended
data types including user-defined types and extended data types of
audio and video. The content repository 91 can also include
portions of the application of business logic in the data
model.
[0064] In one embodiment of the invention, the content repository
comprises several technological components. A component environment
is a dedicated content object layer. An application server 93 is
provided that stores and processes data access/storage components
95. Services are enabled with Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) and
open database connectivity (ODBC) drivers. An object request broker
(ORB) is also employed (an object request broker) to manage
object-to-object messaging and inter-ORB communications. The XML
object engine 94 stores/retrieves XML objects from data stores
92,102,104 and has functionality based on schemas stored in a data
map store 102. An XML parser 110 is included that checks
syntactical correctness of schemas in the data map store 102 and
ensures the formation integrity of incoming XML objects. An object
processor 112 is included as a component to physically store XML
data in the XML store 92. A query interpreter 114 resolves XML
Query Language (XQL) requests and interacts with the object
composer 116 to retrieve XML objects according to the schema stored
in the data map store 102. The object composer 116 is provided to
construct the information objects, based on storage and retrieval
rules defined in the data map store 102, and return them as XML
documents. There are also various utilities in this embodiment,
including those that support directory and tree-oriented loading of
XML objects. An external storage integration component (ESIC) (118)
permits applications to access data regardless of database type or
location.
[0065] The data map (meta data) store 102 serves as the content
repository's 91 knowledge base. The data map store 102 contains the
schemas that hold the rules according to which XML objects are
stored and composed, such as: (1) storage and indexing of XML
objects within the content repository, (2) mapping of data to
different data structures to enable the integration of existing
data, and (3) executing user-defined application logic with a
server extension function associated with an object. An SQL engine
120 manages an internal SQL store 104; executes SQL statements;
and, accepts SQL statements in a number of ways: internally, from
the object engine 94; from applications, which can be either
embedded or through standard database interfaces such as ODBC
(122), JDBC, or OLE-DB (124); and, from the content repository
manager 108. The CR manager 108 provides an administration tool
implemented as a graphical user interface (GUI) that runs in
standard web browser. In addition, server extensions permit
user-defined functions to be incorporated into the content
repository 91.
[0066] Content Management Segment (CMS)
[0067] Referring now to FIG. 8, in the form of the invention shown,
a content management segment CMS (131) can be defined by the
processes and technologies by which content is managed. Content
management technologies include content and design control,
contributor/user access control, site control, asset control,
publication, and workflow. A universal (i.e., generic) presentation
format can be developed, along with XML document schema, and
content binding to page layouts can be implemented. Substantially
all content, including text, graphics, styles, themes, and other
assets, can be stored as objects in a high-performance relational
database. For performance reasons, all content provided by the
invention, as presented to a content consumer, comprises static
pages in flat file systems. This content can be dynamically
generated on an as-needed basis (e.g., one particular page every
minute, one particular subset of pages every week, and the
like).
[0068] After initial implementation, interaction with ADMS (181)
and CRMS determines style and design modifications. In another
aspect of the invention, implementation of ancillary services such
as advertising management and syndication mechanisms can be
incorporated into the invention. It can be appreciated that content
can be translated and global sites can therefore be developed in
English, Spanish, German, French, Japanese and other suitable
languages to which the invention can be adapted.
[0069] Travel Information Report Segment (TIRS)
[0070] Referring now to the figures, in another embodiment of the
invention, a travel intelligence report (TIR) can be generated that
includes trip information necessary to make informed decisions
regarding pre-travel preparation and enhancement and enjoyment of
travel related activities. In one aspect of the invention, the TIR
can be divided into four major sections: Pre-Trip Information,
Destination Information (for one or more destinations), General
Advice, and Products and Services. Within each section is a set of
information categories, each of which contains several information
requirements. Each of these requirements can be customized to (1)
the traveler, based on his/her personal profile, (2) destination,
and (3) related issues such as season of travel.
[0071] The Pre-Trip section travel categories include Alerts,
Entry/Exit Requirements, and Pre-Trip Health considerations. Alerts
may include, but are not limited to, Safety/Security, Weather, and
Transportation. Entry/Exit Requirements can include all legal,
health, and custom issues that are important for entering and
leaving a particular destination. The Pre-Trip Health section can
also include required and recommended immunizations, health risk
considerations, and the like.
[0072] Typical travel categories and information requirements in
the Destination section includes, but is not limited to:
[0073] 1. Safety/Security: Social Stability, Crime, Airline, Game
Parks
[0074] 2. Weather/Environment: Climate & Terrain, Natural
Risks, Environment, Weather Chart & Forecast
[0075] 3. Transportation: Air Travel, Water Transportation,
Road/Overland Travel, Taxi, Mass Transit, Train Travel, Rental
Cars
[0076] 4. Money: Cash & Credit, Taxes, Cost of Living
[0077] 5. Telecommunications: Phone/Electric, Internet, Contact
Information, Mail, Radio
[0078] 6. Social Customs: Behavior, Religion, Women's Issues,
Business Hours, Public Holidays & Events
[0079] 7. Legal: Prohibited Items, Penalties
[0080] 8. Language: Official Language
[0081] 9. Health: immunizations, nearest hospital, health
insurance, health risks
[0082] One feature of the TIR is that it can be a hyperlinked
report. Consumers have the ability to expand or contract particular
information requirements to see detail or concise descriptions for
a given TIR, information which has come directly from the global
operations center. The TIR can be printed directly from a browser,
or saved in a variety of electronic formats, but it is also "alive"
in the sense that a traveler can return to it online at anytime up
to thirty days after the conclusion of his trip and access the
latest information based on his profile. In fact, if an alert level
event occurs during the life of the report it will trigger the
transmission of an e-mail (or other push technology) warning from
the report to the traveler. In this way the report, and the
operations center behind it, become the traveler's own personal
intelligence agency.
[0083] The TIR can also include a rating (such as from 1 to 5 in
tenth increments, for example), which is a weighted-average of the
total risk of the trip represented by the TIR as determined by
criteria applied to the travel data in the TIR. This rating can be
illustrated, for example, by a series of "jet" graphics printed on
the TIR.
[0084] Member Personalization Segment (MPS)
[0085] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a member personalization
segment (MPS) (151) defines the functions and processes by which
the products and services of the invention are personalized to a
specific consumer. In addition to personalization of
product/service offerings, the MPS (151) provides a mechanism to
apply targeted marketing to the travel community.
[0086] The MPS (151) includes, for example, the following
information: static, stored personal information; name recognition
152; and, user-provided information 154. In one aspect of the
invention, a personalization business rules engine 156 interacts
with this information, along with input from business rules
frameworks applied to ISS (351). It can be appreciated that the
information sophistication level can increase to provide the
following processes: content consumption measurement 158; adaptive
content and navigation; predictive modeling 160; segmentation; and
behavioral personalization.
[0087] Billing Segment (BIS)
[0088] Referring to FIG. 11, a billing segment (BIS) (171) can be
employed to define the billing and payment architecture for
products and services provided by the invention. The BIS (171) can
be associated with the TIR's and channel partners (e.g., e-Ticket
TIR). Billable activity can also be captured within the
distribution segment (DIS) (190) then routed to BIS (171) and CR5
(91) (for updating partner detail records and consumer detail
records.
[0089] In one aspect of the invention, BIS (171) includes, for
example, the following functionality: rules-based messaging to
tailor invoicing for specific partners; e-mail based invoice
presentation, with a secure uniform resource locator (URL)-link
back to the invention internet site for invoice details; a
comprehensive customer-care system for issues such as dispute
management; an ability to implement prearranged payment plans; and,
flexible payment processing, including payment returns and payment
confirmation. It can also be appreciated that credit card payments
can be accommodated by the invention.
[0090] In another aspect of the invention, a cost model for alerts
can be determined based on factors such as (1) alert level, (2)
number of delivery channels, and (3) type of delivery channel.
[0091] With regard to syndication of content, a cost model can be
developed for the invention to accommodate granular syndication
requirements. For example, one partner may choose to syndicate the
entire invention content, while another partner may choose a
vertical (e.g., information requirement) or horizontal (e.g.,
geographical) subset to such syndication. Also related to CMS (131)
are the requirements associated with localization. For example, if
a channel such as the internet site of the invention is localized
for a foreign country, currency considerations are an important
consideration.
[0092] In another embodiment of the invention, to satisfy these
additional requirements, a multi-service BIS (171) considers the
following: volume tiering, discounting, multi-format invoicing,
billing-on-demand (including threshold, activity-based, and billing
in advance), and direct debit processing. In an alternative
embodiment of the invention, the billing function can be
out-sourced to a service provider.
[0093] Administration Segment (ADMS)
[0094] Referring now to FIG. 12, an administration segment (ADMS)
(181) defines the administration and reporting necessary to
maintain a robust, active set of systems and a proactive approach
to determining return on investment (ROI) on system processes.
Management of the systems of the invention can take place
internally such as by personnel, externally by the INFS provider,
and/or externally by a management service provider 182.
[0095] Internally, structured reports are used to measure ROI of
several processes, including internet site analysis (navigation,
content consumption, activity paths, and the like) and content
acquisition ROI. Ad hoc mechanisms 184 can be used for targeted
data mining and analysis. Key elements of this internal reporting
mechanism are the determination of content acquisition cost vs.
content use (i.e., ROI of destination-specific products).
[0096] Externally, base operating system (OS)-level functionality
can be managed by collocation INFS partner(s). This functionality
includes security, redundancy, load balancing, and the like. By
placing a management service provider client 186 between the
invention's internet site application services 188 and the DIS
(190), one can also manage process, transaction, and infrastructure
issues.
[0097] In addition, a plurality of metrics can be captured and
analyzed. Process metrics include end-to-end transaction response
times, actual transactions: target transaction ratio,
start-to-finish transaction ratios for key business processes,
availability or service level agreement (SLA)-ratios of partners.
Transaction metrics can include activity response times, including
product (e.g., TIR's, EAS (201)) production and distribution,
session ID transaction information, performance based on volume of
product creation/distribution, replication updates per unit time
(including product, email, etc.).
[0098] Infrastructure metrics can include web server metrics,
including connection rates, connected users, data transfer rates,
and number of connections, database metrics, including database
transactions, file sizes, deadlocks, memory cache hit ratios,
memory optimization, user logins, logout rate, and user
connections; and, server metrics, including packet traffic, queue
size, disk and memory utilization, and session errors.
[0099] Event/Alert Segment (EAS)
[0100] Referring now to FIG. 13, an event/alert segment (EAS) (201)
is responsible for the identification, selection, management, and
distribution definition of events and alerts. The EAS (201) can
support both manual and automated systems. The manual systems
permit an Analyst, for example, to generate an Alert and forward it
to the EAS (201) for processing. The EAS (201) can process an Alert
by queuing it in priority order to a selection system operated by
an Event Reporting Analyst. Alerts are reviewed to ensure that the
system does not flood the distribution network with low grade or
otherwise relatively insignificant Alerts. The Analyst can modify
both the Alert content and attributes (duration, region of
interest, level, and the like). An Alert can be sent back to one or
more designated Analysts for review and comment as a high priority
message. Once the Event Reporting Analyst releases an Alert, the
EAS (201) determines the applicable members and establishes the
distribution orders for the Alert. This information is passed to
the Distribution Segment (DIS) (190) to perform transmission of the
Alert to various distribution networks, such as by pager, e-mail,
and other suitable communication avenues.
[0101] In another aspect of the invention, automated systems can be
deployed that perform keyword spotting and category analysis to
identify potential candidate content for Alert generation. Keyword
spotting involves scanning incoming content for specific keywords
or combination of keywords using regular expression analysis
defined in a Keyword Dictionary. Examples of such keywords for
Alert reporting are "hurricane", "strike", and the like. Other
keywords would include specific names of countries, airlines, and
the like.
[0102] Once keywords are identified, Category Analysis is used to
determine who should review the content. For example, a message
with "France", "United" and "strike" could be automatically routed
to the European Desk Analyst and the Transportation Domain Expert
as "high priority" content for review.
[0103] The method and system of the invention addresses the need to
provide multiple Event Reporting Analysts as a role. This role can
be passed from shift to shift, and there can be multiple Event
Reporting Analysts operating concurrently. If there are multiple
Event Reporting Analysts operating, the system can maintain a
single, global work queue but resist multiple Event Reporting
Analysts from working the same Alert simultaneously.
[0104] An important aspect of this embodiment of the invention is
the ability to identify, review and select events for Alert
reporting. Alerts can have, for example, three (3) levels of
significance. A Level 1--High Priority/Critical Alert could be
considered one that can directly impact the health, safety, or
schedule of the traveler. Examples of Level 1 Alerts could include
weather alerts, flight delays and cancellations, actual strike
actions, and the like. A Level 2--Medium Priority/Warning Alert
relates to information that may have an impact on the health,
safety or schedule of the traveler. Examples of Level 2 Alerts
include imminent weather conditions, strike advisories, social
unrest, airport facility issues, and the like. A Level 3--Low
Priority/Informational Alert is related to information that the
traveler should be aware of about his/her trip. Examples of Level 3
Alerts can include major events being held at a given destination,
financial situations such as money valuation issues, visits of a
major head of state, and the like.
[0105] In another aspect of the invention, the EAS (201) technology
is a subset of ISS (351) technology (discussed hereinafter).
[0106] E-commerce Segment (ECS)
[0107] Referring now to the figures, an e-commerce segment (ECS) of
the invention provides the consumer with the opportunity to
purchase travel associated products, that can be appropriately
matched with the consumer's travel itinerary and profile. The ECS
can be implemented as conventional hyperlinks at the end of a TIR:
these links can be generic and/or targeted to the consumer based on
predetermined criteria (e.g., season, destination country). These
links are preferably only linked to the source provider for the
product.
[0108] In another aspect of the invention, targeted contextual
e-commerce can also be implemented on the TIR. This contextual
e-commerce can be member profile-specific and combined with trip
specifics to recommend particular products to the consumer. The
consumer can then be linked and transacted through specific
channels of the internet site for the invention. It can be
appreciated that, instead of dedicated e-commerce platforms being
incorporated to implement this type of e-commerce, content agents
from CAAS (71) can be used, along with the BIS (171), to achieve
this level of e-commerce. This contextual e-commerce can be
combined with the internet site of the invention, such as on the
personalized "My" internet site section. In addition, the internet
site of the invention can employ order fulfillment as a function
and service for the consumer.
[0109] Customer Relationship Management Segment (CRMS)
[0110] A customer relationship management segment (CRMS) (221) of
the invention relates to interaction among consumers, site users,
and internet site customer service. The CRMS (221) provides a forum
in which site users can correspond with a central point of contact
(POC) for providing comments and suggestions on products and
services provided by the internet site. This feedback can be
provided by conventional e-mail links and toll-free telephone
numbers, for example.
[0111] The CRMS (221) is a virtual contact center, with workflow,
routing, queuing, automated e-mail return, single-click email
response, and the like. Incoming requests can be automatically
comprehended and classified using message content. A response can
be automatically composed with an appropriate reply and data can be
retrieved to complete and personalize the response. Responses can
then be either automatically sent or routed to a review agent or
agents who can then send them to the consumer after
examination.
[0112] In another aspect of the invention, a web-based self-service
solution can be implemented that recreates the experience of
working with an expert customer service representative.
[0113] In addition, an online community can be established by
developing discussion forums and a comprehensive knowledge base. In
connection with this knowledge base development is a process
whereby content suggestions are automatically routed to SME's for
analysis and inclusion in the content store.
[0114] In another aspect of the invention, CRMS can also include
targeted feedback campaigns and e-mail solicitations. The CRMS can
be integrated with the ADMS (181) (for metrics relating to customer
activity, retention, and referrals), the MPS (151) (to provide
customer-provided input and behaviors for personalization), the
MOIS (261) (for establishing additional marketing opportunities),
the BIS (171) (for billing customer care), and the PRMS (241) (to
share technologies and processes). Live person type support can
also be out-sourced after a predetermined number of inquiries are
noted.
[0115] Partner Relationship Management Segment (PRMS)
[0116] Referring now to FIG. 16, in the invention, a partner
relationship management segment (PRMS) (241) can encompass both
partner lifecycle management and extended enterprise selling. The
PRMS (241) can be centered on CHAMPS (Channel and Alliance
Management Process) 242 and can concentrate on two areas.
Initially, partner lifecycle management can be implemented. This
can include partner profiling, partner recruitment, and partner
performance monitoring. Integration with MOIS (261) and ADMS (181)
is important to implementing this segment.
[0117] Enterprise selling can also be addressed. This can include
lead assignment, lead distribution and tracking, pricing/quoting,
and literature fulfillment. Integration with BIS (171), MOIS (261),
and ADMS (181) can be required, as billing customer care and
consistent forecasting and reporting can be used: [0118] Lead
Assignment--Assigning qualified leads to the right partners at the
right time is an important task. Managers can graphically enter
business rules for building "decision trees" that decide which
partner is assigned each lead. Rule options can include, for
example, named accounts, score and qualification-based assignment,
and checking to see if a partner is working on another lead in the
same account. Multiple lead decision trees for different business
models can be supported, as well as optional manual assignment, and
lead posting to a pool of partners. [0119] Partner
Profiling--Information contained in the partner profile database
can enable distributed management of users, customized content,
push delivery, and online partner recruitment. This database can
store profiles for both individual partners and partner
organizations. An organizational profile can include information
such as industry focus, location, organizational structure, product
authorized to sell and accounts serviced. Individual profiles
cover, for example, contact information, certification level, and
previous performance. [0120] Channel Partner Recruitment--A
challenge for channel managers is the need to recruit qualified
channel partners. Channel partner recruitment provides a set of
tools to facilitate this recruitment process. Channel managers are
able to modify their partner qualification criteria according to
the existing partner profiles as well as the current organization
needs. Potential partners can be tracked through the recruitment
process and analysis can be conducted to determine the optimal way
to attract the maximum number of qualifying partners. [0121]
Channel Communication--Channel communication can be based on two
libraries: a distribution list library and a campaign template
library. The distribution lists can be created from the partner
database and are able to be filtered by type of partner, level of
partner, or other criteria. Lists can be saved (either as a
description or as a list of actual partners) and used for future
campaigns. The campaign library can allow the marketing user to
create new items, such as product announcements or event reminders,
based on standard designs. Once the literature is created, the
system can then distribute the item to the desired distribution
list. Recipients' profiles can be automatically updated to note the
information received, and the system monitors and reports on
responses.
[0122] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, PRMS (241)
activity can be coordinated with suitable marketing or sales
out-sourcing partners.
[0123] Distribution Segment (DIS)
[0124] Referring now to the figures, the distribution segment (DIS)
(190) is responsible for taking a distribution order and executing
it. A Distribution Order can include the item to distribute (i.e.,
Alert, TIR, etc.) and where to distribute it (i.e., list of e-mail
addresses, pager numbers, etc.). The DIS (190) can parse the
distribution order and forward it in portions to various
distribution systems. These distribution systems can include
e-mail, pager, facsimile, wireless, and the like.
[0125] The DIS (190) provides advantages with regard to error
handling. If a transmission fails, for example, the invention
provides a way to link this information back to the consumer's
profile with an explanation of why there was an error. For example,
status=XMIT ERROR, "invalid e-mail address: paul@ ijet.com".
[0126] In another aspect of the invention, the DIS (190) can
include an interactive voice response (IVR) capability. Using an
IVR System, for example, a member can dial a telephone number (800,
900 or direct) and enter his/her member number and personal ID
number (PIN) security code to gain access to his/her account. Using
the IVR System and a series of selection options, the member can
retrieve Alerts, TIR updates, etc. For example, "Press 1 for
Alerts", "Press 2 for a TIR Update", "Press 3 for Options", "Press
4 for a Person", etc. If the member presses "1", the system can
move to a second level, dynamic menu of options based on the active
Alerts for the member. The Alerts can be listed in priority order
with unread Alerts prioritized first. The system can, for example,
list the Alerts "Press 1 Air Canada Strike", "Press 2 Snow Storm
Hits Montreal", and the like. The member can select an entry at any
time without listening to the entire list. By entering a selection,
the system can read the selected entry. The member can select Back,
Next, Pause, or Replay at any time while the message is being
played.
[0127] Marketing Opportunity Identification Segment (MOIS)
[0128] Referring now to FIG. 18, a marketing opportunity
identification segment (MOIS) (261) of the invention shares the
technology base of the CIS (51) and conducts the initial and
ongoing identification of sites that present marketing and partner
opportunities. In one embodiment, once a base set of marketing
opportunities has been established, an automated robot process can
identify additional potential opportunities on a periodic basis.
The robot process can be monitored and reviewed by marketing
personnel on a periodic basis, and the criteria which drives these
robots can be periodically validated.
[0129] This robot process can return identified opportunity lists.
Refinements can be added by applying marketing-developed context to
returned text. With this marketing-developed context, a high-level
classification of the sites returned can be developed. The
granularity of robot returns can be fairly coarse initially, and
more finely grained as identification techniques are honed.
Likewise, the levels of classification of robot returns can be
fairly limited or have additional levels added.
[0130] In another aspect of the invention, multiple levels of robot
activity can be implemented. A blanket robot can be employed, for
example, that searches the internet for the word "travel," then
discards duplicate hits or hits outside of <Title> or
<meta> tags on internet sites that are searched. Another
robot process can be utilized that looks for specific occurrences
of the word "travel" in conjunction with other words (e.g.,
"booking") in specific structural elements of a searched site
(e.g., only if both words occur in both the <title> tag and
in <meta name=keywords> tag). Such robot processes can also
be applied to non-HTML sources, can provide mechanisms for natural
language queries, and can automatically route hit returns to
marketing personnel or out-sourced marketing/sales organizations
affiliated with the internet site of the invention.
[0131] In an another embodiment, MOIS (261) information can be
funneled to out-sourced sales and marketing resources and/or the
PRMS (241).
[0132] Yellow Book Online Segment (YBOS)
[0133] Referring now to FIG. 19, in another aspect of the
invention, the yellow book online (YBO) (281) can be provided as a
segment including an electronic version of the CDC's Health
Information for International Travelers. The YBO (281) can be a
verbatim translation of the print version, with a full-text search
and retrieval mechanism. In another embodiment, the YBO content can
be syndicated to other internet sites via the use of a direct
search link to the YBO (281) on the internet site or through a
content window displayed directly from the internet site.
[0134] In another aspect of the invention, further employment of
the YBO (281) can include enhanced input conditions for a search
(e.g., full-text search only on a specific country) and enhanced
output (e.g., optional summaries of page "hits"). The Yellow Book
Online will provide the core health information for the system.
[0135] Web Segnent (WEBS)
[0136] Referring now to FIG. 20, a web segment (WEBS) (301) of the
invention as shown represents the situation where the internet site
is a distribution channel for its content, products and
services.
[0137] Technology Infrastructure Segment (INFS)
[0138] Referring now to FIG. 21, in another aspect of the
invention, an infrastructure segment (INFS) (321) is provided that
includes an operations center and a staging center along with a
collocated site in, for example, the United States, Europe, Africa
and other suitable international locations. In this embodiment, the
primary information activity occurs at an internet site
headquarters 322 with an operations center 324. This information
activity can then be staged to a staging center 326, and then
replicated to one or more of the collocated sites 328,330,332.
[0139] In another aspect of the invention, an archive center 334
can be created at the internet site headquarters. This archive
center 334 can store all travel information activity, including
historical, administrative, and metric data. This archive center
334 can also be integrated with the ISS (351) so that business
information mining and new product creation can be supported.
[0140] It can be appreciated that these collocation services can be
top-tier, including caching network operations and RAIS (redundant
array of independent systems) in a load-balanced environment.
Services can include, but are not limited to, the following: [0141]
Bandwidth Services [0142] Multi-line local area network (LAN)
Connection [0143] Reporting Services [0144] Proactive,
Multi-Channel Notification [0145] Bandwidth Reports [0146] Network
Caching [0147] Managed Monitoring Services [0148] Network
Monitoring [0149] URL Monitoring [0150] Reboot Service [0151]
Multi-path Services [0152] Data Vault Services [0153] Security
Services [0154] Intrusion Detection [0155] Vulnerability Analysis
[0156] Managed Firewall
[0157] Information System Segment (ISS)
[0158] In one embodiment of the invention, an information system
segment (ISS) (351) has three functional subsystems: Collection,
Analysis, and Distribution/Storage.
[0159] In the invention, the Collection subsystem centers on an
analyst or SME who has domain or geographic expertise. Standard
content feeds for his/her domain are substantially continuously
being examined, as is existing content in the CRS (91). In
addition, more focused content is captured by ad hoc queries
through both the CIS (51) and the CAAS (71). These queries can be
run through a machine translator prior to content acquisition if
specialized, foreign language content resources are presented as
information sources. In addition, based on return set content,
machine translators can also be used prior to CRS (91) storage.
Analysts/SME's can also use an RSS Aggregation Module. This module
can allow each analyst/SME to develop his/her own, personalized set
of headline content that can be scanned on a regular basis.
[0160] The CRS (91), outside of its standard data structure, has
pre-applied templates that ensure the validity of information
returned in analyst/SME queries. These templates are in the form of
rules frameworks that are defined by partners such as a Health
Information Board (HIB). The Collection subsystem relies on the
interfaces between CRMS, PRMS (241), and MPS: Partner and Member
activity history and itinerary information can contribute greatly
as a background to information activity. Also key to the Collection
subsystem is a collaboration network that the analyst/SME
participates in with other analysts/SME's. Using the collaboration
network, queries and return sets can be analyzed by more than one
analyst/SME to ensure validity.
[0161] In the invention, the Analysis subsystem operates with a
marshaled query on information returned by the Collection
subsystem. Such queries can be done, for example, by using meta
data searches, with On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) tools, or
using conventional pattern recognition technologies. Return sets
from these initial analysis queries are filtered through two pipes:
a filter pipe and an index pipe. The filter pipe applies semantics
to incoming signals based on meta data associated with them. If
this approach is unsuccessful, semantic application can be
attempted based on content. Feature extraction can next be
performed to ensure that any semantic application considers
multi-semantic issues. The index pipe attempts to index incoming
signals based on keywords, thematics, and hierarchical
clustering.
[0162] At least two key elements are associated with the filter and
index pipes. The first is operational qualification agents. These
agents capture specific, pre-determined linguistic patterns and can
be event-based or schedule-based. Once an operational qualification
agent captures a signal, the signal is classified and moves on
through the system without proceeding through additional filtering
and indexing.
[0163] Both the filter and index pipes are dynamic mechanisms,
which are not only modified manually, but "learn" through the
application of an analysis engine. This analysis engine is a
network of adaptive fuzzy feature modules (AFFN's) that
collectively comprise an adaptive temporal correlation network
(ATCN). AFFN's and ATCN's provide managed artificial information
and capture patterns and correlations between linguistic elements
that are either too time-intensive for humans to capture or
practically impossible without computational assistance.
[0164] Once a signal has morphed into an information block (i.e.,
it has some classification associated with it), the block itself
can be considered information or, in the case of misclassification,
remain information without attached semantics. At this point, the
analyst/SME either validates the information or adds semantics to
the information. This can be done through using the information
block as input to additional mechanisms in the Collection
subsystem, or using the collaboration network and additional
analysts/SME's to reach a consensus.
[0165] In the invention, aggregated information is classified again
as supplemental content or as an alert. If it is classified as
supplemental content, the aggregated information is forwarded to
the CMS (131), where the content manager filters it through an
editorial process. At this point, the supplemental content can be
discarded, accepted as is and sent to the CRS (91), or sent back to
the analyst/SME for additional analysis. If the aggregated
information is classified as an alert, it is sent to an alert
framework, along with its meta data. Additional meta data is
assigned (e.g., data/time, GIST, alert type) and then concomitantly
sent to CRS (91) and distribution list development.
[0166] In summary, the method and system of the present invention
offer a travel information functional architecture that defines and
supports gathering, analysis, storage, and personalized
product/service delivery of accurate, comprehensive, and
personalized travel information. The method and system of the
invention provide a breadth and richness of information sources and
acquisition, sophistication of external oversight, advisement, and
business rule development processes applied to travel information
development, diversity of product and delivery mechanisms, and a
comprehensive application of supporting business and technology
architecture. The result is an online intelligence agency that both
feeds into and is driven by the global airline reservation
system.
[0167] The following example is intended to be an illustration of
certain embodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit
the scope of the invention:
[0168] An Example of the Travel Information System
[0169] The travel information system operates in three distinct
phases.
[0170] In phase one, information is collected from online sources
and analyzed by regional analysts. These analysts screen the
information, iron out discrepancies, edit and format the
information, and send it to the data store.
[0171] In phase two, a traveler enters the system through one of
many distribution points in the travel industry. An example would
be a traveler who decides to purchase a Travel Intelligence Report
(TIR) while purchasing an airline ticket from a travel web site.
After purchasing the ticket, the traveler is presented with an
online profile form, which is already populated with the traveler's
client record and e-ticket information, forming the core profile;
he can either accept this profile with a single click, or
supplement it with more information. In either case this profile
form is transmitted online to the internet site, where it triggers
the application of appropriate rules, and the retrieval of
pertinent content from the data store.
[0172] In the third phase, this content is then assembled into a
TIR and delivered to the traveler. The traveler can then print
and/or download the TIR. At any point up to 30 days after his
return the traveler can also pull up the report online and view the
latest version. If any significant changes occur to the underlying
information, the report e-mails the traveler. In addition, if the
traveler has purchased a separate wireless alert product, the
traveler can be notified on his wireless platform.
[0173] Whereas particular embodiments of this invention have been
described above for purposes of illustration, it can be evident to
those skilled in the art that numerous variations of the details of
the present invention may be made without departing from the
invention as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *