U.S. patent application number 11/929473 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-09 for web enabled business to business computer system for rental car services - 3.
This patent application is currently assigned to THE CRAWFORD GROUP, INC.. Invention is credited to Kimberly Ann DeVallance, Randall Allan Haselhorst, Craig Stephen Kennedy, David Gary Smith, Timothy Robert Weinstock.
Application Number | 20080249814 11/929473 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38520075 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080249814 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Weinstock; Timothy Robert ;
et al. |
October 9, 2008 |
Web Enabled Business to Business Computer System for Rental Car
Services - 3
Abstract
An Internet enabled, business-to-business computerized
transaction system is disclosed in its preferred embodiment for use
in providing rental car services for high volume users and
comprises an Internet web portal through which the high volume user
may access an integrated business computer network for the rental
vehicle service provider. The rental vehicle services provider
computer network is configured to interconnect a geographically
diverse plurality of branch offices, cataloguing their available
rental vehicles and schedules for same as well as handling all
transactional data relating to its business. The Internet web
portal provides ubiquitous connectivity and portability for a
multi-level business organization who regularly places high volumes
of rental purchases with its business partner. Utilizing the method
and apparatus of the present invention large volumes of rental
transactions may be placed, monitored, altered during performance,
and closed out with financial accounting and payment being made
virtually without human intervention.
Inventors: |
Weinstock; Timothy Robert;
(St. Charles, MO) ; DeVallance; Kimberly Ann;
(Maryland Heights, MO) ; Haselhorst; Randall Allan;
(Imperial, MO) ; Kennedy; Craig Stephen; (St.
Louis, MO) ; Smith; David Gary; (Wildwood,
MO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THOMPSON COBURN, LLP
ONE US BANK PLAZA, SUITE 3500
ST LOUIS
MO
63101
US
|
Assignee: |
THE CRAWFORD GROUP, INC.
St. Louis
MO
|
Family ID: |
38520075 |
Appl. No.: |
11/929473 |
Filed: |
October 30, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11823782 |
Jun 28, 2007 |
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11929473 |
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09641820 |
Aug 18, 2000 |
7275038 |
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11823782 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0601 20130101;
G06Q 40/08 20130101; G06Q 30/04 20130101; G06Q 10/087 20130101;
G06Q 10/02 20130101; G06Q 10/025 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/5 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 10/00 20060101
G06Q010/00; G06Q 30/00 20060101 G06Q030/00 |
Claims
1. An internet enabled automatic rental vehicle transaction system,
said system having an internet web portal through which an
authorized purchaser of rental vehicle services may access a rental
vehicle software program resident on a computer system, said rental
vehicle software program being configured to automatically respond
to a series of commands from said authorized purchaser and
communicate a rental vehicle reservation to a specific
geographically remote rental vehicle location at which vehicles for
rent are situated, said rental vehicle reservation having
sufficient information for authorizing, processing and billing said
rental vehicle transaction so that a rental vehicle transaction may
be automatically processed thereby virtually without human
intervention.
2-46. (canceled)
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE AND PRIORITY CLAIMS TO RELATED PATENT
APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/823,782, entitled "Web enabled Business to
Business Computer System for Rental Car Services", filed Jun. 28,
2007, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/641,820 entitled "Web Enabled Business to Business Operating
System for Rental Car Services", filed Aug. 18, 2000, now U.S. Pat.
No. 7,275,038, the entire disclosures of both of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to the field of an Internet
enabled business-to-business intelligent communication link
allowing a first business organization to have intelligent
interaction with a second fully integrated business organization to
facilitate the placing of orders or reservations for business
services or goods, with the services or goods provider having a
computer network linking multiple levels of its organization to
provide for the smooth conduct of business between the two
organizations. More particularly, this field relates to an Internet
enabled automatic rental vehicle transaction system to facilitate
the conduct of rental vehicle transactions between two multilevel
business organizations, one of which provides such rental vehicle
transaction services in an integrated manner through business
enterprise software to a high volume user of such rental vehicle
services wherein an Internet web portal is defined by the rental
vehicle service provider which interconnects the two business
organizations at multiple levels, providing a graphical user
interface (GUI) for the transaction of large amounts of rental
vehicle services automatically and virtually without human
intervention upon entry.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Computer technology has been embraced by many businesses in
order to handle their ever increasing order flow as well as to
mitigate the increasing blizzard of paper required to be produced
to document this business. A significant benefit which often drives
the implementation of technology is its further advantage in
increasing productivity to thereby allow fewer people to handle
greater volumes of business. One such good example demonstrating
the efficiencies and value to be gained by implementing technology
is the business model developed and followed by the assignee of the
present invention. A rental car company at its heart, the assignee
transacts an ever increasing number of time sensitive, relatively
low dollar volume, vehicle rentals which in many instances require
authorizations to be made in advance, reservations of vehicles from
available geographic and vehicle type selections, monitoring of the
rental as it progresses including possibly extending the rental
under certain circumstances, communications between the various
parties involved in the transaction to ensure ultimate customer
satisfaction, and financial accounting for the transaction
including generating invoices and processing them for payment.
While a significant portion of the vehicle rental business involves
rental for leisure, business travel, etc., another significant
business relationship has developed with insurance companies and
the like in what has been termed as the replacement car rental
service business. In this business, a vehicle insurance company may
have many thousands of policyholders who are eligible to be
involved in accidents, and other dislocations of use, requiring
that a vehicle be rented for that customer's use while his own
vehicle be made ready again for use. Thus, for this business
segment, a multi-tiered business organization such as a vehicle
insurance company represents a significant customer for repetitive
vehicle rental services. To conduct this business in an orderly,
time efficient and cost efficient manner, it is necessary that this
insurance company has as its business partner a vehicle rental
company which is itself multi-tiered, such as the assignee of the
present invention. This is because the needs, both geographically
and in volume, are significant which require the dedication of a
significant amount of resources. To satisfy these needs and to
respond to other business growth, in its embrace of technology the
assignee hereof has succeeded in developing an in-house computer
system and related software which has integrated its business
internally. This business integration has been massive and
company-wide as is needed to integrate a company having a central
office with literally thousands of individual branches located
nationally, and even now internationally, with hundreds of
thousands of vehicles available for rental. Furthermore, other
business partners including other service providers such as vehicle
repair shops have also been given access to this system to allow
for input of information relating to progress of vehicle repair,
extension of rental time, etc. as the rental progresses. This
integrated business computer network and software generally
includes a mainframe server at the heart of a wide area network
(WAN) which facilitates the transfer of vehicle rental information
and orders company-wide. This integrated business model is most
efficient and needed in order to satisfy the vehicle rental service
needs of a vehicle insurance company which itself may be national
or even international in scope.
[0004] As a first step in extending the integration of technology
into this business model, the present assignee has previously
developed and implemented a computer system which has provided
improved communication capabilities between the two business
partners. This system generally comprised a second mainframe
computer linked to the first mainframe of the integrated business
network, with dedicated access lines being provided from this
second mainframe to various levels of the multilevel business
organization comprising the insurance company. In effect, with this
additional mainframe and dedicated pipeline access, various
individuals at the insurance company were permitted to directly
interact with the integrated business computer network of the
vehicle rental company as well as other selected service providers
such as body shops where wrecked vehicles were being repaired. The
implementation of this system provided a great step forward over
the people intensive business activity previously required in order
to handle the large number of transactions encountered in this
business relationship. Historically, the replacement car market
engendered large numbers of telephone calls being placed between
the insurance company, the rental company, and the body shop where
vehicle repair was being performed in order to authorize the
rental, select and secure the desired replacement vehicle to be
provided, monitor the progress of the repair work so that
scheduling of the rental vehicle could be controlled, extending the
vehicle rental in the event of delays in repair, authorizing
various activities involved in the rental process including
upgrades of vehicles or other charges for services, and subsequent
billing of the rental service and processing the billing to the
insurance company for payment.
[0005] While the implementation of this system was successful and
represented a tremendous step forward in automating the business
relationship between the insurance company and the vehicle rental
company, it did have certain limitations. For example, a specific
communication link had to be established between the rental vehicle
company and the particular users at the insurance company
designated to have access to this system. Thus, special attention
and some modicum of expense was required to establish these
"pipelines" and maintain them. Still another aspect to the system
implemented was that it was not "browser" based nor did it provide
graphical user interface (GUI) menus. Thus, each user had to be
specifically trained in the particular "language" used by the
system and learn to work with specific menus nested in a specific
manner as well as codes for entering commands which were not
similar to other computer software programs. This software design
thus necessarily required additional training in order to insure
that users could gain the full measure of advantage provided by the
system and in order to minimize the opportunity for erroneous
information or incorrect reservations from being entered or
otherwise confusing the business transactions. Furthermore, user
efficiency was not immediate and required skill beyond that
ordinarily found in casual computer users, as we are all becoming
in this computer age. Still another disadvantage to the system was
that access was required to a designated entry point in the system
in order for a person authorized to be on the system to work with
it. As the nature of the insurance and replacement car business
requires extreme mobility at multiple levels of both business
partners, this represents a limitation to the usefulness and time
efficiency with which various business functions could be
performed. Therefore, while implementation of the second mainframe
allowing for pipeline connections at various levels of the
multi-tiered insurance company was a significant step forward in
automating the business relationship between the two business
partners, significant limitations to this solution were readily
apparent to the users thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The inventors herein have succeeded in designing and
developing a means for substantially enhancing the business to
business communication link between these two businesses which
provide significant advantages over its prior embodiment. More
particularly, the inventors have succeeded in replacing the
dedicated pipeline access of the existing system with a web portal
allowing Internet access to the mainframe with a browser based
graphical user interface (GUI) presentation. This also made the
system more readily accessible to smaller business partners as the
expense of the "pipeline" was eliminated. This invention offers
several important technical advantages over the previous system.
First of all, by taking advantage of the ubiquitous nature of the
Internet, the ultimate in portability and connectivity for this
system is now provided in a business environment where mobility and
connectivity are at a premium. In other words, a claims adjuster,
body shop, or any other business employee authorized to have access
to the system may gain access at any site offering Internet access.
In present day technology that includes many mobile devices and
appliances which are Internet enabled. As technology advances, it
is conceivable that this access will extend to permit "24/7" access
by any authorized person at any geographic location. This is a
marked improvement providing immediate benefit and advantage over
the dedicated pipeline access of the prior art system.
[0007] A second major advantage of the present invention is its
graphical user interface. The inventors have taken full advantage
of this browser based GUI to streamline and organize the
presentation of information to a user to actually guide him as he
interacts in doing his business. One such example is customized
design of the menus such that the user is guided and directed to
answer only those questions required to be answered in order to
conduct the particular transaction being addressed, and further to
present choices to the user for his selection to minimize the need
for the user to rely on his own memory or to be familiar with
complicated and specialized codes to enter data or request
transaction activity. With the recent and continuing explosion of
the Internet, more people are becoming familiar with browser
programs and their operation through their own daily activities in
their personal lives. This familiarity paves the way for easier
training and quicker orientation of a new user to the present
invention. For large business organizations communicating at
multiple levels, this significant advantage cannot be minimized as
there are large numbers of people who must be continuously trained
due to the growth of the organizations, as well as the inevitable
attrition. Thus, the present invention provides an immediate
increase in worker productivity, and makes that improved efficiency
available to many more workers who are not particularly skilled
otherwise in computer usage.
[0008] Still another advantage provided by the present invention is
through the implementation of additional functionalities which are
engendered by the browser/GUI interface. As the system is
continuously used, and feedback is continuously monitored and
analyzed, additional features that add value through providing
management information as well as by speeding transaction activity
over the system may be implemented. For example, several of these
features include the ability of a user to create an on demand
report for transaction activity including summaries of transactions
handled by a particular user or group of users which might either
be open or closed. Another example of additional functionality
which improves the efficiency of a user is the ability to create a
repair facility call back list which allows a user to sort existing
open vehicle rental reservations by repair facility (body shop) and
date such that a user is presented with the list of open
reservations at a particular repair facility which can be readily
handled in a single telephone call while at the same time having
the system on line to implement any needed changes such as
extensions of reservations, etc. Additional functionality has also
been provided to speed the processing of invoicing which of course
also speeds their payment and cash receipts. For example, it was
found that even despite the built-in error checking and correction
facilities provided to the users of the system, a repetitive
pattern of mistakes involving incorrect claim numbers was
discovered. To speed the processing of these, an additional
functionality was provided as an "electronic audit" known as
invoice return which returns an invoice to a particular adjuster
upon detection of an incorrect claim number for his human
intervention and correction of the claim number. In this manner,
problem invoices exhibiting one of the most common problems
encountered may be readily handled within the system and in an
efficient manner, instead of manually as before.
[0009] The present invention also has as a significant advantage
the ability to be further customized to meet the individual
business partners' needs and desires as well as to provide
additional functionality by offering additional features which
become desirable upon accumulation of user data based on user
experience. Furthermore, once implemented, they are immediately
available system wide.
[0010] Still another advantage of the present invention is that the
graphical user interface incorporates point and click interaction,
using buttons and tabs to present or conceal data for the user's
attention or inattention as the case may be, and provide a much
more robust interaction capability through the creation of menu
designs that allow for access to the most commonly needed features
from any point in the menu architecture. This is to be contrasted
with the prior system which consisted of a main frame character
based interface while the present invention with its GUI interface
allows a user to point and click to navigate and to make selections
by pull down selection, thereby reducing errors. As users become
more experienced with the system, and their confidence level grows,
they are much more likely to become bored and aggravated with the
rigid structure of the prior system requiring them to follow along
a certain menu architecture in order to complete certain tasks. On
the other hand, the present invention generally increases the
interest of the user in using the system. These advantages of the
present invention over the prior interface promote employee
productivity by allowing a user more control over his work which is
critical in achieving savings in human resources to operate the
system which is one of its main goals.
[0011] While the principal advantages and features of the invention
have been discussed above, a greater understanding of the invention
including a fuller description of its other advantages and features
may be attained by referring to the drawings and the detailed
description of the preferred embodiment which follow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the computer systems
comprising the invention; and
[0013] FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the software programs which
communicate over the computer systems of FIG. 1 to implement the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] The overall system architecture for the present invention 20
is best shown in FIG. 1. As shown therein, an insurance company
computer system 22, which itself may be virtually any computer
configuration or even a stand alone PC accesses the Internet 24
through any convenient access point 26 such as even including an
ISP (Internet service provider), as known in the art. Also
connected to the Internet 24 is a web portal 28 which is preferably
provided by a server appropriately programmed as explained herein
below. This web portal 28 may be appropriate configured as desired
to suit any particular business relationship or arrangement,
although preferably the inventors herein and assignee of this
invention have determined that a 24/7 or full time connection to
the Internet 24 is preferable, except for scheduled downtimes for
maintenance, etc. The service provider 30 which for purposes of
explaining the present preferred embodiment is preferably a vehicle
rental organization, has itself an Internet portal mainframe 32
connected by a bi-directional communication link 34 to a second
computer network 36 which may itself preferably have a mainframe
server 38. This second computer system 36 is preferably a network
having a database 40 for communication with what may be thousands
of branch offices each of which has its own computer interface 44
which communicates to this second mainframe server 38 to conduct
the integrated business functions of a service provider
organization. Instead of communicating with the branch offices
directly, a reservation may be communicated to a centralized
location for further processing, such as a call center, and then
relayed on to an appropriate branch office. This might be desirable
under certain circumstances, such as if a branch office is closed,
or when a purchaser requires some specialized service such as close
monitoring of the rental. This may be done electronically and
automatically, or with human intervention.
[0015] It should be noted that the particular computer
configuration chosen as the preferred embodiment herein may itself
be subject to wide variation. Furthermore, the term "mainframe" as
used herein refers solely to a computer which can provide large
scale processing of large numbers of transactions in a timely
enough manner to suit the particular business application.
Preferably, as is presently used by the assignee hereof, an IBM
AS/400 mainframe computer is used as each of computers 32, 38.
However, as is well known in the art, computer technology is
subject to rapid change and it is difficult if not impossible to
predict how these computer systems may evolve as technology
advances in this art. For example, it is not beyond the realm of
possibility that in the not so distant future a network of
computers would provide the processing power to conduct these
business operations as presently handled by "mainframe" computers.
Thus, the term "mainframe" is not used in a limiting sense but
merely to indicate that it is descriptive of a computer suited to
handle the processing needs for a large scale business
application.
[0016] It should also be noted that the communication link 46
extending between the server 42 and each of the branch offices 44
may have alternative configurations. For example, in some
applications access over the Internet may itself be adequate,
recognizing the vagaries of Internet service availability,
reliability, and processing speed. Alternatively, this
communication link 46 could well be a dedicated pipeline providing
broadband service connection full time with back up connections to
ensure continuous communication between a particular branch office
or groups of branch offices and the service providers business
operations computer system 36. Some branch offices might even be
served through satellite links. Indeed, it is even possible that a
mixture of these wide variations of service level be present within
a single organization's structure depending upon communication link
cost and availability balanced against service needs. It should
merely be noted for present purposes that this communication link
46 serves as the electronic umbilical cord through which branch
offices 44 communicate with the business computer system 36 of the
present invention.
[0017] Attached hereto as exhibits are functional descriptions of
the software program's resident on the computers comprising the two
computer systems 32, 38 which implement the present invention. More
particularly, attached hereto as Exhibit A is a functional
description of the software to implement the integrated business
functions resident on the AS/400 or mainframe computer 38. Attached
hereto as Exhibits B and C are related flow diagrams and
explanatory text, respectively, for the software resident on the
mainframe AS/400 computer 32. Attached hereto as Exhibit D is a
functional description of the software resident on computer 32 but
which also appears on the server 28 which creates the web portal
for access to the mainframe 32 and its resident program. Server 28
may use a bi-directional GUI to character based interface
translator program, well known to those skilled in the art, to
present the displays and information obtained and transmitted
between the user and the computer 32. However, the software of
Exhibit D could also be run on server 28, as would be appreciated
by those of skill in the art. It is believed that these functional
descriptions and accompanying text as exemplified in these exhibits
are adequate to enable an ordinary programmer to implement
corresponding software programs for executing the preferred
embodiment of the present invention using ordinary programming
skills and without inventive effort.
[0018] As a further example of the flow of data and the functional
advantages provided by the present invention, reference is made to
FIG. 2. As shown therein, a right hand column is identified as
"ECARS" which represents the integrated business software
implemented as part of the mainframe operation 38 in computer
network 36. The center column headed "ARMS" is resident on
mainframe computer 32 and coordinates the communication of data.
The left column headed "ARMS/WEB" represents the software resident
on computer but which is presented on server 28 and accessible by
users through the Internet. Along the left side of FIG. 2 are
designated three separate sections of operational activity. These
are "reservation" followed by "open" and concluded by "close".
Generally, the functional descriptions are arranged in
chronological order proceeding from the top of FIG. 2 to the
bottom. However, some functional features are permitted throughout
the entirety of one of the three periods designated at the left
side of FIG. 2. One such example is the "message" function which
allows messages to be sent between users at one business
organization 22 and branch offices 44 and others connected to the
other business organization 30. Proceeding with a description of
the transaction, the first set of communications allow for the
reservation of the services. These can include requests for
authorization or a rescind authorization request to be sent from
the service provider to the service purchaser. Correspondingly,
authorizations and authorization cancels can be sent from the
services purchaser to the services provider. Confirmations are
communicated upon confirmation of an authorized reservation
request. Authorization changes may be made and communicated from
the services purchaser to the service provider. Corresponding
rental transaction changes may be communicated from the services
provider to the services purchaser. As indicated, through the
entirety of this process messages may be sent between users and
others connected or having access to the integrated business
software, as desired. The consummation of this portion of the
transaction is a reservation that has been placed, authorized,
confirmed, and provision is made for changes as necessary. During
the next phase of the transaction, a reservation is opened and
services intended to be provided are started. Generally, and
preferably for the rental of vehicles, a start and end date are
established in the reservation process. However, along the way,
transactional changes may be made, such as for changing the type of
vehicle provided, extensions may be requested and entered from
either business partner, messages may be transmitted between the
business partners, and the transaction may be terminated such as by
voiding the contract by one business partner or terminating the
authority by the other business partner. The term "reservation" has
been used herein to refer not only to the act of placing the order
but also to filling the order for services including providing the
rental vehicle to the ultimate user and even invoicing for those
services.
[0019] The last phase of the process involves closing the
transaction. During this phase of the transaction, the contract is
indicated as being closed and invoiced, the services purchaser can
approve invoices, reject invoices, and also remit invoices. Such
invoice remittance may also include the actual transfer of funds
through an electronic funds transfer medium, or otherwise as
previously arranged between the business partners.
[0020] It should be understood that this is a streamlined
description of the handling of a transaction, and by no means is
exhaustive. For example, much more functionality is available to
the user including accessing the data base to generate production
reports regarding status of open or closed reservations, preparing
action item lists to allow a user to organize and prioritize his
work, obtaining information available in the system from having
been entered by others which would otherwise require phone
conversations which are inefficient and occupy still another
person's time. A more detailed explanation of the functionality
provided is found in the exhibits.
[0021] In summary, the present invention creates almost an illusion
that the services purchaser, and the great number of users at
various levels of the multi-tier purchaser users, are actually part
of the services provider organization in that immediate online
access is provided to significant data which enable the user to
make reservations for services, monitor those services as they are
being provided, communicate with those providing the services,
obtain information relating to the status of services as they are
being provided, and close transactions, all by interacting with the
services provider business organization over that user's PC and
without human interaction required by the business providers
personnel. By way of contra-distinction, for many years business
has been conducted on a human level by customers picking up the
telephone and calling services providers and talking to their human
counterparts in order to convey information, place orders, monitor
orders, including obtaining information as to status, canceling
orders, questioning invoices and paying invoices, along with a
myriad of other related interactions. Not only did the conduct of
business in this manner entail significant amounts of human
resources at both ends of the transaction, but it also led to
inefficiencies, mistakes and delays all of which increase the cost
of doing business and contribute to an increased risk of services
being rendered in an unsatisfactory manner in many instances to the
end user. The present invention has taken the preexisting solution
of providing electronic communication between the business partners
to another level by "web enabling" this system for improved
connectivity, improved usability, reduced training, enhanced
mobility, and other advantages as described herein.
[0022] Various changes and modifications to the preferred
embodiment as explained herein would be envisioned by those of
skill in the art. Examples of these changes and modifications
include the utilization of computer systems configured in any one
of a myriad of ways using present technology alone. For example,
mobile computers are presently available and wireless technology
could be used to extend the integrated business network of the
services provider, as well as match the mobility needed by the
various users connected to and using the present invention. The
particular software, and various aspects and features of its
design, have been adapted for particular application to the vehicle
rental business. Of course, computer software applications
satisfying other business needs would necessarily require
adaptation to their particular business models. Thus, it is
envisioned by the inventors herein that the various software
programs described herein would be matched to the particular
business application to which the invention is utilized. These and
other aspects of the preferred embodiment should not be viewed as
limiting and instead be considered merely as illustrative of an
example of the practical implementation of the present invention.
These changes and modifications should be considered as part of the
invention and the invention should be considered as limited only by
the scope of the claims appended hereto and their legal
equivalents.
* * * * *