Apparatus and method for an Internet based computer reservation booking system

a computer reservation and internet technology, applied in the field of computer software, can solve the problems of not being able to permit two-way communication, web sites are not interactive, and the merchant's booking process is not easy to be simplified, so as to increase the revenue of the merchant, simplify the merchant's booking process, and achieve high-targeted and effective marketing and promotion campaigns
US20050267787A1Inactive Publication Date: 2005-12-01OPENTABLE
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Current Assignee / Owner
OPENTABLE
Publication Date
2005-12-01
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

The present invention is a software product that provides merchants that sell time-slot inventories tools to capitalize on the Internet revolution. The present invention enables the creation of web-sites for merchants with a built-in web-based reservation booking system. This offers customers the on-line benefits of access, selection and immediacy in making real-time reservation / appointments over the Internet. The software product also simplifies the merchant's booking process by providing a central web-based reservation / appointment management system that can be used for all bookings, regardless if made by telephone, by a walk-in customer, or by a customer via the Internet. The software product also provides the merchant with a powerful direct marketing tool. As a merchant uses the software product, user-customer profiles and demographics are captured in the database module, thus creating (in Web jargon) a “community” of customers specific to the merchant. The merchant is thus empowered, using the mail module, to directly communicate with its customer base, using customer profiles and demographics to create a highly targeted and effective marketing and promotional ad campaign. The software product also allows the merchant to auction off time-slot inventory over the Internet. Lastly, the software product enables the creation of Web “super-communities” consisting of the aggregate of all the individual merchant's customer-communities using the software product.
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Description

RELATED APPLICATION(S)

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC §119(e) of provisional application No. 60 / 083,651, filed Apr. 30, 1998 entitled “Apparatus and Method for a Computer Reservation System that is Accessible Over the Internet”, hereby incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to computer software, and more particularly, to an Internet based computer reservation system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Since the introduction of web browsers by companies such as Netscape Communications, a division of America On-line and Microsoft Corporation, the Internet has seen an explosion of activity. Businesses, both big and small, are creating web sites to obtain wide exposure, to inform the public of their goods and services, and to conduct Internet commerce. Web sites that are in current use by businesses are of varying sophistication.

[0004] The least sophisticated type of web site used by merchants ar...

Claims

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