827 results about "Reservation system" patented technology

The present invention is a method and system for an online reservation system providing services of multiple categories of service providers. A user may enter the online reservation system by clicking on a button either embedded in a directory services search result for a particular service provider or located on a particular service provider's website. Alternatively, a user may search for service providers through the online reservation system by entering criteria such as category of service, pricing, rating, location, or time and day of availability of the service. Both users and service providers receive electronic confirmation and reminders for the booked appointments.

Service providers may integrate all of their appointments with a calendar maintained by the online reservation system. The system automatically collects client data and may provide accounting services.

A reservation system and methodology ensures that all changes to a database in a federation are reliably and immediately communicated to all of the other databases in the federation. The system communicates information concerning hotel reservation transactions. The system comprises multiple applications each associated with one or more databases including hotel reservation data. The databases in the federation reflect transactions that are communicated to other databases and they also employ information received from other databases in determining the transactions that their associated local applications permit and the way in which they are processed. In one embodiment of the invention, communication among databases occurs through the Internet and data storage devices via secure packetized messages addressed to objects that represent the relevant databases. The system of the present invention also preferably includes a central database that functions as the primary source for verifying reservations and hotel data. Additionally, the system of the present invention also includes a yield subsystem that allows hotels to increase revenues. The yield subsystem calculates rates and availability based upon forecasted changes in supply and customer segment demand.

A distributed method of establishing a path in a multi-dimensional computer network comprising a plurality of nodes for transmitting isochronous data from a source node to a destination node is disclosed. A request packet is injected into the network, the request packet specifying a request to transmit the isochronous data from one of a plurality of source nodes. The request packet is routed to at least one the plurality of source nodes, and the source node determines whether it has sufficient resources to support transmitting the isochronous data. If the source node comprises sufficient resources to support transmitting the isochronous data, the source node reserves resources within the source node to support transmitting the isochronous data, and transmits an ack packet from the source node to a first neighboring node. The first neighboring node determines whether it has sufficient resources to support transmitting the isochronous data. If the first neighboring node comprises sufficient resources to support transmitting the isochronous data, the first neighboring node reserves resources within the first neighboring node to support transmitting the isochronous data, and transmits the ack packet to an adjacent node. If the first neighboring node does not comprise sufficient resources to support transmitting the isochronous data, the first neighboring node transmits a nack packet to the source node and the source node transmits the ack packet to a second neighboring node.

The system and method for streaming media to a viewer and managing the media comprises and an enhanced service routing processor (ESRP), a real time switch management system (RTSMS), a name routing processor (NRP), and a managed media switch (MMS). The RTSMS has a reservation system. The ESRP receives media from an owner, manages the media according to media rules and order rules defined by the owner, and distributes the media to one or more switches, such as the MMS, according to the media rules and the order rules. The RTSMS is configured to receive the media rules and to receive a viewer's media request via the reservation server. The reservation system of the RTSMS processes the media request according to the media rules and builds a reservation for the requested media. The RTSMS generates the reservation to the viewer and to the NRP. The NRP receives the reservation data from the viewer and from the RTSMS. The NRP processes the reservation data and locates an MMS that can stream the media to the viewer. The NRP transmits the IP address of the MMS to the viewer and transmits the reservation data to the MMS. The viewer initiates a session or connection with the MMS using the reservation number. If the reservation data from the viewer matches the reservation data from the NRP, the MMS streams the media to the viewer.

A method, system, and computer readable medium for adjusting prices is provided and includes receiving at least one itinerary having an associated price, and modifying the availability of at least one component of the itinerary across a plurality of distribution channels. The method, system, and computer readable medium may also include modifying the availability to generate a more competitive or profitable price for the itinerary and outputting the competitive price and the itinerary. In addition, the method, system, and computer readable medium may include determining the availability of a roundtrip itinerary in a single transaction with a computerized reservation system and modifying the availability of the roundtrip itinerary.

A computer network is disclosed comprising a plurality of interconnected computer devices including a plurality of disk drives for storing network data, each disk drive comprising a head and a disk. The computer network comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes, and a reservation facility for reserving resources within the disk drives and the nodes to support a predetermined Quality-of-Service constraint with respect to data transmitted between the disk drives through the nodes of the computer network. In one embodiment, a switched node is disclosed comprising switching circuitry having more than two bi-directional ports for simultaneously transmitting data in multiple dimensions through a computer network, a disk for storing data, a head actuated over the disk for writing data to and reading data from the disk, and a reservation facility for reserving resources associated with data read from the disk and written to the disk to support the predetermined Quality-of-Service constraint with respect to data transmitted through the computer network.

In a broadband communications system, e.g., a cable system, programming content can be readily reserved and accessed for viewing using interactive program guides in accordance with the invention. Such programming content may include in-progress programs, future programs and previously broadcast programs which are recorded at a headend in the cable system, and which may or may not have overlapping broadcast times. In addition, the user may reserve programs at a set-top terminal, and may also do so remotely from the terminal through a communications network such as, the Internet, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a wireless telephone network, etc.

Apparatus and methods are described for assisting a requester to identify and reserve a resource that meets the need of the requestor's request. For example, a request can be augmented using augmentation data, such as current position and requester preferences, and resources are located and ranked according to their match against the augmented request. A person who is the requester may engage in another attention demanding task, such as driving a car, while resources well matched to preferences are located. Preference data may be determined from social network data, a preference file, and/or other sources.

A system and method for offering and managing reservations for restaurant or other reservation-based services is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving reservation data regarding available reservations for restaurants, and receiving a search request and payment information from the user. A subset of the available reservations matching the search request is determined using the open reservation data. The method further includes receiving a request from a user to make a reservation corresponding to an available reservations matching the search request, storing data indicating that the requested reservation is assigned to the user, and receiving a change in status for the reservation during fulfillment of the reservation. The method also includes receiving data regarding items ordered during fulfillment of the reservation, and providing the data regarding items ordered during fulfillment of the reservation for display to the consumer on a mobile device during fulfillment of the reservation.

A parking lot reservation system in which each vehicle sends to a remote server through a GPRS module a park reservation request carrying the information of the ID code and current location of the vehicle and specific conditions, and the remote server searches a parking lot database to select the qualified parking lot information subject to the park reservation request and then sends a reservation command to the parking lot computer of the associated parking lot through the Internet to finish the reservation. After success of reservation, the parking lot computer sends a response message indicative of successful reservation to the GPRS module of the vehicle via the remote server.

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.

The present invention relates to a reservation server which comprises a retaining section for retaining store/facility information including a reservation-needed service and a reservation situation, a network terminal for outputting alternative event substituting for the service, a receiving section for receiving a desired service, a reservation managing section for selectively reading out the store/facility information and the alternative event, and a transmitting section for transmitting the information and event. Accordingly, a service provider can notify a user of a service and reservation situation of a store-near the user or the start/end time of the service, and the time to be taken for the service and can suggest an alternative event in a time zone convenient to the user.

A suggestive intelligent recommendation engine enabling customers to discover new travel and entertainment opportunities tied to value enhanced offers from travel service providers through a static or dynamic bid/offer system internal to a travel reservation system. The customer inputs various travel criteria and preferences, and a computer generates travel predictors. A series of master travel itineraries are generated, which include various travel segments for each master itinerary. Each segment includes a number of options for the customer to review, consider, select and delete, and request revisions. The master itineraries are shuffled on an iterative based on the selections of the customer from the segments of the master itinerary. Prices for each selected option are requested form various travel service providers, which are then discounted prior to presentation to the customer. A proposed itinerary payment solution is generated, which may include a monetary portion and a promotional portion.

An automated, scalable call-taking system integrates with existing telephony infrastructures and enables, through use of speech recognition, DTMF detection, text-to-speech (TTS), and other related software or hardware, the inputting, access, and retrieval of information to and from multiple back-end dispatch and booking systems without the need for a human operator.

Parking reservation systems and methods for a parking lot having a plurality of individual parking spaces include an electronic database of an inventory of available parking spaces; and at least one processor in communication with the electronic database. The processor can be configured to: (a) accept user input regarding a request for a reserved parking space; (b) automatically reserve a parking space for a patron upon receipt of a payment therefor; (c) generate a confirmation of the reservation for the patron; and (d) automatically adjust the database of the inventory of available spaces based on the reservation. Other systems and methods are configured to identify parking lots with vacancies in a geographical region of interest.

The invention relates to a method and system for booking reservations in a booking system and synchronizing bookings among several booking systems. The system comprises at least one booking system; at least one service provider; a mediator service; a client, and at least one client terminal device that can be a mobile device and that includes a dialogue. The client uses the dialogue to enter information into the system and the mediator receives inquiries and answers from the at least one booking system, the at least one service provider, and the at least one client. The mediator transfers and adapts information between them. The method and system are particularly suited for use with mobile phone users by Small Message Service messages.

This invention relates to an electronic means by which people can select the exact seat or seats they want for any type of event or reserve an appointment for any activity such as a doctor or dentist appointment or even an appointment to have their car lubed. More specifically, a customer or a ticket re-seller or a venue operator can go, for example, to the internet and select the event or activity for which they want a ticket or tickets or reserve a time and reserve and order the exact seat or seats or the time of their choosing directly online. The seat or seats or reserved time they select is then removed from the inventory for that activity or event and made not available for any other buyer and such is so indicated by a graphical representation or other such indicator on the online map or picture representing availability of seating or time for that event. For an appointment reservation, the user connects to the internet or other wide area network, such as a bulletin board, from his home of office computer and connects to a page that displays a reservation calendar where he can interact such as to reserve a specific time period for himself.

The invention provides a parking space intelligent query and reservation system and a method thereof. The system comprises a parking space information acquisition system, a parking lot gateway, a parking lot host computer, a parking space availability indication lamp, a local induction screen, a cloud server, and a reservation terminal. By using this system, a user can carry out reservation through inputting a target plate and selecting a satisfactory parking space. According to the system and the method, people who can not find a parking space can rapidly find a parking space which is in accordance with the needs of the people, the behavior of a subscriber can be regulated, the system has a parking space guidance function, parking space information forecasting can be carried out before the change of a parking space availability state, and problems in the prior art are solved well.

The invention discloses a reservation system and a method for sharing automobile lease, relating to a reservation system and a method for carrying out the automobile lease conveniently and fast by using a GPS map of a mobile phone. The method comprises the following steps: an information center carries out real-time communication with a vehicle-mounted terminal and the mobile phone; the information center processes to-be-used positional information of a leased automobile and then loads the positional information to a GPS navigation map of the mobile phone of a user with an icon according to places; the user selects the icon of an automobile to be used at a specified place on the map; an internal program of the mobile phone transmits a selection action to the information center; the information center transmits user registration data to the vehicle-mounted terminal of the automatable to be used; the vehicle-mounted terminal assigns values on a door lock controller and an ignition controller; and simultaneously, the information center sends a short message to the mobile phone and the short message provides an automobile number of a reserved automobile to be used at the place as confirmation information. A user only needs to put a non-contact radio frequency card integrated with the mobile phone to be close to the vehicle door of the reserved automobile to be used, the vehicle door is automatically unlocked. The convenient and fast reservation operation of leasing the automobile is achieved.

An architecture, design, and realization for providing Quality of Service (QoS) to Internet Protocol (IP) networks based on a three-class differentiated service scheme where the service provider uses a resource management system and a schedule optimizer to enable the optimal use of bandwidth and buffer resources at each node or router along the various links between the ingress and egress points in a network. The resource reservation system checks to determine if sufficient bandwidth resources are available along the path requested by the customer for a particular class. The schedule optimizer ensures that sufficient buffer resource allocations and parameter settings are made to optimally reach the predetermined QoS criteria for each of the three classes. The system also contains a mechanism supporting resource reservations providing additional resources along alternative paths if the selected path links fail in the network.

A reservation system for managing access to access controlled locations by issuing an access code that is valid at a particular lock for a particular time. The reservation system includes a standalone lock that has a processor, clock and memory. The processor of the lock checks an access code entered at a given time against the access codes stored in the memory to determine if they are valid for the given time provided by the clock. The reservation system also include a management module that receives a booking and issues an access code. A user interface is provided for a user to interact with the functions of the management module. The invention also includes a method of booking an access controlled location, a method of monitoring an access controlled location, an a standalone lock for an access controlled location.