Extended Data Structure for Non-Standard Travel Services
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Solution Overview
Problem
Global Distribution Systems (GDS) are limited in managing travel services from destination service providers due to standardization constraints and security reasons, preventing the integration of non-standard travel services into centralized management systems.
Innovation Solution
A data processing system using an extended data structure to link standard and non-standard data formats, enabling the management of service offers by linking standard data structures to extended data structures, facilitating search, booking, and tracking of services from both standard and non-standard providers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the GDS uses a standardized data structure for managing travel services, then system security and information protection are improved, but the ability to integrate destination service provider services is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The data structure is segmented into two distinct parts: a standardized portion for core travel service data that maintains security and compatibility, and an extended non-standard portion for destination service provider specific data. This segmentation allows the system to maintain security requirements while accommodating diverse data formats from different providers.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized data structure serves as the outer container, while the non-standard extended data structure is nested within it as an embedded element. This nesting approach allows the standard structure to provide security and framework, while the nested non-standard structure accommodates provider-specific variations without compromising the outer standardized framework.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the GDS integrates non-standard data formats from destination service providers, then service variety and booking capability are improved, but data structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A standardized interface layer acts as an intermediary between the core GDS system and diverse destination service providers. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of non-standard data formats by translating them into a unified structure, allowing the GDS to access various services without directly managing the complexity of each provider's unique data format.
Solution Approach 2:
The non-standard data structure is nested within the standardized structure, containing provider-specific complexity in an isolated, encapsulated manner. This nesting allows the system to handle diverse service varieties while confining data structure complexity within the nested non-standard portion, preventing it from propagating through the entire system.
3Extent of automation
If the GDS maintains a centralized database for itinerary management, then centralized control and record keeping are improved, but the ability to include destination service provider services is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized database record is segmented to include both standardized itinerary data and an embedded non-standard element for destination services. This segmentation allows the centralized system to maintain control over the overall itinerary while incorporating services from providers with non-standard data formats through the embedded portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The non-standard destination service data is nested within the centralized standardized itinerary record. This nesting enables the centralized database to store and manage complete itineraries that include both standard travel services and destination-specific services, maintaining centralized control while achieving itinerary completeness.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer program products for managing non-standard data. A data management system stores profile records for non-standard providers in a DTN database, and elements defining an itinerary in an EDR database. The data management system queries the DTN database for profiles matching search criteria, and generates a service request for one of the matching profiles. The service request is stored in an extended data structure of an extended data record in the EDR database. The extended data record includes a standard data structure for storing standard elements and the extended data structure for storing non-standard elements. The service request is also transmitted to non-standard provider systems. Service offers from the non-standard provider systems are stored in the extended data structure. The system thereby manages an itinerary that includes non-standard services defined by the non-standard elements and standard services defined by the standard elements using the extended data record.