Intermediation Server for Travel Data Exchange

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems face challenges in efficiently managing data exchanges between discrete entities in the travel industry, such as airlines and travel agencies, due to differing mechanisms and formats, which complicates the provision of travel-related services like flight bookings and hotel reservations.

Innovation Solution

An intermediation server maintains and provides predefined data descriptions to client devices, facilitating communication with provider systems by converting data formats and managing computing-process flows, including API interactions, to ensure seamless data exchange and service implementation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If discrete entities exchange data according to standardized format, then data exchange compatibility is improved, but communication mechanism complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata exchange compatibilityVSAvoidcommunication mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediation server that acts as a mediator between client devices and provider systems. The server receives communications from client devices, determines the appropriate provider system based on the communication content, and routes the communication accordingly. This intermediary approach standardizes the communication mechanism at the server level while allowing flexible adaptation to different provider systems, thereby improving data exchange compatibility without increasing client device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If intermediation server manages data exchange, then service provision efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice provision efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions into the intermediation server, including communication reception, provider system identification, communication routing, and data format management. By merging these functions into a single centralized system, the patent improves service provision efficiency through coordinated management while containing system complexity within the server rather than distributing it across multiple components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The intermediation server autonomously determines which provider system should receive a given communication by analyzing the communication content and matching it with stored provider system characteristics. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual routing configuration or complex client-side logic, thereby improving service provision efficiency while keeping the system relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Manufacturing precision

If predefined data descriptions are provided to client device, then data exchange accuracy is improved, but information transmission volume increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata exchange accuracyVSAvoidinformation transmission volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent stores predefined data descriptions in advance at the intermediation server, associated with each provider system. When a communication is received, the server retrieves and provides the appropriate predefined data description to the client device, ensuring accurate data exchange. By preparing data descriptions in advance and caching them at the server, the system achieves high data exchange accuracy while minimizing the need for transmitting large volumes of data during actual communications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4202809A1Device, system and method controlling operation of a client device via an intermediation server
Publication Date: 2023.06.28 AMADEUS SAS
  • EP4202809A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4202809A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4202809A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A device, system and method controlling operation of a client device via an intermediation server are provided. The server maintains indications of predefined data descriptions, associated with respective provider systems, comprising a subset of given predefined data descriptions to be provided at a client device during implementation of a computing-process flow in conjunction with communicating with the respective provider systems. The server: provides, to the respective provider systems, a communication from the client device received in conjunction with implementing a given step of the computing-process flow; and receives, from a given provider system, a response to the communication. The server provides, to the client device: the response; and a predefined data description associated with the given provider system in the indications, the predefined data description provided at the client device in conjunction with the response causing the client device to implement the predefined data description, according to the computing-process flow.