Intermediation Server for Travel Data Standardization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in efficiently managing the exchange of data between diverse entities in the travel industry, such as airlines and travel agencies, due to different mechanisms and formats used by provider systems, leading to complexity in initiating data exchanges and processing flows.
Innovation Solution
An intermediation server maintains indications of possible steps and predefined data descriptions associated with respective provider systems, facilitating communication between client devices and provider systems by converting data formats and providing appropriate steps and data fields for implementation, operating according to standards like NDC.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If provider systems use different data exchange mechanisms and formats, then each system can maintain its own operational standards, but the complexity of data exchange between diverse entities increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediation server that acts as a mediator between client devices and multiple provider systems. This server receives data from provider systems in their native formats, processes and standardizes it according to a common schema, and delivers it to client devices in a unified format. This intermediary approach allows provider systems to maintain their independent operational standards while eliminating the complexity of direct multi-format data exchange, as the intermediation server handles all format conversions and protocol reconciliations centrally.
2Device complexity
If standardized data formats are implemented across all entities, then data exchange complexity is reduced, but the ability of individual entities to use their own mechanisms is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data exchange architecture into distinct layers: the provider system layer that maintains independent mechanisms and formats, the intermediation server layer that handles standardization and conversion, and the client device layer that receives unified standardized data. This segmentation allows each layer to operate independently with its own standards while the intermediation server ensures seamless integration, thus reducing overall complexity without limiting the adaptability of individual entities.
3Reliability
If each entity implements its own data exchange mechanism, then operational autonomy is maintained, but the ease of operation for clients communicating with multiple providers decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediation server implements universality by providing a single point of contact for client devices that can communicate with multiple diverse provider systems. The server is designed to handle various data formats, protocols, and exchange mechanisms from different providers through a unified interface, allowing clients to interact with multiple providers using a single standardized client implementation, thereby greatly improving ease of operation while maintaining provider autonomy.
Data Source
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.