Machine-Based Lodging Inventory Matching Across Disparate Providers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Consumers face difficulties in comparing and obtaining the best available rates for lodging due to varying room class descriptions across different reservation providers, making it challenging to ensure they get the lowest possible price, as existing computer systems are inadequate in properly matching room types across disparate providers.

Innovation Solution

A machine-based system that correlates room types across disparate reservation provider systems by accessing and grouping provider-formatted information sets with room definition sets, comparing prices, and outputting the lowest available price and description for each room class, while also updating information in real-time to accommodate changes in inventory and pricing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If lodging providers distribute reservation inventory to multiple reservation providers, then the ability to reach greater number of consumers is improved, but the difficulty in comparing room descriptions and rates across providers increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedistribution of reservation inventoryVSAvoidcomparing room descriptions and rates

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces a centralized computer system as an intermediary that receives inventory data from multiple reservation providers, standardizes the descriptions through correlation with master room definitions, and presents unified comparison data to consumers. This mediator resolves the inconsistency problem by translating disparate provider descriptions into a common framework.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of description standardization by correlating provider-specific room descriptions with master room definitions that use consistent terminology. This parameter transformation enables accurate comparison across providers by mapping varying descriptions to standardized categories.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If consumers manually compare room descriptions across multiple reservation providers, then the ability to find best rates is improved, but the time required for comparison increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of rate comparisonVSAvoidtime for manual comparison

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical manual comparison process with an automated computer-based correlation system. The computer automatically correlates provider descriptions with master definitions, enabling precise rate comparison without human intervention and significantly reducing comparison time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by automatically performing the correlation and comparison tasks that would otherwise require manual consumer effort. The automated system serves the consumer's need for accurate comparison while eliminating the time-consuming manual process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If reservation providers use their own naming conventions for room descriptions, then the flexibility in describing inventory is improved, but the consistency across providers deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenaming convention flexibilityVSAvoidconsistency of room descriptions

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the description standardization process into two parts: maintaining provider flexibility in their own descriptions while separately implementing correlation mapping to master definitions. This segmentation allows providers to continue using their naming conventions while the system translates them to standardized categories for consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The master room definitions serve as an intermediary layer between provider-specific descriptions and consumer-facing standardized descriptions. This mediator preserves provider flexibility in creating descriptions while ensuring consistency in how those descriptions are interpreted and compared.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11551290B2Systems and methods for machine-based matching of lodging inventory from disparate reservation provider systems

Publication Date: 2023.01.10 TRAVELPASS GROUP LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods for machine-based matching of lodging inventory from a plurality of disparate reservation provider systems address the difficulties inherent in comparing prices to obtain a lowest possible price, which difficulties are inherent in the distribution of inventory to multiple third-party reservation providers who are generally permitted to utilize their own naming conventions when describing lodging inventory and who are also free to at least some extent to set prices for the various lodging inventory within their control. The systems and methods match room types using information obtained from the multiple third-party reservation providers, whereby direct comparisons can be made between prices for the same room types even when the reservation providers do not utilize identical descriptions or naming conventions for the respective room inventories.