Multi-Provider Search System for Travel Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data search systems in the online travel industry rely on a single search provider, leading to incomplete, delayed, or outdated search results due to limitations in data availability, increased search activity, and lack of real-time updates.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize multiple search providers to perform data searches, where an application server receives user requests, determines the appropriate search providers, sends search requests, merges results from various providers, and returns comprehensive and accurate search results to the user.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single search provider is used, then the system complexity is reduced, but the completeness and accuracy of search results deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the search function into multiple independent search providers, each responsible for specific data sources (e.g., different CRS systems, GDS, LCC databases). This segmentation allows the system to query multiple specialized providers simultaneously, improving result completeness while keeping each provider's complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines results from multiple search providers into a unified result set. The application server aggregates data from various providers (traditional CRS, GDS, LCC-specific providers) and presents a consolidated view to the user, thereby improving information completeness without requiring the user to interact with multiple separate systems.
2Ease of operation
If a single search provider is used, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of search results deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an application server as an intermediary that manages multiple search providers transparently. The user interacts with a single interface while the application server handles communication with multiple providers, selecting appropriate providers based on search parameters and merging results. This maintains ease of operation while improving reliability through multi-source verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes the parameter of search provider selection based on search criteria (e.g., selecting LCC-specific providers when low-cost carrier searches are detected, or choosing different CRS providers based on airline preferences). This adaptive parameter change improves result reliability without requiring users to manually configure complex provider settings.
3Loss of information
If multiple search providers are used, then the completeness of search results is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal application server that can interface with multiple types of search providers (CRS, GDS, LCC databases) through standardized protocols. This multi-functional architecture improves result completeness while managing complexity by providing a single point of control that handles diverse provider interfaces uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses template-based search request copying, where a standardized search request format is replicated and sent to multiple providers. This approach improves completeness by querying all relevant providers while reducing complexity through template reuse, avoiding the need to manually craft unique requests for each provider.
4Speed
If a single search provider is used, then the response time is faster, but the accuracy and up-to-date nature of results deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-identifying which search providers are relevant based on search parameters before executing queries. The application server analyzes the search request, determines appropriate providers (e.g., selecting specific CRS providers based on airline codes), and prepares queries in advance. This preliminary processing maintains fast response times while ensuring accurate provider selection for result precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous monitoring and updating from multiple search providers, ensuring that search results reflect the most current data. By maintaining continuous connections to multiple providers and updating results in real-time, the system achieves both fast response times and high accuracy through continuous data validation across multiple sources.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are provided for performing data searches in response to a user request. The system has an application server that is configured to receive user requests, to send search requests based on the user requests, and to communicate with a plurality of search provider systems. The search provider systems each have searchable data and are configured to receive the search requests from the application server and generate search results in response to the search request. A rules manager resides on the application server and is configured to identify a set of search provider systems to send the search request to based on the user request. The method includes the steps of: receiving a user request; determining a set of search providers based on the user request; sending a search request to the set of search providers; receiving search results from at least one of the search providers; merging the search results received from the set of search providers; and sending the merged search results to the user.