Abstract: A method of optimizing transmission of requests for updated content from external data sources includes: storing a data object containing initial content received from at least one of the external data sources and associated with an expiry time; storing a set of optimization parameters; obtaining an instruction to request updated content corresponding to the data object; in response to obtaining the instruction, determining, based on the optimization parameters and the expiry time, whether to request updated content from the external data sources; when the determination is affirmative, transmitting at least one update request to at least one of the external data sources based on the initial content and the optimization parameters; and in response to transmitting the at least one update request, receiving and storing respective sets of updated content from the external data sources.

Abstract: A device, system and method for providing ancillary objects from a cache and/or for providing categorized provider objects is provided. One or more servers receive a flight object representing a flight and search an ancillary object cache for predetermined ancillary objects associated with previous flights similar to the flight. When one or more of the predetermined ancillary objects, associated with at least one previous flight similar to the flight, are found at the ancillary object cache, a requesting device is provided with a response corresponding to the flight object and the one or more of the predetermined ancillary objects associated with the at least one previous flight similar to the flight. The flight objects and the ancillary objects may be assembled into provider objects which are provided to the requesting device. The provider objects may be categorized based on provider object categorization criteria associated with the requesting device.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at an intermediation server; from a requesting device; a request for one or more items provided by a provider system; generating, at the intermediation server, an intermediate reply comprising data indicative of the one or more items provided by the provider system; determining, at the intermediation server, whether the request is eligible for direct distribution; in response to determining that the request is eligible for direct distribution, generating, at the intermediation server, an adjusted reply by: communicating with a hosted offer management system to receive instructions for adjusting the intermediate reply, the hosted offer management system providing hosted provider object services for the provider system; and adjusting, at the intermediation server, the intermediate reply based on the instructions; and providing; from the intermediation server, to the requesting device, the adjusted reply in response to the request.

Abstract: A device, system and method for training machine learning models using messages associated with provider objects is provided. One or more computing devices: receives messages associated with provider objects representing items provided by provider systems, the messages having more than one format; stores harmonized objects corresponding to the messages, the harmonized objects generated using mappings of harmonized data of the harmonized objects to message data of the messages, the harmonized objects having common formats for a harmonized object type; extracts, from the harmonized objects, for a given machine learning model, given machine learning training data; generates, for the given machine learning model, using the given machine learning training data, at least one machine learning classifier; and provides the at least one machine learning classifier to the given machine learning model at one or more servers configured to implement the given machine learning model on received provider objects.

Abstract: A server: receives from at least one provider system, at least one provider object that includes provider object data representing at least one item provided by the provider system(s); generates an intermediation object, corresponding to the at least one provider object, including an intermediation object identifier that identifies the intermediation object and intermediation object data populated with at least a subset of the provider object data, the intermediation object and the intermediation object identifier omitting: the provider object data, and any provider object identifier in an original form; and provides the intermediation object, in place of the at least one provider object, to a client device that requested the at least one item, the intermediation object provided. The intermediation object identifier may enable the server to intermediate between the client device and the provider system(s) without storing the provider object and/or any provider object identifier.

Abstract: A device, system and method for providing provider objects from a cache is provided. Provider objects are received representing items provided by provider systems. The provider objects are categorized by reusability and/or context characteristics and stored as categorized. A request is received for one or more items provided by the one or more provider systems. A stored and categorized provider object is determined to meet criteria associated with the request, including one or more of a respective reusability and respective context characteristics of the provider object. In response to determining that the provider object, that meets the criteria, is estimated to be currently valid, a response corresponding to the provider object is provided.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of detecting price discrepancies over time and providing analysis messages comprises: retrieving a set of price results based on at least one parameter selected from a set of parameters; detecting a pattern in the set of price results; accessing and updating a pattern cause database for identifying at least one predetermined pattern cause based on the detected pattern; analyzing each predetermined pattern cause and associated corrective actions; and generating at least one analysis message containing: the at least predetermined pattern cause and the associated corrective actions.

Abstract: A method of searching for a product or service and presenting the results in a calendar type view; wherein the search is instigated in a request which includes a plurality of parameters, such as a city pair and/or a date, and one or more upsell criteria; the method comprising the steps of: determining via a computer search, results which meet at least one parameter and one or more upsell criteria to thereby determine a flight domain; progressively determining the flight domain via a computer to produce refined results; limiting the number of results in the flight domain based on the at least one parameter, one or more upsell criteria and first one of a plurality of abstraction levels to thereby obtain the refined results, which refined results have lowest prices; and presenting the refined results in a view such as a calendar matrix view.