Apparatus and method for an Internet based computer reservation booking system
The present invention is a software product that provides merchants that sell time-slot inventories tools to capitalize on the Internet revolution. The present invention enables the creation of web-sites for merchants with a built-in web-based reservation booking system. This offers customers the on-line benefits of access, selection and immediacy in making real-time reservation/appointments over the Internet. The software product also simplifies the merchant's booking process by providing a central web-based reservation/appointment management system that can be used for all bookings, regardless if made by telephone, by a walk-in customer, or by a customer via the Internet. The software product also provides the merchant with a powerful direct marketing tool. As a merchant uses the software product, user-customer profiles and demographics are captured in the database module, thus creating (in Web jargon) a “community” of customers specific to the merchant. The merchant is thus empowered, using the mail module, to directly communicate with its customer base, using customer profiles and demographics to create a highly targeted and effective marketing and promotional ad campaign. The software product also allows the merchant to auction off time-slot inventory over the Internet. Lastly, the software product enables the creation of Web “super-communities” consisting of the aggregate of all the individual merchant's customer-communities using the software product.
This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC §119(e) of provisional application No. 60/083,651, filed Apr. 30, 1998 entitled “Apparatus and Method for a Computer Reservation System that is Accessible Over the Internet”, hereby incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to computer software, and more particularly, to an Internet based computer reservation system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSince the introduction of web browsers by companies such as Netscape Communications, a division of America On-line and Microsoft Corporation, the Internet has seen an explosion of activity. Businesses, both big and small, are creating web sites to obtain wide exposure, to inform the public of their goods and services, and to conduct Internet commerce. Web sites that are in current use by businesses are of varying sophistication.
The least sophisticated type of web site used by merchants are those that simply present information. These web sites typically display information about the merchant's organization, contact information, and goods or services. These web sites are not interactive and do not permit two-way communication. A person accessing the web site therefore can not provide the merchant information necessary for commerce, such as a product selection, name, ID, credit card number, etc., over the Internet. Accordingly, these types of web sites are not conducive for Internet commerce and are of limited value.
More sophisticated web sites useful for conducting business over the Internet generally provide for two-way communication. These web sites typically include web page(s) to display a merchant's goods and/or services for sale, and pages for allowing a person viewing the web site to make a purchase over the Internet. For example, a web site for a bed and breakfast inn may include photographs and information about the inn. A user accessing the web site may make a room reservation at the inn by selecting a room and a date for the reservation using either pull down menus or typing such information into predetermined fields included on the web site. The information is then emailed to the computer maintaining the web site. The problem with this type of web site is that it is typically a “stand-alone” piece of software, not linked or integral to other computer systems or software the merchant may use in the ordinary course of business. The merchant is therefore required to take the reservation information (name, date, party size, rate, etc.) received by email, and manually enter it into the reservation system ordinarily used by the inn. The merchant is then required to confirm the reservation with the customer by either a return email, by facsimile, or by telephone. The customer does not receive a real-time confirmation. This method is therefore inefficient, cumbersome, and prone to error and leaves the Internet user with an “incomplete” web experience.
The most sophisticated web sites used for Internet commerce typically include databases and are highly interactive. These web sites permit users to perform on-line searching, enter queries, make purchases, and access database information over the Internet. See for example the web sites for Amazon.com (www.amazon.com), and United Airlines (www.ual.com). The problem with these web sites is that they need to be custom created by software experts with a high degree of skill and expertise. These web sites are therefore very expensive and time consuming to create and are well beyond the means of most merchants hoping to conduct business over the Internet.
The vast majority of service oriented businesses that sell an inventory of time-slots (e.g. restaurants, golf courses, bed and breakfast inns, spas, etc.) still use “pencil and paper” systems to keep track of their reservations/appointments. Unlike eCommerce retailers selling goods over the Internet, these merchants have yet to participate in the Internet revolution. An easy to use, flexible, customizable Internet based reservation software package that enables such merchants to capitalize on the Internet revolution is therefore needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is a software product and system that provides merchants that sell time-slot inventories tools to capitalize on the Internet revolution. The present invention enables the creation of web-sites for merchants with a built-in web-based reservation booking system. This offers customers the on-line benefits of access, selection and immediacy in making real-time reservation/appointments over the Internet. The software product also simplifies the merchant's booking process by providing a central web-based reservation/appointment management system that can be used for all bookings, regardless if made by telephone, by a walk-in customer, or by a customer via the Internet. The software product also provides the merchant with a powerful direct marketing tool. As a merchant uses the software product, user-customer profiles and demographics are captured in the database module, thus creating (in Web jargon) a “community” of customers specific to the merchant. The merchant is thus empowered, using the mail module, to directly communicate with its customer base, using customer profiles and demographics to create a highly targeted and effective marketing and promotion campaign. The software product also allows the merchant to auction off time-slot inventory over the Internet and to offer incentives to repeat customers, again resulting in increased revenue for the merchant. Lastly, the software product enables the creation of Web “super-communities” consisting of the aggregate of all the individual merchant's customer-communities using the software product.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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- Web Helper Module 52: This module includes a set of templates and icons that will enable the creation of semi-custom web pages. The templates and icons permit a user to easily create a web site. To create a web site, one or more of the templates included in the module is selected. The selected templates are semi-customized for a target application (e.g., restaurants, golf courses, movie houses, etc.) by selecting and dragging icons from a library of icons to locations on the templates and by entering text and graphics onto the templates. The web helper module 52 also includes other tools that allow the user to create browser-friendly, high-content, interactive, multi-media web sites. For example, the web helper module 52 includes features to include clip-art, photographs, video clips, sound bites, etc. In one embodiment, the web helper module 52 is developed using one or more of the following tools: Front Page Express from Microsoft, Claris Home Page, Adobe GO Live, Adobe Photo Shop, Adobe Image Ready, Microsoft Development Studio. These tools enable the creation of dynamic hypertext web pages that are semi-customized for merchants in a selected vertical market.
- Security Module 54: The software module 54 provides for two types of security, including encryption to protect information sent over the Internet 18, such as user names, credit card numbers, phone numbers, and other personal or confidential information. The security module also includes protection to prevent information in the database module 56 from being stolen or corrupted by persons accessing the server 12 over the Internet 18. Any one of a number of known security techniques may be used. In alternative embodiments, the built-in encryption and password protection features standard on most commercially available servers can be used to prevent unauthorized access to the server 12 and database module 56. A Security Socket Layer (SSL) as offered by many credit card vendors (MasterCard, Visa, etc.) can be used to protect Internet transactions involving sensitive Internet user information, such as credit card numbers, etc.
- The Database Module 56: The database module 56 includes a relational database and search engine. The records, fields, search queries and other features of the database can be fully customizable for any application or semi-customized for a specific application. In alternative embodiments, the database module can be created using Microsoft's Active Server Page technology, SQL server technology, Database Artisan Software, or database products from Oracle Corporation, Redwood Shores, Calif. for example. The details of the database 56 hierarchy and structure are described in greater detail below with regard to
FIG. 25 . - The Mail Module 58: The mail module 58 includes a feature that enables emails to be sent to selected users from the server 12. The emails can be manually sent by a person operating the server 12, they can be automatically generated by the server 12, or they can be generated remotely from a computer 16 and then sent to other computers 16 by the server 12. The email module may be configured to automatically query the database module 56 and send email messages to parties entered into the database module. For example, the mail module may generate emails to selected parties as a reminder of a reservation, or to send messages to customers, or to send advertisements to customers.
- Standard APIs 60: The software product 50 includes standard APIs 60, so data and other information can be exchanged with other software systems.
The software product 50 creates and provides a number of compelling advantages for a merchant selling time-slot inventory and seeking to conduct business over the Internet. It enables the creation of web-sites for merchants with a built-in web-based reservation booking system. This offers customers the on-line benefits of access, selection and immediacy in making real-time reservation/appointments (hereafter generically referred to as “bookings”) over the Internet. The software product 50 also simplifies the merchant's booking process by providing a central web-based reservation/appointment management system that can be used for all bookings, regardless if made by telephone, by a walk-in customer, or by a customer via the Internet 18. The software product 50 also provides the merchant with a powerful direct marketing tool. As a merchant uses the software product 50, user-customer profiles and demographics are captured in the database module 56, thus creating (in Web jargon) a “community” of customers specific to the merchant. The merchant is thus empowered, using the mail module 58, to directly communicate with its customer base, using customer profiles and demographics to create a highly targeted and effective marketing and promotional ad campaign. The software product 50 also allows a merchant to auction off time-slot inventory and to run Internet-based promotional incentives to generate repeat business with customers. Lastly, the software product 50 enables the creation of Web “super-communities” consisting of the aggregate of all the individual merchant's customer-communities using the software product 50. All of these features, beginning with the super-communities, are described in detail below.
Super Communities Referring to
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By way of example, the Applicants describe the present invention as it pertains to the restaurant industry. This description, however, should in no way be considered as limiting and the principles and features of the present invention could readily be used, with obvious modifications, for any industry where advanced bookings by customers is commonplace, including but not limited to the golf, bed and breakfast, salon, spa, cinema, sports, performing arts, medical industries, etc.
Internet Bookings Referring to
The web page 110 of
The restaurant home page 110 also includes a link 126, labeled “Restaurant Sign-Up” which provides a link to a page that allows a restaurant to become a member of the restaurant super-community 72. See
The restaurant sign up web page (
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The search results 140 provides a wealth of pertinent information that the Internet user can access at a glance or by selecting any of the hot links 142, 148 and 150. Not only can the user learn of the type of cuisine or the relative cost of an establishment, they can learn what other patrons think of the restaurant. For example, by selecting a hot link 150 associated with one of the listed restaurants 142, a user can review recommendations from other patrons that have dined at the establishment. As a proprietor of a restaurant will understand, word of mouth recommendations are generally the best form of advertising. The hot link 150 thus provides an Internet forum where users can voice their recommendations to a vast audience of Internet users. This aspect of the software product 50 may therefore be extremely beneficial to a merchant participating in the restaurant super-community 72 because it helps “spread the word” that a particular restaurant is worthy of an Internet user's patronage.
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The web page 170 also includes hot links 177 which enables an Internet user to make a reservation at the Grandview Restaurant over the Internet. Referring to
The web page 170 of
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The aforementioned description of the software product 50 provides Internet users with a number of benefits. It empowers Internet users to easily search and find merchants in a selected vertical market and it provides such users with 24/7 access to making reservations, not just when the merchant is open. It provides users with a wealth of on-line information about each merchant participating in the super-community. It also provides immediacy in allowing users to see both the available and not available time-slots at a glance and immediate “delivery” in the form of an instantaneous confirmation of a reservation. Since the process is automated, it also eliminates many of the “hassles” of making reservations, such as calling a restaurant and being placed on hold, lost reservations, etc.
Merchant MaintenanceThe software product 50 also provides numerous benefits to merchants participating in the super-community. The software product 50 naturally creates a community of the merchants' Internet user-customers, allowing the merchant to simply and cost-effectively increase revenues by: (i) increasing its customer traffic through email-based direct marketing to a community of Internet user-customers; (ii) providing a wide-reaching electronic forum for customers to receive information about the merchant and “word-of-mouth” endorsements via the community of participating Internet user-customers; and (iii) gain wide exposure and attract new customers through the super-community which attracts a large number of Internet users having an interest aligned with the vertical market of the merchant. In addition, the software product 50 automates and simplifies the merchant's bookkeeping and reservation/appointment tracking system and provides valuable traffic statistics and user demographics that can be used by the merchant to optimize business results. These features and advantages of the software product 50 are described in detail below with regard to the restaurant super-community 72. Of course these same features and advantages are also available to merchants in the aforementioned other vertical communities.
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The software product 50 accommodates all the possible ways a customer can make a reservation at the merchant's establishment. As previously described, the software product 50 enables an Internet user to make a reservation at the merchant's place of business over the Internet. When such a reservation is made, the selected time-slot 332 in the spreadsheet 324 is automatically updated with the customer's name to reserve that time-slot. When an Internet user makes a reservation for a table on a particular day and at a selected time, the user information is written to records associated with the time-slot in the database 76 affiliated with the merchant. The Internet user's name thus appears in the time-slot 332 in the spreadsheet 324 for the day of the reservation. In addition, the software product 50 also allows the merchant to enter reservations into the spreadsheet 324 to accommodate customers making reservations in more traditional ways, such as by telephone or by walking into the establishment. For example, when a customer calls looking for a reservation, the merchant will navigate the various web pages of the software product to get to the web page 320 which displays the reservation spreadsheet 324 for the date the reservation is desired. Then once the customer has decided to accept a reservation at an available time-slot 332, the merchant selects that desired time-slot 332.
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The software product 50 also allows a merchant to update the software product 50 when a party with a reservation arrives at the restaurant. When this occurs, the merchant is required to find the Party's reservation, either visually on the spreadsheet 324 or using the data entry field 334 of
The software product 50 also allows a merchant to modify or cancel a reservation after it has been made. For example, if Mr. Spielberg called ahead of time and requested to change his reservation at the designated time, the merchant would visually search and find the time-slot 332 reserved in his name on the spreadsheet 324. In the alternative, “Spielberg” could be entered into data entry field 334 to automatically locate the time-slot 332 reserved by Mr. Spielberg. In either way, the merchant would then select the reserved time-slot 332 and cut and paste it to another available time-slot 332 on the spreadsheet 324 for the same day or another day. The cut and paste operation causes the user information stored in the original records in the database 76 to be cut and moved to a second set of records corresponding to the second time-slot 332. In an alternative embodiment, the merchant can select the time-slot 332 causing the window 360 of
As previously noted, web page 300 of
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As previously discussed, the software product 50 of the present invention enables the creation of web “super-communities” made up of the aggregate of the individual merchants in a given vertical market. A description of how the super-community concept is implemented in two exemplary embodiments is described below.
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A user 502 seeking to book a reservation at one of the merchants 76 can do so as described in relation to
Similarly, a merchant 76 can access their Maintenance Center (hot link 132 of
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In the case of an Internet user, a search query is typically submitted to identify one or more merchants in the vertical community (box 812). The user can then view the web sites for the merchants (box 814) meeting the search criteria and make a booking request (box 816) at a selected merchant. The software product then displays to the user both available and not available time-slots during the time period defined by the user at the merchant's place of business (box 818). The user is then able to book a selected time-slot (box 820) which is automatically written in the merchant's database 76. The software product 50 sends an email confirmation to the user after the booking has been made (box 822) and subsequent reminder emails (box 824).
Merchants on the other hand are required to decide (decision diamond 830) whether they would like to perform direct marketing (box 832), update their web site (box 834), or manage their bookings. In the event the management of the bookings is selected (diamond 836), the merchant must elect if the booking transaction involves a change in a party's booking (box 838), the arrival of a party (box 840), or a booking for a walk-in or a telephone customer (box 842).
On-Line AuctionsThe software product 50 of the present invention also provides merchants with the ability to create on-line auctions for time-slot inventory. Under certain business conditions where the demand for time-slots is very strong, the merchant may wish to sell bookings to the highest bidder, rather than at the regular cost for the booking. For example, a hotel located near the stadium where a major sporting event is to occur, such as the Super Bowl, may wish to auction its room booking for the weekend of the big game. Given the high demand for conveniently located hotel rooms, there is a strong likelihood that the final bid for the room would be higher than the standard price for the room.
Referring to
The software product of the present invention provides numerous opportunities for Internet users, merchants, and the host of the “super-communities”. For Internet users, the present invention provides selection, speed and immediacy in making bookings at merchants affiliated with the super-community. It allows merchants to participate in the Internet revolution like never before, send direct marketing correspondence to customers, and automate their reservation booking process. And finally, the host of the super-community can enjoy numerous e-commerce benefits, such as selling advertising space, goods and other services to the members of the super-community. While the invention has been described in relationship to the embodiments shown in the accompanying figures, other alternatives, embodiments and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the specification be only exemplary, and that the true scope and spirit of the invention be indicated by the following claims.
Claims
1.-36. (canceled)
37. An apparatus comprising:
- a reservation booking database having a plurality of records, the plurality of records corresponding to a plurality of time-slots for tables at a restaurant;
- a web site module configured to create an Internet web site to enable an Internet user to book a table at the restaurant, the web site module further comprising: a time-slot display module configured to display one or more available time-slots corresponding to one or more tables at the restaurant's place of business; and a booking module configured to enable the Internet user to book one of the available time-slots in the reservation booking database; and
- a restaurant maintenance module configured to provide the restaurant access to the restaurant's table reservation booking database, the restaurant maintenance module further comprising:
- a table reservation management module configured to enable the restaurant to book time-slots in the reservation booking database to reserve tables at the restaurant for customers not making bookings over the Internet.
38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the time-slot display module of the web site module further comprises a time-slot search module configured to search and display the available time-slots for tables at the restaurant's place of business during a selected time period as defined by the Internet user.
39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the time-slot search module is further configured to search and display the available and not-available time slot-increments for tables accommodating a specific party size as defined by the Internet user.
40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the booking module of the web site module is further configured to require the Internet user to submit personal information over the Internet to book one of the available time-slots.
41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the personal information includes at least one of the following types of information: the Internet user's name; the Internet user's email address; the Internet user's mailing address; the Internet user's phone number; the Internet user's credit card information; and the Internet user's password.
42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the booking module of the web site module is further configured to write the personal information submitted by the Internet user into the reservation booking database of the restaurant, the personal information being written into the record in the restaurant's reservation booking database corresponding to the time-slot displayed by the time-slot display module and booked by the Internet user.
43. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the web site module further comprises a confirmation module configured to generate a confirmation message over the Internet to the Internet user to confirm the booking of the selected time-slot.
44. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the web site module further comprises a reminder module configured to send a reminder message over the Internet to the Internet user of the booked time-slot for the reserved table at the restaurant's place of business a predetermined time period prior to the date of the booking.
45. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the Internet web site further comprises a link element configured to link to a web page describing the restaurant.
46. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the table reservation management module is further configured to permit the restaurant to manage a substantial portion of its time-slot inventory for table bookings made by both Internet users through the Web site module or by non-Internet users.
47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the table reservation management module further comprises a restaurant display module configured to permit the restaurant to display the available and the booked time-slots for the tables at the restaurant's place of business during a selected time period.
48. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the web site module further comprises a first cancellation module configured to permit the Internet user to cancel over the Internet a previously booked timeslot for a table booked by the Internet user at the restaurant's place of business.
49. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the restaurant maintenance module further comprises a second cancellation module configured to permit the restaurant to cancel a previously booked time-slot for a table at the restaurant's place of business.
50. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the web site module is configured to reside at a central computing location coupled to the Internet.
51. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the restaurant maintenance module for the restaurant, including the reservation booking database and the table reservation management module, are configured to reside on a computer affiliated with the restaurant.
52. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the restaurant maintenance module for the restaurant, the reservation booking database and the table reservation management module, are further configured to reside at the central computing location and are accessible by the restaurant over the Internet.
53. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the web site module further comprising a web page module for the restaurant, the web page module configured to post information pertaining to the restaurant over the Internet.
54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the restaurant maintenance module further comprises an editing module configured to permit the selected restaurant to edit the restaurant's web page module.
55. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a table layout display module, the table layout display module further configured to display the layout of tables at the restaurant's place of business.
56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the table layout display module is further configured to display booked tables in a first display mode and open tables in a second display mode.
57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the first display mode is a first color and the second display mode is a second color.
58. A method comprising:
- providing a first restaurant a first reservation booking database having a plurality of records, the plurality of records corresponding to a plurality of time-slots for tables at the first restaurant
- providing a restaurant table reservation management module configured to enable the first restaurant to book time-slots in the first reservation booking database to reserve the tables at the first restaurant for customers not making bookings over the Internet;
- providing an Internet booking module configured to enable an Internet user to book an available one of the time-slots to reserve one of the tables at the first restaurant.
59. The method of claim 58, wherein providing the table reservation management module further comprises enabling the first restaurant to manage the time-slots for table bookings made by both Internet users and for customers not making reservations over the Internet.
60. The method of claim 58, wherein the providing the table reservation management module further comprises providing a restaurant display module configured to enable the first restaurant to display the available and the booked time-slots for the tables at the first restaurant's place of business during a selected time period.
61. The method of claim 60, wherein the providing the restaurant display module further comprises configuring the restaurant display module to display the bookings of time-slots for tables previously booked at the first restaurant by Internet users through the Internet booking module.
62. The method of claim 60, wherein the providing the restaurant display module further comprises configuring the restaurant display module to display the bookings of time-slots for tables previously booked for customers by the first restaurant through the reservation table management module.
63. The method of claim 60, wherein the displaying time-slots during the time period defined by the first restaurant further comprises configuring the displayed time-slots to correspond to records among the plurality of records in the first reservation booking database.
64. The method of claim 63, further comprising enabling the first restaurant to write customer information into the records.
65. The method of claim 64, further comprising enabling the Internet user to write customer information into the record through the Internet booking module.
66. The method of claim 63, further comprising configuring the record to include at least one of the following fields: a name field for storing the name of the customer; a mailing address field for storing the mailing address of the customer; an email address field for storing the email address of the customer; a phone number field for storing the phone number of the customer; a credit card field for storing the credit card information, of the customer; and a password field for storing the password information of the customer.
67. The method of claim 58, further comprising providing a cancellation module configured to permit the Internet user to cancel a previously booked time-slot for a table booked by the Internet user at the first restaurant's place of business.
68. The method of claim 58, further comprising providing a cancellation module configured to permit the first restaurant to cancel a previously booked time-slot for a table booked at the first restaurant's place of business.
69. The method of claim 58, further comprising providing a table layout display module configured to display the layout of tables at the first restaurant's place of business.
70. The method of claim 69, wherein the providing the table layout display module further comprises displaying booked tables in a first display mode and open tables in a second display mode.
71. The method of claim 69, wherein the first display mode is a first color and the second display mode is a second color.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 8, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 1, 2005
Inventors: James Rose (San Carlos, CA), Theodore Chen (Santa Clara, CA)
Application Number: 11/200,323