Abstract: A client-server system for corporate travel planning, expense reporting and travel management that utilizes a corporate database server to enable accurate and timely pre-travel and post-travel decision making that is fed by a travel planning process and an expense reporting process, plus a SABRE data feed of all booked data and back office system data as well as a hand-off of exchange and void ticket information that comprises a Travel Planning module, a Travel Decision Maker module, and a Travel Expense Reporting module. The system uses a corporate database environment communicating with a real-time CRS data feed that enhances the Travel Planning module by offering the traveler live choices of air, car, and hotel availability based upon company travel policy as well as live access to current or company negotiated fares while also allowing the Travel Decision Maker module to make comparisons between booked information and actual current travel data.

Abstract: A device, system, method, and computer program product enable a traveler to generate customized travel information corresponding to a travel profile, and download the customized travel information to a portable data storage device for ease of viewing the information while traveling. A portable data storage device comprises an interface element and a data storage element. The interface element may be capable of interfacing with a travel information data provider to receive customized travel information, and capable of interfacing with a display device. The data storage element may be capable of storing the customized travel information received from the travel information data provider, and capable of storing an executable computer program. The interface element receives customized travel information from the travel information data provider in response to a traveler providing a travel profile.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product receive a first request document using a first format at an intermediate location in response to a request by a paper-based travel service provider to access an electronic ticket, convert the first request document to a second request document using a second format, and transmit the second request document to an electronic ticket database to thereby direct the electronic ticket database to access the electronic ticket in response to the second request document. In one embodiment, the first format is XML and the second format is EDIFACT. The system, method, and computer program product of the present invention thereby allow a paper-based travel service provider to access an electronic ticket through an Internet application interfacing with another travel service provider's electronic ticketing system.

Abstract: The methods and systems for coordinating the travel itineraries of multiple travelers, who are leaving from more than one origin location, but are arriving at the same destination location, provide automated techniques for determining which itineraries for each traveler best meets the specified criteria for the trip. For example, a travel organizer may specify certain travel criteria for a trip, such as the relative importance of the travel schedules versus the price. A set of suggested travel itineraries that most closely meet the specified criteria are then provided, in addition to the amount of time between when any two travelers arrive at and/or leave from the destination location, and the price. Furthermore, the travel coordination techniques provide flexibility by allowing replacement of one or more of the suggested itineraries with other possible itineraries and recalculation of the time amounts and the price(s).

Abstract: Methods and systems for routing and scheduling maintenance for aircraft. An aircraft routing and maintenance scheduling system generates an aircraft routing proposal based on information describing a possible flight of an aircraft and a maintenance scheduling proposal that corresponds to the aircraft based on information describing a possible maintenance schedule of the aircraft. The system determines a proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment based on the aircraft routing proposal and maintenance scheduling proposal. Thereafter, the system produces a flight assignment plan and maintenance scheduling plan using the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment when the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment meet a decision criterion describing requirements for aircraft routing and maintenance scheduling.

Abstract: Systems predict the availability of travel resources and select an appropriate data source for obtaining travel resource inventory availability information by analyzing historical travel resource availability data. Such systems receive customer travel requests and determine candidate itineraries. The candidate itineraries are used to determine the probability that the candidate itineraries will remain available for certain periods of time based on historical availability information and fare rules. Such systems increase the reliability of booking travel itineraries by determining when it is necessary to obtain updated availability information. The systems make this determination by looking up candidate itineraries in a situation table calculated from historical availability information.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for creating or presenting marketing initiatives in a sales manager system. A user inputs offer parameters for a new initiative. The offer parameters includes an initiative time period and an initiative description. After the parameters have been entered, customer selection criteria is associated with those parameters. The effectiveness of the new initiative is determined using stored statistics associated with past initiatives, after which, the new initiative is complete and is stored in a database.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for assigning at least one task to at least one shift. Typically, the method begins by receiving task assignment data, where the task assignment data includes at least one task, at least one shift and at least one priority associated with the at least one task. After receiving the task assignment data, at least one set of task/shift assignments is generated based upon the task assignment data, where each set of task/shift assignments has an associated solution value. After generating the task/shift assignments, an optimum set of task/shift assignments is selected based upon the generated sets of task/shift assignments and a quantitative measure of quality associated with the optimum set of shift schedules, where the quantitative measure of quality is based upon a threshold value and a solution value associated with the optimum set of task/shift assignments.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for generating at least one shift schedule. A method of generating at least one shift schedule includes receiving scheduling data. Then, a plurality of candidate shift schedules can be generated based upon the scheduling data. Thereafter, an optimum set of shift schedules can be selected based upon the plurality of candidate shift schedules and a quantitative measure of quality associated with the optimum set of shift schedules. The quantitative measure of quality is based upon a threshold cost and a cost associated with the optimum set of shift schedules. The method can also include processing the candidate shift schedules in accordance with one or more business rules. In such instances, the optimum set of shift schedules can be selected based upon the processed candidate shift schedules and the quantitative measure of quality.

Abstract: A system and method are provided that receive a purchase request from a user that includes purchase profile information. The request is collected along with information provided from one or more suppliers and seller merchandising rules to generate one or more purchase options that matches some of the purchase profile information and marketing objectives of the seller and/or its business partner(s). Further, the system and method may monitor selling and buying activities associated with a type of purchase option provided by the seller. Based on the monitoring, merchandising rules are adjusted that affect how purchase offers are generated and provided to a requesting user. Accordingly, new purchase offers are generated based on the adjustments and facilitate, for example, the seller or its partners meeting its marketing objectives.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for providing information relating to a plurality of packages of components, such as travel components, are provided. Typically, a plurality of candidate packages are dynamically generated in response to and in compliance with a request, such as from a consumer. To increase the options from which a consumer selects, the candidate packages that are selected, such as for display to a customer, may be evaluated based upon a diversity criteria relating to the variety of components included within the candidate packages that have been selected. Several different subsets of the candidate packages may be selected based upon an evaluation of the candidate packages in accordance with different respective value measures, such as price, relationship to the request and upgrade status.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a process is provided for interfacing a legacy application and internet-based application and for displaying information from each application in a frame of a multi-frame browser on a client workstation. Further, the interface system enables users to transact business with the legacy application based on information retrieved from the internet-based application, and to retrieve information from the internet-based application based on information retrieved from the legacy application.

Abstract: A system, method, and article of manufacture for propagating data from a transaction processing facility (TPF) based computer to a relational database associated with a server computer and providing the propagated data to a variety of clients are presented. A TPF based computer includes TPF data, which is propagated to the server computer. The server computer is coupled to the TPF based computer. The server computer receives the propagated TPF data and generates a structured query language (SQL) statement reflecting the received TPF data. The relational database associated with the server computer is updated by using the generated SQL statement. The propagated data may be provided to a variety of clients.

Abstract: A method, system and computer for sharing customer information, such as travel-based information, among a plurality of electronic storage facilities are provided. The travel-based information may include at least one of a travel profile, current trip information, customer service incident information, customer contact log data, customer service suggestion information, and prior trip information associated with the traveler. The travel-based information stored by the various storage facilities is cross-referenced by an identifier that is associated with a respective traveler and is maintained by a master data store. By accessing the travel-based information cross-referenced by a respective identifier, a comprehensive view of the travel-based information associated with the traveler designated by the respective identifier may be provided.

Abstract: A method and system for providing price information, comprising receiving a request for price information associated with at least one item; obtaining from a database results responsive to the request; modifying at least one entry in the database results to reflect a more competitive price, when compared to another entry in the database results; and providing the database results to a consumer after completing the modifying step.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a process is provided for interfacing a legacy application and internet-based application and for displaying information from each application in a frame of a multi-frame browser on a client workstation. Further, the interface system enables users to transact business with the legacy application based on information retrieved from the internet-based application, and to retrieve information from the internet-based application based on information retrieved from the legacy application.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with certain principles related to the present invention enable a computing system to manage the delivery of web content based on historical site visit data and revenue optimization processes. In one aspect consistent with certain features related to the present invention, a publisher may provide ad campaigns that target various criteria. The publisher may be configured to allocate impressions of web content based on forecasted site visits and impressions for future months. The impression allocations may be adjusted based on overlapping targeting criteria between the campaigns and a prediction of whether a campaign may reach an impression goal before the expiration of the campaign's run period. The impression allocations are also adjusted by expected revenue from clicks and revenue per impression for different campaigns.

Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with certain aspects related to the invention provide product availability information to a requestor via a proxy computer. In one aspect, a proxy computer that acts on the behalf of a seller computer receives product inventory information and one or more inventory control rules provided by the seller computer. In response to an availability request provided by a user, the proxy computer may determine product availability information based on the product inventory information and the one or more inventory control rules. Further, the proxy computer may be configured to update at the product inventory information and/or one or more control rules based on a determination that the seller computer has updated the same information stored in a database.

Abstract: A method and system for providingprice information, comprising receiving a request for price information associated with at least one item; obtaining from a database results responsive to the request; modifying at least one entry in the database results to reflect a more competitive price, when compared to another entry in the database results; and providing the database results to a consumer after completing the modifying step.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention use a data processing system to aggregate information reflecting demand for an item based on input requests associated with the item, each request having been received from a remote user and including remote user identification information, provide the aggregated information to a plurality of suppliers, each capable of supplying the item, receives at least one proposed response from at least one of the suppliers, including a proposal for providing the item to the remote users, and provides the proposed response to the remote users based on the remote user identification information. Aggregated information is provided without the remote user identification information associated the requests.