Patents by Inventor Brian Harniman

Brian Harniman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8306834
    Abstract: A customer whose conditional purchase offer (CPO) has been accepted may receive a bounce back offer from a vendor (supplier-partner) of other services or products. The bounce back process determines whether a supplier-partner can participate in a bounce back transaction. If a bounce back transaction is effectuated between the customer and supplier-partner, the partner notifies the principal of the transaction. In the case of automobile rentals, the bounce back process permits a traveler to recognize reduced automobile rental rates while enabling a rental agency to more effectively manage its excess capacity. The CPO management system employing bounce back capability can be utilized to acquire any underlying product and/or service and bounce back product and/or service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: priceline.com, Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian Harniman, Thomas M. Sparico, Hugh J. Crean, Christopher R. Lenz, Rambabu Vallabhajoyusulu
  • Patent number: 8095401
    Abstract: A customer whose conditional purchase offer (CPO) has been accepted may receive a bounce back offer from a vendor (supplier-partner) of other services or products. The bounce back process determines whether a supplier-partner can participate in a bounce back transaction. If a bounce back transaction is effectuated between the customer and supplier-partner, the partner notifies the principal of the transaction. In the case of automobile rentals, the bounce back process permits a traveler to recognize reduced automobile rental rates while enabling a rental agency to more effectively manage its excess capacity. The CPO management system employing bounce back capability can be utilized to acquire any underlying product and/or service and bounce back product and/or service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: priceline.com Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian Harniman, Thomas M. Sparico, Hugh J. Crean, Christopher R. Lenz, Rambabu Vallabhajoyusulu
  • Patent number: 7848940
    Abstract: A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system, including bounce back capability, provides for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to determine whether a principal (any seller, agent or operator of the CPO management system) is willing to accept a given CPO. A customer whose CPO has been accepted may receive a bounce back offer from a vendor (supplier-partner) of other services or products—e.g., an automobile rental. The bounce back process determines whether a supplier-partner can participate in a bounce back transaction. For example, in the case of an airline passenger in need of an automobile rental, the bounce back process determines whether an automobile rental company is located in the flight destination area and has excess capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Priceline.com Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian Harniman, Thomas M. Sparico, Hugh J. Crean, Christopher R. Lenz, Rambabu Vallabhajoyusulu