Method and apparatus for customer direct on-line reservation of rental vehicles

Abstract

A method of processing a reservation transaction between a customer and reservation-booking entity via a computer network inter-connecting a customer computer with an automated reservation transaction processor, the reservation transaction requiring submission of at least three different types of reservation data from the customer for successful completion thereof, each reservation data type having one of a plurality of different values, wherein each reservation data type value is dependent upon other reservation data type values, the method including presenting an initial page for data value entry for a plurality of reservation data types, accepting for partial data entry data values for less than all of said reservation data types, and determining, on the basis of the interdependence of the different data values for the different reservation data types, a list of acceptable data values for any un-entered reservation data types. Also, the processor provides the customer with a less than full page summary section on many of the reservation booking pages, the summary section including a list of submitted data values for the reservation transaction and an edit link associated with each listed data value that is selectable to initiate a revision of its associated data value. Further, the present invention supports promotional deep-linking, promotion reservation with notification upon customer violation of the promotion rules, and corporate account deep-linking.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of processing a reservation transaction between a customer and reservation-booking entity via a computer network connecting a customer computer with an automated reservation transaction processor, the reservation transaction requiring submission of at least three different types of reservation data from the customer for successful completion thereof, each reservation data type having one of a plurality of different values, wherein each reservation data type value is dependent upon other reservation data type values, the method comprising: 
 (a) displaying a page on the customer computer, the page including (1) a request that the customer submit values for at least two of the different data types, and (2) for each requested data value, a data submitter through which the customer can submit a data value to the automated reservation transaction processor;    (b) receiving data at the automated reservation transaction processor from the customer computer that corresponds to a submission of a data value for at least one of the data types;    (c) determining from the received data at least one data type, if any, that remains unsubmitted;    (d) if any unsubmitted data type is determined to remain, determining, on the basis of the interdependence of the different data values for the different reservation data types, a list of remaining acceptable values for the at least one unsubmitted reservation data type;    (e) displaying another page on the customer computer, the another page including (1) said at least one determined list of acceptable data submission values, and (2) for each said determined list, a data submitter for submitting at least one of said acceptable values to the automated reservation transaction processor; and    (f) repeating steps (b) through (e) as necessary until all required data types are successfully submitted to the automated reservation transaction processor, thereby completing the reservation.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of displaying another page includes selecting one from a plurality of pages, each of said another pages corresponding to at least the unsubmitted data type.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of selecting includes selecting corresponding also to the submitted values.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of displaying another page includes selecting one from a plurality of pages, each of said another pages corresponding to at least the submitted data values.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  where the step of displaying another page includes displaying the other page wherein the determined list includes unacceptable data submission values.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the another page includes a summary section that lists the received data value for each reservation data type, the summary section including an edit link for each listed data value, the edit link being selectable to request an edit page, the edit page being configured to accept a revision to the listed data value for the reservation data type corresponding to the selected edit link.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the reservation transaction is a rental vehicle reservation transaction.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the reservation data types comprise a reservation location, a reservation starting date, a reservation ending date, and a vehicle type.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the reservation data types further comprise the customer's age.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the displaying step includes displaying a page on the customer's computer, the page including a data submitter for submitting at least a partial data value for each of a reservation location, a reservation starting date, and a reservation ending date for transmission to the automated reservation transaction processor.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the receiving step includes receiving data from the customer computer, the data including a value for reservation starting time, a value for reservation ending time, and a partial value for reservation location.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the unsubmitted data type determining step comprises determining that the reservation location remains undetermined.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the remaining data entry option determining step includes determining, from a plurality of different reservation locations, at least one reservation location dependent upon the submitted partial location value.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the another page sending step includes sending the another page over the computer network to the customer computer for display thereon, the another page including (1) a list comprising each determined reservation location satisfying the submitted partial location value, and (2) for each determined reservation location, a link selectable by the customer to effect a submission of the reservation location to the automated reservation transaction processor.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 receiving a data value for vehicle type corresponding to a vehicle selection;  
 receiving a data value for reservation time;  
 determining a total cost for the reservation from a base rate for the vehicle selection and the received reservation time; and  
 displaying a page on the customer computer that identifies both the base rate and the total cost for the reservation transaction.  
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the another page displaying step includes displaying the another page wherein the another page further includes a selectable message tile for initiating an action in accordance therewith.  
     
     
         17 . A method of processing a reservation transaction between a customer and reservation-booking entity via a computer network inter-connecting a customer computer with an automated reservation transaction processor, the reservation transaction requiring submission of at least three different types of reservation data from the customer for successful completion thereof, each reservation data type having one of a plurality of different values, wherein each reservation data type value is dependent upon other reservation data type values, the method including presenting an initial page for data value entry for a plurality of reservation data types, accepting for partial data entry data values for less than all of said reservation data types, and determining, on the basis of the interdependence of the different data values for the different reservation data types, a list of acceptable data values for any un-entered reservation data types.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising presenting another page on said customer's computer, said another page including a summary section that lists the received data value for each reservation data type, the summary section including an edit link for each listed data value, the edit link being selectable to request an edit page, the edit page being configured to accept a revision to the listed data value for the reservation data type corresponding to the selected edit link.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said another page is presented regardless of whether data values have been entered for all reservation data types.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the reservation transaction is a rental vehicle reservation transaction and wherein the reservation data types comprise a reservation location, a reservation starting date, a reservation ending date, and a vehicle type.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the initial page presenting step includes displaying a data submitter for submitting at least a partial data value for each of a reservation location, a reservation starting date, and a reservation ending date for transmission to the automated reservation transaction processor.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the un-entered data type determining step comprises determining that the reservation location remains undetermined and wherein the list determining step includes determining, from a plurality of different reservation locations, at least one reservation location dependent upon the submitted partial location value.  
     
     
         23 . A method of processing a reservation transaction between a customer and a reservation-booking entity via a computer network connecting a customer computer with an automated reservation transaction processor, the reservation transaction requiring a plurality of customer-entered pieces of information that are necessary for successful completion thereof, the method comprising displaying a page on the customer's computer, the page being configured with: 
 (1) at least one field for the customer to submit a piece of necessary information, and    (2) a summary that includes (a) a list comprised of any pieces of said necessary information previously submitted by the customer and (b) at least one selectable edit link for requesting a data submitter for entering at least one revised data value for at least one piece of said necessary information.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising: 
 recognizing selection of said at least one edit link,  
 displaying on the customer computer a data submitter for receiving revised data values for a piece of necessary information,  
 receiving a revision to the piece of necessary information that corresponds to the selected edit link; and  
 updating the corresponding piece of necessary information.  
 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the method includes providing an edit link for each piece of necessary information on the list.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising locating each edit link adjacent its associated piece of necessary information.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the method further comprises providing a progress marker indicative of proportional successful entry of pieces of necessary information.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the reservation transaction is a vehicle rental reservation transaction, and wherein the pieces of necessary information comprise (1) temporal information for the reservation, (2) a rental location for the reservation, and (3) a vehicle type for the reservation.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the pieces of necessary information further comprise personal information about the customer.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising displaying said summary on less than a full page.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising permitting the rest of the page to be separately addressed and used for display of other information relating to the reservation.  
     
     
         32 . An apparatus for processing a reservation transaction between a customer and a reservation-booking entity via a computer network, the reservation transaction requiring a plurality of customer-submitted pieces of information that are necessary for successful completion thereof, the apparatus comprising: 
 a processor configured to create a page for display on a customer computer, the page having:    (1) at least one field for the customer to submit a piece of necessary information; and    (2) a summary that includes (a) a list comprised of any pieces of said necessary information previously submitted by the customer and (b) at least one selectable edit link for requesting a data submitter for entering at least one revised data value for at least one piece of said necessary information.    
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the processor is further configured to (1) recognize selection of said at least one edit link, (2) interact with the customer computer to display thereon a data submitter for receiving revised data values for a piece of necessary information, (3) receive a revision to the piece of necessary information that corresponds to the selected edit link, and (4) update the corresponding piece of necessary information.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the summary includes an edit link for each piece of necessary information on the list.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein each edit link is located adjacent its associated piece of necessary information.  
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the summary further comprises a progress marker indicative of proportional successful entry of pieces of necessary information.  
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the reservation transaction is a vehicle rental reservation transaction, and wherein the pieces of necessary information comprise (1) temporal information for the reservation, (2) a rental location for the reservation, and (3) a vehicle type for the reservation.  
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the pieces of necessary information further comprise personal information about the customer.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the summary comprises less than all of the page.  
     
     
         40 . A method of processing a reservation transaction between a customer and reservation-making entity via a reservation booking website accessed over a computer network that connects a customer computer with the website host, the reservation transaction having at least three different data types for which the customer must submit a data value to effect a completion thereof, the method comprising: 
 receiving data from the customer computer that is indicative of a selection of a promotional link, the promotional link having a promotion associated therewith, the promotion having at least one condition, the at least one condition corresponding to a particular promotional data value that one of the reservation data types must exhibit for the promotion to be valid;    creating a reservation transaction for the customer computer; and    deep-linking the customer computer into the reservation booking website such that, for the customer computer's reservation transaction, any of the data types that correspond to the at least one promotion condition are set equal to the particular promotional data value.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the reservation transaction is a vehicle rental reservation transaction, wherein one of the reservation data types is vehicle type, wherein the particular promotional data value for the at least one promotion condition is a particular vehicle type.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the reservation transaction is a vehicle rental reservation transaction, wherein one of the reservation data types is a reservation location, wherein the particular promotional data value for the at least one promotion condition is a particular reservation location.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the reservation transaction is a vehicle rental reservation transaction, wherein one of the reservation data types is customer age, wherein the particular promotional data value for the at least one promotion condition is a particular minimum customer age.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the reservation transaction is a vehicle rental reservation transaction, wherein one of the reservation data types is reservation starting date, wherein the particular promotional data value for the at least one promotion condition is a particular reservation starting date.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the reservation transaction is a vehicle rental reservation transaction, wherein one of the reservation data types is reservation ending date, wherein the particular promotional data value for the at least one promotion condition is a particular reservation ending date.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the reservation transaction is a vehicle rental reservation transaction, wherein the reservation data types comprise a reservation location, a reservation starting date, a reservation ending date, and a vehicle type, wherein the promotion has a plurality of conditions associated therewith, and wherein the deep-linking step comprises: 
 deep-linking the customer computer into the reservation booking website such that, for the customer computer's reservation transaction, each of the data types that correspond to the promotion conditions are set equal to their particular promotional data value.  
 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 40  further comprising: 
 determining whether a subsequent data submission received from the customer violates any promotion condition;  
 if a promotion condition violation is found, presenting the customer with an option to revise the data causing the violation.  
 
     
     
         48 . A method of processing a reservation transaction between a customer and reservation-making entity via a reservation booking website accessed over a computer network that connects a customer computer with a website host, the reservation transaction having at least three different data types for which the customer must submit a data value to effect a completion thereof, the website comprising a plurality of interactive pages through which the customer submits data values to the host, the method comprising: 
 receiving data from the customer computer that is indicative of a selection of a promotional link, the promotional link having a promotion associated therewith, the promotion having at least one condition that corresponds to a range of data values that one of the reservation data types must exhibit for the promotion to be valid;    creating a reservation transaction for the customer computer;    linking the customer computer to a page of the website;    receiving data from the customer computer that corresponds to a submission of a data value for a data type that corresponds to the at least one promotion condition;    identifying whether a violation of the at least one promotion condition exists by determining whether the submitted data value is within the condition's range of valid data values;    if a promotion condition violation is identified, linking the customer computer to another page of the website, the another page being configured to notify the customer of the promotion condition violation; and    permitting the customer to complete the reservation either within the promotion condition or outside the promotion condition.    
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the another page is further configured to allow the customer to submit a new data value for the data type corresponding to the violated promotion condition, the new data value being within the within the violated condition's range of valid data values.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the promotion has at least two conditions, one of the promotion conditions corresponding to a particular promotional data value that one of the reservation data types must exhibit for the promotion to be valid, and wherein the another page linking step comprises: 
 deep-linking the customer computer to the another page such that, for the customer computer's reservation transaction, the data type that corresponds to the promotion condition with the particular promotional data value is set equal to the particular promotional data value.  
 
     
     
         51 . A method of processing a reservation transaction between a customer and reservation-making entity via a reservation booking website accessed over a computer network that connects a customer computer with a website host, the reservation transaction having at least three different data types for which the customer must submit a data value to effect a completion thereof, the website comprising a plurality of interactive pages through which the customer submits data values to the host, the method comprising: 
 receiving data from the customer computer that is indicative of a selection of a promotional link, the promotional link having a promotion associated therewith, the promotion having at least one condition that corresponds to a range of required data values;    receiving data submitted from the customer computer corresponding to a reservation;    identifying whether a violation of the at least one promotion condition exists by determining whether at least one submitted data value is within the condition's range of valid data values;    if a promotion condition violation is identified, notifying the customer of the promotion condition violation; and    permitting the customer to continue with either the promotion or with a standard reservation outside the promotion.    
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising presenting an option to revise any data value determined to violate the valid promotion data values.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising performing the method in the order recited.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising completing the reservation of the promotion should no violation be identified  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising permitting the reservation to be completed outside of the promotion should a violation be identified.  
     
     
         56 . A method of processing a reservation transaction between a customer and reservation-making entity via a reservation booking website accessed over a computer network that connects a customer computer with the website host, the reservation transaction having at least three different data types for which the customer must submit a data value to effect a completion thereof, the method comprising: 
 receiving data from the customer computer that is indicative of a selection of a corporate account, the corporate account having a pricing rate associated therewith and further having at least one parameter associated therewith, the parameter defining at least one condition corresponding to a particular data value that one of the reservation data types must exhibit for the corporate account pricing rate to carry over to the reservation transaction;    creating a reservation transaction for the customer computer;    deep-linking the customer computer into the reservation booking website such that, for the customer computer's reservation transaction, any of the data types that correspond to the at least one parameter are set equal to the particular data value corresponding thereto; and    permitting the customer to complete the reservation as a corporate account reservation or outside the corporate account.    
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56  further comprising: 
 determining whether a subsequent data submission received from the customer violates any parameter;  
 if a parameter violation is found, presenting the customer with an option to revise the data causing the violation.  
 
     
     
         58 . A method of processing a reservation transaction between a customer and reservation-making entity via a reservation booking website accessed over a computer network that connects a customer computer with a website host, the reservation transaction having at least three different data types for which the customer must submit a data value to effect a completion thereof, the website comprising a plurality of interactive pages through which the customer submits data values to the host, the method comprising: 
 receiving data from the customer computer that is indicative of a selection of a corporate account, the corporate account having a pricing rate associated therewith and further having at least one parameter associated therewith, the parameter defining at least one condition corresponding to a range of acceptable data values that a data value of one of the reservation data types must exhibit for the corporate account pricing rate to carry over to the reservation transaction;    creating a reservation transaction for the customer computer;    linking the customer computer to a page of the website;    receiving data from the customer computer that corresponds to a submission of a data value for a data type that corresponds to the at least one parameter;    identifying whether a violation of the at least one parameter exists by determining whether the submitted data value is within the parameter's range of acceptable data values;    if a parameter violation is identified, linking the customer computer to another page of the website, the another page being configured to notify the customer of the parameter violation; and    permitting the customer to proceed either with a corporate account reservation or outside the corporate account parameters.    
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the another page is further configured to allow the customer to submit a new data value for the data type corresponding to the violated parameter, the new data value being within the within the violated parameter's range of acceptable data values.  
     
     
         60 . A system for processing a reservation transaction between a customer and a reservation-making entity via a computer network connecting a customer computer with an automated reservation transaction processor, the reservation transaction comprising a plurality of data values, the automatic reservation transaction processor being programmed to display any one of a plurality of display pages, said plurality of display pages being inter-connected in a network so that most of said display pages offer movement to any one of a plurality of further display pages, wherein said processor is configured to move from one display page to another in response to data values not yet received, and wherein at least some of said another displayed pages include at least partial data corresponding to data values not yet received.