Computer-implemented interface for bookings for transportation services

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of managing online bookings for transportation services inventory is provided. The computer-implemented method establishes a channel interface that provides bidirectional communication between at least one server computing device and a vendor computing device. Furthermore, the computer-implemented method stores, via a channel data structure, a channel record for each of a plurality of distribution channels. Additionally, the computer-implemented method receives, from the vendor computing device through the channel interface, a selection, from the plurality of distribution channels, of one or more participant channels for a transportation service. The computer-implemented method also establishes, via the channel data structure, one or more active channel records based upon the one or more participant channels for the transportation service. Furthermore, the computer-implemented method establishes, via the channel data structure, one or more inactive channel records based upon one or more non-participant channels for the transportation service.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of managing inventory allocations in a network environment, the computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:
 configuring at least one database to facilitate dynamic allocation of inventory items to respective distribution channels included in the network environment based, at least in part, on a supply and demand analysis associated with the respective distribution channels;   executing a communications protocol that causes sale data to be received by the at least one database via the network environment cyclically, in near real time, from the respective distribution channels and relating to sale of the inventory items allocated to the respective distribution channels;   executing a data storage function that causes the sale data from the respective distribution channels to be stored in the at least one database;   continuously tracking a performance indicator for each of the respective distribution channels, at least in part, by processing the sale data cyclically, the processing of the sale data including carrying out calculations related to the supply and demand analysis to obtain the performance indicator for each of the respective distribution channels;   querying whether the performance rating of each of the respective distribution channels is greater than a performance indicator of other distribution channels; and   based on the query, carrying out at least one of the following steps:
 adjusting a price of the inventory items allocated to each of the respective distribution channels in the network environment; and 
 reallocating the inventory items to or from said each of the respective distribution channels from or to the other distribution channels in the network environment. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one database is continuously updated to determine a redistribution pool for the inventory items, the redistribution pool including a first subset of the inventory items determined to be available for allocation to the respective distribution channels and excluding a second subset of inventory items determined to be unavailable for allocation to the respective distribution channels. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the first subset of inventory items included in the redistribution pool is reallocated among the respective distribution channels based, at least in part, on the query. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the price of the first subset of inventory items included in the redistribution pool is adjusted based, at least in part, on the query. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one database facilitates tracking of the inventory items in near real time and reallocating of the inventory items among the respective distribution channels. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing a channel interface that provides bidirectional communication between at least one server computing device and a vendor computing device;   storing, via a channel data structure, a channel record for each of the respective distribution channels in the at least one database;   receiving, from the vendor computing device through the channel interface, a selection, from the respective distribution channels, of one or more participant channels;   establishing, via the channel data structure, one or more active channel records based upon the one or more participant channels;   establishing, via the channel data structure, one or more inactive channel records based upon one or more non-participant channels for the transportation service; and   linking the one or more active channel records to the channel interface.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving the sale data in real time for the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface;   based at least on the sale data, determining the performance indicator in real time for each of the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface and selected from the respective distribution channels; and   for each of the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface, adjusting, via the channel interface, the price of inventory items by an adjustment factor if the performance indicator indicates a performance that fails to meet a performance threshold.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the inventory items correspond to online bookings for transportation services inventory. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the supply and demand analysis comprises determining whether or not a supply of the inventory items exceeds demand or vice versa per distribution channel. 
     
     
         10 . A system for managing inventory allocations in a network environment, the system comprising:
 means for configuring at least one database to facilitate dynamic allocation of inventory items to respective distribution channels included in the network environment based, at least in part, on a supply and demand analysis associated with the respective distribution channels;   means for executing a communications protocol that causes sale data to be received by the at least one database via the network environment cyclically, in near real time, from the respective distribution channels and relating to sale of the inventory items allocated to the respective distribution channels;   means for executing a data storage function that causes the sale data from the respective distribution channels to be stored in the at least one database;   means for continuously tracking a performance indicator for each of the respective distribution channels, at least in part, by processing the sale data cyclically, the processing of the sale data including carrying out calculations related to the supply and demand analysis to obtain the performance indicator for each of the respective distribution channels;   means for querying whether the performance rating of each of the respective distribution channels is greater than a performance indicator of other distribution channels; and   based on the query, carrying out at least one of the following steps:
 means for adjusting a price of the inventory items allocated to each of the respective distribution channels in the network environment; and 
 means for reallocating the inventory items to or from said each of the respective distribution channels from or to the other distribution channels in the network environment. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one database is continuously updated to determine a redistribution pool for the inventory items, the redistribution pool including a first subset of the inventory items determined to be available for allocation to the respective distribution channels and excluding a second subset of inventory items determined to be unavailable for allocation to the respective distribution channels. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first subset of inventory items included in the redistribution pool is reallocated among the respective distribution channels based, at least in part, on the query. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the price of the first subset of inventory items included in the redistribution pool is adjusted based, at least in part, on the query. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one database facilitates tracking of the inventory items in near real time and reallocating of the inventory items among the respective distribution channels. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 means for establishing a channel interface that provides bidirectional communication between at least one server computing device and a vendor computing device;   means for storing, via a channel data structure, a channel record for each of the respective distribution channels in the at least one database;   means for receiving, from the vendor computing device through the channel interface, a selection, from the respective distribution channels, of one or more participant channels;   means for establishing, via the channel data structure, one or more active channel records based upon the one or more participant channels;   means for establishing, via the channel data structure, one or more inactive channel records based upon one or more non-participant channels for the transportation service; and   means for linking the one or more active channel records to the channel interface.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 means for receiving the sale data in real time for the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface;   means for determining the performance indicator in real time for each of the one or more participant channels corresponding to the one or more active channel records linked to the channel interface and selected from the respective distribution channels; and   means for adjusting, via the channel interface, the price of inventory items by an adjustment factor if the performance indicator indicates a performance that fails to meet a performance threshold.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the inventory items correspond to online bookings for transportation services inventory. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the supply and demand analysis comprises determining whether or not a supply of the inventory items exceeds demand or vice versa per distribution channel. 
     
     
         19 . A system for managing inventory allocations in a network environment, the system comprising:
 at least one computing device configured to store a computer program instructions that cause the at least one at least one computing device to execute the following functions:
 configure at least one database to facilitate dynamic allocation of inventory items to respective distribution channels included in the network environment based, at least in part, on a supply and demand analysis associated with the respective distribution channels; 
 execute a communications protocol that causes sale data to be received by the at least one database via the network environment cyclically, in near real time, from the respective distribution channels and relating to sale of the inventory items allocated to the respective distribution channels; 
 execute a data storage function that causes the sale data from the respective distribution channels to be stored in the at least one database; 
 continuously track a performance indicator for each of the respective distribution channels, at least in part, by processing the sale data cyclically, the processing of the sale data including carrying out calculations related to the supply and demand analysis to obtain the performance indicator for each of the respective distribution channels; 
 query whether the performance rating of each of the respective distribution channels is greater than a performance indicator of other distribution channels; and 
   based on the query, carry out at least one of the following steps:
 adjusting a price of the inventory items allocated to each of the respective distribution channels in the network environment; and 
 reallocating the inventory items to or from said each of the respective distribution channels from or to the other distribution channels in the network environment.