Graphical User Interface for Travel Planning System

Abstract

A user interface for presenting travel itineraries to a user includes a first field to render a representation of a first segment of the itinerary including a location of departure and a location of arrival for the first segment, and a second field to render a text-based alert that includes notification information of the first segment of the itinerary, wherein the text-based alert is emphasized to bring the text-based alert to the attention of the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A user interface for presenting an itinerary to user, the user interface comprising:
 a first field to render a representation of a first segment of the itinerary including a location of departure and a location of arrival for the first segment; and   a second field to render a text-based alert that includes notification information of the first segment of the itinerary, wherein the text-based alert is emphasized to bring the text-based alert to the attention of the user.   
     
     
         2 . The user interface of  claim 1  wherein the text-based alert is emphasized by at least one of italics, font size, font type, bold face font, print color, and background color. 
     
     
         3 . The user interface of  claim 11  wherein the text-based alert is a positive alert and the text-based alert is emphasized in a pleasant way. 
     
     
         4 . The user interface of  claim 1  wherein the text-based alert is a negative alert and the text-based alert is emphasized in an agitating way. 
     
     
         5 . The user interface of  claim 4  wherein the first segment is a layover segment and the text-based alert is selected from a group that includes notification of a short duration layover and a long duration layover. 
     
     
         6 . The user interface of  claim 4  wherein the first segment is a travel segment and the text-based alert is selected from a group that includes notification of a non-refundable travel fare, fees for changing the travel segment, overnight travel, and unknown seat availability. 
     
     
         7 . An article comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium which stores machine-executable instructions for generating a user interface for presenting a travel itinerary to a user, the instructions operable to cause a machine to generate a user interface comprising:
 a first field that renders a representation of a first segment of the itinerary, including a location of departure and a location of arrival for the first segment; and   a second field that renders a text-based alert that includes notification information of   the first segment of the itinerary, wherein the text-based alert is emphasized to bring the text-based alert to the attention of the user.   
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7  wherein the text-based alert is emphasized by at least one of italics, font size, font type, bold face font, print color, and background color. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 7  wherein the text-based alert is a positive alert and the text-based alert is emphasized in a pleasant way. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 7  wherein the text-based alert is a negative alert and the text-based alert is emphasized in an agitating way. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 10  wherein the first segment is a layover segment and the text-based alert is selected from a group that includes notification of a short duration layover and a long duration layover. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 10  wherein the first segment is a travel segment and the text-based alert is selected from a group that includes notification of a non-refundable travel fare, fees for changing the travel segment, overnight travel, and unknown seat availability. 
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method of rendering a user interface for presenting travel itineraries to a user, comprising:
 providing, using at least one computer processor, instructions to render an itinerary region for displaying travel itineraries, each travel itinerary having a corresponding value for a first travel criterion, the travel itineraries being grouped into a first set of categories based on a value of the first travel criterion;   providing, using at least one computer processor, instructions to render a first field in the itinerary region to render a representation of a first segment of an itinerary including a location of departure and a location of arrival for the first segment; and   providing, using at least one computer processor, instructions to render a second field in the itinerary region to render a text-based alert that includes notification information of the first segment of the itinerary, wherein the text-based alert is emphasized to bring the text-based alert to the attention of the user.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 providing, using at least one computer processor, instructions to render a filter region including a plurality of cells, each cell associated with one of the first set of categories, the plurality of cells being controls that when a user selects one of the plurality of cells, the itinerary region displays only travel itineraries in the one of the first set of categories associated with the selected cell.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 providing, using at least one computer processor, instructions to render a text-based alert that is emphasized by at least one of italics, font size, font type, bold face font, print color, and background color.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 providing, using at least one computer processor, instructions to render the text-based alert as a positive alert emphasized in a pleasant way.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 providing, using at least one computer processor, instructions to render the text-based alert as a negative alert emphasized in an agitating way.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 providing, using at least one computer processor, instructions to render the first segment as a layover segment and the text-based alert as an alert selected from a group that includes notification of a short duration layover and a long duration layover.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 providing, using at least one computer processor, instructions to render the first segment as a travel segment and the text-based alert as an alert selected from a group that includes notification of a non-refundable travel fare, fees for changing the travel segment, overnight travel, and unknown seat availability.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 providing, using at least one computer processor, instructions to render the first segment as a travel segment and the text-based alert as an alert selected from a group that includes notification of a non-refundable travel fare, fees for changing the travel segment, overnight travel, and unknown seat availability.