DESC:TECHNICAL FIELD:
The present invention relates to the field of data processing. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and system for processing reservation amendment and fare refund request.

BACKGROUND:
In the last few decades so many cancellation request or amendment request processing terminals have been developed. It is conventional for the agent to look up the request and get fare rules that pertains to it, and read the rules to determine whether there can be a cancellation or exchange, and any associated refund. The fare rules can be very complicated and tedious, and interpreting them can be subjective. This can result in entailed clogging up of existing workflows and errors that can disadvantageously increase the cost and can also have a negative impact on customer satisfaction.

The prior art “JPH05233665A” discloses a device which receives the information of ticket as input, calculates the period between the date and time of use and revocation date and time, first reservation to determine whether it is possible to cancel. And, if possible, a reservation cancellation, cancellation fee total is calculated automatically according to a pre-manual stored in the storage unit. This will automate cancellation fee calculation of the reservation, also customer-operated devices can be realized, and the burden of the operator is reduced. However, still there are following challenges or error sources while handling the service calls in servicing and processing the refunds post amendments and cancellations.
• Amendments & Cancellations consist of 77% of the overall errors
• 66% of the overall errors are due to miscalculations of fare rules
• The high Average Handling Time (AHT) on the calls and Average Productive Time (APT) for refund transactions lead to dissatisfaction amongst the customers.
• Different rules both in structure and unstructured format which requires human interpretation resulting in errors.

Therefore, unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the afore-mentioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

SUMMARY:
The present invention discloses a method and system which has a capability to communicate with the GDS system and also capable to overcome the above mentioned problems. The method and system disclosed in the present invention selects configuration to parse the fare rules from the database (entered by the administrators for that GDS / Airline) and start parsing through the rules to get the charges.
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for processing a request for reservation amendment, the method comprising receiving the request for reservation amendment from a user for fare refund, said request comprising atleast PNR details, authenticating said request for reservation amendment and storing the authenticated request in a database, fetching atleast the PNR details from database for determining atleast ticket details and fare rules for said authenticated request, and parsing the fare rules based upon one or more configurations selected from the database for determining the fare refund amount, wherein said one or more configurations determine order for parsing fare rules.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method wherein the request for reservation amendment is selected from a group comprising a) reservation cancellation request; b) reservation fare refund request; c) reservation change request.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method wherein the ticket details comprise any one or more of airline code, class of service, origin/destination airports.
Further another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method wherein said one or more configurations includes a set of standards for parsing said fare rules.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method further comprising applying the determined fare refund amount to process the reservation amendment request.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system for processing a request for reservation amendment, the system comprising a centre application server configured to receive the request for reservation amendment from a user for fare refund, said request for reservation amendment comprising atleast PNR details, an active directory server operationally coupled to the central application server and configured to authenticate the request for reservation amendment and store the request for reservation amendment in a database, a global distribution server operationally coupled to the central application server and the database and configured to fetch the request from the database, obtain atleast the PNR details from said request for reservation amendment, determine atleast ticket details and fare rules based on the PNR details, and communicate the fare rules and ticket details to the centre application server, wherein the centre application server is configured to parse the fare rules based upon one or more configurations selected from the database to determine the fare refund amount, wherein the configurations determine order for parsing fare rules.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein the request for reservation amendment is selected from a group comprising a) reservation cancellation request; b) reservation fare refund request; c) reservation change request.
Further another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein the ticket details comprising any one or more of airline code, class of service, origin/destination airports.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein said one or more configurations includes a set of standards for parsing said fare rules.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein the centre application server is further configured to apply the determined fare refund amount to process the request for reservation amendment.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system comprising a centre application server comprises a communication unit configured to receive a request for reservation amendment from a user for fare refund, and a parsing unit coupled to the communication unit, and a memory coupled to the parsing unit, an active directory server operationally coupled to the central application server and configured to authenticate the request for reservation amendment and store the request for reservation amendment in a database, a global distribution server operationally coupled to the central application server and the database and configured to fetch the request from the database, obtain atleast PNR details from said request for reservation amendment, determine atleast ticket details and fare rules based on the PNR details, and communicate the fare rules and ticket details to the centre application server, wherein the parsing unit is configured to parse the fare rules based upon one or more configurations selected from the database to determine the fare refund amount, wherein said one or more configurations determine order for parsing fare rules.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein the parsing unit further comprises NLP engine configured to parse the fare rules.
Further another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein the centre application server is further configured to select among multiple fare refund amounts determined.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein the global distribution server reconfigures the fare rules based on alert raised by the centre application server.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to the Self learning capability of the system that allows it to provide an alert in situations where its core NLP engine fails to parse exceptional rules across airlines. Post re configuration system is ready to parse similar exceptional rules in future.
The immediate objectives achieved through this system are:
• Improved accuracy to process refunds post amendments and/or cancellations
• Reduction in errors resulting in retail losses due to manual calculations
• Improved AHT/APT

By achieving the above objectives, the AHT/service levels are also expected to improve. This system allows the agents to produce high-quality output with reduction in the errors and will have a positive impact in the service levels due to reduction in AHT. This will not only reduce the errors caused due to manual calculations but will also reduce the call handling time and thus increase our call handling / transaction processing capacity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The foregoing summary as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments are better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings exemplary constructions of the invention; however, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and systems disclosed in the drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates an overview of the system of the present invention;
Figure 2 illustrates an integration workflow diagram of the system of the present invention;
Figure 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the centre application server;
Figure 4 illustrates a flowchart of the method of the present invention;
Figure 5 illustrates another embodiment of the centre application server.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
Some embodiments of this invention, illustrating all its features will now be discussed in detail. In the following description well known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the description with unnecessary details.

The present invention discloses a method and system which has a capability to communicate with the GDS system and also capable to overcome the above mentioned problems. The method and system disclosed in the present invention selects configuration to parse the fare rules from the database (entered by the administrators for that GDS / Airline) and start parsing through the rules to get the charges.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for processing a request for reservation amendment, the method comprising receiving the request for reservation amendment from a user for fare refund, said request comprising atleast PNR details, authenticating said request for reservation amendment and storing the authenticated request in a database, fetching atleast the PNR details from database for determining atleast ticket details and fare rules for said authenticated request, and parsing the fare rules based upon one or more configurations selected from the database for determining the fare refund amount, wherein said one or more configurations determine order for parsing fare rules.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method wherein the request for reservation amendment is selected from a group comprising a) reservation cancellation request; b) reservation fare refund request; c) reservation change request.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method wherein the ticket details comprise any one or more of airline code, class of service, origin/destination airports.

Further another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method wherein said one or more configurations includes a set of standards for parsing said fare rules.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method further comprising applying the determined fare refund amount to process the reservation amendment request.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system for processing a request for reservation amendment, the system comprising a centre application server configured to receive the request for reservation amendment from a user for fare refund, said request for reservation amendment comprising atleast PNR details, an active directory server operationally coupled to the central application server and configured to authenticate the request for reservation amendment and store the request for reservation amendment in a database, a global distribution server operationally coupled to the central application server and the database and configured to fetch the request from the database, obtain atleast the PNR details from said request for reservation amendment, determine atleast ticket details and fare rules based on the PNR details, and communicate the fare rules and ticket details to the centre application server, wherein the centre application server is configured to parse the fare rules based upon one or more configurations selected from the database to determine the fare refund amount, wherein the configurations determine order for parsing fare rules.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein the request for reservation amendment is selected from a group comprising a) reservation cancellation request; b) reservation fare refund request; c) reservation change request.

Further another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein the ticket details comprising any one or more of airline code, class of service, origin/destination airports.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein said one or more configurations includes a set of standards for parsing said fare rules.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein the centre application server is further configured to apply the determined fare refund amount to process the request for reservation amendment.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system comprising a centre application server comprises a communication unit configured to receive a request for reservation amendment from a user for fare refund, and a parsing unit coupled to the communication unit, and a memory coupled to the parsing unit, an active directory server operationally coupled to the central application server and configured to authenticate the request for reservation amendment and store the request for reservation amendment in a database, a global distribution server operationally coupled to the central application server and the database and configured to fetch the request from the database, obtain atleast PNR details from said request for reservation amendment, determine atleast ticket details and fare rules based on the PNR details, and communicate the fare rules and ticket details to the centre application server, wherein the parsing unit is configured to parse the fare rules based upon one or more configurations selected from the database to determine the fare refund amount, wherein said one or more configurations determine order for parsing fare rules.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein the parsing unit further comprises NLP engine configured to parse the fare rules.

Further another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein the centre application server is further configured to select among multiple fare refund amounts determined.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a system wherein the global distribution server reconfigures the fare rules based on alert raised by the centre application server.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to the Self learning capability of the system that allows it to provide an alert in situations where its core NLP engine fails to parse exceptional rules across airlines. Post re configuration system is ready to parse similar exceptional rules in future.

Referring to figure 1 of the present invention, it discloses an overview of the system which shows connectivity of elements of the system (such as user, agent, agent desktop (ADT), iFare application server, GDS and iFare DB server) and deployment of the elements.

Now referring to figure 2 of the present invention, it discloses the integration workflow of the system according to one embodiment of the present invention. The workflow is divided into three segments namely agent, system and administrator. In first segment agent gets a call or service request for reservation amendments/cancellations etc. The request for reservation amendment includes PNR details, GDS and POS details. Agent will enter the PNR/GDS into second segment (i.e. system). The agent fetches the calculated charges from the second segment and applies the necessary charges in agent desktop (ADT) and process the request.

In second segment, once a PNR and GDS details are entered, the system would then connect with the relevant GDS to retrieve the PNR via ADT. Once PNR is retrieved successfully it would then go into the GDS again and fetch the fare rules. Next it would pick up the configuration to parse the fare rules from the database (entered by the administrators for that GDS/airline) and start parsing through the rules to get the charges.
If the system gets associated charges it will then look at the priority entered by third segment (i.e administrators) to finally identify which charges to use. It will also connect to ASK (database) to check for any other conditions on the PNR and provide the final set of charges. ASK is a knowledge base used to refer to any details regarding the process and application usage of advisors and all updates regarding the process.

If in case the system is unable to parse the fare rules either due to mismatch in configuration or any other reason it will raise an alert both to the agent and the administrator with the area that could not be parsed so it can be rectified in the configuration.

In third segment, administrator will go into the system (i.e. second segment) and add in the configuration for the rules/text to match when the system parses through the fare rules. The ability to configure / change this will be with the administrators, as GDS'es/ airlines can change the format of rules from time to time.

The administrator will also go into the system (i.e. second segment) to configure the priority of rules matched such that if there are two conflicting rules, then the system knows which one to pick. By default the system will pick the most restrictive rule but in case of situations where there are two rules which are restrictive, administrator have the ability to configure which one to pick.

Referring to figure 3 of the present invention, it discloses the block diagram depicting components of Centre application server (300) according to another embodiment of the present invention. The centre application server (300) is operationally coupled to the active directory server and GDS. The centre application server (300) comprises input unit (301), output unit (302) both operationally coupled to communication unit (303) (preferably a transceiver). Communication unit (303) receives a request for reservation amendments/ cancellations etc raised by customer. The request for reservation amendment includes PNR details, GDS and POS details. Once the request is received by the centre application server, said request is communicated to active directory server (ADS) for authentication and the authenticated request is stored in database (i.e. memory 306). Upon authentication, the centre application server (300) will connect to the GDS to fetch the request from the database and retrieve PNR details, ticket details and fare rules based on the PNR details. The centre application server (300) will fetch the fare rules and ticket details from the GDS. The fetched ticket details and fare rules are parsed by the processing engine (304) to calculate the associated charges. The processing engine (304) comprises parsing unit (305), and memory (306) which are operationally coupled. The parsing unit (305) comprises NLP subsystem (3051) that parses the fare rules based on configuration selected from the database (entered by the administrators for a particular GDS/airline).
The centre application server (300) starts parsing through the rules to get the charges based on NLP (Natural Language Processing) subsystem (3051). The NLP subsystem (3051) would parse rules across different airlines. These rules could be both structured and unstructured. NLP subsystem (3051) would convert diverse rules across multiple airlines into meaningful, concise and accurate data which could be easily interpreted by humans.

Referring to figure 4 of the present invention, it discloses the procedure for the processing of request for reservation amendment according to one of the embodiments as follows:
In step 401, customer will login using unique identification details (i.e. e-mail, registration ID etc.) along with a password. In step 402, the customer login details are verified and in case found active on Agent Desktop (ADT), process will proceed further to step 403. If the login details are not active and found invalid, the process will return to step 401. In step 404, customer raises a request for reservation amendments/ cancellations etc. which include PNR details, GDS and POS details. Once the request is received by the centre application server, said request is authenticated by active directory server (ADS) in step 405. Upon authentication, the system will connect to the GDS via ADT in step 406. In step 407, the PNR and POS details are authenticated against the GDS. Once the PNR and GDS are provided, the system would then connect with the relevant GDS to retrieve the PNR. In step 408- 410, once the PNR details and ticket details are retrieved successfully it would then go into the GDS again and fetch the fare rules. In step 411, it would pick up the configuration to parse the fare rules from the database (entered by the administrators for a particular GDS/airline). In steps 412-413, the system will segregate types of charges (i.e. cancellation, refund, no show, etc.) and start parsing through the rules to get the individual charges for each type.

In step 414, it is checked that if the system gets multiple associated charges it will then look at the priority entered by the administrators to finally identify which charges to apply in ADT and process the request (in step 415).

If in case system is unable to parse the fare rules either due to mismatch in configuration or any other reason it will raise an alert with the area that could not be parsed so it can be rectified in the configuration (in step 416).

To rectify the system based on the alert the Administrator will go into the system and add in the configuration for the rules/text to match when the system parses through the fare rules. The ability to configure / change this will be with the administrators as GDS's/airlines can change the format of rules from time to time. Administrator will also go into the system to configure the priority of rules matched such that if there are two conflicting rules then the system knows which one to pick up.

Self learning capability of the system allows it to provide an alert in situations where its core NLP based engine fails to parse exceptional rules across airlines. Post re configuration system is ready to parse similar exceptional rules in future.

Now referring to figure 5, it discloses the block diagram depicting components of Centre application server (500) according to another embodiment of the present invention. The centre application server (500) is operationally coupled to the active directory server and GDS. The centre application server (500) comprises input unit (501), output unit (502) both operationally coupled to communication unit (503) (preferably a transceiver). Communication unit (503) receives a request for reservation amendments/ cancellations etc raised by customer. The request for reservation amendment includes PNR details, GDS and POS details. Once the request is received by the centre application server, said request is communicated to active directory server (ADS) for authentication and the authenticated request is stored in database (i.e. memory 506). Upon authentication, the centre application server (500) will connect to the GDS to fetch the request from the database and retrieve PNR details, ticket details and fare rules based on the PNR details. The centre application server (500) will fetch the fare rules and ticket details from the GDS. The fetched ticket details and fare rules are parsed by the processing engine (504) to calculate the associated charges. The processing engine (504) comprises processor (505), and memory (506) which are operationally coupled. The processor (505) parses the fare rules based on configuration selected from the database (entered by the administrators for a particular GDS/airline).

sThe processor (505) starts parsing through the rules across different airlines to get the charges. These rules could be both structured and unstructured. The processor (505) would convert diverse rules across multiple airlines into meaningful, concise and accurate data which could be easily interpreted by humans.

There are following advantages which can be achieved by the system and method as disclosed in the present invention:
• Reduction in retail losses
• Reduced error rate and improved accuracy
• Increased efficiency due to reduction in AHT
• The system is expected to have a positive impact on C-Sat and NPS scores

It may be understood by a person skilled in the art that although the subject matter disclosed herein is illustrated with reference to certain embodiments, this is no way to limit the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein and the method and system disclosed maybe implemented in embodiments other than those disclosed in this application.

,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:

1. A method for processing a request for reservation amendment, the method comprising:
receiving the request for reservation amendment from a user for fare refund, said request comprising atleast PNR details;
authenticating said request for reservation amendment and storing the authenticated request in a database;
fetching atleast the PNR details from database for determining atleast ticket details and fare rules for said authenticated request; and
parsing the fare rules based upon one or more configurations selected from the database for determining the fare refund amount, wherein said one or more configurations determine order for parsing fare rules.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the request for reservation amendment is selected from a group comprising a) reservation cancellation request; b) reservation fare refund request; c) reservation change request.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ticket details comprises any one or more of airline code, class of service, origin/destination airports.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one or more configurations includes a set of standards for parsing said fare rules.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising applying the determined fare refund amount to process the reservation amendment request.

6. A system for processing a request for reservation amendment, the system comprising:
a centre application server configured to receive the request for reservation amendment from a user for fare refund, said request for reservation amendment comprising atleast PNR details;
an active directory server operationally coupled to the central application server and configured to authenticate the request for reservation amendment and store the request for reservation amendment in a database;
a global distribution server operationally coupled to the central application server and the database and configured to:
fetch the request from the database;
obtain atleast the PNR details from said request for reservation amendment;
determine atleast ticket details and fare rules based on the PNR details; and
communicate the fare rules and ticket details to the centre application server,
wherein the centre application server is configured to parse the fare rules based upon one or more configurations selected from the database to determine the fare refund amount, wherein the configurations determine order for parsing fare rules.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the request for reservation amendment is selected from a group comprising a) reservation cancellation request; b) reservation fare refund request; c) reservation change request.

8. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the ticket details comprising any one or more of airline code, class of service, origin/destination airports.

9. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said one or more configurations includes a set of standards for parsing said fare rules.

10. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the centre application server is further configured to apply the determined fare refund amount to process the request for reservation amendment.

11. A system comprising:
a centre application server comprises:
a communication unit configured to receive a request for reservation amendment from a user for fare refund; and
a parsing unit coupled to the communication unit; and
a memory coupled to the parsing unit;
an active directory server operationally coupled to the central application server and configured to authenticate the request for reservation amendment and store the request for reservation amendment in a database;
a global distribution server operationally coupled to the central application server and the database and configured to:
fetch the request from the database;
obtain atleast PNR details from said request for reservation amendment;
determine atleast ticket details and fare rules based on the PNR details; and
communicate the fare rules and ticket details to the centre application server,
wherein the parsing unit is configured to parse the fare rules based upon one or more configurations selected from the database to determine the fare refund amount, wherein said one or more configurations determine order for parsing fare rules.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the parsing unit further comprises NLP engine configured to parse the fare rules.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the centre application server is further configured to select among multiple fare refund amounts determined.

14. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the global distribution server reconfigures the fare rules based on alert raised by the centre application server.

Dated this of 9th June, 2016

VAISHALI SHARMA
(IN/PA-2523)
AGENT FOR THE APPLICANT

To,
The Controller of Patents
Mumbai