WO2011042914A1

WO2011042914A1 - Television channel for providing airline related information

Info

Publication number: WO2011042914A1
Application number: PCT/IN2009/000704
Authority: WO
Inventors: Prakash Rohra
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-10-09
Filing date: 2009-12-04
Publication date: 2011-04-14
Anticipated expiration: 2012-04-09
Also published as: AU2009101324A4

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system (100) and method for providing airlines related information wherein a television channel (116) is dedicated for broadcasting complete and minute to minute information about civil aviation industry of the world. An interface (104) provides updates of domestic and international flight operations including information like flight arrival time, flight departure time, delay information, reschedules and canceled flight information. This system will be most beneficial to the airline industry, hospitality industry, travel agencies as well as the passengers of the airlines.

Description

TELEVISION CHANNEL FOR PROVIDING AIRLINE RELATED

INFORMATION

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of transportation (G06 F 7/00, G06 F 17/60).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Transport operators like airline operators are always looking for means for directly getting in touch with their customers and removing the middle people like travel agents and travel websites.

Television and newspaper commercials form an effective way for reaching out to the public at large but these have geographical limitations and language barriers. In addition, the airline providers host their toll free customer care telephone numbers. However, the customer care agent even with the best infrastructures face difficulties in coping with high traffic due to increased volume of incoming queries and enquires from the customers. Airport enquiry system around the world are almost the same, when, you really need any flight information chances are very less to get it on time, also accuracy of that information is doubtful because all airlines enquiry numbers are manually operated by airlines and airports staff, each one is dependent of information from chain of persons and systems, therefore one has to wait for long time on the telephone queues till his/her turn comes or one gets lucky to get accurate and up-to-date information. Therefore, the airline operators are at the onset looking for alternatives to effectively reach the customers and increase their revenues. There have been attempts in the prior art to overcome these problems.

Particularly, United States Patent Application 2009/0171782 discloses a system for providing real-time up-to-date flight arrival and departure information to users over the telephone network. The system receives the flight identification information including the flight number, time of the day, arrival airport, arrival city, departure airport and departure city from the user/caller and relays at least one advertisement from one or more advertisers while the identified flight information is being retrieved.

United States Patent Application 2009/0171782 provides up to date flight information but being a telephone based system is prone to the perennial problem of telephone networks wh ich is call congestion and call waiting.

Further, US Patent Application 20020002548 discloses a method and an apparatus for predicting arrival and departure times of scheduled airline flights. The historical data of the airlines is stored and when a user requests for flight information, the historical data is compared with the current status of the flight and an actual departure and arrival time is predicted and informed to the user. The information can be requested and retrieved on a display with textual screen, screens or web pages presented with Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML).

The US Patent Application 20020002548 predicts the time based on the historical data of the airlines. The whole process of prediction increase the time complexity and space complexity of the system as envisaged by US Patent Application 20020002548 as historical data has to maintained and periodically updated and maintained. The increase in time and space complexity in addition i creases the overall cost of operation.

Thus, there is felt for a system which can break the geographical and language barriers and provide a direct interface between the airline operators and the customers. There is felt a need for a system which can eliminate the traditional voice support system problems like line congestion and endless waiting time with effective means for handling customer queries and enquires. Still further, there is a need for a simple and cost effective system having minimum space and time complexities.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for giving airlines related information.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cost effective system for giving real-time information on airline schedules.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a multi-lingual system for giving airline related information.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an interface / direct communication link between the airline operators and the customers. Further, another object of the present invention is to a system which reduces the cost overheads of the airline providers.

Still further, an object of the present invention is to provide the airline operators, hospitality service providers and travel operators with a medium for advertising their products/ services.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention envisages a system for providing information related to airlines, said system comprising:

• a dedicated television channel for broadcasting airlines related information;

• master flight repository adapted to store worldwide information including airline operator details, flight schedules, and airport details;

• at least one terminal provided to each office of an airlines, said terminal comprising:

i. a password protected repository to store daily/ weekly/ monthly flight schedules and airport information;

ii. an authentication means to authenticate a 'flight operation manager' and further adapted to provide access to the flight operation manager to the information pertaining to their airline;

iii. a display means adapted to display daily/weekly/monthly flight schedules to the authenticated flight operation manager; iv. data entry means adapted to receive the changes made by the authenticated flight operation manager to the flight schedule information and further adapted to upload the changes to the repository;

• interface co-operating with each of said terminals and adapted to upload the updated information to said master flight repository;

• graphic pages processing means adapted to extract said updated information from said master flight repository and further adapted to create graphical pages;

• telecast scheduler adapted to pick particular graphical pages from said graphic pages processing means based on a pre-determined time;

• telecast control panel adapted to prepare television signals for transmission; and

• satellite upl ink transmitter co-operating with said telecast control panel, adapted to send said television signal through transmitter's antenna to a satellite for broadcasting on said dedicated television channel.

Preferably, said system includes an advertisement repository to store commercials, promotions of travel industry, hospitality industry and travel operators.

Particularly, said telecast scheduler is further adapted to pick advertisement commercials from said advertisement repository on a predefined time. Further, said telecast control panel is further adapted to prepare said television signal by mixing scheduled graphical pages, advertisement commercials with live or recorded audio visuals of news readers and/or anchors of airiness desk studios.

Furthermore, said system comprises a GPS receiver adapted to receive the flight status information from the aircrafts' GPS based navigation system and further adapted to update said master flight repository.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for providing information related to airlines, said method comprising the following steps:

• creating a dedicated television channel for broadcasting airlines related information;

• storing worldwide information including airline operator details, flight schedules, and airport details in a master flight repository;

• providing at least one terminal situated at main office/head office of the airlines;

• storing daily/ weekly/ monthly flight schedules and airport information in a repository at said terminal;

• authenticating a 'flight operation manager' for providing access to the information pertaining to their airline;

• displaying daily/weekly/monthly flight schedules for the authenticated flight operation manager;

• receiving changes made by the authenticated flight operation manager to the flight schedule information; • uploading the changes to said master flight repository;

• extracting said updated information from said master flight repository and creating graphical pages;

• selecting particular graphical pages on a pre-determined schedule;

• preparing the television signal for transmission; and

• transmitting said signal to a satellite for broadcasting on said dedicated television channel.

Typically, the step of displaying includes the step of assigning a unique button for each fl ight operation, selected from a group of operations including flight arrival, departure, security check, boarding, canceled and delayed times for display on said terminal.

Particularly, the step of receiving the changes includes the step of reading the selection and updating the respective flight operation buttons corresponding to a particular fl ight number as shown on the display of said terminal.

Still particularly, the step of selecting particular graphical pages further includes the step of selecting advertisements from a advertisement repository.

Specifically, the step of preparing the television signal includes the steps of preparing the television signal by mixing scheduled graphical pages, advertisement commercials with live or recorded audio visuals of news readers and/or anchors of airiness desk studios Typically, the step of broadcasting, includes the step of broadcasting the television signals to DTH (Direct To Home) platforms and dish antenna's and through cable networks to television sets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the accompanying drawings and their description stated below, which is merely illustrative of a preferred embodi ment of the i nvention and does not limit in any way the nature and scope of the invention.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a schematic of the system for providing airline related information; and

FIGURE 2 is a flowchart showing the steps for acquiring and broadcasting airline related in formation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention envisages a system for providing airlines related information. Particularly, this invention envisages a channel dedicated for broadcasting complete and minute to minute information about civil aviation industry of the world (domestic as well as international airlines) which will be most beneficial to the airlines industry, hospitality industry, travel agencies as well as the passengers of the airlines.

In accordance with this invention, the channel will broadcast flight information 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The channel will provide minute to minute update of domestic and international flight operations including information like flight arrival time and departure time, delay information, reschedules and canceled flight information which is required by the travelers, hospitality industry and the viewers.

Through this channel any one who is seeking flight information of any airline like its arrival and departure, information or wants to know about the schedules will on one touch of a remote control button, sitting at office or home get the information, he/she does not need to call busy enquiry numbers or log on to the internet for getting the accurate information about when an incoming aircraft took off from the airport and exactly when it is expected to arrive at a destination airport. This information is particularly useful for travelers who can accordingly plan the time to reach the airport and also for acquaintances that are going to receive them at the airport. The travelers and acquaintances can uti lize their time in any constructive activity, rather than wasting the time waiting at the airports and also increasing the rush on the airports.

Additionally, if any flight departure is delayed at a previous airport this information will also be known immediately on the television channel and further, more updates on exactly when that flight left from previous airport and the estimated time of arrival to city will also be know on the television channel.

Furthermore, passengers can continuously get current breaking news of airlines and airports like if any flight is delayed or canceled, weather report, news about fog and heavy rains and the like. The system will provide continuous tickers rolling on the bottom of screen showing currently landed/take off information of flights, domestic as well as international.

Apart from the above the passengers will get direct and accurate information from airlines themselves. In accordance with this invention, the airlines desk will be able to directly present themselves and announce the current flight status/information on the channel regarding flight information relating to the current day or the next days operation, information regarding latest services, new introduced sectors, fares, discount schemes, packages tours, flight safety tips, security check procedures, baggage rules, city transfer services, international airport transfer services and the like. This way the passengers will get authentic information directly from the airlines desk.

The channel will also telecast important news and information of passenger's interest on the television channel like information about travel insurance, frequent flier schemes, promotions, new cities added in the routes of the airline, airports where the airline operates, VIP lounges/ waiting, sleeping and dinning facilities available at the airports, city hotels, local transport facilities, distances between the airport and the cities, weather information, Q&A for passengers, airport shoots or posted grievances and solutions to the grievances provided directly by the airlines administration and much more information on the civil aviation industry in the interest of the fliers.

Additional, the system provides the users of the system like the airline operators, travel agencies and hospitality service providers a platform for advertising their products and services by way of commercials. In between the flight information, commercials advertisements will be telecasted like advertisements of tourism promotions, advertisements of airlines, advertisements of hospitality industry, advertisements of travel agencies, advertisements of package tours and advertisements of online ticket vendors.

In accordance with this invention, the system will capture flight information data from worldwide airports and airlines offices, and in some cases where airlines uses GPS system in all their aircrafts then the flight status information can be taken directly from the aircrafts' GPS system or wherever it is permitted information will be taken directly through ATC (Air Traffic Control) towers (as per the law of the country).

Referring to the accompanying drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a schematic of the system for telecasting airline related information, represented generally by block 100. The channel will create a database of worldwide airlines (domestic and international), and its flight schedule, airport information and store this information in the master flight repository 106. The master flight repository 106 is a central working repository of the system.

In addition, the system 100 remotely co-operates with the airline authorities for real-time flight updates by providing a terminal 102 at each of the registered airline operators' main/head office. The web-based interface provided by the terminal 102 includes a password protected repository for storing the schedules of the fl ights operated by the airline operator, its schedule, routes and status. The repository is available to each airline, in which the airlines themselves accurately create/ edit/ delete their daily/weekly/monthly flight schedules. The system authorizes the airlines to edit/ delete/ upload new flight schedules any time so that the telecasted information will be 100% accurate.

In accordance with the present invention, the television channel team has no control over the updation of the repository except to telecast it, once information is entered into the terminal 102 by the airlines it will be automatically updated in the master flight repository 106.

The airlines can nominate one or more operation managers to operate the web-based interface provided by the terminal 102 and look after its updation. The system wil l provide data entry means in the user interface to enable an authorized flight operation manager to log in to the interface and perform the updations.

The terminals 102 will be password protected, every system will have an airport-wise unique identification code so that only that airports flight information will be displayed on screen and relating to that particular airline. Once the login process is successfully completed by the authorized flight operation manager, the system will display that day's flight schedules pages of the airline and that airport. The system will not show them any other airports data.

The system provides a user friendly and easy to use interface at the terminal 102, the authorized person has to just click the respective buttons like flight arrival, departure, security check, boarding, canceled or delayed times (enter estimated time) by pressing buttons corresponding to a particular flight number as shown on the display o the terminal 102.

Once the authorized person has entered the information or pressed any button of particular flight number the system will automatically update that flight information with accurate time of entry in to the master flight repository 106 via the interface provided 104, the interface 104 records the particular flight data and updates and sends information to the graphic pages processing server 108. The interface 104 accepts the updated information from various terminals 102 via the internet based interface and provides the updates to the master flight repository 106 and the graphic pages processing server 108.

After getting the updates from tne master flight repository 106 the graphic pages processing server .108 creates graphical pages and sends them to the telecast scheduler 110.

The telecast scheduler 110 is a module which works as the telecast timing programmer device for managing the entire telecast schedules of the channel, the telecast scheduler 110 as per a pre-programmed time sequence picks particular data pages from the Graphic pages processing server 108 and/or from commercial advertisement repository 112 on predefined times to send it to the telecast control panel 114 in time sequences.

The operator of the telecast control panel 114 mixes the scheduled graphic pages and commercials advertisements received from the telecast scheduler 112 with live or recorded audio visuals of news readers and/or anchors of airiness desk studios and mixes them to create television signals and send these signals to satellite uplink system 116.

Finally, the uplink system 116 sends these signals through the transmitter's antenna to the satellite. The channel program is ready to be received around the world through the DTH (Direct To Home) platforms, dish antenna's and through cable networks to television sets.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method as seen in FIGURE 2 for providing airline related information. The method comprises the following steps:

• creating a dedicated television channel for broadcasting airlines related information, 1000;

• storing worldwide information including airline operator details, flight schedules, and airport details in a master flight repository, 1002;

• providing at least one terminal situated at main office/head office of the airlines, 1004;

• storing daily/ weekly/ monthly flight schedules and airport information in a repository at said terminal, 1006;

• authenticating a 'flight operation manager' for providing access to the information pertaining to their airline, 1008;

• displaying daily/weekly/monthly flight schedules for the authenticated flight operation manager, 1010; • receiving changes made by the authenticated flight operation manager to the flight schedule information, 1012;

• uploading the changes to said master flight repository, 1014;

• extracting said updated information from said master flight repository creating graphical pages, 1016;

• selecting particular graphical pages on a pre-determined schedule,

1018;

• preparing the television signal for transmission, 1020; and

• transmitting said signal to a satellite for broadcasting on said dedicated television channel, 1022.

TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES

The technical advancements of the present invention include in providing a cost effective system for giving real-time airlines related information on a television channel.

Throughout the world the airlines puts their advertisement in lot of news papers which has a limitation of circulation and area as well as in electronic media to announce their new schemes and information. The airline operators spend crores of rupees by advertising using these modes, however they do not achieve 100% success because it is just a brand exercise and is not hundred percent helpful to the actual airways travelers. This invention on the other hand is a dedicated television channel only for travelers and the travel industry people who wil l come to watch the channel for attaining direct information given by airlines. This information will be much useful to the travelers, and it is also in the interest of airlines business as they will get value for every penny spent on airlines television channel. On telecasting their flight schedules, routes, packages, flight statuses, new launches and the like the airline operators can eliminate the traditional modes of advertising like newspaper and electronic media and achieve huge savings.

As this invention provides web-based interface to the individual airline players with complete authority to add/edit/delete/update information, the airlines can be confident that the information is authenticate and not tampered by the television channel.

Further, the television channel will have fixed time slots allotted or a number of fixed time slots allotted for the airline operators throughout the day for telecast of their own flight information's, promotions/news, status including delay, canceled and reschedule by their own staff or an anchor of the channel for directly broadcasting announcing its operation information. In this way the public will get first hand information directly from the various airlines.

Also, hotel guests will get accurate information on the airlines schedules, present status of flight timing, delay, and cancellations information and the like in their hotel room itself. They will not have to keep enquiring from the hotel operators for flight information. In addition, the hotel management's staff will not waste their precious time by waiting at the airports to receive their incoming guests. Furthermore, the airport authority shall only concentrate on passenger's safety issues and not worry about flight inquiries as the minute by minute updated information will be available on the television channel for all the domestic as well as international airline operators.

While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the invention. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A system for providing information related to airlines, said system comprising:

iii. a display means adapted to display daily/weekly/monthly flight schedules to the authenticated flight operation manager;

iv. data entry means adapted to receive the changes made by the authenticated flight operation manager to the flight schedule information and further adapted to upload the changes to the repository; • interface co-operating with each of said terminals and adapted to upload the updated information to said master flight repository;

• satellite uplink transmitter co-operating with said telecast control panel, adapted to send said television signal through transmitter's antenna to a satellite for broadcasting on said dedicated television channel.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system includes an advertisement repository to store commercials, promotions of travel industry, hospitality industry and travel operators.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said telecast scheduler is further adapted to pick advertisement commercials from said advertisement repository on a predefined time.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said telecast control panel is further adapted to prepare said television signal by mixing scheduled graphical pages, advertisement commercials with live or recorded audio visuals of news readers and/or anchors of airiness desk studios.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system comprises a GPS receiver adapted to receive the flight status information from the aircrafts' GPS based navigation system and further adapted to update said master flight repository.

6. A method for providing information related to airlines, said method comprising the following steps:

• receiving changes made by the authenticated flight operation manager to the flight schedule information;

• uploading the changes to said master flight repository; • extracting said updated information from said master flight repository and creating graphical pages;

• selecting particular graphical pages on a pre-determined schedule;

• preparing the television signal for transmission; and

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of displaying includes the step of assigning a unique button for each flight operation, selected from a group of operations including flight arrival, departure, security check, boarding, canceled and delayed times for display on said terminal.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of receiving the changes includes the step of reading the selection and updating the respective flight operation buttons corresponding to a particular flight number as shown on the display of said terminal.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of selecting particular graphical pages further includes the step of selecting advertisements from a advertisement repository.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of preparing the television signal includes the steps of preparing the television signal by mixing scheduled graphical pages, advertisement commercials with live or recorded audio visuals of news readers and/or anchors of airiness desk studios 1. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of broadcasting, includes the step of broadcasting the television signals to DTH (Direct To Home) platforms and dish antenna's and through cable networks to television sets.