Methods and apparatus for a centralized customer order processing system with automatic detection of customer arrival

• US 10,078,861 B1
• Filed: 10/15/2013
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DD IP Holder LLC (Mavericks, Inc. (d/b/a Inspire Brands, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: DD IP Holder LLC (Mavericks, Inc. (d/b/a Inspire Brands, Inc.))
• Inventors: Clare, John L., Gopinath, Santhosh Kumar, Veerepalli, Praneeth Reddy
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Brittney N
• Application Number:
  US14/054,412
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2681, 705 269
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing a centralized customer order processing system. A customer order entry may be received by a central server. The customer order entry may be routed to a local store server at an identified store location. Upon arrival at the identified store location, a mobile device of the customer may detect a proximity signal located at the identified store location, and a mobile application may be invoked on the mobile device. An order activation signal may be transmitted to a server, the order activation signal indicating customer arrival at the identified store location. The customer order entry may be activated at the local store server. The customer may arrive at the identified store location and pick up their order. Methods and apparatus are also disclosed for implementing the centralized customer order processing system on a mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for customer ordering implemented on a mobile device, comprising:

providing a customer order entry to a central server, the customer order entry including;

a customer identifier identifying a customer record, and

an electronic customer order including a predefined selection of at least one menu option from a plurality of menu options;

detecting, via a mobile device of a customer, a proximity signal from an initial proximity device located at an identified store location;

invoking automatically, in response to the detection of the proximity signal from the initial proximity device at the identified store location, a mobile application on the mobile device of the customer;

in response to the automatic invocation of the mobile application on the mobile device of the customer, transmitting the customer order entry to a given store server at the identified store location, the transmission of the customer order entry indicative of proximity of the mobile device of the customer to the initial proximity device located at the identified store location;

wherein the transmitting of the customer order entry to the given store server at the identified store location occurs after detecting, via the mobile device of the customer, the proximity signal from the initial proximity device located at the identified store location, and

transmitting an order activation signal by the mobile device of the customer after detection of a second proximity signal detected by the mobile device of the customer at the identified store location, the order activation signal prompting the given store server to activate the customer order entry at the given store server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the order activation signal occurs when the mobile device of the customer determines proximity of the mobile device of the customer within a threshold distance of a second proximity device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second proximity device is proximate to an order selection board at the identified store location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of menu options are based on a log of past menu selections of the customer identifier, the past menu selections stored in at least one database.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting payment information for the electronic customer order.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the payment information is included in the customer order entry.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the payment information is retrieved from at least one database based on a log of past payment information for the electronic customer order.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising authorizing the central server to complete a financial transaction based on the payment information.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the payment information is based on a log of past payment information for the electronic customer order, the log of past payment information stored on the mobile device of the customer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a list of store locations to the customer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the identified store location includes data indicative of a store location of the list of store locations, the identified store location selected by the customer.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the list of store locations is based on a log of past visits of the customer.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the list of store locations is provided via a map-based service.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of menu options are based on the identified store location.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the proximity signal from the initial proximity device is based on determining proximity of the mobile device of the customer to the initial proximity device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic invocation of the mobile application occurs when the mobile device of the customer determines proximity of the mobile device of the customer within a threshold distance of the initial proximity device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial proximity device is proximate to an order selection board at the identified store location.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial proximity device is a low energy transmission device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of menu options are based on a log of past menu selections of the customer, the past menu selections stored on the mobile device of the customer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer order entry includes a store indicator.