Ordering ahead with a mobile device

• US 10,332,165 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2017
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, Robert, Reddy, Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): Civan, Ethan D
• Application Number:
  US15/611,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20170270573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

The present invention provides a computer-implemented method to order ahead with a mobile device. A user network device receives an input of an order from a user; communicates the order to a merchant network device; receives a preparation time for one or more components of the order; determines a location of the user device; monitors a projected time of arrival at the merchant based on the location of the user device; compares the projected time of arrival with the component preparation time; and notifies the merchant to begin preparation of at least one of the components in response to a determination that the projected time of arrival equals the preparation time of one or more components.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to reduce merchant system monitoring of user locations by receiving preparation times of order components from mobile devices, comprising:

receiving, by one or more computer devices associated with a merchant system, an order for one or more products from a user computing device based on a menu of the merchant system, the one or more computer devices associated with the merchant system being separate and distinct from the user computing device;

accessing, by the one or more computer devices associated with the merchant system, default preparation times for the one or more products of the order;

monitoring, by the one or more computer devices associated with the merchant system, a status of a preparation system preparing one or more of the products;

determining, by the one or more computer devices associated with the merchant system, a length of a variance from the default preparation times for the one or more products of the order;

updating, by the one or more computer devices associated with the merchant system, the preparation time for the one or more products of the order based on the variance from the default preparation time;

communicating, by the one or more computer devices associated with the merchant system and to the user computing device, the updated preparation times for the one or more products of the order;

receiving, by the one or more computer devices associated with the merchant system and from the user computing device, a notification that a time until an estimated arrival of the user computing device is equal to an updated preparation time of a particular one of the products, the estimated arrival being determined by the user computing device based on a continuous comparison of the estimated arrival of the user computer device to the updated preparation time of the particular one of the products; and

based on the received notification, initiating, by the one or more computer devices associated with the merchant system, a preparation of the particular one of the products.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more computer devices associated with the merchant system, an indication of a status of a product preparation time for a second particular product of the products, wherein the status comprises a variance from the default preparation time;

determining, by the one or more computer devices associated with the merchant system, an updated preparation time for the second particular product based on the default preparation time and the variance; and

communicating, by the one or more computer devices associated with the merchant system, the updated preparation time for the second particular product to the user computing device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the status variance is received from the merchant system based on actuation of a delay button at the merchant that will fill the order.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the merchant is a restaurant or a pharmacy.

5. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage device having computer-executable program instructions embodied thereon that when executed by a computer process orders from mobile devices and provide updated preparation times based on merchant systems statuses, the computer-executable program instructions comprising;

computer-executable program instructions to receive an order for one or more products from a user computing device based on a menu of a merchant system, the user computing device being separate and distinct from the computer;

computer-executable program instructions to access default preparation times for the one or more products of the order;

computer-executable program instructions to monitor a status of a preparation system preparing the one or more of products of the order;

computer-executable program instructions to determine a length of a variance from the default preparation times for the one or more products of the order;

computer-executable program instructions to determine updated preparation times for the one or more products of the order based on the default preparation times and the variance;

computer-executable program instructions to communicate, to the user computing device, the updated preparation times for the one or more products of the order;

computer-executable program instructions to receive a notification that a time until an estimated arrival of the user computing device is equal to an updated preparation time of a particular one of the products, the estimated arrival being determined being determined by the user computing device based on a continuous comparison of the estimated arrival of the user computing device to the updated preparation time of the particular one of the products; and

computer-executable program instructions to initiate a preparation of a particular one of the products of the order based upon a notification received from the user computing device that a time until an estimated arrival of the user computing device is equal to an updated preparation time of the particular one of the products of the order.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the status variance is received from the merchant system that will fill the order.

7. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the status variance is received from the merchant system based on actuation of a delay button at the merchant that will fill the order.

8. A system to order ahead with a mobile device, the system comprising:

a storage resource;

a network module; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage resource and the network module, wherein the processor executes application code instructions that are stored in the storage resource and that cause the system to;

receive an order for one or more products from a user computing device based on a menu of a merchant system, the user computing device being separate and distinct from the processor;

access default preparation times for the one or more products of the order;

monitor a status of a preparation system preparing the one or more products of the order;

determine a length of a variance from the default preparation times for the one or more products of the order;

update the preparation times for the one or more products of the order based on the variance from the default preparation times;

communicate the updated preparation times for the one or more products of the order;

receive, from the user computing device, a notification that a time until an estimated arrival of the user computing device is equal to an updated preparation time of a particular one of the products, the estimated arrival being determined by the user computing device based on a continuous comparison of the estimated arrival of the user computer device to the updated preparation time of the particular one of the products; and

based on the received notification, initiating a preparation of the particular one of the products.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising application instructions to:

receive an indication of a status of a product preparation time for a second particular product of the products, wherein the status comprises a variance from the default preparation time;

determine an updated preparation time for the second particular product based on the default preparation time and the variance; and

communicate the updated preparation time for the second particular product to the user computing device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the status variance is received from the merchant system based on actuation of a delay button at the merchant that will fill the order.