System and method for lane merge sequencing in drive-thru restaurant applications

• US 10,387,945 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2016
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conduent Business Services, LLC (Conduent, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Conduent Business Services, LLC (Conduent, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burry, Aaron M., Paul, Peter, Bulan, Orhan
• Primary Examiner(s): Obaid, Fateh M
• Application Number:
  US15/146,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20170323370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30248 Vehicle exterior or interior
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/54 of traffic, e.g. cars on the road, trains or boats
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

According to exemplary methods, automated image processing of images from order locations of a multi-lane drive-thru system is continually performed using an automated ordering system. It is automatically determined if a vehicle is present at any of the order locations based on the automated image processing. It is automatically determined if an order has been initiated into the automated ordering system. When the order has been initiated while the vehicle is present at any of the order locations, an automated sequencing processing is automatically begun. The automated sequencing processing determines an order pick-up sequence for picking up orders at pickup windows of the multi-lane drive-thru system. When the order has been initiated while the vehicle is not present at any of the order locations, a potential out-of-sequence warning is automatically associated with the order and output from the automated ordering system.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

acquiring images using one or more image capturing devices aimed at order placing locations of a multi-lane drive-thru system, said order placing locations comprising multiple primary lanes merging into a reduced number of at least one secondary lane, said at least one secondary lane comprising one or more pickup windows, said one or more pickup windows being separate from said order placing locations;

continually performing automated image processing of said images from said order placing locations of said multi-lane drive-thru system, using an automated ordering system operatively connected to said one or more image capturing devices;

automatically determining if a vehicle is present at any of said order placing locations of said multi-lane drive-thru system based on said automated image processing, using said automated ordering system;

automatically determining if an order has been initiated into said automated ordering system;

when said order has been initiated into said automated ordering system while said vehicle is present at any of said order placing locations;

automatically associating said order with said vehicle and tracking said vehicle, using said automated ordering system, and

automatically beginning an automated sequencing processing of said automated ordering system, said automated sequencing processing determining an order pick-up sequence for picking up orders at said one or more pickup windows;

outputting said order pick-up sequence using an interface at said one or more pickup windows, said interface being operatively connected to said automated ordering system; and

when said order has been initiated while no vehicle is present at any of said order placing locations, automatically associating a potential out-of-sequence warning with said order, and outputting said potential out-of-sequence warning using said interface.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

automatically determining if said vehicle has left said order placing locations of said multi-lane drive-thru system based on said automated image processing, using said automated ordering system.

3. The method according to claim 1,

wherein said image capturing devices comprise one or more cameras having a field of view directed toward said order placing locations of said multi-lane drive-thru system.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a presence of vehicles at said order placing locations of said multi-lane drive-thru system based on at least one of motion detection and vision-based object recognition.

5. The method according to claim 1, said tracking said vehicle further comprising:

using said one or more image capturing devices and automated image processing to confirm the order of vehicles merging from said multiple primary lanes into said reduced number of at least one secondary lane.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

assigning a vehicle identification corresponding to said order in said automated ordering system.

7. A system, comprising:

a multi-lane drive-thru system having order placing locations, said order placing locations comprising multiple primary lanes merging into a reduced number of at least one secondary lane, said at least one secondary lane comprising one or more pickup windows, said one or more pickup windows being separate from said order placing locations;

an image capturing device obtaining images from said order placing locations of said multi-lane drive-thru system;

a processor connected to said image capturing device, said processor performing automated image processing of said images from said order placing locations of said multi-lane drive-thru system; and

an automated ordering system connected to said processor,

said image capturing device continuously monitoring said order placing locations of said multi-lane drive-thru system,

said processor automatically determining if a vehicle is present at any of said order placing locations of said multi-lane drive-thru system based on said automated image processing of said images,

said processor automatically determining if an order has been initiated into said automated ordering system,

when an order has been initiated while said vehicle is present at any of said order placing locations;

said processor automatically associating said order in said automated ordering system with said vehicle and tracking said vehicle, and

said processor automatically beginning an automated sequencing processing of said automated ordering system, said automated sequencing processing determining an order pick-up sequence for picking up orders at said one or more pickup windows of said multi-lane drive-thru system,

said processor outputting said order pick-up sequence using an interface at said one or more pickup windows, said interface being operatively connected to said automated ordering system, and

when said order has been initiated while no vehicle is present at any of said order placing locations, said processor automatically associating a potential out-of-sequence warning with said order, and outputting said potential out-of-sequence warning from said automated ordering system using said interface at said one or more pickup windows.

8. The system according to claim 7, said processor automatically determining if said vehicle has left said order placing locations of said multi-lane drive-thru system based on said automated image processing, using said automated ordering system.

9. The system according to claim 7, said processor detecting a presence of vehicles at said order placing locations of said multi-lane drive-thru system based on at least one of motion detection and vision-based object recognition.

10. The system according to claim 7, further comprising:

said processor using said image capturing device and automated image processing to confirm the order of vehicles merging from said multiple primary lanes into said reduced number of at least one secondary lane.

11. The system according to claim 10, said processor assigning a vehicle identification corresponding to said order in said automated ordering system.

12. The system according to claim 7, said image capturing device comprising one or more cameras having a field of view directed toward said order placing locations of said multi-lane drive-thru system.

13. A method comprising:

receiving an order into a system of an establishment having a multi-lane vehicle drive-thru operation;

automatically obtaining an image of an order location at said establishment using an image capturing device of said system when said order is entered into said system;

automatically, by said system, determining whether a vehicle is within said image by comparing said image to known images;

automatically, by said system, associating said vehicle with said order and placing said order in sequence with other orders based on said vehicle being within said image obtained when said order was entered; and

automatically, by said system, outputting a warning at a pick-up location of said establishment that said order is potentially out of sequence with said other orders based on said vehicle not being within said image obtained when said order was entered.

14. The method in claim 13, wherein said image is obtained when said order is started to be entered into said system.

15. The method in claim 13, wherein said determining whether said vehicle is within said image is performed by comparing a sequence of images for differences to determine whether motion is detected at said order location.

16. The method in claim 15, further comprising:

automatically, by said system, determining whether said vehicle has arrived and departed from said order location before said order was entered by determining whether said motion was detected at said order location; and

automatically, by said system, outputting said warning that said order is potentially out of sequence with said other orders based on said vehicle departing before said order was entered.

17. The method in claim 13, wherein said determining whether said vehicle is within said image is performed by comparing foreground and background portions of said image.

18. The method in claim 13, wherein said receiving said order comprises receiving input into said system from an employee of said establishment in communication with a customer of said establishment at said order location.

19. A system of an establishment having a multi-lane vehicle drive-thru operation, said system comprising:

a processor;

an order input device operatively connected to said processor; and

an image capturing device operatively connected to said processor and positioned at an order location at said establishment,

wherein said order input device receives an order,

wherein said image capturing device is adapted to automatically obtain an image of said order location when said order is entered into said order input,

wherein said processor is adapted to automatically determine whether a vehicle is within said image by comparing said image to known images,

wherein said processor is adapted to automatically associate said vehicle with said order and place said order in sequence with other orders based on said vehicle being within said image obtained when said order was entered, and

wherein said processor is adapted to automatically output a warning at a pick-up location of said establishment that said order is potentially out of sequence with said other orders based on said vehicle not being within said image obtained when said order was entered.

20. The system in claim 19, wherein said image capturing device is adapted to automatically obtain said image when said order is started to be entered into said order input device.

21. The system in claim 19, wherein said processor is adapted to automatically determine whether said vehicle is within said image by comparing a sequence of images for differences to determine whether motion is detected at said order location.

22. The system in claim 21, wherein said processor is adapted to automatically determine whether said vehicle has arrived and departed from said order location before said order was entered by determining whether said motion was detected at said order location, and

wherein said processor is adapted to automatically output said warning that said order is potentially out of sequence with said other orders based on said vehicle departing before said order was entered.

23. The system in claim 19, wherein said processor is adapted to automatically determine whether said vehicle is within said image by comparing foreground and background portions of said image.

24. The system in claim 19, wherein said order input device is adapted to receive said order by receiving input from an employee of said establishment in communication with a customer of said establishment at said order location.