Restaurant automation system
First Claim
1. Restaurant automation system (RAS) comprising, a) a restaurant compute server for making operational a server application comprising i) data storage of restaurant operations data, comprising inventory and menu information, comprising a list of food offerings and prices associated therewith, and ii) means for calculating a bill for a selection of food offerings, said server in wireless communication with b) a kitchen order display, c) a pay station comprising bill payment means, and d) a plurality of portable wireless menu means comprising i) a display of food offerings, and prices, and ii) means for transmitting a wireless message comprising a selection of the food offerings and table ID to the wireless server, which transmits the message to the kitchen order display, and iii) means for transmitting a compute command to the server, which calculates a bill for the food items selected on the menu means, and transmits the computed bill to the payment station;
- wherein each diner may be provided with a portable wireless menu means from which to order food, and request a bill, at the time determined by the diner.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a restaurant automation system with greater efficiencies for the restaurant owner and greater ease for the diner through the use of wireless electronic menus with which the individual diner can communicate an order to the central server which communicates to a kitchen display, and receives a message when order preparation has begun; the central server being also in communication with a payment station, which generates a bill at the direction of the diner.
193 Citations
136 Claims
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1. Restaurant automation system (RAS) comprising,
a) a restaurant compute server for making operational a server application comprising i) data storage of restaurant operations data, comprising inventory and menu information, comprising a list of food offerings and prices associated therewith, and ii) means for calculating a bill for a selection of food offerings, said server in wireless communication with b) a kitchen order display, c) a pay station comprising bill payment means, and d) a plurality of portable wireless menu means comprising i) a display of food offerings, and prices, and ii) means for transmitting a wireless message comprising a selection of the food offerings and table ID to the wireless server, which transmits the message to the kitchen order display, and iii) means for transmitting a compute command to the server, which calculates a bill for the food items selected on the menu means, and transmits the computed bill to the payment station; wherein each diner may be provided with a portable wireless menu means from which to order food, and request a bill, at the time determined by the diner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
- 59. A Waiter Call System (WCS) for a restaurant, said WCS comprising a Table Call Unit (TCU) comprising a plurality of service call buttons, each associated with a particular service, which operate to illuminate a plurality of service call lights.
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75. An order automation system (AOS) comprising:
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(a) a computer server having a memory unit for storing menu data comprising menu items which may be ordered;
(b) a first T/R device connected to server for transmitting said menu data and receiving order commands; and
(c) a plurality of menu tablets each having a graphic display, input means for receiving order commands from a user and a second (T/R device), said second T/R device, in communication with said first T/R device, for receiving said menu data from, and transmitting said order commands to, said server;
the improvement wherein the input means is a touch activated LCD screen. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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92. An order automation (AOS) system:
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(a) a computer server having a memory unit for storing menu data comprising menu items which may be ordered;
(b) a first T/R device connected to server for transmitting said menu data and receiving order commands; and
(c) a plurality of menu tablets each having a graphic display, input means for receiving order commands from a user and a second (T/R device), said second T/R device, in communication with said first T/R device, for receiving said menu data from, and transmitting said order commands to, said server;
the improvement wherein the menu tablets comprise means for sensing the location of the tablet within the facility. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108)
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109. An order automation system comprising, in combination:
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(a) a computer server having a memory unit for storing menu data comprising menu items which may be ordered;
(b) a first T/R device connected to server for transmitting said menu data and receiving order commands; and
(c) a plurality of menu tablets each having a graphic display, input means for receiving order commands from a user and a second transmitting and receiving device (T/R device), said second T/R device, in communication with said first T/R device, for receiving said menu data from, and transmitting said order commands to, said server;
the improvement wherein the menu tablets have no CPU. - View Dependent Claims (110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 129)
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126. An order automation system for a restaurant, comprising, in combination:
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(a) a computer server having a memory unit for storing menu items which may be ordered;
(b) a first transmitting and receiving device (T/R device) connected to said server for transmitting said menu data and receiving order commands;
(c) a plurality of ordering menus each having input means for receiving order commands, and a second transmitting and receiving device (T/R device), said second T/R device, in communication with said first T/R device, for transmitting said order commands to, said server;
(d) a plurality of viewing menu tablets each having a touch activated screen, and a re-programmable memory for a rich content, hypertext-linked, graphic display of restaurant information comprising descriptions of menu items; and
means for reprogramming the tablet memory, in communication with a reprogramming input port;
(e) a viewing menu docking station, for reprogramming the viewing menu memory, said docking station in communication with said server, and comprising at least one interface port, which locks to the reprogramming input port of the viewing menu;
(f) a kitchen order display, in communication with the computer server, for displaying the selection of menu items ordered. - View Dependent Claims (127, 128, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136)
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Specification