Order processing apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A method for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the method comprising:
- detecting a customer presence signal generated based on an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location;
sending, via a network, a customer arrival alert in response to the customer presence signal, the customer arrival alert indicating the presence of the customer at the point of sale location;
receiving, via the network, a session request generated based on the customer arrival alert, the session request being received from a selected order taking point selected from a plurality of order taking points and initiating a session therewith;
implementing, in response to the receiving, a session with the selected order taking point for receiving communication of an indication of the order component from the selected order taking point;
facilitating fulfillment of the order in response to the communication; and
ending the session upon having received the order.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A remote order system includes at least one POS management system such as a restaurant management POS and one or more order taking points capable of entering orders. The one or more order taking points may include, for example, remote agent terminals, one or more remote order centers (ROC) and an order distributor. The RMPOS further includes drive-through order points, an order processing device and a POS system. The order processing device detects a customer presence signal corresponding with an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location and in response sends a destination request to the order distributor. The order distributor sends destination information to the order processing device and in response the order processing device establishes at least one of: an audio link and/or a data link between the point of sale location and one of at least two point of sale order taking points.
196 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the method comprising:
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detecting a customer presence signal generated based on an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location;
sending, via a network, a customer arrival alert in response to the customer presence signal, the customer arrival alert indicating the presence of the customer at the point of sale location;
receiving, via the network, a session request generated based on the customer arrival alert, the session request being received from a selected order taking point selected from a plurality of order taking points and initiating a session therewith;
implementing, in response to the receiving, a session with the selected order taking point for receiving communication of an indication of the order component from the selected order taking point;
facilitating fulfillment of the order in response to the communication; and
ending the session upon having received the order. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the method comprising:
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receiving, via a network, a customer arrival alert generated in response to an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location, the customer arrival alert indicating the presence of the customer at the point of sale location;
retrieving point of sale information based on the received customer arrival alert;
selecting, based on the point of sale information, an order taking point from a plurality of order taking points to process the order; and
sending an order processing request to the selected order taking point, the order processing request including the point of sale information and requesting that the selected order taking point send a session request to the point of sale location to implement a data connection between the selected order taking point and the point of sale location for communicating the order. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the method comprising:
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detecting a customer presence signal generated based on an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location;
sending, via a network, a customer arrival alert in response to the customer presence signal, the customer arrival alert requesting an order taking point to process the order;
receiving, via the network, identification of a selected order taking point selected from a plurality of order taking points;
providing a session request to the selected order taking point, the session request initiating a data connection thereto;
implementing a data connection between the point of sale location and the selected order taking point for receiving an indication of the order component from the selected order taking point;
processing the indication to facilitate fulfillment of the order; and
ending the session upon having received all of the indications of the order components of the order. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the method comprising:
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receiving, via a network, a customer arrival alert generated in response to an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location, the customer arrival alert indicating the presence of the customer at the point of sale location;
retrieving point of sale information based on the received customer arrival alert;
selecting, based on the point of sale information, an order taking point from a plurality of order taking points to process the order; and
sending an order processing request to the point of sale location, the order processing request including identification of the selected order taking point so that the point of sale location may send a session request to the selected order taking point to implement at least a data connection between the point of sale location and the selected order taking point for communicating the order. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the apparatus comprising:
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a customer presence detector operative to detect a customer presence signal generated based on an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location;
a system interface, coupled with the customer presence detector and a network, and operative to send, via the network, a customer arrival alert in response to the customer presence signal, the customer arrival alert indicating the presence of the customer at the point of sale location, the system interface being further operative to receive, via the network, a session request generated based on the customer arrival alert, the session request being received from a selected order taking point selected from a plurality of order taking points and initiating a session therewith, the system interface being further operative to implement, in response to the receiving, a session with the selected order taking point for receiving communication of an indication of the order component from the selected order taking point;
an order processing system operative to facilitate fulfillment of the order in response to the communication; and
wherein the system interface is further operative to end the session upon having received all of the order. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An apparatus for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the apparatus comprising:
an order distributor coupled with a network and operative to receive, via the network, a customer arrival alert generated in response to an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location, the customer arrival alert indicating the presence of the customer at the point of sale location, the order distributor being further operative to retrieve point of sale information based on the received customer arrival alert, select, based on the point of sale information, an order taking point from a plurality of order taking points to process the order, and send an order processing request to the selected order taking point, the order processing request including the point of sale information and requesting that the selected order taking point send a session request to the point of sale location to implement a data connection between the selected order taking point and the point of sale location for communicating the order.
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39. An apparatus for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the apparatus comprising:
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a customer presence detector operative to detect a customer presence signal generated based on an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location;
a system interface coupled with the customer presence detector and a network and operative to send, via the network, a customer arrival alert in response to the customer presence signal, the customer arrival alert requesting an order taking point to process the order, the system interface being further operative to receive, via the network, identification of a selected order taking point selected from a plurality of order taking points, provide a session request to the selected order taking point, the session request initiating a data connection thereto, and implement a data connection between the point of sale location and the selected order taking point for receiving an indication of the order component from the selected order taking point;
an order processing system coupled with the system interface and operative to process the indication to facilitate fulfillment of the order; and
wherein the system interface is further operative to end the session upon having received all of the indications of the order components of the order.
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40. An apparatus for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the apparatus comprising:
an order distributor coupled with a network and operative to receive, via the network, a customer arrival alert generated in response to an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location, the customer arrival alert indicating the presence of the customer at the point of sale location, the order distributor being further operative to retrieve point of sale information based on the received customer arrival alert, select, based on the point of sale information, an order taking point from a plurality of order taking points to process the order, and send an order processing request to the point of sale location, the order processing request including identification of the selected order taking point so that the point of sale location may send a session request to the selected order taking point to implement a data connection between the point of sale location and the selected order taking point for communicating the order.
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41. An system for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the system comprising:
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means for detecting a customer presence signal generated based on an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location;
means, coupled with the means for detecting, for sending, via a network, a customer arrival alert in response to the customer presence signal, the customer arrival alert indicating the presence of the customer at the point of sale location;
means, coupled with the means for sending, for receiving, via the network, a session request generated based on the customer arrival alert, the session request being received from a selected order taking point selected from a plurality of order taking points and initiating a session therewith;
means, coupled with the means for receiving, for implementing, in response to the receiving, a session with the selected order taking point for receiving communication of an indication of the order component from the selected order taking point;
means, coupled with the means for implementing, for facilitating fulfillment of the order in response to the communication; and
means, coupled with the means for facilitating, for ending the session upon having received all of the order.
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42. A system for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the system comprising:
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means for receiving, via a network, a customer arrival alert generated in response to an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location, the customer arrival alert indicating the presence of the customer at the point of sale location;
means, coupled with the means for receiving, for retrieving point of sale information based on the received customer arrival alert;
means, coupled with the means retrieving, for selecting, based on the point of sale information, an order taking point from a plurality of order taking points to process the order; and
means, coupled with the means for selecting, for sending an order processing request to the selected order taking point, the order processing request including the point of sale information and requesting that the selected order taking point send a session request to the point of sale location to implement a data connection between the selected order taking point and the point of sale location for communicating the order.
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43. A system for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the system comprising:
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means for detecting a customer presence signal generated based on an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location;
means, coupled with the means for detecting, for sending, via a network, a customer arrival alert in response to the customer presence signal, the customer arrival alert requesting an order taking point to process the order;
means, coupled with the means for sending, for receiving, via the network, identification of a selected order taking point selected from a plurality of order taking points;
means, coupled with the means for receiving, for providing a session request to the selected order taking point, the session request initiating a data connection thereto;
means, coupled with the means for providing, for implementing a data connection between the point of sale location and the selected order taking point for receiving an indication of the order component from the selected order taking point;
means, coupled with the means for implementing, for processing the indication to facilitate fulfillment of the order; and
means, coupled with the means for processing, for ending the session upon having received all of the indications of the order components of the order.
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44. A system for processing an order, the order comprising an order component, the system comprising:
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means for receiving, via a network, a customer arrival alert generated in response to an arrival of a customer at a point of sale location, the customer arrival alert indicating the presence of the customer at the point of sale location;
means, coupled with the means for receiving, for retrieving point of sale information based on the received customer arrival alert;
means, coupled with the means for receiving, for selecting, based on the point of sale information, an order taking point from a plurality of order taking points to process the order; and
means, coupled with the means for selecting, for sending an order processing request to the point of sale location, the order processing request including identification of the selected order taking point so that the point of sale location may send a session request to the selected order taking point to implement a data connection between the point of sale location and the selected order taking point for communicating the order.
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Specification