Order processing apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A method of receiving a first order for an item from a first patron with respect to a first establishment at which the first patron is located and at which the ordered item is to be delivered to the first patron, the method comprising:
- (a) receiving, at a central location, a first indication of a need to receive the first order;
(b) selecting, at the central location in response to the first indication, a first remote location, from a plurality of remote locations, at which to receive the first order, the first remote location being geographically remote from at least one other of the plurality of remote locations and from the central location;
(c) at the first remote location, displaying first information relating to a first set of items available at the first establishment;
(d) receiving the first order at the first remote location; and
(e) while the first order is being received at the first remote location, providing information about the first order electronically from the first remote location to an order processing system that performs order entry and/or order processing functions at the first establishment.
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 on\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.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of receiving a first order for an item from a first patron with respect to a first establishment at which the first patron is located and at which the ordered item is to be delivered to the first patron, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving, at a central location, a first indication of a need to receive the first order;
(b) selecting, at the central location in response to the first indication, a first remote location, from a plurality of remote locations, at which to receive the first order, the first remote location being geographically remote from at least one other of the plurality of remote locations and from the central location;
(c) at the first remote location, displaying first information relating to a first set of items available at the first establishment;
(d) receiving the first order at the first remote location; and
(e) while the first order is being received at the first remote location, providing information about the first order electronically from the first remote location to an order processing system that performs order entry and/or order processing functions at the first establishment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for receiving an order for an item from a patron with respect to a establishment at which the patron is located and at which the ordered item is to be delivered to the patron, the method comprising:
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(a) at a home of an order taker, displaying information relating to a set of items available at the establishment;
(b) receiving the order by the order taker at their home; and
(c) while the order is being received by the order taker, providing information about the order electronically from the home to an order processing system that performs order entry and/or order processing functions at the establishment.
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21. A method for receiving an order for an item from a patron with respect to a establishment at which the patron is located and at which the ordered item is to be delivered to the patron, the method comprising:
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(a) displaying, remote from a call center, information relating to a set of items available at the establishment;
(b) receiving the order remotely from the call center; and
(c) while the order is being received remote from the call center, providing information about the order electronically to an order processing system that performs order entry and/or order processing functions at the establishment.
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22. A method comprising
receiving a first order for a restaurant food item from a first patron with respect to a first restaurant at which the first patron is located and at which the ordered restaurant food item is to be delivered to the first patron, and balancing the load of the ordering process by (a) receiving, at a central location, an indication of a need to receive the first order; -
(b) selecting, at the central location in response to the indication, a first remote location, from a plurality of remote locations, at which to receive the first order, the first remote location being geographically remote from at least one other of the plurality of remote locations and from the central location;
(c) receiving the first order at the first remote location;
(d) at the first remote location, displaying information relating to a set of food items available at the first restaurant, and (e) while the first order is being received at the first remote location, providing information about the first order electronically from the first remote location to an order processing system that performs order entry and/or order processing functions at the first restaurant. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method comprising
receiving an order for a restaurant food item from a first patron with respect to a first restaurant at which the first patron is located and at which the ordered restaurant food item is to be delivered to the first patron, and balancing the load of the ordering process by (a) receiving the order at a home of an order taker; -
(b) at the home, displaying information relating to a set of food items available at the first restaurant, and (c) while the order is being received at the home, providing information about the order electronically from the home to an order processing system that performs order entry and/or order processing functions at the first restaurant.
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30. A method comprising
receiving an order for a restaurant food item from a first patron with respect to a first restaurant at which the first patron is located and at which the ordered restaurant food item is to be delivered to the first patron, and balancing the load of the ordering process by (a) receiving the order remotely from a call center; -
(b) displaying, remote from the call center, information relating to a set of food items available at the first restaurant, and (c) while the order is being received remote from the call center, providing information about the order electronically to an order processing system that performs order entry and/or order processing functions at the first restaurant.
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31. A method comprising
receiving essentially simultaneously orders for restaurant food items from two or more different patrons with respect to two or more different restaurants at which the patrons are located and at which ordered food items are to be delivered to the respective patrons, and balancing the load of the ordering process by (a) receiving, at a central location, an indication of a need to receive the orders; -
(b) selecting, at the central location in response to the indication, a first remote location from a plurality of remote locations, at which to receive the order from the one patron, and a second remote location from the plurality of remote locations, at which to receive the order from the other patron, the first and second remote locations being geographically remote from at least one other of the plurality of remote locations and from the central location;
(a) receiving the orders telephonically at the first and second remote locations, (b) at the first remote location, displaying information relating to a set of food items available at the one restaurant, (c) at the second remote location, displaying information for use in connection with another one of the orders associated with another one of the restaurants, the information relating to a set of food items available at the other restaurant, and (d) while the orders are being received at the first and second remote locations, providing information about the orders electronically from the first and second remote locations to an order processing system that performs order entry and/or order processing functions at the one restaurant and the other restaurant.
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32. A method comprising
receiving essentially simultaneously orders for restaurant food items from two or more different patrons with respect to two or more different restaurants at which the patrons are located and at which ordered food items are to be delivered to the respective patrons, and balancing the load of the ordering process by (a) receiving the order from the one patron telephonically at a first home of a first order taker and receiving the order from the other patron telephonically at a second home of a second order taker, (b) at the first home, displaying information relating to a set of food items available at the one restaurant, (c) at the second home, displaying information for use in connection with another one of the orders associated with another one of the restaurants, the information relating to a set of food items available at the other restaurant, and (d) while the orders are being received at the first and second homes, providing information about the orders electronically from the first and second homes to an order processing system that performs order entry and/or order processing functions at the one restaurant and the other restaurant.
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33. A method comprising
receiving essentially simultaneously orders for restaurant food items from two or more different patrons with respect to two or more different restaurants at which the patrons are located and at which ordered food items are to be delivered to the respective patrons, and balancing the load of the ordering process by (a) receiving the orders telephonically remotely from a call center, (b) remote from the call center, displaying information relating to a set of food items available at the one restaurant, (c) remote from the call center, displaying information for use in connection with another one of the orders associated with another one of the restaurants, the information relating to a set of food items available at the other restaurant, and (d) while the orders are being received remote from the call center, providing information about the orders electronically to an order processing system that performs order entry and/or order processing functions at the one restaurant and the other restaurant.
Specification