Bank queue monitoring systems and methods

• US 20080046304A1
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cliff Edwards Dean
• Original Assignee: Cliff Edwards Dean
• Inventors: Dean, Cliff Edwards
• Granted Patent: US 7,685,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis

Abstract

A system for monitoring a queue including an entry sensor subsystem for sensing the entrance of customers into the queue, an exit sensor subsystem for sensing the exit of customers from the queue, and a processing system in communication with the entry and exit sensor subsystems. The processing system is operable to log a customer sensed by the entry sensor as entering the queue, determine from the exit sensor subsystem if the logged customer has exited the queue within a predetermined time period, and if the logged customer has exited the queue within the predetermined time period, log the customer as having received service or, if the logged customer has not exited the queue within the predetermined time period, provide an indication to management personnel.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a queue comprising:

an entry sensor subsystem for sensing the entrance of customers into the queue;

an exit sensor subsystem for sensing the exit of customers from the queue; and

a processing system in communication with the entry and exit sensor subsystems operable to;

log a customer sensed by the entry sensor as entering the queue;

determine from the exit sensor subsystem if the logged customer has exited the queue within a predetermined time period;

if the logged customer has exited the queue within the predetermined time period, log the customer as having received service; and

if the logged customer has not exited the queue within the predetermined time period, provide an indication to management personnel.

2. The system of claim 1, further operable, if the logged customer has not exited the queue within the predetermined time period to:

determine from the exit sensor if the logged customer has exited the queue within a second predetermined time period;

if the logged customer has exited the queue within the second predetermined time period, log the customer as having received service; and

if the logged customer has not exited the queue within the second predetermined time period, provide a second indication to management personnel.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to provide a colored entry on a display ladder of a first color representing the logged customer and changes the colored entry to a second color if the logged customer has not exited the queue within the predetermined time period.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the entry sensor subsystem and the exit sensor subsystem communicate with the processor via a wireless link.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the entry sensor subsystem comprises a transmitter and a receiver which provide an infrared beam across an entry to the queue.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the exit sensor subsystem comprises a transmitter and a receiver which provide an infrared beam across an exit to the queue.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine if the logged customer has avoided the exit sensor subsystem while exiting the queue; and

log-out the logged customer in response to a determination that the logged customer has exited the queue and avoided the exit sensor subsystem.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine if a customer has been detected as entering the queue by the exit sensor subsystem and has exited the queue by avoiding the entrance subsystem; and

log-out the customer detected as entering the queue by the exit sensor in response to a determination that the logged customer has exited the queue and avoided the entrance sensor subsystem.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to:

detect with the exit sensor subsystem that the logged customer has exited the queue and then returned to the queue; and

re-log the customer as being in the queue.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to:

detect with the entrance sensor subsystem that the logged customer has exited the queue as sensed by the entrance sensor system; and

log-out the logged customer as having exited the queue.

11. A method of monitoring customers in a queue comprising:

detecting the breaking of an entrance detection beam by a customer entering the queue;

generating a display entry corresponding to the customer on a display, the display entry having a first color;

determining if the customer exits the queue by breaking an exit detection beam prior to expiration of a time period;

if the customer exits the queue before the expiration of the time period, log the customer as having exited the queue and update the display entry; and

if the customer does not exit the queue by breaking the exit detection beam prior to expiration of the time period, changing the display entry to a second color.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining if the customer exits the queue by breaking an exit detection beam prior to expiration of a second time period subsequent to the time period; and

if the customer does not exit the queue by breaking the exit detection beam prior to expiration of the second time period, changing the display entry from the second color to a third color.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first color is green, the second color is yellow, and the third color is red.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating an audible tone along with changing the display entry to a the second color.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing statistical information on the display representing average wait time and average queue length.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining if the logged customer has avoided the exit detection beam while exiting the queue; and

logging-out the logged customer in response to a determination that the logged customer has exited the queue and avoided the exit detection beam.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining if a customer has been detected as entering the queue by breaking the exit detection beam and has exited the queue by avoiding the entrance detection beam; and

logging-out the customer detected as entering the queue by breaking the exit detection beam and as exiting the queue by avoiding the entrance detection beam.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting that the logged customer has exited the queue by breaking the exit detection and then returned to the queue by breaking the exit detection beam; and

re-logging the customer as being in the queue.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting that the logged customer has exited the queue by breaking the entrance detection beam; and

Log-out the logged customer as having exited the queue.

20. A queue monitoring system comprising:

an entrance detection subsystem generating a first infrared detection beam for monitoring an entrance point to the queue;

an exit detection subsystem generating a infrared detection beam for monitoring; and

a queue management system wirelessly communicating with the entrance and exit detection subsystems for;

detecting the breaking of the first detection beam by a customer entering the queue;

logging-in the customer entering the queue and setting a corresponding timer;

determining if the logged-in customer breaks the second detection beam prior to the timer reaching a preselected time threshold;

if the customer breaks the second detection beam before the time threshold, logging the customer as having exited the queue; and

if the customer does not break the second detection beam prior to the time threshold, generating an indication that the customer remains in the queue.