METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A DRIVE-THRU PRODUCT DELIVERY VERIFIER

• US 20080217108A1
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Monitors, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Power Monitors, Inc.
• Inventors: Curt, Walter, Mullins, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 186/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing

Abstract

A system for improving the efficiency of drive-through delivery systems is provided. The system can provide complete error tracking and feedback; however, partial or no error tracking and/or feedback can be provided if desired. Errors in order fulfillment can be reduced. Detailed information on product weight and delivery timing can be provided. By analyzing the weight distributions of each food item or any other suitable measurements, production quality and consistency may be monitored. By analyzing the delivery times for each food item type or any other suitable measurements, production efficiency and restaurant work flow may be measured.

Claims

1. An order verification system comprising:

an order reception unit configured to receive an order, the order including a plurality of items;

a detection unit configured to automatically detect whether the correct items are collected to fill the order.

2. The order verification system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes:

a scale configured to weigh one or more of the collected items.

3. The order verification system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes:

a scanner configured to scan for an identifier on one or more of the collected items.

4. The order verification system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second detection unit configured to detect an initial item component;

an assignment unit configured to assign an item identifier to the initial item component,

wherein the second detection unit is further configured to detect one or more additional item components being associated with the initial component; and

a recordation unit configured to record the association of the one or more additional item components with the initial item component.

5. The order verification system of claim 4, further comprising:

a third detection unit configured to detect one or more properties of the initial component or any of the one or more additional item components; and

a second recordation unit configured to record the detected one or more properties.

6. The order verification system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes:

a thermometer configured to measure the temperature of one or more of the collected items.

7. The order verification system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes:

an ordering unit configured to determine an ordering for placement of the plurality of items in one or more delivery receptacles;

a prompting unit configured to prompt a user to collect a next item in accordance with the ordering; and

a determiner configured to determine whether an item placed in or on the one or more delivery receptacles is the next item.

8. The order verification system of claim 7, wherein the detection unit further includes:

an alert generator configured to generate an alert, if the item placed in or on the one or more delivery receptacles is not the next item.

9. The order verification system of claim 1, further comprising:

an alert generator configured to generate an alert, if the correct items are not collected to fill the order.

10. The order verification system of claim 1, further comprising:

a determiner configured to determine, if an error in the collected items is not detected within a period of time following delivery of the collected items to the recipient, that the automatic detection of whether the correct items were collected to fill the order was performed correctly; and

a learning unit configured to adjust one or more parameters associated with automatically detecting whether the correct items are collected to fill the order in accordance with the determination that the automatic detection of whether the correct items were collected to fill the order was performed correctly.

11. A method of filling an order comprising:

receiving the order, the order including a plurality of items;

collecting items to fill the order;

automatically detecting whether the correct items are collected to fill the order; and

providing the collected items to a recipient.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein automatically detecting includes:

weighing one or more of the collected items.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein automatically detecting includes:

scanning for an identifier on one or more of the collected items.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein collecting items includes:

detecting an initial item component;

assigning an item identifier to the initial item component;

detecting one or more additional item components being associated with the initial component; and

recording the association of the one or more additional item components with the initial item component.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein collecting items further includes:

detecting and recording one or more properties of the initial component or any of the one or more additional item components.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein automatically detecting includes measuring the temperature of one or more of the collected items.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein automatically detecting includes:

determining an ordering for placement of the plurality of items in one or more delivery receptacles;

prompting a user to collect a next item in accordance with the ordering; and

determining whether an item placed in or on the one or more delivery receptacles is the next item.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein automatically detecting further includes:

generating an alert, if the item placed in or on the one or more delivery receptacles is not the next item.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating an alert, if the correct items are not collected to fill the order.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, if an error in the collected items is not detected within a period of time following delivery of the collected items to the recipient, that the automatic detection of whether the correct items were collected to fill the order was preformed correctly; and

adjusting one or more parameters associated with automatically detecting whether the correct items are collected to fill the order in accordance with the determination that the automatic detection of whether the correct items were collected to fill the order was performed correctly.