Multimedia restaurant system, booth and associated methods

• US 20090076920A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T1V, Inc.
• Original Assignee: T1 Vision, LLC
• Inventors: Feldman, Michael R., Morris, James E., Wooten, Jennifer L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,583,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/15
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/04 Restaurants or shops having arrangements for self-service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/40 for devices for accepting orders, advertisements, or the like

Abstract

A restaurant system may include multiple booths in at least part of a restaurant and a central computer in communication with each booth. Each booth may include a table having a table display, seating stations arranged around the table, the table being large enough to accommodate dining at each seating station, a wall having a wall display therein, the wall display positioned to be viewable from all seating stations, the wall display configured to display a common image, the table display configured to control the wall display, a booth computer in communication with the table display, the wall display, and the central computer, and an access point configured to allow access to restaurant workers and entry/exit to the booth.

Claims

1. A booth, comprising:

a table having a table display;

seating stations arranged around the table, the table being large enough to accommodate dining at each seating station,

a wall having a wall display therein, the wall display positioned to be viewable from all seating stations, the wall display configured to display a common image, the table display configured to control the wall display;

a computer in communication with the table display and the wall display; and

an access point configured to allow access to restaurant workers and entry/exit to the booth.

2. The booth as claimed in claim 1, wherein back heights of the seating stations are higher than about four feet.

3. The booth as claimed in claim 1, further comprising speakers configured for the booth, the table display being configured to allow control of audio signals output by the speakers within the booth.

4. The booth as claimed in claim 1, wherein the table display is configured to divide the table display into a number of sub-screens, each sub-screen being oriented appropriately for each seating station.

5. The booth as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least two sub-screens display an electronic menu from which items are selected.

6. The booth as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wall display is configured to display selected items.

7. The booth as claimed in claim 1, wherein a user may select the number of sub-screens to be displayed on the table display.

8. The booth as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer is a booth computer.

9. The booth as claimed in claim 8, wherein the booth computer is hard wired to at least one of the wall display and table display.

10. The booth as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a connector configured to connect a user'"'"'s device to the booth computer, the user'"'"'s device being at least one of a laptop computer, a memory card, a flash memory drive, a storage device, an audio device, and a video device.

11. The booth as claimed in claim 1, wherein the table is a conventional dining table height and seating stations at least partially fit under the table.

12. The booth as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a connector configured to connect a user'"'"'s device to at least one of the wall display and the table display.

13. The booth as claimed in claim 12, wherein the user'"'"'s device is at least one of a laptop computer, a memory card, a flash memory drive, a storage device, an audio device, and a video device.

14. The booth as claimed in claim 12, wherein the user'"'"'s device is connected only to the wall display computer.

15. The booth as claimed in claim 14, wherein the table display is configured to allow a user to switch at least one of a source of video displayed on the wall display and a source of audio to speakers from the computer to the user'"'"'s device.

16. The booth as claimed in claim 1, wherein the table display is flush with a top of table.

17. The booth as claimed in claim 1, wherein the table display is configured to allow a user to view and select photographic images for display on the wall display.

18. The booth as claimed in claim 17, wherein the photographic images form a slideshow on the wall display.

19. The booth as claimed in claim 17, wherein a source of the photographic images is at least one of a user device, the computer, and an internet connection.

20. The booth as claimed in claim 1, wherein the table display is configured to allow a user to control visual information on the wall display, to control audio information within the booth and to view and select from an electronic menu in a restaurant where the booth is located.

21. The booth as claimed in claim 20, wherein items selected from the electronic menu on the table display are displayed on the wall display and visible from the access point.

22. The booth as claimed in claim 21, wherein the wall display visually indicates selected items are ready to be ordered.

23. A booth, comprising:

a table;

seating stations arranged around the table, the table being large enough to accommodate dining at each seating station,

a wall having a wall display therein, the wall display positioned to be viewable from all seating stations;

speakers configured to output audio signals within the booth;

a plurality of sources including a computer in communication with the wall display and at least one port configured to connect a user'"'"'s device to the wall display;

a device configured to allow a user to select a source from the at least one source for at least one of video signals for the wall display and audio signals for the speakers; and

an access point configured to allow access to restaurant workers and entry/exit to the booth.

24. The booth as claimed in claim 23, wherein the device is a remote control.

25. The booth as claimed in claim 23, wherein the source is previously loaded content on the computer.

26. The booth as claimed in claims 25, wherein the previously loaded content is loaded through the at least one port.

27. The booth as claimed in claim 23, wherein the user'"'"'s device is at least one of an audio/video player and a laptop computer.

28. The booth as claimed in claim 23, wherein the computer is a booth computer.

29. A booth, comprising:

a table having a table display;

seating stations arranged around the table, the table being large enough to accommodate dining at each seating station, wherein the table display is configured to divide the table display into a number of sub-screens, each sub-screen being oriented appropriately for each seating station, at least one sub-screen displaying an electronic menu from which items are selected; and

an access point configured to allow access to restaurant workers and entry/exit to the booth.

30. The booth as claimed in claim 29, wherein the table provides enough clearance for a seated user to place their knees under the table.

31. The booth as claimed in claim 29, wherein at least one sub-screen is configured to display user selected content and another one of the sub-screens controls the at least one sub-screens.

32. The booth as claimed in claim 29, wherein the number of sub-screens includes at least one control sub-screen configured to control images displayed in at least one viewing sub-screen of remaining sub-screens.

33. The booth as claimed in claim 32, wherein the viewing sub-screen expands to fill more than one sub-screen up to an entirety of the table display.

34. The booth as claimed in claim 32, wherein the images displayed are at least one of still images and video images supplied by a user.

35. A method of providing an interactive booth, the method comprising:

arranging seating stations around a table, the table being large enough to accommodate dining at each seating station and having a table display;

positioning a wall display to be viewable from all seating stations, the wall display configured to display a common image, the table display configured to serve as an input device for the wall display; and

providing an access point configured to allow access to restaurant workers and entry/exit to the booth.

36. A restaurant system, comprising:

a booth including a display configured to display an electronic menu to a user; and

a central computer in communication with the booth, the computer configured to;

collect data to form a database including information regarding correlations between items in the electronic menu;

search the database in accordance with a selected item selected by the user; and

display recommended menu items based on the selected item on the display.

37. The restaurant system as claimed in claim 36, wherein data for the database are collected by surveying customers.

38. The restaurant system as claimed in claim 37, wherein the display in the booth is configured to survey customers.

39. The restaurant system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the selected item is historical for the user.

40. The restaurant system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the selected item is a user preference.

41. The restaurant system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the selected item is a food item and the recommended item is at least one of a complimentary drink item, a complimentary food item, and a similar food item.

42. A restaurant system, comprising:

multiple booths in at least part of a restaurant; and

a central computer in communication with each booth, each booth including

a table having a table display;

seating stations arranged around the table, the table being large enough to accommodate dining at each seating station,

a wall having a wall display therein, the wall display positioned to be viewable from all seating stations, the wall display configured to display a common image, the table display configured to control the wall display;

a computer in communication with the table display and the wall display; and

an access point configured to allow access to restaurant workers and entry/exit to the booth.