SELF-SERVICE SYSTEM WITH USER INTERFACE POSITIONING

• US 20110153115A1
• Filed: 02/01/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Egan, Greg Scott, Inderrieden, Michael Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,025,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/302
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 3/10 without using feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/205 Housing aspects of ATMs

Abstract

A self-service system with user interface positioning which accommodates drive-through vehicles of different heights and optionally different distances from an order board. The self-service system includes a user interface and a computer for positioning the user interface at a height above ground which substantially coincides with a window height above the ground of a vehicle adjacent the user interface. The height of the user interface is within a predetermined range of possible heights of the user interface corresponding to different window heights of different vehicles.

Claims

1. A self-service system for drive-through venues comprising:

touch screen for displaying transaction information and recording operator selections in a user interface; and

a computer for positioning the user interface at a height above ground which substantially coincides with a window height above the ground of a vehicle adjacent the user interface;

wherein the height of the user interface is within a predetermined range of possible heights of the user interface corresponding to different window heights of different vehicles.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the width of the user interface is within a predetermined range of widths of the user interface corresponding to different window widths of different vehicles.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer positions the user interface in a portion of the touch screen less than all the touch screen, and wherein the touch screen has a height dimension sufficient for the computer to position the user interface in different portions corresponding to the different window heights of the different vehicles.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a positioning system;

wherein the computer operates the positioning system to position the touch screen to the height.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the computer further operators the positioning system to position the touch screen to a predetermined distance from the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a vehicle sensing system;

wherein the computer receives information about the location and distance of the vehicle from the vehicle sensing system to avoid contacting the vehicle with the touch screen.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

an indicator;

wherein the computer operates the indicator to indicate to a driver of the vehicle when the computer determines from the vehicle sensing system that the vehicle is in a predetermined optimal position for using the user interface.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer positions the user interface under customer control.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer positions the user interface automatically.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a vehicle sensing system for providing information about a vehicle reference point;

wherein the computer obtains the reference point from the information and positions the user interface based upon the reference point.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle sensing system comprises:

a camera for capturing an image of the vehicle;

wherein the computer obtains the reference point from the image.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the reference point is on a driver-side mirror.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the reference point is on a driver-side window.

14. A self-service system for drive-through venues comprising:

touch screen for displaying transaction information and recording operator selections; and

a computer for configuring a portion of the touch screen less than all of the touch screen as a user interface for displaying the transaction information and recording the operator selections during a transaction;

wherein the portion of the touch screen is located at a height above ground which substantially coincides with a window height above the ground of a vehicle adjacent the touch screen; and

wherein the touch screen has a height dimension sufficient to provide different portions at different heights above the ground within a predetermined range of possible heights above the ground corresponding to different window heights of different vehicles.

15. A self-service drive-through method comprising:

receiving information directed to positioning a user interface including screens displayed by a touch screen and corresponding active touch points of the touch screen by a self-service computer; and

positioning the user interface at a height above ground which substantially coincides with a window height above the ground of a vehicle adjacent the user interface by the self-service computer;

wherein the height of the user interface is within a predetermined range of possible heights of the user interface corresponding to different window heights of different vehicles.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiving step comprises:

receiving an input from the customer directed to positioning the user interface.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiving step comprises:

receiving information about a vehicle reference point from a vehicle sensing system by the computer.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the positioning step comprises:

positioning the user interface in a portion of the touch screen less than the entire touch screen by the computer;

wherein the touch screen has a height dimension sufficient for the computer to position the user interface in different portions corresponding to the different window heights of the different vehicles.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the positioning step comprises:

operating a positioning system to position the touch screen to the height by the computer.

20. A self-service system for drive-through venues comprising:

a user interface; and

a computer for positioning the user interface at a height above ground which substantially coincides with a window height above the ground of a vehicle adjacent the user interface;

wherein the height of the user interface is within a predetermined range of possible heights of the user interface corresponding to different window heights of different vehicles.