VENUE PRODUCT SALES AND NETWORKING

• US 20110173041A1
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: R4 Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Vendmore Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Signorelli, Paul D., Breitenbach, Paul T., Zhuk, Igor
• Application Number:
  US13/004,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20110173041A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/348 by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder B67D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, interfaces, methods, and articles of manufacture for venue product sales and networking are provided.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a centralized electronic processing device, an indication of an order for a unit of a product, the order being placed via a mobile device of a customer located at a venue;

determining, by the centralized electronic processing device, a subset of a plurality of facilities at the venue, wherein each facility of the subset is capable of fulfilling the order;

selecting, by the centralized electronic processing device and based on information indicative of a predicted order fulfillment time at each of the facilities of the subset, one of the facilities of the subset to fulfill the order;

transmitting, by the centralized electronic processing device, an indication of the order to the selected facility; and

transmitting, by the centralized electronic processing device and to the mobile device of the customer, an indication of the selected facility and an indication of an expected order fulfillment time for the order.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, after the transmitting of the indication of the order to the selected facility, by the centralized electronic processing device and from the selected facility, an indication that order is ready; and

notifying the customer, via the centralized electronic processing device and in response to receiving the indication from the selected facility, that the order is ready.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the order is a delivery-type order, further comprising:

notifying the customer, via the centralized electronic processing device and in response to receiving the indication from the selected facility, an estimated delivery time of the order.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the subset comprises:

determining that an inventory level of the product at each facility of the subset is above a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the subset comprises:

determining that each facility of the subset is authorized to provide the unit of the product.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the subset comprises:

determining that each facility of the subset has one or more of (i) sales and/or (ii) profits, that meet predetermined threshold requirements.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicative of the predicted order fulfillment time at each of the facilities of the subset, comprises

information descriptive of a current volume of orders at each of the facilities of the subset.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicative of the predicted order fulfillment time at each of the facilities of the subset, comprises

information descriptive of a maximum volume of orders permitted at each of the facilities of the subset.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting, comprises:

selecting the one of the facilities of the subset to fulfill the order based on the selected one of the facilities of the subset having the quickest predicted order fulfillment time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is further based on a predicted delivery time of the order at each of the facilities of the subset.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the selecting, comprises:

selecting the one of the facilities of the subset to fulfill the order based on the selected one of the facilities of the subset having the quickest;

predicted order fulfillment time plus predicted delivery time.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the mobile device of the customer, and indication of a location of the customer at the venue.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the indication of the location of the customer comprises an indication of one or more of (i) a GPS coordinate of the customer and (ii) a seat number of the customer.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the selecting, comprises:

selecting the one of the facilities of the subset to fulfill the order based on the selected one of the facilities of the subset being the shortest distance from the location of the customer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the distance comprises a rectilinear distance between the selected facility of the subset and the location of the customer.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting, comprises:

selecting the one of the facilities of the subset to fulfill the order based on a type of the facility.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the selecting, comprises:

selecting the one of the facilities of the subset to fulfill the order based on a rule that specifies that browser-type facilities are to be selected first, runner-type facilities are to be selected second, and pickup-type facilities are to be selected last.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

an electronic processing device; and

a memory device in communication with the electronic processing device, the memory device storing specially-programmed instructions that when executed by the electronic processing device result in;

receiving, by a centralized electronic processing device, an indication of an order for a unit of a product, the order being placed via a mobile device of a customer located at a venue;

determining, by the centralized electronic processing device, a subset of a plurality of facilities at the venue, wherein each facility of the subset is capable of fulfilling the order;

selecting, by the centralized electronic processing device and based on information indicative of a predicted order fulfillment time at each of the facilities of the subset, one of the facilities of the subset to fulfill the order;

transmitting, by the centralized electronic processing device, an indication of the order to the selected facility; and

transmitting, by the centralized electronic processing device and to the mobile device of the customer, an indication of the selected facility and an indication of an expected order fulfillment time for the order.

19. A method, comprising:

determining, by an electronic controller associated with a concession stand at a venue, information descriptive of a plurality of pending customer orders;

determining, by the electronic controller, information descriptive of a plurality of available delivery personnel;

allocating, by the electronic controller and based on the customer order information and the delivery personnel information, the plurality of pending customer orders amongst the plurality of available delivery personnel;

transmitting, by the electronic controller and to each delivery personnel of the plurality of available delivery personnel that is allocated one or more customer orders, an indication of the one or more customer orders; and

transmitting, by the electronic controller and to each customer, an indication of an expected delivery time for each customers'"'"' respective order.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the information descriptive of the plurality of pending customer orders comprises information identifying locations of the respective customers and wherein the allocating is further based on rectilinear distances from the customers to the concession stand.