Apparatus and method for monitoring the arrival and duration of stay of a vehicle at a drive-in window
First Claim
1. Apparatus for monitoring the arrival and duration of stay of a motor vehicle at a transaction station associated with a drive-in business or the like of the type having a building structure including a vertical wall mounting a drive-in window, and a vehicle approach lane positioned alongside the building structure wall, said apparatus comprising:
- monitor means producing an electrical signal upon the arrival of a motor vehicle at the transaction station;
means responsive to said electrical signal for timing a duration of stay commencing with the arrival of the vehicle at the transaction station; and
means responsive to said timing means for providing a visually sensible display of said duration of stay.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for sensing the arrival of a motor vehicle at the pick-up window of a drive-thru business and providing a visual display of the length of time that the motor vehicle is present at the window. Visual and audible alarms apprise operating personnel that the vehicle has been present for a predetermined length of time. The apparatus also totals and displays the number of vehicles as well as the total duration of stay of all vehicles arriving at the pick-up window.
The motor vehicles are sensed by means of a vertically oriented rectangular loop detector positioned beneath the pick-up window adjacent the vehicle approach lane. The detector senses the metallic sides of the approaching vehicle, and is shielded to prevent spurious signals.
The apparatus finds particular application for improving the working efficiency of operating personnel of the drive-in business.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. Apparatus for monitoring the arrival and duration of stay of a motor vehicle at a transaction station associated with a drive-in business or the like of the type having a building structure including a vertical wall mounting a drive-in window, and a vehicle approach lane positioned alongside the building structure wall, said apparatus comprising:
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monitor means producing an electrical signal upon the arrival of a motor vehicle at the transaction station; means responsive to said electrical signal for timing a duration of stay commencing with the arrival of the vehicle at the transaction station; and means responsive to said timing means for providing a visually sensible display of said duration of stay. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for monitoring the arrival and duration of stay of a motor vehicle at a transaction station associated with a drive-in business or the like of the type having a building structure including a vertical wall mounting a drive-in window, and a vehicle approach lane positioned alongside the drive-in window to improve the operating efficiency of business personnel comprising:
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sensing the arrival of a motor vehicle at a predetermined position in the vehicle approach lane; timing the duration of stay of the vehicle commencing with the arrival of the vehicle at said predetermined position; and providing to business personnel within the building a sensible indication of the duration of stay of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A sensor for sensing the arrival and duration of stay of a motor vehicle at a transaction station associated with a drive-in business or the like of the type having a building structure including a vertical wall mounting a drive-in window, and a vehicle approach lane positioned alongside the drive-in window, said sensor comprising:
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a loop detector having a plurality of turns of wire; a box-like enclosure having a front face configured to face the vehicle approach lane; first means for mounting said loop detector within said enclosure; and second means for mounting said enclosure to a mounting surface such that said loop detector may sense the side of a motor vehicle passing within a predetermined distance thereof. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification