Customer queue control method and system

• US 4,398,257 A
• Filed: 02/27/1981
• Issued: 08/09/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Hale, William J., Paganini, Bruno J., Lee, Kwang H., Anavil, Yodhin
• Primary Examiner(s): Krass, Errol A.
• Application Number:
  US06/239,098
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200, 364/900, 364/710, 364/436, 364/478, 364/550, 340/286, 340/332, 340/692, 179/15 A, 235/92 TC, 377/6, 377/27
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1008 Personal calling arrangements or devices, i.e. paging systems selective calling systems and call receivers H04W84/00, H04W68/00

Abstract

A customer queue control system for an establishment having a plurality of customer service stations utilizes a main queue and a plurality of local queues, and includes a detector to detect the presence of a customer at the head of the main queue, keys at each service station to signify the status of that station, a voice message device to direct a customer at the head of the main queue to a local queue selected to provide the probable minimum waiting time, and a data processing system for controlling the voice message device in accordance with the presence of a customer in the main queue, the number of customers in each local queue, the status of each local queue, and the probable service delay time per customer in each local queue.

Claims

1. In a customer queue control system for an establishment having a plurality of stations and utilizing a main queue and a plurality of local queues, each of which local queues may contain more than one customer, the improvement comprising detection means for detecting conditions at each station, timing means for providing a timed period unique for each station, means responsive to said detection means and said timing means for determining which local queue will probably have the shortest wait, and means for generating a voice message to direct a customer at the head of the main queue to a selected local queue.

2. A customer queue control system for an establishment having a plurality of customer service stations and utilizing a main queue and a plurality of local queues, one for each customer service station, comprising:

first means to detect the presence of a customer at the head of the main queue;

second means at each customer service station to signify whether each station is in an open or closed status;

counting means to maintain a count of the numbers of customers in each local queue;

timing means to provide a timed period unique for each customer service station; and

customer direction means controlled by the first means, the second means, the counting means and the timing means to direct a customer at the head of the main queue to a local queue associated with one of the customer service stations in accordance with a determination as to which local queue is expected to provide the shortest waiting time for said customer.

3. The customer queue control system of claim 2 in which said first means includes a switch operatively associated with a surface upon which a customer at the head of the main queue stands, to inform the system as to whether or not any customer is in the main queue.

4. The customer queue control system of claim 2, in which said customer direction means includes next available station storage means for storing indicia for identifying the various customer service stations in order corresponding to the order in which the corresponding local queues are to be selected.

5. The customer queue control system of claim 4, also including means for counting down the timing means for the customer service stations, and means for causing the identifying indicia for a station to be entered in the last position of the next available station storage means when the timing means for that station has counted down to zero.

6. The customer queue control system of claim 2, in which said second means includes a first key and a second key at each station which may be operated by personnel at said station to designate whether said station is closed or is open for business.

7. The customer queue control system of claim 6, in which said second means also includes detector means connected to all of said first keys and second keys and capable of informing said customer direction means as to which stations are open for business, and which are not.

8. The customer queue control system of claim 2, also comprising:

storage means for the storage of message segments which may be selected to constitute the content of a message;

directional means for providing data relating to the direction of movement from the main queue to the selected local queue;

identification means for providing data relating to the identity of the teller station associated with the selected local queue;

message data generation means for selecting messages segments from said storage means in accordance with information provided by said directional means and said identification means, to compose a message directing the customer at the head of the main queue to the selected local queue; and

message delivery means to provide a message in accordance with the message composed by the message data generation means.

9. The customer queue control system of claim 8, in which the message delivery means includes a speaker, and the message is a voice message.

10. A customer queue control system for an establishment having a plurality of customer service stations, and utilizing a main queue, comprising:

customer direction means to direct a customer at the head of the main queue to one of the customer service stations in accordance with a determination as to which station is expected to provide the shortest waiting time for said customer;

storage means for the storage of message segments which may be selected to constitute the content of a message;

directional means for providing data relating to the direction of movement from the main queue to the selected customer service station;

identification means for providing data relating to the identity of the teller station associated with the selected customer service station; and

message data generation means for selecting message segments from said storage means in accordance with information provided by said directional means and said identification means, to compose a message directing the customer at the head of the main queue to the selected customer service station; and

message delivery means including a speaker to provide a vocal message in accordance with the message composed by the message data generation means.

11. A customer queue control system for an establishment having a plurality of customer service stations and utilizing a main queue and a plurality of local queues, each local queue being associated with a customer service station, comprising:

a main processor for controlling system operations,

main processor memory means for storing information relating to customer availability for each station and the amount of time allocated for servicing a customer at a given station;

first address and data buses coupled to said main processor and to said main processor memory means for transmitting information relating to service station activity to the main processor, and for enabling communication between said main processor, said main processor memory, and other elements of the system;

a speech processor capable of receiving information from the main processor and for controlling the generation of voice messages to customers;

speech processor memory means for storing information relating to customer-directing voice messages;

second address and data buses coupled to said speech processor and said speech processor memory means for transmitting message information from said main processor to said speech processor, and for enabling communication between the speech processor and the speech processor memory means;

buffer means controlled by said main processor for coupling said first and second address and data buses for enabling communication between said main processor and said speech processor;

signal means at each service station to enable the operator of that station to signify the status of that station;

detection and encoding means coupled to said signal means and to said main processor for receiving status information from all stations and for transferring said information to said main processor;

presence indicator means coupled to said main processor for indicating the presence of a customer at the head of the main queue; and

speech synthesizer means coupled to the speech processor for receiving message data from the speech processor memory means via the speech processor and for converting said data to an audible message for directing a customer at the head of the main queue to proceed to a selected local queue.

12. A method for customer queue control in an establishment having multiple customer service stations, including the following steps:

(a) providing a main customer queue;

(b) providing a plurality of local customer queues, each associated with a customer service station;

(c) detecting whether each station is in an open or closed status;

(d) detecting whether a customer is present at the head of the main customer queue;

(e) establishing a delay period for each station related to the median customer service time at that station;

(f) utilizing the information provided by steps (c), (d) and (e) to determine which local queue is likely to provide the minimum customer waiting period; and

(g) directing the customer at the head of the main queue to the selected local queue.

13. The method of claim 12, in which step (g) is carried out by means of a voice message.

14. The method of claim 12 in which step (g) includes the following steps:

(1) determining the identifying number of the selected station;

(2) determining the direction of the local queue associated with the selected station with respect to the head of the main queue;

(3) composing a customer direction message which includes the station number and the direction in which the customer should proceed; and

(4) transmitting the composed message to the customer.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the transmission of the composed message is in vocal form.

16. A method for customer queue control in an establishment having multiple customer service stations, including the following steps:

(a) providing a main customer queue;

(b) providing a plurality of local customer queues, each containing a maximum of two customers and associated with a customer service station;

(c) detecting whether each station is in an open or closed status;

(d) maintaining a count of the number of customers in each local queue;

(e) detecting whether a customer is present at the head of the main customer queue;

(f) establishing a delay period for each station related to the median customer service time at that station

(g) utilizing the information provided by steps (c), (d), (e) and (f) to immediately add a customer to an empty local queue and to determine which local queue having one customer therein is likely to provide the least customer waiting period; and

(h) directing the customer at the head of the main queue to that local queue which has been selected in step (g).

17. The method of claim 16, in which step (h) is carried out by means of a voice message.