Video monitoring system for auto drive-through fast food restaurants

• US 5,053,868 A
• Filed: 09/18/1990
• Issued: 10/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Broadcast Equipment Rental Co. (Vitec Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Broadcast Equipment Rental Co. (Vitec Group PLC)
• Inventors: Higgins, Clair M., Ward, Perry O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US07/584,296
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 358/108, 358/93, 358/229, 340/933, 340/937, 340/942
• US Class Current: 348/150
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/00 Furniture or installations specially adapted to particular types of service systems, not otherwise provided for conveyor aspects B65G; building aspects E04H; coin-freed apparatus G07F
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for the video intercommunication between a drive-through customer at the outdoor ordering station and the indoor order-taking clerk at the order processing station of a fast food restaurant. A first video camera is located at the food ordering station and positioned to electronically capture video images of an auto-borne customer while placing a food order. A second video camera is located at the order-taking station and positioned to electronically capture video images of the order-processing clerk. A first video monitor is located at the order-taking station for displaying the video images of the customer and a second video monitor is located at the food ordering station for displaying the video images of the order-processing clerk. A computerized cash register with food order and cash display is located at the order-taking station. A controller is electronically interconnected to the first and second video cameras, to the first and second video monitors, and to the computerized cash register and includes switches operated by the order-processing clerk to selectively interconnect the first video camera and the second video camera to the first video monitor and to selectively interconnected the second video camera and the computerized cash register to the second video monitor.

Claims

1. Apparatus for video intercommunication between a drive-through customer at the outdoor ordering station and the indoor order-taking clerk at the order processing station of a fast food restaurant comprising:

a) a first video camera located at the outdoor food ordering station of a fast food restaurant and positioned to electronically capture video images of a vehicle-borne customer at said station while placing a food order;

b) a second video camera located at the indoor order-taking station of said restaurant and positioned to electronically capture video images of an order-processing clerk at said station while taking a food order;

c) a first video monitor located at said indoor order-taking station for displaying the video images of said vehicle-borne customer at said food ordering station;

d) a second video monitor located at said outdoor food ordering station for displaying the video images of said order-processing clerk at said order-taking station;

e) a computerized cash register with a food order and cash total display located at said indoor order-taking station;

f) a still image video player for transmitting still video images, including logos, advertising material and menus of said fast food restaurant, to said second video monitor for viewing by said vehicle-borne customer; and

g) controller means electronically interconnected to said first and second video cameras, to said first and second video monitors, to said computerized cash register, and to said still image video player, and including first and second switch means,

said first switch means operable by said order-processing clerk for selectively interconnecting said first video camera and said second video camera to said first video monitor whereby said clerk may view the video images of the vehicle-borne customer or may view video self-images, and

said second switch means operable by said order-processing clerk for selectively interconnecting said second video camera, said computerized cash register and said still image video player to said second video monitor whereby said vehicle-borne customer may view video images of the order-processing clerk, may view the food order and cash total display of said computerized cash register, or may view still images including logos, advertising material and menus of said fast food restaurant.

2. Apparatus for the video intercommunication between a drive-through customer at the outdoor ordering station and the indoor order-taking clerk at the order processing station of a fast food restaurant as claimed in claim 1 wherein the controller means of said apparatus includes video pre-amplification circuitry between said first switch means and said first video camera, between said first switch means and said second video camera, between said second switch means and said second video camera, between said second switch means and said computerized cash register, and between said second switch means and said still image video player.

3. Apparatus for the video intercommunication between a drive-through customer at the outdoor ordering station and the indoor order-taking clerk at the order processing station of a fast food restaurant as claimed in claim 1 wherein the controller means of said apparatus includes video distribution amplification circuitry between said first switch means and said first video monitor and between said second switch means and said second video monitor.

4. Apparatus for the video intercommunication between a drive-through customer at the outdoor ordering station and the indoor order-taking clerk at the order processing station of a fast food restaurant as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first video camera and said second video monitor are mounted within a high security cabinet at said outdoor ordering station, said cabinet having a laminated, high-strength, non-reflecting glass panel located and mounted in its side wall facing the vehicle-borne customer through which the first video camera is focused to electronically capture video images of said customer, and said cabinet including mirror means mounted behind said non-reflecting glass panel within said cabinet and oriented so that the video images displayed by said monitor are projected to and reflected by said mirror through said glass panel whereby said customer may view the video images displayed by said second video monitor.

5. Apparatus for the video intercommunication between a drive-through customer at the outdoor ordering station and the indoor order-taking clerk at the order processing station of a fast food restaurant as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second video camera and said first video monitor are mounted on a stand at said indoor order processing station and said camera and said monitor are oriented on said stand whereby said second video camera is focused to electronically capture video images of said clerk and said clerk may view the video images displayed by said first video monitor.

6. Apparatus for the video intercommunication between a drive-through customer at the outdoor ordering station and the indoor order-taking clerk at the order processing station of a fast food restaurant as claimed in claim 1 wherein a vehicle pressure sensor is located at the outdoor ordering station of said restaurant for detecting the presence of a vehicle-borne customer at said station, said sensor being electrically interconnected to said controller means for activating the first and second switch means of said controller means.

7. Apparatus for the video intercommunication between a drive-through customer at the outdoor ordering station and the indoor order-taking clerk at the order processing station of a fast food restaurant as claimed in claim 1 wherein an infrared sensor is located at the order processing station of said restaurant for detecting the presence of an order processing clerk at said station, said sensor being electrically interconnected to said controller means for activating the first and second switch means of said controller means.