Order communication system for restaurant

• US 5,907,275 A
• Filed: 01/30/1998
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Techknow, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Techknow, Inc.
• Inventors: Battistini, Gene, Battistini, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LA, ANH V
• Application Number:
  US09/016,098
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.09, 340/942, 340/825.35, 348/14, 348/15, 348/13, 348/153, 348/61, 705/15, 705/16, 705/26, 705/27, 705/35, 705/37
• US Class Current: 340/286.09
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/02 for self-service type systems, e.g. supermarkets A47F10/06 takes precedence; hand-carts B62B; baskets B65D
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• 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

Abstract

An order communication system is provided which allows audiovisual interactive communication between a customer at a remote order station and an attendant receiving orders in a restaurant. The order communication system allows flexible display programming by restaurant employees and in particular allows the customer to view both a textual description and a graphical depiction of ordered items. The order communication system also allows the customer to view live video of the attendant, while allowing the attendant to view live video of the customer as well as the video image the customer is seeing.

Claims

1. An interactive order system having a two-way audio communications system and an order entry device, said order system comprising:

at least one pair of operably connected stations including an order receiving station for accepting input from an employee and an order placement station, remote from said order receiving station, for accepting input from an ordering customer, wherein said two-way audio link connects said order placement station and said order receiving station;

a predetermined catalog of visual and textual representations of menu items, said catalog including a graphical depiction and a textual description for each said menu item;

a customer monitor simultaneously display said graphical depiction and said textual description of each said menu item;

a first means for selecting contents for display on said customer monitor wherein said first selecting means matches an ordered item with said textual description and said graphical depiction for said menu item corresponding to said ordered item, using a selection code; and

a centralized video controller linking said customer monitor and said first selecting means, whereby said textual description and said graphical depiction of said ordered item are simultaneously displayed on said customer monitor.

2. The interactive order system as in claim 1, said first means for selecting comprises:

a control processing unit operationally linked with said order entry device and with data storage for said predetermined catalog of visual and textual representations;

a mapping program running on said control processing unit, said mapping program using said selection code to locate said textual description and said graphical depiction for said ordered item in said data storage; and

wherein said selection code is input by use of said order entry device by said employee.

3. The interactive order system as in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of graphics displays and a second means for selecting at least one said graphic display, for transmission to said customer monitor via said video controller.

4. The interactive order system as in claim 3, said customer monitor being operative to present a live video image of said employee to said customer.

5. The interactive order system as in claim 4, further comprising:

an employee monitor within each order receiving station for presenting an image of said ordering customer to said employee, said employee monitor having means for displaying an inset image of said employee wherein said inset image is identical to said employee image presented to said customer;

a first camera for capturing said image of said customer, said first camera positioned within each said order placement station and operationally linked with said employee monitor; and

a second camera for capturing said image of said employee, said second camera positioned within each said order receiving station and operationally linked with both said customer monitor and said employee monitor.

6. The interactive order system as in claim 5, said centralized video controller further linking said first camera, said second camera, said customer monitor, said employee monitor, and said first and second means for selecting.

7. The interactive order system as in claim 3, wherein said video controller includes a vehicle detection sensor, said sensor being activated by the presence of a customer.

8. The interactive order system as in claim 7, whereby said controller transmits a predetermined selection of at least one of said graphics displays to said customer monitor when said sensor is activated.

9. The interactive order system as in claim 8, said customer monitor further comprising:

a first video display area for presenting a pre-selected visual image;

a second video display area for presenting a list of said textual descriptions of said ordered items, said list containing each said ordered item chosen by said customer;

a third video display area for presenting said graphical depiction of said ordered item most recently chosen by said customer;

a fourth video display area for presenting a pre-selected textual message; and

a fifth video display area for presenting an order total.

10. The interactive order system as in claim 9, wherein said pre-selected visual image is said live video image of said employee relayed from said second camera.

11. The interactive order system as in claim 9, wherein said pre-selected visual image is a predetermined series of animated graphics selected from said graphics displays using said second means for selecting.

12. The interactive order system as in claim 9, wherein a pre-selected visual image is a predetermined informational video selected from said graphics displays using said second means for selecting.

13. The interactive order system as in claim 9, wherein said pre-selected visual image is a predetermined informational graphic selected from said graphics displays using said second means for selecting.

14. The interactive order system as in claim 9, further comprising means for programming said pre-selected textual message.

15. An interactive order system comprising:

at least one pair of operably connected stations including an order receiving station for accepting input from an employee and an order placement station, remote from said order receiving station, for accepting input from an ordering customer;

a two-way audio link connecting said order placement station and said order receiving station;

an employee monitor within each said order receiving station for presenting an image of said ordering customer to said employee, said employee monitor having means for displaying an inset image of said employee;

a customer monitor within each order placement station having a plurality of video display areas, and operative to simultaneously display a textual description and a graphical depiction of an ordered item within said video display areas, said customer monitor being further operative to display within said video display areas said employee image being simultaneously presented as said inset on said employee monitor;

a first camera positioned adjacent said order placement station;

a data entry device within said order receiving station;

a second camera within said order receiving station positioned so that said employee looks into said second camera while operating data entry device;

a central processor; and

a centralized video controller, said controller linking said first camera, said second camera, said customer monitor, said employee monitor, and said central processor.

16. The interactive order system as in claim 15, wherein said video controller includes selection means whereby the graphic presentation on said customer monitor is determined.

17. The interactive order system as in claim 16, said central processor further comprising:

means for loading and storing said textual descriptions of menu items;

means for loading and storing said graphical depictions of menu items;

means for loading and storing a plurality of display graphic scenes;

a plurality of selection screens containing a catalog listing of said menu items and said graphic scenes; and

means for choosing from said catalog listing using a selection code.

18. The interactive order system as in claim 17, further comprising a leading customer monitor for presenting a predetermined selection of said graphic scenes to a waiting customer, said leading customer monitor operably linked with said controller.

19. The interactive order system as in claim 15, said first camera having the capability to adjust to changes in outdoor light.

20. The interactive order system as in claim 15, said order placement station further comprising an enclosure surrounding said customer monitor and said first camera.

21. The interactive order system as in claim 20, wherein said customer monitor is positioned within said enclosure angled to reflect only the interior of said enclosure.

22. The interactive order system as in claim 15, further comprising a grill monitor positioned to be observed by order-filling employees, said grill monitor receiving said textual description of each ordered item from said video controller.

23. The interactive order system as in claim 15, further comprising:

a plurality of monitoring cameras, each placed in a predetermined monitoring position;

a monitoring function controller transmitting images from each of said cameras to said control processing unit.

24. The interactive order system as in claim 15, further comprising:

at least one promotional monitor placed in a predetermined position to be observed by indoor customers;

a promotional function controller transmitting a predetermined selection of said graphic display items from said control processing unit to each of said promotional monitors.

25. A method for taking orders from a remote station which allows visual interaction between a customer and an order-taking attendant, comprising the steps of:

activating a customer monitor using a light sensor to indicate the presence of a customer;

presenting a predetermined visual display on said customer monitor;

relaying an audio order from said customer to said attendant;

retrieving selection data input by said attendant based on said audio order;

retrieving a predetermined textual description of each ordered item from a central computer;

retrieving a graphic depiction of each ordered item from said central computer;

displaying simultaneously on said customer monitor each said textual description and said graphic depiction for viewing by said customer;

maintaining a display of said textual descriptions in list form;

relaying audio verification from said customer to said attendant;

retrieving order total information; and

presenting order total information to said customer on said customer monitor.

26. The method of taking orders from a remote order station as in claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

activating a camera system when said customer monitor is activated using said light sensor;

retrieving the image of said customer from a camera located at said remote order station;

displaying said image of said customer on an attendant monitor at an inside station;

retrieving the image of an order-taking attendant from a camera located at said inside station;

displaying said image of said attendant on said customer monitor; and

displaying said image of said attendant on an inset on said attendant monitor.

27. The method of taking orders from a remote order station as in claim 25, further comprising the step of:

displaying a predetermined textual message on said customer monitor for directing and informing said customer.

28. The method of taking orders from a remote order station as in claim 25, wherein retrieving the order total information includes calculating and displaying a running total of the order.

29. The method of taking orders from a remote order station as in claim 25, further comprising the step of:

displaying a predetermined promotional image on said customer monitor when said customer has finished placing said audio order.