Method and apparatus for verification accuracy of fast food order

• US 6,115,695 A
• Filed: 01/27/1998
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Luxtronix Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trevor Kern
• Inventors: Kern, Trevor
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRECCA, MICHELE S
• Application Number:
  US09/014,361
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 705/23, 705/15, 705/16
• US Class Current: 705/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles

Abstract

A method for order verification, the first step of which involves providing a computer processor having both data storage and computing capability. The second step involves storing data as to a weight for each of a plurality of items offered for sale in the computer processor. The third step involves inputting into the computer processor selected items that make up a customer order from the plurality of items stored in data and computing a projected total weight for the customer order. The fourth step involves assembling the selected items that make up the customer order and placing the customer order onto a weigh scale. The fifth step involves comparing an actual weight of the customer order with the projected total weight to verify the order.

Claims

1. A method for order verification, comprising the steps of:

providing a computer processor having both data storage and computing capability;

storing data as to a weight for each of a plurality of items offered for sale in the computer processor;

inputting into the computer processor selected items that make up a customer order from the plurality of items stored in data and computing a projected total weight for the customer order;

assembling the selected items to make up the customer order without input to the computer processor to individually identify the selected items during assembly;

placing the customer order onto a weigh scale without individually weighing the selected items that make up the customer order; and

comparing an actual weight of the customer order as indicated by the weigh scale with the projected total weight computed by the computer processor to verify the order, while applying a maximum allowable variance for the customer order which is less than the weight of a lightest of the selected items in the customer order.

2. A method for order verification, comprising the steps of:

firstly, providing a computer processor having both data storage and computing capability;

secondly, storing data as to a weight for each of a plurality of items offered for sale in the computer processor;

thirdly, inputting into the computer processor selected items that make up a customer order from the plurality of items stored in data and computing a projected total weight for the customer order;

fourthly, assembling the selected items that make up the customer order and placing the customer order onto a weigh scale; and

fifthly, comparing an actual weight of the customer order as indicated by the weigh scale with the projected total weight computed by the computer processor to verify that the actual weight of the order is within an allowable variance,

sixthly, encoding the actual weight for the customer order in machine readable code upon a receipt which accompanies the customer order.

3. An apparatus for order verification comprising, in combination;

a computer processor having both data storage and computing capability, data as to a weight for each of a plurality of items offered for sale being stored in data storage;

means for communicating to the computer processor selected items from the plurality of items that make up a customer order, thereby enabling the computer processor to compute a projected total weight for the customer order;

a weigh scale coupled to the computer processor whereby an actual weight for the selected items that make up the customer order as determined by the weigh scale is communicated to the computer processor, the computer processor being programmed to apply a maximum allowable variance for the customer order which is less than the weight of a lightest of the selected items in the customer order; and

means for communicating an underweight or overweight condition as determined by a comparison of the projected total weight with the actual weight in view of the maximum allowable variance.

4. The apparatus for order verification as defined in claim 3, wherein the computer processor is a programmable cash register.

5. An apparatus for order verification comprising, in combination:

a computer processor having both data storage and computing capability data as to a weight for each of a plurality of items offered for sale being stored in data storage;

means for communicating to the computer processor selected items from the plurality of items that make up a customer order, thereby enabling the computer processor to compute a projected total weight for the customer order;

a weigh scale coupled to the computer processor whereby an actual weight for the selected items that make up the customer order as determined by the weigh scale is communicated to the computer processor;

means for communicating an underweight or overweight condition as determined by a comparison of the projected total weight with the actual weight; and

a machine readable code generator with associated printer coupled to the computer processor, the computer processor being programmed to encode the actual weight of the selected order in machine readable code on receipts printed by the printer.

6. A method for order verification in a restaurant, comprising the steps of:

providing a restaurant with a take out food menu;

providing a cash register having both data storage and computing capability;

storing, in the data storage of the cash register, data as to a weight for each of a plurality of food items offered for sale on the take out food menu;

inputting into the cash register selected food items that make up a customer order from the plurality of food items stored in data and computing a projected total wight for the customer order;

assembling the selected food items to make up the customer order without further input into the cash register to individually identify the selected food items during assembly;

placing the customer order onto a weigh scale without individually weighing the selected items that make up the customer order; and

comparing an actual weight of the customer order as indicated by the weigh scale with the projected total weight computed by the cash register to verify the order, while applying a maximum allowable variance for the customer order which is less than the weight of a lightest of the selected food items in the customer order.