Server call system

• US 6,681,109 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2000
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard Leifer
• Original Assignee: Richard Leifer
• Inventors: Leifer, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TU X
• Application Number:
  US09/567,454
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/66, 455/456, 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 455/456.5, 455/457, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 705/15
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A server call system that enables the customer to be in direct contact with the server at all times. A keypad is disposed at customer locations and adapted to receive item requests from the customer. The keypad is in wireless communication with a server pager carried by a designated server. The customer inputs an item request into the keypad and it is sent to a predetermined or dynamically determined server pager for fulfillment. In this manner, not only is the efficiency of the establishment increased by eliminating wait time by customers for submitting a request to their server, but the server can effectively serve more areas with less direct customer contact.

Claims

1. A server call system comprising:

a central station disposed in a restaurant and having processing means, memory means and communication means;

a customer transmitter disposed at customer locations within the restaurant and being in communication with said central station, said transmitter having an input device for receiving customer item requests and means for displaying a plurality of information to the customer; and

a server receiver in communication with said central station and being carried by service personnel serving customer locations within the restaurant, said server receiver having a display for communicating received item requests from said transmitter and at least one of an audible, visual and tactile indicator for indicating when a customer item request has been received from said central station,

wherein said central station transmits received customer requests to the server receiver being carried by the service personnel corresponding to the customer location from which the customer request originated, and

wherein said customer transmitters and said server receivers further comprise transponders and said central station further comprises an identification system for identifying the location of each customer transmitter and server receiver, wherein said central station routes received customer item requests to the server receiver of the service personnel identified to be closest in proximity to a service area from which the customer item request may be fulfilled.

wherein customer location information corresponding to the restaurant and server receiver information corresponding to the customer locations is stored in said memory means of said central station.

2. The server call system in accordance with claims 1, further comprising:

wireless communication means for wirelessly communicating information between said central station, said customer transmitter and said server receiver; and

a wireless application protocol for managing said wireless communication means and establishing said wireless communication between said central station, said customer transmitter and said server receiver.

3. The server call system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a visual indicator on said customer transmitter for confirming the sending of an item request to said server receiver.

4. The server call system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said server receiver further comprises a remotely located display for further communicating received customer item requests.

5. The server call system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said tactile indicator comprises a vibration device within said server receiver.

6. The server call system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said visual indicator comprises a light on the server receiver.