Real-time prediction and management of food product demand
First Claim
1. A method of managing food production and delivery in real time comprising:
- electronically predicting, based on real time data, an amount of food to be ordered at a food outlet in a specified time interval immediately succeeding a generation of said real time data;
preparing said amount of food predicted to be ordered;
serving prepared food to patrons of said food outlet; and
electronically performing at least one of the following in real time;
estimating impending food product demand in view of said prediction of said amount of food to be ordered; and
estimating demand for each completed food product available for consumption.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A real-time buffer manager system that calculates optimal food buffer levels, for both completed products and product components, based on real-time counts of restaurant patrons throughout a restaurant'"'"'s property and the estimated time for them to arrive at a food ordering station. The real-time buffer manager employs a computer vision system, running a series of 2D image processing techniques that detect and track vehicles and people in several camera views. Patron counts are fed from the computer vision system into a queuing model that estimates when each patron will arrive at an ordering station. Thus, instead of analyzing historical sales data, the buffer manager according to the present invention electronically performs direct measurement of probable future demand, and electronically predicts, in real-time, what the future food product demand will be in a predetermined time (e.g., 3-5 minutes) immediately following the direct measurement of the demand.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of managing food production and delivery in real time comprising:
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electronically predicting, based on real time data, an amount of food to be ordered at a food outlet in a specified time interval immediately succeeding a generation of said real time data;
preparing said amount of food predicted to be ordered;
serving prepared food to patrons of said food outlet; and
electronically performing at least one of the following in real time;
estimating impending food product demand in view of said prediction of said amount of food to be ordered; and
estimating demand for each completed food product available for consumption.
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2. A real time food buffer management system comprising:
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means for electronically generating real time data about food consumers inside or in the vicinity of a food outlet; and
means for electronically predicting, based on said real time data, an amount of food to be ordered by said food consumers in a predetermined time interval immediately following said generation of said real time data.
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3. A system for managing food supply in real time comprising:
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a plurality of sensors placed inside and in the vicinity of a food outlet, wherein said plurality of sensors electronically tracks objects present inside and in the vicinity of a food outlet to generate electrical signals containing information about presence of food consumers inside and in the vicinity of said food outlet; and
a computer containing a program code, which, upon execution by a processor in said computer, causes said processor to perform the following in real time;
analyze said electrical signals to generate digital data about said food consumers, and predict, based on said digital data, an amount of food to be ordered by said food consumers in a predetermined time interval immediately following generation of said digital data.
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4. A computer-readable data storage medium containing a program code, which,
upon execution by a processor, causes said processor to perform the following in real time: -
generate data about food consumers inside or in the vicinity of a food outlet; and
predict, based on said data, an amount of food to be ordered by said food consumers in a predetermined time interval immediately following said generation of said data. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method of managing food supply in real time comprising:
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electronically generating real time data about food consumers inside or in the vicinity of a food outlet; and
electronically predicting, based on said real time data, an amount of food to be ordered by said food consumers in a predetermined time interval immediately following said generation of said real time data. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification