Remote ordering system and method

• US 6,920,431 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2002
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: I3E Holdings LLC, Mobilserv Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: I3E Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Showghi, Robert S., Juds, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Coggins, Wynn W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAQ, NAEEM U
• Application Number:
  US10/213,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20030050854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0012 by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock

Abstract

A system and method for enabling patrons at large venues, such as spectator venues, convention halls, or airports, which have identifiable delivery locations, to utilize hand-held, wireless communication devices to self-order food, drink, souvenir items or services from remote order fulfillment locations within the venue for delivery to the identified delivery locations. Verification of available service level is provided. Hierarchical menus can be provided for visual display or audible presentation of items or services for purchase on the devices, or for presenting other information. A delivery location identification code is provided with the order, which is acknowledged. Automatic electronic payment for the order occurs by prearranged means.

Claims

1. A system for the remote ordering of items from a menu for delivery from an order fulfillment center located in a large venue having identifiable delivery locations, said system enabling a patron to self-order selected menu items, via voice and/or keypad input on a wireless, hand-held communication device over the public wireless and Internet communications infrastructure, for delivery to an identified delivery location, comprising:

an order-taking computer for interactively communicating with said device over the public wireless and Internet communications infrastructure, including means responsive to the patron'"'"'s input to assemble an order,

means for associating a delivery location identification code for the identified delivery location with said order,

means for use with said delivery location identification code for determining availability of delivery service to the identified delivery location,

an order-processing computer, apart from said order-taking computer, for receiving orders from said order-taking computer and displaying orders for selected items, including delivery locations, to order fulfillment personnel,

means for confirming order receipt by said order-processing computer to said device,

at least one wireless transceiver node, which is part of the public wireless and Internet communications infrastructure, for receiving orders from a plurality of said communication devices and communicating them to said order-taking computer, and

means for providing patron payment account information to associate with the order when placed and automatically charging the cost of the order to the patron account upon occurrence of a predetermined event without intervention by the patron or order fulfillment personnel apart from delivery confirmation.

2. The system of claim 1, where said order-taking computer is an Internet connected server hosting an order-taking application.

3. The system of claim 1, further including venue identification means for use with said order-taking computer to automatically determine availability of service to the identified delivery location.

4. The system of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the venue has a plurality of order fulfillment centers, including means for automatically directing said order to a selected one of the plurality of venue order fulfillment centers, said one order fulfillment center being selected to provide prompt delivery to the identified delivery location.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the venue is a spectator venue having identifiable seats as delivery locations, each patron has an entry ticket, and the delivery identification code is a seat identification code that includes a series of alphanumeric characters printed on the ticket, separate and distinct from the standard section-row-seat location information.

6. The system of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the venue is a convention hall having display booths occupied by patrons as delivery locations.

7. The system of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the venue is an airport terminal having departure gates as delivery locations, and the patrons are passengers.

8. The system of claim 1, 2 or 3, including a patron database preexisting said order and containing patron delivery location identification code information, and patron wireless communication device identification information.

9. The system of claim 8, including means for receiving wireless communication device identification associated with said order for use with said patron database means for automatically providing said delivery location identification code.

10. The system of claim 1, including means for confirming delivery of the order to the order processing computer.

24. The system of claim 1, 16, 17 or 23, including patron a database preexisting said order that contains patron wireless communication device identification information and patron order history information, and

means for receiving wireless communication device identification associated with said order for use with said patron database means for automatically presenting items for selection by said patron on said device audibly and/or visually, in a sequence based on the patron'"'"'s order history information.

25. The system of claim 1, 16, 17 or 23, including patron a database preexisting said order that contains patron wireless communication device identification information,

means for the patron to access said database and create a “

favorite order”

from items on said menu, and

means for receding wireless communication device identification associated with said order for use with said patron database means for presenting said “

favorite order”

as an item for selection by the patron on said device audibly and/or visually.

11. A method of remote ordering of items from a menu for delivery from an order fulfillment center at a large venue having identifiable delivery, locations, by a patron having a hand-held wireless communication device that has the utility for communications via public wireless telecommunications and Internet infrastructure, for delivery to a specified delivery location, comprising the steps of:

providing an order-processing computer,

using said device by the patron to transmit an order via the existing public wireless communication and Internet infrastructure to said order-processing computer for communication to order fulfillment personnel at said order fulfillment center,

associating the specified delivery location with the order,

automatically determining availability of delivery to the specified delivery location, processing the order, and

delivering the order to the specified delivery location,

providing patron payment account information to associate with the order when placed, and

automatically charging the cost of the order to the patron account upon occurrence of a predetermined event without intervention by the patron or order fulfillment personnel apart from delivery confirmation.

12. The method of claim 11, including the step of confirming the acceptance of the order by the processing computer to said device.

13. The method of claim 11, including the step of confirming delivery of the order to the order processing computer.

14. The method of claim 11 including the steps of providing menu item information to said patron for selection by said device, determining a patron'"'"'s past ordering history when said patron is identified to the order-taking computer, and

presenting items for selection by said patron on said device audibly and/or visually, in a sequence based on the past purchase record of the patron.

15. The method of claim 14, including the steps of creating a predetermined group of items as a “

favorite order”

from said past purchase record, and

presenting the “

favorite order”

as part of said menu item information.

16. A system for the remote ordering of items from a plurality of menus for delivery from an order fulfillment center located in a large venue having identifiable delivery locations, said system enabling a patron to self-order menu items, via voice and/or keypad input on a wireless, hand-held communication device, for delivery to an identified delivery location, comprising:

means for associating an identification code for the identified delivery location in said venue with an order,

an order-processing computer for providing one of said menus of items offered for sale to said device over the public wireless and Internet communications infrastructure and including a database indicating which of said plurality of menus is to be made available for said identified delivery location,

said order-processing computer receiving an order of selected items sent by the patron from said device and communicating said order to order fulfillment center personnel,

means for confirming order receipt by the order-processing computer to the device from which the order was received,

at least one transmitter/receiver node for receiving orders from a plurality of said devices and communicating them via said order-processing computer for display to order fulfillment center personnel for subsequent order delivery to identified locations,

means for providing patron payment account information to said computer in association with said order when said order is placed, and

payment charging means for automatically charging the cost of an order to said payment account upon occurrence of a predetermined event without intervention by the patron or order fulfillment personnel apart from delivery confirmation.

17. A system for the remote ordering of items from a menu for delivery from an order fulfillment center located in a large venue having identifiable delivery locations, said system enabling a patron to self-order menu items, via voice and/or keypad input on a wireless, hand-held communication device for delivery to an identified delivery location, comprising:

means for associating an identification code for the identified delivery location in said venue with an order,

an order-processing computer for providing a menu of items offered for sale to said device, receiving an order for items selected from said menu that is transmitted from said device, and communicating said order to order fulfillment center personnel,

said order-processing computer having means for disabling selection of one or more menu items to prevent their inclusion in patron orders,

means for confirming order receipt by the computer to the device from which the order was received,

at least one transmitter/receiver node for receiving orders from a plurality of said devices and communicating them via said computer for display to order fulfillment center personnel for subsequent order delivery to said identified seat location, and

means for providing patron payment account information to said computer in association with said order when said order is placed, and automatically charging the cost of the order to the patron account upon occurrence of a predetermined event without intervention by the patron or order fulfillment personnel apart from delivery confirmation.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the menu items for which selection is disabled are a predetermined class of menu items.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the class of menu items for which selection is disabled includes alcoholic beverages.

20. The system of claim 17, 18 or 19, wherein said disabling means includes a barcode scanner for reading a barcode representative of a command to disable said selection of menu items.

21. The system of claim 17, 18 or 19, wherein said disabling means include means for automatically disabling selection at a predetermined time.

22. The system of claim 17, 18 or 19, wherein the disabling means includes a barcode reader responsive to reading one or more predetermined barcodes, each representative of a different said selection of predetermined menu items, and producing a signal directing the system to disable corresponding selection of one or more of said predetermined menu items.

23. A system for the remote ordering of items from a menu for delivery from an order fulfillment center located in a large venue having identifiable delivery locations, said system enabling a patron to self-order menu items, via voice and/or keypad input on a wireless, hand-held communication device, during an event, for delivery to an identified delivery location, comprising:

means for associating an identification code for the identified delivery location in said venue with an order,

an order-processing computer for providing a menu of items offered for sale to said device, receiving an order for items selected from said menu that is transmitted from said device, and communicating said order to order fulfillment center personnel,

means for confirming order receipt by the computer to the device from which the order was received,

at least one transmitter/receiver node for receiving orders from a plurality of said devices and communicating them via said computer for display to order fulfillment center personnel for subsequent order delivery to said identified seat location,

printing means for producing an order ticket for each order, including means for printing a barcode specific to each order on the order ticket,

means for providing patron payment account information to said computer in association with said order when said order is placed,

a barcode reader for reading the barcode when the order is ready for delivery, or has been delivered, and

payment charging means responsive reading the barcode for automatically charging the cost of an order to the patron account without intervention by the patron or order fulfillment personnel apart from delivery confirmation.

26. A method of remote ordering of items during an event by a patron from a menu for delivery from an order fulfillment center at a spectator venue having identifiable seat locations, where the patron has a wireless, hand-held communication device having means for communicating via voice or keypad input, comprising the steps of:

providing a patron database for each patron,

using said device to place an order with said fulfillment center for selected menu items,

using patron database information to access a third party ticket sales database, compare patron information common to the databases to determine if patron bought a ticket to said event, and using the seat location information in the ticket sales database to automatically provide seat location information for inclusion with said patron'"'"'s order to identify order delivery location,

providing patron payment account information for use in association with the order when placed,

confirming acceptance of a patron'"'"'s order to said device, the order including the selected menu items, the seat location identification code, and the payment account information, communicating the order and said delivery location to order fulfillment personnel,

processing the order for fulfillment,

delivering the order to the identified seat location,

confirming order delivery, and

automatically charging the cost of the order to the patron account upon occurrence of a predetermined event without intervention by the patron or order fulfillment personnel apart from delivery confirmation.