Multi-function customer satisfaction survey device

• US 6,960,988 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Long Range Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Long Range Systems LLC
• Inventors: Henderson, James A., Blink, Russell P., Lovegreen, Kenneth J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischetti, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US09/882,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20020194072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 705/15, 705/21, 340/286.09, 340/321, 178/18, 362/154
• US Class Current: 340/286.09
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A multi-function customer satisfaction survey device, system and method. A plurality of stackable tip trays in a restaurant each include a survey device and a calculator. Survey questions are presented on a display screen, and a survey keypad is used by the customer to enter responses. The responses are stored in a memory in the tray. The trays stack on a base unit that simultaneously collects the responses from the stacked trays, simultaneously programs the stacked trays with survey questions, and simultaneously recharges a battery in each tray.

Claims

1. A system for obtaining and storing responses from a customer regarding a level of customer satisfaction, said system comprising:

a plurality of tip trays, each of said tip trays having means for obtaining and storing customer responses regarding the level of customer satisfaction; and

a base unit having means for collecting the responses from the tip trays when the trays are stacked on the base unit, said base unit including a battery recharger connected to a power pin;

wherein each of the tip trays includes;

means for reporting the stored responses, said reporting means including a data receptacle that aligns with a data pin on the base unit when the tray is the bottommost tray in the stack of trays, and that aligns with a data pin on a lower tray stacked directly under the tray when the tray is not the bottommost tray in the stack of trays;

a transmitter connected to said obtaining and storing means selectively generating a signal in response to the obtaining and storing means obtaining a particularly good or bad response by a customer;

a rechargeable battery connected to a power receptacle aligned with the power pin of the base unit; and

a power pin that aligns with a power receptacle on a higher tray stacked directly on top of the tray when the tray is not the topmost tray in the stack of trays;

wherein, when all of the trays are stacked on the base unit such that the data pins and data receptacles, and the power pins and power receptacles are in contact, the base unit collectively downloads customer responses from all of the stacked trays, and the recharger in the base unit recharges the batteries in all of the stacked trays simultaneously.

2. The system for obtaining and storing responses from a customer of claim 1 wherein the means within each of the trays for obtaining and storing responses from the customer includes:

a visual display that presents customer satisfaction survey questions to the customer;

a survey keypad for entering the customers responses to the survey questions;

a memory that stores the customer responses; and

a tray processor that sends survey questions to the display, collects responses from the keypad, and sends the responses to the memory.

3. The system for obtaining and storing responses from a customer of claim 2 further comprising an external communications link in communication with the tray processor, said tray processor retrieving the responses from the memory and downloading the responses to the base unit utilizing the communications link.

4. The system for obtaining and storing responses from a customer of claim 1 wherein the base unit collecting means also includes a base unit processor connected to the data pin, said base unit processor using the data pin to program the tray processor with survey questions, and to download the customer responses from the tray.

5. The system for obtaining and storing responses from a customer of claim 1 further comprising an analysis unit remotely located from the base unit, wherein the base unit includes a communications port through which the collected responses are communicated to the analysis unit.

6. The system for obtaining and storing responses from a customer of claim 5 wherein the analysis unit is resident on a personal computer (PC), and the communications port comprises an RS232 interface.

7. The system for obtaining and storing responses from a customer of claim 6 wherein the analysis unit is resident on a remote computer, and the communications port communicates with the remote computer over a global computer network.

8. The system for obtaining and storing responses from a customer of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of base units connected in series to a smart base unit, said smart base unit being the base unit that is connected to the analysis unit.