Method and apparatus for a drive-thru product delivery verifier

• US 8,037,969 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Monitors, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Power Monitors, Inc.
• Inventors: Curt, Walter, Mullins, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAUCHAINE, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US12/043,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20080217108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 186/41, 186/53, 186/59, 705/15, 705/306, 434/127, 434/433
• US Class Current: 186/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing

Abstract

A system for improving the efficiency of drive-through delivery systems is provided. The system can provide complete error tracking and feedback; however, partial or no error tracking and/or feedback can be provided if desired. Errors in order fulfillment can be reduced. Detailed information on product weight and delivery timing can be provided. By analyzing the weight distributions of each food item or any other suitable measurements, production quality and consistency may be monitored. By analyzing the delivery times for each food item type or any other suitable measurements, production efficiency and restaurant work flow may be measured.

Claims

1. An order verification system comprising:

a processor comprising a determiner and a learning unit;

an order reception unit configured to receive a multi-item order and to transmit an item order signal to the processor;

a detection unit configured to automatically detect the collection of items to fill the order and to transmit an item collection signal to the processor;

the processor configured to compare the order and collection signals to determine whether the correct items were collected to fill the order;

the determiner configured to determine, if an error in the collected items is not detected within a predetermined period of time following removal of the items from the detection unit, that the automatic detection of collected items to fill the order was performed correctly; and

a learning unit configured to adjust one or more parameters associated with the automatic detection of collected items in accordance with the determination that collection of the correct items to fill the order was performed correctly.

2. The order verification system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes:

a scale configured to weigh one or more of the collected items.

3. The order verification system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes:

a scanner configured to scan for an identifier on one or more of the collected items.

4. The order verification system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second detection unit configured to detect an initial item component;

said processor comprising an assignment unit configured to assign an item identifier to the initial item component,

wherein the second detection unit is further configured to detect one or more additional item components being associated with the initial component; and

a recordation unit configured to record the association of the one or more additional item components with the initial item component.

5. The order verification system of claim 4, further comprising:

a third detection unit configured to detect one or more properties of the initial component or any of the one or more additional item components; and

the processor further comprising a second recordation unit configured to record the detected one or more properties.

6. The order verification system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes:

a thermometer configured to measure the temperature of one or more of the collected items.

7. The order verification system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes:

an ordering unit configured to determine an ordering for placement of the plurality of items in one or more delivery receptacles;

a prompting unit configured to prompt a user to collect a next item in accordance with the ordering;

and a determiner configured to determine whether an item placed in or on the one or more delivery receptacles is the next item.

8. The order verification system of claim 7, wherein the detection unit further includes:

an alert generator configured to generate an alert, if the item placed in or on the one or more delivery receptacles is not the next item.

9. The order verification system of claim 1, further comprising:

an alert generator configured to generate an alert, if the correct items are not collected to fill the order.

10. A method of filling an order comprising:

receiving a multi-item order via an order reception unit;

collecting items to fill the order via an item detection unit;

transmitting an order signal from the order reception unit to a processor, said processor comprising a memory;

transmitting a collection signal from the item detection unit to the processor;

the processor comparing the order and collection signals to automatically detect whether the correct items are collected to fill the order; and

removing the collected items from the detection unit;

the processor determining, if an error in the collected items is not detected within a predetermined period of time following removal of items from the detection unit, that the automatic detection of collected items to fill the order was preformed correctly; and

the processor adjusting one or more parameters associated with the automatic detection of collected items in accordance with the determination that collection of the correct items to fill the order was performed correctly.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of automatically detecting includes:

weighing one or more of the collected items.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of automatically detecting includes:

scanning for an identifier on one or more of the collected items.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of collecting items includes:

detecting an initial item component;

assigning an item identifier to the initial item component;

detecting one or more additional item components being associated with the initial component; and

recording in the memory the association of the one or more additional item components with the initial item component.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein collecting items further includes:

detecting and recording one or more properties of the initial component or any of the one or more additional item components.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein automatically detecting includes measuring the temperature of one or more of the collected items.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein automatically detecting includes:

determining an ordering for placement of the plurality of items in one or more delivery receptacles;

prompting a user to collect a next item in accordance with the ordering; and

determining whether an item placed in or on the one or more delivery receptacles is the next item.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein automatically detecting further includes:

generating an alert, if the item placed in or on the one or more delivery receptacles is not the next item.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating an alert, if the correct items are not collected to fill the order.