Facilitating ordering at an order point via smart ordering devices

• US 9,443,275 B1
• Filed: 02/20/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HM Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: HM Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: O'Gwynn, David
• Primary Examiner(s): YU, ARIEL J
• Application Number:
  US14/185,844
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 705/15, 705/16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating ordering at an order point using a smart ordering device are disclosed. A primary transmitting device and a secondary transmitting device may be positioned opposite of one another at the order point. A short distance linkage may be established between the primary and secondary transmitting device. A disruption of the linkage may be detected when an object carrying a smart ordering device passes through the order point. Information indicating the disruption may be included in a signal transmitted by the primary transmitting device to the smart ordering device. Based on such information and the signal strength of the signal from the primary transmitting device, the smart ordering device may determine it is at the order point. In response to such determination, the smart ordering device may generate and communicate an order request to a remote server for placing an order.

Claims

1. A smart ordering device for facilitating ordering at an order point situated in a driving lane having a first transmitting device and a second transmitting device positioned across the driving lane at the order point, the first transmitting device being configured to receive signals transmitted by the second transmitting device, the device comprising

one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to:

receive a signal from the first transmitting device, the signal including information indicating signal strength between the first and second transmitting devices;

determine whether the strength of the signal received from the first transmitting device breaches a first threshold associated with the first transmitting device and determine whether the information in the received signal indicates signal strength between the first and second transmitting devices is decreased;

based on the determination that the strength of the signal received from the first transmitting device breaching the first threshold and that the information in the received signal indicating signal strength between the first and second transmitting devices is decreased, determine the smart ordering device is positioned at the order point;

in response to the determination that the smart ordering device is positioned at the order point, generate status information indicating that the device is positioned at the order point and effectuate transferring of the status information to a base station.

2. The smart ordering device of claim 1, wherein the signals transmitted by the second transmitting device to the first transmitting device are radio signals.

3. The smart ordering device of claim 1, wherein the signals transmitting by the second transmitting device to the first transmitting device are optical signals.

4. The smart ordering device of claim 1, wherein the first and second transmitting devices are positioned such that the second transmitting device is closer to the ground than the first transmitting device.

5. The smart ordering device of claim 1, wherein the signal received from the first transmitting device is a radio signal.

6. The smart ordering device of claim 1, wherein the signal received from the first transmitting device is a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) signal.

7. The smart ordering device of claim 1 is further configured to transmit order information to a remote server over a network in response to the determination that the smart ordering device is at the order point.

8. The smart ordering device of claim 1 is further configured to dial a telephone number for a two-way voice communication with an operator associated with the order point in response to the determination that the smart ordering device is at the order point.

9. The smart ordering device of claim, 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive a signal from a third transmitting device and a signal from a fourth transmitting device, the third and fourth transmitting devices being positioned in proximity to the order point, and wherein the determination that the smart ordering device is at the order point is further based on the signals received from the third and fourth transmitting devices.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the third transmitting device is positioned one car length in front of the first transmitting device and the fourth transmitting device is positioned one car length behind the first transmitting device.

11. A method for facilitating ordering at an order point situated in a driving lane having a first transmitting device and a second transmitting device positioned across the driving lane at the order point, the first transmitting device being configured to receive signals transmitted by the second transmitting device, the method being implemented in one or more physical processors configured to execute machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from the first transmitting device, the signal including information indicating signal strength between the first and second transmitting devices;

determining whether the strength of the received from the first transmitting device breaches a first threshold associated with the first transmitting device and determine whether the information in the received signal indicates signal strength between the first and second transmitting devices is decreased;

based on the determination that the strength of the signal received from the first transmitting device breaching the first threshold and that the information in the received signal indicating signal strength between the first and second transmitting devices is decreased, determining the smart ordering device is positioned at the order point;

in response to the determination that the smart ordering device is positioned at the order point, generate status information indicating that the device is positioned at the order point and effectuate transferring of the status information to a base station.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the signals transmitted by the second transmitting device to the first transmitting device are radio signals.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the signals transmitting by the second transmitting device to the first transmitting device are optical signals.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second transmitting devices are positioned such that the second transmitting device is closer to the ground than the first transmitting device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the signal received from the first transmitting device is a radio signal.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the signal received from the first transmitting device is a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) signal.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting order information to a remote server over a network in response to the determination that the smart ordering device is at the order point.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising dialing a telephone number for a two-way voice communication with an operator associated with the order point in response to the determination that the smart ordering device is at the order point.

19. The method of claim, 11, further comprising receiving a signal from a third transmitting device and a signal from a fourth transmitting device, the third and fourth transmitting devices being positioned in proximity to the order point, and wherein the determination that the smart ordering device is at the order point is further based on the signals received from the third and fourth transmitting devices.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the third transmitting device is positioned one car length in front of the first transmitting device and the fourth transmitting device is positioned one car length behind the first transmitting device.