Restaurant automation system
First Claim
1. A diner-driven automated restaurant ordering and payment system comprising, a server in wireless communication with a kitchen order display, a pay station comprising billing and payment means, and a plurality of portable wireless menu means comprising a display of food offerings, each offering having a bill associated therewith, means for transmitting wireless messages containing a selection of the food offerings to the wireless server, wherein each diner is provided with a portable wireless menu means which:
- a) transmits a wireless message containing a selection of the food offerings to said server, which transmits the message to the kitchen order display, and b) transmits a compute commanding to the server, which transmits the compute command to the payment station to compute a bill for the total food offerings selected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a restaurant automation system with greater efficiencies for the restaurant owner and greater ease for the diner through the use of wireless electronic menus with which the individual diner can communicate an order to the central server which communicates to a kitchen display, and receives a message when order preparation has begun; the central server being also in communication with a payment station, which generates a bill at the direction of the diner.
135 Citations
112 Claims
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1. A diner-driven automated restaurant ordering and payment system comprising, a server in wireless communication with
a kitchen order display, a pay station comprising billing and payment means, and a plurality of portable wireless menu means comprising a display of food offerings, each offering having a bill associated therewith, means for transmitting wireless messages containing a selection of the food offerings to the wireless server, wherein each diner is provided with a portable wireless menu means which: -
a) transmits a wireless message containing a selection of the food offerings to said server, which transmits the message to the kitchen order display, and b) transmits a compute commanding to the server, which transmits the compute command to the payment station to compute a bill for the total food offerings selected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 93, 94, 95, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109)
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51. An order automation system comprising, in combination:
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(a) a computer server having a memory unit for storing menu data comprising menu items which may be ordered;
(b) a first transmitting and receiving device (T/R device) connected to said server for transmitting said menu data and receiving order commands; and
(c) a plurality of menu tablets each having a graphic display, input means for receiving order commands from a user and a second transmitting and receiving device (T/R device), said second T/R device, in communication with said first T/R device, for receiving said menu data from, and transmitting said order commands to, said server;
the improvement wherein the input means is a touch activated LCD screen. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 73, 74, 76, 96, 97, 110)
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65. An order automation system comprising, in combination:
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(a) a computer server having a memory unit for storing menu data comprising menu items which may be ordered;
(b) a first transmitting and receiving device (T/R device) connected to said server for transmitting said menu data and receiving order commands; and
(c) a plurality of menu tablets each having a graphic display, input means for receiving order commands from a user and a second transmitting and receiving device (T/R device), said second T/R device, in communication with said first T/R device, for receiving said menu data from, and transmitting said order commands to, said server;
the improvement wherein the menu tablets comprise means for sensing the location of the tablet within the facility. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 75, 77, 78, 111)
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79. An order automation system comprising, in combination:
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(a) a computer server having a memory unit for storing menu data comprising menu items which may be ordered;
(b) a first transmitting and receiving device (T/R device) connected to said server for transmitting said menu data and receiving order commands; and
(c) a plurality of menu tablets each having a graphic display, input means for receiving order commands from a user and a second transmitting and receiving device (T/R device), said second T/R device, in communication with said first T/R device, for receiving said menu data from, and transmitting said order commands to, said server;
the improvement wherein the menu tablets have no CPU. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 98, 112)
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- 99. A waiter call system for a restaurant comprising a table call unit comprising a plurality of service call buttons, each associated with a particular service, which operate to illuminate a plurality of service call lights.
Specification