METHOD FOR PROVIDING ROOM SERVICE

• US 20100076854A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Incentient, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Incentient, Inc.
• Inventors: Martucci, Patrick, Martucci, Jennifer
• Granted Patent: US 8,498,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/15
• 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 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

A method of processing room service transactions in an institution such as a hotel, having a plurality of guest rooms includes displaying selected visual representations of food items at predetermined intervals with a user device including an interactive graphical user interface in a guest room, receiving inputs from a guest with the graphical user interface and transmitting the inputs to a food service server for fulfillment.

Claims

1. A method of processing room service transactions in an institution having a plurality of guest rooms, the method comprising:

a) displaying selected visual representations of food items at predetermined intervals with an interactive graphical user interface in a guest room, the visual representations being selected based on the time of day;

b) displaying a prompt to the guest with the interactive graphical user interface;

c) receiving a begin input from the guest with the interactive graphical user interface to initiate a room service transaction;

d) displaying a food selection menu;

e) receiving a selection input with the interactive graphical user interface, the selection input corresponding to a food item;

f) storing the selection with a first data storage device associated with the graphical user interface;

g) displaying the food items selected by the guest in step e);

h) repeating steps d), e) and f) until receiving a place order input from the guest with the graphical user interface;

i) displaying a summary of selected food items with the graphical user interface, the summary corresponding to those items selected by the guest;

j) receiving one of;

i) a continue ordering input and returning to step d);

ii) a change order input and returning to step d);

or

iii) an order confirmation input confirming the selection of food items;

k) transmitting a confirmed food order including the selections chosen by the guest in steps e) and f) to a food service server, the food service server having an associated second data storage device, a processor and a data interface with one or more server stations;

l) displaying a message with the interactive graphical user interface, the message indicating to the guest that the food order is being prepared; and

m) displaying a message with the interactive graphical user interface, the message indicating the food order is enroute to the guest'"'"'s room.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a delivery confirmation message input with the interactive graphical user interface in the guest room.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing a record of the room service transaction on the second data storage device associated with the food service server.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising receiving a report request with the server station and generating a report of room service transactions for a predetermined period of time with the food service server.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying food selection visuals comprises further comprises displaying images of selected food items.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising using a wireless interface to interconnect a plurality of interactive graphical user interfaces in guest rooms with the food service server.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising using a wireless interface to interconnect the food service server with the server station.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a non-time specific menu with the interactive graphical user interface in the guest'"'"'s room.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising translating the confirmed food order with the food service server into a format suitable for use by a separate point-of-sale device;

and transmitting the translated, confirmed food order to the point-of-sale device.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying food selection visuals to the guest with the interactive graphical user interface, the food selection visuals representing food items available at the time the begin input is received.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving one or more of an employee identifier, the guest room number and a transaction identifier with the server station before the food order is delivered, wherein the employee identifier identifies the employee who receives the food order for delivery, the guest room number identifies the room to which the food order is to be delivered to and the transaction identifier identifies the specific transaction.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising transmitting the one or more of the employee identifier, the guest room number and transaction identifier from the server station to the food service server and storing the same on the second associated data storage device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying selected visual representations of food items at predetermined intervals with an interactive graphical user interface in a guest room further comprises displaying alternating images of different food items for intervals less than ten seconds.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising preparing the food order and acknowledging receipt of the prepared food order before delivering the food order to the guest room.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising delivering the food order to the guest room and confirming delivery of the order with the graphical user interface in the guest room.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a menu selection screen whereby a guest may select from a plurality of different menus with the interactive graphical user interface.

17. A system for processing room service transactions in an institution having a plurality of guest rooms, the system comprising:

a plurality of user devices in the guest rooms, the user devices each including an interactive graphical user interface, a first data storage unit including a database of visual food representations and menus and a room processor, the room processor operative with the database and interactive graphical user interface to display visual representations of selected food items based on the time of day, display menus, and to receive and store guest selections entered by a guest using the graphical user interface;

a food service server including a processor;

a second data storage unit associated with the food service server including a database operative to store and transmit orders received from a room processor;

a data transmission interface operable to transmit data between the plurality of user devices in guest rooms and the food service server whereby food orders entered using the graphical user interface in a guest room are transmitted to the food service server;

a server station operable to receive and transmit order information, the server station including an interactive graphical user interface, a third data storage unit and a station processor; and

a data transmission interface operable to transmit data between the food service server and the server station whereby food orders entered using the graphical user interface in a guest room are transmitted to the server station.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising a point of sale device operable to receive electronically transmitted food orders from the food service server and wherein the food service processor is operable with instructions stored on the second data storage unit to translate orders received from the room processor into a format usable by the point-of-sale device.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the data transmission interface operable to transmit data between the plurality of user devices comprises a wireless data interface.