Food service ordering terminal with video game capability

• US 4,722,053 A
• Filed: 12/29/1982
• Issued: 01/26/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daniel Dubno, Michael Dubno
• Original Assignee: Daniel Dubno, Michael Dubno
• Inventors: Dubno, Daniel, Dubno, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/454,152
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 364/410, 273/85 G, 273/DIG. 28
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• 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

Abstract

A computer operated food servcie establishment has individual patron locations each provided with a game-playing terminal from which patrons can select games to be played from a listing thereof provided by the central computer unit. Each termainl also displays the food service items available and from the display, automatically, the patrons can select respective items and the selected items are displayed at a remote terminal, e.g. in the kitchen, to enable preparation of the food service items while game play continues at the terminals. Game play is automatically terminated upon the lapse of a selected time period subsequent to food service.

Claims

1. A food service installation comprising:

a plurality of patron stations, each comprising a dining table and seating means at said table for accommodating a plurality of patrons;

a computer facility at each of said stations, each computer facility comprising at least one video display terminal, and a plurality of game-playing implements adapted to enable patrons at said station to play a game displayed on said terminal;

means connected to said terminals for displaying thereon food service items adapted to be selected by the patrons;

a further terminal operatively connected to the terminals at said station for displaying food service items selected by the patrons at the respective stations to enable the preparation of said food items;

means connected to said terminals at said stations for permitting the playing of selected games at each terminal before and after the display of food service items at least for a limited time;

a central computer connected to said terminals and feeding information to and receiving information from said terminals, said central computer being programmed to terminate games played at the terminals of said station upon the lapse of a selected time period subsequent to food service, each of said stations being provided with a plurality of joysticks connected to the respective terminals for enabling the playing of the game thereon, said joysticks being connected to the respective terminals to enable the selection of games from a game menu and food service items from a food service menu displayed on the respective terminals by the respective joysticks;

a printer connected to said further terminal for printing out a patron'"'"'s bill, said printer being connected to print-out indicia relating to the games played by the respective patrons on the respective bills; and

a central display common to all of said stations and means for activating said display upon the attainment of a high score in a game by one of said patrons.

2. A food service installation comprising:

a plurality of patron stations, each comprising a dining table and seating means at said table for accommodating a plurality of patrons;

a computer facility at each of said stations, each computer facility comprising at least one video display terminal, and a plurality of game-playing implements adapted to enable patrons at said station to play a game displayed on said terminal;

means connected to said terminals for displaying thereon food service items adapted to be selected by the patrons;

a further terminal operatively connected to the terminals at said station for displaying food service items selected by the patrons at the respective stations to enable the preparation of said food items;

means connected to said terminals at said stations for permitting the playing of selected games at each terminal before and after the display of food service items at least for a limited time; and

a central computer connected to said terminals and feeding information to and receiving information from said terminals, said central computer being programmed to terminate games played at the terminals of said station upon the lapse of a selected time period subsequent to food service, the terminal at each station being constructed and arranged to respond to touch screen selection of food service items displayed on the terminal.

3. A method of operating a computer system which comprises the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of patron stations, each equipped with a food-service table and seating means for a plurality of patrons with respective game-playing terminals of the computer system;

(b) displaying on each of said terminals upon the seating of the patrons at a respective station, a listing of games provided for play at each terminal whereby the patrons utilizing implements connected to the respective terminal can participate in the game play;

(c) after a predetermined game-play period, displaying at each terminal a menu of food service items available for supply to the patrons whereby said patrons may select food service items from said menu;

(d) permitting each terminal to operate in a game mode during the preparation of the food service items;

(e) terminating operation of the game mode at each terminal at a predetermined time after the service of the prepared food service items to the respective station;

(f) comparing scores attained in game play by patrons at each station with previous high scores for the respective game;

(g) displaying each new score over a predetermined period of time on a central display visible to the patrons at all of said stations;

(h) printing out indicia representing the selected food service items together with the parties thereof, automatically totaling the bill and printing out the total for printed bills at least for each station;

(i) interrupting the game mode during the food eating period following food service; and

(j) printing out indicia relating to the games played by the respective patrons at the respective terminals on a respective bill.

4. The method defined in claim 3, further comprising the step of providing an audio visual welcoming display on each terminal prior to the initiation of a game mode.

5. The method defined in claim 3, further comprising the step of providing an audio visual farewell display at each terminal upon the termination of the game mode.

6. The method defined in claim 3, further comprising the step of providing an audio visual display on each terminal during the respective food eating.