Systems and methods for providing remote ordering capabilities

• US 9,129,289 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TopCoder, Inc. (Wipro Limited)
• Original Assignee: TopCoder, Inc. (Wipro Limited)
• Inventors: Vaughn, Drew, Hughes, Greg, Hughes, John M., Fogleman, Michael Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): AN, IG TAI
• Application Number:
  US11/540,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,266 Days
• Field of Search: 705/15, 705/22, 705/26, 705/28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

The invention relates to methods and systems for receiving, processing and fulfilling remotely placed orders. In one aspect, requests to place an order are received from a remote location, and based on a customer identifier included in the request, customer preference data is retrieved. An electronic selection menu based on customer preference data is transmitted to the customer, the order is received and prepared. The customer'"'"'s arrival is automatically detected, and the completed order is provided to the customer.

Claims

1. A method for fulfilling orders at a restaurant, the method comprising:

maintaining a database of customer data associated with customers of the restaurant, the customer data comprising for each customer a customer identifier, general customer preferences, previously ordered items and a payment preference;

receiving a request via a telephone from the customer to place an order at the restaurant, the customer being remote from the restaurant when the request is received;

utilizing caller-ID to determine a telephone number from which the customer is calling;

retrieving the customer data associated with the customer based on the telephone number;

in response to retrieving the retrieved customer data, transmitting an electronic menu to the customer, the electronic menu comprising items selected from the group consisting of;

the customer preference data, the time of day and other customer preference data associated with people having an order history similar to that of the customer;

receiving a menu selection from the customer in response to transmitting the electronic menu, the order being based on the menu selection;

automatically detecting an arrival of the customer at the restaurant;

providing a prepared order to the customer upon the arrival of the customer at the restaurant; and

billing the customer based on the payment preference, wherein the payment preference is selected from the group consisting of;

billing on a periodic basis for all orders received during the period, billing against an account balance with set replenishment levels and limits, and billing with notice to the customer at selected thresholds.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the general customer preferences further comprise an order preference.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving the request utilizes a voice recognition system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically detecting the arrival of the customer utilizes a radio frequency identification system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of receiving the request and receiving the order occur at a location different from the restaurant at which the order is prepared and provided;

and

wherein the customer data further comprises a restaurant location preference.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

transmitting the order to the restaurant at which the order is prepared and provided.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the customer data further comprises for each customer a customer identifier and at least one restaurant location preference.

8. A system for fulfilling food orders at a restaurant, the system comprising:

a data storage module configured to store customer preferences relating to restaurant orders, wherein the customer preferences comprise general preferences, previous restaurant orders and a payment preference;

a communications module configured to;

receive a request from a customer to place an order at the restaurant, the customer being remote from the restaurant location when the request is received;

determine a telephone number from which the customer is calling using caller-ID;

retrieve the customer preferences based on the telephone number;

transmit an electronic menu to the customer based on the customer preferences, the electronic menu comprising elements selected from the group consisting of;

the customer preferences associated with a customer code and the time of day;

receive the order from the customer; and

bill the customer based on the payment preference, wherein the payment preference is selected from the group consisting of;

billing on a periodic basis for all orders received during the period, billing against an account balance with set replenishment levels and limits, and billing with notice to the customer at selected thresholds; and

a sensor-based monitoring system configured to;

automatically detect an arrival of the customer at the restaurant; and

transmit instructions to the restaurant to provide the order to the customer when the arrival is detected.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the sensor-based monitoring system further comprises a radio frequency identification system.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification tags, wherein each tag is associated with one customer; and

wherein the sensor-based monitoring system is configured to automatically detect the tag.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

another communication module configured to receive the request and receive the order at a location different from the restaurant at which the order is prepared and provided; and

wherein the customer preferences further comprises a restaurant location preference.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the another communication module is configured to transmit the order to the restaurant at which the order is prepared and provided.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a database configured to store customer preferences associated with customers of the restaurant, the customer preferences comprising for each customer a customer identifier and at least one restaurant location preference.