Retail venue ordering system and method

• US 9,495,701 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2012
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirService Digital Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: AirService Digital Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Bressan, Dominic Robert, Williams, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Goyea, Olusegun
• Application Number:
  US14/009,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20140052551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 705/15, 705/26.1, 705/26.81, 705/40, 705 1458- 1461, 705/17, 705/24, 705/44, 705/5, 705/14.36, 705/14.1, 705/65, 705/7.13, 705/1.1, 705 732- 735, 705/14.27, 705/26.61, 705/39, 340/10.51, 340/539.13, 455/414.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A system for decentralized ordering of goods and/or services such as food and/or drinks at a venue such as a hotel or restaurant is disclosed. The venue uploads a venue menu to an internet site via the venue'"'"'s data device or computer. An order application is downloaded by prospective customers from the internet site to the mobile data device of each customer. In addition, the venue allocates a customer identification code to each customer which is stored in the customer'"'"'s mobile data device. Therefore the customer can use his mobile data device to access the venue'"'"'s menu and order items from the menu. Preferably the customer notifies his location within the venue and the order is delivered to the customer'"'"'s location.

Claims

1. A method of placing orders at a retail venue including a venue data device and having a plurality of customers each of whom has a mobile data device, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) said venue data device uploading a venue menu to an internet site;

(ii) downloading an order application from said site to the mobile data devices of said customers;

(iii) said venue data device allocating a customer unique customer identification code to each said customer and storing said code in said mobile data device of the corresponding customer, and

(iv) displaying the venue menu on said mobile data device to allow a customer allocated a corresponding one of said customer unique customer identification codes to access said menu via his mobile data device to order one or more items from said menu.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said venue has a plurality of venue locations at any one of which the customer may be located, and said method comprising the further step of:

(v) said customer identifying his location whilst ordering.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 including the further step of:

(vi) delivering a completed order to the location identified by the customer in step (v).

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 and including the further step of

(vii) said mobile data device of said customer on completion of said order receiving an acknowledgement from said venue data device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 and including the further step of:

(viii) said venue data device issuing to the customer'"'"'s mobile data device a message indicating that a previously placed order is about to be delivered.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein at least one of steps (i)-(viii) is performed using a smart phone.

17. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein step (i) comprises uploading a venue menu having both a menu content and a menu appearance, wherein the menu appearance is unique to the venue location that is identified by the customer during step (v).

18. The method as claimed in claim 1 and including the further step of:

(v) said venue data device issuing to the customer'"'"'s mobile data device a message indicating that a previously placed order is about to be delivered.

19. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of steps (i)-(iv) is performed using a smart phone.

20. The method as claimed in claim 1 and including the further step of:

(v) receiving an acknowledgement on said mobile data device from said venue data device on completion of said order.

7. A system for placing orders at a retail venue having a plurality of customers each of whom has a mobile data device, said system comprising

a venue data device of said retail venue that is programmed to perform the following steps:

to upload a venue menu to an Internet site,

to allocate a customer identification code allocated to each said customer and

to store the customer identification code in said mobile data device of the corresponding customer; and

an order application downloaded from said Internet site to the mobile data device;

said order application being programmed to display the venue menu to allow a customer to utilize the mobile data device to access said venue menu and the stored customer identification code and to order one or more items from said venue menu.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said venue has a plurality of venue locations at any one of which the customer may be located, and said order application permits the customer to identify his venue location whilst ordering.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein a completed order is delivered to the location of the customer.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said order application is configured such that upon completion of an order, the customer receives on his mobile data device an acknowledgment from said venue data device.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said order application is configured such that said venue data device issues to the ordering customer'"'"'s mobile data device a message indicating that a previously placed order is about to be delivered.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein at least one of said mobile data devices and said venue data device comprises a smart phone.

13. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said venue menu has both a menu content and a menu appearance, and each venue location will display a venue unique menu appearance to the customer if the customer identifies their venue location.

14. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said venue data device is to issue to the customer'"'"'s mobile data device a message indicating that a previously placed order is about to be delivered.

15. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one of said mobile data devices and said venue data device comprises a smart phone.

16. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said application is configured such that upon completion of an order, a customer receives on his mobile data device an acknowledgment from said venue data device.