FR2516673A1 - Computerised management system for self service restaurant - uses optical bar code readers to signal dishes purchased and required from preparation room and partic, customer for which they are intended - Google Patents

Abstract

At a station (1) a client receives a plate carrying a number in figures and in bar code for an optical reader. The client chooses the dishes displayed at counters (2,3,4) and moves to a position (6) where preparation of a hot dish can be requested. At this position a reference table displays the identification references for the various dishes together with the corresponding bar codes. A code reader comprising an optical pen is connected to a central unit (7) which transfers the request and client-data to a screen (8) in the dish preparation area (9). All the data relative to one client are accumulated in the central unit and is transferred to a printer (10) for calculation of the cost of the service.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for the management of various services and more particularly a method for ensuring the management of catering services or purchases operating in self-service, as well as a device for the implementation of a such process
In restaurants or cafeteria operating in self-service, the customer chooses himself the dishes making up his meal by moving in front of displays generally arranged in a row at the end of which is a cash register where billing is established, and where appropriate the collection. This system is often impractical because the order of dishes not immediately available causes the customer to wait before going to the checkout. To avoid this wait, we can consider billing the ordered dish and serving it later in the dining room, but it is then necessary to have staff to ensure not only the order taking and its transmission in the kitchen, but also the delivery of dish; such a service proves gérbéralenent expensive and comes with a risk of errors, and loss of tees,
In addition, when the customer wants a dish or an additional item during a meal, he must move again and make his choice which gives rise to a new billing. Such a procurator harms the efficiency of the operation of the portal, and does not provide any vent making it possible to facilitate management.

The subject of the present invention is a method for managing services of the type described above, comprising a selection by a client from among several articles, some of which are readily available and others require preparation, as well as their invoicing, and allowing '' ensure an efficient and profitable operation by limiting the disadvantages of conventional systems.

The invention also relates to a device suitable for the implementation of the new service management method above.

In accordance with the process of the invention, each client is identified beforehand by a coded number affixed on a support kept by the client, each dish or item offered to the client is identified by - code, then the client code and the code of each dish or item selected by the customer, are read by a device of known type and transmitted to a central unit which processes all the data identified by the codes, transmits them entirely to a billing unit, and partly to a preparation, for the data corresponding to a selected article requiring a preparation, and finally the lactation emission by the invoicing unit is triggered by reading the coded number identifying the customer
The customer identification number is preferably affixed to a support such as a plastic plate, bearing the number appearing in figures and in the form of a code, for example an optical reader code, or a bar code. This same codificatin system is also used to identify the dishes or articles chosen by the customer, appearing on a table of references.

The device according to the invention for implementing the above process comprises a table bearing a code for each item offered and a plate bearing a code identifying each client, associated with m device of known type for reading the client's code and the d identification of the dishes or articles chosen by the customer, connected to a central unit constituted for example by a computer processing the coded data, and, on the one hand, ordering a printer establishing the invoice whose printing is triggered by the reading of the customer identification, on the other hand transmitting to a chage system the identification of dishes requiring preparation.

The codes can be read by an operator, who centralizes them by means of a keyboard, or an optical pencil, which has the advantage of avoiding any reading error.

The display system of dishes requiring preparation can be constituted for example by a peripheral screen placed at the place of preparation of dishes, which permanently displays the codes and names of dishes and the quantities remaining to be prepared.

According to a variant in accordance with the invention, an additional device can be provided for entering on a service screen the codes of the dishes prepared and of the corresponding customers so that these dishes can be delivered to the customer by the service personnel while limiting any loss of time. . Dishes and customer codes can be canceled by service personnel using a keyboard.

Of course, the calculation and management programs serving in the central unit, which are outside the scope of the invention, can be developed according to the usual methods.

The example given below illustrates the invention, without limiting its scope, with reference to the single figure which schematically represents the installation of a device according to the invention for a catering service.

The customer receives a plate bearing a number printed in figures and in the form of a barcode with optical reading, at station 1, and chooses dishes placed on the displays 2, 3, and 4 by moving in the direction of the arrow 5 , to station 6 where he orders, if necessary, a dish requiring preparation, for example a hot dish.

At station 6 are located a table of references carrying the identification of the various dishes and the corresponding bar codes, as well as a device for reading the codes, constituted by an optical pencil connected to the central unit 7. An operator placed at station 6, use the optical pencil to read the coded number from the customer's plate, and the codes corresponding to the dishes chosen, appearing on the reference table. These data are transmitted to the central unit 7 which retransmits on a screen 8 placed in the dish preparation unit 9, the codes of the dishes to be prepared. On the other hand, all the data corresponding to the same customer code are accumulated in the central unit 7 and transmitted to the printer 10, after processing according to an appropriate program, where the invoice is established. An optical pencil is connected to the printer 10 and triggers the calculation and printing of the invoice by simply reading the customer identification code.

The customer can thus pass as many times as he wishes in front of the displays Z to 4 and at each passage, the code of the dishes chosen is read at station 6, while invoicing occurs only once, subsequently, by the printer 10.

The method and the device in accordance with the present invention make it possible to rationalize the operation of a catering service operating in self-service. Of course, it can also be used for sales of all products in a store operating on the principle of self-service.

They also make it possible to improve the management of such a service, both in terms of overall or detailed turnover and in terms of product and supplier inventories.

Claims (6)

 1 Device for implementing a service management method comprising a selection by a customer from among several articles, some of which are immediately available and others require preparation, as well as their invoicing, characterized in that it includes a table bearing a code for each item offered and a plate bearing a code identifying each client , associated with a known device for reading codes, connected to a central unit processing the coded data and, on the one hand controlling a printer whose printing is triggered by reading the customer identification code, on the other hand , transmitting to a display system, the identification of dishes requiring preparation. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the code is a bar code with optical reading and the reading device is an optical pencil. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the display device is a peripheral screen. 4. Service management method comprising a selection by a client from among several items identified by a code, some of which are immediately available and others require preparation, as well as their invoicing, by means of a device according to claim 1, characterized in that each client is identified beforehand by a medium carrying a coded number, then the client code and the codes of the selected articles are read by a device of known type and transmitted to a central unit which processes all the data identified by the codes, transmits them entirely to a billing unit, and in part to a preparation unit, for the data corresponding to a selected item requiring preparation, and finally the issuing of the invoice by the billing unit is triggered by reading the coded number identifying the customer. 5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the customer and article codes consist of a bar code with optical reading.  6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the mde  of customer identification is affixed on a plate kept by the  customer.