AU2021101148A4 - Artificial Intelligence based POS System (Points of Sales) for Food Truck Vendor Notification and Management - Google Patents

Abstract

Our Invention Artificial Intelligence based POS System (Points of Sales) for Food Truck Vendor Notification and Management is a real-time, customer-company process that materially improves the point-to-point customer experience for delivery of products. The invention also includes an efficient management of a company's supply-demand relationship, unit costs, process costs, technology costs, location costs, market costs, Govt GST, Local Text and return on investment. The Invented technology is also including a process further enables a food truck operator to more efficiently manage the business, both at a single site and across multiple sites and there is a substantial, real-time interdependency between the customers and the food truck operator. The invention also provides ongoing Just-in-Time order status information to customers. The invention is also one or more food truck lot reservation applications accessible through the one or more vendor's user interfaces, the food truck lot reservation application adapted to receive one or more reservation requests and also apply the customized rule set to the one or more reservation requests to determine a booking plan. 20 RECEIVE CUSRTOMER ORDERS PRIOR TO A DESIGNATED FOOD SERVICE CREATE CLUSTER S OF CUSTOMER ORDERS BASED ON SIMILAR ORDER 30 DETERMINE AFULFILMEN COMMITMENT T"M FOR CVSTOME PCK 303 IDENTIFY THE FULFILLMENT COMMITMENTS 'nMES TO THE CUST-MERS- 304 PROVIDE FOOD PREPARATION ENSTRUCTfONS TO A COOK 3105 PREPARE A FOOD IrEM ACATED WIT" A CWUSTER OF CUTMR 300 DIVIDE THE FOOD ITEM IN1O SEPART PRTIONS TO PULFILL THE 30 RECEIVE IN-PERSON ORDERS AT THE LOCATION IN REAL-TIMAE 300 FULFILL THE IN-PERSON ORDR DURING THE DESIGNATED FOCO 0 OF THE FUTURE REPORT FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating one a process for providing food service to customers at a selected location according to one embodiment.

Description

RECEIVE CUSRTOMER ORDERS PRIOR TO A DESIGNATED FOOD SERVICE

CREATE CLUSTER S OF CUSTOMER ORDERS BASED ON SIMILAR ORDER 30

DETERMINE AFULFILMEN COMMITMENT T"M FOR CVSTOME PCK 303

IDENTIFY THE FULFILLMENT COMMITMENTS 'nMES TO THE CUST-MERS- 304

PROVIDE FOOD PREPARATION ENSTRUCTfONS TO A COOK 3105

PREPARE A FOOD IrEM ACATED WIT" A CWUSTER OF CUTMR 300

DIVIDE THE FOOD ITEM IN1O SEPART PRTIONS TO PULFILL THE 30

RECEIVE IN-PERSON ORDERS AT THE LOCATION IN REAL-TIMAE 300

FULFILL THE IN-PERSON ORDR DURING THE DESIGNATED FOCO 0

OF THE FUTURE REPORT

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating one a process for providing food service to customers at a selected location according to one embodiment.

Artificial Intelligence based POS System (Points of Sales) for Food Truck Vendor Notification and Management

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Our invention is related to an Artificial Intelligence based POS System (Points of Sales) for Food Truck Vendor Notification and Management.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Food trucks that offer different types of standard and gourmet foods may serve office buildings and other commercial locations for lunchtime meals. These food trucks provide some variety to the employees at these locations. However, limited time for the employee's lunch break and municipal regulations that restrict how long a food truck can sell in one location can make it difficult for employees to take advantage of the food trucks that visit their worksite.

Food trucks offer convenience and help address employee's limited time for lunch, but the customers do not know if they are going to have to wait in line for a food truck. The need for customers to wait in line can be a random event and may require them to wait in the hot sun, in cold weather, or in rain. Additionally, the food truck may not have the customer's desired food choice available at the window when the customer makes their order. Food truck items may also be prepared ahead of time and need to be re-warmed when served so that they are not fresh. Further delays may occur in payment methods. Food trucks typically require cash, which adds time to the duration required to complete each service.

The present subject matter relates generally to a mobile food management system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mobile food management system that creates an integrated software system that empowers, enables, and creates efficiencies for at least three distinct stakeholders in the mobile-vending industry:

(1) food truck lot managers;

(2) mobile vendors;

(3) regulators.

While the primary embodiments described herein are directed towards mobile food management, there are numerous applications in which the subject matter presented will be valuable. For example, the solutions provided herein may be applied to the management of farmer's markets-many of the advantages provided to lot managers through the system provided herein apply to managers of farmer's markets as well. Of course it will be apparent that the solutions provided herein may be applied in numerous contexts.

The system greatly improves the optimization of scarce resources for all interested parties. The system's efficiencies enable the profitable use of assets that would otherwise be uneconomical. Lot (and market) managers are able to reduce labor, monitoring, and other administrative costs with their existing operations while improving the important characteristics of their lots. Mobile vendors benefit from improved ability to reserve, pay for, and use lots, as well as manage data, communicate with current and potential customers, trade associations, and one another, as well as comply with municipal regulations. Regulators will be able to use the system to improve compliance, and do so while using fewer resources.

Managing a food truck lot is resource intensive and done under incredible uncertainty of demand. The mobile food industry is relatively new; accordingly, there is little to no historical data on which to based management decisions. Among other responsibilities, lot owners (or lessors) must vet the quality of the vendors, comply with regulations and land-use restrictions and commercial leases, ensure that customers receive access to a market-clearing variety of cuisine, and manage the operation of the lots including receipt of payment. Limited margins in lot operation and uncertainties of demand necessitate a low-cost solution to these problems. Consumer demand is difficult to forecast and the continued variation of trucks with the retention of well-performing trucks at a given location is highly beneficial. Vendors' ability to self-book lot spaces subject to lot owners' pre-set rules and restrictions will optimize and revolutionize food truck lots.

Managing a food truck is also challenging. Not only do food trucks often deal with changing locations and a transient customer base, in many instances, the food truck's menu changes as well. Given that a food truck is mobile, vendors follow a unique set of challenges and must comply with regulations wherever they travel. Food trucks suffer many inefficiencies due to the constantly changing environment in which they operate.

In certain areas, food trucks may reserve a lot in order to sell food in a desired location. Currently, reserving a lot requires a burdensome amount of interaction between the vendor trying to reserve the lot and the lot manger. This is very time consuming and inefficient to the point that it leads to lot underutilization and similar inefficiencies. Also, lots are often over or under booked, and the allocation of favorable lots may be determined by local interest (i.e., personal/political connections, etc.), completely by random, or in other non-optimal manners. Not only is this unfair, but it decreases the efficiency of all of the food trucks in that particular lot since the randomness of this reservation method often leads to less than optimal supply of foods on the food trucks as well as a less than optimal grouping of food trucks in a given location.

Unlike a restaurant, which has a fixed location, mobile cuisine customers may not know how to find a food truck on any given day, and it may be difficult for customers to contact the food truck and track their location. Many food trucks also have menus that change often since they may serve a different clientele in different locations. Customers may find it difficult to know where the food truck may be at a particular time, and what food they may be supplying. Also, unlike restaurants, food trucks may not be capable of supporting online orders, which are increasingly popular and desired among many customers.

Due to their mobile nature, food trucks may benefit from a system that allows them to compile sales data and optimize menus for every location. Collecting, organizing, and analyzing data generated in this manner may help mobile vendors and their trade associations optimize routes, pricing, menus, and food quantity under various conditions. Food truck operators will benefit greatly from the ability to self-book lots, once approved, in advance. The automated lot booking will make advertising and marketing easier and more easily automated as well.

Regulatory authorities face similar issues. Charged with the responsibility of tracking, monitoring, and inspecting mobile food facilities has proven to be a difficult, if not an impossible and costly, endeavor for local governments. Real-time information is required to appropriately manage these responsibilities. A real-time networked interface is the only manner in which regulators will be able to meaningfully monitor compliance with applicable health and public safety standards.

Accordingly, a need exists for a real-time networked mobile food management system that improves the efficiency with which mobile food vendors reserve lots, manage data, communicate with each other, current and potential customers, communicate with trade associations, and comply with municipal regulations, as described and claimed herein.

OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION

1) The objective of the invention is to an integrated real-time, customer-company process that materially improves the point-to-point customer experience for delivery of products and other required things. 2) The other objective of the invention is to an efficient management of a company's supply-demand relationship, unit costs, process costs, technology costs, location costs, market costs, Govt GST, Local Text and return on investment. 3) According to claim,2,3# the invention is to a directed to an inter-related, customer-company management process for a food delivery business and a process on an intelligent, processor-based platform provides an improved point to-point customer experience and also reducing wait times and using convenient payment options so that customer does not need to handle money. 4) The other objective of the invention is to an also including a process further enables a food truck operator to more efficiently manage the business, both at a single site and across multiple sites and there is a substantial, real-time interdependency between the customers and the food truck operator. 5) The other objective of the invention is to a also provides ongoing Just-in-Time order status information to customers and ongoing Just-in-Time operating and cooking instructions to the food truck operator. 6) The other objective of the invention is to a also one or more food truck lot reservation applications accessible through the one or more vendor's user interfaces, the food truck lot reservation application adapted to receive one or more reservation requests. 7) The other objective of the invention is to a controller is adapted to receive the customized rule set from the food truck lot management application and receive one or more reservation requests from the one or more food truck lot reservation applications; and apply the customized rule set to the one or more reservation requests to determine a booking plan.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to an inter-related, customer-company management process for a luncheon food delivery business. A process on an intelligent, processor-based platform provides an improved end-to-end customer experience, for example, by reducing wait times and using convenient payment options so that customer does not need to handle money. The process further enables a food truck operator to more efficiently manage the business, both at a single site and across multiple sites. There is a substantial, real-time interdependency between the customers and the food truck operator. The process provides ongoing Just-in-Time order status information to customers and ongoing Just-in Time operating and cooking instructions to the food truck operator. Point of sale data is collected and is used to provide management reports and other key business function input, such as data used to prepare financial statements.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to improving service and availability for employees in the context of a luncheon business environment. Embodiments are further directed to improving efficiency and reducing time wasted by food truck operators.

A customer-centric luncheon sub-process of a food truck operation is designed to enable simple, effective and convenient:

1) customer ordering before the food truck or mobile operating unit arrives at the customer's worksite; 2) individual customer fulfillment; 3) a specific time commitment for fulfillment of customer pre-orders; 4) payment.

In addition, the luncheon sub-process provides a real quantifiable benefit to the tenants of a target office building without any cost to the owner or management company of the building.

The luncheon sub-process may utilize a time-slotting approach that is designed to create an opportunity for customers to conveniently place and obtain a lunch order with a minimum of wasted time.

The luncheon sub-process utilizes interactive, mobile technologies to enable customers to conveniently place orders and to receive just-in-time (JIT) communications that are driven by an intelligent processor-based platform that manages a supply-demand process. The food truck or mobile operating unit (MOU) may also use JIT instructions delivered to the chef or operator by the intelligent processor-based platform.

Examples of mobile food truck systems for providing the services described herein are disclosed in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/875,205, titled "Optimizing

Customer Deliver Services," the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

In one embodiment, the lunchtime sub-process establishes an end-to-end customer luncheon experience that is similar to a home-delivery or dinner service experience as contemplated in the referenced patent.

The luncheon sub-process creates a new and improved, end-to-end, electronically-based customer experience that benefits both customers and the food truck operator.

The mobile food management system provided herein improves the efficiency with which mobile food vendors reserve lots, manage data, communicate with current and potential customers, communicate with trade associations, and comply with municipal regulations.

Through the mobile food management system provided herein, vendors may reserve lots using an online interface that facilitates the reservation process, making it quicker and easier and with less interaction between the mobile food supplier and the lot manager. Mobile food suppliers may view information about available lots and reserve lots using an online shopping cart. As a result, the proportions of vendors dealing in a particular cuisine may be monitored and controlled, thereby improving the allocation of selling opportunities and improving the mix of vendors in a particular location. The system may also offer lots at a market-clearing price so that the price of the lots may be calibrated and made available to mobile food suppliers on a real-time basis. The market-clearing price may be determined based on the demand for that particular lot and the supply of spaces available in the lot. Pre-approval of vendors, and self-booking of lots will greatly reduce operating costs, as well as improve the accuracy and transmission speed of important data.

The mobile food management system may also allow the mobile food vendor to collect, organize, and analyze data generated in the course of their business. Since the mobile food vendors are constantly changing their locations and cuisines, the mobile food management system is provided to allow them to optimize their schedules so that they may successfully run their business. Collecting, organizing, and analyzing the data generated in this manner may help mobile vendors and their trade associations optimize routes, pricing, and menus under various conditions. Vendors may use this information to decide whether to add a particular lot to their route, and lot managers may use this information to determine the composition and reservation rates of the lot. As provided above, the mobile food vendors may include food trucks, farmer's markets, or any other supplier of food that may change locations frequently or may only exist temporarily (e.g., pop-up restaurants).

The mobile food management system may also facilitate communication between mobile food customers by using social networks to inform customers of their location and current menu for any given day. This allows mobile food vendors and customers to be in constant communication. Open and constant communication is particularly useful since mobile food vendors possess a special cachet among social media friendly young customers and within other tech savvy Internet-based social networks. The mobile food management system may also support an Internet-based order processing system to facilitate the sale of food, as well as, a "crowd-sourcing" demand measurement component, through which potential customers of a food truck may express their demand for the food truck in hopes of calling the food truck to a certain location. For example, in one embodiment, potential customers may place a conditional food order and, if enough conditional orders are received within a particular geographic range (measured objectively or relatively), the food truck may be called to the location.

The mobile food management system may also facilitate communication between mobile food vendors and their trade association. Because the typical mobile food vendor has minimal capital backing, mobile food vendors rely heavily on their trade association for information and lobbying. The mobile food management system may also facilitate communication between vendors and their trade association by supporting Internet based forums and "wiki" pages maintained by the trade association. The system may also support an Internet-based order processing system to facilitate the payment of association fees and/or lot reservation fees, as described further herein.

Finally, the mobile food management system may also promote compliance with municipal regulations and enhance the ability of regulators to monitor such compliances. Mobile food vendors, due to both their mobility and their status as food vendors, are subject to overlapping regulations from state, county, and city governments. Of particular importance, mobile food vendors must comply with the health code(s) applicable to the areas they serve. Compliance includes record keeping and conducting various aspects of the operation in the manner prescribed by health code regulations. The mobile food management system supports a platform that keeps vendors apprised of applicable regulations, facilitates online organization and filing of regulatory documents, and allows vendors and/or regulators to remotely monitor whether specific trucks are operating in accordance with applicable regulations.

Regulators are able to monitor location, route, time elapsed, taxable revenue, document/permit existence and validity in real time. GPS monitoring devices may be coupled with the management system. Notifications regarding expirations, renewals, dues, and taxes will be generated and communicated to trucks, lot owners, and regulators.

In one example, a mobile food management system includes: a controller in communication with a lot owner's user interface and one or more vendor's user interfaces; a food truck lot booking application accessible through the lot owner's user interface, the food truck lot booking application adapted to receive a customized rule set from the lot owner's user interface, the customized rule set including one or more prioritization rules associated with a food truck lot; and one or more food truck lot reservation applications accessible through the one or more vendor's user interfaces, the food truck lot reservation application adapted to receive one or more reservation requests from the one or more vendor's user interfaces; wherein the controller is adapted to receive the customized rule set from the food truck lot booking application; receive one or more reservation requests from the one or more food truck lot reservation applications; and apply the customized rule set to the one or more reservation requests to determine a booking plan.

The controller may be adapted to communicate the booking plan to the food truck lot management application, to the one or more food truck lot reservation applications, and/or through one or more social media platforms.

The mobile food management system may further include a payment module through which payment for a booked reservation may be made.

The prioritization rules include one or more rules directed to: food type; consecutive bookings; bookings made in a given period of time; ratings (consumer and/or lot owner based); bids made in an auction format, etc. The more favorable requests may be given priority over the less favorable requests. In addition, the various rules may be interactive with varied weightings. For example, a higher bid for a lot booking may be given higher priority, but due to a conflict with an existing booking of a specific food type, the higher bid may be excluded from being booked. The prioritization rules may also apply to specific spots within a lot. The lot owner may be able to create a map or otherwise describe particular spots within a lot. Trucks may be able to choose among various spots within a lot and those spots may be able to have different prioritization rules applied to spots within the same lot. For example, the best spot in a given lot may have more restrictions placed on it such as less frequent booking, or higher consumer ratings may be required to qualify to select that spot.

While described as separate applications, it is understood that the food truck lot booking application and the one or more food truck lot reservation applications are cooperative parts of a management application.

In another example, a mobile food management system includes: a controller in communication with one or more user interfaces; a management application accessible through the one or more user interfaces, the management application adapted to receive a customized rule set from one of the user interfaces, the customized rule set including one or more prioritization rules or qualification rules; and one or more management applications accessible through the one or more vendor's user interfaces, the management applications adapted to receive one or more requests from the one or more vendor's user interfaces; wherein the controller is adapted to receive the customized rule set from the management application accessible through the one or more user interfaces; one or more management applications accessible through the one or more vendor's user interfaces; and apply the customized rule set to the one or more requests to determine a booking plan.

In one embodiment, the management application is a food truck lot booking application, the request is a reservation request, and the request is associated with a food truck lot. In another embodiment, the management application is a catering booking application, the request is a request for proposal, and the request is associated with an event.

An advantage of the mobile food management system is that it allows vendors to reserve lots in real-time.

Another advantage of the mobile food management system is that it allows mobile food vendors to collect, organize, and analyze data generated in the course of their business.

A further advantage of the mobile food management system is that it allows lot managers to offer lots priced at a market-clearing price.

Yet another advantage of the mobile food management system is that it allows mobile food vendors to be in constant, and meaningful, communication with their customers.

Another advantage of the mobile food management system is that it facilitates communication between mobile food vendors and their trade association and promotes compliance with municipal regulations.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the examples will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following description and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation of the examples. The objects and advantages of the concepts may be realized and attained by means of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIAGRAM

FIG. 1 is a high level block diagram illustrating a system for providing intelligent processor-based platform and luncheon sub-process for food delivery truck operators according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates an integrated delivery platform according to one embodiment that provides delivery services to multiple markets.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating one a process for providing food service to customers at a selected location according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4A is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method of collecting data to create a chart of food sales based on location.

FIG. 4Bis an example of a chart illustrating the sales of different foods made in four different locations.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method through which a vendor may reserve a lot.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the method of through which a vendor may inform customers of available foods and the locations of the food truck.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating how regulatory documents, including licenses, permits, sales tracking, and compliance, may be maintained and uploaded within the system.

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of an automated food truck lot booking system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a high level block diagram illustrating a system 100 for providing intelligent processor-based platform and luncheon sub-process for food delivery truck operators according to one embodiment. A software or firmware application runs on a processor 101, which may be any logic circuitry configured to execute software code or program instructions. For example, software code for optimization business logic and rules 102 and collaboration business logic and rules 103 may run on processor 101. Software code and other data that is required by the automated optimization/collaboration application are stored in a database or memory 104, which may be any form of volatile or non-volatile electronic storage, such as a hard drive, cache, RAM, ROM, or flash memory. In some embodiments, the components, such as processor 101 and memory 104 are in a fixed location, such as on a server 105. In other embodiments, the components may be located on-board the food delivery truck or other vehicle 106. The components may communicate via direct or networked connections, such as wired connections or wireless connections supported by a packet-switched local area or wide area network.

Processor 101 is connected to a point of sale (POS) system 107 that is used to facilitate customer transactions, process credit and debit charges, and track customer orders. In one embodiment, to avoid the need to handle cash or other payment receipts, the luncheon sub-process is configured to receive any and all types of electronic payments. For example, the POS system 107 or any other payment system may be used to accept customer payment using a pre-established customer account or transaction-specific electronic payment. The food truck may accept any form of electronic payments or electronic currency, such as virtual money or Bitcoins. Customers may pay when they make a pre-order, via an established account, credit/debit card, or other means, including a mobile device. Alternatively, the customer may pay later, such as when the order is received.

A driver interface 108 provides output, such as route information, to the food delivery truck driver. Driver interface 108 may provide information in various formats, such as printed driving directions or a visual display. Driver interface 108 may be coupled to a vehicle navigation or telematics system to provide visual route information on a map display and/or audible driving cues to the driver. Operator interface 109 provides order information, cooking instructions, and other directions to the staff in the food delivery truck who are cooking the food and other products. These instructions may identify, for example, the items in a customer's order and indicate when the items should be prepared. A navigation system, such as GPS 110 may be used to track the food delivery truck's current location, which allows the system to constantly update routing in order to avoid accidents, heavy traffic, and other potential delays.

POS system 107, driver interface 108, operator interface 109, and GPS 110 may be mobile components that are located on a delivery truck 106. These may be separate components or combined into one or more devices. In some embodiments, the other components, such as processor 101 and memory 104, may also be located on the food delivery truck. In other embodiments, the processor 101 and memory 104 are embodied in a fixed location such as a server 105. A number of delivery trucks 106, such as fleet of trucks controlled by the same operator or a number of independent trucks, may use the same central server 105.

A storage, such as memory 104, or any other operator-owned or third-party internal or external memory, storage, or database 125 may be used to store a list of scheduled businesses, businesses to be scheduled, businesses that have agreed to be scheduled but designated as a backup or alternate because of insufficient current capacity, and potential business customers. Such storage may also hold employee and customer identification and contact data.

Database 104 and/or 125 may include information about current customers, such as order histories, product and service preferences, payment information, contact information, etc. Database 104 and/or 125 may further include information about potential customers, such as employee lists for scheduled and targeted business locations, or contact information from any other source.

User interface 111 provides customer and operator access to system 100 via one or more technologies. The operator and customers may communicate by telephone via a telephone network 112 and/or call center 113. Alternatively, the customers and operator may communicate electronically, for example, via an Internet web site 114, mobile device application 115, text message system 116, electronic mail 117, or social media application 118.

Additional information may be available to processor 101 and to the software code for optimization business logic and rules 102 and collaboration business logic and rules 103, such as weather data 119 and traffic data 120. The weather data 119 may include forecast and current weather that is used to schedule future deliveries and to adjust drive times and routing for current deliveries. Similarly, the traffic data 120 may be used to determine delivery routes and to calculate estimated delivery times. The system 100 may also use the traffic data to reroute the delivery truck as updated traffic conditions are reported.

System 100 may also allow the user to access a vendor interface 121 that is used to place orders for new products and supplies. Vendors 122 may use vendor interface 121 or user interface 111 to access the system and/or to provide data, such as for supplies, products, stock, inventory, or other information.

The user may also access a customer relationship management (CRM) system 123. CRM 123 may be used to manage interaction with customers 124. The customers 124 may also access the system via user interface 111, such as to request service, place orders, provide contact information, view product information, update requests, verify order status and the like.

FIG. 2 illustrates an integrated delivery platform 201 according to one embodiment that provides delivery services to multiple markets, such as a residential market and a business market. In one embodiment, the integrated delivery process may be used to provide luncheon service to customers at office buildings, business locations, and other workplaces. The integrated delivery platform 201 may be comprised of a number of software modules or components on a processor-based system, such as a server or a desktop, laptop, or tablet computer. The residential market may include, for example, customers who order for deliver to homes, apartments, dormitories, and other single- or multi-unit dwellings. The business market may include, for example, single business locations, office towers, shopping centers and malls, educational institutions, hospitals, and other commercial and non-residential locations. It will be understood that platform 201 may serve a single operator and/or single delivery vehicle or may serve a number of vehicles belonging to one or more operators.

A residential market manager module 202 is responsible for managing data, schedules, territories, and interactions for residential customers. A residential market manager (RMM) process sub-module 203 provides intelligence for the residential market and controls how and when deliveries to this market occur. Financial calculator sub module 204 is configured to provide economic analysis specifically for the residential market so that the residential market manager can maintain optimal financial performance when committing to customer orders and selecting delivery routes. Similarly, a business market manager module 205, business market manager (BMM) process sub-module 206, and financial calculator sub-module 207 provide corresponding operations for business customers.

The residential and business market manager modules 202, 205 interact with a number of other modules that provide specialized functionality. An interactive communicator module 208 provides a communication interface between platform 201 and residential customers 209 and/or business customers/employees 210, which include employees at business locations. The interactive communicator module 208 may provide a communication portal to users via one or more of telephone, email, text, social media, websites, smartphone applications, or any other media appropriate for access network 211. Interactive communicator module 208 is used to initiate, receive, and/or confirm customer requests, negotiate alternative delivery times, provide customer request status updates, contact potential customers to stimulate additional requests, and any other communication between the platform 201 and the customers.

An interactive scheduler module 212 assists in scheduling customer requests, proposing alternative delivery times, and identifying times for potential new request stimulation. The interactive scheduler may work with an order stimulation module 213 that identifies target customers to generate additional delivery requests. A customer relationship management (CRM) module 214 may also be used to identify current or potential customers for new business stimulation. Customer relationship management module 214 may be part of platform 201 or may be a separate system.

Dynamic route optimizer module 215 works with the interactive scheduler module 212 to create an initial baseline route plan. The dynamic route optimizer module 215 also provides updates to the route plan to serve additional customer requests. The dynamic route optimizer module 215 may use information from a navigation or GPS system 216 to determine a current location of a delivery vehicle. The navigation or GPS system 216 may be part of the integrated delivery platform 201 or may be a separate component that directly or indirectly provides location information for one or more delivery vehicles.

Just-in-time operations module 217 provides instructions to MOU employees 218. The instructions may include, for example, route information, driving directions, product preparation instructions, point-of-sale information for deliveries, and any other appropriate information. The MOU employees may interact with the integrated delivery platform 201 via a just-in-time module 217 interface, which may be a graphical user interface (GUI), keypad, printer, or any other visual, audio, or haptic interface.

Vendors 219 may also provide inputs to-or receive instructions from-integrated delivery platform 201. Vendors 219 may interact with just-in-time operations module 217 and/or interactive communicator module 208, for example.

The integrated delivery platform 201 further includes software code or module for optimization business logic and rules 220 and collaboration business logic and rules 221. Storage 222 is used to store information required by the integrated delivery platform 201, such as customer lists, schedules, map and routing information, inventory, product information, and the like.

At a high level of abstraction, the integrated delivery platform supports a two-step process: (1) initialization, and (2) ongoing management. Both steps have as the same business goals, which are to maximize revenue while minimizing costs, and to meet the customers' timing and other expectations. Overall, the process treats every minute wasted as a lost business opportunity and, therefore, is designed to provide route optimization, minimize windshield time (or other dead time between deliveries), and continually stimulate additional demand for any open slots. These concepts apply equally to all market segments-business, residential, special events, etc.-but may be executed in different ways in operation.

The market managers 202, 205 are configured so that if slots open up after initialization, then those slots are filled quickly. In one embodiment, the market managers 202, 205 may identify pre-qualified customers or high-interest targets that can be contacted on short notice to fill newly opened slots and, therefore, minimize otherwise lost time and sales. To anticipate and account for inevitable changing conditions, the platform 201 continually maximizes the revenue-capability of the operator and delivery vehicle(s) throughout the business day. If any time slots become available for any reason, the integrated delivery platform attempts to fill the slot quickly with the best next alternative and to seek continual revenue production at the least cost.

For example, business market manager 205 maximizes revenue opportunity per day while concurrently minimizing dead time through explicit consideration of potential revenue at each location and route optimizations between locations. Additionally, manager 205 pre-positions additional targeted customers for dynamic replacement of canceled orders or other schedule "holes." The targeted customers are added to the schedule using dynamic and interactive scheduling. In one scenario, when an existing business customer closes or moves out of the territory, then a permanent slot is opened and new potential customers should be pre-identified so that they can be contacted to fill the cancelation slots. In other scenarios, existing customers may be offered additional visits, such as a second visit in a given month, to quickly fill the cancelation slot.

The platform would be ready to target other customers in close proximity to the cancelation client using targeted stimulation such as by sending out inquiries to a set potential back-fill client. The back-fill clients set may be selected using optimization considerations based upon, for example, a distance from the canceling customer, and a customer-base size (e.g., number of employees at location) relative to the slot that became available. The interactive scheduler and interactive communicator may identify and communicate with the target back-fill customers in an iterative process to fill any revenue gap.

Other embodiments include methods for delivering items to a number of customers. An initial delivery schedule is established by a delivery service provider. The initial delivery schedule comprises a number of slots representing committed delivery times and delivery locations for the customers. The items are intended to be delivered to each of the customers at an assigned delivery location no later than the committed delivery time.

In step 302, the intelligent, processor-based platform creates clusters of customer orders based on similar order content. In one embodiment, a scheduler module in the intelligent, processor-based platform may be used to create the clusters of orders. In step 303, a fulfillment commitment time for customer pickup during the designated food service period is determined for each cluster of customer orders. In other embodiments, the customer orders are not combined into clusters. Instead, each order may be treated individually and each customer assigned their own fulfillment commitment time for order pickup.

In step 304, the fulfillment commitment times are identified to the customers. Additionally, if the intelligent, processor-based platform may notify customers of modifications to the designated food service period at the selected location. For example, the intelligent, processor-based platform may determine whether to modify the designated food service period at the selected location based upon a number of current or anticipated orders for the selected location or based upon a number of current or expected orders for a next location. The anticipated or expected orders may include, for example, a total number of orders for a given location, such as the number of actual orders received plus an estimated number of future orders. The estimated number of future orders may be determined using the order history for the location for a given day of the year, time of day, weather conditions, or other factors.

In one embodiment, a manager module in the intelligent, processor-based platform may be used to evaluate whether to modify the designated food service period. For example, if the number of current orders is lagging behind a number of anticipated orders, then the designated food service period may be shortened so that the operator may move to a new location. Alternatively, if the number of current orders has exceeded a number of anticipated orders, then the designated food service period may be extended to satisfy the additional order volume. Similarly, the number of actual, expected, or anticipated orders at a next location may be used to evaluate whether the operator should remain at a current location.

In step 305, food preparation instructions are provided to a cook. The instructions may be adapted to direct the cook to complete food preparation for each customer order in an associated fulfillment commitment time. In one embodiment, an operations module in the intelligent, processor-based platform may provide just-in-time instructions to an operator. The just-in-time instructions are for preparation of food items associated with a cluster of customer orders. In step 306, the food items associated with a cluster of customer orders are prepared. For example, a number of similar orders are combined in a cluster and then prepared at the same time (e.g., a number of pepperoni pizza slice orders are combined into one cluster and one or more pizzas cooked to satisfy that cluster of orders). In step 307, the food item is divided into separate portions to fulfill the customer orders.

In step 308, additional orders are received in-person orders at the selected location in real-time. In other embodiments, additional orders may be placed electronically during the food service period, such as when a food truck is serving customers during a lunch period. The orders are filled during the designated food service period in step 309.

It will be understood that the operator may provide inputs to modify, adjust, or override the intelligent, processor-based platform. For example, the operator may want to modify the clusters of orders or the fulfillment commitment times generated by the intelligent, processor-based platform. The operator may also modify the start and end times for a food service period for a selected location or modify the location, such as when a food truck or delivery vehicle breaks down or an operator or worker is ill. The operator may further modify the just-in-time instructions.

The systems and methods described herein may be used to provide products or services to customers at a selected location. The systems and methods may be provided, for example, using an intelligent processor-based platform. In one embodiment, food items may be provided by a mobile food truck as part of a lunch service at a target business location. Customer orders are received from customers prior to a designated fulfillment period. The designated fulfillment period is a window of time during which an operator intends to provide the products or services. For example, the designated fulfillment period for a food truck may be an interval for a lunch service (e.g., a time period around noon when most people would take a lunch break). The products may include food items such as when the designated fulfillment period is a mid-day food service. Other times may also be used, such as dinner times, break times, breakfast times, and special events.

The supply-demand capacity is assessed for the designated fulfillment period. Based upon the orders and operator capacity, a fulfillment commitment time is determined. The fulfillment commitment time is when the operator expects to provide the customer with the product or a service. The fulfillment commitment time is an interval or specific time during the designated fulfillment period. The fulfillment commitment times are identified to the customers for each of the one or more customer orders. For example, the fulfillment commitment times may be sent to the customers.

FIG. 4A-4C demonstrate how vendors 16 may use the mobile food management system10 to analyze information to make their business more profitable. Collecting, organizing, and analyzing the data generated in this manner may help mobile vendors 16 and their trade associations 22 optimize routes, pricing, and menus under various conditions. Vendors 16 may use this information to decide whether to add a particular lot to their route, and lot managers 18 may use this information to determine the composition and reservation rates of the lot. For instance, data collected from food trucks may reveal that sales of ice cream at a beachfront lot increase 5% for every one degree increase in temperature. Vendors 16 may use this data to ensure that they make themselves available with large amounts of ice cream at the beachfront on hot and humid days, but the greater detail provided may also influence more granular decisions.

FIG. 4A illustrates a method 50 of collecting data. In the first step 52 the mobile food management system 10 records the location and quantity of the foods that are sold. In the second step 54, the system 10 determines the location where the highest quantities of food are sold. In the third step 56, the system 10 determines which foods are sold the most in those locations. This step includes taking into account the quantity of foods sold, and the proportion of those foods sold in large quantities compared to the foods that did not sell. The system 10 may also distinguish situations where all of the different foods sold a fair amount, resulting in a high total number, and situations where only one food sold a very high amount resulting in a high total number. Vendors 16 may use these totals and proportions to determine which foods to sells at that location in the future. In the fourth step 58, the system 10 determines the time of day in which those foods are sold. This is important because certain foods may only be desirable at lunchtime, where other foods may sell at any time of day. In the fifth and final step 60, the system 10 may create a chart of the most successful foods, arranged by location. Again, while this example is simplistic for purposes of clarity, much more detailed and granular versions may be employed.

FIG. 4B is an example of a chart 70 that may be created from the data collected through the method 50 shown in FIG. 4A. The chart 70 illustrates the quantity 72 of foods 74 (hotdogs, cupcakes, soup, and ice cream) that were sold at four different locations 76 (beach, business, school, and stadium). In this particular example, a vendor 16 may conclude that ice cream is in high demand at the beach, and that the largest quantity of food 74 overall was sold at the school. In other embodiments, it is contemplated that the chart 70 may include the day in which the food 74 was sold and the time of day in which that food 74 was sold. Using this information, the vendor 16 may visit particular locations more often, or they may make more of a particular food 74 available for a location 76 that has a lot of demand. For example, when at the beach, a vendor 16 may conclude that they should provide more ice cream, and perhaps no soup or cupcakes. In other examples, vendors 16 may reach additional logical conclusions, such as certain cuisines selling only in certain areas or during particular times of day. This data may also become useful when vendors 16 are trying to determine how much food to prepare for a certain day, so that they do not have any food going to waste.

The collection and analysis of such data may be adapted to provide "heat maps" or similar outputs that identify underserved areas with unmet demand. Such outputs may provide food truck vendors 16 with better data for planning routes and lot reservations. In one example, the mobile food management system 10 may include a "local needs" module through which the mobile food management system 10 may determine what type of cuisine is lacking in the surrounding area so that the lot managers 18 can optimize offerings by booking more/less of that type of cuisine. For example, as shown in FIG. 4C, the mobile food management system 10 may determine the number of establishments within a given geographic space that serve a given type of cuisine and use that information to prioritize or rank the types of cuisines needed in that geographic space. In one embodiment, the mobile food management system 10 may interact with the API of a local listing system 78 (e.g., Yelp, CitySearch, Yahoo! Local, Google Places, etc.) to further use the local ratings for the establishments to provide even more effective analysis. For example, by considering the ratings of the establishments it may be determined that even where there may be a number of establishments serving a given type of cuisine, the ratings for those establishments are low enough that an opportunity to sell in that geographic region exists.

FIGS. 5-7 illustrate other functions of the mobile food management system 10. FIG. illustrates the lot reservation method 80 in which a vendor 16 may reserve a lot from the lot manager 18. In the first step 82, the vendor 16 may view which lots are available. In the second step 84, the vendor may view the price of the desired available lot, or spot within the lot if the spots have been specifically described or identified on a map of the lot that the lot owner may use the mobile food management system to design and describe, which as discussed above, may be determined from the market-clearing price method 39. Alternatively, or additionally, the price may include a reserve price option or 'buy it now' overpayment option. In the third step 86, the vendor 16 may reserve a desired lot, in which case it is removed from the list of available lots in real time, or a specific spot in a lot, which similarly would be removed from the list of available spots in a lot. In the fourth and final step 88, the vendor 16 may pay for the desired lot. Once a vendor 16 reserves a lot, it will be instantaneously removed from the list of available lots so that other vendors 16 may only view lots that have not already been reserved and paid for.

FIG. 6 illustrates the menu updating method 90 in which the vendor 16 may update a real time list of available food for customers 20. In the first step 92, the system 10 determines the location and food available at that given time. In order for this system 10 to work accurately, a vendor 16 may likely update the system 10 at the beginning of the day, since every day the menu may be different. In the second step 94, the vendor 16 may upload the location and menu on the sharing site. Once an item has been sold out, it will be removed from the menu. Once the vendor 16 changes location, the location will be changed on the schedule. If there are any other changes, such as new items or removal of a location, those changes will be made available to the website in real-time. In the third and final step 96, the information on the sharing site will be constantly updated in real-time.

FIG. 7 illustrates the method 100 in which all regulatory documents are saved to the database 12. This method 100 assures that the vendor 16 is informed about the different regulations in every location. In the first step 102, the system 10 identifies the location of the food truck. In the second step 104 the system 10 saves the data to the database and notifies the vendor 16 of all regulations. In the third and final step 106, the system10 compiles records of sales and regulatory documents of the locations served. The method 100 insures that the vendor 16 is in compliance with all regulations and keeps record of the compliance. The records may be stored in the system 10 and on the sharing site. Since municipal regulators may also have access to the site where this information is stored, the method 100 also allows vendors 16 and/or regulators 24 to remotely monitor whether specific trucks are operating in accordance with applicable regulations.

In one embodiment of the mobile food management system 10, the lot availability tracking tools 28, the data and records management tools 30, the schedule management tools 32, and the communication tools 34 are adapted to provide an automated food truck lot booking system 108. An example of an automated food truck lot booking system 108 is shown in FIG. 8.

As shown in FIG. 8, the mobile food management system 10 embodying the automated food truck lot booking system 108 includes a controller 110 that embodies the lot availability tracking tools 28, the data and records management tools 30, the schedule management tools 32, and the communication tools 34. The controller 110 is in communication with a lot owner's user interface 19 and one or more vendor's user interfaces 26, which enables the automated food truck lot booking system 108 to receive information from the lot owner's user interface 19 through a food truck lot booking application 111 and the one or more vendor's user interfaces 26 through one or more food truck lot reservation applications 113, process that information to create a booking plan 112, and to communicate the booking plan 112 back to the lot owner's user interface 19 and the one or more vendor's user interfaces 26. While described as individual applications, it is understood that the food truck lot booking application 111 and the one or more food truck lot reservation applications 113 may be cooperative parts of a single management application.

In the example shown, the information received from the lot owner's user interface 19 includes customized rule set 114. The customized rule set 114 includes one or more prioritization rules 116 associated with a specified food truck lot. The information received further includes one or more reservation requests 118 received from the one or more vendor's user interfaces 26. The controller 110 applies the customized rule set 114 to the reservation requests 118 to develop the booking plan 112.

As shown, the mobile food management system 10 receives the customized rule set 114 from the lot owner's user interface 19. In typical embodiments, the lot owner, lot manager, or other party responsible for lot bookings provides the customized rule set 114. The prioritization rules 116 are the rules by which the controller 110 processes the reservation requests 118. For example, the prioritization rules 116 may include rules related to qualifications, conflicts, etc. For example, the prioritization rules 116 may include rules related to how many food truck of a given food type may reserve lots within a given time frame. The prioritization rules 116 may include rules related to providing preferred reservations for higher rated food trucks including consumer-side ratings and/or seller-side ratings based on expected revenue, traffic generation, or other qualitative factors such as "good operator" status. The prioritization rules 116 may include rules related to the number of consecutive bookings a food truck may reserve for a given lot or how many times a food truck may reserve a place in the lot within a given time frame. The prioritization rules 116 may include rules related to a bidding/auction system in which higher bids create higher priority rankings. As can be appreciated, there are nearly limitless prioritization rules 116 that may be applied within the mobile food management system 10. The prioritization rules 116 are customizable through the lot owner's user interface 19 and enable the mobile food management system 10 to automate the lot booking process.

The prioritization rules 116 may apply not just to booking the lot as a whole, but also to specifically identifiable spots on the lot. For example, the mobile food management system10 may receive information the lot owner's user interface 19 regarding the location of spots within a lot, a spot map, relative values of spots, expected and/or historical traffic patterns adjacent or otherwise making one spot more or less desirable, or spots adjacent to already booked/prioritized trucks. The mobile food management system 10 may allow for long-term bookings for particular lots or spots within a lot to be made on a truck-by-truck basis. In varied embodiments of the mobile food management system 10, the ability to book a spot or lot in this way may be automated or completed manually. As shown, the mobile food management system 10 may enable identification, characterization, and attribution of spots within a lot based on location, proximity to foot traffic, street visibility, expected traffic, expected value, proximity to specific trucks, proximity to specific food types, etc. These attributes may be described, for example, in text, numerically, or graphically on a customizable map that may be communicated to consumers and other trucks, whether booked or not. The booking plan 112 that is developed may be communicated to the lot managers 18 and the vendors 16. The automated food truck lot booking system 108 may also be the platform through which the vendors 16 pay the lot managers 18 for their lot booking. Accordingly, the automated food truck lot booking system 108 may include a payment module 120 through which the transactions are confirmed and payment is settled. Further, the booking plan 112 may be used to automate publicity/advertising related to the schedule for when the food trucks will be at a given lot. For example, the mobile food management system 10 may automatically post the booking plan 112 onto one or more social media websites, send direct communications to one or more subscribers to a feed, etc.

Claims (8)

WE CLAIM

1) Our Invention Artificial Intelligence based POS System (Points of Sales) for Food Truck Vendor Notification and Management is a real-time, customer-company process that materially improves the point-to-point customer experience for delivery of products. The invention also includes an efficient management of a company's supply-demand relationship, unit costs, process costs, technology costs, location costs, market costs, Govt GST, Local Text and return on investment. The Invented technology is also including a process further enables a food truck operator to more efficiently manage the business, both at a single site and across multiple sites and there is a substantial, real-time interdependency between the customers and the food truck operator. The invention also provides on going Just in-Time order status information to customers. The invention is also one or more food truck lot reservation applications accessible through the one or more vendor's user interfaces, the food truck lot reservation application adapted to receive one or more reservation requests and also apply the customized rule set to the one or more reservation requests to determine a booking plan.

2) According to claims# the invention is to an integrated real-time, customer company process that materially improves the point-to-point customer experience for delivery of products and other required things.

3) According to claiml,2# the invention is to efficient management of a company's supply-demand relationship, unit costs, process costs, technology costs, location costs, market costs, Govt GST, Local Text and return on investment.

4) According to claim,2,3# the invention is to a directed to an inter-related, customer-company management process for a food delivery business and a process on an intelligent, processor-based platform provides an improved point to-point customer experience and also reducing wait times and using convenient payment options so that customer does not need to handle money.

5) According to claiml,2,4# the invention is to an also including a process further enables a food truck operator to more efficiently manage the business, both at a single site and across multiple sites and there is a substantial, real-time interdependency between the customers and the food truck operator.

6) According to claiml,2,4# the invention is to an also provides ongoing Just-in-Time order status information to customers and ongoing Just-in-Time operating and cooking instructions to the food truck operator.

7) According to claiml,2,5,6# the invention is to an also one or more food truck lot reservation applications accessible through the one or more vendor's user interfaces, the food truck lot reservation application adapted to receive one or more reservation requests.

8) According to claiml,2,4,6# the invention is to a controller is adapted to receive the customized rule set from the food truck lot management application and receive one or more reservation requests from the one or more food truck lot reservation applications; and apply the customized rule set to the one or more reservation requests to determine a booking plan.

FIG. 1 is a high level block diagram illustrating a system for providing intelligent processor-based platform and luncheon sub-process for food delivery truck operators according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates an integrated delivery platform according to one embodiment that provides delivery services to multiple markets.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating one a process for providing food service to customers at a selected location according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4A is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method of collecting data to create a chart of food sales based on location.

FIG. 4B is an example of a chart illustrating the sales of different foods made in four different locations.

FIG. 4C: is an example of a chart illustrating the sales of different foods made in four different locations.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method through which a vendor may reserve a lot

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the method of through which a vendor may inform customers of available foods and the locations of the food truck.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating how regulatory documents, including licenses, permits, sales tracking, and compliance, may be maintained and uploaded within the system.

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of an automated food truck lot booking system