JP2006235870A - Ordering system and menu information display system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ordering system that enables an immediate inquiry about the latest menu information about a menu inquired by a customer on an order input device of small storage capacity. <P>SOLUTION: A management apparatus external to a handy terminal centrally manages and updates menu information. When requiring menu information, the handy terminal immediately acquires the latest menu information in real time by network communication. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an ordering system used in a restaurant.

Conventional ordering entry systems generally include a handy terminal used on the customer service floor, a controller installed in the store, and a printer installed in the kitchen as basic components. In such an ordering system, the order data input to the handy terminal and wirelessly transmitted is transmitted from the controller to the printer to print the order data. Therefore, when the customer's order is input to the handy terminal and transmitted wirelessly on the customer service floor, the order item can be transmitted to the kitchen. In the ordering system, the accounting slip can be immediately printed and issued by the accounting printer by transmitting the accounting slip to the accounting printer (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-185168 Japanese Patent Publication No. 06-44315

  However, when ordering a menu to be provided at a restaurant, the customer may be asked what kind of ingredients are used in the menu to be ordered, and menu information regarding the ingredients.

  However, in the handy terminal of the conventional ordering system, additional information such as menu information could not be stored sufficiently due to the large amount of menu information, although the memory installed in the handy terminal is small. . For this reason, it is not possible to immediately answer the menu information in response to inquiries from customers, or allergic substances etc. are included in the menu that has been ordered and the ordered menu cannot be eaten. The decline could not be denied.

  In addition, since the menu may change depending on the season and time of day, if the menu information is stored in the handy terminal, the menu information must be changed at the same time as changing the menu, which reduces the usability of the handy terminal. connected. In addition, even in the same menu, the material used may be changed, and it is necessary to frequently update the menu information.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an ordering system capable of immediately inquiring the latest menu information with respect to a menu inquired by a customer, even in a handy terminal having a small storage capacity.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and inputs information relating to customer orders, creates order information, and manages menu information relating to menus distributed to the order input terminals. An ordering system having a management apparatus, wherein an order input terminal is input by an order input terminal communication means for connecting to the management apparatus via a network, an input means for inputting information related to customer orders, and an input means If the received information includes information requesting supplementary information for supplementary explanation of the menu, supplementary information requesting means for sending a transmission request for supplementary information of the menu to the management device via the terminal communication means, and an order input terminal A display device for displaying supplementary information received from the management device via the communication device, and the management device is connected to the order input terminal via a network. A supplementary information storage means for storing information relating to a menu that can be ordered by the customer, including supplementary information, and supplementary information based on a transmission request for supplementary information received from the order input terminal via the management device communication means. A supplementary information search means for searching the information storage means and obtaining the requested supplementary information; a supplementary information response means for sending the supplementary information obtained by the supplementary information search means to the order input terminal via the management device communication means; An ordering system having

  As a result, the order entry terminal can obtain and display in real time via a network from a management device that manages the menu externally without holding supplementary information about the menu in itself. It is.

  Note that it is possible to reduce the load related to the network communication of the order input terminal by installing a device that relays network communication between the order input terminal and the management device.

  According to the present invention, the management apparatus further includes supplemental information update means for updating supplemental information stored in the supplemental information storage means at an arbitrary timing.

  Thereby, the management apparatus can update the latest supplementary information at any time. Since the management apparatus manages the menu information in a comprehensive manner, there is no difference in the supplementary information displayed by the order input terminal. Therefore, the order input terminal can provide this content to the customer without being aware of the new or old supplementary information.

  Further, the supplementary information in the present invention is the amount information related to the menu supplementarily explained by the supplementary information, the remaining number information, the information related to the type of food used, the information related to the production, production area, processing, etc. of the food (material information) In addition, at least one piece of information among the medical information of the food material is included.

  The information can be distributed to the order input terminal and can be viewed or listened to. For example, it is assumed that image information, video information, audio information, and the like are included in addition to text and data such as characters.

  As a result, it is possible to respond to various questions of customers in various forms, and as a result, improvement of service can be achieved.

  Further, the present invention is an order input terminal and a management device used in the ordering system of the present invention described above.

  According to the present invention, even in a handy terminal with a small storage capacity, when there is an inquiry about information about a menu from a customer, it is possible to immediately inquire the menu information and answer the inquiry to the customer. It is possible to improve the service.

  Also, since menu information is not stored on the handy terminal, it is not necessary to update the handy terminal menu information even if the menu changes according to the time of day, and the latest menu information is always provided to customers. I can do it.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

  FIG. 1 is a schematic system diagram of the entire ordering system. The ordering system of the present embodiment includes a plurality of order input terminals (hereinafter referred to as handy terminals) 11 used on the customer service floor, a controller 12 installed in the store, and wired to the controller 12 by a LAN. A printer 14 or a wireless printer 15 connected wirelessly, a POS terminal 16 that performs accounting processing, and a management device (hereinafter referred to as the head office server 13) that stores menu information data connected to the network are installed and used. .

  Next, the basic operation of the ordering system will be described.

  First, the customer service staff inputs an order from the customer through the handy terminal 11. In the handy terminal, an order message 16 is created from the entered order item. The handy terminal 11 transmits the input order item as an order message 17 to the controller 12 wirelessly. As shown in FIG. 5, the order message is composed of data such as a slip number, a table number, the number of people, a customer class, each order menu number ordered by the customer, and an order quantity corresponding thereto.

  The controller 12 receives the order message 17 and registers the order message in the order data 18 stored in the controller. Then, print data 19 indicating cooking instruction data, serving instruction data, and the like based on the order message is created, transmitted to the printer 14 or the wireless printer 15, and printed out. By such a procedure, the order message 17 wirelessly transmitted from the handy terminal 11 is used and printed and issued to the printer 14 or the wireless printer 15.

  In the POS terminal, an accounting process based on the order message 17 is executed.

  The head office server 13 holds a master that is data for controlling the operation of the ordering system distributed to each store and a distribution ordering master 20 that is data related to a menu for ordering, and each store stores these ordering systems. The master is distributed. Further, as will be described later, supplemental information storage means (hereinafter referred to as a menu information database) in which supplementary information is stored is held, and supplementary information (hereinafter referred to as menu information) is received in response to a request from the handy terminal 11. Send to the handy terminal.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic hardware configuration of the handy terminal 11. The handy terminal 11 includes a CPU 21 that executes various arithmetic processes and controls each unit centrally, a ROM 22 that stores fixed data such as operation programs, a RAM 23 for variable data storage that is also used as a work area, A display unit 24 that performs display, a wireless communication unit 25 that performs wireless communication, a key input unit 26 that performs key input, and a touch panel input unit 27 that performs selection in conjunction with the display unit are provided. The wireless communication unit 25 is connected to a remote headquarter server via the controller 12 and communicates in real time.

  The handy terminal order input terminal communication means of the present invention corresponds to the wireless communication 25. The input means of the present invention corresponds to the key input unit 26. The supplementary information requesting means of the present invention is realized by an operation program stored in the ROM 22. The display means of the present invention corresponds to the display unit 24.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of a processing procedure in the handy terminal of the present invention.

  First, order input is started by order input start (S1), and a menu list, for example, the screen of FIG. 6 is displayed by menu list display (S2).

  If there is no inquiry about the menu information from the customer (S3), the order from the customer is accepted as usual (S11).

  For example, when there is an inquiry about menu information from a customer, the menu information inquiry button 61 is operated by the floor operator (S3), and the menu is selected from the menu list screen FIG. An information request message 41 is created (S5).

  Here, the menu information request message corresponds to a supplementary information transmission request of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, for example, a menu version indicating the type of the menu master itself, a menu number indicating the menu to be referred to (identification number). Data). Thereafter, the handy terminal 11 transmits a menu information request message 41 to the head office server 13 via the controller 12 (S6). The processes of S5 and S6 correspond to the process of the supplemental information requesting unit.

  Here, although not shown, the headquarter server 13 receives the menu information request message 41, searches the menu information database 42 stored in the headquarter server by the received menu information request message 41, and stores the menu information. The menu data of the menu that matches the request message 41 is acquired. This process corresponds to supplementary information search means.

  Next, the head office server 13 creates a menu information data message 43 for the menu that matches the acquired menu information request message 41. Here, the menu information data message is the menu number, menu name, price, remaining number, information (material information) related to the production, production area, processing, etc. of the ingredients used in the menu, and used in the menu. It consists of data including information relating to the type of food that is being used, medical information about the food, and the like, and this information is stored in the menu information database 42. Of course, the menu information is not limited to this as long as it is information related to the menu provided to the customer. The head office server 13 transmits the created menu information data message 43 to the handy terminal 11 via the controller 12. The processing from menu information data message creation to transmission of this menu corresponds to supplementary information response means.

  Returning to the description of FIG. 3, the handy terminal 11 receives the menu information data message 43 transmitted from the headquarter server 13 (S7). Then, based on the menu information data message 43 obtained by receiving the menu information data (S7), the menu information data is displayed on the display unit 24 as shown in FIG. 9 (S8). FIG. 9 shows an example in which the menu name, menu number, amount, remaining number, material information, and food information are displayed on the display unit 24 of the handy terminal.

  Next, it is confirmed whether or not this menu is registered as an order (S9). In order registration, when it is determined that the order registration button 91 is pressed, order menu registration processing (S10) is performed. If it is determined in (S9) that the menu display information inquiry button 61 has not been pressed in advance, the process proceeds to (S3), and the order menu input process (S3 to S12) is repeated until the order registration is completed. When the order registration is completed in (S11), order transmission (S12) is performed, and the processing in the handy terminal is ended.

  FIG. 4 shows the data flow between the handy terminal and the headquarters server. This corresponds to the data flow between S6 and S8 in FIG.

  When a menu information acquisition request is generated, the handy terminal 11 creates the aforementioned menu information request message and transmits it to the headquarter server 13 via the 41 controller 12.

  The headquarter server 13 has means for performing network communication corresponding to the management apparatus communication means of the present invention, and receives the menu information request message 41 by this means.

  Then, the menu information database 42 is searched based on information such as the menu version indicating the type of the menu master itself, the menu number indicating the menu to be referred to, and the like received from the handy terminal. Read and get the menu information.

  Then, a menu information data message 43 is created based on the menu information, and the menu information data message 43 is transmitted to the handy terminal 11 as a response to the request.

  The handy terminal displays the menu information in the menu information data message 43 transmitted from the headquarter server 13 on the display unit 24 of the handy terminal 11.

  Although not shown here, the headquarters server has supplemental information updating means for updating the contents of the menu information database. Thereby, the headquarter server can update the menu information (supplementary data) in an integrated manner. In addition, as an effect, the handy terminal connected to the headquarters server can acquire the latest menu information at any time.

  FIG. 10 is a modification of the data flow between the handy terminal and the headquarter server in FIG. In FIG. 4, transmission of menu information is requested to the headquarters server in response to a request from the handy terminal, but in FIG. 10, the menu information database is not retained in the headquarters server but is retained in the controller in the store. It is an example. That is, according to the present invention, a controller in a store can have a function as a management device, and FIG. 10 shows an example thereof.

  The handy terminal 11 transmits a menu information request message 41 to the controller 12 when a menu information acquisition request is generated. The controller 12 searches and acquires the menu information requested by the menu information request message 41 from the menu information database 42, creates a menu information data message 43, and transmits it to the handy terminal 11. The handy terminal displays the menu information in the menu information data message 43 transmitted by the controller 12 on the display unit 24 of the handy terminal 11.

  FIG. 11 is a schematic system diagram of the entire ordering system, which is a modification of FIG. FIG. 12 describes the data flow in the system of FIG. FIG. 1 is an example of a case where wireless communication can be performed between the handy terminal 11 and the controller 12, but FIG. 11 is an example of a case where the handy terminal 11 is used in an area where the handy terminal 11 cannot communicate with the controller.

  In FIG. 11, the menu information request message is transmitted between the handy terminal 111 and the headquarter server 13 via the wireless repeater repeater 111 and the controller 12 by installing the wireless repeater 111 within a range that can be wirelessly transmitted from the controller 12. 41 can be transmitted to the head office server. The head office server 13 transmits the menu information obtained by searching the menu information database 42 according to the menu information request message 41 to the handy terminal 11 via the controller 12 and the wireless repeater repeater 111. Then, the handy terminal displays the menu information on the display unit 24 as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 13 is a modification of the menu information data message 43. The menu information data message 43 is not fixed to the menu number, menu name, amount, remaining number, material information, food information, etc. as shown in FIG. 8, but the place of origin, allergy information, seasonality as shown in FIG. It is good also as information relevant to menus, such as a season. Alternatively, an image data file name may be registered and an image data file may be received to display an image or the like on the handy terminal 11. Although not shown, it is also possible to register a video data file or an audio data file and reproduce it on the handy terminal to provide menu information to the customer.

  Normally, for handy terminals that are small and portable, it is very burdensome to store and play large amounts of information such as images, etc., and update the information whenever the menu changes. It is processing. Therefore, the present invention is a system that meets customer demand without placing a burden on the handy terminal.

  In the present invention, supplementary information (menu information) related to the menu is centrally managed and updated in a management device outside the handy terminal, and communication between the management device and the handy terminal is made network communication. When the menu information becomes necessary, the latest menu information can be acquired immediately and in real time.

It is the schematic of the system in connection with this invention. It is the schematic of the handy terminal in connection with this invention. It is a processing flow outline figure of a handy terminal concerning the present invention. It is a data flow figure of the Example in connection with this invention. It is an example of the order message transmitted from the handy terminal according to the present invention. It is a display example of the menu list in the handy terminal according to the present invention. It is an example of the menu information request message concerning the present invention. It is an example of the menu information data message concerning this invention. It is a data flow figure modification of the Example in connection with this invention. It is the schematic diagram modification of the system of the Example using the radio relay repeater concerning this invention. It is a data flow figure modification of the Example using the radio relay repeater concerning this invention. It is a modification of the menu information data message concerning this invention.

Explanation of symbols

11 Handy terminal 12 Controller 13 Central server 14 Printer 15 Wireless printer 16 POS terminal 17 Order message 18 Order data 19 Print data 20 Delivery ordering master 21 CPU
22 ROM
23 RAM
24 display unit 25 wireless communication unit 26 key input unit 27 touch panel input unit 41 menu information message 42 menu information database 43 menu information data 61 menu information inquiry button 91 order registration button 111 wireless repeater repeater

Claims (14)

An ordering system having an order input terminal that inputs information related to customer orders and creates order information, and a management device that manages menu information related to a menu distributed to the order input terminal,
The order input terminal supplements a menu to the order input terminal communication means for network connection with the management apparatus, input means for inputting information related to the customer's order, and information input by the input means When information requesting supplementary information to be described is included, supplementary information requesting means for sending a supplementary information transmission request for the menu to the management apparatus via the terminal communication means, and via the order input terminal communication means Display means for displaying the supplementary information received from the management device,
The management device is connected to the order input terminal via a network, management device communication means, supplementary information storage means for storing supplementary information on a menu that can be ordered by the customer, and the management device communication means through the management device communication means. The supplementary information storage means that retrieves the requested supplementary information based on the supplementary information transmission request received from the order input terminal, and the supplementary information that is obtained by the supplementary information retrieval means. An ordering system comprising: supplementary information response means for transmitting the information to the order input terminal via the management device communication means.   The ordering system according to claim 1, wherein the management device further includes supplemental information update means for updating supplementary information stored in the supplementary information storage means at an arbitrary timing.   The supplementary information includes amount information related to a menu that the supplementary information supplementally explains, remaining number information of the menu, information related to the type of food used in the menu, information related to production, production area, processing, etc. of the food The ordering system according to claim 1, wherein the ordering system includes at least one piece of information among medical information of the food.   The ordering system according to claim 3, wherein the supplementary information includes image information, video information, or audio information. The supplementary information requesting means of the order input terminal transmits, as the supplementary information transmission request, identification information of a menu for which the supplementary information is requested,
The supplementary information storage means of the management device stores supplementary information of the menu in association with identification information of the menu that the customer can order,
The supplementary information search means of the management device searches the supplementary information storage means based on the identification information of the menu received as the supplementary information transmission request from the order input terminal. The ordering system described in 1. This is an order input terminal used in an ordering system having an order input terminal for inputting order information and creating order information and a management device for managing menu information related to a menu distributed to the order input terminal. And
Order input terminal communication means for network connection with the management device;
Input means for inputting information relating to the customer's order;
When the information input by the input means includes information requesting supplemental information for supplementary explanation of the menu, the supplementary information is transmitted to the management apparatus via the terminal communication means. Information request means;
An order input terminal comprising display means for displaying the supplementary information received from the management device via the order input terminal communication means.   The supplementary information includes amount information related to a menu that the supplementary information supplementally explains, remaining number information of the menu, information related to the type of food used in the menu, information related to production, production area, processing, etc. of the food The order input terminal according to claim 6, comprising at least one piece of information among medical information of the food.   The order input terminal according to claim 7, wherein the supplementary information includes image information, video information, or audio information.   9. The order input terminal according to claim 6, wherein the supplementary information requesting unit of the order input terminal transmits identification information of a menu for which the supplementary information is requested as the supplementary information transmission request. A management device used in an ordering system having an order input terminal for inputting information related to customer orders and creating order information, and a management device for managing menu information related to a menu distributed to the order input terminal. ,
Via a management device communication means for network connection with the order input terminal, supplemental information storage means for storing information relating to the menu that the customer can order, including the supplementary information, and via the management device communication means The supplementary information storage means that searches the supplementary information storage means based on the supplementary information transmission request received from the order input terminal and obtains the requested supplementary information; and the supplementary information that is acquired by the supplementary information search means A management apparatus comprising supplementary information response means for transmitting information to the order input terminal via the management apparatus communication means.   The management apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising supplemental information update means for updating supplemental information stored in the supplemental information storage means at an arbitrary timing.   The supplementary information includes amount information related to a menu that the supplementary information supplementally explains, remaining number information of the menu, information related to the type of food used in the menu, information related to production, production area, processing, etc. of the food The management apparatus according to claim 10, comprising at least one piece of information among medical information of the food material.   The management apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the supplementary information includes image information, video information, or audio information. The supplementary information storage means of the management device stores supplementary information of the menu in association with identification information of the menu that the customer can order,
The supplementary information search means of the management device searches the supplementary information storage means based on the identification information of the menu received as the supplementary information transmission request from the order input terminal. The ordering system described in 1.

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