JP3502838B2 - Ordering system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data input device, and more particularly, to an ordering system for receiving a customer's order at a restaurant or the like and inputting necessary data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In restaurants and the like, in order to improve customer service and save labor, POS (Point of S
ales) system is usually installed. There are restaurants of various sizes, and large-scale family restaurants have many tables on a large floor. In addition, the floor is subdivided into a plurality of areas having one or more tables, and one or a plurality of waitress in charge is assigned to each area. When a customer visits to eat or drink, a waitress who has no hands will guide the customer to an empty table, and the menu ordered by the customer and related information (quantity, size, baking amount, provision order, etc.) of the portable data input device. Input by operation.

In a portable data input device (hereinafter referred to as "handy terminal") used in a restaurant or the like,
The handy terminal is connected to the POS main body wirelessly (radio waves or infrared rays) or the like, and is further connected to a printer or the like in the kitchen (kitchen). Therefore, this handy terminal is used to enter the orders ordered by the customer, check the menu that has been provided / not provided to the customer, inquire about the menu,
Change or cancel orders.

[0004]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The waitress work of a restaurant not only guides customers to a vacant table, takes orders and inputs them to a handy terminal, but also carries the completed dishes to the table in a predetermined order and makes a request. Issue a book and clean up the table after eating. The waitress in the area in charge is responsible for cleaning up the table after eating and drinking, preparing the table, etc.Therefore, in a store with a large floor, unless several waitress are assigned to each area, the rotation will be bad and customers will be lost. There was a problem that customer service deteriorated due to the delay.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an ordering system which can efficiently serve a large number of customers on a wide floor with a relatively limited number of people.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, the ordering system according to the present invention employs the following characteristic configuration.

(1) In a store having a plurality of tables
Handy terminals that are used and used by staff, an ordering controller that manages slip data, and a table No. for accounting. In the ordering system including a POS register for inputting and accounting for each, the plurality of tables are divided into a plurality of areas,
For communication between the handy terminals for each rear
A communication base is provided, and the handy terminal is always
Implement wireless communication with at least one of the plurality of communication bases.
To the plurality of communication bases for each area,
Prioritize communication with the handy terminal in advance
In addition, the handheld terminal owned by the staff
In the area where the handy terminal is located
Communicate to a given communication base in order of priority.
Communication with the ordering controller
An ordering system for communication .

(2) The ordering system according to the above (1), wherein the handy terminal includes a display unit and can display the instruction data received from the ordering controller.

(3) The ordering controller is
The ordering system according to (1) or (2) above, which transmits table setting instruction data to the handy terminal.

(4) The table set instruction data is
At the end of the accounting process by the POS register, the table No. The ordering system of (3) above, which is transmitted to the corresponding handy terminal based on the above.

(5) The ordering system according to any one of the above (1) to (4), wherein a priority communication base and an auxiliary communication base are defined and managed for each of the handy terminals.

(6) The ordering system according to any one of (1) to (5) above, wherein communication between the ordering controller and the handy terminal is performed wirelessly via the communication base.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The configuration and operation of a preferred embodiment of an ordering system according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a preferred embodiment of an ordering system according to the present invention. This ordering system includes a POS register 1, an ordering controller 2, a communication base (sometimes referred to simply as “antenna”) 3, and a handy terminal 4. In FIG. 1, only one handy terminal 4 and one communication base 3 are shown, but the handy terminal 4 is prepared for each waitress so that each waitress carries one. Also,
A plurality of communication bases 3 are provided at intervals of several meters or tens of meters depending on the size of the floor, preferably in each area described later.

The POS register 1 includes a display section 11 and a control section 12. The ordering controller 2 includes a wireless module 21, a control unit 22, and a wireless module 2.
1 with an antenna 23 connected to it. Communication base 3
Includes a wireless module 31, a control unit 32, and an antenna 33 connected to the wireless module 31. In addition, the handy terminal 4 includes the wireless module 41 and the control unit 4.
2, the display unit 44 and the antenna 43 connected to the wireless module 41.

The POS register 1 and the ordering controller 2 are connected by a cable (cable).
In addition, the ordering controller 2 and the handy terminal 4 include the communication base 3 and the antennas 23, 33, 43.
It is connected via a weak radio. When a plurality of communication bases 3 are provided, each handy terminal 4 constantly communicates wirelessly with the nearest communication base 3 via the antenna 43. In other words, the ordering controller 2 can determine the handy terminal 4 communicating with each of the communication bases 3.

Next, the operation of the ordering system shown in FIG. 1 will be described. The order data input by the waitress from the handy terminal 4 is selected and input by the touch panel or the switch of the display unit 44, and it is possible to confirm that the data is correctly input by the display on the liquid crystal display panel or the like. Data correctly input to the handy terminal 4 is received by the antenna 33 of the communication base 3 via the wireless module 41 and the antenna 43. Furthermore, the communication base 3 is a wireless module 3
1 and the ordering controller 2 wirelessly connected to the ordering controller 2 via the antenna 33.
Orders from the handy terminal 4 received by the antenna 23 are managed by the ordering controller 2 together with the slips. After customers eat and drink, POS register 1
In the accounting process of Table No. Enter the table No. from the ordering controller 2. It is displayed on the display unit 11 of the POS register 1 based on the slip data. Accounting processing is performed based on this display data.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a table provided in the ordering controller 2 and an antenna N of the communication base 3.
o. An example of the correspondence table of is shown. This correspondence table is for area 50,
Table No. 51, priority antenna No. 52 and auxiliary antenna No. 52. Includes 53. In the specific example of the correspondence table shown in FIG. 2, A, B and C are shown as the area 50. Area No. has a table No. 001 to 002, area No. Table No. 003 and area C. There are 004 to 006. Communication base 3
In area A, the priority antenna is 01 and the auxiliary antennas are 02 and 03. On the other hand, in area B, the priority antenna is 02 and the auxiliary antennas are 01 and 03. In area C, the priority antenna is 03 and the auxiliary antenna is 02.

After the accounting process, for example, the table No. 00
In the case of No. 2, the waitress in area A, that is, the priority No. out of the plurality of handy terminals 4. The ordering controller 2 transmits a table setting instruction to the handy terminal 4 communicating with the communication terminal 1 via the communication base 3. As shown in FIG. 2, table N
o. However, normally, the priority antenna No. 52 is the target, but the priority antenna No. If the handy terminal 4 communicating with 52 does not exist or is being processed, the auxiliary antenna No. The instruction data is transmitted to the handy terminal 4 communicating with. If there is no handy terminal 4 with which the priority antenna and the auxiliary antenna are communicating, the instruction data is transmitted to all the handy terminals 4. As described above, the handy terminal 4 can perform communication transmission of an accurate instruction by utilizing the fact that the handy terminal 4 is constantly communicating with the nearest communication base (antenna) 3 by handover.

The operation processing procedure of the ordering system shown in FIG. 1 will be described below in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, in the POS register 1, the table No. Is input (step S1). Next, in order to confirm the data input error, the input table No. Is determined (step S2). Entered table No. Is present (step S2: Y), accounting processing is performed (step S3). Entered table No. Is not present (step S2: N), an error message is displayed (step S4). Finally, it is determined whether the accounting process is completed (step S5). When the accounting process is completed (step S5: Y), the process proceeds to step S6 described later. When the accounting process is not completed (step S5: N), the above-mentioned step S3 is performed.
Return to and process accounting.

Next, the operation of the ordering controller 2 will be described. The table / antenna correspondence table described above with reference to FIG. 2 is searched, and data is transmitted to the handy terminal 4 corresponding to the predetermined table (step S6). Next, it is determined whether or not there is the corresponding handy terminal 4 (step S7). If there is the corresponding handy terminal 4 (step S7: Y), the process proceeds to step S9 described later. On the other hand, when the corresponding handy terminal 4 does not exist (step S7: N), the auxiliary antenna No.
Send data to. It is determined whether or not there is a corresponding handy terminal (step S8). If there is a corresponding handy terminal (step S8: Y), the process proceeds to step S9 described above. In addition, applicable handy terminal 4
Is not present (step S8: N), the process proceeds to step S10 described later.

Next, the operation of the handy terminal 4 will be described. When there is the corresponding handy terminal 4 in step S7 or step S8 described above, the ordering controller 2 wirelessly transmits a table setting instruction to the corresponding handy terminal 4. Corresponding Handy Terminal 4 that received this table set instruction data
Displays the table setting instruction on the display unit 44.
Therefore, the waitress having the handy terminal 4 that has received this table setting instruction executes the table setting based on this instruction. On the other hand, when there is no corresponding handy terminal 4 (step S8: N), the ordering controller 2 determines that all handy terminals 4 have been operated.
To the table setting instruction. Then, of the waitresses having the handy terminal 4 which has received the table setting instruction and has seen the display, the nearest waitress or the waitress having the free hand executes the table setting.

The configuration and operation of the preferred embodiment of the ordering system according to the present invention have been described above in detail. But,
It should be noted that such an embodiment is merely an example of the present invention and does not limit the present invention in any way. Those skilled in the art can easily understand that various modifications and changes can be made according to a specific application without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0024]

As will be understood from the above description, according to the ordering system of the present invention, the following remarkable practical effects can be obtained. That is, for the table set after eating and drinking, the ordering controller issues a table set instruction to the nearest handy terminal via the corresponding communication base, and the waitress executes the table set based on the instruction data. Therefore, after the accounting processing of the table, it is possible to set the table efficiently and quickly with a small number of people. Further, since it is not necessary to set a person in charge for each specific area on the floor, efficient staffing and efficient store operation can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a preferred embodiment of an ordering system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of a correspondence table of an ordering controller and an antenna shown in FIG.

3 is a flowchart showing an operation processing procedure of the ordering system of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 POS register 2 Ordering controller 3 Communication base (antenna) 4 Handy terminal 11,44 Display 12, 22, 32, 42 Control unit

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Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. Used in a store having a plurality of tables
The handy terminal that the staff possesses and uses , the ordering controller that manages the slip data, and the table No. Enter and enter P
In an ordering system including an OS register, the plurality of tables are divided into a plurality of areas, and the handy terminals communicate with each other in each area.
A communication base is provided to enable the handy terminal to constantly operate the communication bases.
Wireless communication with at least one of the communication bases for each of the plurality of communication bases in each area.
The priority of communication with the
The above-mentioned handy terminal owned by the staff
Of priority in the area where
Via communication to a predetermined said communication base in high order
An ordering system for communicating with the ordering controller . 2. The ordering system according to claim 1, wherein the handy terminal is provided with a display unit and is capable of displaying instruction data received from the ordering controller. 3. The ordering system according to claim 1, wherein the ordering controller transmits table set instruction data to the handy terminal. 4. The table set instruction data is the P
At the end of the accounting process by the OS register, the table No.
Ordering system according to claim 3, <br/> wherein transmitting the handy terminal applicable based on. 5. The ordering system according to claim 1, wherein a priority communication base and an auxiliary communication base are defined and managed for each of the handy terminals. 6. The ordering system according to claim 1, wherein communication between the ordering controller and the handy terminal is performed wirelessly via the communication base.