JP3949936B2 - Order input device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a wristwatch type order input device for inputting an order from a customer and wirelessly transferring it in a wireless order data management device used in a restaurant (restaurant, pub, fast food, etc.).
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, wireless order data management devices have been used in restaurants, taverns, hotels, fast foods, and the like. An example of a wireless order data management apparatus will be described briefly. When a customer service representative receives a food order from a customer, each menu that has been ordered together with a table number and the like is input to a portable order input apparatus. The input order data is wirelessly transmitted from the order input device. The wirelessly transmitted order data is received by a wireless control device installed at each corner or the like in the store, and is output to a data management device that performs various data processing, centralized management, and the like.
[0003]
In the data management device, information such as the order data, a time when the order data is received, and a number for identifying a customer service representative are stored in a storage device.
[0004]
Then, a voucher for cooking instructions is printed out from a restaurant printer installed in the kitchen, and a cooking instruction is sent to the person in charge of cooking. An accounting slip is printed out from the restaurant printer and handed over to the customer by the customer service representative. The person in charge of cooking starts cooking according to the cooking instruction slip, and notifies the customer service representative when cooking is completed. Thereby, the customer service representative carries the cooking to the customer who has received the order and distributes it.
[0005]
By the way, in this type of wireless order data management device, the order input device is a device having a display portion and a key input portion, and is shaped like a so-called calculator. The customer's order is generally entered by holding the key and inputting the key using the finger of the right hand. That is, the conventional order input device holds the order input device with one hand when the customer service representative receives an order, and according to the menu ordered by the customer from the keys of the order input device assigned to each menu. When the order is entered, the order completion key of the order entry device is pressed and the order data is transferred wirelessly.
[0006]
However, this method has a problem that the order input device is held only by the gripping force of fingers, so that there is a high possibility of mechanical damage due to dropping. Furthermore, since both hands are used when inputting an order, there is a problem that a new order cannot be input while an order item is being provided or a plate is being placed. Therefore, as a method of solving these problems, a method of attaching the order input device to the wrist as a wristwatch type shape is conceivable. With this method, it is not necessary to hold the order input device with only the gripping force of the fingers, and it can be fixed to the arm with a belt or the like, so there is no risk of dropping, and the order input device is held as before. There is no need to work with both hands because the left hand is blocked.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, as described above, when the conventional (calculator-shaped) order input device is simply reduced in size and thinned and held in the wrist-shaped shape on the wrist, after receiving the order from the customer and completing the input, Can be used with both hands, making customer service easier, but with a conventional watch-type order input device that is simply reduced in size and thickness, an order from the customer is received and the order details are displayed. When inputting to a wristwatch type order input device, since the wristwatch type is used, the surface area of the order input device itself is reduced, causing the following problems. That is, since the surface area of the order input device itself has become small, it is difficult to arrange keys as many as the number of menus, and the display unit must also be arranged within a limited surface area. When the keys are arranged, the surface area per key is naturally reduced, and the operability is poor, for example, the order contents from the customer cannot be input unless the keys are pressed with a pen or the like.
[0008]
Therefore, the present invention is intended to provide a wristwatch-type order input device that can easily input orders from customers without requiring skill to memorize the correspondence between key arrangements and menus. .
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, an order input device of the present invention emits different encoded infrared light when an input unit having a plurality of input units corresponding to menu contents and each input unit is pressed. A sheet-like input sheet unit including an infrared light emitting unit, a display unit that receives infrared light from the infrared light emitting unit and displays it as an order content, and wirelessly transfers the order content to the data management device The mounting main body unit that can be mounted on the arm including the wireless control unit is configured separately. Thereby, an order from a customer can be easily input without requiring skill to memorize the correspondence between the key arrangement and the menu.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram showing an example in which order data is input using the order input device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the order input device of the present invention is composed of a mounting main body 1 that is roughly attached to the arm and an input sheet portion 2 that is separate from the mounting main body 1. As will be described later, roughly, a menu symbol or character written on or attached to the input sheet portion is pressed with a finger to emit infrared light from the input sheet portion 2, and the infrared light is emitted from the mounting main body portion 1. It is configured to receive light and input the order contents to the mounting main body 1. Details will be described below.
[0011]
FIG. 2 is an external view showing the external appearance of the input sheet unit 2, and FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram showing the circuit configuration of the input sheet unit 2 in units of blocks. FIG. 4 is an external view showing the external appearance of the mounting main body 1. FIG. 5 is a block configuration diagram showing the circuit configuration of the main mounting body in block units. As shown in FIG. 2, the input sheet unit 2 includes a plurality of input units 22, 23, 24, and 25 as input means and presses the input units 22, 23, 24, and 25 to emit infrared light. An infrared light emitting unit 26 that emits light is provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, an encoder that drives the infrared light emitting unit 26 by encoding input signals from the input units 22, 23, 24, 25 by applying pressure to the input units 22, 23, 24, 25. A portion 27 is provided. Furthermore, although not shown in the figure, a battery is also provided as a power supply unit that supplies power to the infrared light emitting unit 26, the encoder unit 27, and an address storage memory 28 described later.
[0012]
Here, the input sheet portion 2 is a thin sheet plate having a thickness of several millimeters and is preferably formed of polypropylene ethaphthalol (PET) resin. For example, the input sheet portion 2 is made of a hard paper material or a plastic resin material having a thickness of several millimeters. It may be formed. The input sheet unit 2 may be carried by a customer service representative and brought to the customer table each time a customer is received, or may be permanently installed in the customer table. The input portions 22, 23, 24, and 25 can be easily built in the input sheet portion 2 by using a thin press switch. In FIG. 2, four input units are illustrated, but the number of menus can be arranged and is not limited to four. Similarly, the infrared light emitting section 26 can be easily built in the input sheet section 2 by using a thin infrared light emitting element. In FIG. Although the single infrared light emitting unit 26 is illustrated, the infrared light emitting unit 26 may be arranged at an arbitrary position in consideration of communication with the mounting main body unit and not limited to one.
[0013]
Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the mounting main body unit 1 is used to mount the main body unit 1 including the display unit 32 and the sound generation unit 33 for confirming the input contents and the main mounting unit unit 1 to the arm. The wristband 71 and an infrared light receiving unit 31 that is provided on the wristband 71 and receives the infrared light from the infrared light emitting unit 26 and converts it into an electrical signal. As shown in FIG. 5, the main body unit 1 includes a decoding function for decoding the electric signal received and converted by the infrared light receiving unit 31, and which input unit of the input sheet unit 2 is acupressure based on the decoded signal. A central processing unit 35 having a recognition function for recognizing it, a read-only memory (ROM) 36 for storing a program for controlling and operating the central processing unit 35, and the decoded signal based on the decoded signal. A readable / writable memory (RAM) 37 for storing a correspondence table to be referred to in order to recognize which input part of the input sheet part 2 is acupressure, and each corner in the store controlled by the central processing unit 35. Various circuits such as a wireless control unit 34 for transmitting / receiving order data to / from the data management device via the wireless control device installed in the wireless communication device are incorporated.
[0014]
When the mounting main body 1 of the present invention is mounted on the arm, the main body 11 can be mounted on the arm on the back of the palm so that the display unit 32 can be easily seen, as shown in the exemplary view of FIG. In this case, the infrared light receiving unit 31 can be mounted so as to be located on the opposite side of the main body unit 11 corresponding to the infrared light emitting unit 26, that is, on the back side of the wrist. This is an example of the attachment accompanying the arrangement of the main body 11 and the infrared light receiving unit 31, and the design can be changed at any time according to the form of the customer service and the request of the customer service person, and is not particularly limited.
[0015]
The operation of the wristwatch type order input device composed of the mounting main body 1 and the input sheet 2 configured as described above will be described below. As described above, the input sheet portion 2 is provided with descriptions such as symbols or characters indicating menu contents, or both symbols and characters, and the input portions 22, 23, 24, and 25 are arranged as many as the number of menus. Yes. In response to an order from a customer, the customer service representative forms an input unit by pressing any one of the input units 22, 23, 24, 25, that is, a symbol or a character indicating menu contents. The pressure switch is closed by finger pressure and turned on, and the encoder unit 27 is driven. In the encoder unit 27, for example, when the input unit 21 is input with finger pressure, an encoding pattern consisting of “A” is generated. When the input unit 22 different from that is input with finger pressure, the input unit 21 is input with “B”. A predetermined coding pattern corresponding to each input unit is generated and output, such as generating different coding patterns, and the infrared light emitting unit 26 is driven by the coded signal to generate an infrared ray. Emits light.
[0016]
On the other hand, in the mounting main body 2, the infrared light from the infrared light emitting unit 26 is received by the infrared light receiving unit 31, converted into an electrical signal, and then output to the central processing unit 35. The electrical signal input to the central processing unit 35, that is, the signal encoded on the input sheet side is decoded (decoded) by the central processing unit 35, and by referring to the correspondence table stored in the RAM 37, which It recognizes whether the input unit is a signal sent by being pressed.
[0017]
This correspondence table is a table in which the relationship between the input unit numbers and the corresponding menu contents is described. Which input unit is pressed and sent by the central processing unit 35? Can be easily recognized based on the correspondence table. Further, the connection from the infrared light receiving unit 31 to the central processing unit 35 is constituted by a connection line built in the wristband 71. In this way, the display unit 32 can easily display the menu described in the input unit.
[0018]
Here, if the decoded signal does not collate with a predetermined pattern, an error sound is emitted to the sound generation unit 33 or a message to that effect is displayed on the display unit 32 to prompt the key input of the input unit 21 again. I can do it. If the pattern matches, the central processing unit 35 further displays the menu contents on the display unit 32 to perform sound generation informing that the sound input unit 33 has been normally input, and to the data management device. Then, the contents of the order menu are transmitted from the wireless control unit 34.
[0019]
In the above description, a case has been described in which the input sheet portion 2 is directly described with symbols or characters indicating menu contents, or both symbols and characters. However, the key arrangement of the input portions 22, 23, 24, and 25 is as follows. It is also possible to change the meaning of the menu sheet which is fixed and overlaps a menu sheet on which 22, 23, 24 and 25 are arranged with a picture or a character meaning the menu.
[0020]
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a usage example when a menu sheet is attached to or pasted on the input sheet unit 2 and used in an overlapping manner. FIG. 6 shows, for example, a menu sheet 41 on which menu pictures 41 such as curry 42, soba 43, udon 44, fried rice 45, or characters representing the menu sheet 41, an input sheet section 2 having 22, 23, 24, and 25 input sections. It is the figure which arranged and attached so that each menu and an input part may respond | correspond above. When the position of the curry 42 is attached as described above, the input unit 22 is pushed and the mounting main body 1 recognizes that the curry is selected, and the menu content meaning “curry” is displayed on the display unit 32. If the position of the soba 43 is pressed, the input unit 23 is pressed, and the menu content meaning “soba” is displayed on the display unit 32. In this case, it is necessary to rewrite the correspondence table stored in the RAM 37 in which the menu sheet and the number indicating the position of the input unit are described in advance corresponding to the menu sheet to be attached. In this rewriting, for example, the contents of the RAM 37 may be electrically rewritten via the infrared light receiving unit 31, or the contents of the RAM 37 may be rewritten electrically via the wireless control unit 34 by a wireless signal from the data management device. May be.
[0021]
In the above description, the case where one input sheet part is used has been described. However, for example, a menu sheet having a different menu content may be prepared for a plurality of input sheet parts, and an order may be received. Can be realized by giving an address unique to the input sheet portion to the input sheet portion. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, it is necessary to add an address storage memory 28 for storing an address unique to the input sheet unit in the input sheet unit 2. This address may be written at the stage of manufacturing the input sheet portion, or further, a microprocessor is built in, and an address is stored in the address storage memory by a known technique by an input operation of each input portion 21, 22, 23, 24. 28 may be used.
[0022]
A case will be described in which a plurality of input sheet portions are prepared and different menu sheets are attached to the respective input sheet portions. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of code data that the input sheet unit 2 sends to the mounting body unit 1 when the input unit 22 is pressed. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use when a menu sheet for noodles is attached to the input sheet portion to which the address “001” is assigned, and FIG. 9 is assigned the address “002”. It is explanatory drawing which shows the usage example when the menu sheet of moss is attached to the input sheet part. Since the address “001” is assigned in advance to the input sheet unit 2 and the address information is stored in the memory 28, when the input unit 22 is pressed, as shown in FIG. The encoder unit 27 emits code data 51 obtained by adding the address “001” as data from the address storage memory 28 to the encoded signal generated when the input unit 22 is pressed. By receiving this infrared ray, the central processing unit 35 of the mounting main body 1 refers to the correspondence table stored in the RAM 37 and identifies which input sheet portion is the input portion number. Is possible. However, the RAM 37 in this case needs to store a correspondence table in which the address of the input sheet part, the input part number, and the menu contents are associated with each other.
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 8, when the address “001” is assigned to the menu sheet noodles 41a to the input sheet unit 21a and the customer service person presses the menu 42a, the input unit 22 is pressed, and the encoder unit 27 receives information on the input unit 22. Code data in which the address 001 of the noodles is added as data is emitted from the infrared light emitting unit 26, and the input unit 22 of the address “001” noodles is pressed from the number information and address information of the input unit obtained in the mounting main unit 1. Can be recognized.
[0024]
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, since the address “002” is assigned to the input sheet portion 21b to which the menu sheet basket 41b is attached, when the customer service person presses the menu 43b, the input portion 23 Then, the encoder unit 27 sends the code data obtained by adding the address “002” of the class as data to the information of the input unit 23 to the mounting main body unit 1 through the infrared light emitting unit. The central processing unit 35 can recognize that the input unit 23 of the address “002” type has been pressed from the obtained number information and address information of the input unit. By preparing such a plurality of menu sheets, you can assign many menu keys and input them.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention is intended to further improve the input means in addition to the portability of the wristwatch type order input device. As described above, according to the present invention, the customer service representative is freed from the trouble of carrying the order input device by hand, which contributes to the improvement of serving and service. The wristwatch-type order input device of the present invention periodically exchanges information with the data management device so that the customer service representative can read the information or receive a call from the kitchen. Wear the wristwatch-type order entry device. However, the conventional wristwatch-type order input device has a small surface area, so it cannot assign many input keys. In the present invention, the input unit is separated from the main body, and a menu picture is arranged on a menu sheet and can be input by pressing it. This eliminates the inconvenience of pressing a small key.
[0026]
Also, since it takes time to search for a menu when there are many key arrangements in a small area, it is necessary to memorize the menu arrangement on the input device side, and it is necessary to remember it every time the menu is changed According to the present invention, the menu contents can be input to the main body of the wristwatch-type order input device simply by finding and pressing the menu itself, so that quick order input can be realized. Multiple menu sheets can be prepared when the number of menu items increases. For example, even when one store is open during business hours, the customer service staff can quickly order without memorizing the menu layout. You can enter.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram showing an example of use of an order input device of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an external view showing an external appearance of an input sheet portion of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of an input sheet unit according to the present invention in units of blocks.
FIG. 4 is an external view showing an external appearance of a mounting main body according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a block configuration diagram showing the circuit configuration of the main body of the present invention in units of blocks.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of code data according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a usage example of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a usage example of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Installation main-body part 2 Key input part 11 Main-body part 22 Input part 23 Input part 24 Input part 25 Input part 26 Encoder part 27 Infrared light emission part 28 Address storage memory 31 Infrared light-receiving part 32 Display part 33 Sound-producing part 34 Wireless control part 35 Center Processing device 41 Menu sheet 71 Wristband

Claims (4)

An order input device that inputs order contents relating to food and drink ordered by a customer, wirelessly transfers the order contents to a data management device that manages the input order contents and processes data,
A sheet comprising input means having a plurality of input portions formed in a sheet shape corresponding to menu contents, and an infrared light emitting portion for emitting differently encoded infrared light corresponding to the finger pressure of each of the input portions And an input sheet part
A wristband having a light receiving portion for receiving infrared light from the infrared light emitting portion ;
A display unit that decodes infrared light received by the light receiving unit and displays menu contents corresponding to the input unit as order contents; and a wireless control unit that wirelessly transfers the order contents to the data management device. Comprising a mounting body part to be mounted on the wrist of the user by the wristband,
The input sheet part and the mounting body part are configured separately .
The light receiving unit of the wristband is mounted on the user's arm by the wristband so that the display unit of the mounting main body is arranged on the wrist on the back side of the user's hand, An order input device arranged on the wristband so as to be arranged on a wrist on the palm side of the user .   2. The order according to claim 1, wherein the input sheet portion can be attached or pasted by overlapping a sheet-like menu sheet in which each menu content is described by a picture or a character corresponding to the input portion. Input device.   The input sheet portion further includes an address storage memory for storing an address unique to the input sheet portion, and the input sheet portion being used can be identified by identifying the address. The order input device according to 1 or 2.   4. The order input device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting main body includes a storage unit having a correspondence table describing a correspondence relationship between the input unit and menu contents.

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