KR20020027434A - Apparatus and method for entertainnig customers using wireless terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A device for serving customers using a wireless terminal device is provided to supply services such as menu selecting/ordering, cooking procedure, and payment in an interface of the wireless terminal device installed on a table, so as to increase customers' satisfaction in selection as well as increasing service reliability. CONSTITUTION: If a customer orders a specific food, table terminals(101,103) transmit order data to a counter terminal(109). The table terminals(101,103) and the counter terminal(109) perform procedures of confirming an order. The confirmed order data are displayed on a screen by the table terminals(101, 103) and the counter terminal(109). The counter terminal(109) transmits cookery data based on the order data to a kitchen terminal(105). The kitchen terminal(105) displays the cookery data on a screen, and the food is made in the kitchen based on the order data. The kitchen terminal(105) continuously transmits a cooking status to the table terminals(101,103) and the counter terminal(109) according to each table food. If the specific food is served to a corresponding table, the table terminals(101,103) transmit a service complete signal to the counter terminal(109). The counter terminal(109) displays a table serving completion. If the customer selects a payment method by operating the table terminals(101,103), the table terminals(101,103) request payment to the counter terminal(109). The counter terminal(109) interworks with a card company or a bank payment system to perform the payment.

Description

Customer response device and method using wireless terminal device {APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ENTERTAINNIG CUSTOMERS USING WIRELESS TERMINAL}

The present invention relates to a customer service device and method, and more particularly, to a customer service device and method provided at the interface of the wireless terminal device that the service to the menu selection / order, cooking progress display and payment, installed on the table .

At present, various technologies are being implemented in restaurants to electronicize service information, streamline management, and improve service to customers.

Some restaurants, such as family restaurants, have kiosks installed at the entrance / inside of the restaurant, allowing customers in the room or waiting customers to check the service status. However, kiosks are constrained by the installation space and are not currently active. Moreover, in order to improve the service to the visiting customers, the installation of kiosks per table not only impairs the above-described installation space limitations but also the aesthetics of the restaurant (electrical / physical wiring, etc.). In addition, the conventional kiosk function is limited to the display of simple information, which does not give a great satisfaction to the customer, and does not help comprehensive hospitality management.

In addition, some other restaurants have adopted a Personal Digital Assistance (PDA) ordering system to manage Point Of Sale (POS). That is, the ordering system is a dual menu selection structure in which the employee inputs the order details selected by the customer again through the PDA. This may work in terms of sales management inside the store, but not for customer convenience.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a customer service apparatus and method for providing services up to menu selection / ordering, cooking progress display, and payment in the interface of a wireless terminal device installed on a table.

The present invention for achieving the above object is a plurality of table terminals for providing an electronic menu board and wirelessly transmits the order data of the dish selected by the customer and wirelessly receives the progress data that the dish is being cooked on the screen; A counter terminal for wirelessly receiving the cooking order data and the cooking progress data on a screen and wirelessly transmitting cooking instruction data; And a kitchen terminal wirelessly receiving the cooking instruction data and displaying the cooking instruction data on the screen, and wirelessly transmitting the cooking progress data.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a customer service method comprising: a first step of a table terminal providing an electronic menu board and wirelessly transmitting order data of a selected dish; A second step in which a counter terminal wirelessly receives the cooking order data, generates cooking instruction data therefrom, and wirelessly transmits the cooking order data; A third step of displaying, on the screen, the cooking instruction data by a kitchen terminal and wirelessly transmitting cooking progress data; And a fourth step of the table terminal wirelessly receiving the cooking progress data and displaying the cooking progress data on the screen.

1 is a customer service device of the present invention.

2 is a customer service procedure of the present invention.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a view showing a customer service device of the present invention.

Each table (not shown) of a restaurant is provided with a first table terminal 101 to an Nth table terminal 103. The table terminals 101 and 103 are portable terminals and have a wireless data transmission / reception function. The table terminals 101 and 103 provide a user interface necessary until the customer enters a restaurant, orders a meal, eats, and pays a fee.

Hereinafter, specific functions of the table terminals 101 and 103 will be described.

First, the table terminals 101 and 103 provide an electronic documented menu board by breaking a conventional paper menu board. When changing the menu menu information is updated through the Internet, there is no hassle to produce a new menu plate as in the prior art. Since the table terminals 101 and 103 provide a touch screen, customers can easily use all the functions. In particular, the table terminals 101 and 103 employ a high-definition TFT LCD, so that the customer can determine the menu by looking at an image or video almost similar to the real object, thereby increasing the satisfaction of the selection. In addition, the table terminals 101 and 103 have their own built-in rechargeable batteries, so that no separate charging equipment or wiring equipment is required for the table.

The table terminals 101 and 103 generate cooking order data according to the customer's selection and wirelessly transmit them to the counter terminal 109. In addition, the table terminals 101 and 103 perform an order confirmation procedure in association with the counter terminal 109, thereby preventing an error that may occur when a customer orders a dish. In addition, the table terminals 101 and 103 periodically receive a situation in which the dish ordered by the customer is being cooked and display it on the screen, thereby giving the customer a sense of service.

In addition, the table terminals (101, 103) provides a variety of foreign languages to allow foreign visitors to choose the dishes conveniently, and detailed menu descriptions of the high-level level, perfect for menu descriptions and orders without the foreign-speaking employees To make it work.

In addition, the table terminals 101 and 103 provide various contents. Advertise neighborhood shops or provide tourist information, shopping, accommodation and transportation information for foreigners. In addition, the table terminals 101 and 103 may provide a simple game for utilizing idle time to customers waiting for the cooking to be completed.

In addition, the table terminals 101 and 103 provide general Internet functions such as email confirmation using a wireless LAN.

The counter terminal 109 receives cooking order data from the table terminals 101 and 103 and performs an order confirmation procedure to reduce an error that may occur when a customer orders a dish in conjunction with the table terminals 101 and 103. do. The counter terminal 109 generates cooking instruction data from the confirmed cooking order data (order time for each table, type and number of dishes ordered), and transmits the cooking instruction data to the kitchen terminal 105, and the kitchen terminal 105. Receive cooking progress data from.

The counter terminal 109 displays the cooking type, number, order time, and cooking progress information of each table as described above, so that the counter can monitor the overall customer service status. In addition, the counter terminal 109 performs payment by interworking with a payment system (not shown) of a card company or a bank via a PSTN network and a VAN network.

The kitchen terminal 105 is installed in a kitchen (not shown) and has a wireless data transmission / reception function. The kitchen terminal 105 continuously transmits the cooking progress of the dishes for each table to the table terminals 101 and 103 and the counter terminal 109.

The wire / wireless matching device 107 is a matching device for connecting wireless and wired lines, and is responsible for data transmission / reception between terminals.

The customer service device of the present invention can be implemented by applying wireless LAN technology. In this case, each terminal (101, 103, 105) is equipped with a wireless LAN card, the wire / wireless matching device 107 is used to perform the so-called access point (Access Point) function. As is well known, an access point performs a frame association function between a wired / wireless interface and each terminal, and also performs IPX / IP routing and bridging functions between a terminal and a wired LAN.

Meanwhile, the counter terminal 109 is connected to the wire / wireless matching device 107 by wire, but in some cases, the counter terminal 109 may be wirelessly connected. In addition, the counter terminal 109 may be connected to the wired LAN in the restaurant.

2 is a diagram illustrating a customer service procedure of the present invention. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIG. 1.

When the customer searches for menu plate information and orders a particular dish, the table terminals 101 and 103 transmit cooking order data to the counter terminal 109 (201). The table terminals 101 and 103 and the counter terminal 109 perform a procedure for confirming the order (203). That is, the customer to check the type, number, price, etc. of the dishes ordered again to prevent problems that may occur due to error or immature key input.

The confirmed cooking order data is displayed on the screen by the table terminals 101 and 103 and the counter terminal 109, and the counter terminal 109 transmits cooking instruction data based on the cooking order data to the kitchen terminal 105. (205). Then, the kitchen terminal 105 displays the cooking instruction data on the screen, and the kitchen prepares food based on the cooking order data.

The kitchen terminal 105 continuously transmits the cooking progress of the dishes for each table to the table terminals 101 and 103 and the counter terminal 109. The cooking progress is a cooking progress stage (before cooking / during cooking / cooking completion) of each dish for each table and an estimated time until each dish is completed and served to the customer from the kitchen. The estimated time is automatically calculated by combining the number and types of atmospheric dishes.

When a particular dish is served on the table, the table terminals 101 and 103 transmit a signal to the counter terminal 109 indicating that the serving is completed (209). The counter terminal 109 then indicates that the serving of the table is complete.

After the customer finishes the meal, when the table terminal 101, 103 is operated to select the payment, the table terminal 101, 103 requests the payment to the counter terminal 109 (211). Then, the counter terminal 109 performs a payment by interworking with a payment system (not shown) of a card company or a bank via a PSTN network and a VAN network (213).

The present invention can be applied to various customer service establishments such as restaurants, family restaurants, pubs, and the like.

Therefore, according to the present invention, since the customer is provided with services such as menu selection / ordering, cooking progress display and payment, using the wireless terminal device installed on the table, the contents of all services are provided by the intuitive interface. This improves the convenience of use. In addition, the present invention does not require wiring for communication, and the employees simply complete the installation simply by setting the table number in the terminal device.

Claims (5)

A plurality of table terminals which provide an electronic menu board and wirelessly transmit order data of a dish selected by a customer, and wirelessly receive and display progress data on which the dish is being cooked; A counter terminal for wirelessly receiving the cooking order data and the cooking progress data on a screen and wirelessly transmitting cooking instruction data; And And a kitchen terminal for wirelessly receiving the cooking instruction data and displaying the cooking instruction data on a screen, and wirelessly transmitting the cooking progress data. The method according to claim 1, The table terminal and the counter terminal A customer-facing device using a wireless terminal device, characterized in that to perform the order confirmation process of cooking by transmitting and receiving wireless data. The method according to claim 2, The counter terminal When the payment request data is received from the table terminal, the customer response device using the wireless terminal device, characterized in that to perform the payment in conjunction with the payment system. A first step of the table terminal providing an electronic menu board and wirelessly transmitting order data of the selected dish; A second step in which a counter terminal wirelessly receives the cooking order data, generates cooking instruction data therefrom, and wirelessly transmits the cooking order data; A third step of displaying, on the screen, the cooking instruction data by a kitchen terminal and wirelessly transmitting cooking progress data; And a fourth step of the table terminal wirelessly receiving the cooking progress data and displaying the cooking progress data on the screen. The method according to claim 4, After performing the first step, the table terminal and the counter terminal, A method of receiving a customer using a wireless terminal device, characterized in that to perform an order confirmation procedure for cooking by transmitting / receiving wireless data.