WO2010057361A1 - Table companion and information system thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A table companion and an information system thereof are disclosed. The information system includes communication networks, operating servers, table companions, waiter controllers, kitchen systems and monitoring systems. The table companion integrates with a variety of functions of devices, absolutely uses the remote controller to operate, and resolves many problems of the traditional touch screen dishes ordering, and finally realizes to develop the effect of customer dining experience.

Description

 3⁄4 book

 Table partner and its information system

Technical field

 The invention belongs to an information technology product for a restaurant, in particular to a table partner and its information system.

Background technique

 With the advent of the digital age, a variety of digital information technology products for restaurants, such as wireless ordering devices, touch screen a la carte, electronic recipes, service pagers, private VOD (video on demand) systems, etc., have emerged. .

 After using the wireless ordering system, the waiter or customer of the restaurant can order food on various a la carte, and then send the order information directly to the kitchen via the wireless network and print it out to the chef, thus improving the operation efficiency of the restaurant.

 The earliest product was a miniature handheld a la carte (often referred to as "a la carte") used by waiters. Due to the need for customers to order food, there are waiters at the same time, making the restaurant often busy during peak hours. In addition, paper recipes are inconvenient to modify, printing costs are high, and depreciation is also a potential problem.

 In response to this problem, a touch screen a la carte (or electronic recipe) has emerged, which allows customers to order food directly on the touch screen without the need of a waiter, and can change the recipe content at any time without having to print the recipe. This product is attractive for its function, but the current product has several unresolved issues that make it difficult to promote.

 There are currently three types of touch screen a la carte on the market. The first uses a touch screen of more than 15 inches, powered by AC, fixed to the wall or to the ground. The second is a portable a la carte (battery-powered) with a small 7-12 inch touch screen. Customers can either use a dual handset or stand on the table. The third product directly mounts the touch screen on the dining table and is powered by AC.

The first product requires AC power and cannot be moved, and most restaurants do not have AC power in the lobby, so the application is very narrow and can only be used in the dining room of the restaurant. In addition, you need to have one table per table. The cost of the machine is also a problem.

 The second product is less expensive, but because of its small size, it is easy to be stolen (some products are tied to the table by the cable for theft prevention, which obviously limits the freedom of use of the customer); because it is held or placed on the table It is used on the ground, so it is easy to fall on the ground and break, and it takes up a large table area. It is easy to spill the wine on the product when eating. Another serious problem is that the display size is too small, so it is basically impossible to replace the restaurant's existing gorgeous large-format paper recipes. If the screen size exceeds 12 inches, it is too small, too heavy to be used, and it is easier to break, so it can only be a small size display.

 The third product requires AC power and needs to be modified, so it is difficult to use it widely.

 The first product needs to be held with the arm touched at the time of use, which is relatively exhausting and can only be operated by people sitting next to the touch screen. The second type, because of its small size, must be placed in front of the eyes to operate, so it can only be operated by one or two people. Everyone needs to take orders and take less efficiency.

 In addition, the large size touch screen is costly. The touch screen is made by applying a transparent touch layer to the flat panel display. For touch screens larger than 15 inches, the cost of the touch layer is close to or exceeds the flat panel display itself.

 For a number of reasons, there are many benefits to allowing customers to order their own food, but so far no product has been widely used.

Summary of the invention

 This section is divided into three main sections: an overview of the main technical solutions, a restaurant operation information system, and a table partner. The main technical solutions proposed by the present invention to solve the existing problems are first outlined below.

 The present invention proposes a product that employs a large-sized (typically 15-30 inches) flat panel display (currently a liquid crystal display) that is fully operated by a remote control and supported by a movable floor stand. This product is used to satisfy the order, service and entertainment needs of restaurant customers when they eat, so it is called "table companion". Customers can operate with the remote control and complete various activities with ease and comfort.

When using a table companion, stand it at the table. Since the screen size is large, people on the same table can watch it together. Thanks to the remote control instead of the touch screen, any customer on the same table can operate. People can order food together and completely change the existing one. The form that improves the speed and fun of ordering. In addition, the table partner can also be equipped with multiple remote controls, everyone can play games together.

 Since the heaviest parts (flat display and power supply module) are supported by the stand, the customer does not need to lift his arms to touch, nor need to lift the body with both hands. Since the bracket has a battery and can be moved (often adding a universal wheel at the bottom of the bracket), in the hall of the restaurant, the adjacent multi-table can share a table companion, which table needs to be ordered to go to the table, which Reduced the investment cost of the restaurant. Customers can also place their table partners in the right place according to their needs. '

 In addition, the remote control is light, simple in structure, and generally does not break. In actual use, the customer only touches the remote control without touching the display, reducing the chance of damaging the expensive display. The remote control is small, easy to clean, and even the remote control can be put up in a transparent bag. Each time the customer is seated, the new bag is replaced, so that the customer does not need to touch the unsanitary paper recipe or the hand-held touch screen. Compared to handheld touch screens, the remote control costs are low, and even if it is damaged or stolen, the restaurant's loss is small, so the restaurant can be used with confidence.

 There is no AC supply in the lobby of the restaurant, and the table partner has a built-in large-capacity rechargeable battery that can be used in any table in the restaurant. The battery is placed on the bottom of the stand while maintaining a stable center of gravity. The battery can be removed and recharged after the restaurant is closed. You can also install the charger inside the table partner, so you can charge the table partner directly to the place where there is AC power. It can be seen that the table partner provides a variety of power supply methods to fully meet the needs of mobility.

 Another advantage of the table partner is that it combines a variety of products from the past, recipe browsing, wireless ordering, call attendants, watching TV, watching videos, playing games, surfing the Internet, and karaoke, all in the table partner. Simply purchasing one product will achieve all the functions customers need to eat, thus reducing investment costs. At the same time, customers do not need to use multiple devices at the same time, simplifying operation.

 At the peak, the restaurant's lobby is very busy and noisy, and a waiter needs to be responsible for multiple tables. At this time, the management of the remote control becomes an important issue. If the remote control is placed on a nearby sideboard, each time the customer is seated, the remote control needs to be taken to allow the customer to wait, reducing the service level. If the remote control is placed directly on the table, it is easy to be stolen. In the present invention, when not in use, the remote controller is placed on the table partner and moved along with the table partner. At the same time, it is equipped with a lock or a detection mechanism to remove the anti-theft.

The remote control is based on wireless transmission and is therefore subject to interference in certain special circumstances. It is assumed that the remote control fails due to interference, and the customer cannot order the food, which will seriously affect the restaurant business. To this end, the present invention also incorporates a backup input device while operating with the remote controller, in case the remote controller fails to temporarily make S And the customer can be automatically notified to use the spare input device when the remote controller fails.

 The existing touch screen a la carte products often use a computer desktop style or a web page style, so that the user feels that the computer is being used instead of browsing the recipe. The present invention proposes a "dual mode" recipe browsing interface that allows customers to browse through the typographically elaborate recipes, quickly find the desired dishes in the list mode, or sort the dishes in a variety of ways.

 In the past, due to the lack of customers' a la carte experience, the savory and salty mix was inappropriate, which led to the satisfaction of the restaurant dishes. The present invention addresses this problem by proposing functions of "guided eating" and "a la carte analysis".

 The table partner has a special “Guide to Eat” interface, which displays the many sets of dishes that the restaurant has prepared for the customers in advance. Customers can choose directly or order based on this. The existing touch screen point menus generally also provide the "Today's Recommended" section, which lists the thousands of dishes, but does not match the good dishes.

 In the "table" interface of the table partner, the customer can see the analysis suggestions for the ordered food, or the dish recommendation information. This information can be generated automatically or by a foodie who sends a message to the table partner. In this way, the customer feels as if they are accompanied by a gourmet.

 All of the existing wireless ordering systems can generally record the customer's order information for the restaurant to analyze. However, these products are unable to record the customer's selection process, and only record the dishes that are ultimately sent to the kitchen. For example, the customer may choose 10 dishes in the process of picking vegetables, and finally removed 6 channels. In the past, only the remaining 4 dishes were recorded. The present invention records all of the selection information (including the final removal) of the customer during the ordering process. With this information, the restaurant can be used to analyze the customer's consumption behavior in a more detailed manner, so as to adopt a more appropriate marketing strategy and menu configuration.

 At present, there is a restaurant table pager product, which is usually a small wireless transmitter placed on the table. The waiter wears a wireless receiver, and the customer can call the waiter by pressing the button on the transmitter. The problem with this product is that it is easy to be stolen and often needs to be recharged. When the waiter receives the request, he does not know what service the customer needs. In addition, due to lack of intelligence, this product can only call the waiter, and cannot record the request made by the customer and the service details provided by the waiter, and cannot provide reference for the restaurant.

A "service" interface is provided on the table partner, where customers can choose the service they need. Once the waiter receives the service request, they can directly see which service the customer needs, and no need to ask the customer. In addition, all customer requests for service and waiter actions are recorded in detail, after which the data can be used to determine the number and location of the waiter in the restaurant, and to assess the performance of the waiter. Some restaurant waiters are not motivated, and even disregard the customer's request.

 In order to maintain customers, the restaurant sometimes issues a membership card to the customer. However, when customers go to the restaurant next time, they often forget to bring their membership cards, which is a waste. The present invention realizes customer relationship management based on a table partner. Customers can complete registration and login on the table partner without a membership card. Moreover, after the customer logs in, they can also see their past meal history, or they can directly select the dishes they have ordered before.

 Existing wireless ordering systems generally use Wifi or ISM band wireless data transmission to achieve wireless communication. The present invention introduces a mode of "dual network simultaneous operation". ISM band wireless data transmission is used to transmit data with high reliability requirements such as ordering and service messages, wifi transmission multimedia and other data that require fast transmission.

When the ISM band wireless number fails, the ordering and service messages are automatically transmitted via wifi.

 With regard to the various other technical solutions described above and the present invention, a more specific description will be given below.

The restaurant operation information system will be described below.

 The table partner is part of the restaurant operation letter system (hereafter referred to as the information system). The information system consists of a communication network, an operational server, a table partner, a waiter controller, a kitchen system, and a monitoring system.

 The communication network can employ various communication techniques or a combination thereof. Including Ethernet, wifi (WLAN), ISM band wireless data transmission, and more. All components in the information system are interconnected via a communication network so that data can be sent to each other. This data is referred to as "message" later.

 The operations server is the master control center for the information system, which manages the real-time operation of the entire restaurant. The operating server also provides various databases such as restaurant customer information.

 The table partner is the part of the information system that is used by customers. It helps customers efficiently complete a variety of business in the restaurant, such as recipe browsing, ordering, service calls, customer information registration and login. It also provides a full range of entertainment features, allowing customers to add a little more fun while waiting for food and dining, and ultimately achieve an overall improvement in the service level of the restaurant.

 The waiter controller is a miniature wireless terminal with a display that is worn on the waiter and is mainly used to allow the attendant to receive service requests and complete the corresponding tasks. It consists of a display, a microcontroller, a wireless communication circuit, a housing, a battery, and buttons. The button includes at least the "Task Completed" button.

The kitchen system includes a printer, a progress feedback machine, and a kitchen camera. The printer is used to print dishes For the order, this menu is uniquely marked with a dish, which is equivalent to the "ID card" of the dish, from the time the dish is requested to the final delivery to the table. The bar code is usually printed on it. The progress feedback machine is used to feedback the process of cooking. The progress feedback machine can be implemented by computer or by a specially developed micro wireless terminal (similar to a POS machine, which is less expensive). A barcode scanner can be connected to the progress feedback machine so that you can know which dish is directly scanned. A kitchen camera is installed next to each chef, which is used to capture a real-time picture of the chef's cooking dishes, which is transmitted to the table partner via the communication network and finally displayed on the table partner.

 The monitoring system consists of multiple PCs (called monitoring terminals), and each application terminal runs an application software module. Restaurant managers can see the operation of the entire restaurant here. The monitoring terminal can read various information from the operation server and display it to the manager in a graphical manner. For example, the order status of each table, whether it has been settled, the number of tasks completed by each waiter, and so on. Managers can also control the various components in the system by monitoring the terminal. For example, a monitoring terminal can send a message to the operation server indicating that a dish has been unable to be produced, and then the server will send the message to each table partner, and the customer can know that the dish has been made when ordering. Prevent the situation where you can't make a dish. The monitoring system is also used for desk booking, billing, generating financial statements, supply chain management, and customer relationship management.

 After the customer selects the dish with the table partner, he can select the "send to the kitchen" operation to send a "production request message" to the operation server via the wireless network. The message includes the table number and each dish name, quantity production request, etc. information. The operating server then prints out the menu on the kitchen printer (usually in the monitoring system), and the chef can make the dishes as required. The kitchen staff can input the progress of each dish at any time on the progress feedback machine (for example, not yet made, is being produced, completed), and the progress is sent to the operation server via the wireless network, and then sent to the corresponding table partner. Customers can see the progress of each dish on the table partner, and the manager can also see the progress of the production of all the dishes on any table. When the dishes are prepared and ready to serve, the kitchen staff will also send a message "will be served" through the progress feedback machine. At this time, a cartoon character and text will pop up on the table partner screen of the table corresponding to the dish. With a sound, tell the customer that they will soon be on a certain dish.

Whenever a customer selects a new dish (just selected, but has not yet sent it to the kitchen) or deletes a dish, the table partner sends a "choice message" to the operations server (including the table number, menu name, Selected or deleted), so that the ordering process of each table is saved on the operation server, and this information can be seen in the monitoring system. In this way, the restaurant can be equipped with a foodie. He can offer valuable a la carte advice to customers at any time according to the customer's ordering process, and can also promote the food. He only needs to enter a suggestion on the monitoring computer to send it to a table partner, and the customer can see the suggestion. The ordering process stored on the operation server, such as which dishes the customer first selects, which dishes are ultimately selected, can also be used in the restaurant to analyze the behavior of the customer to optimize the restaurant's menu configuration.

 If the customer needs the service provided by the waiter, they can select the required service (such as tea, checkout) on the table partner, and then send a "service request message" (including the table number, required service content) to the operation server, The post-operation server will send this message to the waiter controller worn by the waiter responsible for the table, informing the attendant to go to provide the service. After the waiter completes the service, he sends a message to the operation server that the current task has been completed by pressing the "task completed" button on the waiter controller. At this time, the operation server sends the next service request message (if any) to the waiter. . At the same time, the operations server records the customer's request and the waiter's response for use by the restaurant manager.

 Among the above information systems, some are existing technologies, and reference can be made to related products and patent documents.

The following describes the table partner.

 The components of the table companion include a stand, a flat panel display, a speaker, a spare input device, a movement module, a power supply module, and a remote control.

 The bracket is used to support other parts of the table companion; the flat panel display is used to display the human-computer interaction interface; the speaker allows the table companion to make a sound; the remote control can complete all operations of the table companion; the spare input device is used in Operate the table companion when the remote control fails. The flat panel display, speakers and power supply modules are electrically connected to the movement module. The stand is placed on the ground and can be moved, for example in the form of a cart, so that the table companion can be moved to other locations in the restaurant as needed. This not only makes it easier for multiple tables to share a table partner, but customers can also put it in a place that they feel is appropriate when using a table partner.

The stand can be designed in the form of an ornament, such as metal crafts, sculptures, or cartoon characters. The image of the robot can be naturally integrated into the restaurant environment. For another example, a platform can be placed at the bottom of the bracket. This platform can be used to place flowers, bonsai, fish tanks and other commonly used decorations in the restaurant, and at the same time, it has a stable center of gravity.

 By using a movable floor stand, the table partner solved the problem of heavy hand-held dispensers, easy to fall to the ground, and occupy a large amount of table space. In addition, the rest of the entire table partner is connected to the bracket, forming a large item as a whole, so it is almost impossible for the restaurant's customers to take it out of the restaurant, which effectively solves the problem of theft prevention.

 Of course, as a degraded implementation of the present invention, the stand can also be fixed so that the table partner cannot move. For example, the stand can be attached to the floor, to the side of the table or to the wall. The flat panel display and speakers can be made into a single module with its own housing, hereinafter referred to as the "display module". The display module can be mounted on the stand and can be horizontally and vertically raised relative to the stand, which allows the user to adjust the brightness and angle of the display to suit his or her needs. For more complex designs, the display module can also be rotated vertically for lateral or vertical use. For the easy implementation mode, the rotation and lifting functions can be removed.

 The flat panel display and speakers can also be mounted directly on the stand. At this point, the bracket also acts as a housing. In this case there is no "display module".

 It should be noted that the concept of "display module" is only for the convenience of the following statement, in fact its outer casing should be considered as an integral part of the bracket. The "display module" is not mentioned in the claims for the sake of brevity. The word "bracket" in the claims should be considered to cover the outer casing part of the display module (if there is a display module) - the movement module includes the CPU, non-volatile memory (generally flash or hard disk), RAM ( Generally speaking, SDRAM), image output circuits, audio output circuits, communication circuits and other ancillary circuits. The communication circuit includes "control wireless network communication circuit", "broadband wireless network communication circuit" and "remote control wireless communication circuit". The remote control wireless communication circuit is used to communicate with the remote controller.

 The movement module can be mounted inside the display module (if there is a display module) or inside the bracket. The movement module outputs the image signal and the audio signal to the flat panel display and the speaker, respectively.

The expansion module also has an expansion interface. The expansion interface can be a variety of computer external interfaces, examples USB interface, various memory card interfaces, various audio and video interfaces, and more. After adding the expansion interface, you can do any expansion in the future. For example, the data storage capacity can be increased by connecting a USB flash drive or a mobile hard disk; the digital TV receiving function is added through a USB stick of the USB interface; the Bluetooth connection function is added through the Bluetooth module of the USB interface; and the external high-power sound is connected through the audio expansion interface. Or a microphone (thus implementing karaoke); output a display to a TV or projector via a video expansion interface (VGA, DVI, S-Video, HDMI, etc.). A plurality of wireless communication circuits in the above-mentioned movement module can also be realized in the form of an expansion module. For example, the wifi connection function is added through the wifi module card of the USB interface. In this case, these communication circuits can be omitted in the movement module.

 The expansion interface is ultimately taken from the stand or display module. The extension of the table partner can be provided with a cover that is usually covered and locked so that the restaurant customer cannot access the extension (to prevent the external extension from being stolen). Only the waiter at the restaurant can unlock and open the lid. The video output and audio input and output connectors do not need to be covered. Existing wireless ordering systems generally employ one of the following two wireless technologies.

 The first one is wifi. Wifi is designed for the transmission of broadband data, with the goal of high throughput rather than high reliability, sometimes failing due to reduced signal strength or channel congestion. Moreover, the wifi network in the restaurant is generally used for customers to access the Internet, which has potential uncertainty and interference. If you use wifi to transfer restaurant operating data (wireless ordering, service calls, etc.), it is difficult to ensure reliability.

 The second is a "proprietary radio", usually a wireless data transmission in the ISM band (for example, 433MHz or 2.4GHz wireless data transmission). This wireless data transmission uses a proprietary communication protocol developed by the wireless à la carte manufacturer, and its channel is dedicated to the restaurant business, so the reliability is low, but the data transmission is slow (mostly less than 100Kbps, and wifi can reach 150Mbps), only suitable for For transferring small amounts of data.

 The "control wireless network communication circuit" in the table partner is a "proprietary radio", which is mainly used to transmit data related to restaurant operations, such as wireless ordering messages and service call messages. The characteristic of these data is that the amount of data is small (several bytes), but the requirements must be transmitted quickly and accurately. For example, the restaurant cannot tolerate the loss or delay of the order request, or the service request is not quickly passed to the waiter. The control wireless network is dedicated to transmitting operational data, so there is much less potential interference.

The "Broadband Wireless Network Communication Circuit" (currently using wifi) in the table partner is mainly used to transmit other large blocks of data, for example, wireless Internet access, video on demand (setting a video on demand service inside the restaurant) ), update of recipe data, and more. These data require high-speed transmission, but it does not matter if it cannot be transmitted temporarily. For example, if the customer finds that they cannot access the network, they can play the game.

 In addition, in special cases, controlling the wireless network may also cause problems. At this time, the table partner will automatically use the broadband wireless network to temporarily replace the control wireless network, thereby greatly improving the reliability. The components of the remote control include a housing, buttons, a microcontroller, and communication circuitry. The communication circuit is the same as the "remote control wireless communication circuit" in the movement module, and uses short-range wireless transmission technology, such as infrared, ISM band wireless data transmission, Bluetooth, and the like. For the one-way transmission infrared technology commonly used in the conventional remote control, since it is impossible to control the potential conflict problem, it is generally only applicable to the private room, and only one remote controller can be provided.

 In order to solve the management problem of the remote controller, the present invention sets a "remote controller berth" on the bracket or the display module. The remote can be saved on the remote berth and moved with the table partner. After the restaurant customer is seated, the waiter can simply hand off the remote control to the customer, and no longer have to go elsewhere to let the customer wait. A table companion can have multiple remote controls. In practice, multiple remote berths can be provided, one for each remote.

 For theft prevention, the remote control can be locked, or the remote control can be detected. Here are a few implementations.

 The remote control berth can be realized by setting a remote control storage box on the back of the stand or display module. Usually put the remote control in the storage box and lock it, and take it out when needed.

 Another way to implement a remote berth is to place a slot with an electronic lock on the back of the stand or display module. The movement module can control the opening and closing of the electronic lock. In normal times, the remote control can be inserted into the slot and locked (the specific design method can be seen in the specific implementation section). When the remote control is inserted in the slot, the side with the button is exposed, so that the remote control can be operated even if the remote control is locked. When the restaurant customer is seated, the waiter only needs to enter the password on the remote control. The movement module receives the correct password and can unlock it, thus removing the remote control and handing it to the customer. This way, you don't need a remote control storage box, and the appearance of the product can be simpler. In addition, you can also send a "completely lock remote control message" from the monitoring system to the table partner. After receiving the message, the table partner enters the "complete lock" state. At this time, even if the password is entered, the lock cannot be unlocked. Used for the time after the restaurant is closed. Correspondingly, it is also possible to let the table partner enter the state of unlocking.

The remote control berth can also be unlocked, but with a "removal detection mechanism", generally with a detection switch It can be achieved. The detection switch is connected to the movement module. When the remote control is removed, the detection switch detects this action, so that the movement module automatically causes the speaker to emit a certain sound, which causes the nearby attendant to pay attention.

 There are other ways to detect the removal of the remote control. For example, an acceleration sensor can be set inside the remote control. Once removed, the remote can sense it by itself and then send a packet to the movement module to let the table partner speak.

 It is also possible to monitor the removal of the remote control by wireless signal strength. The remote control periodically sends a probe packet to the movement module, and the movement module can detect the strength of the signal. If it is weak, the remote control is removed. All functions of the table companion are operated by the remote controller. Therefore, once the remote control is unusable due to interference from the wireless signal, the customer cannot order, which will seriously affect the restaurant business. Therefore, the table partner is also equipped with an "alternate input device". The alternate input device can be input in any manner, such as a simple keyboard or mouse, a touch screen (if the touch screen is used, the cost advantage of the present invention is lost), etc., and even a remote controller (for example, another wireless band remote controller), wherein A simple keyboard is the preferred solution.

 If the keyboard is used, the button settings on this keyboard are similar to those on the remote control. Since the spare keyboard is used only in special cases, some of the less frequently used buttons can be removed (and some functions cannot be operated at the same time). If you use a mouse and a touch screen, the virtual buttons are displayed on the screen, and the settings of these buttons are similar to those on the remote control.

 When the movement module finds that the remote control has failed, it will automatically display a message on the screen to inform the customer that the remote control has failed. Please use the alternate input device (if the alternate input device is a mouse or touch screen, it will also automatically display the virtual button, virtual button Usually it is hidden), so that the customer can be guided to switch to the spare input device under special circumstances without the intervention of the waiter. At the same time, a message is sent to the monitoring system to draw attention to the restaurant. Similarly, when the remote control is found to be normal, the customer is prompted to continue using the remote control and the monitoring system remote control has returned to normal.

The movement module can detect the effectiveness of the remote control in various ways. For example, the remote control can send a probe packet to the movement module periodically (for example, 1 second) regardless of whether the customer operates the remote controller. If the movement module does not receive the data packet within a certain period of time, it can be determined that the remote control has failed (possibly because the wireless signal is disturbed, or the customer takes the remote control away from the table). Then, if it is received again, it can be determined that the remote controller has returned to normal. The power supply module is mounted on the bottom of the bracket to power the entire table companion. The power supply module includes at least a battery. It can also have a charger at the same time.

 Install a locked battery box at the bottom of the bracket. When using it, put the battery in and connect it, then close the box door and lock it. After the restaurant is closed, you can take out the battery to charge it. It is also possible to configure the charger at the same time, so that after the restaurant is closed, the table partner can be pushed to the place where the AC outlet is charged, without removing the battery. The charger here can simultaneously charge the battery and power the table companion, which means that the table partner can also run (like a laptop).

 Obviously, if the table partner is using AC power, you can remove the battery (the charger should be built in at this time). Just like a normal laptop, you can remove the battery and use it as usual. The invention provides a very flexible power supply mode, and the restaurant can be used according to its actual needs.

There is another form of table partner, called "set-top box mode", which has only the movement module, the power supply module, the backup input device and the remote control, and removes the other parts (thus reducing the cost). The movement module outputs audio and video signals directly to an external display, TV or projector via an external interface, similar to a set-top box. This can effectively use the existing TV in the dining room. At this point, it is perfectly possible to place the power supply module (usually an AC to DC converter) inside the movement module to become a whole.

 In the set top box mode, the main innovations of the present invention are remote controls, human machine interfaces and other unique functions, rather than the construction of the product.

Generally speaking, when using the table partner, the restaurant uses the bracket mode product in the hall. Since it can be moved, it can be equipped with one table per table or one table for multiple tables. In the private room, you can use the bracket mode or the set-top box mode product, and output the display directly to the TV, so you can enjoy the display experience of larger size (the display of the table partner is usually no more than 30). Inches, while TVs or 3⁄4 cameras can be up to 100 inches or more) and reduce costs. The following describes the remote controller button layout and human-machine interface design of the table partner. Both the remote mode and the set-top box mode have the same remote control and human-machine interface. The remote control is designed to be similar to the form of the game console handle, operating with both hands. The remote control and man-machine interface are specially designed so that the customer can complete all operations with a single lightweight remote control.

 Set the "Up, Down, Left, Right" buttons on the left side of the remote control. These four buttons are mainly used to browse different items or move in the game. The user can operate these buttons with the left thumb. These four keys are referred to as navigation keys later.

 On the right side of the remote control, set the "Previous page, Next ^, OK / Select, Cancel / Delete, Menu, Details" 6 buttons. The user can operate these buttons with the right thumb. "Previous page, next page" is mainly used to page through the recipe. "OK / Select, Cancel / Delete" is a common common key. If you press the menu button, the context menu will pop up (similar to the menu that pops up when you right-click on the item in the PC, the content of the menu is related to the context of the operation), at which point the customer can select different by using the up and down keys. Menu item, and press the OK button to execute the project. If you press the "Details" button, a details window will pop up, the content of which is also context sensitive.

 There are also several function keys on the remote control for direct access to the common interface. The function keys include 5 keys for “Recipes, Meals, Food, Service, Entertainment”. When the customer presses any function button at any time, he will immediately enter the corresponding function interface, which will maximize the convenience for the customer.

 There are also several character input keys on the remote for inputting numbers and letters. In the restaurant environment, it is often necessary to enter numbers, but the chances of entering letters are relatively small, so a keyboard similar to a mobile phone is a preferred solution, that is, 10-12 keys, which can directly input numbers, but input letters need to be pressed multiple times.

The function keys and character input keys are located in the center of the remote control and can be operated by the user with the left or right thumb. The human-computer interaction interface of the table partner includes an ordering interface, a dining table interface, a eating interface, a service interface, and an entertainment interface. There are also sub-interfaces under some interfaces. These interfaces are displayed on the flat panel display on the display module or on the external display device. The following describes the ordering interface. You can enter the ordering industry again by pressing the "Recipe" button on the remote control at any time. Face.

 In the past, the human-machine interface of the touch screen a la carte often displayed all the food categories first. When a certain category was clicked, a list of all the dishes under the category was displayed, and then a certain dish was clicked to see the details of the dish. Information such as pictures and presentations. This kind of human-machine interface makes customers feel that they are using a computer instead of a recipe. The ordering experience is not good and the use is not intuitive.

 The table companion provides two kinds of recipe display modes, “simulation recipe mode” and “list mode”, which combines the advantages of traditional paper recipes and flexible information technology. In the "simulation recipe mode", the recipe is pre-formatted, so the layout is patchy, but the layout is fixed, and it is impossible to sort the dishes. In "List mode", all dishes are displayed in the same shape and size area, so the order can be changed at any time, or only some of the items that meet the conditions can be displayed.

 In the "simulation recipe mode", the page shows a page page of the recipe page, the layout is similar to the previous paper recipes, the dishes pictures and introduction information are patchwork, very beautiful and natural. These recipe pages are edited and typed on the computer and transferred to the table companion (can be via wireless network or USB flash drive). Customers can use the "Previous, Next" button to complete the page flipping operation, which is like browsing traditional paper recipes. When browsing recipes, there may be multiple dishes per page, one of which is "current dish". This dish is marked, for example, a flashing icon or wireframe can be used. Customers can use the navigation keys to change the current menu. If the customer clicks the "OK/Select" button, the current menu can be added to the list of selected dishes, which can then be seen in the table interface.

 Under "Simulation recipe mode", the menu items of the context menu popped up after pressing "Menu" include: Switch to list mode; Add the current menu to the table (equivalent to "OK" button); View the details of the current menu (etc. Works with the "Details" button). In addition to the above items, the menu item also includes the names of all the food categories in the recipe (one for each category). When the customer selects a category, it automatically flips to the start page number of the category.

In "list mode", each dish occupies an area of the same shape and size, hence the name "list". Each dish displays information such as its name, picture, price, popularity, taste, materials and presentations. The "popularity" of the dishes can be entered and transmitted to the table partner through the monitoring system, or can be obtained by the operation server according to the previous order and sent to the table partner. Generally, all the dishes in the restaurant cannot be displayed on one page, and customers can still use the "previous page, next page" to turn pages. The characteristic of this mode is that there are many dishes displayed on each page, which is convenient for customers to find food. The customer can change the size of the area occupied by the dish, The larger the area, the fewer the number of dishes displayed per page. The customer can use the navigation keys to change the current menu as in the simulation recipe mode, or press the "OK" button to add it to the selected menu.

 In "List mode", the sorting function of the dishes is also provided. The so-called sorting is to change the order of the dishes in the list according to certain conditions. First of all, the dishes are sorted according to the classification, and will not disturb the order between the classifications, which is in line with the general ordering habits. For example, cold dishes, hot dishes, seafood, staple foods, drinks, etc., sorting between categories is meaningless. The customer can choose to have the dishes sorted separately within each category based on parameters such as price, popularity, and name. For example, sorting by price makes it easier for customers to find cheaper or expensive dishes; by popularity, customers can refer to other customers' attention to the dishes; sorting by name (English alphabet or Hanyu Pinyin) allows customers to quickly find the name they already know. The dishes.

 Under "List mode", the menu item of the context menu popped up after pressing the "Menu" button is similar to the "Simulation recipe mode", except that "Switch to list mode" is changed to "Switch to simulation recipe mode" and added " Sort items by name, "sort by price", "sort by popularity", and other items such as "zoom in", "zoom out", "set menu display conditions". The enlargement and reduction are used to adjust the number of dishes displayed on each page. When "Enlarge" is selected, the area occupied by each dish becomes larger, and the number of dishes displayed per page becomes smaller. If you select "Set menu display conditions", the menu display condition setting window will pop up, and the customer can set various conditions, such as "not hot", "price less than 50 yuan", "Shanghai cuisine" and so on. After setting the display conditions, the dishes that do not meet the conditions are no longer displayed, so that the menus in the list are reduced, and it is convenient for the customer to find the dishes under the ordering interface (no matter which mode), if the customer presses "details" The key will pop up the details window of the current menu. The details window contains a large picture of the current menu, a more detailed introduction and a video window. The video of the restaurant's chef playing the restaurant in the video window. This video can be taken in advance and stored in the table companion (non-volatile memory) or external storage, or it can be retrieved from the video server via the wifi wireless network. The table interface will be described below. You can enter the table interface at any time by pressing the "Table" button on the remote control. The table interface shows all the dishes the customer has selected and the current total consumption. There is also a "current dish" in the table interface, which can be changed by the navigation keys.

In the table interface, the menu items of the context menu popped up after pressing the "Menu" button include: deleting the current menu; setting the current number of dishes; setting the current menu production requirements; setting the order of the current dishes; Send the current dish to the kitchen; send all dishes to the kitchen; customer login; customer registration; view dining history; enter satisfaction; change table.

 The name, picture, quantity, production requirements, status and serving serial number of each dish are shown here. The status can be "selected", "sent to the kitchen", "have started production", "production finished, ready to serve", "already served" and so on. The change in state can be caused by two events: the customer's operation and progress feedback from the kitchen. For example, after the customer sends the dish to the kitchen, the status changes to "Sent to the kitchen." If the kitchen has already started making the dish, the table partner will be informed via the progress feedback machine, and the status will become "Started". The serving serial number is used to indicate the order of the customer's desired serving, and the small serial number will be given priority.

 Customers can compare the selected dishes here and delete unwanted dishes. You can also set the number and production requirements for each dish. All or part of the ordered item can be sent to the kitchen. You can set the order of serving each dish (by entering its serving serial number). If you select "Input Satisfaction", a pop-up window will let the customer choose the satisfaction with the current menu. You can also enter suggestions and other information, which will be sent to the operation server and finally seen in the monitoring system.

 When a certain dish ordered by the customer has been created, a message will appear on the display of the table partner (even if the table is not in the table), the customer will be notified that the next dish will be ready soon. You can use a small cartoon character to jump out and display text and sound. After a while, the waiter brought the dishes to the table, which made the customers feel very cordial. The realization of this function is that when a certain dish is finished, the staff of the vegetable department will use the progress feedback machine to send a message "Will a certain dish" to the table to which the dish belongs.

 The table interface also displays suggestions for the taste mix of the customer's current order. This advice can be analyzed by the table partner based on the taste of each dish ordered by the customer (this taste is stored in the restaurant's partner, such as the degree of spicyness) (for example, averaging the spicyness of all dishes, The overall spicy degree can also be obtained by the foodie from the monitoring system to the table partner to send a la carte advice message. Gourmets can see the ordering process at each table on the monitoring terminal and provide valuable suggestions for them at any time. This suggested message is sent to the designated table partner and displayed in the table interface.

Customers can register and log in at the table interface. Customers only need to enter the registration name and password, they can log in to the restaurant's operation server via the wireless network, and get discounts based on past points. After logging in, customers can see the history of consumption in the past, and they can add the dish holders they have ordered to the selected dishes. List. New customers can enter the registration interface to complete the registration process. In this way, the table partner can effectively help the restaurant to manage the customer relationship, and the restaurant does not need to issue a membership card that is easy to lose.

 In addition, if multiple tables share a table partner, you need to be able to set which table the table partner is currently using. The waiter can use the "change table" to set its corresponding table. This operation generally requires an administrative password.

 In the table interface, if you press the "Details" button, the details window will pop up. The details window shows a large picture of the current menu and more detailed information, such as materials, health features, etc. If the current menu is being created, there is also a video sub-window in the details window that shows the real-time picture of the kitchen making the dish, which comes from the kitchen camera ^ The following describes the food guide interface. You can enter the food guide interface by pressing the "Guide to Eat" button on the remote control at any time. The food guide interface is mainly used for restaurants to show customers their recommended dishes, such as special dishes and special dishes. Gu Ke can also see a variety of food recommendations recommended by the restaurant here, so as to prevent the dishes from being mismatched to some extent. Customers can use the navigation keys to select the favorite dishes and press "OK / Select" to add them directly to the selected menu. The service interface is explained below. You can access the service interface at any time by pressing the "Service" button on the remote control. The service interface is mainly used for service calls. In the service interface, a variety of service items are listed, such as tea, checkout, customers can select the required service through the navigation keys and then press the OK button to send the service request (including the table number and the required service content). Go to the operational server and send it to the waiter controller worn by a waiter who is responsible for the table (if the waiter has not completed the current task, the message is temporarily stored on the operational server). The waiter can see the service request content displayed on his waiter controller to provide the service. After completing the service, press the "Task Completed" button on the server controller to send a "confirmation message" to the operations server, at which point the operations server will send the next service request to the server (if any). At the same time, all service request messages and confirmation messages are stored on the operation server for restaurant reference.

In addition, the operations server can also perform waiter scheduling. For example, a waiter in charge of a certain table may not be able to meet the service requests of many customers in time due to too many services, and then some services may be automatically assigned to the nearby free attendants. The entertainment interface is explained below. You can enter the entertainment interface at any time by pressing the "Entertainment" button on the remote control. The entertainment interface mainly provides customers with various entertainment items. In the past, customers often rushed because of the lack of food. After using the table partner, they had a variety of entertainment programs, which can effectively kill the time of other dishes, thus making the customer's dining experience a qualitative improvement.

 Entertainment projects generally include chef style, video playback, TV viewing, games, internet, e-books, karaoke and more. Each project corresponds to a sub-interface, and customers can enter the corresponding sub-interface according to their needs.

 The restaurant can store a variety of video programs in the table companion. Customers can choose the program they like to watch in the video player sub-interface. In addition, the video program can also be stored in a video server in the restaurant so that the program can be viewed via video on demand (video is transmitted via wifi).

 In the chef's style interface, customers can choose to view images from a kitchen camera.

 Karaoke requires an audio and microphone to be connected to the expansion interface. In each of the above interfaces, a portion of the interface can be used to display advertisements, thereby providing an additional benefit to the restaurant. It is also possible to use a part of the interface to display the help information that the customer may need at any time, so that the customer can use the table partner without learning.

In the process of using the table companion, each time a customer operation and carried out, the table will be a companion to ^"1 record. For example page, enter the entertainment interface, set of dishes taste, etc. Since customers constantly The operation of the table partner, so the amount of data generated is relatively large, in order to reduce the bandwidth occupation, the data is not transmitted to the operation server in real time, but temporarily stored in the memory of the table with the own _. After the restaurant is closed, the management staff The data can then be transmitted to the monitoring terminal and the customer's behavior can be analyzed based on the data.

 A status light (usually a light-emitting diode) can be placed on the display module or bracket to indicate whether the table has been checked out. When the customer is seated, the main station sends a "sit" message to the table partner through the monitoring system. The status light is on, indicating that the customer has started to eat, but has not yet settled. When the checkout is completed, the cashier will use the monitoring system to the table. The partner sends a "closed" message and the status light is off. In this way, the service personnel can directly judge whether each table has been checked out through the status light, and effectively prevent the phenomenon of escape.

When the customer does not use the table partner, the table partner can automatically display some natural scenery videos, or create a virtual fish tank effect through video or 3D animation, instead of some restaurants in order to promote A fish tank placed next to the dining table in the dining environment.

 The present invention provides various entertainment functions, which may affect the restaurant customer's meal or extend the meal time. Therefore, when using the present invention, a message can be sent from the monitoring system to a table partner to display "Please" on the screen. Meal", while turning off the entertainment feature. It is also possible to automatically send the message after the menu is finished (the software on the monitoring terminal can get the progress of each table from the operating server).

 After using a table partner, the restaurant generally uses a lot of table partners. Through the communication network, the restaurant can effectively manage all table partners. The restaurant can see the status information of each table partner at any time on the monitoring terminal, such as the remaining battery power (first send a "query power" message to the table partner, then the table partner will reply a "remaining power" to the monitoring system. Message). The restaurant also has direct access to recipes and video data from all table companions via WiFi. The restaurant can also issue a command to power on or off directly to all table partners.

 For large data such as video, the speed of wireless update is slower, and it can also be updated by means of removable storage. The method is to store the update data in a removable memory (such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk), and connect it to the expansion interface of the table partner, and the table partner automatically reads the update data from it and updates it.

DRAWINGS

 1 is an overall schematic view of one embodiment of a table companion.

 Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of the back of the display module of the embodiment.

 Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the display module of the embodiment.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the remote controller keyboard layout of the table companion. detailed description

 The entire information system consists of a communication network, an operational server, a table partner, a waiter controller, a kitchen system, and a monitoring system.

 With the exception of the table partner and the waiter controller, the rest of the system is a PC (notebook/desktop^1/server), which can be implemented by writing the appropriate software modules, many of which are prior art.

 Kitchen cameras can be accessed with regular network cameras that can be connected directly to an Ethernet or wifi network.

 The kitchen progress feedback machine can be implemented by a PC with a barcode scanner. In the kitchen, you can set up multiple progress feedback machines. Each staff member only needs to scan the menu on the barcode scanner to inform the progress feedback machine. "This dish belongs to my work has been completed."

 The waiter controller is a type of terminal, which is composed of a display screen, a single chip microcomputer, a wireless communication circuit, a button, and a casing. It can be made into a watch form, and it can be placed on the waiter's wrist or in the form of a mobile phone, which is hung on the waiter's neck.

The embodiment of the table partner is described below, and an embodiment of the cart mode is given here.

 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is an overall schematic view of the present embodiment. Including flat panel display (2), speaker (3), spare keyboard (4), cart (5), cart chassis (6), cart wheel (7), cart pole (8), cart handle (9), battery box (10), battery (11). The flat panel display (2), the speaker (3), and the spare keyboard (4) are equipped with a casing to form a display module (1). The "alternate input device" of this embodiment is the spare keyboard (4). The battery is placed inside the battery compartment. In Fig. 1, components such as a movement module and a remote controller are not shown. This implementation uses a relatively simple style cart consisting mainly of a circular chassis and a curved metal struts. A horizontal axis can be achieved by setting a shaft at the connection point between the cart strut (8) and the display module (1). The movement module of the present embodiment is placed in the display module, so that it is necessary to lead a power supply line from the battery (11) to the inside of the display module (1). This cable is passed inside the cart strut (8), which is a curved metal tube.

2 is a schematic view of the back of the display module of the present embodiment. Including display module (1), remote control berth (12), lock (13), remote control (14), external interface cover (15), 4 external interfaces (16) (covered under the cover Surface), movement module (17). The movement module is inside the display module and placed in parallel with the flat panel display. The remote control berth is electronically locked (the electronic lock is internal, see Figure 3), and the external interface cover is mechanically locked.

 Figure 3 is a side view of the display module. It includes display module (1), remote control (14), remote control button (40), remote control berth (12), lock tip (18), and insertion detection switch (19). The remote control has a recessed portion. When the remote control is inserted into the slot, the insertion detection is pressed by the remote controller, so that the table partner knows that the remote controller has been inserted, and the motor is started, thereby causing the motor to be locked. Insert the recessed part of the remote control and lock the remote control. When the lock is unlocked, the password is entered via the remote control, and the table partner removes the lock tip so that the remote control can be removed.

 Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the keyboard layout of the remote controller of the table partner. Including up (20), down (21), left (22), right (23), 12 character input keys (24), recipe (25), dining table (26), food guide (27), service (28), Entertainment (29), OK/Select (30), Cancel/Delete (31), Menu (32), Details (33), Previous (34), Next (35).

Claims

Righteousness claim

1. Table partner and its information system, characterized by: The components of the information system include communication network, operation server, table partner, waiter controller, kitchen system and monitoring system; all components in the information system can communicate through the communication network Transmitting data to each other; the communication network can simultaneously adopt multiple communication technologies; the components of the clerk controller include a single chip microcomputer, a display screen, a battery, a button, and a wireless communication circuit; the button includes at least a "task completed" button; the waiter controller is worn on the waiter , for receiving service requests and confirming that the task has been completed; components of the kitchen system include printers, status feedback machines, and kitchen cameras; components of the table companion include brackets, flat panel displays, speakers, spare input devices, movement blocks, power supplies Module and remote control;

 The flat panel display, the speaker, the movement module and the power supply module are mounted on the bracket;

 The flat panel display, the speaker and the power supply module are electrically connected to the movement module;

 The components of the movement module include a CPU, a nonvolatile memory, a RAM, an image output circuit, an audio output circuit, and a communication circuit; the movement module has an expansion interface;

 The power supply module may be a battery, or may include both a battery and a charger;

 There is a remote control berth on the bracket, the remote control berth can lock the remote control, or the remote control can be detected;

The bracket has a status light to indicate whether the table using the table partner has been checked out; the monitoring system can control the status of the status light; the human-computer interaction interface of the table partner includes an ordering interface, a table interface, and a guide Interface, service interface and entertainment interface; use the remote control to operate all human-computer interaction interface; the remote control has 4 navigation keys "up, down, left, right"; the remote control has buttons "previous page, next page" , OK / Select, Cancel / Delete, Menu, Details "; The remote control has several function keys, including "recipes, table, food, service, entertainment"; Press the recipe button to enter the ordering interface; the ordering interface provides two browsing modes: the simulated recipe mode and the list mode;

 In the simulation recipe mode, the recipe page designed by typography is displayed; the "previous page" and "next page" buttons can be used to turn the page; the context menu item popped up after pressing the "menu" button includes "switch to list mode". And the name of all the dishes in the recipe, each category corresponds to a menu item; after selecting a category, it directly pages to the starting page number of the category;

 In list mode, all the dishes in the restaurant are listed in the same shape and size. If one page cannot list all the dishes, it will be listed in multiple pages; the information displayed in each menu includes name, picture, price, popularity, taste. , making materials; can change the size of the area; can sort the dishes; sorting criteria include price, popularity and name; when sorting, first sort by category, then sort in each category; press the "menu" button to pop up the context menu Items include: "Switch to emulation recipe mode", "Set menu display conditions", "Sort by name", "Sort by popularity", "Sort by price", "Zoom in", "Zoom out" and all dish categories in the menu The name of each category corresponds to a menu item; after selecting a category, the page is directly paged to the start page number of the category; if "Set menu display condition" is selected, the menu display condition setting window is popped up, after setting the condition , only the dishes that meet the conditions are displayed; if you select "zoom in" or "zoom out", adjust each dish accordingly. The size of the area and the number of dishes displayed per page;

 In the ordering interface, there is a dish that is the current dish, the dish is marked, you can use the navigation keys to change the current menu; press the OK/Select button to add the current menu to the selected menu; press the Details button to pop up Details window, the content displayed in the window includes the large size picture of the current dish and the video of the production process;

 Press the table button to enter the table interface; the context menu items that pop up after pressing the "Menu" button include: "Delete current menu", "Set current menu quantity", "Set current menu production requirements", "Set current menu serving" Order ", "send current dishes to the kitchen", "send all dishes to the kitchen", "customer login", "customer registration", "view dining history", "input satisfaction", "change table";

In the table interface, all the selected dishes and the current total consumption are displayed, including the picture, name, quantity, production requirements, status and serving serial number of each dish; there is a "current dish" in the table interface, which can be passed. Navigation keys to change the current menu; status includes "Selected", "Sent to Kitchen", "Started Production", "Finished, Coming soon", "Served"; Can delete unwanted dishes, settings The quantity and production requirements of each dish; one dish or all dishes can be sent to the kitchen; the order of serving each dish can be set; the satisfaction of each dish can be entered; Whenever a new dish is added to the selected menu or a selected dish is deleted, the table partner sends a selection message to the operation server; the operation server stores all the selection messages for the restaurant to analyze the customer's consumption behavior. The status of the selection of the table partner can be viewed in real time in the monitoring system; the table interface also displays the evaluation and suggestions for the customer's current menu. This evaluation and suggestion can be based on the taste information entered by the table partner. The customer's menu selection calculation is generated, and can also be obtained by the foodie sending a message to the table partner through the monitoring system;

 You can register and log in to the customer in the table interface. After logging in, you can see the past consumption history, and you can directly add the dishes you have ordered to the selected food list.

 In the table interface, press the "Details" button to pop up the details window; the details of the window display include the large size picture of the current menu; if the current menu is being created, the details window also includes a video sub-window, which is displayed in the window. The kitchen produces a real-time picture of the dish;

 Press the food guide button to enter the food guide interface; the food guide interface lists the restaurant's recommended dish mix and special dish, special dish information; you can use the navigation button and the OK / select button to browse different dishes and add it to the In the selection list;

 Press the service button to enter the service interface; in the service interface, a list of various restaurant services are listed. You can use the navigation keys and the OK/Select button to select the desired service. After selecting the service, the table partner sends a service request to the operation server. Message, which is sent to the waiter controller worn by the waiter after the existing task of the desk is completed and displayed on the screen; after the waiter completes the service, by pressing "Task Completed" on the waiter controller The key sends an acknowledgement message to the operation server; the operation server stores all service request messages and confirmation messages for the restaurant to evaluate the performance of the waiter and analyze the customer behavior; press the entertainment button to enter the entertainment interface; in the entertainment interface, the navigation key can be used 3⁄4 / select button to enter the desired entertainment sub-interface; sub-interface includes chef style, video playback, TV viewing, games, Internet, e-book, karaoke;

 In each interface, a part of the interface can be used to display advertisements or help information; in each interface, when a certain dish ordered by the customer has been created, the kitchen system sends a "coming soon message" to the table partner. , the table partner displays the upcoming message on the screen;

 The table companion stores the actions and time of the customer's entire operation, and the data can be transmitted to the monitoring system for analyzing customer behavior;

The "disabled entertainment message" can be sent to the table partner through the monitoring system. After receiving the message, the table partner displays the message "Please dine" on the screen and closes the entertainment interface; When the table partner is idle, you can display natural landscape video or virtual fish tank; you can check the remaining power of each table partner through the monitoring system, switch on and off for each table partner, and update the data of each table partner. .

2. The table companion and information system thereof according to claim 1, wherein: the communication circuit in the movement module comprises "control wireless network communication circuit", "broadband wireless network communication circuit" and "remote control wireless communication" The circuit "; part of the communication circuit can also be realized by the expansion module; the control wireless network communication circuit is used for transmitting the restaurant operation service data, the data includes the wireless ordering message and the service call message; the high-speed wireless network communication circuit is used for transmitting the multimedia data, Including Internet data and video data; when controlling the failure of the wireless network communication circuit, the broadband wireless network communication circuit is automatically used to transmit the restaurant operation service data.

3. The table companion and the information system thereof according to claim 1, wherein: the movement module of the table companion monitors the connection status of the remote controller at any time; when the remote controller is found to be invalid, the message is automatically displayed on the screen. The user is prompted to use the alternate input device to send a prompt message to the monitoring system; when the remote controller is found to be working, the message is automatically displayed on the screen, prompting the user to use the remote controller.