A system for managing performance of a service establishment, the service establishment having multiple servers and multiple customers. Each server has a server queue with zero or more customers. Servers take orders from customers when they reach the head of the server's queue. The system includes: an order input interface for obtaining orders from the servers as the servers take orders from the customers; one or more digital video cameras positioned and configured to capture video of the server queues; a public view monitor viewable by the customers; a management monitor viewable by one or more managers of the service establishment; and a customer tracking processor. The customer tracking processor is configured to: receive video of server queues; identify customers in the video data; track customer progress in the server queues; and calculate and display expected wait times of the server queues on the public view monitor.

A method and system for viral identification of evacuees are provided. The method is recursive and involves bringing an emergency warden and a midstream evacuee in close proximity with one another to enable a handheld computing device belonging to one of the two to read information from the other, enabling the handheld computing device to read the information, having the handheld computing device read the information to enable an identification of the midstream evacuee, providing the identifier of the midstream evacuee to a central mustering server, whereby the midstream evacuee is enabled to act as an emergency warden, and performing the method with the midstream evacuee acting as an emergency warden with respect to another evacuee before the central mustering server. The method provides the advantage of virally identifying evacuees within the confines of a muster point in an efficient and reliable manner.

A method and system for viral identification of evacuees are provided. The method is recursive and involves bringing an emergency warden and a midstream evacuee in close proximity with one another to enable a handheld computing device belonging to one of the two to read information from the other, enabling the handheld computing device to read the information, having the handheld computing device read the information to enable an identification of the midstream evacuee, providing the identifier of the midstream evacuee to a central mustering server, whereby the midstream evacuee is enabled to act as an emergency warden, and performing the method with the midstream evacuee acting as an emergency warden with respect to another evacuee before the central mustering server. The method provides the advantage of virally identifying evacuees within the confines of a muster point in an efficient and reliable manner.

A server (1) executes an acquisition process (S31) of acquiring, from a terminal device (3) of a visitor (A), information to be used for identifying a visit destination of the visitor, and a reception process (S4) to (S7) of notifying a to-be-visited person at the visit destination identified by use of the information acquired, of the visit of the visitor. The reception process includes an identification process (S4) of identifying the visit destination by use of the information acquired, and a display process (S5) of causing the terminal device to display a reception screen, for the visit destination, which receives an operation performed by the visitor.

A server (1) executes an acquisition process (S31) of acquiring, from a terminal device (3) of a visitor (A), information to be used for identifying a visit destination of the visitor, and a reception process (S4) to (S7) of notifying a to-be-visited person at the visit destination identified by use of the information acquired, of the visit of the visitor. The reception process includes an identification process (S4) of identifying the visit destination by use of the information acquired, and a display process (S5) of causing the terminal device to display a reception screen, for the visit destination, which receives an operation performed by the visitor.

A weighing system for a retail grocery environment is provided. The system includes a scale device with a weighing station and a scale device controller associated with the weighing station for determining a price of an item based upon the item weight, wherein the scale device further includes a first wireless transmitter/receiver associated with the scale controller. A portable, wireless communication module is carried by a scale operator, the wireless communication module including a display screen, a module controller with a memory, at least one operator control input and a second wireless transmitter/receiver.

A weighing system for a retail grocery environment is provided. The system includes a scale device with a weighing station and a scale device controller associated with the weighing station for determining a price of an item based upon the item weight, wherein the scale device further includes a first wireless transmitter/receiver associated with the scale controller. A portable, wireless communication module is carried by a scale operator, the wireless communication module including a display screen, a module controller with a memory, at least one operator control input and a second wireless transmitter/receiver.

A queue analyzing method is applied to an image monitoring apparatus for determining whether a rear object belongs to a queue of a front object. The queue analyzing method includes computing an angle difference and an interval between the rear object and the front object, transforming an original interval threshold into an amended interval threshold via the angle difference, comparing the interval with the amended interval threshold, and determining the rear object and the front object belong to the same queue when the interval is smaller than the amended interval threshold.

A queue analyzing method is applied to an image monitoring apparatus for determining whether a rear object belongs to a queue of a front object. The queue analyzing method includes computing an angle difference and an interval between the rear object and the front object, transforming an original interval threshold into an amended interval threshold via the angle difference, comparing the interval with the amended interval threshold, and determining the rear object and the front object belong to the same queue when the interval is smaller than the amended interval threshold.

A baggage handling system includes a multi-tiered carousel system, an input conveyor system, an output conveyor system and a control system. Each tier of the multi-tiered carousel system includes an array of addressable storage cells movable along a loop having a charge point and a discharge point. Each storage cell is configured to store a single baggage item. The input conveyor system transfers baggage items selectively to the addressable storage cells of the multiple tiers at the respective charge points, for storage therein. The output conveyor system retrieves baggage items selectively from the addressable storage cells of the multiple tiers at the respective discharge points and conveys the retrieved baggage items in a queue. The storage and retrieval of baggage items is controlled by the control system such that the retrieved baggage items are queued to conform to a determined sequence.