IMAGE BASED POS SYSTEM FOR THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY

Abstract

An image based POS system for the fast food industry, wherein the visualized order information is processed through an OCR, the HDMI port is used for video processing, data from a separate database (a server) is retrieved, and the products served by the premises are matched by one or more OCR images.

Claims

1. An image based POS system for the fast food industry, wherein: a. visualized order information is processed through an OCR, and b. the HDMI port is used for video processing, and c. data from a separate database (a server) is retrieved, and d. products served by the premises are matched by one or more OCR images.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0048] The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of particular applications of the invention and their requirements. The present invention can be configured as follows:

[0049] The POS systems currently used in the fast food industry initially receive the order from the customer. Thereafter, the order received is distributed as an image to one or more points in the premises for human perception. Currently, the POS systems used in the fast food industry is integrated, i.e. SAP, Oracle, AS400 or some other integrated structure runs the POS system.

[0050] This creates a problem down the road, because even if there is a single integrated structure initially—such as SAP, Oracle, or AS400—the integrated structure needs periodic updates and upgrades. Furthermore, if there is more than one data component, those components need to be able to talk to each other.

[0051] The present invention discloses an image based processing. In specific, the current invention discloses an OCR based processing.

[0052] The present invention relies on the fact that, existing POS systems at some point convert the order information to an image for human perception. In specific, the order of the customer, for example, may be punched in by an employee at the register, which is then relayed back to the sandwich station and the beverages station. At that point, the order information is visualized, for example, as a screen image for employees, i.e. for human perception. This is the point where the current invention distinguishes from prior art.

[0053] Currently, the existing art tries to integrate different database languages and different protocols through regular electronic integration, which creates many technical problems as detailed above.

[0054] The current invention discloses that such visualized order information can be processed through an OCR, thereby eliminating the need for direct electronic integration.

[0055] In specific, the current invention discloses that the HDMI port can be used for video processing.

[0056] The current invention further discloses a video interface.

[0057] An embodiment of the invention comprises a separate database (i.e., a server) within the disclosed machine. The machine retrieves the data from this server and carries out the transaction. For example, during the set up, the disclosed machine creates a list of the beverages served by the restaurant on its server and matches one or more OCR images with each beverage. Thereby, for every beverage-including-order image retrieved from the HDMI port by the OCR, there exists a corresponding beverage, which the disclosed machine further processes. Similarly, there is a list for sandwiches. This separate database allows swift adaptability in case a new item is introduced by the restaurant. In the prior art, the addition of a new item potentially requires updates and upgrades in different databases and programming languages.

[0058] In this application, the terminology ‘embodiment’ can be used to describe any aspect, feature, process or step, any combination thereof, and/or any portion thereof, etc. While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modifications and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure come within known or customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and may be applied to the essential features herein before set forth. Further it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the objects of the present invention have been achieved by providing the above invention. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the terminology of the above description and the legal equivalents thereof.