Hospitality Services Processing System

Abstract

Systems and methods for automated hospitality services in a lodging facility. A hospitality services processing system comprises a kiosk and a hospitality services management system. The hospitality management system interacts with an automated kiosk terminal in a hotel via a network to allow a user to complete a variety of hospitality services such as a check in or out process without the need for assistance by hotel staff. The kiosk captures biometric or identification credential information to confirm an existing reservation from a hotel reservation database. The system is configured to accept and process payment and provide hotel room key cards. A method of using the system and kiosk is also provided.

Claims

1. A hospitality services processing system for a lodging facility comprising: a kiosk terminal for allowing a user to access lodging facility hospitality services; a hospitality services management system configured to: receive biometric data captured by the kiosk terminal; receive personal identifying information from an identification credential captured by the kiosk terminal; compare the captured biometric data and the personal identifying information to a database comprising existing reservations; confirm an existing reservation of the user; and allow the user to complete a check-in process.

2. The hospitality services processing system of claim 1, wherein the kiosk terminal comprises at least one biometric capture component and an identification credential capture component.

3. The hospitality services processing system of claim 1, wherein the biometric data captured by the kiosk terminal is a fingerprint or an image of the user's face.

4. The hospitality services processing system of claim 1, wherein the kiosk terminal comprises a key card dispensing component.

5. The hospitality services processing system of claim 1, wherein the hospitality services management system is further configured to process a payment input into the kiosk terminal.

6. The hospitality services processing system of claim 1, wherein the hospitality services management system is further configured to allow the user to complete an additional hospitality service.

7. The hospitality services processing system of claim 1, wherein the hospitality services management system is further configured to complete a check-out process.

8. A kiosk terminal for assisting a guest with a hospitality service for a lodging facility, comprising: an interactive display screen; at least one biometric capture component; an identification credential capture component; a payment processing component for accepting payment; and a key card dispensing component for dispensing a room key card.

9. The kiosk terminal of claim 8, wherein the hospitality service is completing an automated hotel check-in process.

10. The kiosk terminal of claim 8, wherein the hospitality service is completing an automated hotel check-out process.

11. The kiosk terminal of claim 8, wherein the least one biometric capture component is a camera equipped with facial recognition.

12. The kiosk terminal of claim 8, wherein least one biometric capture component is a fingerprint scanner.

13. The kiosk terminal of claim 8, wherein the identification credential capture component comprises a reader configured to capture data from a driver's license, a passport, a government identification card, a military identification card, a hotel rewards card, or a state identification card.

14. The kiosk terminal of claim 8, wherein the key card component electronically or magnetically encodes the room key card.

15. The kiosk terminal of claim 8, wherein the key card component prints the room key card.

16. The kiosk terminal of claim 8 further comprising a printer for printing a receipt.

17. A computer implemented method for automated access to hospitality services in a temporary lodging, the method comprising: using a kiosk terminal to access an existing reservation; capturing personally identifying information of the user; comparing the captured personally identifying information of the user to the existing reservation; confirming the existing reservation based on the captured personally identifying information of the user; and permitting the user to complete a check-in process.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein completing the check-in process comprises providing payment information and printing at least one hotel key card.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the captured personally identifying information is a biometric identification or an identification credential.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising permitting the user to complete a check-out process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:

[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a diagrammatic view of one embodiment of a hospitality services processing system for a lodging facility of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture.

[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a kiosk terminal for assisting a guest with a hospitality service for a lodging facility of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture.

[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of computer implemented method for automated access to hospitality services in a temporary lodging the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They do not intend as an exhaustive description of the invention or do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.

[0021] The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is an automated hospitality services processing system. The system features a kiosk housing a facial recognition component and fingerprint scanner which work in conjunction to validate a user's identity before delivering hotel room cards and receiving payment information. The kiosk further includes a printing dispenser for distributing one or more hotel key cards for the customer. The system allows users to check in and out of the hotel without other staff intervention, saving time and effort for both guests and hotel employees.

[0022] The system comprises a computer, a camera, a payment processor, a fingerprint scanner, and a card printer all housed within an external main body housing. The camera and fingerprint scanner work in conjunction to identify the guest via a fingerprint or facial recognition. The payment processor allows payment for the room to be made while recording personal information from an identification credential of the guest. The card printer may print and dispense one or more hotel room cards for the guest thus allowing users to quickly check in and out of the hotel. Replacement room cards may be distributed in a similar manner and all such cards may be returned via a slot in the external main body housing. The system improves the check in and out process for the guest without the need to interact with the front desk staff.

[0023] Referring initially to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a diagrammatical illustration of a hospitality services processing system 100 for use in a lodging facility. The hospitality services processing system 100 may be used at any kind of temporary lodging facility, such as, but not limited to, a hotel, a motel, an inn, a bed and breakfast, a resort, or any similar housing configured to accommodate overnight guests on a temporary basis. The hospitality services processing system 100 allows for automated guest check-in, check-out, and other hospitality service requests, such as, but not limited to, making a restaurant reservation, requesting transportation, requesting room service, requesting a wake-up call, or requesting another guest service.

[0024] The hospitality services processing system 100 comprises a kiosk terminal 110. The kiosk terminal 110 is configured to allow a user to access lodging facility hospitality services directly from the kiosk terminal 110 without the need for employee assistance from the lodging facility. The kiosk terminal 110 is configured to capture biometric and personally identifying information from an identification credential, accept payment information, and provide a room key card once a check-in process is complete. The kiosk terminal 110 may also be configured to provide interaction in a plurality of different languages.

[0025] The hospitality services processing system 100 further comprises a hospitality services management system 150. The hospitality services management system 150 comprises a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of software instructions configured to accept inputs from the kiosk terminal 110 including captured biometric data and personally identifying information from the identification credential via a network 170. The network 170 connects the kiosk terminal 110 to the hospitality services management system 150. The network 170 may be any of a number of private or public communications mechanisms such as the Internet, a local intranet, a Personal Area Network, a Local Area Network, a Wide Area Network, a Virtual Private Network, or the like. When the kiosk terminal 110 is connected to the hospitality services management system 150 via the network 170, the set of executable software instructions allows the hospitality services management system 150 to perform the functions and methods of the present invention. The hospitality services management system 150 then compares the captured biometric data and the personal identifying information to a database 160 comprising existing reservations and confirms an existing reservation of the user. The captured biometric data may comprise a fingerprint, an image of the user's face, a retinal scan, or the like.

[0026] Next, the hospitality services management system 150 is further configured to accept and process a payment input via the kiosk terminal 110. The hospitality services management system 150 is further configured to instruct the kiosk terminal 110 to encode or print and dispense at least one room key card and allow the user to complete an automated check-in process. The hospitality services management system 150 is further configured to complete payment, accept a returned room key card, and allow the user to complete an automated check-out process. Additionally, the hospitality services management system 150 may be further configured to allow the user to complete an additional hospitality service. The additional hospitality service may comprise making a restaurant reservation, amending an existing reservation, requesting transportation, requesting room service, requesting a wake-up call, dispensing additional room key cards, or requesting another guest related service.

[0027] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the kiosk terminal 110 comprises a housing 112 and a display screen 114. The display screen 114 is an interactive display screen that is integrated into the housing 114. The kiosk terminal may be further equipped with a speaker or headphone (not shown) for voice interaction. The kiosk terminal 110 further comprises at least one biometric capture component 116 integrated into the housing 112. The at least one biometric capture component 116 is configured to capture biometric data including a fingerprint, an image of the user's face, or a retinal scan. The at least one biometric capture component 116 may comprise a camera 118 equipped with facial recognition capability or a fingerprint scanner/reader 120. The captured biometric data is then processed by the hospitality services management system 150 to help confirm the existing reservation.

[0028] The kiosk terminal 110 further comprises an identification credential capture component 122. The identification credential capture component 122 comprises a reader configured to scan or capture data from an identification credential. The identification credential may be a driver's license, a passport, a government identification card, a military identification card, a hotel rewards card, a state identification card, or other credentialed identification. The captured identification credential data is then processed by the hospitality services management system 150 to help confirm the existing reservation.

[0029] Next, the kiosk terminal 110 further comprises a payment processing component 124. The payment processing component 124 accepts payment or payment instructions from the user via a currency acceptor 126, a credit/debit card reader 128 and keypad 130, or an on-line payment process. The payment may be processed immediately by the hospitality services management system 150 or stored in the database 160 until check-out.

[0030] The kiosk terminal 110 further comprises a room key card dispensing component 132. The room key card dispensing component 132 is typically a key card encoder or printer 134. The key card encoder or printer 134 electronically or magnetically encodes the room key card as instructed by the hospitality services management system 150. Alternatively, the key card encoder or printer 134 prints the room key card. The room key card is then dispensed to the user via the room key card dispensing component 132. Alternatively, or additionally, the room key card dispensing component 132 may provide a scan code, bar code, Q-code, or the like, that is uploadable to the user's smart phone to be used in place of a physical key card.

[0031] The kiosk terminal 110 further comprises a printer 136 and a room key card disposal component 138. As the check-in or check-out is completed, the printer 136 is configured to print a receipt or other directions as instructed by the hospitality services management system 150. Used room key cards may then be placed within the secure room key card disposal component 138 for disposal. The room key card disposal component 138 may be configured to physically destroy or electronically disable the room key cards as desired.

[0032] In an additional embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 3, a computer implemented method 200 is provided for automated access to hospitality services in a temporary lodging. The method begins at 202 when a user engages a kiosk terminal 110 located in the temporary lodging to access an existing reservation. At 204, the kiosk terminal 110 uses at least one biometric capture component 116 or an identification credential capture component 122 to capture personally identifying information (P.I.I.). The captured personally identifying information may be biometric information including a fingerprint or an image of the user's face captured at 206 by the at least one biometric capture component 116. The captured personally identifying information may also be identification credential data captured at 208 by the identification credential capture component 122.

[0033] At 210, the captured personally identifying information of the user is compared to the existing reservation stored in a database 160 by a hospitality services management system 150 in communication with the kiosk terminal 110 via a network 170. Once the existing reservation is confirmed based on the captured personally identifying information of the user at 212, the user is permitted to complete a check-in process at 214. The check-in process may comprise accepting or holding a payment at 216 and encoding or printing and dispensing a room key card at 218. The method then may end at 230.

[0034] Alternatively, the method may continue at 220 where the user may access an additional hospitality service. The additional hospitality service may comprise making a restaurant reservation, amending an existing reservation, requesting transportation, requesting room service, requesting a wake-up call, dispensing additional room key cards, or requesting another guest service. The method may further comprise completing a check-out at 222. At 224, the user may view and review a bill via a display screen 114 of the kiosk terminal 110. At 226, the hospitality services management system 150 may confirm and complete payment entered via a payment processing component 124 of the kiosk terminal 110. And at 228, the user may deposit used room key cards in a room key card disposal component 130 of the kiosk terminal 110 for safe disposal. The method then ends at 230 as before once check-out is complete.

[0035] It is contemplated that the hospitality services processing system 100 and method 200 of using the hospitality services processing system 100 constructed in accordance with the present invention will be tailored and adjusted by those of ordinary skill in the art to accommodate various levels of performance demand imparted during actual use. Accordingly, while this invention has been described by reference to certain specific embodiments and examples, it will be understood that this invention is capable of further modifications. This application is, therefore, intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the invention following the general principles thereof, and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and fall within the limits of the appended claims.

[0036] What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term includes is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term comprising as comprising is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.