Order fulfillment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11748827-B2
Application number	US-201916533336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2019
Priority date	Aug 6, 2018
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

Foodservice customer order fulfillment includes an identifier is associated to a package. A customer order of an ordered item is received at an order fulfillment system. An indication of the ordered item is stored in association to the identifier in the order fulfillment system. The identifier associated to the package is read at a reader associated with a dispenser of at least one ingredient. The identifier is communicated from the reader to the order fulfillment system. A dispenser receives a dispense instruction from the order fulfillment system and operates to dispense at least one ingredient.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of foodservice customer order fulfillment, the method comprising:
associating an identifier to a package;
receiving a customer order comprising an ordered item at an order fulfillment system, wherein the ordered item comprises at least a first ingredient and a second ingredient;
storing an indication of the ordered item in association to the identifier in the order fulfillment system, wherein the stored indication of the ordered item comprises an identification of the first ingredient and the second ingredient;
reading the identifier at a first reader associated with a first dispenser configured to dispense the first ingredient;
communicating the identifier to the order fulfillment system;
receiving a first dispense instruction from the order fulfillment system at the first dispenser configured to dispense the first ingredient;
operating the first dispenser configured to dispense the first ingredient according to the first dispense instruction to dispense the first ingredient;
communicating a first confirmation, indicative of the dispense of the first ingredient, to the order fulfillment system from the first dispenser configured to dispense the first ingredient;
subsequently reading the identifier at a second reader associated with a second dispenser configured to dispense the second ingredient;
communicating the identifier to the order fulfillment system;
receiving a second dispense instruction from the order fulfillment system at the second dispenser configured to dispense the second ingredient;
operating the second dispenser configured to dispense the second ingredient according to the second dispense instruction to dispense the second ingredient;
communicating a second confirmation, indicative of the dispense of the second ingredient, to the order fulfillment system from the second dispenser configured to dispense the second ingredient; and
tracking a completion of assembly of the ordered item with the first confirmation and the second confirmation against the identification of the first ingredient and the second ingredient of the customer order in the order fulfillment system; and
verifying at the order fulfillment system that assembly of the ordered item is complete when the first and second ingredients are confirmed with received confirmations which comprise the first confirmation and the second confirmation.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing the first indication of the dispensed first ingredient at the order fulfillment system.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining if the second ingredient of the second dispenser associated with the second reader has dispensed in the assembly of the ordered item by referencing the tracked completion of the ordered item assembly, wherein upon determining the second ingredient has not been dispensed, the order fulfillment system provides the second dispense instruction to the second dispenser configured to dispense the second ingredient.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining if the second ingredient of the second dispenser associated with the second reader has dispensed in the assembly of the ordered item by referencing the tracked completion of the ordered item assembly, wherein upon determining the second ingredient has already been dispensed, producing a perceptible notification.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein tracking the completion of the ordered item assembly comprises updating a customer order record with the first confirmation and the second confirmation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein verifying that assembly of the ordered item is complete further comprises, upon determining the ordered item is not complete, producing a perceptible notification of a next remaining ingredient to be dispensed to complete the assembly of the ordered item.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein verifying that assembly of the ordered item is complete further comprises, upon determining the ordered item is complete, producing a perceptible notification to a customer that the ordered item is complete.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising obtaining payment for the ordered item from the customer.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received customer order identifies the ordered item and further comprising identifying the plurality of ingredients of the ordered item with the order fulfillment system.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the customer order is received from a customer through a mobile device operated by the customer in communicative connection to the order fulfillment system.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the package is a reusable package with an identifier and further comprising receiving a change to the ordered item associated with the identifier stored at the order fulfillment system.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifier is represented on the package as a quick response code.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifier is represented on the package as an RFID tag.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first dispenser is configured to dispense at least one of creamer, sugar, flavoring, sauces, baked goods, or protein.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first dispenser and the second dispenser are each a part of a plurality of dispensers within a dispensing system, wherein the first dispenser is configured to dispense a different ingredient than the second dispenser.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the dispensing system comprises at least one of a sauce dispenser, a produce dispenser, a beverage component dispenser, or a toasted baked good dispenser.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ordered item is a first ordered item and the identifier is a first identifier and the received customer order comprises a second ordered item comprising the first ingredient and the second ingredient, and wherein the method further comprises:
associating a second identifier to a second package;
storing an indication of the second ordered item in association to the second identifier in the order fulfillment system, wherein the stored indication of the second ordered item comprises an identification of the first ingredient and the second ingredient;
reading the second identifier at the first reader associated with the first dispenser;
communicating the second identifier to the order fulfillment system;
receiving a third dispense instruction at the first dispenser from the order fulfillment system;
operating the first dispenser according to the third dispense instruction to dispense the first ingredient;
communicating a third confirmation, indicative of the dispense of the first ingredient, to the order fulfillment system from the first dispenser;
subsequently reading the second identifier at the second reader associated with the second dispenser;
communicating the second identifier to the order fulfillment system;
receiving a fourth dispense instruction at the second dispenser from the order fulfillment system;
operating the second dispenser according to the fourth dispense instruction to dispense the second ingredient of the plurality of ingredients;

communicating a fourth confirmation, indicative of the dispense of the second ingredient, to the order fulfillment system from the second dispenser; tracking a completion of a second ordered item assembly; and
tracking a completion of assembly of the customer order against the indications of the first ordered item and the second ordered item stored in the order fulfillment system; and
verifying, at the order fulfillment

Assignees

• Marmon Foodservice Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Bertness Elizabeth
• Veltrop Loren

Classifications

• G06Q50/12 Primary

  Hotels or restaurants · CPC title

• G06Q20/18

  involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals · CPC title

• G06Q20/322

  Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices] · CPC title

• G06Q30/0621 Primary

  by configuring or customising goods or services · CPC title

• G06Q30/0635

  replenishment orders; recurring orders · CPC title