Self-service hot food machine and hot food machine automatic meal dispensing method

Abstract

The application relates to a self-service hot food machine and a hot food machine automatic meal dispensing method, and relates to the technical field of hot food meal box automatic vending equipment, which comprises a hot food machine body, a storage groove and a meal dispensing opening are formed in the hot food machine body, a plurality of meal box storage rack layers are rotationally arranged in the storage groove for layer-by-layer storage of meal boxes, the meal dispensing opening is used for placing heated food for meal dispensing, a meal box selecting mechanism is slidably connected to the inner wall of the storage groove and is provided with a scanner for scanning meal boxes and selecting corresponding meal boxes, at least two heating mechanisms are arranged, the at least two heating mechanisms are used for placing meal boxes and microwave heating, a meal box temporary storage mechanism is slidably connected to the inner wall of the storage groove, the meal box temporary storage mechanism slides between two adjacent heating mechanisms, the meal box temporary storage mechanism is provided with a plurality of storage compartments, and the storage compartments are used for temporarily storing heated meal boxes. The application has the effect that after a user purchases a food meal box, the user can quickly dispense a meal within a specific time period according to needs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of automatic hot food vending equipment, and in particular to a self-service hot food machine and a method for automatically dispensing hot food from the machine. Background Technology

[0002] A self-service hot food machine is an automatic food vending machine that automatically sells and heats food containers. It can be used in public places such as shopping malls, office buildings, and train stations.

[0003] In related technologies, after a user places an order by scanning a QR code, the self-service hot food machine uses a robotic arm to grab the food containers from the shelf in the order of the order and transfer them to the heating device for heating. Once the food container is heated, the robotic arm takes it out and places it at the food dispensing outlet. The user can then take the food container from the outlet and then heat and take out another food container.

[0004] In the aforementioned technologies, when the number of users placing orders at the self-service hot food machine increases, the method of heating the food containers one by one before serving them results in a slower food service efficiency and a poor experience for users. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to enable users to quickly receive meals within a specific time period after purchasing food containers, this application provides a self-service hot food machine and an automatic meal dispensing method for the hot food machine.

[0006] In the first aspect, this application provides a self-service hot food machine, which adopts the following technical solution: A self-service hot food machine includes: The main body of the hot food machine has a storage slot and a food dispensing port. The storage slot has multiple food container storage racks that are rotatably arranged for storing food containers layer by layer. The food dispensing port is for putting heated food in and dispensing it. A lunchbox selection mechanism is slidably connected to the inner wall of the storage slot and is equipped with a scanner for scanning lunchboxes and selecting the corresponding lunchbox; The heating mechanism is provided in at least two, and the at least two heating mechanisms are used for placing the food container into the microwave heating. A lunchbox storage mechanism is slidably connected to the inner wall of the storage slot. The lunchbox storage mechanism slides between two adjacent heating structures. The lunchbox storage mechanism is provided with multiple storage compartments for temporary storage of heated lunchboxes.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, after at least two heating mechanisms heat the selected lunch boxes, the lunch boxes are temporarily stored in the storage compartment. This allows multiple lunch boxes that are to be served at adjacent times to be temporarily stored after heating and served at any time according to the user's needs. There is no need to wait for the currently heated lunch box to be served before heating another lunch box. This helps to improve the user experience by allowing users to purchase lunch boxes for heating and serve meals in a timely manner.

[0008] Secondly, this application provides an automatic meal dispensing method for a self-service hot food machine, applied to the aforementioned self-service hot food machine, employing the following technical solution: A method for automatically dispensing meals from a self-service hot food machine includes: Step S1: Collect the location information and food information of the lunch boxes on the lunch box storage shelf, obtain user order information, and count the number of heated lunch boxes; Step S2: Sort the user order information and analyze whether the remaining temporary storage quantity of the storage compartment meets the preset first allocation condition, the first allocation condition being that the remaining temporary storage quantity is greater than the number of heated food containers; Step S3: If the first allocation condition is met, the food containers are selected and heated according to the order sorting, container location information, and food information. Step S4: If the first allocation condition is not met, the order sorting is optimized and adjusted according to the preset priority sorting method, and the lunch boxes are selected and heated according to the optimized order sorting. Step S5: Obtain the user's meal pick-up request and instruct the meal box selection mechanism to deliver the heated meal box to the food dispensing port.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution, when selecting and heating lunch boxes according to order order, the corresponding number of lunch boxes to be heated is analyzed. When the remaining temporary storage quantity in the storage compartment is sufficient to temporarily store the number of lunch boxes to be heated, the corresponding lunch boxes are selected and heated so that the heated lunch boxes can be temporarily stored for a predetermined time and can be retrieved in time when the user picks up the food. In addition, the system can optimize the order sorting based on the remaining temporary storage quantity, so that food containers that require different heating times can be reordered and adjusted, allowing them to be taken out quickly after heating, and avoiding the occupation and waste of storage compartments due to long waiting times for food pickup.

[0010] Optionally, the priority sorting method in step S4 includes: Analyze the food information in the lunchbox to determine the optimal storage time for the lunchbox to achieve the best taste after heating; Analyze whether the optimal temporary storage time meets the second allocation condition, which is whether the optimal temporary storage time is greater than that of the adjacent food containers; If the conditions are met, stop adjusting the current order sorting of the meal boxes; If the conditions are not met, the order ranking of the lunch boxes will be adjusted up or down based on the comparison of the optimal storage time, until the optimal storage time of all lunch boxes in the order ranking is arranged from high to low. Orders sorted from highest to lowest will be marked as optimized order sorting.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution and analyzing the temporary storage time of the food in the lunchbox after heating, the heating order of the lunchboxes in the order sorting can be adjusted so that the lunchboxes with a relatively long temporary storage time can be heated in advance, and the other lunchboxes whose taste deteriorates significantly with time after heating can be heated later, which helps to ensure that the food has a good taste when users pick up the food later.

[0012] Optionally, the method in step S3 further includes: Collect and analyze users' historical order parameters to determine users' on-time pickup rate and users' ordering activity. The user's activity level is determined by matching them based on their order activity level and a preset activity level. If a user's activity level is higher than the preset base level, then the users' on-time pickup rate will be sorted from highest to lowest to determine the order of on-time pickup users. The order sorting is replaced by the order sorting of users who pick up their meals on time, and the meal boxes are selected and heated according to the replaced order sorting.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, we analyze the orders of users with high user activity levels and analyze the on-time pickup of active users. We then sort the orders according to their on-time pickup rate to replace the order of previously generated orders. This allows us to provide a reasonable heating time for the food containers of active users, enabling them to pick up their food quickly and promptly without affecting the waiting time of other new users, thus improving the user experience for different users.

[0014] Optionally, the method for selecting the food container in step S3 includes: The height and orientation of the lunchbox are determined based on the location information of the lunchbox. Analyze whether the orientation of the lunchbox is the same as the preset orientation of the lunchbox selection mechanism; If they are the same, the lunchbox selection mechanism is instructed to move according to the height of the lunchbox and scan and verify the lunchbox. When the food information in the lunchbox matches the user's order information, the lunchbox is picked up. If they are not the same, the minimum rotation angle between the lunchbox orientation and the preset selected orientation is analyzed, and the lunchbox storage shelf is instructed to rotate at the minimum rotation angle, and the lunchbox selection mechanism is instructed to move to the lunchbox height to grab the lunchbox.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, when selecting a lunchbox on the lunchbox storage shelf, the lunchbox storage shelf corresponding to the user's order information is rotated and adjusted so that when the lunchbox storage shelf rotates within the minimum rotation angle, the lunchbox can be rotated to an orientation that facilitates the lunchbox selection mechanism, thereby reducing the time spent on lunchbox selection and enabling the corresponding lunchbox to be selected accurately.

[0016] Optionally, the method described in step S1 further includes: The food shelf life of the lunch boxes placed layer by layer on the lunch box storage shelf is analyzed to find the lunch boxes that are about to expire and their locations. Based on the position of the near-expiry lunchbox and the preset orientation, the rotation angle is analyzed to determine the adjustment angle of the lunchbox when it is rotated to the preset orientation. Based on the analysis of user orders, the storage shelf for lunch boxes that do not require selection is determined, and the lunch box adjustment angle is rotated so that the orientation of the near-expiry lunch boxes is the same as the preset selection orientation.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the shelf life of lunch boxes on the storage shelf is analyzed and selected, and the lunch boxes that are close to their expiration date are automatically rotated to the preset selected direction. This allows for the priority sale of unexpired lunch boxes when purchasing lunch boxes in the future, reducing waste caused by expired lunch boxes.

[0018] Optionally, the method described in step S1 further includes: The food information and location of the lunch boxes are analyzed and recorded to generate lunch box distribution information on each of the lunch box storage shelf layers; If the food information of the lunch boxes on the same lunch box storage rack corresponds to different types of lunch boxes, the lunch boxes of different types will be marked to determine when to exchange them. The lunch boxes are swapped according to the preset swapping method until all lunch boxes on the same lunch box storage shelf are of the same type, and a food shelf life analysis prompt is issued. This analysis is based on the food shelf life analysis results.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, the types and locations of lunch boxes on each storage shelf are analyzed, and the lunch boxes on the corresponding storage shelves are replaced. This ensures that all lunch boxes on the same storage shelf belong to the same type, so that the storage shelves do not need to be rotated and adjusted multiple times during sales, improving the efficiency of lunch box selection. At the same time, it can reduce the time spent by staff to distinguish lunch boxes of the same type when putting them in, which helps to improve the efficiency of staff in storing lunch boxes.

[0020] Optionally, the swapping method includes: The food container storage rack layers are sorted by height to determine the rack number of each layer. Search sequentially according to the storage shelf number to identify the same type of replacement lunch box on adjacent storage shelf layers; The lunch boxes closest to the heating mechanism are marked with storage rack numbers to determine the target storage rack; Move the remaining lunch boxes on the target storage shelf to the preset exchange space, and exchange the remaining lunch boxes of the same type outside the target storage shelf to the target storage shelf; Stop exchanging lunch boxes when all lunch boxes on the same shelf are of the same type.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, the lunch boxes are searched according to the storage shelf number, and the lunch boxes that are closest to the target storage shelf are found. Other lunch boxes are then moved to the empty spaces for exchange, so that other lunch boxes can be moved to the target storage shelf. This ensures that all lunch boxes on the storage shelf are of the same type, making it easy to adjust the near-expiry lunch boxes to the preset orientation without needing to make further adjustments.

[0022] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0023] After at least two heating mechanisms heat the selected lunchboxes, the lunchboxes are temporarily stored in storage compartments. This allows multiple lunchboxes that will be served at adjacent times to be temporarily stored after heating and served as needed by the user, eliminating the need to wait for one lunchbox to be served before heating another. This improves the user experience by ensuring that lunchboxes are heated and served promptly. When lunchboxes are selected and heated according to order order, the number of lunchboxes to be heated is analyzed. If the remaining storage compartment has enough space to temporarily store the required number of lunchboxes, then the corresponding lunchboxes are selected and heated. This ensures that the heated lunchboxes are temporarily stored for a predetermined period and can be retrieved promptly when the user needs to collect their meal. When selecting lunchboxes from the lunchbox storage shelf, the shelf corresponding to the user's order information is rotated. This allows the shelf to rotate within a minimum rotation angle, aligning the lunchboxes for easy selection by the lunchbox selection mechanism. This reduces the time required for selection and ensures accurate selection of the correct lunchbox. Attached Figure Description Figure 1 This is a partial structural diagram of the self-service hot food machine described in this application.

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1A side view of the structure of a self-service hot food machine.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of steps S1 to S5 in this application.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of steps S41 to S45 in this application.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of steps S31 to S34 in this application.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of steps S301 to S304 in this application.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of steps S11 to S13 in this application.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of steps S111 to S114 in this application.

[0031] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of steps S1131 to S1135 in this application.

[0032] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Main body of the hot food machine; 11. Storage slot; 111. First storage slot; 112. Second storage slot; 113. Connecting port; 12. Food dispensing port; 13. Food container storage rack layer; 14. Rotating shaft; 2. Food container selection mechanism; 21. Scanner; 22. Support frame; 3. Heating mechanism; 31. Base plate; 32. Microwave heating cover; 4. Food container temporary storage mechanism; 41. Storage compartment. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the purpose, technical solution, and advantages of this application clearer, the following description is provided in conjunction with the appendix. Figure 1-9 The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the application.

[0034] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] On the one hand, this application discloses a self-service hot food machine, referring to... Figure 1 and Figure 2The self-service hot food machine includes a main body 1, a food container selection mechanism 2, a heating mechanism 3, and a food container storage mechanism 4. The main body 1 has a storage slot 11 and a food dispensing port 12. Multiple food container storage racks 13 are rotatably arranged in the storage slot 11 for storing food containers. The food container selection mechanism 2 is slidably connected to the storage slot 11 and is adjacent to the food container storage racks 13. The food container selection mechanism 2 is equipped with a scanner to scan the food containers, thereby selecting the corresponding food containers and transmitting them to the heating mechanism 3. The heating mechanism 3 is located in the storage slot 11 and heats the food containers placed therein using microwaves. The food container storage mechanism 4 has multiple storage compartments 41 for taking out and temporarily storing heated food containers, so that heated food containers can be stored in an orderly manner until the user takes them out. Before the storage compartments 41 are full, it can continuously heat food containers for other orders, improving the efficiency of food container heating and dispensing and reducing user waiting time.

[0036] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The storage compartment 11 includes a first storage compartment 111 and a second storage compartment 112, which are interconnected. Correspondingly, the lunch box selection mechanism 2 cooperates with the transmission screw to achieve vertical sliding. The lunch box selection mechanism 2 is equipped with a QR code scanner, which can scan the QR code on the lunch box to obtain the specific information of the lunch box. The lunch box is then removed from the storage rack 13 by inserting the support bracket 22 on the lunch box selection mechanism 2 into the bottom of the lunch box.

[0037] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 It should be further explained that a corresponding rotating shaft 14 is provided on the bottom side wall of the storage compartment 11. Multiple lunch box storage racks 13 are evenly distributed along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 14, and the multiple lunch box storage racks 13 and the rotating shaft 14 form a horizontal rotational connection, so that the lunch box storage racks 13 can rotate horizontally as needed, thereby rotating the lunch boxes in different positions to a position that is easy to remove.

[0038] Reference Figure 2 The lunchbox temporary storage mechanism 4 is located in the second storage slot 11. The lunchbox temporary storage mechanism 4 moves vertically through a corresponding transmission screw so that the storage compartment 41 can be aligned with the corresponding heating mechanism 3. The heated lunchbox is pushed onto the storage compartment 41 by a pre-set push rod for temporary storage.

[0039] Furthermore, at least two heating mechanisms 3 are provided. In this embodiment, two heating mechanisms 3 are used as an example. Both heating mechanisms 3 are located in the second storage slot 112 and are arranged vertically at intervals. The corresponding food dispensing port 12 is located between the two heating mechanisms 3. When the food container temporary storage mechanism 4 slides vertically, it can receive the food container heated by the two heating mechanisms 3 and dispensing the food when it moves to the middle position. Specifically, a connecting port 113 is provided between the first storage slot 111 and the second storage slot 112. The connecting port 113 allows the food container to move from the food container selection mechanism 2 to the heating mechanism 3 for heating. The heating mechanism 3 includes a base plate 31 and a microwave heating cover 32. The connecting port 113 is flush with the surface of the base plate 31, so that after the food container enters the upper surface of the base plate 31, the microwave heating cover 32 moves up and down in cooperation with a pre-set lifting screw, thereby covering the base plate 31 and the food container for microwave heating. After the food container is heated, the microwave heating cover 32 moves away from the base plate 31, and the food container selection mechanism 2 moves to the corresponding communication port 113 to remove the food container.

[0040] Secondly, based on the same inventive concept, and referring to... Figure 3 This invention provides an automatic meal dispensing method for a self-service hot food machine, applicable to the aforementioned self-service hot food machine.

[0041] The process of automatically dispensing meals using a self-service hot food machine includes the following steps: Step S1: Collect the location information and food information of the lunch boxes on the lunch box storage shelf, obtain user order information, and count the number of heated lunch boxes.

[0042] The food information section displays specific details about the lunchbox, including its type, price, and heating time. The location information indicates the lunchbox's coordinates and orientation on the storage shelf, determined by scanning and marking the lunchbox. The storage shelf has four orientations, each accommodating a specific number of lunchboxes. Scanning each shelf layer using a scanner on the lunchbox selection mechanism determines its current position, and analyzing the rotation angle reveals the new coordinates and orientation of the rotated lunchbox.

[0043] Step S2: Sort the user order information and analyze whether the remaining temporary storage quantity of the storage compartments meets the preset first allocation condition. The first allocation condition is that the remaining temporary storage quantity is greater than the number of heated food containers.

[0044] By collecting user order information and sorting it according to order time, the generated order number is defined as the order ranking. By detecting whether a storage compartment contains a lunchbox, the system can determine if a compartment is empty. The number of empty compartments is counted and defined as the remaining temporary storage quantity. The number of heated lunchboxes is the order quantity in the order ranking. By comparing the remaining temporary storage quantity with the number of heated lunchboxes, it can be determined whether there are enough storage compartments available for heating lunchboxes. A remaining temporary storage quantity greater than the number of heated lunchboxes is used as the primary allocation criterion for comparison and analysis.

[0045] Step S3: If the first allocation condition is met, the food containers are selected and heated according to the order sorting, container location information, and food information.

[0046] When the first allocation condition is met, it means that after heating the food containers corresponding to the current order quantity, there are enough storage compartments to temporarily store the food containers, which will not increase the waiting time for users to pick up their food later. At this time, the food containers can be selected and heated in an orderly manner according to the order order.

[0047] Step S4: If the first allocation condition is not met, the order sorting is optimized and adjusted according to the preset priority sorting method, and the lunch boxes are selected and heated according to the optimized order sorting.

[0048] When the first allocation condition is not met, it means that after selecting and heating the corresponding food containers, some containers cannot be temporarily stored. This will affect the timely dispensing of meals and cause inconvenience to users. In this case, the sorting needs to be optimized to form a new priority order, and the food containers will be heated according to the priority order, so that users can have a better dining experience when picking up their meals later. The specific optimization sorting method will be further detailed in subsequent steps.

[0049] Step S5: Obtain the user's meal pickup request and instruct the meal box selection mechanism to deliver the heated meal box to the serving port.

[0050] After the food container is heated, when a user sends a food pickup request via a mobile terminal, the food container selection mechanism moves the corresponding storage box to a position aligned with the food outlet and delivers the food container for the user to pick up. The food pickup request is made by using a pickup code or QR code on the mobile terminal.

[0051] In addition, when obtaining user order information, the following are also included: Analyze user order information to determine if it is an on-site order or a pre-order; If the order is placed on-site, the food container selection mechanism is instructed to immediately select the food container corresponding to the user's order information from the food container storage mechanism and place it into the heating mechanism for heating; If it is a pre-order, then step S2 is executed to analyze the first allocation condition to determine whether the first allocation condition is met.

[0052] Reference Figure 4 The priority sorting method in step S4 includes: Step S41: Analyze the optimal storage time for the food in the lunchbox to achieve the best taste after heating.

[0053] When prioritizing food items, considering the varying textures of different food containers after heating, and given insufficient storage space, priority should be given to heating and storing food items whose texture is less likely to change after heating. All containers in this priority order should be within the same pre-set pick-up time period. For example, if three containers are available for pick-up between 12:00 and 12:10, and one type of container has an optimal shelf life of 10 minutes after heating, then that container should be heated 10 minutes before 12:00. The optimal shelf life refers to the duration for which the food in a particular container will maintain its best taste after heating; this duration is set by staff based on actual conditions.

[0054] Step S42: Analyze whether the optimal temporary storage time meets the second allocation condition, which is whether the optimal temporary storage time is greater than that of the adjacent food containers.

[0055] By comparing the optimal storage time of two adjacent food containers in the order sequence, it can be determined which of the two adjacent food containers can be stored for a longer period after heating, thus deciding whether to change the heating order of the two food containers.

[0056] Step S43: If satisfied, stop adjusting the current order sorting of the meal boxes.

[0057] Step S44: If not satisfied, adjust the order ranking of lunch boxes by comparing the optimal storage time, until the optimal storage time of all lunch boxes in the order ranking is arranged from high to low.

[0058] When comparing the optimal storage time of adjacent food containers one by one, orders within the same food preparation time period are pre-selected and defined as orders in the same period. By comparing the optimal storage time of food containers in the same period order, the order ranking of orders with the optimal storage time from high to low can be determined. The order can be adjusted by moving the order up or down according to the order.

[0059] Step S45: Mark the orders sorted from high to low as optimized order sorting.

[0060] The order sorting after the order adjustment is completed is marked and defined as optimized order sorting, so that the meal boxes can be selected and heated according to the optimized order sorting in the future.

[0061] By executing steps S42 to S45, the temporary storage time of the food in the lunchbox after heating is analyzed, thereby adjusting the heating order of the lunchboxes in the user's order sorting. This allows lunchboxes with relatively long temporary storage time to be heated earlier, while other lunchboxes whose taste deteriorates significantly over time can be heated later, helping to ensure that the food has a good taste when the user picks up the food later.

[0062] Reference Figure 5 The method in step S3 further includes: Step S31: Collect and analyze historical order parameters of users to determine the on-time pickup rate and user ordering activity.

[0063] User historical order parameters represent order information generated when users purchase meal boxes through self-service hot food machines. This includes order quantity, purchase time, and meal box pickup time. By comparing and analyzing the meal box pickup time with the estimated pickup time, it can be determined whether users retrieved their meals within the estimated pickup time. Comparing the number of on-time pickups with the order quantity yields the on-time pickup rate, which is defined as the on-time pickup rate. Ordering activity is the number of times a user orders meal boxes from the self-service hot food machine within a set time period; the more orders a user makes, the higher their ordering activity.

[0064] Step S32: Match the user's order activity level with the preset activity level to determine the user's activity level.

[0065] Establish an activity level matching database, store different activity levels in the activity level matching database, and store the ordering activity corresponding to the activity level. By inputting the ordering activity, the user's activity level can be determined.

[0066] Step S33: If a user's activity level is greater than the preset base level, then sort the users' on-time pickup rate according to the order to determine the order of on-time pickup users.

[0067] The basic level indicates that users place fewer orders when dining through the hot food self-service machine. By comparing user activity levels, we can identify and filter out users with higher activity levels, and sort users with higher activity levels according to their pick-up time. This sorting is defined as the punctual pick-up user sorting.

[0068] Step S34: Replace the order sorting with the order sorting of users who pick up their meals on time, and select and heat the meals according to the replaced order sorting.

[0069] After knowing the order of users picking up their meals on time, we can compare the order of users picking up their meals on time with the order of orders to find out the difference between the order of users picking up their meals on time and the order of orders. Then, we can replace the order of users picking up their meals on time with the order of orders with the order of users picking up their meals on time. At this time, we can find out the users who can pick up their meals on time among the users picking up their meals in the same time period, and select the corresponding meal boxes and heat them up according to the order of orders that have been replaced.

[0070] By executing steps S31 to S34, the orders of users with high user activity levels are analyzed, and the on-time pickup of active users is analyzed. The orders are then sorted according to their on-time pickup rate to replace the order of previously generated orders. This allows for a reasonable heating time when heating the meals of active users, enabling them to pick up their meals quickly and promptly without affecting the waiting time of other new users, thus improving the user experience for different users.

[0071] Reference Figure 6 The method for selecting food containers in step S3 includes: Step S301: Analyze the location information of the lunchbox to determine the height and orientation of the lunchbox.

[0072] By analyzing the height of the lunchbox coordinates in the lunchbox location information, we can determine the corresponding height of the lunchbox's shelf. Furthermore, by analyzing the orientation of the lunchbox, we can determine its orientation. The purpose of analyzing the lunchbox's orientation and height is to facilitate subsequent lunchbox selection.

[0073] Step S302: Analyze whether the orientation of the lunchbox is the same as the preset orientation of the lunchbox selection mechanism.

[0074] The preset selection orientation indicates the direction towards which the food container is gripped by the food container selection mechanism. This orientation is set by staff based on the actual structure of the food container. Before selecting a food container, comparing its orientation with the preset selection orientation determines whether the container needs to be adjusted to be gripped and selected by the mechanism.

[0075] Step S303: If they are the same, instruct the lunchbox selection mechanism to move according to the height of the lunchbox and scan and verify the lunchbox. When the food information of the lunchbox and the user's order information correspond, grab the lunchbox.

[0076] When the orientation of the lunchbox is the same as the orientation of the selection, it means that the lunchbox can be selected directly. In this case, the lunchbox selection mechanism is instructed to move to the height of the lunchbox to grab it.

[0077] Step S304: If they are not the same, analyze the minimum rotation angle between the lunchbox orientation and the preset selected orientation, and instruct the lunchbox storage shelf to rotate at the minimum rotation angle, and instruct the lunchbox selection mechanism to move to the lunchbox height to grab the lunchbox.

[0078] When the orientation of the lunchbox differs from the selected orientation, it indicates that the lunchbox selection mechanism cannot directly move to the height of the lunchbox to remove it. Therefore, a rotation angle simulation is performed based on the orientation of the lunchbox to determine the required rotation angle when the orientation of the lunchbox is the same as the selected orientation, under clockwise and counterclockwise rotation. By comparing the two simulated angle values, the minimum rotation angle and corresponding rotation direction required for the lunchbox storage shelf can be determined. The lunchbox storage shelf is then instructed to rotate according to the minimum rotation angle and corresponding rotation direction. After the rotation is completed, the lunchbox selection mechanism is instructed to move to the height of the lunchbox and grab it for subsequent heating.

[0079] By executing steps S301 to S304, when selecting a lunchbox on the lunchbox storage shelf, the lunchbox storage shelf corresponding to the user's order information is rotated and adjusted so that when the lunchbox storage shelf rotates within the minimum rotation angle, the lunchbox can be rotated to an orientation that facilitates the lunchbox selection mechanism to select the lunchbox, thereby reducing the time spent on lunchbox selection and enabling the corresponding lunchbox to be selected accurately.

[0080] Reference Figure 7 The method in step S1 further includes: Step S11: Analyze the food shelf life information of the food containers placed layer by layer on the food container storage shelf to find the food containers nearing their expiration date and their locations.

[0081] By analyzing the food shelf life of the lunch boxes on each shelf, we can determine the shelf life of the lunch boxes on different shelves. Among them, lunch boxes nearing their expiration date are those that are close to their expiration date but have not yet expired. The location coordinates of the lunch boxes nearing their expiration date are marked and defined as their locations for subsequent analysis.

[0082] Step S12: Analyze the rotation angle based on the position of the near-expiry lunchbox and the preset selected orientation to determine the adjustment angle of the lunchbox when it is rotated to the preset selected orientation.

[0083] By analyzing the position of the near-expiry lunchbox and simulating the rotation angle by selecting the orientation, we can determine the angle that the near-expiry lunchbox needs to rotate to the same direction as the selected orientation. This angle is defined as the lunchbox adjustment angle.

[0084] Step S13: Analyze the user's order to determine the storage shelf layer for lunch boxes that do not require selection, and rotate the lunch box adjustment angle so that the orientation of the near-expiry lunch boxes is the same as the preset selection orientation.

[0085] By analyzing the storage shelves for lunchboxes that do not require retrieval, and rotating them according to the adjustment angle of the lunchboxes, lunchboxes nearing their expiration date can be pre-rotated to a more convenient gripping orientation.

[0086] By executing steps S11 to S13, the shelf life of the lunch boxes on the lunch box storage shelf is analyzed and selected. The lunch boxes that are close to their expiration date are then selected and automatically rotated to the preset selected direction. This allows the lunch boxes that are close to their expiration date to be sold first when purchasing the corresponding lunch boxes in the future, thereby reducing the waste caused by the expiration of the lunch boxes.

[0087] In addition, locating near-expiry meal boxes and their locations also includes: Analyze the expiration dates of near-expiration lunch boxes and mark them accordingly to identify expired lunch boxes; The system instructs a pre-defined food container selection mechanism to remove expired food containers from shelves and issues a replenishment warning message on a pre-defined replenishment date.

[0088] Reference Figure 8 The method in step S1 further includes: Step S111: Analyze and record the food information and location of the lunch boxes to generate lunch box distribution information on each lunch box shelf.

[0089] By analyzing the physical information and location information of the lunch boxes, we can record the different types of lunch boxes on the lunch box storage shelf and the distribution of the lunch box types. The information generated by integrating the lunch box types and locations is defined as lunch box distribution information.

[0090] Step S112: If the food information of the lunch boxes on the same lunch box storage shelf corresponds to different types of lunch boxes, then the lunch boxes of different types are marked to determine the lunch boxes to be exchanged.

[0091] Because lunchboxes are typically stacked together when stored, and are scanned before being placed on racks, some lunchboxes on the same rack may be different in order to expedite the process. Scanning the lunchboxes allows the system to analyze whether the food items in the food information of the lunchboxes on the same rack are the same. If they are different, the lunchboxes are marked as swapped. The box with the fewest swapped items is selected from the multiple swapped lunchboxes on the same rack for marking.

[0092] Step S113: Replace the lunch boxes according to the preset replacement method until the lunch boxes on the same lunch box storage shelf are of the same type, and issue a food shelf life analysis prompt.

[0093] The pre-set swapping method involves swapping the marked swapped lunchboxes on different lunchbox storage shelves. This method is used to swap lunchboxes between different shelves until all lunchboxes on the same shelf are of the same type. This ensures that when adjusting the near-expiry lunchboxes on the shelf later, the orientation of the near-expiry lunchboxes will not change due to different types of lunchboxes.

[0094] Step S114: Analyze the food shelf life based on the food shelf life analysis prompts.

[0095] When receiving a prompt for food shelf-life analysis, the system analyzes the food shelf-life of the lunchbox to determine its expiration date, which can then be used for subsequent analysis.

[0096] By executing steps S111 to S114, the types and locations of lunch boxes on each storage shelf are analyzed, and the lunch boxes on the corresponding shelves are replaced. This ensures that all lunch boxes on a uniform storage shelf belong to the same type, eliminating the need for multiple rotations and adjustments of the shelves during sales, thus improving the efficiency of lunch box selection. It also reduces the time-consuming task of staff individually separating lunch boxes of the same type when placing them in the shelves, thereby improving the efficiency of lunch box storage for staff. Reference Figure 9 The replacement methods include: Step S1131: Sort the lunchbox storage rack layers according to height to determine the storage rack serial number of the lunchbox storage rack layer.

[0097] When sorting the food container storage rack layers, sort them from highest to lowest height to generate sequential storage rack numbers, and define the sorted sequence number as the storage rack number.

[0098] Step S1132: Search sequentially according to the storage shelf number to determine the same type of replacement lunch box in adjacent storage shelf layers.

[0099] Before swapping lunch boxes, the system scans the shelves sequentially from smallest to largest according to their serial numbers to identify all lunch boxes that need to be swapped on the corresponding shelf, making it easier to select them during the swapping process.

[0100] Step S1133: Mark the storage rack number of the replacement lunch box that is closest to the heating mechanism to determine the target storage rack.

[0101] After determining the location of the lunchboxes to be swapped, a distance analysis based on height can be performed to identify the location with the shortest height distance when swapping lunchboxes sequentially according to the storage shelf number. The storage shelf layer where the lunchboxes need to be swapped is then marked and defined as the target storage shelf, representing the final storage shelf layer for all lunchboxes to be swapped.

[0102] Step S1134: Move the remaining lunch boxes on the target storage shelf to the preset exchange space, and exchange the remaining lunch boxes of the same type outside the target storage shelf to the target storage shelf.

[0103] The swap space is a storage location for empty meal boxes inside the self-service hot food machine. When swapping meal boxes from two different meal box storage shelves, the other meal boxes to be swapped are placed in the swap space in advance, and the corresponding meal boxes are swapped in sequence.

[0104] Step S1135: Stop exchanging lunch boxes when all lunch boxes on the same shelf are of the same type.

[0105] During the exchange, the sequence number of the exchanged storage shelves is marked sequentially to determine whether all shelves have been replaced. The exchange stops once all the exchanged lunch boxes on all storage shelves have been exchanged.

[0106] By executing step S1131: sorting the lunchbox storage rack layers by height to determine the rack number of the lunchbox storage rack layer, to step S1135, by searching according to the rack number, finding the lunchbox that is closest to the target storage rack, and moving the other lunchboxes to the empty slots, so that the other lunchboxes can be moved to the target storage rack, thus ensuring that the lunchboxes on the lunchbox storage rack layer are all of the same type, making it easy to adjust the near-expiry lunchboxes to the preset selected orientation without needing to make further adjustments.

[0107] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional modules is used as an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The specific working process of the system, device, and unit described above can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0108] This invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that can be loaded by a processor and executed to provide an automatic meal dispensing method for a self-service hot food machine.

[0109] Computer storage media include, for example, USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, optical disks, and other media that can store program code.

[0110] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present invention provide a smart terminal, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program that can be loaded by the processor and executed to provide an automatic meal dispensing method for a self-service hot food machine.

[0111] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional modules is used as an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The specific working process of the system, device, and unit described above can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0112] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any feature disclosed in this specification (including the abstract and drawings) may be replaced by other equivalent or similar features unless specifically stated otherwise. That is, unless specifically stated otherwise, each feature is only one example of a series of equivalent or similar features.

Claims

1. A self-service hot food machine, characterized in that, include: The main body (1) of the hot food machine has a storage slot (11) and a food outlet (12). The storage slot (11) is equipped with multiple food box storage racks (13) for storing food boxes layer by layer. The food outlet (12) is used to put heated food into the machine for serving. The lunch box selection mechanism (2) is slidably connected to the inner wall of the storage slot (11) and is equipped with a scanner for scanning lunch boxes and selecting the corresponding lunch boxes; Heating mechanism (3), at least two of which are provided, and at least two of the heating mechanisms (3) are used for placing the lunch box in and microwaving it; The lunch box storage mechanism (4) is slidably connected to the inner wall of the storage slot (11). The lunch box storage mechanism (4) is slidably between two adjacent heating mechanisms (3). The lunch box storage mechanism (4) is provided with multiple storage compartments (41). The storage compartments (41) are used for temporary storage of heated lunch boxes. The main body of the hot food machine is also equipped with a self-service hot food machine automatic food dispensing method, which is used to analyze user order information and optimize the order sorting according to a preset priority sorting method. Then, it selects and heats the food boxes on the storage rack and obtains the user's food pick-up request, and instructs the food box selection mechanism to deliver the heated food boxes to the food dispensing port. The priority sorting method includes: Analyze the food information in the lunchbox to determine the optimal storage time for the lunchbox to achieve the best taste after heating; Analyze whether the optimal temporary storage time meets the second allocation condition, which is whether the optimal temporary storage time is greater than that of the adjacent food containers; If the conditions are met, stop adjusting the current order sorting of the meal boxes; If the conditions are not met, the order ranking of the lunch boxes will be adjusted up or down based on the comparison of the optimal storage time, until the optimal storage time of all lunch boxes in the order ranking is arranged from high to low. Orders sorted from highest to lowest will be marked as optimized order sorting.

2. A method for automatically dispensing meals from a self-service hot food machine, applied to the self-service hot food machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, include: Step S1: Collect the location information and food information of the lunch boxes on the lunch box storage shelf, obtain user order information, and count the number of heated lunch boxes; Step S2: Sort the user order information and analyze whether the remaining temporary storage quantity of the storage compartment meets the preset first allocation condition, the first allocation condition being that the remaining temporary storage quantity is greater than the number of heated food containers; Step S3: If the first allocation condition is met, the food containers are selected and heated according to the order sorting, container location information, and food information. Step S4: If the first allocation condition is not met, the order sorting is optimized and adjusted according to the preset priority sorting method, and the lunch boxes are selected and heated according to the optimized order sorting. Step S5: Obtain the user's meal pick-up request and instruct the meal box selection mechanism to deliver the heated meal box to the food dispensing port.

3. The automatic meal dispensing method for a self-service hot food machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method in step S3 further includes: Collect and analyze users' historical order parameters to determine users' on-time pickup rate and users' ordering activity. The user's activity level is determined by matching them based on their order activity level and a preset activity level. If a user's activity level is higher than the preset base level, then the users' on-time pickup rate will be sorted from highest to lowest to determine the order of on-time pickup users. The order sorting is replaced by the order sorting of users who pick up their meals on time, and the meal boxes are selected and heated according to the replaced order sorting.

4. The automatic meal dispensing method for a self-service hot food machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, Step S3 involves selecting the food container, which includes: The height and orientation of the lunchbox are determined based on the location information of the lunchbox. Analyze whether the orientation of the lunchbox is the same as the preset selection orientation of the lunchbox selection mechanism; If they are the same, the lunchbox selection mechanism is instructed to move according to the height of the lunchbox and scan and verify the lunchbox. When the food information in the lunchbox matches the user's order information, the lunchbox is picked up. If they are not the same, the minimum rotation angle between the lunchbox orientation and the preset selected orientation is analyzed, and the lunchbox storage shelf is instructed to rotate at the minimum rotation angle, and the lunchbox selection mechanism is instructed to move to the lunchbox height to grab the lunchbox.

5. The automatic meal dispensing method for a self-service hot food machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, The method described in step S1 further includes: The food shelf life of the lunch boxes placed layer by layer on the lunch box storage shelf is analyzed to find the lunch boxes that are about to expire and their locations. Based on the position of the near-expiry lunchbox and the preset orientation, the rotation angle is analyzed to determine the adjustment angle of the lunchbox when it is rotated to the preset orientation. Based on the analysis of user orders, the storage shelf for lunch boxes that do not require selection is determined, and the lunch box adjustment angle is rotated so that the orientation of the near-expiry lunch boxes is the same as the preset selection orientation.

6. The automatic meal dispensing method for a self-service hot food machine according to claim 5, characterized in that, The method described in step S1 further includes: The food information and location of the lunch boxes are analyzed and recorded to generate lunch box distribution information on each of the lunch box storage shelf layers; If the food information of the lunch boxes on the same lunch box storage rack corresponds to different types of lunch boxes, the lunch boxes of different types will be marked to determine when to exchange them. The lunch boxes are swapped according to the preset swapping method until all lunch boxes on the same lunch box storage shelf are of the same type, and a food shelf life analysis prompt is issued. This analysis is based on the food shelf life analysis results.

7. The automatic meal dispensing method for a self-service hot food machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The replacement method includes: The food container storage rack layers are sorted by height to determine the rack number of each layer. Search sequentially according to the storage shelf number to identify the same type of replacement lunch box on adjacent storage shelf layers; The lunch boxes closest to the heating mechanism are marked with storage rack numbers to determine the target storage rack; Move the remaining lunch boxes on the target storage shelf to the preset exchange space, and exchange the remaining lunch boxes of the same type outside the target storage shelf to the target storage shelf; Stop exchanging lunch boxes when all lunch boxes on the same shelf are of the same type.

Images