Take-out meal delivery equipment

Abstract

The invention provides take-out meal delivery equipment, which comprises a main control device and a plurality of meal storage grids, and is characterized in that each meal storage grid is provided with an induction module, and the induction module is set to induce whether meals are stored in the corresponding meal storage grid or not; the main control device is set to receive a first catering order which is sent by the take-out platform and is associated with the target food storage grid; under the condition that a target sensing module corresponding to the target meal storage grid detects that the meal stored in the target meal storage grid is taken out and a target rider distributed by the first catering order arrives at a shop, the state of the target meal storage grid is modified into a first grid state, and the state of the target meal storage grid is reported to a take-out platform; the take-out platform modifies the state of the first catering order into a first order state according to the state of the target food storage cell; and under the condition that the target sensing module detects that the food stored in the target food storage grid is taken out and the target rider does not arrive at the shop, the takeout food delivery equipment is controlled to send out a wrong alarm indicating that the rider takes the wrong food.

Description

[0001] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202511021785.5, filed on July 23, 2025, entitled “A Takeout Food Delivery Device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of delivery technology, and more specifically, to a takeout food delivery device. Background Technology

[0003] With the fast pace of life, more and more people are choosing to order takeout. In current technology, after a user places an order through a food delivery platform, the platform sends the order information to the corresponding merchant. Upon receiving the order information, the merchant prints an order receipt and prepares the food. After receiving the order information through the platform, the merchant prepares the food according to the order details, and a delivery rider then delivers the completed meal to the user.

[0004] In existing technology, after a user places an order through a food delivery platform, the merchant typically places the prepared food on the counter or the serving table in the store, and scans the order slip corresponding to the food using the food dispensing equipment to complete the order dispensing and reporting. During peak food delivery periods, food delivery merchants prepare food in large numbers, resulting in food pile-ups. Riders from various food delivery platforms then locate the corresponding food according to the order information to pick it up.

[0005] Because the meals that different delivery riders have to deliver are mixed together, it is inconvenient to find them, and it is easy for them to take the wrong meal or even lose the meal. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One objective of this disclosure is to provide a new technical solution to prevent delivery riders from picking up the wrong meal.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a food delivery device is provided, including a main control device and a plurality of food storage compartments, each of which is equipped with a sensing module.

[0008] The sensing module is configured to sense whether the corresponding food storage compartment contains food items.

[0009] The main control device is configured as follows:

[0010] Receive a first food order associated with a target food storage compartment sent by a food delivery platform, wherein the target food storage compartment is a food storage compartment assigned by the food delivery platform to the first food order;

[0011] When the target sensing module corresponding to the target food storage compartment detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider assigned to the first catering order has arrived at the store, the status of the target food storage compartment is changed to the first compartment status, and the status of the target food storage compartment is reported to the food delivery platform, so that the food delivery platform can change the status of the first catering order to the first order status according to the status of the target food storage compartment; wherein, the first compartment status indicates that the food in the target food storage compartment has been taken out, and the first order status indicates that the food in the first catering order has been taken out.

[0012] If the target sensing module detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider has not arrived at the store, the delivery device will issue an error alarm indicating that the rider has taken the wrong food.

[0013] Optionally, the main control device is further configured as follows:

[0014] If the target sensing module detects that the food from the first catering order has been returned to the target food storage compartment, the error alarm for the target food storage compartment will be canceled.

[0015] Optionally, when the target sensing module corresponding to the target food storage compartment detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider assigned to the first catering order associated with the target food storage compartment has arrived at the store, the step of changing the state of the target food storage compartment to the first compartment state includes:

[0016] When the target sensing module detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider has arrived at the store, it detects whether the time elapsed since the food stored in the target food storage compartment was taken out exceeds a first preset time.

[0017] If it is detected that the time elapsed since the food stored in the target food storage compartment was taken out exceeds a first set time, the state of the target food storage compartment will be changed back to the state of the first compartment.

[0018] Optionally, the main control device is configured as follows:

[0019] In response to the release command issued by the food delivery platform for the target food storage compartment, the status of the target food storage compartment is changed to the second compartment status, and the status of the target food storage compartment is reported to the food delivery platform; wherein, the release command is generated by the food delivery platform after the status of the target food storage compartment is changed to the first compartment status, and the second compartment status indicates that the target food storage compartment is not associated with a catering order.

[0020] Optionally, the main control device is configured to: in response to an allocation instruction issued by the food delivery platform for the target food storage compartment, modify the status of the target food storage compartment to a third compartment status, and report the status of the target food storage compartment to the food delivery platform; wherein, the allocation instruction is generated by the food delivery platform when the target food storage compartment is in the second compartment status and when a second catering order is allocated to the target food storage compartment, and the third compartment status indicates that the food in the target food storage compartment is ready to be served.

[0021] Optionally, the main control device is configured as follows:

[0022] When food is detected being placed in the target food storage compartment, the status of the target food storage compartment is changed to the fourth compartment status, and the status of the target food storage compartment is reported to the food delivery platform so that the food delivery platform can change the status of the second catering order to the second order status; wherein, the fourth compartment status indicates that the food in the target food storage compartment has been served, and the second order status indicates that the food in the second catering order has been served.

[0023] Optionally, the main control device is configured as follows:

[0024] In response to the first operation on the target food storage compartment, the state of the target food storage compartment is reverted to the previous compartment state, and the state of the target food storage compartment is reported to the food delivery platform for recording.

[0025] Optionally, the main control device is configured as follows:

[0026] In response to the second operation on the target food storage compartment, the status of the target food storage compartment is modified to the second compartment status, and the status of the target food storage compartment is reported to the food delivery platform so that the food delivery platform can unbind the target storage compartment from the first catering order and associate the target storage compartment with other catering orders. The second compartment status indicates that the target food storage compartment is not associated with a catering order.

[0027] Optionally, the food storage compartment has a display area and a display module located in the display area. The display module is configured to display the status of the food storage compartment and the order information of the first catering order associated with the food storage compartment.

[0028] Optionally, the main control device and the multiple food storage compartments are connected in series.

[0029] Optionally, when the food delivery platform modifies the status of the first food order, it sends the modified status of the first food order to the rider terminal and / or user terminal related to the first food order for display.

[0030] Optionally, the food delivery device also includes a camera, which is configured to capture video data reflecting the food delivery process and / or food collection process, in order to record the placement and removal of items at each location, facilitating comparison and appeals in case of any abnormalities.

[0031] Through the embodiments of this disclosure, the food delivery device can automatically process the status of food orders on the order platform when the target sensing module of the target food storage compartment detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider assigned to the first food order associated with the target food storage compartment has arrived at the store. This eliminates the need for manual operation by riders and merchants, improving the processing efficiency of food orders. Furthermore, when the target sensing module detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider has not arrived at the store, it can issue an error alarm indicating that the rider has taken the wrong food, promptly reminding the rider and merchant to take action. This can reduce the problems of riders taking the wrong food and food loss, and can also help merchants reduce losses.

[0032] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a food delivery device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 2 Is it like this? Figure 1 The diagram shown is a block diagram of the main control unit for the food delivery equipment.

[0036] Figure 3 Is it like this? Figure 1 A block diagram of the food storage compartments of the takeout food delivery equipment;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a meal collection control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention.

[0039] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its application or use.

[0040] Techniques, methods, and apparatus known to those skilled in the art in the relevant field may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and apparatus should be considered part of the specification.

[0041] In all the examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0042] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0043] <Food delivery equipment>

[0044] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a takeaway food delivery device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the food delivery equipment 1000 may include a main control device 1100 and multiple food storage compartments 1200 (including 1200-1 to 1200-N, where N is a positive integer).

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, each food storage compartment is equipped with a sensing module 1210, which is configured to sense whether the corresponding food storage compartment contains food.

[0047] Specifically, the sensing module 1210 can be implemented using sensors such as infrared sensors, pressure sensors, and ultrasonic sensors.

[0048] The main control device 1100 is configured as follows:

[0049] Receive the first catering order associated with the target food storage compartment sent by the food delivery platform, wherein the target food storage compartment is the food storage compartment assigned by the food delivery platform to the first catering order;

[0050] When the target sensor module corresponding to the target food storage compartment detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider assigned to the first catering order has arrived at the store, the status of the target food storage compartment is changed to the first compartment status, and the status of the target food storage compartment is reported to the food delivery platform, so that the food delivery platform can change the status of the first catering order to the first order status according to the status of the target food storage compartment; where the first compartment status indicates that the food in the target food storage compartment has been taken out, and the first order status indicates that the food in the first catering order has been taken out;

[0051] If the target sensing module detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider has not arrived at the store, the delivery device will issue an error alarm indicating that the rider has taken the wrong food.

[0052] In this embodiment, the target sensing module is the sensing module corresponding to the target food storage compartment.

[0053] In this embodiment, the sensing module can detect whether there are food items stored in the corresponding food storage compartment through sensors such as infrared sensors, pressure sensors, and ultrasonic sensors, and send the latest detection result to the main control device 1100 of the takeaway food delivery equipment if the detection result changes.

[0054] Specifically, if the detection result for the target food storage compartment changes from "containing food" to "not containing food," it means that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been removed. If the detection result for the target food storage compartment changes from "not containing food" to "containing food," it means that food has been placed into the target food storage compartment.

[0055] When the food stored in the target food storage compartment is taken out, the main control device 1100 detects whether the target rider assigned to the first catering order associated with the target food storage compartment has arrived at the store where the food delivery equipment is located.

[0056] In some embodiments, the rider's terminal typically reports its location to the food delivery platform at a predetermined first frequency, so that the platform can use this information as the rider's location. The food delivery platform can then determine whether the rider has arrived at the store based on the rider's location and the location of the store where the delivery device is located. Based on this, the main control device can query the food delivery platform to check whether the rider has arrived at the store.

[0057] In some embodiments, upon arriving at the store where the food delivery device is located, the rider can click the "Arrived at Store" button on their rider terminal corresponding to the first food order, triggering the rider terminal to send arrival information to the food delivery platform. Based on this, the main control device can determine whether the rider has arrived at the store by querying whether the food delivery platform has received the corresponding arrival information.

[0058] In some embodiments, the rider's terminal typically reports its location to the food delivery platform at a predetermined first frequency, so that the platform can use this location as the rider's location. The food delivery device 1000 can obtain the rider's location through the food delivery platform and determine whether the rider has arrived at the store based on the rider's location and the location of the food delivery device.

[0059] If the target sensor module corresponding to the target food storage compartment detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target delivery rider has arrived at the store, it means that the food stored in the target food storage compartment was indeed taken out by the target delivery rider, and there was no issue of wrong food being taken or food being lost. Therefore, the status of the target food storage compartment can be changed to indicate that the first compartment has been picked up, and the status of the target food storage compartment can be reported to the food delivery platform. This allows the food delivery platform to change the status of the first food order to indicate that the first order has been picked up based on the status of the target food storage compartment.

[0060] This embodiment enables the order platform to automatically process the status of food orders, eliminating the need for manual operation by riders and merchants and improving the efficiency of food order processing.

[0061] If the target sensor module detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider has not arrived at the store, it means that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out by a rider other than the target rider. Therefore, the food delivery device can issue an error alarm indicating that the rider took the wrong food to alert the rider and the merchant.

[0062] In this embodiment, the way the food delivery device issues an error alarm may include at least one of the following: displaying text alarm information and playing alarm voice. For example, the text alarm information may include text indicating an alarm and order information for the first food order, and the alarm voice may include an alarm tone and order information for the first food order. For example, the alarm voice may be a voice message such as "Beep beep beep, order number X from platform X, please confirm if you have picked up the wrong item."

[0063] If food items are retrieved from multiple target storage compartments in a food locker and the corresponding delivery rider fails to arrive at the store, the system can generate a text alarm message and / or an alarm voice message for each target storage compartment, displaying the text alarm message and / or playing the alarm voice message for each target storage compartment in turn. Alternatively, it can integrate the order information of the first food order associated with each target storage compartment into a single text alarm message and / or alarm voice message.

[0064] In some embodiments, if the food stored in the target storage compartment of the food locker is removed and the corresponding delivery rider has not arrived at the store, the delivery device may issue an error alarm in the form of a voice alarm, while simultaneously the order status light of the corresponding target storage compartment changes its status to indicate this, for example, the order status light is set to constant, flashing, or fully lit. In some embodiments, such as Figure 2As shown, each food storage compartment can also be equipped with a display module 1220. When the target sensing module detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider has not arrived at the store, the display module of the target food storage compartment can display text indicating an alarm.

[0065] Furthermore, the display module 1220 can also display order information such as the order platform, order number, and order status of the associated catering orders, and can also change the displayed content according to the flow status of the associated catering orders.

[0066] Through the embodiments of this disclosure, when the target sensing module of the target food storage compartment detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider assigned to the first catering order associated with the target food storage compartment has not arrived at the store, the food delivery device issues an error alarm indicating that the rider has taken the wrong food. This timely reminds the rider and the merchant to handle the situation, which can reduce the problems of riders taking the wrong food and food loss, and can also help merchants reduce losses.

[0067] In some examples, such as Figure 3 As shown, the main control device 1100 may include a control module 1110, a communication module 1120, a button module 1130, a speaker 1140, a positioning module 1150, a camera 1160, a control bus 1170, a barcode scanning module 1180, and a power module 1190.

[0068] The control module 1110 may include a CPU, MCU, or similar processor. The communication module 1120 is capable of wired or wireless communication, specifically including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G communication, etc. The main control device 1100 can connect to a device cloud server via the communication module 1120. The device cloud server can interface with a food delivery platform, allowing merchants to bind the main control device 1100 to their store through authorization. Merchants can use the button module 1130 for basic control of the food delivery equipment, including power on / off, volume adjustment, network configuration, and status reset. The speaker 1140 can output error alarms and other voice messages. The positioning module 1150 can determine whether the rider assigned to each food storage slot has arrived at the store. The camera 1160 can record images and videos of food being placed and retrieved, facilitating comparison and appeals in case of anomalies. The main control device 1100 can be connected to each food storage compartment 1200 via the control bus 1170, specifically, as follows: Figure 1As shown, the main control device 1100 can be connected in series with multiple food storage compartments 1200 to facilitate the expansion of food storage compartments. Merchants can scan the order number or food dispensing code on the takeout receipt using the barcode scanning module 1180 to report food dispensing. The power module 1190 can supply power to the various functional modules in the main control device 1100 and the food storage compartments 1200.

[0069] In some embodiments, the main control device 1100 and multiple food storage compartments 1200 are connected in series.

[0070] Through this embodiment, merchants can increase or decrease the number of food storage compartments in the takeaway food delivery equipment 1000 according to their actual needs.

[0071] In some embodiments, the main control device 1100 is further configured to: cancel the error alarm of the target food storage compartment when the target sensing module detects that the food of the first catering order has been put back into the target food storage compartment.

[0072] In this embodiment, the food from the first catering order is returned to the target food storage compartment when the detection result of the target food storage compartment changes from having food stored to not having food stored, and then changes from not having food stored to having food stored.

[0073] In this embodiment, canceling the error alarm includes: canceling the display of text alarm information and stopping the playback of alarm audio.

[0074] In some embodiments, canceling error alarms also includes: displaying the corresponding grid order status as "meal served" and / or announcing via voice that the meal has been returned.

[0075] If the target sensing module detects that the food from the first food order has been returned to the target food storage compartment, it means that the rider has promptly returned the wrongly taken food to the target food storage compartment. Therefore, the error alarm can be canceled to prevent it from affecting the normal use of the food delivery equipment.

[0076] In some embodiments, when the target sensing module corresponding to the target food storage compartment detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider assigned to the first catering order associated with the target food storage compartment has arrived at the store, the state of the target food storage compartment is changed to the first compartment state, including: when the target sensing module detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider has arrived at the store, detecting whether the time for taking out the food stored in the target food storage compartment exceeds a first set time; if it is detected that the time for taking out the food stored in the target food storage compartment exceeds the first set time, the state of the target food storage compartment is changed to the first compartment state.

[0077] In this embodiment, the first set duration can be preset according to the application scenario or specific needs. For example, the first set duration can be 5 seconds.

[0078] In this embodiment, when it is detected that the time elapsed since the food stored in the target food storage compartment was taken out exceeds a first set time, the status of the target food storage compartment is changed to the first compartment status. This can be achieved without changing the status of the target food storage compartment or the status of the first food order, even if the target rider arrives at the store and other riders take the wrong food from the target food storage compartment and put it back in time. This improves the accuracy of the status of the target food storage compartment and the status of the first food order.

[0079] In some embodiments, if the time elapsed since the food in the target storage compartment was removed exceeds a first preset time, the merchant is prompted to release the order through a second operation, restoring the compartment to a normal pending allocation state, allowing the server to allocate a new order to that compartment. Specific methods for prompting the merchant to release the order through the second operation include: pushing a reminder message to the merchant's app or mini-program, displaying a reminder text on the display module, or providing a voice prompt from the food delivery device system. For example, the food delivery device system might provide a voice prompt such as, "A rider has been detected taking the wrong food. Please pay attention, merchant. Return the food, or press and hold the back button to deactivate the alarm."

[0080] In some embodiments, after detecting the merchant's second operation to release the order, a voice reminder is given via the merchant's app, WeChat mini-program, or food delivery device. The voice reminder content is, for example, "Please confirm the safety of the food. If there are any problems, it is recommended to report to the platform for rights protection." This facilitates the merchant's subsequent reporting of related events and rights protection on the merchant's end. In some embodiments, the main control device 1100 is configured to: in response to a release instruction issued by the food delivery platform for the target food storage compartment, modify the status of the target food storage compartment to the second compartment status, and report the status of the target food storage compartment to the food delivery platform; wherein, the release instruction is generated by the food delivery platform after the status of the target food storage compartment is modified to the first compartment status, and the second compartment status indicates that the target food storage compartment is not associated with a catering order.

[0081] In this embodiment, the food delivery platform issues a release command to the target food storage compartment when the delivery device changes the status of the target compartment to the first compartment status. Alternatively, the platform may issue the release command after the time elapsed since the target compartment has been in the "taken" state for more than a second preset time. The second preset time can be pre-set based on the application scenario or specific needs; for example, the second preset time could be 5 seconds.

[0082] In this embodiment, the target food storage compartment is in the first compartment state, indicating that the food for the first catering order has been picked up by the rider. Therefore, the food delivery platform can disconnect the target food storage compartment from the first catering order and control the food delivery device to change the state of the target food storage compartment to the second compartment state. This allows the food delivery platform to subsequently associate the target food storage compartment with other catering orders for storing the food for those other orders.

[0083] This embodiment allows the target food storage compartment to be released for use by other food orders when the food stored in the target food storage compartment is taken away by the target rider.

[0084] In some embodiments, the main control device 1100 is configured to: in response to an allocation instruction issued by the food delivery platform for the target food storage compartment, modify the status of the target food storage compartment to a third compartment status, and report the status of the target food storage compartment to the food delivery platform; wherein, the allocation instruction is generated by the food delivery platform when the target food storage compartment is in a second compartment status and a second catering order is allocated to the target food storage compartment, and the third compartment status indicates that the food in the target food storage compartment is ready to be served.

[0085] In this embodiment, the target food storage compartment is in the second compartment state, which means that the target food storage compartment is not associated with a food order. Therefore, the food delivery platform can assign a second food order to the target food storage compartment to associate the target food storage compartment with the second food order so that the target food storage compartment can be used to store the food of the second food order.

[0086] This embodiment allows for the reallocation of a second food storage order to the target food storage space when the target food storage space is released, so that the second food storage order can use the target food storage space.

[0087] In some embodiments, the main control device 1100 is configured to: when a food item is detected being placed in the target food storage compartment, change the status of the target food storage compartment to the fourth compartment status, and report the status of the target food storage compartment to the food delivery platform so that the food delivery platform can change the status of the second food order to the second order status; wherein, the fourth compartment status indicates that the food item in the target food storage compartment has been served, and the second order status indicates that the food item in the second food order has been served.

[0088] In this embodiment, the food delivery platform may assign a rider to the second food order upon receiving it, or it may assign a rider to the second food order after changing the status of the second food order to indicate that the food has been prepared.

[0089] In this embodiment, merchants can automatically report the second catering order by placing the food items of the second catering order into the associated target food storage slot. Merchants do not need to manually perform other operations such as scanning the order slips of the food items, which can simplify the food preparation process and improve the processing efficiency of catering orders.

[0090] In some embodiments, the main control device 1100 is configured to: in response to a first operation on the target food storage compartment, revert the state of the target food storage compartment to the previous compartment state, and report the state of the target food storage compartment to the food delivery platform for recording.

[0091] In this embodiment, the first operation on the target food storage compartment may be a short press of the button corresponding to the target food storage compartment.

[0092] In this embodiment, a merchant may, due to negligence or error, place food from a catering order that is not associated with the target food storage compartment into the target food storage compartment. When the merchant discovers that the food is in the wrong location during inspection, he / she can perform the first operation on the target food storage compartment to revert the status of the target food storage compartment to the previous compartment status.

[0093] Furthermore, the previous status of the target food storage compartment refers to the state of the target food storage compartment before the merchant places food from a catering order that is not associated with the target food storage compartment. For example, the previous status could be the third compartment status, indicating that the food is waiting to be served.

[0094] In this embodiment, when the food delivery device returns to the previous storage compartment state, it can provide feedback to the merchant, including visual and / or auditory feedback, to help the merchant confirm the successful operation. Visual feedback may include displaying text indicating that the target storage compartment state has been returned to the previous state, and may also include corresponding indicator lights illuminating. Auditory feedback includes playing an audio prompt indicating that the target storage compartment state has returned to the previous state.

[0095] This embodiment enables the correction of the status of the target food storage compartment when the food dispensing location is incorrect.

[0096] In some embodiments, the main control device 1100 is configured to: in response to a second operation on the target food storage compartment, modify the status of the target food storage compartment to a second compartment status, and report the status of the target food storage compartment to the food delivery platform, so that the food delivery platform can unbind the target storage compartment from the first catering order and associate the target storage compartment with other catering orders, wherein the second compartment status indicates that the target food storage compartment is not associated with a catering order.

[0097] In this embodiment, the second operation on the target food storage compartment can be a long press of the button corresponding to the target food storage compartment.

[0098] In this embodiment, if a rider is not present at the store but the corresponding order is retrieved, it is assumed that the rider has retrieved the wrong food, and the food dispensing compartment will sound an alarm. Specifically, all the status lights for the corresponding compartment will light up, and a voice announcement will be made stating that an order number from a certain platform has been retrieved, asking the rider to confirm whether the order was retrieved incorrectly. In this embodiment, if the merchant's food dispensing order changes, and a food item that was not assigned to a storage compartment is dispensed first, the merchant can perform a second operation on the target storage compartment to change the status of the target storage compartment to the second compartment status and report the status of the target storage compartment to the food delivery platform. Upon receiving the status of the target storage compartment, the food delivery platform will release the target storage compartment and allocate it to the early-dispensed food order, while the food orders that were originally scheduled to be dispensed will be queued and postponed accordingly.

[0099] In this embodiment, when the food delivery device changes the status of the target food storage compartment to the second compartment status, it can provide feedback to the merchant, including visual and / or auditory feedback, to help the merchant confirm the successful operation. Visual feedback may include displaying text indicating that the target food storage compartment status has been changed to the second compartment status, and may also include corresponding indicator lights illuminating. Auditory feedback includes playing a sound prompt indicating that the target food storage compartment status has been changed to the second compartment status.

[0100] This embodiment allows for the adjustment of catering orders associated with the target food storage compartment based on the order of food preparation.

[0101] In some embodiments, the food storage compartment has a display area and a display module located in the display area. The display module is configured to display the status of the food storage compartment and the order information of the first catering order associated with the food storage compartment.

[0102] In this embodiment, the status of the target food storage compartment and order information can be displayed on the display area of ​​the compartment. The order information may include the order number or food preparation code of the first food order, and may also include platform information of the ordering platform corresponding to the first food order.

[0103] This embodiment makes it easier for merchants to find the food storage compartments that need to be filled based on the displayed information, and it also makes it easier for delivery riders to find the food storage compartments that need to be picked up based on the displayed information, thereby improving the efficiency of food order processing.

[0104] In some embodiments, the food delivery device also includes a camera, which is configured to capture video data reflecting the food delivery process and / or food collection process, to record the placement and retrieval of items at each location, and to find the cause of the order abnormality by using the captured images or videos if an order is abnormal.

[0105] This embodiment captures and stores video data reflecting the dining and / or food collection process, which facilitates comparison and appeals based on the video data in case of anomalies.

[0106] In some embodiments, when the food delivery platform modifies the status of a first food order, it sends the modified status of the first food order to the rider's terminal and / or the user's terminal associated with the first food order for display.

[0107] In this embodiment, the rider terminal associated with the first food order can be the terminal device used by the rider assigned to the first food order. The user terminal associated with the first food order can be the terminal device used by the user who initiated the first food order.

[0108] In this embodiment, the food delivery platform may synchronize the modified status of the first food order to the rider terminal and / or user terminal associated with the first food order each time the status of the first food order is modified according to the status of the target food storage slot allocated to the first food order, so that users and riders can see the status changes of the first food order in a timely manner.

[0109] <Example>

[0110] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a meal collection control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 As shown, the food delivery platform generates a target restaurant order and sends the order information to the corresponding merchant. When the merchant accepts the order, the platform assigns the target food storage compartment (currently in the second compartment state) of the delivery device linked to the merchant to the target restaurant order, thus associating the order with the storage compartment. This association information is then sent to the delivery device. Based on this association information, the delivery device changes the storage compartment's state to the third compartment state and reports this status to the platform. The platform then controls the display of the target restaurant order information on the storage compartment based on this association information. When the merchant prepares the food for the target restaurant order, they store the food in the associated storage compartment according to the association information displayed on the delivery device.

[0111] The food delivery equipment responds to the second operation on the target food storage compartment by changing the status of the target food storage compartment to the second compartment status and reporting the status of the target food storage compartment to the food delivery platform so that the food delivery platform can record the status of the target food storage compartment, disconnect the target food storage compartment from the target food order, and reassign the food order to the target storage compartment.

[0112] When the food delivery equipment detects that food has been placed in a target food storage compartment, it changes the status of the target food storage compartment to the fourth compartment status and reports the status of the target food storage compartment to the food delivery platform. This allows the food delivery platform to change the order status of the target food order to the second order status based on the status of the target food storage compartment and record the status of the target food storage compartment.

[0113] The food delivery equipment responds to the first operation on the target food storage compartment by changing the status of the target food storage compartment to "ready to be served" and reporting the status of the target food storage compartment to the food delivery platform so that the platform can record the status of the target food storage compartment and terminate the relationship between the target food order and the target rider based on the status of the target food storage compartment.

[0114] When the target sensor module detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider assigned to the target food order associated with the target food storage compartment has not arrived at the store, the food delivery device will control the food delivery device to issue an error alarm indicating that the rider took the wrong food. The error alarm will be canceled when the food of the target food order is detected to be put back into the target food storage compartment.

[0115] When the target sensor module detects that the food in the target storage compartment has been retrieved for more than a pre-set time and the delivery rider has arrived at the store, the delivery device confirms that the food in the target storage compartment has been retrieved, changes the status of the target storage compartment to "First Compartment Status," and reports the status of the target storage compartment to the delivery platform. The delivery platform records the status of the target storage compartment and changes the order status of the target food order to "First Order Status."

[0116] If the time elapsed between the target food storage compartment and the first compartment status exceeds the second set time, the food delivery platform will release the target food storage compartment, that is, unbind the target food storage compartment from the target food order and send a release command to the food delivery equipment for the target food storage compartment.

[0117] In response to the release command, the food delivery device changes the status of the target food storage compartment to the second compartment status and reports the status of the target food storage compartment to the food delivery platform. The food delivery platform records the status of the target food storage compartment.

[0118] This invention can be a system, method, and / or computer program product. A computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions loaded thereon for causing a processor to implement various aspects of the invention.

[0119] Computer-readable storage media can be tangible devices capable of holding and storing instructions for use by an instruction execution device. Computer-readable storage media can be, for example—but not limited to—electrical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, electromagnetic storage devices, semiconductor storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media include: portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital multifunction disc (DVD), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanical encoding devices, such as punch cards or recessed protrusions storing instructions thereon, and any suitable combination thereof. The computer-readable storage media used herein are not to be construed as transient signals themselves, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses through fiber optic cables), or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0120] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from computer-readable storage media to various computing / processing devices, or downloaded via a network, such as the Internet, local area network, wide area network, and / or wireless network, to an external computer or external storage device. The network may include copper transmission cables, fiber optic transmission, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards them to the computer-readable storage media in the respective computing / processing device.

[0121] The computer program instructions used to perform the operations of this invention may be assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk, C++, etc., and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" language or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving a remote computer, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)—or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry, such as programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or programmable logic arrays (PLAs), is personalized by utilizing state information from the computer-readable program instructions. This electronic circuitry can execute the computer-readable program instructions to implement various aspects of the invention.

[0122] Various aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0123] These computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine such that, when executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, they create means for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that causes a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to operate in a particular manner; thus, the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions for implementing aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0124] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby causing the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to perform the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0125] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of an instruction containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than those marked in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions. It will be known to those skilled in the art that implementation in hardware, implementation in software, and implementation using a combination of software and hardware are equivalent.

[0126] The various embodiments of the present invention have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, and are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or technical improvements to the embodiments in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A food delivery device, characterized in that, It includes a main control unit and multiple food storage compartments, each of which is equipped with a sensor module. The sensing module is configured to sense whether the corresponding food storage compartment contains food items. The main control device is configured as follows: Receive a first food order associated with a target food storage compartment sent by a food delivery platform, wherein the target food storage compartment is a food storage compartment assigned by the food delivery platform to the first food order; When the target sensing module corresponding to the target food storage compartment detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider assigned to the first catering order has arrived at the store, the status of the target food storage compartment is changed to the first compartment status, and the status of the target food storage compartment is reported to the food delivery platform, so that the food delivery platform can change the status of the first catering order to the first order status according to the status of the target food storage compartment; wherein, the first compartment status indicates that the food in the target food storage compartment has been taken out, and the first order status indicates that the food in the first catering order has been taken out. If the target sensing module detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider has not arrived at the store, the delivery device will issue an error alarm indicating that the rider has taken the wrong food.

2. The food delivery equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main control device is also configured to: If the target sensing module detects that the food from the first catering order has been returned to the target food storage compartment, the error alarm for the target food storage compartment will be canceled.

3. The food delivery equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the target sensing module corresponding to the target food storage compartment detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider assigned to the first catering order associated with the target food storage compartment has arrived at the store, the state of the target food storage compartment is changed to the first compartment state, including: When the target sensing module detects that the food stored in the target food storage compartment has been taken out and the target rider has arrived at the store, it detects whether the time elapsed since the food stored in the target food storage compartment was taken out exceeds a first set time. If it is detected that the time elapsed since the food stored in the target food storage compartment was taken out exceeds a first set time, the state of the target food storage compartment will be changed back to the state of the first compartment.

4. The food delivery equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main control device is configured as follows: In response to the release command issued by the food delivery platform for the target food storage compartment, the status of the target food storage compartment is changed to the second compartment status, and the status of the target food storage compartment is reported to the food delivery platform; wherein, the release command is generated by the food delivery platform after the status of the target food storage compartment is changed to the first compartment status, and the second compartment status indicates that the target food storage compartment is not associated with a catering order.

5. The food delivery equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The main control device is configured to: in response to an allocation instruction issued by the food delivery platform for the target food storage compartment, modify the status of the target food storage compartment to a third compartment status, and report the status of the target food storage compartment to the food delivery platform; wherein, the allocation instruction is generated by the food delivery platform when the target food storage compartment is in the second compartment status and when a second catering order is allocated to the target food storage compartment, and the third compartment status indicates that the food in the target food storage compartment is ready to be served.

6. The food delivery equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The main control device is configured as follows: When food is detected being placed in the target food storage compartment, the status of the target food storage compartment is changed to the fourth compartment status, and the status of the target food storage compartment is reported to the food delivery platform so that the food delivery platform can change the status of the second catering order to the second order status; wherein, the fourth compartment status indicates that the food in the target food storage compartment has been served, and the second order status indicates that the food in the second catering order has been served.

7. The food delivery equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main control device is configured as follows: In response to the first operation on the target food storage compartment, the state of the target food storage compartment is reverted to the previous compartment state, and the state of the target food storage compartment is reported to the food delivery platform for recording.

8. The food delivery equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main control device is configured as follows: In response to the second operation on the target food storage compartment, the status of the target food storage compartment is modified to the second compartment status, and the status of the target food storage compartment is reported to the food delivery platform so that the food delivery platform can unbind the target storage compartment from the first catering order and associate the target storage compartment with other catering orders. The second compartment status indicates that the target food storage compartment is not associated with a catering order.

9. The takeout food delivery equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The food storage compartment has a display area and a display module located in the display area. The display module is configured to display the status of the food storage compartment and the order information of the first catering order associated with the food storage compartment.

10. The food delivery equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main control device and the multiple food storage compartments are connected in series.

11. The food delivery equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the food delivery platform modifies the status of the first food order, it sends the modified status of the first food order to the rider's terminal and / or user terminal related to the first food order for display.

12. The food delivery equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The food delivery equipment also includes a camera, which is configured to capture video data reflecting the food delivery process and / or food collection process, in order to record the placement and removal of items at each location, so as to facilitate comparison and appeal in case of any abnormalities.

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