Order tracking assistance system for products in the restaurant industry

Abstract

Title: System for assisting with the tracking of product orders in the catering sector The invention relates to a system for assisting with the tracking of orders in the catering sector, implementing: a receipt printer, having an output port capable of emitting an electrical signal intended to trigger an action on an auxiliary device connected to the printer, a computer system configured to: transmit to a display screen data to be displayed relating to orders;transmit a print stream to the ticket printer, receive a ticket grasp detection signal from the ticket printer, and transmit command update instructions to the display screen, characterized in that the computer system is connected to the output port of the ticket printer and is further configured to: insert at least one automatic execution signal into the print stream to be transmitted to the output port of the ticket printer; process each automatic execution signal received from the output port to transmit a command update instruction to the display screen. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 2;

Description

Title of the invention: Order tracking assistance system for products in the catering sector

[0001] The field of the invention is that of the design of equipment and methods implemented in the process of production and order tracking of products in the field of catering, and more specifically but not exclusively, in the field of fast food.

[0002] In the field of the invention, many current production processes utilize a ticket printer or a point-of-sale printer.

[0003] Such a printer, known as a "ticket" or "point of sale" printer, is generally characterized by its matrix or thermal printing technology, as well as its ability to control, via one or more controlled output ports, external displays such as cash drawers or audible alarms.

[0004] Such printers are further characterized by the use of a control protocol, implementing a coded language specific to the printer manufacturer, for the exchange between the printer and the business application, executed by the central computer unit that wishes to control it. The communication from the application to the printer may contain the following elements from the communication protocol, namely: - print commands, resulting in symbols to be printed; - commands for changing the internal state machine: text type, Text size, alignment, etc... - Auxiliary operation commands: paper cutting, cash drawer control, etc.

[0005] Once transmitted, the commands to be executed are stored in the printer's memory to constitute the print stream. This memory is then cleared and processed sequentially by the printer's main processor. The sequential operation of the print stream processing is such that the tickets are printed one after the other, with the printing of a new ticket only being executed after the pending printed ticket has been taken and removed from the printer by an operator.

[0006] Such printers are regularly implemented in fast food, in a process whereby an adhesive ticket is associated with each product (the ticket being affixed to the packaging box containing the product), in order to facilitate the assembly and final delivery of the products.

[0007] The corresponding production and order tracking process is schematic- ticically illustrated by [Fig. 1].

[0008] As shown in this figure, the process uses a central processing unit (CPU) from which product order data is stored. The CPU, running the business application, transmits product order data to a display screen E. Simultaneously, the product data for the order is transmitted to the ticket printer I as a print stream, so that a ticket is printed for each product produced. The print stream is stored in the memory of the ticket printer I, and the tickets are printed in the exact order of the print stream. However, only one ticket is printed and held for pickup by an operator O; a new ticket is printed only if the pending ticket is retrieved from the printer, as described above.

[0009] In this process, the operator O must signal that the complete execution of a product or order is finished, so that the product or order can be removed from the orders to be fulfilled. To do this, they take the label of the product or order that has just been fulfilled, affix it to the packaging of the product or order in question, and press an actuator of a signaling device D (referred to in fast food jargon as a "bump bar") which transmits the information to the central processing unit UC, which in turn transmits instructions to the display screen E to update the orders to be fulfilled, as successive tickets are picked up.

[0010] It is understood that the operator subjected to such a process must, during the day, perform many actions, possibly at a sustained pace.

[0011] The invention aims, in particular, to overcome this drawback of the prior art.

[0012] More specifically, the invention aims to reduce the number of actions to be performed by an operator executing a production and order tracking process using a ticket printer as described above.

[0013] The invention also aims to redesign the business interfaces implemented in such processes.

[0014] These objectives, as well as others that will emerge subsequently, are achieved through the invention, which relates to an order tracking assistance system in the restaurant sector, implementing: - a display screen for the orders of the products to be produced, - a ticket printer, configured to store printing instructions, print a ticket and detect the grasping of said ticket before printing a new ticket, said ticket printer having an output port capable of emitting an electrical signal intended to trigger an action on an auxiliary device connected to the printer, - a computer system configured for: - receive and record order data; - transmit to the display screen data to be displayed relating to the commands; - to transmit to the ticket printer a sequenced stream of print instructions, called a print stream, so that a ticket is printed for each order to be processed, - to receive, from the ticket printer, a signal indicating that a ticket has been picked up, - transmit to the display screen instructions for updating the orders to be executed as successive tickets are retrieved, characterized in that the computer system is connected to the output port of the ticket printer and is further configured to: - insert into the print stream, between the print instructions for two consecutive tickets, at least one automatic execution signal intended to be transmitted to the output port of the ticket printer; - process each automatic execution signal received from the ticket printer output port to transmit to the display screen an instruction to update the commands to be executed.

[0015] It is noted that the term "order" means a single product or several products forming together a single order.

[0016] As previously stated, the receipt printers described above have at least one external port through which the printer can emit an electrical signal capable of triggering the opening of a cash drawer connected to the printer or, more generally, of triggering an action on an external device connected to the printer.

[0017] The principle of the invention lies in replacing the trigger signal for an action on the external device connected to the printer (which may be the cash drawer opening command signal) inserted into the print stream with a signal intended to be transmitted, via the output port of the receipt printer, to the computer system running the business application, to indicate that the execution of the command corresponding to the printed receipt has been completed. The computer system can then transmit update instructions to the display screen.

[0018] Thanks to the invention, the operator can avoid manually activating the signaling device ("bump bar"). Simply grasping the printed ticket triggers the automatic transmission of a signal to the computer system. In this sense, the signal in question is referred to as the "automatic execution signal" in the rest of the description.

[0019] According to an advantageous embodiment, the computer system comprises a central processing unit and at least one peripheral connected to the output port of the ticket printer and connected to the central processing unit in such a way that the automatic execution signals are transmitted to the central processing unit via the peripheral.

[0020] In this way, it is possible to insert into the print stream automatic execution signals in a format that may not be recognized by the central processing unit. The peripheral device inserted between the output port of the ticket printer and the central processing unit then serves as a signal analysis and processing unit to transcribe them into a format recognized by the central processing unit.

[0021] Thus, according to a preferred solution, the automatic execution signal(s) are emitted for a duration constituting a variable intended to be processed by the peripheral before being transmitted to the central unit.

[0022] Advantageously, the computer system is configured to insert into the print flow, between the print instructions of two consecutive tickets, a sequence of automatic execution signals, the sequence forming a code intended to be processed by the central unit.

[0023] In this way, the number of possible instructions resulting from the automatic execution signals can be increased, each instruction being able to be assigned to a code formed by the sequence of automatic execution signals.

[0024] To take up an advantageous function of the prior art, the computer system is preferably configured to insert into the print flow, between the print instructions for two consecutive tickets, a cutting instruction processed by the ticket printer to perform a cut between two consecutive tickets.

[0025] In this case, according to an advantageous solution, the computer system is configured to insert into the print stream, between the print instructions of two consecutive tickets, in chronological order: - a sequence of automatic execution signals, including an instruction to save the sequence in a buffer of the ticket printer; - after the signal detecting the grasping of a ticket is emitted, an instruction to release the sequence from the buffer memory is sent to the output port of the ticket printer.

[0026] Inserting code into the print stream after the signal detecting the grasping of a ticket tends to automatically introduce a delay before resuming printing the next ticket. However, such latency can be detrimental to the responsiveness of the business application executed by the system according to the invention.

[0027] By chronologically inserting the sequence of automatic execution signals into the print flow as described above, this latency is avoided. Indeed, recording the sequence in a buffer memory of the ticket printer allows the print flow to continue and the recorded sequence to be released only after the signal detecting the receipt of the ticket has been emitted, immediately afterwards, without any latency.

[0028] According to a particular embodiment, the system includes a signaling device having at least one actuator intended to receive manual actuation by an operator after the execution of an order to be carried out for which a ticket has been printed by the ticket printer, the signaling device being connected to the central unit to transmit to it an "operator" execution signal at each manual actuation.

[0029] In this case, the computer system is configured to transmit to the display screen an instruction to update the commands to be executed at the first of the automatic execution signal or the "operator" execution signal received.

[0030] Thus, an operator can maintain his operational habits, in using an actuator to indicate the completed execution of a command, without worrying about whether the central unit processes the "operator" execution signal or the automatic execution signal.

[0031] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, and the accompanying drawings, among which:

[0032] [Fig.1] ; [Fig.1] schematically illustrates a system for assisting in tracking product orders in the catering sector, according to the prior art;

[0033] [Fig.2] ; [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a product order tracking system in the catering sector, according to the invention;

[0034] [Fig.3] ; [Fig.3] schematically illustrates an output port of a ticket printer of an order tracking assistance system in the field of catering, according to the invention;

[0035] [Fig.4] ; [Fig.4] illustrates a diagram showing an extract of a print flow in a system according to the invention.

[0036] With reference to [Fig.2], an order tracking assistance system (consisting of a single product or a set of several products) in the catering sector is described according to the invention.

[0037] Such a system implements, in a manner known per se: - a display screen E showing the commands to be executed, - a ticket printer I, configured to store instructions printing, printing a ticket and detecting the ticket being picked up before printing a new ticket, this printer having an output port P described in more detail later, with reference to [Fig.3], - a computer system El configured for: - receive and record order data; - transmit to display screen E data to be displayed relating to the commands; - transmit to the ticket printer I a stream of sequenced printing instructions, called the "print" stream, so that a ticket is printed for each order to be carried out; - receive from ticket printer I a signal indicating that a ticket has been picked up; - transmit to display screen E instructions for updating orders to be carried out as successive tickets are picked up.

[0038] According to the principle of the invention, the computer assembly El is connected to the output port P of the ticket printer I.

[0039] Furthermore, the El computer system is configured to: - insert into the print stream, between the print instructions for two consecutive tickets, at least one automatic execution signal intended to be transmitted to the output port of the ticket printer; - process each automatic execution signal received from the output port P of the ticket printer I to transmit to the display screen E an instruction to update the commands to be executed.

[0040] In other words, the ticket printer I receives instructions to print a ticket corresponding to an order to be fulfilled, this ticket being held on the printer awaiting dispensing. Once the order is fulfilled, the operator takes the ticket and removes (separates) it from the printer. The tickets are adhesive, and printers that print these adhesive tickets are generally configured to perform an automatic stop function after each ticket printing, accompanied by a downstream cutting of the ticket. However, the invention can also be applied to non-adhesive ticket printers.

[0041] The printer stores the print sequence in its memory until the print flow is unblocked by the pickup of the ticket held in reserve. This pickup is detected by a ticket traction sensor, this sensor being coupled to a roller on which the adhesive ticket is held in reserve.

[0042] Thus, when an operator E takes hold of a ticket, the taking of the ticket is detected by the printer which emits a signal indicating the taking of the ticket.

[0043] The computer system has been configured upstream to insert into the print flow, between the print instructions for two consecutive tickets and after the emission of the signal detecting the grasping of a ticket, an automatic execution signal emitted by the ticket printer I, via its output port P. This signal is then processed by the computer system to translate it into instruction(s) to update the commands transmitted to the display screen E.

[0044] According to the embodiment illustrated by [Fig.2], the computer set El comprises: - a central processing unit UC; - a PE device, connected to the output port P of the ticket printer I.

[0045] The PE device is, on the one hand, connected to the central processing unit UC and, on the other hand, to the output port P of the ticket printer I, such that the automatic execution signals are transmitted to the PE device through which they are analyzed and then processed (and in particular translated into a code recognized by the central processing unit), and then transmitted to the central processing unit.

[0046] According to this embodiment, the automatic execution signal(s) are emitted for a duration constituting a variable intended to be processed by the PE device before being transmitted to the central processing unit UC.

[0047] As previously mentioned, the output port of existing receipt printers is capable of emitting an electrical signal intended to trigger an action on the auxiliary device to be connected to the printer. Most often, the auxiliary device in question is a cash drawer. In this context, the instructions contained in the print stream allow the generation of a pulse on the port dedicated to controlling the cash drawer. This function, being designed to control a mechanical interface (the cash drawer), generally allows the transmission of two parameters with a value ranging from 0 to 255, representing the opening time and the closing time, in 2 ms increments.

[0048] For compatibility reasons, a large majority of receipt printers use the pinout illustrated as an example in [Fig. 4] for port P, in the form of a connector for opening cash drawers. The pinout is generally as follows: - Pin 1 PI: ground plane; - Pin 2 P2: output signal from cash drawer no. 1; - Pin 3 P3: input signal on the drawer's in / out state; Pin 4 P4: +24V; - Pin 5 P5: output signal from cash drawer no. 2; - Pin 6 P6: signal ground.

[0049] On such ports P, Pin 2 P2 and Pin 5 P5 allow control of respectively a The first cash drawer and a second cash drawer operate in "open collector" mode, meaning they become conductive when either drawer is opened. By connecting the PE device to the receipt printer (I) via output port P, it is possible to detect and analyze the pulse width on the available channels (Pin 2 and Pin 5).

[0050] In the context of the invention, this impulse is designated by the terms "automatic execution signal".

[0051] Analysis of the duration of the automatic execution signal (pulse on Pin 2 P2 and / or on Pin 5 P5) allows the digital parameter defining the number of 2 ms steps used during the command inserted by the business application into the print flow to be transcribed on one and / or the other of the two channels Pin 2 and Pin 5.

[0052] The duration of these signals therefore constitutes a variable intended to be processed by the PE peripheral before being transmitted to the central processing unit UC.

[0053] The sequence of pulses can then constitute one or more codes, each corresponding to a dedicated instruction.

[0054] Thus, according to an advantageous solution, the computer system El is configured to insert into the print flow, between the print instructions of two consecutive tickets, a sequence of automatic execution signals, this sequence forming a code intended to be processed by the central unit.

[0055] With reference to [Fig. 4], the computer system El is configured to insert, between the print instructions III and 112 for two consecutive tickets, a cut instruction IC processed by the ticket printer to perform a mechanical cut between two consecutive tickets. It should be noted that this instruction may be optional if the strip of adhesive tickets is pre-cut.

[0056] As illustrated by [Fig.4], the computer system is advantageously configured to insert into the print flow, between print instructions III and 112 of two consecutive tickets, a chronological sequence of instructions, namely: - a sequence SI of automatic execution signals, preceding the cut instruction IC, including in preamble an instruction to record the sequence SI in a buffer memory of the ticket printer; - a waiting period before the printed ticket is taken and, - after the SD detection signal for ticket grasping is emitted, a IL release instruction of the automatic execution signal sequence from the ticket printer buffer, to the ticket printer output port P.

[0057] At the end of this sequence, the ticket printer immediately prints a new ticket based on print instructions 112.

[0058] According to a particular embodiment, the system further comprises a device A signaling device D, featuring at least one actuator DI intended to be manually operated by an operator O, indicates that the order corresponding to the printed ticket has been executed and can therefore be removed from the order list. This signaling device D is connected to the central processing unit UC to transmit an "operator" execution signal each time the actuator DI is manually activated.

[0059] In this case, the computer system El is configured to transmit to the display screen an instruction to update the commands to be executed at the first signal received between the automatic execution signal and the "operator" execution signal.

Claims

Demands

1. Order tracking assistance system in the restaurant industry, implementing: - a screen displaying the commands to be executed, - a ticket printer, configured to store print instructions, print a ticket and detect the grasping of said ticket before printing a new ticket, said ticket printer having an output port capable of emitting an electrical signal intended to trigger an action on an auxiliary device connected to the printer, - a computer system configured for: - receive and record order data; - transmit to the display screen data to be displayed relating to the commands; - to transmit to the ticket printer a sequenced stream of print instructions, called a print stream, so that a ticket is printed for each order to be processed, - to receive a signal from the ticket printer indicating that a ticket has been picked up, - transmit to the display screen instructions for updating the orders to be executed as successive tickets are retrieved, characterized in that the computer system is connected to the output port of the ticket printer and is further configured to: - insert into the print stream, between the print instructions for two consecutive tickets, at least one automatic execution signal intended to be transmitted to the output port of the ticket printer; - process each automatic execution signal received from the ticket printer output port to transmit to the display screen an instruction to update the commands to be executed.

2. System for assisting in tracking product orders in the catering sector according to claim 1, characterized in that the computer system comprises a central processing unit and at least one peripheral connected to the output port of the ticket printer and connected to the central processing unit in such a way that the automatic execution signals are transmitted to the central processing unit via the peripheral.

3. Order tracking assistance system for products in the catering sector according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the automatic execution signal(s) are emitted for a duration constituting a variable intended to be processed by the device before being transmitted to the central unit.

4. Order tracking assistance system for products in the catering sector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the computer system is configured to insert into the print flow, between the print instructions for two consecutive tickets, a sequence of automatic execution signals, the sequence forming a code intended to be processed by the central processing unit.

5. Order tracking assistance system for products in the catering sector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the computer system is configured to insert into the print flow, between the print instructions for two consecutive tickets, a cutting instruction processed by the ticket printer to perform a cut between two consecutive tickets.

6. Order tracking assistance system for products in the catering sector according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the computer system is configured to insert into the print stream, between the print instructions for two consecutive tickets, in chronological order: - a sequence of automatic execution signals, including an instruction to save the sequence in a buffer memory of the ticket printer; - after emission of the signal detecting the grasping of a ticket, an instruction to release the sequence from the buffer memory to the output port of the ticket printer.

7. System for assisting in tracking product orders in the

8. A catering-related system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a signaling device having at least one actuator intended to receive manual actuation by an operator after the execution of an order for which a ticket has been printed by the ticket printer, the signaling device being connected to the central processing unit to transmit an "operator" execution signal to it with each manual actuation. A system for assisting in tracking product orders in the catering sector according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the computer system is configured to transmit to the display screen an instruction to update the orders to be executed upon the first receipt of the automatic execution signal or the "operator" execution signal.

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