Automated Order Post Using AI Voice Recognition

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Restaurants face challenges in efficiently taking orders during peak times, particularly due to the need for employees to work in inclement weather and potentially hazardous drive-through environments, leading to increased costs and safety risks.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of automated order-taking systems using computing devices equipped with cameras, microphones, speakers, and touchscreens that connect to AI engines via a network, allowing customers to place orders through voice or touch input, reducing the need for human employees during peak times and enhancing order processing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If employees are deployed to take orders during peak times in drive-through areas, then order processing capacity is improved, but employee safety and working conditions deteriorate due to inclement weather and moving vehicles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorder processing capacityVSAvoidemployee safety risks

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables customers to place their own orders autonomously through automated order posts equipped with voice recognition and touchscreen interfaces. The order posts independently capture customer input, process orders through AI engines, and communicate with the kitchen without requiring employee intervention in the drive-through area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of human employees physically taking orders with an automated digital system. Order posts with microphones, speakers, and touchscreens substitute for human voice and manual order entry, while AI engines process orders automatically, eliminating the need for employees to work in hazardous drive-through environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If more employees are deployed to handle peak demand, then order processing speed is improved, but labor costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorder processing speedVSAvoidlabor costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple order posts can operate simultaneously and independently, allowing the system to handle multiple orders in parallel without requiring additional human labor. Each order post serves customers autonomously, enabling the restaurant to scale order processing capacity during peak times without proportionally increasing labor costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameters from human-dependent order taking to automated AI-driven order processing. By deploying multiple order posts with consistent automated functionality, the restaurant can increase order processing throughput during peak demand periods without the linear cost increase associated with hiring additional employees.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If automated order posts are deployed, then employee safety is improved by removing them from hazardous areas, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemployee safetyVSAvoidorder post system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automated ordering system is divided into separate functional modules: order posts with input interfaces (microphones, touchscreens), AI engine servers for order processing, and kitchen display systems. This segmentation allows each component to be independently developed, tested, and maintained, managing overall system complexity while achieving the goal of removing employees from hazardous areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11704753B2Order post to enable parallelized order taking using artificial intelligence engine(s)

Publication Date: 2023.07.18 CONVERSENOWAI

AI summary

In some aspects, a computing device receives a scan of a code displayed on an order post located near a restaurant, determines that the code is associated with the restaurant, and automatically opens a software application and navigates the software application to an ordering page associated with the restaurant. The computing device initiates receiving, via the software application, input associated with an order, sends the input to a machine learning based software agent executing on a server, receives a predicted response to the input, provides the predicted response as audio output and/or displays the predicted response on the touchscreen display device. After the order is complete, the computing device sends order data associated with the order to the restaurant. After receiving an indication from the restaurant that the order is ready, the computing device indicates that the order is ready to be picked up.