Automated restaurant
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated restaurant systems lack efficient mechanisms for dynamically tracking customer positions and transporting cooked foods to customers in a fully automated manner, leading to inefficiencies in food delivery.
Innovation Solution
An automated restaurant system comprising a kitchen with cooking stations and a customer-tracking area, utilizing lidars, radars, and video cameras for dynamic tracking, along with vehicles equipped with sensors and motors for precise food delivery, controlled by a computer system that coordinates the movement of food containers and cooking processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual food delivery is used in traditional restaurants, then labor costs are high, but implementation complexity is low
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated food delivery where vehicles autonomously navigate to customers based on tracking data, eliminating the need for human staff to physically deliver food. The tracking system and vehicles work together in a self-service manner to complete the delivery process automatically
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical delivery with an automated system combining electronic tracking (lidar, radar, cameras) and autonomous vehicles. This substitution of mechanical human labor with electronic control systems and automated vehicles resolves the contradiction between delivery efficiency and system complexity
2Measurement precision
If automated tracking systems are implemented, then customer position tracking precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple tracking technologies (lidar, radar, video cameras) into a unified tracking system. By merging these different sensing modalities, the system achieves high tracking precision while managing complexity through integrated control and data fusion
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple sensors and vehicles are deployed for food delivery, then food delivery precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to system coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking system continuously monitors customer positions in advance, and the system pre-calculates optimal vehicle routes before food is ready. This preliminary action allows vehicles to be positioned and ready for immediate delivery, minimizing coordination time while maintaining precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and labor-saving food transportation from the kitchen to customers by accurately tracking customer positions and optimizing the movement of food containers using a coordinated system of sensors and motors, enhancing the overall automation and efficiency of the restaurant.
Implementation Method 1
a lidar configured to dynamically scan the customer-tracking area, as to map out the positions and shapes of the fixtures, humans, vehicles
Implementation Method 2
a radar configured to dynamically scan the customer-tracking area as well, as to map out the fixtures, humans, vehicles
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of video cameras which are fixedly mounted in the restaurant building. Each video camera is configured to capture digital images of objects in a range
Implementation Method 4
a pair of motors each configured to produce a rotation of one of the drive wheels
Data Source
AI summary
The present application discloses an automated restaurant comprising: a kitchen; a customer-tracking area comprising a dining area; and a plurality of vehicles. The kitchen comprises a storage apparatus to store ingredient containers, a transfer apparatus to move ingredient containers, and one or more cooking stations. Each vehicle is configured to move one or more food containers from cooking stations to dining tables. A tracking system comprises video cameras, lidars, etc., which are fixedly mounted. The tracking system can dynamically map out the fixtures, humans and vehicles in the restaurant. Information from the tracking system is used to control the motion of the vehicles. The tracking system can dynamically track the positions of customers in the customer-tracking area, so that foods ordered by specific customers may be automatically sent by vehicles to the customers' locations.