Passive Patron Identification Systems And Methods

Abstract

A method includes: receiving N sets of identification data for the patron captured by N passive data capture devices, respectively; and for each unique patron identifier: calculating N partial confidence values for that unique patron identifier based on N comparisons of the N sets of identification data with N sets of stored identification data, respectively, associated with that unique patron identifier; and based on the N partial confidence values of that unique patron identifier and N weighting values, respectively, calculating an overall confidence value for that unique patron identifier. One unique patron identifier having a highest overall confidence value is selected. When the selected overall confidence value is less than a predetermined value: a new unique patron identifier is created in a database; and the N sets of identification data captured using the N passive data capture devices, respectively, is stored in association with the new unique patron identifier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a patron profile database, the method comprising:
 in response to detection of a patron, receiving N sets of identification data for the patron captured by N passive data capture devices, respectively,   wherein N is an integer greater than one, and   wherein the N passive data capture devices include at least two of a wireless transceiver, a first camera arranged to capture images of faces of patrons, a microphone, a scent sensor, an infrared transceiver, a second camera arranged to capture images of wheels of vehicles, and at least one of a third camera arranged to capture images of front portions of vehicles, and a fourth camera arranged to capture images of rear portions of vehicles;   by a server, calculating overall confidence values for a plurality of unique patron identifiers, respectively, the calculating the overall confidence values including, for each unique patron identifier of the plurality of unique patron identifiers:
 by the server, calculating N partial confidence values for that unique patron identifier based on N comparisons of the N sets of identification data with N sets of stored identification data, respectively, associated with that unique patron identifier; 
 by the server, based on the N partial confidence values of that unique patron identifier and N weighting values, respectively, calculating the overall confidence value for that unique patron identifier, the overall confidence value for that unique patron identifier indicating a level of confidence that the patron is associated with that unique patron identifier; 
   by the server, selecting one unique patron identifier of the plurality of unique patron identifiers having the highest one of the overall confidence values;   by the server, when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is less than a predetermined value:
 creating a new unique patron identifier in a database; and 
 storing the N sets of identification data captured using the N passive data capture devices, respectively, in association with the new unique patron identifier; and 
   by the server, when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is greater than the predetermined value, selectively updating at least one of the N sets of stored identification data associated with the selected one unique patron identifier based on at least one of the N sets of identification data captured using the N passive data capture devices, respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, when the overall confidence value is greater than the predetermined value, selectively updating stored ordering data based on data indicative of an order placed by the patron. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 based on the selected one unique patron identifier, retrieving stored ordering data that is associated with the selected one unique patron identifier; 
 setting ordering information to be output to the patron based on the overall confidence value and the stored ordering data; and 
 outputting the ordering information to the patron using an ordering terminal. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the N sets of identification data include at least two of:
 data indicative of an image of a face of the patron; 
 data indicative of an image of at least a portion of the patron's vehicle; 
 data indicative of a voice of the patron; and 
 data indicative of a unique identifier of an electronic device that communicates wirelessly. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the N sets of identification data include data indicative of an image of a wheel of a portion of the patron's vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the N sets of identification data include data indicative of at least one of a side portion of the patron's vehicle, a front portion of the patron's vehicle, and a rear portion of the patron's vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the stored ordering data includes data indicative of at least one previously ordered menu item associated with the selected one unique patron identifier. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 receiving data indicative of an order placed by the patron; and 
 storing the data indicative of the order placed by the patron in association with the selected one unique patron identifier. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 determining a food preference of the patron based on the order placed by the patron; and 
 storing data indicative of the food preference of the patron in association with the selected one unique patron identifier. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3  wherein setting the ordering information to be output to the patron includes setting an ordering menu to be displayed to the patron on a display of the ordering terminal to a predetermined ordering menu when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is less than a second predetermined value. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein setting the ordering information to be output to the patron includes setting the ordering menu to be displayed to the patron to an adjusted ordering menu that is different than the predetermined ordering menu when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is greater than the second predetermined value. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising determining locations for menu items on the adjusted ordering menu based on the stored ordering data. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising changing a visual attribute of at least one menu item on the adjusted ordering menu, relative to the predetermined ordering menu, based on the stored ordering data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein setting the ordering information to be output to the patron includes removing at least one menu item from the predetermined ordering menu when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is greater than the second predetermined value. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising determining the at least one menu item for removal from the predetermined ordering menu based on the stored ordering data. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 3  wherein setting the ordering information to be output to the patron includes setting a language for outputting the ordering information to the patron when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is greater than a predetermined value. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 3  wherein setting the ordering information to be output to the patron includes setting the ordering information to include at least one previously ordered menu item associated with the selected one unique patron identifier when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is greater than a second predetermined value. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 3  wherein outputting the ordering information to the patron using the ordering terminal includes outputting the ordering information using at least one of a display and a speaker of the ordering terminal. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the calculating the overall confidence values includes, for each unique patron identifier of the plurality of unique patron identifiers:
 calculating the overall confidence value of that unique patron identifier based on the equation:
     C= 1−Π m=1   N (1 −Wm*cm ),
 
 
 
       where C is the overall confidence value for that unique patron identifier, Π denotes use of the product function, m is an integer less than or equal to N, Cm is an m-th one of the partial confidence values calculated based on an m-th comparison of an m-th one of the N sets of identification data and an m-th one of the N sets of stored identification data, Cm is a value between 0 and 1, and Wm is an m-th predetermined weighting value between 0 and 1. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 calculating at least one additional partial confidence value based on at least one comparison of at least one of the N sets of identification data with additional sets of stored identification data, respectively, associated with a general characteristic; 
 based on the at least one additional partial confidence value, calculating a second overall confidence value indicating a second level of confidence that the patron has the general characteristic; and, 
 based on the second overall confidence value, selectively setting ordering information to be output to the patron further based on the general characteristic. 
 
     
     
         21 . An ordering system comprising:
 N passive data capture devices that, in response to detection of a patron, capture N sets of identification data for the patron, respectively,   wherein N is an integer greater than one, and   wherein the N passive data capture devices include at least two of a wireless transceiver, a first camera arranged to capture images of faces of patrons, a microphone, a scent sensor, an infrared transceiver, a second camera arranged to capture images of wheels of vehicles, and at least one of a third camera arranged to capture images of front portions of vehicles, and a fourth camera arranged to capture images of rear portions of vehicles;   a confidence calculation module that calculates overall confidence values for a plurality of unique patron identifiers, respectively, the calculation of the overall confidence values including, for each unique patron identifier of the plurality of unique patron identifiers:
 calculating N partial confidence values for that unique patron identifier based on N comparisons of the N sets of identification data with N sets of stored identification data, respectively, associated with that unique patron identifier; and 
 based on the N partial confidence values of that unique patron identifier and N weighting values, respectively, calculating the overall confidence value for that unique patron identifier, 
 the overall confidence value for that unique patron identifier indicating a level of confidence that the patron is associated with that unique patron identifier; 
   a selection module that selects one unique patron identifier of the plurality of unique patron identifiers having the highest one of the overall confidence values;   a control module that:
 when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is less than a predetermined value:
 creating a new unique patron identifier in a database; and 
 storing the N sets of identification data captured using the N passive data capture devices, respectively, in association with the new unique patron identifier; and 
 
 when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is greater than the predetermined value, selectively updates at least one of the N sets of stored identification data associated with the selected one unique patron identifier based on at least one of the N sets of identification data captured using the N passive data capture devices, respectively. 
   
     
     
         22 . The ordering system of  claim 21  wherein, when the overall confidence value is greater than the predetermined value, the control module selectively updates stored ordering data based on data indicative of an order placed by the patron. 
     
     
         23 . The ordering system of  claim 21  further comprising:
 a profile retrieval module that, based on the selected one unique patron identifier, retrieves stored ordering data that is associated with the selected one unique patron identifier, 
 wherein the control module sets ordering information to be output to the patron based on the overall confidence value and the stored ordering data; and 
 wherein the control module outputs the ordering information to the patron using an ordering terminal. 
 
     
     
         24 . The ordering system of  claim 23  wherein the N sets of identification data include at least two of:
 data indicative of an image of a face of the patron; 
 data indicative of an image of at least a portion of the patron's vehicle; 
 data indicative of a voice of the patron; and 
 data indicative of a unique identifier of an electronic device that communicates wirelessly. 
 
     
     
         25 . The ordering system of  claim 23  wherein the N sets of identification data include data indicative of an image of a wheel of a portion of the patron's vehicle. 
     
     
         26 . The ordering system of  claim 23  wherein the N sets of identification data include data indicative of at least one of a side portion of the patron's vehicle, a front portion of the patron's vehicle, and a rear portion of the patron's vehicle. 
     
     
         27 . The ordering system of  claim 23  wherein the stored ordering data includes data indicative of at least one previously ordered menu item associated with the selected one unique patron identifier. 
     
     
         28 . The ordering system of  claim 23  further comprising an updating module that:
 receives data indicative of an order placed by the patron; and 
 stores the data indicative of the order placed by the patron in association with the selected one unique patron identifier. 
 
     
     
         29 . The ordering system of  claim 28  wherein the updating module further:
 determines a food preference of the patron based on the order placed by the patron; and 
 stores data indicative of the food preference of the patron in association with the selected one unique patron identifier. 
 
     
     
         30 . The ordering system of  claim 23  wherein the control module sets an ordering menu to be displayed to the patron on a display of the ordering terminal to a predetermined ordering menu when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is less than a second predetermined value. 
     
     
         31 . The ordering system of  claim 30  wherein the control module sets the ordering menu to be displayed to the patron to an adjusted ordering menu that is different than the predetermined ordering menu when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is greater than the second predetermined value. 
     
     
         32 . The ordering system of  claim 31  wherein the control module determines locations for menu items on the adjusted ordering menu based on the stored ordering data. 
     
     
         33 . The ordering system of  claim 31  wherein the control module changes a visual attribute of at least one menu item on the adjusted ordering menu, relative to the predetermined ordering menu, based on the stored ordering data. 
     
     
         34 . The ordering system of  claim 30  wherein the control module removes at least one menu item from the predetermined ordering menu when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is greater than the second predetermined value. 
     
     
         35 . The ordering system of  claim 34  wherein the control module determines the at least one menu item for removal from the predetermined ordering menu based on the stored ordering data. 
     
     
         36 . The ordering system of  claim 23  wherein the control module sets a language for outputting the ordering information to the patron when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is greater than a predetermined value. 
     
     
         37 . The ordering system of  claim 23  wherein the control module sets the ordering information to include at least one previously ordered menu item associated with the selected one unique patron identifier when the overall confidence value of the selected one unique patron identifier is greater than a second predetermined value. 
     
     
         38 . The ordering system of  claim 23  wherein the control module outputs the ordering information using at least one of a display and a speaker of the ordering terminal. 
     
     
         39 . The ordering system of  claim 21  wherein, for each unique patron identifier of the plurality of unique patron identifiers, the confidence calculation module calculates the overall confidence value for that unique patron identifier based on the equation:
     C= 1−Π m=1   N (1 −Wm*Cm ),
 
 
       where C is the overall confidence value for that unique patron identifier, Π denotes use of the product function, m is an integer less than or equal to N, Cm is an m-th one of the partial confidence values calculated based on an m-th comparison of an m-th one of the N sets of identification data and an m-th one of the N sets of stored identification data, Cm is a value between 0 and 1, and Wm is an m-th predetermined weighting value between 0 and 1. 
     
     
         40 . The ordering system of  claim 21  wherein the confidence calculation module further:
 calculates at least one additional partial confidence value based on at least one comparison of at least one of the N sets of identification data with additional sets of stored identification data, respectively, associated with a general characteristic; 
 based on the at least one additional partial confidence value, calculates a second overall confidence value indicating a second level of confidence that the patron has the general characteristic; and, 
 based on the second overall confidence value, selectively sets ordering information to be output to the patron further based on the general characteristic.