Video analysis of food service counter operations

Abstract

In a restaurant having a customer-facing food service counter, a video camera is positioned to produce video of an area that includes the food service counter. The video is analyzed to determine the ingredients that are used to prepare each of multiple customer meals. This information may be used to recommend a modified ingredient layout of the food service counter, where the modified ingredient layout is formulated so as to improve serving efficiency or customer convenience.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from an information capturing device, video data associated with items available for selection;   analyzing the video data using at least one of image recognition, text recognition, or audio detection; and   causing information associated with the video data to be presented via a computing device of an entity associated with the items.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 generating, based at least in part on analyzing the video data, one or more reports regarding the items available for selection, wherein the one or more reports comprise at least one of a recommended layout of the items, an indication of satisfaction associated with a customer of the entity, or an indication of an action corresponding to at least one of the items.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the items available for selection are associated with one or more ingredients of a food service counter of the entity. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 analyzing additional video data associated with a plurality of meals associated with a plurality of customers of the entity;   generating one or more reports based at least in part on analyzing the additional video data; and   causing the one or more reports to be presented via the computing device of the entity.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 determining one or more popular items available for selection based at least in part on analyzing the additional video data; and   wherein the one or more reports further comprise an indication of the one or more popular items.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 determining one or more popular items available for selection based at least in part on analyzing the additional video data; and   wherein the information includes a recommendation of a sales promotion for a meal comprising one or more of the popular items.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 determining one or more popular items available for selection based at least in part on analyzing the additional video data; and   wherein the information comprises a recommendation of a new item for a meal containing one of the popular items.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the items available for selection have a first layout that indicates first locations of the items, and wherein the information includes a recommendation associated with a second layout. 
     
     
         29 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors;   one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions program the one or more processors to perform actions comprising:
 receiving, from an information capturing device, video data associated with items available for selection; 
 analyzing the video data using at least one of image recognition, text recognition, or audio detection; and 
 causing information associated with the video data to be presented via a computing device of an entity associated with the items. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the items available for selection have a first layout that indicates first locations of the items, and wherein the information includes a recommendation associated with a second layout. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , the actions further comprising:
 generating, based at least in part on analyzing the video data, one or more reports regarding the items available for selection, wherein the one or more reports comprise at least one of a recommended layout of the items, an indication of satisfaction associated with a customer of the entity, or an indication of an action corresponding to at least one of the items.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the items available for selection are associated with one or more ingredients of a food service counter of the entity. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 29 , the actions further comprising:
 analyzing additional video data associated with a plurality of meals associated with a plurality of customers of the entity;   generating one or more reports based at least in part on analyzing the additional video data; and   causing the one or more reports to be presented via the computing device of the entity.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , the actions further comprising:
 determining one or more popular items available for selection based at least in part on analyzing the additional video data; and   wherein the one or more reports further comprise an indication of the one or more popular items.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , the actions further comprising:
 determining one or more popular items available for selection based at least in part on analyzing the additional video data; and   wherein the information includes a recommendation of a sales promotion for a meal comprising one or more of the popular items.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 33 , the actions further comprising:
 determining one or more popular items available for selection based at least in part on analyzing the additional video data; and   wherein the information comprises a recommendation of a new item for a meal containing one of the popular items.   
     
     
         37 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
 receiving, from an information capturing device, video data associated with items available for selection;   analyzing the video data using at least one of image recognition, text recognition, or audio detection; and   causing information associated with the video data to be presented via a computing device of an entity associated with the items.   
     
     
         38 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as  claim 37  recites, wherein the items available for selection are associated with one or more ingredients of a food service counter of the entity. 
     
     
         39 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as  claim 37  recites, wherein the items available for selection have a first layout that indicates first locations of the items, and wherein the information includes a recommendation associated with a second layout. 
     
     
         40 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as  claim 37  recites, the acts further comprising:
 analyzing additional video data associated with a plurality of meals associated with a plurality of customers of the entity; 
 generating one or more reports based at least in part on analyzing the additional video data; and 
 causing the one or more reports to be presented via the computing device of the entity.