Computer-based ordering system

Abstract

A computer-based ordering system for ordering goods and services includes a plurality of self-service client terminals and a server. Each self-service client terminal runs a self-order application including a set of interactive menu screens having buttons that allow the customer to select and customize products for the order. An administration tool application communicates with the server to administer the self-service client terminals. The administration tool application including a menu editor that enables the administrator to create and edit the interactive menu screens provided by the self-order application at the self-service client terminals. The menu editor accesses a library of menu templates containing predefined groupings of buttons, and uses the menu templates, as directed by the administrator, during creation and editing of the interactive menu screens.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-based ordering system for ordering goods and services, the system comprising:
 a self-service terminal for use by a customer to place an order, the self-service terminal including a processor and a storage medium storing a self-order application, the self-order application providing a first user interface including a set of interactive menu screens having buttons that allow the customer to select and customize products for the order;   the storage medium further storing an administration tool application for administering the self-service terminal, the administration tool application providing a second user interface that can be accessed by the administrator to perform various administrative functions, the administration tool application including a menu editor that enables the administrator to create and edit the interactive menu screens provided by the self-order application; and   wherein the menu editor is resident in the self-service terminal accesses a library of menu templates containing predefined groupings of buttons, and uses the menu templates, as directed by the administrator, during creation and editing of the interactive menu screens.   
     
     
       2. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 1  wherein the self-service terminal further comprises a display screen having a touch screen for accepting user input, and wherein the first user interface, which is provided by the self-order application, is a graphical user interface, and the customer interacts with the self-order application using the touch screen. 
     
     
       3. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 1  wherein the self-service terminal further comprises a display screen having a touch screen for accepting user input, and wherein the second user interface, which is provided by the administration tool application, is a graphical user interface, and the administrator interacts with the administration tool application using the touch screen. 
     
     
       4. A computer-based ordering system for ordering goods and services, the system including a plurality of self-service client terminals for use by customers to place orders, each self-service client terminal running a self-order application, the self-order application providing a first user interface including a set of interactive menu screens having buttons that allow the customer to select and customize products for the order, the system further including a server in communication with the plurality of self-service client terminals, the system further comprising: an administration tool application stored on a computer-readable storage medium, the administration tool application being executable by a computer for communicating with the server to administer the self-service client terminals, the administration tool application providing a second user interface that can be accessed by the administrator to perform various administrative functions, the administration tool application including a menu editor that enables the administrator to create and edit the interactive menu screens provided by the self-order application at the self-service client terminals; and wherein the menu editor accesses a library of menu templates containing predefined groupings of buttons, and uses the menu templates, as directed by the administrator, during creation and editing of the interactive menu screens. 
     
     
       5. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 4  wherein each self-service client terminal further comprises a display screen having a touch screen for accepting user input, and wherein the customer interacts with the self-order application using the touch screen. 
     
     
       6. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 4  wherein the computer-readable storage medium storing the administration tool application is located at the server, and wherein the server further comprises a display screen having a touch screen for accepting user input, and wherein the second user interface, which is provided by the administration tool application, is a graphical user interface, and the administrator interacts with the administration tool application using the touch screen. 
     
     
       7. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 4  wherein the library of menu templates includes a plurality of templates, each template representing an interactive menu screen having buttons, and wherein the menu editor enables the administrator to, during creation/editing of an interactive menu screen, select a template for the interactive menu screen and associate functions with the buttons included on the selected template. 
     
     
       8. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 7  wherein associating functions with the buttons included on the selected template includes selecting a button type for a button. 
     
     
       9. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 7  wherein associating functions with the buttons included on the selected template includes selecting associated text for a button. 
     
     
       10. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 7  wherein associating functions with the buttons included on the selected template includes selecting an image overlay for a button. 
     
     
       11. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 7  wherein associating functions with the buttons included on the selected template includes selecting an item/product for a button. 
     
     
       12. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 11  wherein associating functions with the buttons included on the selected template includes selecting a quantity for the item/product for a button. 
     
     
       13. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 11  wherein associating functions with the buttons included on the selected template includes selecting a pricing option for the item/product for a button. 
     
     
       14. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 7  wherein associating functions with the buttons included on the selected template includes selecting a subsequent menu screen for activation upon selection of a button by the customer, thereby creating a hierarchy of menus to guide the customer through the order process. 
     
     
       15. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of templates includes at least one template configured to allow selection of only a single button by the customer from a presented plurality of buttons. 
     
     
       16. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of templates includes at least one template configured to allow selection of multiple buttons by a customer from a presented plurality of buttons. 
     
     
       17. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of templates includes at least one template configured to allow selection of multiple buttons by a customer from a presented plurality of buttons, and wherein the presented plurality of buttons includes at least one special button, the special button including a plurality of sub-buttons to provide multiple selected states for the special button. 
     
     
       18. The computer-based ordering system of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of templates includes at least one template configured to allow selection of multiple buttons by a customer from a presented plurality of buttons, and wherein the presented plurality of buttons includes at least one special button, the special button, upon selection thereof, causing selection of a predetermined set of the presented plurality of buttons. 
     
     
       19. A method of administrating the computer-based ordering system of  claim 4 , the method comprising: establishing a library of menu templates containing predefined groupings of buttons; and utilizing the menu editor of the administration tool application to create and edit the interactive menu screens for the self-order application, wherein the interactive menu screens are created using menu templates from the library. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19  wherein the library of menu templates includes a plurality of templates, each template representing an interactive menu screen having buttons, the method further comprising: during creation/editing of an interactive menu screen, selecting a template for the interactive menu screen and associating functions with the buttons included on the selected template. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 19  wherein the computer-readable storage medium storing the administration tool application is located at the server. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21  wherein the server also operates as a self-service client terminal by running the self-order application while the server communicates with the plurality of self-service client terminals in the background. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 21  wherein the administration tool application is also located at a plurality of the self-service client terminals to allow administration from any of the self-service client terminals having the administration tool application. 
     
     
       24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable on a processor, the instructions comprising:
 displaying menu items to a user on a display;   receiving input from the user via an input device;   in response to the input indicating selection by the user of a first menu item of the menu items, displaying a multi-part button associated with a component part of the first menu item;   in response to the input indicating selection by the user of any portion of the multi-part button while a plurality of additional buttons associated with the multi-part button are not visible, displaying the plurality of additional buttons, wherein each of the plurality of additional buttons corresponds respectively to a different amount of the component part in the first menu item, and wherein a first button of the plurality of additional buttons corresponds to a default for the multi-part button;   in response to the input indicating selection by the user of a second button of the plurality of additional buttons while another one of the plurality of additional buttons is presently selected, (i) displaying a visual indicator corresponding to the second button and (ii) maintaining visibility of the plurality of additional buttons; and   in response to the input indicating selection by the user of the second button while the second button is already selected, hiding the plurality of additional buttons from view of the user.    
     
     
       25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein:
 the first menu item is a food item; and   the multi-part button corresponds to a first component food of the first menu item.    
     
     
       26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the instructions further comprise, in response to the input indicating selection by the user of the first menu item, displaying a plurality of multi-part buttons including the multi-part button, wherein the plurality of multi-part buttons respectively correspond to a plurality of component foods of the first menu item.  
     
     
       27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the plurality of component foods are condiments for the first menu item.  
     
     
       28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein one of the plurality of additional buttons corresponds to an absence of the first component food from the first menu item.  
     
     
       29. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein:
 the first button is associated with a text label of “Normal”;   the second button is associated with a text label of “More”; and   a third button of the plurality of additional buttons is associated with a text label of “Less”.    
     
     
       30. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions further comprise selectively displaying a price differential between a price corresponding to a presently selected one of the plurality of additional buttons and a price corresponding to the first button.  
     
     
       31. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions further comprise:
 displaying an order for the user, the order including an entry listing the first menu item and displaying the total price of the first menu item; and   selectively updating the total price in response to changes in which of the plurality of additional buttons is selected.    
     
     
       32. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions further comprise updating an order for the user based on a state of the multi-part button.  
     
     
       33. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of additional buttons is visually contained within a perimeter of the multi-part button.  
     
     
       34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the plurality of additional buttons are semi-transparent.  
     
     
       35. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the visual indicator corresponding to the second button is a checkmark.  
     
     
       36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the visual indicator corresponding to the second button is visually contained within a perimeter of the second button.  
     
     
       37. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions further comprise, upon displaying the plurality of additional buttons, displaying a visual indicator corresponding to the first button.  
     
     
       38. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein:
 the multi-part button includes a text label identifying the component part; and   the instructions further comprise modifying the text label in response to which of the plurality of additional buttons is selected.    
     
     
       39. An apparatus comprising:
 the computer-readable medium of claim 24;   the processor, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions from the computer-readable medium; and   a touchscreen that integrates the display and the input device.    
     
     
       40. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable on a processor, the instructions comprising:
 displaying menu items to a user on a display;   receiving input from the user via an input device;   in response to the input indicating selection by the user of a first menu item of the menu items:
 displaying a multi-part button associated with a component part of the first menu item; 
 displaying a plurality of additional buttons associated with the multi-part button, wherein each of the plurality of additional buttons corresponds respectively to a different amount of the component part in the first menu item, and wherein a first button of the plurality of additional buttons corresponds to a default for the multi-part button; and 
 displaying a visual indicator corresponding to the first button; 
   in response to the input indicating selection by the user of a second button of the plurality of additional buttons while another one of the plurality of additional buttons is presently selected, (i) displaying a visual indicator corresponding to the second button and (ii) maintaining visibility of the plurality of additional buttons; and   in response to the input indicating selection by the user of the second button while the second button is already selected, hiding the plurality of additional buttons from view of the user.    
     
     
       41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein:
 a third button of the plurality of additional buttons corresponds to a zero amount; and   the instructions comprise, in response to the input indicating selection by the user of the third button, hiding the plurality of additional buttons from view of the user and omitting the component part from the first menu item in an order for the user.    
     
     
       42. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein:
 the first button is associated with a text label of “Normal”;   the second button is associated with a text label of “Extra”; and   the third button is associated with a text label of “None”.