# US 11,443,260 B1 · System for managing an integrated drive-through restaurant and carwash facility providing estimated wait times via a graphical user interface

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- Number: US 11,443,260 B1
- Document ID: US11443260B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/948,958
- Filed: 2020-10-07
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-10-07
- Assignees: DBD Design Inc.
- Applicants: DBD Design Inc.
- Inventors: Edward T. van Breen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11443260B1

## CPC

- G06Q 10/06312: {Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling}
- B60S 3/04: for exteriors of land vehicles {(B60S3/002, B60S3/004 take precedence; specially adapted for railway vehicles B60S3/006)}
- B65G 47/80: Turntables carrying articles or materials to be transferred, e.g. combined with ploughs or scrapers
- G06N 20/00: Machine learning
- G06Q 10/109: Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
- G06Q 20/202: {Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR}
- G06Q 30/0202: Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
- G06Q 30/0613: {using intermediate agents}
- G06Q 30/0631: {Recommending goods or services}
- G06Q 30/0637: {requiring approval before final submission, e.g. parental approval}
- G06Q 30/0641: {utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping}
- G06Q 50/12: Hotels or restaurants
- G07C 9/10: Movable barriers with registering means
- G08G 1/095: Traffic lights
- B60S 3/004: {Conveyors for vehicle cleaning apparatus}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60S: SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})

## Abstract

Quick service restaurants with car wash systems and traffic management systems for managing customer traffic and routing customers who have made food-only purchases and customers who have purchased both a food item and a carwash service. In some examples, graphical user interfaces incorporated in point of sale systems display time predictions for the delivery of food items and carwash services to aid and encourage customer selection of both food items and carwash services.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer implemented method for managing quick service restaurant (QSR) services and carwash (CW) services, the method comprising:
displaying, on a graphical user interface (GUI), a plurality of QSR menu items, and a plurality of CW menu items;
receiving, at a processor, QSR time duration information for the QSR menu items;
receiving, at the processor, CW time duration information for the CW menu items;
receiving, via the GUI, a selection of one or more of the QSR menu items;
determining, by the processor, according to the received QSR time duration information, a predicted QSR order time duration to prepare the selected one or more QSR menu items;
identifying, by the processor, according to the received CW time duration information, one or more of the CW menu items having a time duration that is less than or equal to the predicted QSR order time duration;
displaying, on the GUI, an equal time indictor that identifies the identified one or more CW menu items to identify the CW menu items that could be added to an order of the selected one or more of the QSR menu items without increasing a wait time to receive the QSR menu items;
in response to receiving an order via the GUI that includes one or more of the QSR menu items and none of the CW menu items:
displaying a directional signal that directs a customer vehicle to a QSR pickup window and to bypass a CW system; and
displaying QSR order information on a display screen of a QSR kitchen management system for preparing the selected one or more QSR menu items; and
in response to receiving an order at the GUI that includes one or more of the QSR menu items and one or more of the CW menu items:
displaying a directional signal that directs a customer vehicle to a CW system en route to a QSR pickup window; and
displaying QSR order information on a display screen of a QSR kitchen management system for preparing the selected one or more QSR menu items.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the received QSR time duration information includes at least one of real time data received from a QSR computing device coupled to the processor and historical data stored in one or more computer-readable storage devices coupled to the processor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the real time data includes at least one of food order que information, ingredient inventory levels, and kitchen equipment status.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the historical data includes preparation times as a function of one or more of time of day, day of the year, weather conditions, and staffing level, and wherein determining the predicted QSR order time duration includes determining the predicted QSR order time according to the historical data and at least one of a current time of day, current day of the year, current weather conditions, or current staffing levels.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the received CW time duration information includes at least one of real time data received from a CW computing device coupled to the processor and historical data stored in one or more computer-readable storage devices coupled to the processor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the identifying one or more of the CW menu items having a time duration that is less than or equal to the predicted QSR order time duration includes determining, by the processor, a predicted CW time duration for each of the CW menu items.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the predicted CW time duration for each of the CW menu items is determined according at least one of a current time of day, current day of the year, or current weather conditions.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
identifying, by the processor, one or more longer-duration CW menu items of the plurality of CW menu items having a time duration that is greater than the predicted QSR order time duration;
displaying, on the GUI, an additional time indicator for each of the longer-duration CW menu items that displays an estimated additional amount of time each of the longer-duration CW menu items would add to the predicted QSR order time duration.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying a directional signal includes at least one of displaying a directional signal on the GUI, activating a directional light of a drive through of a QSR or activating a traffic light of the drive through.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying an equal time indictor includes dynamically updating the equal time indicator in response to the user selecting and deselecting the QSR menu items.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
displaying, on the GUI, a desired time portion that includes a user control element for entering a user-specified maximum wait time for a maximum amount of time a customer is willing to wait for a QSR order;
identifying, by the processor, according to the QSR time duration information and CW time duration information, ones of the QSR menu items and CW menu items that can be provided within the user-specified maximum wait time; and
displaying, on the GUI, one or more indicators identifying the identified ones of the QSR menu items and CW menu items that can be provided within the user-specified maximum wait time.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
determining, by the processor, according to the QSR time duration information, CW time duration information, and user-specified maximum wait time, combinations of QSR menu items and CW menu items that can be provided within the user-specified maximum wait time; and
displaying, on the GUI, the combinations.

### Claim 13

A non-transitory computer readable storage media storing one or more programs configured to be executed by a processor for managing quick service restaurant (QSR) services and carwash (CW) services, the one or more programs including instructions for:
displaying, on a graphical user interface (GUI), a plurality of QSR menu items, and a plurality of CW menu items;
receiving, at the processor, QSR time duration information for the QSR menu items;
receiving, at the processor, CW time duration information for the CW menu items;
receiving, via the GUI, a selection of one or more of the QSR menu items;
determining, by the processor, according to the received QSR time duration information, a predicted QSR order time duration to prepare the selected one or more QSR menu items;
identifying, by the processor, according to the received CW time duration information, one or more of the CW menu items having a time duration that is less than or equal to the predicted QSR order time duration;
displaying, on the GUI, an equal time indictor that identifies the identified one or more CW menu items to identify the CW menu items that could be added to an order of the selected one or more of the QSR menu items without increasing a wait time to receive the QSR menu items;
in response to receiving an order via the GUI that includes one or more of the QSR menu items and none of the CW menu items:
displaying a directional signal that directs a customer vehicle to a QSR pickup window and to bypass a CW system; and
displaying QSR order information on a display screen of a QSR kitchen management system for preparing the selected one or more QSR menu items; and
in response to receiving an order at the GUI that includes one or more of the QSR menu items and one or more of the CW menu items:
displaying a directional signal that directs a customer vehicle to a CW system en route to a QSR pickup window; and
displaying QSR order information on a display screen of a QSR kitchen management system for preparing the selected one or more QSR menu items.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the received QSR time duration information includes at least one of real time data received from a QSR computing device coupled to the processor and historical data stored in one or more computer-readable storage devices coupled to the processor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the real time data includes at least one of food order que information, ingredient inventory levels, and kitchen equipment status.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the historical data includes preparation times as a function of one or more of time of day, day of the year, weather conditions, and staffing level, and wherein determining the predicted QSR order time duration includes determining the predicted QSR order time according to the historical data and at least one of a current time of day, current day of the year, current weather conditions, or current staffing levels.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the received CW time duration information includes at least one of real time data received from a CW computing device coupled to the processor and historical data stored in one or more computer-readable storage devices coupled to the processor.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the identifying one or more of the CW menu items having a time duration that is less than or equal to the predicted QSR order time duration includes determining, by the processor, a predicted CW time duration for each of the CW menu items.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the predicted CW time duration for each of the CW menu items is determined according at least one of a current time of day, current day of the year, or current weather conditions.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 13, the instructions further comprising:
identifying, by the processor, one or more longer-duration CW menu items of the plurality of CW menu items having a time duration that is greater than the predicted QSR order time duration;
displaying, on the GUI, an additional time indicator for each of the longer-duration CW menu items that displays an estimated additional amount of time each of the longer-duration CW menu items would add to the predicted QSR order time duration.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the displaying a directional signal includes at least one of displaying a directional signal on the GUI, activating a directional light of a drive through of a QSR or activating a traffic light of the drive through.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the displaying an equal time indictor includes dynamically updating the equal time indicator in response to the user selecting and deselecting the QSR menu items.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 13, the instructions further comprising:
displaying, on the GUI, a desired time portion that includes a user control element for entering a user-specified maximum wait time for a maximum amount of time a customer is willing to wait for a QSR order;
identifying, by the processor, according to the QSR time duration information and CW time duration information, ones of the QSR menu items and CW menu items that can be provided within the user-specified maximum wait time; and
displaying, on the GUI, one or more indicators identifying the identified ones of the QSR menu items and CW menu items that can be provided within the user-specified maximum wait time.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 23, the instructions further comprising:
determining, by the processor, according to the QSR time duration information, CW time duration information, and user-specified maximum wait time, combinations of QSR menu items and CW menu items that can be provided within the user-specified maximum wait time; and
displaying, on the GUI, the combinations.

### Claim 25

A system for managing quick service restaurant (QSR) services and carwash (CW) services, the system comprising:
an electronic device configured to display a graphical user interface (GUI);
a processor coupled to the electronic device; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the processor, the one or more programs including instructions for:
displaying, on a graphical user interface (GUI), a plurality of QSR menu items, and a plurality of CW menu items;
receiving, at the processor, QSR time duration information for the QSR menu items;
receiving, at the processor, CW time duration information for the CW menu items;
receiving, via the GUI, a selection of one or more of the QSR menu items;
determining, by the processor, according to the received QSR time duration information, a predicted QSR order time duration to prepare the selected one or more QSR menu items;
identifying, by the processor, according to the received CW time duration information, one or more of the CW menu items having a time duration that is less than or equal to the predicted QSR order time duration to identify the CW menu items that could be added to an order of the selected one or more of the QSR menu items without increasing a wait time to receive the QSR menu items;
displaying, on the GUI, an equal time indictor that identifies the identified one or more CW menu items;
in response to receiving an order via the GUI that includes one or more of the QSR menu items and none of the CW menu items:
displaying a directional signal that directs a customer vehicle to a QSR pickup window and to bypass a CW system; and
displaying QSR order information on a display screen of a QSR kitchen management system for preparing the selected one or more QSR menu items; and
in response to receiving an order at the GUI that includes one or more of the QSR menu items and one or more of the CW menu items:
displaying a directional signal that directs a customer vehicle to a CW system en route to a QSR pickup window; and
displaying QSR order information on a display screen of a QSR kitchen management system for preparing the selected one or more QSR menu items.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25:
wherein the received QSR time duration information includes at least one of real time data received from a QSR computing device coupled to the processor and historical data stored in one or more computer-readable storage devices coupled to the processor; and
wherein the received CW time duration information includes at least one of real time data received from a CW computing device coupled to the processor and historical data stored in the one or more computer-readable storage devices.