Method and apparatus for monitoring the status of tables

An apparatus for processing information about the status of a plurality of tables comprising:

• an electronic memory;
• table identifying means for storing a plurality of table identifying codes in the memory, each table identifying code identifying a selected table;
• table size means for storing a plurality of table size codes in the memory, each table size code indicating a maximum intended number of people accommodated by an identified table;
• availability status means for storing a plurality of availability status codes in the memory, each availability status code indicating whether an identified table is available, the availability status codes including an occupied status code indicating the identified table is occupied and a vacant status code indicating the identified table is vacant;
• size request means for entering a size request code indicating a requested number of people to be accommodated by a table;
• size comparing means, coupled to the size request means and to the table size means, for comparing the size request code to a stored table size code;
• size match indicating means, coupled to the size comparing means, for providing a size match signal indicating when the requested number of people to be accommodated by a table is not greater than the number of people accommodated by a table as indicated by the stored table size code;
• status comparing means, coupled to the size match indicating means, for comparing the availability code associated with the table size code which caused the generation of the size match signal to a vacancy status code which indicates that a table is vacant;
• vacancy indicating means, coupled to the status comparing means, for providing a vacancy signal when the availability code corresponds the vacancy status code;
• and
• wherein the availability status means stores an occupied status code as the availability status code corresponding to the table identifying code associated with the table size code which caused the generation of the size match signal in response to the size match signal and the vacancy signal.

An apparatus for monitoring the status of a plurality of tables comprising:

• a first table status processing unit including:
• a first plurality of visual indicators, each visual indicator corresponding to an associated table for visually indicating the status of that table, the status including an occupied status, a vacant status, and a reserved status;
• a first keypad having a plurality of closely-spaced entry keys for entering status codes corresponding to a first group of tables;
• wherein the first keypad includes reservation time entry means for entering a code corresponding to a reservation time at which a selected table has a reserved status;
• a second table status processing unit including:
• a second plurality of visual indicators, each visual indicator corresponding to an associated table in the first group of tables;
• status entry means for entering status information corresponding to the first group of tables;
• a processor for receiving the status codes and the status information and for activating the first and second pluralities of visual indicators for indicating the status of each table in the first group, the processor comprising:
• occupied status timing means for timing the occupied status of a table;
• occupied status average time means for providing an occupied status average time for a table;
• and
• reserved status prohibiting means for prohibiting the assignment of a reservation time to a selected table when the table has an occupied status and the difference between the occupied status average time for that table and a time occupied status for that table is greater than the time remaining until the reservation time.