In-vehicle ordering

An in-vehicle ordering system comprising:

• a. an occupant interface having a display and input device located within a vehicle cabin, said occupant interface adapted to provide a selection of items to order from a quick service restaurant and receive an occupant order via said input device;
• b. vehicle communication electronics associated with said occupant interface and adapted to wirelessly transmit the occupant order for ultimate receipt at the quick service restaurant;
• c. an order processing station at the quick service restaurant where orders are processed;
• and
• d. station communication electronics for receiving the occupant order and communicating the occupant order to said order processing station.

A remote ordering system configured to ultimately communicate with an in-vehicle order interface, said ordering system comprising:

• communication electronics adapted to ultimately communicate with vehicle communication electronics associated with the in-vehicle order interface;
• an order processing terminal at a quick-serve restaurant adapted to display the occupant order for a food preparer;
• and
• a control system associated with said communication electronics and said occupant order processing terminal;
• said control system adapted to:
• a. receive the occupant order via said communication electronics;
• b. receive occupant account information;
• c. send the occupant order to said order processing terminal for processing;
• and
• d. effect payment for the occupant order based on said occupant account.

A multistage order system interacting with an in-vehicle occupant order system comprising:

• a) a fuel dispenser having first remote communications electronics adapted to provide wireless communications with the in-vehicle occupant order system;
• b) an order receipt position apart from said fuel dispenser for providing the customer with an order and having:
• i) second remote communications electronics adapted to provide wireless communications with the in-vehicle occupant order system;
• and
• ii) an output indicating the customer who placed the order is at the order receipt location;
• c) a control system associated with said first remote communications electronics of said fuel dispenser and said second remote communications electronics and said output of said order receipt position, said control system adapted to:
• i) communicate with the in-vehicle occupant order system through said first remote communications electronics when the in-vehicle occupant order system is proximate said fuel dispenser;
• ii) communicate with the in-vehicle occupant order system through said second remote communications electronics when the in-vehicle occupant order system is proximate said order receipt location;
• and
• iii) identify the order at the order receipt location associated with the in-vehicle occupant order system of the customer who placed the order at the in-vehicle occupant order system and provide said output indicating that the customer who placed the order is at the order receipt location.

A multistage order system comprising:

• a) a fuel dispenser having first remote communications electronics adapted to provide wireless communications with the in-vehicle occupant order system;
• b) an order receipt position apart from said fuel dispenser for providing the customer with an order and having:
• i) second remote communications electronics adapted to provide wireless communications with the in-vehicle occupant order system;
• ii) a receipt position output indicating the customer who placed the order is at the order receipt location;
• and
• iii) an intermediate location output indicating the customer is proximate said intermediate locating position;
• c) an intermediate locating position located on a path of travel between said fuel dispenser and said order receipt position, said intermediate locating position having third remote communications electronics adapted to communicate with the in-vehicle occupant order system;
• and
• d) a control system associated with said first remote communications electronics of said fuel dispenser, said third remote communications electronics of said intermediate locating position and said second remote communications electronics and said output of said order receipt position, said control system adapted to:
• i) communicate with the in-vehicle occupant order system through said first remote communications electronics when said remote communications unit is proximate said fuel dispenser;
• ii) communicate with the in-vehicle occupant order system through said third remote communications electronics when said remote communications unit is proximate said intermediate locating position indicating said customer is near said intermediate locating position;
• iii) provide said intermediate location output indicating the customer is proximate said intermediate locating position;
• iv) communicate with the in-vehicle occupant order system through said second remote communications electronics when the in-vehicle occupant order system is proximate said order receipt location;
• and
• v) identify the order at the order receipt location associated with the in-vehicle occupant order system of the customer who placed the order at the order entry user interface of the fuel dispenser and provide said output indicating the customer who placed the order is at the order receipt location.

A multistage order system for a fueling environment comprising:

• a) a fuel dispenser operatively associated with a first receiver for receiving indicia via remote communications from an in-vehicle occupant order system associated with a customer;
• b) an order receipt location where the customer receives the order, said order receipt located apart from said dispenser and operatively associated with a second receiver for receiving the indicia via remote communications from the in-vehicle occupant order system associated with a customer;
• c) a control system operatively associated with said first receiver and said second receiver;
• d) said first receiver adapted to receive indicia from the in-vehicle occupant order system when said remote communications unit is proximate said fuel dispenser;
• e) said control system adapted to associate an order received from the in-vehicle occupant order system with the in-vehicle occupant order system;
• f) said second receiver adapted to receive said indicia from the in-vehicle occupant order system when the in-vehicle occupant order system is proximate said order receipt location;
• and
• g) said control system adapted to relate the indicia received at said second receiver with the indicia received at said first receiver and the order associated therewith.

A method of correlating remote orders using remote communications units comprising:

• a) entering an occupant order at an in-vehicle occupant order system;
• b) communicating with the in-vehicle occupant order system at a station to receive the occupant order;
• c) processing the occupant order at a remote receiving location;
• d) communicating with the in-vehicle occupant order system at the remote receiving location to associate the in-vehicle occupant order system with the processed order;
• and
• e) providing a customer associated with the in-vehicle occupant order system with ordered goods or services.

An in-vehicle ordering system comprising:

• a. an occupant interface having a display and input device located within a vehicle cabin, said occupant interface adapted to provide a selection of items to order from a restaurant or store and receive an occupant order via said input device;
• b. vehicle communication electronics associated with said occupant interface and adapted to wirelessly transmit the occupant order for ultimate receipt at the restaurant or store;
• and
• c. a control system configured to display said selection of items to order on said display, determine the occupant order based on occupant input received via said input device, and effect wireless transmission of the occupant order.