Patent ID: 6829583
Filing Date: 2004-12-07
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
In a computer-based networked environment in which a service establishment is equipped with sensors and other electronic input devices for electronically collecting service time related data that is passed to a computer, a method for electronically determining service wait times, comprising:automatically collecting historical data relating to a time at which a party seeks service at the establishment and a time at which the party receives service at the establishment wherein said data is collected via a plurality of electronic collection devices within said establishment; computing, from a selected subset of the collected data, an average service delay between the time at which a plurality of parties sought service at the establishment and a time at which the a plurality of parties received service at the establishment, wherein said average service delay comprises the historical data; estimating, based on the computed average service delay, an expected service delay for a party seeking service at the establishment; and responsive to receiving a request for an estimate of said wait time, transmitting an output of the expected service delay to the requesting party, wherein: when the requesting party enters said request by connecting to a web site of the establishment that is accessible via the network environment, said output is provided within said web site; and when the requesting party enters said request in an input terminal at said establishment, said output is displayed on an output device at said establishment.