Abstract:
A golf course food ordering system reduces the period of delay in the play of golf on a golf course created by golfers ordering food and/or beverage between the play of two holes. The system provides an electric menu kiosk at the start of a hole that allows golfers to place a food and/or beverage order for receipt upon completing play of the hole. Orders placed utilizing the menu kiosk are transmitted over a communication network to an order receipt unit located at a food facility on the golf course. The received order is filled and ready for receipt by golfers upon completion of the hole.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to ordering food and/or beverages at golf courses, and more particularly, relating to the ordering of food and/or beverages at a golf course while out on the golf course and from an electric menu kiosk such that the order is completed and is ready to be received upon completion of a hole. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    During the play of a round of golf it is common at the turn (after completing the ninth-hole and before beginning the tenth-hole) for golfers to take an intermission and order food and/or beverages from a food facility located at the golf course. Conventionally the food facility is located at a club house or a halfway house that is located on the golf course at some location between the ninth green and the tenth tee box. 
         [0003]    A golfer desiring to place a food and/or beverage order is required to physically visit the food facility to place and receive his/her order. On a busy day, this system and method creates a delay in the play on the golf course as result of the golfers wait for their orders to be taken and filled prior to resuming play. This delay is undesirable to both the golf course and the golfers. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need for a new system and method which reduces the delay created in the play of golf on the golf course as a result of golfers purchasing food and/or beverages during a round of golf from a food facility. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Embodiments of the present invention addresses this need by providing golf course food ordering and system and method that utilizes a period of time required to complete the play of one or more holes to fill an order that is placed by a golfer before the start of play of the one or more holes. 
         [0006]    Embodiments of the present invention also provide an electronic menu kiosk and an electronic order receipt unit in communication with the electronic menu kiosk to receive and process orders entered and submitted through the electronic menu kiosk 
         [0007]    Embodiments of the present invention further provide for locating the electronic menu kiosk at a location on the golf course, such as, for example the tee box of the ninth-hole and for locating the electronic order receipt unit at a food facility locate at a location remote from the location of the electronic menu kiosk. 
         [0008]    To achieve these and other advantages, in general, in one aspect, a golf course foodstuff ordering system includes a menu kiosk located on a golf course at a location remotely from a food facility located on the golf course, and an order receipt unit located at the food facility. The menu kiosk has a means for displaying menu items offered by the food facility, a means for receiving a menu item selection from a user, a means for generating a foodstuff order including one or more menu item selections, and a means for transmitting the foodstuff order. The order receipt unit has a means for receiving from the menu kiosk the order and a means for printing the order at the food facility. 
         [0009]    In general, in another aspect, a method of ordering foodstuff at a golf course is provided. The method including the steps of displaying a menu by a menu displaying means of a menu kiosk that is located on the golf course at a location that is remote from a food facility of the golf course, the menu including one or more menu items; receiving one or more menu item selections by a means for receiving menu item selections of the menu kiosk; generating a foodstuff order including the one or more menu item selections by a means for generating a foodstuff order of the menu kiosk; transmitting the foodstuff order over a communication network from the menu kiosk to an order receipt unit located at the food facility; receiving the foodstuff order over the communication network by an order receiving means of the order receipt unit and from the menu kiosk; printing the foodstuff order by a printing means for printing a foodstuff order of the order receipt unit; and processing the foodstuff order in a time period that permits receipt of the one or more menu item selections subsequent completion of play of a designated golf hole of the golf course. 
         [0010]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
         [0011]    Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0012]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0013]    For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The following drawings illustrate by way of example and are included to provide further understanding of the invention for the purpose of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the invention. No attempt is made to show structural details of the embodiments in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. Identical reference numerals do not necessarily indicate an identical structure. Rather, the same reference numeral may be used to indicate a similar feature of a feature with similar functionality. In the drawings: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic illustration of a golf course and a system in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a menu kiosk terminal according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an order receipt terminal according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic illustration of a display screen of a graphical user interface and user input in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic illustration of a menu kiosk including a decorative housing simulating the appearance of a boulder; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of one system for providing power to the menu kiosk of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of another system for providing power to the menu kiosk of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a process flow diagram illustrating a method of entering and submitting an food and/or beverage order according to an embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a process flow diagram illustrating a method of completing a submitted food and/or beverage order according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    Systems and methods in accordance with the present invention allow golfers at a golf course to place a food and/or beverage order with a hospitality facility located on the golf course from remote terminal. For example, a golfer using a remote terminal located at a tee-box of a golf hole on the golf course may place a food and/or beverage order with the hospitality facility while waiting to tee-off. The food and/or beverage order is then retrieved by the golfer at a later time from the hospitality facility, e.g. once the golfer completes play of the particular golf hole. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is diagrammatically illustrated a remote golf course ordering system  10  according to embodiments of the invention. The remote golf course ordering system  10  comprises a menu kiosk terminal  12  and an order receipt terminal  14 . The menu kiosk terminal  12  is representatively, located at a tee box  16  of a desired golf course hole  18  and the order receipt terminal  14  is located at a hospitality facility  20 , such as a club house, snack shack or the like of the golf course. While the menu kiosk terminal  12  is depicted here at the tee box  16 , the menu kiosk terminal may be located at any other location on the golf course a desired. Further, while only a single menu kiosk terminal  12  and a single order receipt terminal  14  are illustrated and described herein, the system may be expanded to include multiple menu kiosk terminals  12  and order receipt terminals  14  as required and/or desired. 
         [0026]    The remote golf course ordering system  10  enables one or more golfers to place and submit a food and/or beverage order while on the golf course, for example, from the tee box  16  of the ninth hole  18  to the hospitality facility  20  such that the food and/or beverage order is ready for pickup and purchase when the one or more golfers have completed play of the hole. In doing so, a food and/or beverage order is entered into the menu kiosk terminal  12  through interaction with a graphical user interface and then is submitted through a communication link  22  to the order receipt unit  14 , where the food and/or beverage order is received and processed as will be described in more detail below. 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is illustrated a block diagram of the menu kiosk terminal  12  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated, the menu kiosk terminal  12  generally comprises a kiosk controller  24 , a video display with touch screen capabilities  26 , a key pad  28 , network/communication interface  30 , a radio frequency transceiver  32 , a memory device  34 , a sound module  36 , a universal serial bus (USB) interface  38  and optionally a programming port  39 . 
         [0028]    Kiosk controller  24  is any suitable programmable logic controller or computer processing unit. For example, kiosk controller  24  may be Microchip 18F4680 8-bit microcontroller. A battery  25  powered real time clock (RTC)  27  is connected to the kiosk controller. Video display  26  is operatively connected to the kiosk controller  24 . Video display  26  is preferably a touch screen video monitor for displaying video graphics and receiving user inputs. However, a touch screen is not necessary since user inputs can be made through keypad  28 . 
         [0029]    Keypad  28  preferably comprises an eight-button entry device having each button located relative to the video display  26  and associated with one or more graphics, such as menu selections, displayed on video display  26  (best seen in  FIG. 4 ). However, keypad  28  may be a conventional alpha-numeric or numeric key entry device. Transceiver  32  is connected to the kiosk controller  24  via network/communication interface  30 . 
         [0030]    Memory device  34  is operatively connected to kiosk controller and stores operational information such as one or more software programs that facilitates the operation of the menu kiosk terminal  12 , menu item data, advertising data, etc. Sound module  36  is operatively connected to the controller  24  and provides audio output to a user such as alert sounds, feedback sounds, music, video sound, etc. USB interface  38  permits connecting an external device to the menu kiosk terminal  12  for loading data onto memory device  34  and/or internal memory of the kiosk controller  24 . For example, menu data, video, advertising data or any other data and/or programming requirements. 
         [0031]    In embodiments, transceiver  32  may be replaced by a cellular telephone communication device, a satellite communication device, modem or any other device capable of transmitting and receiving data on a communication network. For example, network/communication interface  30  may be comprise any computer bus and the transceiver  32  may be an Ethernet device through which kiosk controller  24  may be connected to the internet, a wide area network, a local area network or any other computer network upon which data may be transmitted. 
         [0032]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is illustrated a block diagram of the order receipt terminal  14  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated, the order receipt terminal  14  generally comprises an order receipt terminal controller  40 , memory device  42 , a network/communication interface  44 , a radio frequency transceiver  46 , a visual status indicator module  48 , a universal serial bus (USB) interface  50 , a peripheral interface  52 , a printer  54  and a programming interface  56 . 
         [0033]    Order receipt terminal controller  40  is any suitable programmable logic controller or computer processing unit. For example, controller  40  may be an integrated circuit containing a processing core, memory and programmable input/output peripherals. Memory device  42  is operatively connected to the order receipt terminal controller  40  and stores operational information such as one or more software programs that facilitates the operation of the order receipt terminal  14 . Network/communication interface  44  operatively connects order receipt terminal controller  40  and the radio frequency transceiver  46 . Visual status indicator module  48  is operatively connected to order receipt terminal controller  40  and provides visual indication to employees of the hospitality facility  20  of the operating status of the order receipt terminal  14 . In an embodiment, the visual status indicator  48  includes a plurality of colored light emitting element, such as light emitting diodes (LED) which indicate the operating status, e.g. a red LED indicates an error, a green LED indicates operating correctly, and an amber LED indicates communicating with a menu kiosk terminal  12 . 
         [0034]    USB interface  50  permits connecting an external device to the order receipt terminal  14  for loading data onto memory device  42  and/or internal memory of the order receipt terminal controller  40 . For example, menu data, video, advertising data or any other data and/or programming requirements. Peripheral interface  52  operative connects the order receipt terminal controller  40  and a printer  54 . Alternatively or in addition to the printer  54  a video display monitor (not shown) and/or a sound module (not shown) may be connected to a peripheral interface, such as interface  52 . 
         [0035]    Similarly, in embodiments, transceiver  46  may be replaced by a cellular telephone communication device, a satellite communication device, modem or any other device capable of transmitting and receiving data on a communication network. For example, network/communication interface  44  may be comprise any computer bus and the transceiver  46  may be an Ethernet device through which kiosk controller  40  may be connected to the internet, a wide area network, a local area network or any other computer network upon which data may be transmitted. 
         [0036]    In the embodiment illustrated, transceiver  32  and  46  are paired to solely communicate with one another on data communication network  22 , herein illustrated as a wireless radio connection, for the transmission of data between the menu kiosk terminal  12  and the order receipt terminal  14  in the processing of food and/or beverage order, for programming the menu kiosk terminal, etc. 
         [0037]    Now referring to  FIG. 4 , there is diagrammatically illustrated an exemplary graphical user interface  60  displayed on video display  26  and representatively including various food and beverage main menu choices  62   a - 62   i  and which is representative of an initial screen depicted to a user. Key pad input  28  is representatively depicted as including a series of key pad buttons  64   a - 64   i  located along opposite sides of the video display. A single key pad button  64   a - 64   i  corresponds to a single menu item choice  62   a - 62   i . As further illustrated, a portion of the display area of the video display  26  may be dedicated to the static or rolling display of advertisements  66  which may consist of paid advertisements as a form of revenue generation for the golf course. 
         [0038]    With reference now to  FIG. 5 , there is a diagrammatic illustration of the menu kiosk terminal  12  supported and house by decorative housing  38  that is illustrated here as a simulative boulder. Of course the decorative housing  68  may be constructed as various other forms as desired and should not be limited solely to a simulative boulder. Housing  68  protects the menu kiosk terminal  12  against the elements and permits user access to both the video display screen  26  and the key pad. 
         [0039]    Turning now to  FIG. 6 , there is schematically illustrated one power scheme in which the menu kiosk terminal  12  is electrically powered by an electric power source comprising a solar panel array  70 , a control circuit  72  and a rechargeable electrical energy storage device such as a battery array  74 . The solar panel array  70  is operatively connected to the control circuit  72  to transmit electrical energy produced by the solar panel array to the control circuit. The menu kiosk terminal  12  is operatively connected to the control circuit  72  to receive electrical energy produced by the solar panel array  70  for operating the menu kiosk. The battery array  74  is operatively connected to the control circuit  72  to receive and store excess electrical energy produced by the solar panel array  70  and to provide electrical energy to the menu kiosk terminal  12  during periods when the solar panel array is not producing a sufficient amount of electrical energy required to operate the menu kiosk. The control circuit  72  is configured for the automated switching of the flow of electrical energy from and to the battery array  74  as required. Alternatively, the menu kiosk terminal  12  may be connected to line power  76  for operation as schematically shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0040]    With further reference to  FIG. 8  and at step  800 , a golfer/user approaches the menu kiosk terminal  12  and presses either the video display  26  or the key pad  28  to wake-up the menu kiosk terminal from a power-saving sleep mode. At step  802 , a welcome screen is displayed on video display  26  which may include hospitality specials, advertisements, instructions, etc. At step  804 , a menu having various menu item selections are displayed on the video display  26 . Instructions may also be displayed on the video display and/or sounded by sound module  36  to the user. 
         [0041]    At step  806 , the user by either pressing the video display  26  or key pad  28  makes a selection from the displayed menu. The selection may be for a category of food and/or beverage items, wherein then additional menu item selections are displayed or the selection may be for a specific menu item. In an embodiment, the main menu screen will comprise category selections for various food and/or beverage, e.g. the main menu screen may include category selections such as sandwiches, burgers, soups, fruit, snacks, beer, coolers, coffee/tea, beverages, etc. More or less or alternative category selections may be provided. Once pressing or selecting a category selection, a sub-menu is displayed which includes the various menu offerings based upon the category selection. 
         [0042]    At step  808 , it is determined if user selection is completed. For example, a prompt may be displayed to the user requesting the user to input an answer to a question regarding the user&#39;s selection. If it is determined the user is not finished with his or her selection the process returns to step  804  for additional menu item selections. If it is determined the user has finished his or her menu selections, the process proceeds to step  810 . 
         [0043]    At step  810 , the menu kiosk terminal  12  processes the user&#39;s menu selections and compiles an order comprising each menu selection. The order is then displayed to the user at step  812 . At step  814 , it is determined if user&#39;s order is complete and accurate. For example, a prompt may be displayed to the user requesting the user to input an answer to a question regarding the user&#39;s order. If it is determined the order is not correct, or the user desires to modify the order user the process returns to step  804  for additional menu item selections. If it is determined the order is complete, the process proceeds to step  816 . 
         [0044]    At step  816 , the completed order is transmitted by the transceiver  32  over communication network  22  by the menu kiosk terminal  12  to the order receipt terminal  14 . At the order receipt terminal  14 , the transmitted order is received by transceiver  46  and processed to errors. At step  818 , a received order confirmation is received by the menu kiosk  12  from the order receipt kiosk  14  and an associated indication is displayed on video display  26 , sounded by sound module  36  or a combination of both to the user, thereby assuring to the user that the order was received and is being processed. The user then proceeds to continue his or her play. 
         [0045]    With further reference to  FIG. 9  and at step  900 , at the order receipt terminal  14  the received order is printed by printer  54  and optionally or alternatively, the received order is displayed on a video display (not shown) and/or sounded by a sound module (not shown). 
         [0046]    At step  902 , employees of the hospitality facility  20  completes the received order and packages the order to be received by the user once the user has completed play of the particular hole. At step  904 , the user visits the hospitality facility  20  and pays for the ordered food and/or beverage that was ordered using the menu kiosk terminal  12 . A step  906 , the user receives his or her order, leaves the hospitality facility  20  and continues play of his or her round of golf. The result is improved food quality and increased speed of play on the golf course. 
         [0047]    A number of embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.