Patent Publication Number: US-2018046997-A1

Title: Peer-to-Peer Food Service

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a food-providing and food-ordering system and method that connects peers to fellow peers, where a peer can be both a food provider and a food consumer. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Eating and dining trends have changed significantly over recent years. As people become busier, they have less time to cook their own meals, much less time to purchase ingredients for cooking. In addition to this trend, there has also been a trend towards healthy eating. Many restaurants have tried to market and promote healthy meals, but regardless of this attempt, meals at restaurants or take-out meals are going to be inherently less healthy than home-cooked meals. 
     There is also a question of dining choices. In large cities like New York or Chicago, there are probably numerous options for restaurant. However, in the suburbs, where many people live, there are fewer dining choices as the prevailing choices are the national chain restaurants together with a sprinkling of individual or local restaurants. For example, many people would like to have a greater variety in their pizza choices than the local pizzeria, or more Chinese options than the local Chinese fast food joint. To preserve the freshness of the dishes, most meal delivery services are best utilized within a certain geographic proximity, and even restaurant delivery services will usually not deliver beyond a certain geographic proximity. 
     In the midst of all these busy consumers and dining options, there are still many people who cook their own meals at home (“home chefs”). Of these home chefs, many still cook recipes that have been handed down through the generations, such as that special Southern meatloaf from grandma, that unique pasta dish with ancestral roots from Italy, and that pork dish with the amazing sauce from the heart of China. In addition, these individualized recipes are unique in that no one else makes the same dish with the same flavors. For example, most people have probably tasted sweet and sour pork at restaurants, and fast food places, but grandma&#39;s special ancient recipe will often have a unique flavor and taste from any other sweet and sour pork that any restaurant or retail dining establishment can offer. These home chefs often cook these dishes for family, but no one else has the privilege or opportunity to taste these amazing dishes. 
     Many of these home chefs have often dreamed of sharing their special recipes with others, but opening a restaurant is often not feasible because of the investment, the risks, the costs, and the administrative hassles (e.g., payroll, food permits, taxes, etc.) involved. So they often share their special dishes with friends and neighbors, or with their church or other social groups. 
     But these special dishes are not limited to a hot food dish. For example, the sweet and sour pork mentioned above might feature a unique sweet and sour sauce which more adventurous diners may want to try with other types of meats (e.g., fish). The home chef who has perfected that dish might want to share that sauce with others, but again suffers from constraints. For example, seeking a factory or other producing facility to make and bottle the sauce in large quantities would again require more investment, risk-taking and cost than the home chef may desire to undertake. 
     The above scenarios highlight two sectors of the market that have separate needs that have not yet been adequately met. The busy consumer who seeks healthier food with a greater number of food choices is often limited by geography. The home chef who aspires to share his or her special recipe(s) with a wider range of people is limited by the social range of that home chef. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present invention seeks to address the needs of the two sectors of the dining market described above. Specifically, the present invention provides a system and method that brings the busy consumers together with the home chefs to facilitate a peer-to-peer interaction or transaction. Here, “peer” means an individual or human being which is not a retail, wholesale or other business entity, but who can be both a consumer and a home chef. As used herein, “peer” does not include any non-human entity, and must be a human being. For example, the busy consumer can also be a home chef offering a limited menu of a couple of special dishes which he or she has expertise in cooking. Similarly, the home chef can also be a consumer who is unable to cook on certain days and desires to order food or ingredients from another home chef. 
     In order to accomplish the objects of the present invention, there is provided a system for facilitating peer-to-peer provision of food services. The system includes a plurality of home chefs who are human beings, each having a home chef interface device, a plurality of consumers who are human beings, each having a consumer interface device, and at least two of the following four modules: (i) an order cooked food module through which a consumer orders cooked food from a home chef for immediate consumption, (ii) an order food for event module through which a consumer orders cooked food from a home chef for an event, (iii) an order ingredients module through which a consumer orders ingredients from a home chef, and (iv) an order packed food module through which a consumer orders packaged food items from a home chef. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a peer-to-peer system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a general flowchart illustrating the operation of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating the hardware components of the server of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating the food services option in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating the Order Cooked Food option in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIGS. 6-9  are various possible screenshots for various steps in the Order Cooked Food option of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart illustrating the Order Food for Event option in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart illustrating the Order Ingredients option in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIGS. 12-13  are various possible screenshots for various steps in the Order Ingredients option of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 14  is a flowchart illustrating the Order Packed Food option in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 15  is a flowchart illustrating the chef database option in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 16  is a flowchart illustrating the Order Cooked Food option in  FIG. 15   
         FIGS. 17-21  are various possible screenshots for chef database option of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 22  is a flowchart illustrating the Order Food for Event option in  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 23  is a possible screenshot for one of the events in the Order Food for Event option of  FIG. 22 . 
         FIG. 24  is a flowchart illustrating the Order Ingredients option in  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 25  is a possible screenshot for the cooking instructions in the Order Ingredients option of  FIG. 24 . 
         FIG. 26  is a flowchart illustrating the Order Packed Food option in  FIG. 15 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. In certain instances, detailed descriptions of well-known devices and mechanisms are omitted so as to not obscure the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates the general components of a peer-to-peer system according to the present invention. The system includes a server  100  that communicates with a plurality of chef interface devices  102  and a plurality of consumer interface devices  104 . Each of these interface devices  102  and  104  can be a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet, a smartphone, or any other computing device. Each of the chef interface devices  102  can be associated with a home chef for use by that chef in processing food and/or ingredient orders as described below. Each of the consumer interface devices  104  can be associated with a consumer for use by that consumer in ordering food and/or ingredient, and in arranging delivery of the orders, as described below. In addition, a home chef can be a consumer, and vice versa. 
     The server  100  communicates with the interface devices  102  and  104  via conventional cellular, wireless, wired and other known communication means. 
       FIG. 2  is a general flow diagram illustrating the operation of the peer-to-peer system of the present invention. When a consumer or home chef logs in to the system, he or she would reach the “Main” page  120  where the user is prompted to select one of two modules or choices: Food Services  122  and Chef Database  124 . The Food Services  122  module is the selection for a consumer desiring to order food, order ingredients, or attend an event, and is described in greater detail below. The Chef Database  124  module is the selection for a consumer desiring to search the chef database  1004  (see  FIG. 3 ) to locate a desired chef, or to search for the home chefs who cook certain types of food or dishes, etc., and is described in greater detail below. 
     1. Food Services  122   
     The Food Services  122  module is illustrated in greater detail in  FIGS. 4-14 . First, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the home chefs can be consumers, and the consumers can also be home chefs. Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the user can select one of four different modules or options: order cooked food  130 , order food for an event  132 , order ingredients  134 , and order packed food  136 . 
     Order Cooked Food  130   
       FIG. 5  illustrates the steps for order cooked food  130 . Under this module or option, the consumer can order cooked food for immediate pickup or delivery. The first step is to select the delivery option  138 .  FIG. 6  illustrates a possible screenshot for the three delivery options: delivery to a desired location  140 , pick-up  142  and kitchen dining  144 . Kitchen dining  144  is an option that can be offered by a home chef, where a consumer can dine at the home of the home chef. Often, the home chef has prepared enough food for a sitting at a specific time, and can accommodate up to a specific number (e.g., ten) of diners who come to his or her house and dine with all the other guests. It is possible that none of the guests know each other, so this would be a great option to meet other people and socialize. It is also possible for a consumer to meet a friend or relative at the home of the home chef to dine on the dishes selected by the consumers. Thus, the kitchen dining  144  option provides consumers with another location to eat, instead of simply eating at home. This option could be especially useful for consumers who are actually in a different city or geographic area and is either desirous of trying new foods, or is interested in setting up a meeting with a friend or relative. 
     After the consumer selects the delivery option, the next step is to input the consumer&#39;s location  146 . This location can be the location where the home chef is located, or where the consumer is located, and this information is utilized by the system to limit its search for home chefs within a reasonable geographic boundary. However, the consumer is not limited solely to home chefs at his or her current location. The consumer could be in one city but input the zip code or city name of a different city to search for dining and food options in the other city. 
     Next, the consumer selects the food option  148 , which is usually the type of food.  FIG. 7  illustrates a possible screenshot for the various options. After the consumer selects the food option  148 , the consumer can search for one or more home chefs  150  under the selected food option. The search  150  provides the user with three further searching options: a page list  152 , a link to home pages of home chefs  154 , and a listing of food choices or menu items  156 .  FIG. 8  is a possible screenshot for a page listing of the various home chefs offering Chinese food, and  FIG. 9  is a possible screenshot for the home page of a home chef. The home pages ( FIG. 9 ) can be accessed directly from step  150 , or from the page list  152 , or from the food choices  156 . The home pages for the selected chef can be browsed in the manner described below in connection with  FIGS. 17-21, 23 and 25 . 
     Next, the consumer can view the various menu items  156  from the selected home chef, and then select a menu item  158 . At this point, the consumer can proceed to checkout, or return to step  148  to order another item. It should be noted that the consumer can order different items from different home chefs, or all items from the same home chef. However, all orders with one home chef must be concluded before the user can place orders with a different home chef. 
     Once the consumer has completed ordering food items, he or she can proceed to checkout in step  160  (see  FIG. 4 ), and then enjoy the food after the food has been delivered or picked up. If the consumer selected the kitchen dining  144  option, the consumer would have to show up at the home chefs home or designated location to eat. If the consumer ordered food under the kitchen dining  144  option from more than one home chef, then the consumer must schedule the kitchen visits at different times. 
     Order Food for an Event  132   
       FIG. 10  illustrates the steps for order food for an event  132 . Under this module or option, the consumer has to select  168  one of two events: (i) the consumer can order cooked food for a catered event  170 , or (ii) the consumer can attend an event hosted by a home chef  172 . The catered event in step  170  can be an event that the consumer is holding at his or her home, at an office, or other social location or setting. The event hosted by the home chef in step  172  can be similar to the kitchen dining  144  option, but differs in that this event could be a larger event (i.e., more than a few people sharing a table at a home chefs house) hosted by the home chef, such as an event at a public location intended to showcase the home chefs cooking and food, or a special cultural, sporting, social or political event (e.g., Chinese New Year, youth basketball tournament, fundraising, etc.) where the home chef is participating in. 
     After the consumer selects the event type, the next step is to input the consumer&#39;s location  146 . This step  146 , and the remaining steps  148 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  and  160 , can be the same as for the Order Cooked Food  130  option shown in  FIG. 5 , and will not be repeated herein. 
     If the event is hosted by the home chef, then the consumer who purchases one or more tickets/items can simply show up at the designated location and eat there. If the event is to be catered at a location chosen by the consumer, then the home chef and the consumer are put in contact with each other (e.g., via automated texts or emails) so that they can arrange for the details of the delivery of the food to the catered event. 
     Order Ingredients  134   
       FIG. 11  illustrates the steps for order ingredients  134 . A consumer might enjoy cooking and might have the time to cook a meal. In addition, a consumer might have tried a dish from a home chef, enjoyed it, and now wants to cook it at home on a regular basis. The order ingredients  134  module or option therefore provides a consumer with the ingredients for cooking a dish. 
     Under this option, the consumer first has to select the number of meals  174  and the number of users (diners)  176 . Possible screenshots for these two steps  174  and  176  are shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , respectively. The consumer then has to select the delivery option  138 , which can be the same as in  FIG. 5  for the Order Cooked Food  130  option except that the consumer&#39;s subsequent selections are limited only to delivery to a desired location  140 , and pick-up  142 , as kitchen dining  144  is no longer applicable here. It is also possible to input a separate or additional desired location (e.g., another friend or relative) that the same ingredients to be delivered to. 
     After the consumer selects the delivery option  138 , the next step is to select the food option  148 . This step  148 , and the remaining steps  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  and  160 , can be the same as for the Order Cooked Food  130  option shown in  FIG. 5 , and will not be repeated herein. 
     Order Packed Food  136   
       FIG. 14  illustrates the steps for order packed food option  136 . This module or option allows a consumer to purchase prepared food items that are not necessarily a complete dish or a meal in itself. Examples of food items that are purchased under this option  136  include pre-packaged sauces, condiments, snacks, cake, bread, preserved meats (e.g., sausages) and related food items, such as preserved fruit, olive oil, and croutons. The packed food option  136  differs from the ingredients  134  in that the packed food items in this option  136  are usually edible without further cooking or processing, whereas the ingredients that are purchased with the ingredients option  134  are usually not cooked. 
     Under this module or option  136 , the consumer first has to select the delivery option  138 , which can be the same as in  FIG. 5  for the Order Cooked Food  130  option except that the consumer&#39;s subsequent selections are limited only to delivery to a desired location  140 , and pick-up  142 , as kitchen dining  144  is no longer applicable here. 
     After the consumer selects the delivery option  138 , the next step is to select the food option  148 . This step  148 , and the remaining steps  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  and  160 , can be the same as for the Order Cooked Food  130  option shown in  FIG. 5 , and will not be repeated herein. The only difference is that the quantity or volume of the packed food item is specified in one of these steps, and the user is allowed to select the quantity or volume. Since different packed food items can be sold in different packagings (e.g., bottles, bags, containers, etc.), these quantity or volume selections will vary depending on the item being ordered. 
     2. Chef Database  124   
     The chef database  124  module or option allows a consumer to search the chef database  1004  (see  FIG. 3 ) to locate a desired chef, or to search for the home chefs who cook certain types of food or dishes. This can be done prior to ordering food under Food Services  122 . 
     The Chef Database  124  option is illustrated in greater detail in  FIGS. 15-26 . First, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the home chefs can be consumers, and the consumers can also be home chefs. Referring now to  FIG. 15 , the consumer first selects a chef  200  from the database  1004 . The search can be conducted based on any number of search criteria, ranging from geographic location, type of cuisine, and reviews, among others. Once a chef has been selected, the consumer can then select one of four different options  202 : order cooked food  204 , order food for an event  206 , order ingredients  208 , and order packed food  210 . 
     Order Cooked Food  204   
       FIG. 16  illustrates the steps for ordering cooked food  204 . Under this option, the consumer can order cooked food for immediate pickup or delivery from the chef selected at step  200 . At this point, the consumer is in the home page of the selected chef  212 . The first step is to view the food choices and reviews  214 ,  FIGS. 17-21  are possible screenshots when the consumer clicks on the links for “main dishes”, ‘side dishes”, “drinks”, “desserts”, and “feedback”, respectively, on the home page for the selected chef. As can be seen from  FIGS. 17-21 , the various menu items are displayed with their prices, together with accompanying photographs, ratings, and some basic information (e.g., brief description of the dish), and with links to other information such as nutritional information, how the dish is made, etc. A link is also provided for ordering the dish or item.  FIG. 21  also illustrates a possible screenshot if the consumer clicks on the “feedback” link, which displays reviews and other feedback from other consumers regarding that particular chef. The reviews can include reviews about a dish, or about the chef, or both. 
     If the consumer does not want to order anything from this chef, the consumer can exit to step  200  (i.e., select a new chef in  FIG. 15 ). Otherwise, if the consumer wishes to order a food item from this chef, the consumer can select the items (which can be more than one item) that he/she wishes to order, and then proceeds to select the delivery option  216 , which can be the same three delivery options for Order Cooked Food  130  above: delivery to a desired location  218 , pick-up  220  and kitchen dining  222 . After selecting the desired delivery option, processing takes the consumer to checkout (see step  160  in  FIG. 4 ). 
     Order Food for an Event  206   
       FIG. 22  illustrates the steps for ordering food for an event  206 . Under this option, the consumer can order cooked food for a catered event  226  or attend an event hosted by the chef  228  selected at step  200 . This is similar to the Order Food for an Event  132  (see  FIG. 10 ). At this point, the consumer is in the home page of the selected chef  212 . The first step is to select the type of event  224 , which can be either to order cooked food for a catered event  226  or to attend an event hosted by the chef  228 . After the type of event has been selected, the consumer can view the food choices and reviews  214 , which is the same as in step  214  of  FIG. 16 . Again,  FIGS. 17-21  are possible screenshots when the consumer clicks on the links for “main dishes”, ‘side dishes”, “drinks”, “desserts”, and “feedback”, respectively, on the home page for the selected chef. Here, there is an additional page (see screenshot of  FIG. 25 ) which shows a fixed ticket price for an event hosted by the chef, where every attendee is served the same dishes/items. This page would show the food items and information related to these items. 
     If the consumer does not want to order anything from this chef, the consumer can exit to step  200  (i.e., select a new chef in  FIG. 15 ). Otherwise, if the consumer wishes to order a food item from this chef, the consumer can select the items (which can be more than one item) that he/she wishes to order  230 . Processing then takes the consumer to checkout (see step  160  in  FIG. 4 ). 
     Order Ingredients  208   
       FIG. 24  illustrates the steps for ordering ingredients  208 . This option is similar to the Order Ingredients option  134  (see  FIG. 11 ). At this point, the consumer is in the home page of the selected chef  212 . The first step is to view the food choices and reviews  214 , which can be the same as in  FIG. 16 . Again,  FIGS. 17-21  are possible screenshots when the consumer clicks on the links for “main dishes”, ‘side dishes”, “drinks”, “desserts”, and “feedback”, respectively, on the home page for the selected chef. A enabled link (e.g., via the use of a password) is also provided for instructions on how to cook the dish after the consumer receives the ingredients.  FIG. 25  is a possible screenshot for the cooking instructions. These cooking instructions can be provided on a piece of paper with the actual delivery of the ingredients. 
     If the consumer does not want to order anything from this chef, the consumer can exit to step  200  (i.e., select a new chef in  FIG. 15 ). Otherwise, if the consumer wishes to order ingredients for a food item from this chef, the consumer can select the items (which can be more than one item) that he/she wishes to order. In steps  232  and  234 , the consumer must specify the number of meals and the number of diners/users, and then the consumer proceeds to select the delivery option  216 : delivery to a desired location  218  or pick-up  220 , both of which can be the same as in  FIG. 16 . After selecting the desired delivery option, processing takes the consumer to checkout (see step  160  in  FIG. 4 ). 
     Order Packed Food  210   
       FIG. 26  illustrates the steps for ordering packed food  210 . This option is similar to the Order Packed Food option  136  (see  FIG. 14 ). At this point, the consumer is in the home page of the selected chef  212 . The first step is to view the food choices and reviews  214 , which can be the same as in  FIG. 16 . Again,  FIGS. 17-21  are possible screenshots when the consumer clicks on the links for “main dishes”, ‘side dishes”, “drinks”, “desserts”, and “feedback”, respectively, on the home page for the selected chef. 
     If the consumer does not want to order anything from this chef, the consumer can exit to step  200  (i.e., select a new chef in  FIG. 15 ). Otherwise, if the consumer wishes to order a food item from this chef, the consumer can select the items (which can be more than one item) that he/she wishes to order. In step  236 , the consumer must specify the quantity, and then the consumer proceeds to select the delivery option  216 : delivery to a desired location  218  or pick-up  220 , both of which can be the same as in  FIG. 16 . After selecting the desired delivery option, processing takes the consumer to checkout (see step  160  in  FIG. 4 ). 
     3. Hardware 
       FIG. 3  illustrates one non-limiting example of the hardware for the server  100 . The server  100  can include a processor  1002 , a chef database  1004  that contains all the information for all the home chefs, a consumer database  1014  that contains all the information for all the consumers (who can also be home chefs and vice versa), a communication module  1006 , an ordering module  1008 , a delivery module  1010 , a payment module  1012 , a consumer database  1014  and a geographic locator  1016 . 
     The communication module  1006  functions to facilitate communication between the server  100  and the interface devices  102  and  104 . The communication can be accomplished using known techniques such as cellular data, wireless internet, cloud delivery and others. The communication module  1006  communicates with the processor  1002  and with the ordering module  1008 , delivery module  1010 , the payment module  1012  and the geographic locator  1016 . 
     The processor  1002  functions to control all the processing activity performed by the communication module  1006 , the ordering module  1008 , the delivery module  1010 , the payment module  1012  and the geographic locator  1016 . The processor  1002  communicates with all of these modules  1006 ,  1008 ,  1010 ,  1012 ,  1016  and with the chef database  1004  and the consumer database  1014 . 
     The chef database  1004  contains all relevant home chef information, including address, health and safety certifications, menu items, prices, reviews and all other information that can be displayed on the home web page of the chef. 
     The consumer database  1014  contains all relevant consumer information, including names, addresses, preferences, order history, reviews, payment (e.g., credit card) information, phone numbers, delivery history and any other information that can be helpful to the system. 
     The ordering module  1008  functions to coordinate all the ordering steps that need to be taken to allow the consumer to place orders in step  158 . 
     The delivery module  1010  functions to coordinate delivery between the home chef(s) and the consumer. This includes sending emails, texts and other communication messages between the home chef(s), the consumer and any delivery services who might have to deliver order food items to a destination specified by the consumer. 
     The payment module  1012  functions to coordinate payment between the consumer and the server. This would include taking the correct credit or debit card information for the consumer, processing the credit or debit card payment, and then paying the home chef(s) after deducting appropriate fees and costs. 
     The geographic locator  1016  functions like a GPS device in tracking the location of the customer interface device  104  from which the order was placed. 
     In addition, it is understood that each home chef need not provide the services for all four modules: order cooked food  130 , order food for an event  132 , order ingredients  134 , and order packed food  136 . Any home chef can choose to provide the services for any number of these modules. 
     Thus, the present invention provides a system and method where peers can interact with each other to facilitate the buying and selling of cooked and packaged food, as well as ingredients. The system of the present invention provides a busy consumer who seeks healthier food with a greater number of food choices. The system of the present invention also provides a home chef who aspires to share his or her special recipe(s) with a wider range of consumers who can actually sample the chef&#39;s wares. In addition, the system of the present invention allows any individual to be able to cook food for others and to sell food and ingredients without the need to invest in a brick-and-mortar restaurant or retail establishment. 
     The above detailed description is for the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. In certain instances, detailed descriptions of well-known devices, components, mechanisms and methods are omitted so as to not obscure the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail.