Patent Application
20050077999
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to signaling devices, specifically a lighted tabletop device for conveying a plurality of messages from a table, such as in a restaurant, to a waiter.
2. Description of the Related Art
The common way to call a waiter or a waitress for service has been in the manner of raising a hand or raising one's voice. In today's restaurants, especially in fast-paced family restaurants, the low ratio of waiters or waitresses to tables nearly guarantees that in the time it takes for a waiter to first respond to one's signal, and then return with the requested item, you have either lost your appetite, or have taken direct action and seized the desired silverware, napkins, or salt from another table. Such an inefficient operation not only detracts from patron satisfaction, but also has a detrimental impact on revenue. Waiting ten minutes for the waiter or waitress to appear in order to request the check slows down the income stream, increases table turnover time, does nothing to increase customer satisfaction, and may even result in a loss of customers. Devices addressing these problems have been developed and encompass a wide range of devices, from technically sophisticated communication devices on the one hand, to simplistic devices offering rudimentary non-electric “on”/“off” signaling capability on the other.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,465,426, issued to Bralove in March 1949, discloses a self-contained visual signal device operated by a patron to catch the attention of a waiter or waitress. The '426 invention has only two modes of operation, “on” and “off” with no means for communicating any further intelligence. The waiter or waitress must first determine the object of desire and then make a return trip back to the table. U.S. Pat. No. 2,563,693, issued to C. G. Russell in August of 1951, discloses a similar flashlight device for signaling a waiter comprising a napkin holder having a tubular lamp and switch for operating the lamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,638,583, issued to G. B. Edwards, Jr. in May 1953, discloses a table signaling flashlight comprising a vertical cylindrical housing, a lamp, and a switch whereby a waiter is signaled by operation of the lamp. Additional devices providing a visual signal to a waiter included U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,558,871, 3,714,410, 4,250,491, and 6,164,796. All of these devices provide a single “on” state, thereby providing the waiter or waitress of a request for service, with no means of differentiating the type of service required.
Unlike the previous disclosed devices, U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,786, issued to Thomas C. White in May 1990, discloses a device which includes at least two indicators for signaling multiple messages to a waiter. The '786 patent is not electrified and has movable painted indicators for attracting the attention of the waiter.
U.S. patent Publication No. 2002/0147647, published October 2002, discloses a more sophisticated waiter-signaling device, providing an interactive, electronic communication device for expediting and resolving menu orders made by local and remote patrons. The device includes a pager unit having multi-line scrolling and buffer capabilities for receiving and transmitting messages from a touch-screen device on the patron's table.
Similarly, United Kingdom Patent No. 2,344,443, published in July 2000, discloses a receiver in the possession of a waiter and a transmitter on every table whereby the waiter is alerted by an auditory or vibratory signal when the guest depresses a single key on the transmitter.
German Patent No. 19,622,309, published in November 1997, discloses a decorative candlestick on each dining table, the candlestick having light-emitting diodes, which are switched on by a patron, whereby the table number is illuminated and a radio signal is sent from an antenna to light the corresponding lamp at a central control desk.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a tabletop signaling device for restaurants solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The tabletop signaling device for restaurants includes a tabletop device for visually signaling at least one of a predetermined selection of messages to a waiter or waitress quickly and wordlessly, without requiring the service provider to first inquire as to the nature of the requested service.
The signaling device has several embodiments, one embodiment having a base horizontal unit and a vertical housing mounted on the base. The vertical housing has multiple rows, each row having a panel, which is selectively illuminated by light sources behind the panel and activated by a side-mounted lever or a vertical touch strip disposed to the left of the rows, the touch strip having a fingertip depression alongside each row. Each panel has predetermined and distinct indicia disposed thereon for signaling a specific message to a waiter or waitress. The panels may be made of glass, plastic, or other material and the panels may each have a distinctive color, color-coded to allow the waiter or waitress to quickly discern the requested service. The tabletop signaling device may also have an audible alert capability for providing a short audible signal when a row is illuminated.
An alternate embodiment of the signaling device incorporates a single light diffusing cover, which may be a translucent screen or dome, and a plurality of colored light sources disposed behind the cover. The individual messages are communicated by illuminating the cover with distinct colors, each color representing a specific message. The message and corresponding colored lamp is selected by means of switches or a multi-button keypad and control logic.
Operating in conjunction with the tabletop signaling device is a remote table availability display unit for indicating which tables in the restaurant are available for seating. A button disposed on the tabletop signaling device and operated by restaurant personnel causes a signal to be wirelessly transmitted to the display unit located within the restaurant. The display unit has a display panel representing the floor plan of the restaurant, with a lighted pushbutton mounted at locations generally corresponding to each table location. Receiver circuitry and lamp control logic within the display unit illuminates the lamp corresponding to the transmitting signaling device. The pushbutton associated with the lamp operates to toggle the state of the associated lamp to either reset the lamp or to manually light the lamp.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a tabletop signaling device for restaurants which includes a self-contained, electrically energized visual and audible signal adapted to be set on top of each restaurant table by which a patron may readily signal to the waiter or waitress a plurality of different service requests.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tabletop signaling device for restaurants so that table attendants may ensure prompt service to a number of tables while obviating the need for frequently stopping at the table to inquire if additional services are required.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a tabletop signaling device for restaurants for signaling to a remote location the availability of a table in the restaurant.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
The present invention is a tabletop signaling device for use in restaurants and similar environments where it would be advantageous for a patron to be able to signal a plurality of service requests to a waiter or waitress quickly and wordlessly, without requiring the service provider to first ascertain the requested service and then return with the requested item.
As shown in
Disposed on the front of the upstanding housing 104 is a plurality of vertically spaced panels 106, each panel is approximately 1 inch high, having a length somewhat less than the width of the upstanding housing 104. The exact height of each panel 106 may vary depending upon the number of rows, the composition of the panel, and the desired esthetics of the tabletop signaling device. Although the panels 106 may be formed from any substantially rigid material, the panels 106 in the preferred embodiment are comprised of a lightweight material having transparent or translucent light transmitting characteristics including plastic, PLEXIGLAS®, or glass, either clear or stained. Furthermore, in order to provide increased row differentiation when viewed from afar, the panels may be color-coded. Colors for stain-glass panels are listed, but not limited to the colors listed in Table 1.
Although panels 106 are mounted to the housing 104 by means of screw fasteners 120 passing through apertures 122 cut through the panels and received by mounting tabs, any known fastening means, i.e. slide mounts, may be employed whereby each panel 106 may be removed for cleaning, replacing, or for maintenance of the signaling unit 100.
Mounted behind each panel 106 is a light source 116, each light source 116 being electrically connected to a switch, which operates to provide current from a battery received by battery holder 114 to illuminate the light source behind a selected panel. The switch is manually operated by means of a vertical slide lever 118 extending from slot 124 vertically disposed on one side of the upstanding housing 104. Optionally, the circuitry contained within the signaling unit, and to be discussed in detail later, may provide for a light flashing pability that operates to cause a predetermined panel to illuminate in a flashing mode in order to better gain the attention of the waiter.
Disposed on each panel 106 is a message 108 correlating to a corresponding message contained within the legend 112 on base 102. The message indicia 108 may be etched into the surface of each panel 106, or, alternatively, each panel 106 may be opaque with the indicia 108 formed by apertures cut through the body of the plate thereby allowing light transmitted by light source 116 to pass through the aperture, thereby illuminating the message disposed thereon. As a further alternative, messages printed on paper inserts may be received by a slotted row and illuminated from behind. A protective transparent panel, not shown, may cover the plurality of panels, protecting the panels from sliding or from the attention of impatient customers.
The tabletop signaling device 100 operates under control of electronic circuitry disposed on a printed circuit board contained within the base 102 and is powered by at least one battery contained with battery compartment 114. The present embodiment has a microcomputer chip mounted on the printed circuit board to control the various functions of the device, the design and programming of which is known to those knowledgably in the field.
An alternative embodiment of the tabletop signaling device of the present invention, designated as 200, is shown in
A further embodiment of the tabletop signaling device, designated as 300, is shown in
A push button 308 is disposed within base 306 and serves to alert the hostess when the table is available for seating. Depressing button 308 activates a wireless transmission to a table availability display unit 310 shown in
A further embodiment of the tabletop signaling device is designated as 400 in
As in the previous embodiments, the tabletop signaling device 400 shown in
The representative block diagram of
The wireless transmitter 516 in the tabletop signaling unit 400 and the wireless receiver 522 in the table display unit 310 communicate using the FM band. Wireless devices of this type communicate over short distances, require minimum power, and are commonly known in the electronics art.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
