United States Patent 15
`Kurland
`
`[11]
`
`Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`4,547,851
`Oct. 15, 1985
`
`[54]
`
`INTEGRATED INTERACTIVE RESTAURANT
`COMMUNICATION METHOD FOR FOOD
`AND ENTERTAINMENT PROCESSING
`
`[76]
`
`Inventor:
`
`Lawrence G, Kurland, 26 Farmington
`La., Melville, N.Y. 11747
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 474,983
`[22] Filed:
`Mar. 14, 1983
`(51)
`Int. Ch oe GO6F 3/04; GOGF 15/24;
`GO6F 15/44
`[52] WLS, Che ie eeeee eects reeeereteenes 364/401; 364/410;
`364/900
`[58] Field of Search 00.0... 364/400-401,
`364/404-405, 410-412, 200 MS File, 900 MS_—
`File; 235/7 R, 383
`
`[56]
`
`
`
`
`frareon...[Aaron||Pareow|,sjrareom| eereon|.|pareon| [nereonLJPATEON| hereon|...pareon|
`
`
`Ate se Se a etPe
`
`
`11 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures
`
`4/1981 Freeman et al... 358/86
`4,264,925
`8/1981 Lucero et al. wo. 364/410 X
`4,283,709
`4,296,476 10/1981 Mayer etal. wo 364/900
`4,306,388 12/1981 YUter oecccessscscsscsemeessssssereeceean 52/6
`
`1/1982 Best «0.0.0...
`. 364/410 X
`4,333,152
`1/1983 Haymanetal. oe. 364/401
`4,388,689
`
`8/1983 Ohara ........
`4,396,985
`364/405
`
`4,415,065 11/1983 Sandstedt
`....
`235/383
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Wilkinson, Jr., “Restaurant System”, [BM Technical
`Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 24, No. 9, Feb. 1982,
`(pp.
`4630-4631)
`‘
`Primary Examiner—Jerry Smith
`Assistant Examiner—Gary V. Harkcom
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Stiefel, Gross, Kurland &
`Pavane
`References Cited
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`An interactive restaurant communication system (10)
`364/900 X
`3.588.838
`6/1971 Felcheck.....
`provides integrated food and entertainment processing
`178/5.6
`3,668,307
`6/1972 Face et al.
`which enables restaurant patrons to accomplish both
`178/58
`3,691,295
`9/1972 Fisk...
`food selection and select and receive entertainment on a
`178/6.6 A
`..
`3,746,780
`7/1973 Stetten et al.
`
`
`3,752,908 + 178/5.6=common video monitor (56) at their table. The patrons8/1973 Boenkeetal. ..
`
`Fe3eae ori974 Beeeat
`5joing
`can obtain menus for individual food selection on the
`
`9/1975 Petit et al. _
`"035/151.21
`3,903,402
`video monitor (56)at their tables and individually enter
`7/1976 Gregg, Ill......
`178/68
`3,968,327
`their orders into a table station “intelligent” terminal
`
`1/1977 Miyazakiet al.
`4,001,785
`340/172.5
`(12, 14, 16, 18, 20) at their tables. In addition they can
`.
`4,008,369
`2/1977 Theureret al.
`we 358/84
`select from andinteractively play a variety of remotely
`4,028,733
`6/1977 Ulicki .0... eeeeeeecenteceteeeseeee 360/10
`retrievable interactive entertainmentactivities using the
`4,054,911 10/1977 Fletcher et al. ww. 358/141
`video monitor (56) while waiting for the food to arrive,
`toeee ork Nageloo
`” er and if desired, where applicable, have the food and
`
`4,084,229
`4/1978 Tayloretal. ...
`” 364/200
`«entertainment charges automatically added to a com-
`4,117,605 10/1978 Kurlandetal.....
`... 35/9 A
`posite bill which may be printed at the table station
`
`4,122,519 10/1978 Bielawski etal. ..
`.. 364/200
`terminal (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) or at a remote central loca-
`4,128,757 12/1978 Garner, Jr..........
`+ 233/383
`tion. The food and entertainment functions of the termi-
`4,143,360
`3/1979 Bernhart etal.
`- 340/711
`nal (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) are down-line loaded from a
`4,164,024
`8/1979 Gilbert ........
`. 364/900
`:
`:
`4.191.956
`3/1980 Groothuis ..
`” 340/789
`central data base (22, 32) in response to terminal re-
`4,222,111
`9/1980 Sloan et al. scessncesseseeeet 364/900
`quests therefor.
`4,247,106
`1/1981
`Jeffers et al.
`. 364/410 X
`...
`
`...00..0..... 179/2 TV
`4,251,691
`2/1981 Kakihara et al.
`
`
`
`we
`
`20
`
`PRINTER
`
`CENTRAL
`
`
`COMPL TERR
`
`
`(CATH BASE)
`
`
`CASH
`INPUTS
`
`
`
`OLSPUT
`REGISTER
`
`
`PLWICE ~
`D/SPLAY
`
`
`
`MAN
`
`
`FRAME
`
`CONTROL
`
`
`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 1
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`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 1
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`

`

`U.S. Patent Oct. 15, 1985
`
`Sheet 1 of 7
`
`4,547,851
`
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`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
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`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 2
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`

`U.S. Patent Oct. 15, 1985
`
`Sheet 2 of 7
`
`4,547,851
`
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`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 3
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`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 3
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`
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`

`U.S. Patent Oct. 15, 1985
`
`Sheet30f7
`
`4,547,851
`
`FIG.S
`
`AODRESS BL/s
`LATA BUS
`$5|S
`CMAMRACTE2
`OPERATING
`MOVABLE
`MAME
`SYSTEMS
`CBTELT
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`MEMORY UNIT
`
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`OMA
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`OVSFLAY
`OBIECT
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`GRAPHICS
`
`
`
`L_ OBJECT GRAPHICS GENERATOR REGISTERS
`|
`AYOIO GENERATOR REGISTERS
`
`|
`_
`
`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 4
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`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 4
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 15, 1985
`
`Sheet 4 of 7
`
`4.547,851
`
` ACCEPT |
`
`
`
`MOTHORS ZATION
`
`WAMES, POES, % D/NERS)
`
`
` OMSPLAY
`PERSONAL/S ZED
`
`
`WELCOME MIESSAG E
`
`
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`4OOCD fAENY
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`WIEN
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`SELECTIONS
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`
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`OVSPLAY
`ENTERTAIN MIENT
`CHOCES
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`EVIERTENMAEMT
`SEL ECVOWV
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`OCMIUE RTE CHARGES)
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`wo
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`DESSERT
`
`FIG.4
`
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`
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`PROCESSING
`
`OINNER OVER:
`%ES
`
`FRAN TF Ow
`
`OSPLAY CHECK
`
`CLEAR
`
`SCREEN
`
`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 5
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`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 5
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`

`

`U.S. Patent Oct. 15, 1985
`
`Sheet 5 of7
`
`4,547,851
`
`FIG.S
`
`ORDER WAI7/NG
`
`FOR
`DISPLAY ?
`
`YES
`
`Nv
`
`Oo
`
`MO
`
`OROCER WAITING
`7O BE
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`
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`ON SCREEN
`
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`AOOIBLE
`
`SAMPLE DISPLAY FORMAT:
`TUAAE
`TIME
`ON
`LOGGED
`
`TABLE
`
`17EAT
`
`7
`7
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`
`72
`
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`
`BURGER PLATTER M/R
`CHEFS SALAD RUSS
`ON/ON RINGS
`
`BEEF STEW
`
`VEAL PARMIGIAN SPAG
`
`KITCHEN{BAR PROCESSING
`
`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 6
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`PMC Exhibit 2124
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`

`U.S. Patent Oct. 15, 1985
`
`Sheet60f7
`
`4,547,851
`
`MESSAGE
`FROM
`TIUBLE 7
`
`NO
`
`YES
`
`MESSAGE
`FROM
`
`yes KVTCHEN/BR ?
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`
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`CPLOEOLA TE
`
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`
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`LOAD
`
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`BAR
`ACTIVITY
`MHENTOR
`
`
`
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`CENTRAL UNIT PROCESSING
`
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`
`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
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`

`U.S. Patent Oct. 15, 1985
`
`Sheet70f7?
`
`4,547,851
`
`FIG.7
`
`
`
`fABLE STATION f
`
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`

`

`1
`
`4,547,851
`
`INTEGRATED INTERACTIVE RESTAURANT
`COMMUNICATION METHOD FOR FOOD AND
`ENTERTAINMENT PROCESSING
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is related to the commonly owned
`copending U.S. patent application entitled “Integrated
`Interactive Restaurant Communication System for
`Food and Entertainment Processing”, filed Mar. 14,
`1983, bearing U.S. Ser. No. 474,984, and naming Law-
`rence G. Kurland, the named inventor herein, and Eli
`Gilbert as joint inventors, the contents of which is spe-
`cifically incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`The present invention relates to interactive communi-
`cation systemsand particularly to interactive restaurant
`communication systems.
`BACKGROUND ART
`
`Interactive communication systems, such as those
`employing video display terminals, are well known in
`the art, such as disclosed, by way of example, in U.S.
`Pat. Nos. 4,064,490; 4,054,911; 4,296,476; 4,143,360;
`4,191,956; 4,122,519; 3,903,402; 4,001,807; 4,001,785;
`4,075,686; 4,084,229; 4,251,291; 3,746,780; 3,668,307;
`3,836,888; 3,752,908; 3,691,295; 3,968,327; 4,008,369;
`4,028,733; 3,757,225; 3,814,841; 4,117,605; 4,264,925 and
`4,164,024. Today,this field is a very active one, particu-
`larly with the advent and wide spread use of micro-
`processors in many business applications, as well as in
`personal computers, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
`4,296,476. These prior art interactive systems have ex-
`panded dramatically in the field of cable television, such
`as disclosed in many of the aforementioned exemplary
`patents, both in two-way communication systems, such
`as disclosed in U.S.Pat. Nos. 3,691,295 and 3,668,307 by
`way of example, and in one-way cyclical transmission
`systems such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,064,490
`and 4,054,911 by way of example, as well as in real-time
`interactive systems such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
`4,264,925 by way of example. Moreover, point-of-sale
`terminals have become almost a total replacement for
`the cash register in today’s businesses. The restaurant
`business, however, has been very slow to modernize in
`the area of service to the public except for modern
`fast-food operations, still relying on separate waitress
`serice for order taking and separate entertainment fea-
`tures such as music boxes or video games, and the com-
`puter revolution has really not caught up. Rather, in-
`creased efficiency in restaurant service has primarily
`been focused on better manual systems, such as the one
`developed at the Tifflin Inn in Denver, Colo. where a
`food coordinator person in the kitchen would interface
`between the waitresses, who neverleft the dining room,
`and the cook using busboys to transport the orders
`which were assembled on carts. This system, however,
`although sucessful, was still a manual system and did
`not integrate food and entertainment functions. Thus,
`although cash register type of point-of-sale systems and
`automatic order entry systems have madein-roads into
`the restaurant business, as has distributed interactive
`video game technology, applicant is not aware of any
`prior art systems which have sucessfully integrated
`interactive entertainment and food functions so that a
`plurality of independent
`table station terminals, via
`
`2
`down-line loading and two-way communication with a
`central data base, can accomplish, among other things,
`transmission of orders to the kitchen,
`independently
`selectable down-loading of entertainment modules to
`the table stations for interactive play at the terminals;
`automatic computation of compositebills for both food
`and entertainment, and accumulation of detailed infor-
`mation for restaurant management.
`These disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by
`the system of the present invention.
`DISCLOSUREOF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates to an interactive inte-
`grated restaurant
`information communication system
`for enabling both individualized food and entertainment
`interactive information communication, such as two-
`way communication over a common transmission me-
`dia, between a central remote data base and a plurality
`of different multipurpose table station terminals located
`at various table stations throughout the restaurant for
`use by the restaurant patrons for both food selection,
`based on down-line loaded food menu modulesselect-
`ably retrieved from the central data base, and entertain-
`ment selection and interactive play, such as video
`games, also based on down-line loaded entertainment
`modules selectably retrieved from the central data base.
`The charges, where applicable, for both the entertain-
`ment and food selections can be compositely automati-
`cally billed to the table station, with each patron having
`a unique identification code for billing and/or service
`purposes, and the bills printed either centrally or at each
`table station.
`The central data base comprises a central main com-
`puter which essentially performs the information rout-
`ing functions, and remote retrievable storage for storing
`the various food and entertainment programsorsets of
`control instructions which are retrieved by the various
`table station terminals in response to selections made by
`the restaurant patrons, as well as handling coordination
`or processing and display of food orders in conjunction
`with kitchen and bar monitors, accumulation of restau-
`rant management information and billing as well as
`other functions, if desired. Each of the table station
`terminals comprises a microprocessor and local storage
`which is down-line loaded with selected sets of control
`instructions from the central data base, under contro! of
`a master contro] program, in response to patron selec-
`tion, and a local video display whichis utilized to dis-
`play data for food and entertainmentselection as well as
`to interactively play the game or entertainment se-
`lected, with the microprocessor processing incoming
`data to enable food and entertainments selections to be
`transmitted to the central data base and to enable the
`retrieved entertainmentto be interactively played at the
`terminal in response to the retrieved locally stored se-
`lected set of control
`instructions. The food orders,
`under control of the central computer, are collected
`from the various table station terminals, and displayed
`on central kitchen and bar monitors, with the orders
`being cleared from the monitor screen, such as by using
`touch-sensitive screens, as they are filled for each table
`station. If desired, the orders can be assembled bytable
`station, each having its unique patron identification
`code, and transported to the pertinent
`table station.
`Thus, each table station terminal can independently
`serve to provide both food selection and entertainment
`functions, interactively with a central] data base, in the
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`65
`
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`3
`integrated restaurant communication system of the
`present invention, whereby the overall efficiency of the
`restaurant will be enhanced and better controlled.
`
`4,547,851
`
`0
`
`5
`
`20
`
`30
`
`40
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is an overall functional block diagram ofthe
`presently preferred embodimentof the integrated inter-
`active restaurant communication system of the present
`invention for providing integrated food and entertain-
`ment processing in accordance with the present inven-
`tion;
`FIG. 2 is an overall schematic block diagram of a
`typical table station terminal for use in the system of
`FIG.1;
`FIG.3 is an illustrative diagram of a typical organiza-
`tion of the memoryunit portion of the terminal of FIG.
`
`FIG.4 is a condition responsive logic flow diagram
`of a typical table station terminal processing control
`program for the terminal of FIG.2;
`FIG. 5 is a condition responsive logic flow diagram
`of a typical kitchen or bar monitor processing control
`program for a typical kitchen or bar monitor in the
`system of FIG. 1;
`FIG.6 is a condition responsive logic flow diagram
`of a typical processing control program for the central
`computer of the system of FIG. 1; and
`FIG.7 is a diagrammatic perspectiveillustration of a
`typical table station in the system of FIG. 1.
`BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE
`INVENTION
`
`Referring now to the drawingsin detail, and initially
`to FIG. 1 thereof, an overall functional block diagram
`of the presently preferred embcdimentof the integrated
`interactive restaurant communication system, generally
`referred to by the reference numeral 10, of the present
`invention is shown. As will be described in greater
`detail hereinafter, the interactive restaurant communi-
`cation system 10 provides integrated food and entertain-
`ment processing which enables restaurant patrons to
`obtain menus for individual food selection on a video
`monitor at their tables, individually enter their orders
`into a table station “intelligent” terminal at their tables,
`select from and interactively play a variety of remotely
`retrievable interactive entertainmentactivities using the
`video monitor while waiting for the food to arrive, and
`if desired, where applicable, have the food and enter-
`tainment charges automatically added to a composite
`bill which maybeprinted at the table station terminal or
`at a remote central location. Moreover, as will be fur-
`ther described herein, the system 10 of the present in-
`vention is preferably integrated into the overall restau-
`rant operation so that the food orders placed at the
`various table station terminals, with five such table
`station terminals 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 being shown by
`way of example in FIG. 1, can be collected and routed
`by a central computer 22 to the kitchen and bar for
`display on video terminals or monitors 24, 26 and 28,
`respectively, for the cook and bartender to enable the
`orders to be promptly filled, which orders, as illustrated
`in FIG. 5, can also be displayed by time loggedinto the
`system 10 to enable the oldest orders to be filled first. In
`addition, restaurant efficiency can also be monitored by
`comparing the time the order is logged with the time
`the orderisfilled.
`As shown and preferred in FIG. 1, each ofthe table
`station terminals 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, which will be de-
`
`4
`scribed in greater detail hereinafter with reference to
`FIGS. 2-4 and 7, is preferably connected via a conven-
`tional two-way communications link, such as conven-
`tional RS-232 lines, to the central computer or proces-
`sor 22 through a conventional multiplexed communica-
`tion port 30. The quantity of table station terminals 12,
`14, 16, 18, 20, which may be serviced or controlled by
`the central computer 22 is essentially limited primarily
`by the capacity of the central computer 22 and associ-
`ated memory 32 whichis selected, the desired functions
`to be performed and the desired access time, all of
`which are considerations within the ordinary skill of the
`art based on the system 10 description provided herein.
`The central processor 22 and associated memory 32,
`such as a conventional disk memory, comprise the cen-
`tral or remote data base 22-32 which is remotely ac-
`cessed by the various table station terminals 12, 14, 16,
`18, 20 in accordance with the present invention. By way
`of example, the central processor 22, which is selected
`to be compatible with the table station terminals 12, 14,
`16, 18, 20 employed, may be one having the capabilities
`of a PDP 11/23 processor, available from Digital
`Equipment Corporation, having, by way of example,
`128K of memory, with the associated memory 32 being,
`by way of example a data storage medium of the type
`such as available from Data Systems Design as its DSD
`880 combination flexible and Winchester disk drive. In
`addition, by way of example, the communications multi-
`plexers 30 may be of the type such as the DLV 11. As
`further shown and preferred in FIG. 1, a printer 34,
`such as a conventional dot matrix printer, such as an
`Anadex 9625A, is connected to the central processor 22
`for printing bills, if desired, as well as restaurant man-
`agement information and any other reports desired,
`such as market survey data. In addition, a conventional
`master console terminal 36, such as an ADM-3A,is
`preferably connected to the central processor 22 to
`enable, for example, review of restaurant operations and
`changes to be made in the data base 22-32. If desired, a
`conventional type of cash register point-of-sale terminal
`38 may also be connected to the central processor 22.
`With respect to the kitchen terminals 24, 26 and bar
`terminal 28 employed with the central processor 22,
`these terminals 24, 26, 28 are preferably conventional
`and employ touch-sensitive screens, such as the Elo-
`graphics E270, placed over the video monitor screen, to
`enable keyboard free data entry, such as, by way of
`example, to clear an item from the screen after the order
`has been filled or to indicate order status. The associ-
`ated processing to be performed by these conventional
`data terminal 24, 26, 28, which are also selected to be
`compatible with the central processor 22 employed, if
`desired, may preferably be limited to requested order
`display and clearing offilled orders in response to data
`entry, such as via the aforementioned associated touch
`sensitive screen, with central computer 22 logging the
`time that the order is cleared from the screen if desired.
`Such an exemplary arrangementis illustrated in FIG. 5
`which is a self-explanatory condition responsive logic
`flow diagram of a typical kitchen or bar monitor or
`terminal processing control program for a typical
`kitchen or bar terminal 24, 26, or 28, respectively, in the
`system 10 of the present invention, which may be con-
`ventionally programmedbyone or ordinary skill in the
`art based on the description herein. It should be noted
`that although only two kitchen terminals 24, 26 and one
`bar terminal 28 are shown by way of example in the
`system of FIG. 1, any desired number of such terminals
`
`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 10
`
`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 10
`
`

`

`4,547,851
`
`= 5
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`6
`5
`display and/or pictorial graphics, such as for games,
`may be employed dependent upon the needs of the
`that is conventionally formulated and transmitted to the
`restaurant and the selected capacity of the system 10.
`video display unit 48 by the electronics contained in
`Referring now to FIGS. 2-4 and 7, a typical pre-
`ferred table station terminal, such as terminal 12 located
`console 44 via the communicating line 50.
`Apart from the master contro] program or executive
`at table station 1 in the above example, shall now be
`or supervisory program for conventionally supervising
`described in greater detail. As was previously referred
`to, the table station terminals 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 are se-
`the overall operation of data manipulation in the table
`station terminal 12, which is preferably permanently
`lected to be compatible with the central processor 22
`stored in ROM in memory unit 42, the desired operating
`selected.
`In this regard, preferably the table station
`programs or modules for providing the food selection
`terminals are functionally similar to the type marketed,
`and entertainment functions of the multipurpose table
`by way of example, by Atari, Inc. as its model 800, or
`station terminal 12 are down-line loaded from the cen-
`such as the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,476,
`tral data base 22-32 for storage in the RAM section 42a
`the contents of which is specifically incorporated by
`of memory unit 42 in response to a request therefor
`reference herein in its entirety, conventionally modified
`which has been input by the restaurant patron via the
`to provide a data communications interface or capabil-
`keyboard 52, or touch sensitive screen 54 if desired.
`ity with the remote data base 22-32. In this regard, as
`Regardless of the mode in which the table station termi-
`shown and preferred in FIG. 2, which is essentially the
`nal 12 operates, the operation of the associated mternal
`type of terminal described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,476,
`circuitry illustrated in FIG. 2 remains essentially the
`which is a terminal employing a microprocessor 40
`same. Thus, the operating program or module, whether
`based data processor having a programmable graphics
`a food menu module used for food selection or order
`generator,
`the peripheral memory devices, such as a
`local disk drive unit and cassette unit, have been re-
`entry, or an entertainment module used for entertain-
`ment selection and interactive game or other entertain-
`placed by the down-line loading capability of the termi-
`nal 12 from the remote data base 22-32 into the local
`mentactivity, can display portions of the requisite infor-
`mation or data on video display unit 48. Preferably, the
`random access memory or RAM portion 42a of the
`table station terminal 12 includes a conventional pro-
`terminal’s memory unit 42 under control of a master
`grammable object graphics generator 58 which can be
`control program or executive or supervisory program,
`called upon to transfer graphics information from mem-
`such as illustrated by way of example in FIG.4, stored
`ory unit 42 to the video display unit 48. In this regard,
`in the local read only memory or ROM portion 428 of
`the terminal memory unit 42. The capacity of the ROM
`the conventional microprocessor unit 40, under direc-
`tion of the down-line loaded operating program or
`and RAM portions of terminal memory unit 42 is pref-
`module, transfers a list of display instructions into the
`erably conventionally selected so as to permit the de-
`RAMsection 42a (FIG.3) of the memory unit 42, mak-
`sired functions to be performed by the table station
`terminal 12.
`ing the display instructions available to the micro-
`processor 40. The microprocessor 40 can modify por-
`As shownand preferred in FIGS. 2 and 7, the table
`tions of the display instructions, such as the addresses of
`station terminal 12 includes a console 44, game control
`the various instructions, thereby directing the object
`apparatus 46, such as the four conventional video game
`graphics generator 58 to those sections of the memory
`Joystick controllers 46a-46d illustrated in FIG. 7, and a
`unit 42 containing the graphics information to be dis-
`video display unit 48, which preferably is a conven-
`played, such as alphanumeric characters, lines, heading
`tional television monitor with console 44 providing a
`marks and the like. Alternatively, such as in the enter-
`suitable radio frequency signal correspondingtoatele-
`tainment mode,
`the down-line loaded operating pro-
`vision raster scan signal to the video display unit 48 via
`gram, such as a down-line loaded entertainment module
`line 50. The table station terminal 12 preferably has two
`for an interactive video game, may require information
`basic modes of operation, the food selection mode and
`the entertainment mode in which the terminal 12 can
`to be displayed in graph-like form, such as a playfield
`display in the form of a cartesian or other coordinate
`function, by way of example, as an interactive video
`system displayed to the restaurant patron(s) at the table
`game unit. In the entertainment mode, as will be de-
`Station 1 via video display unit 48. Further, the down-
`scribed in greater detail hereinafter, the table station
`line loaded operating program maycall for a moveable
`terminal can be programmed, via down-line loading
`cursor to be displayed in which instance the operating
`from the central data base 22-32, to provide various
`interactive entertainment activities such as interactive
`program would contain a block of graphics information
`containing the picture data for the vertical column that
`video gamesor interactive educational materials, such
`the movable object generator 58 constructs on the
`as involving text, diagrams and pictures displayed on
`video display unit 48, including the picture data for the
`video diaplay unit 48, as well as audio. An interactive
`cursor. The microprocessor would then conventionally
`dialogue can be conducted between the restaurant pa-
`trons seated at the table station terminal 12, such as at
`write into a movable object DMA counterthe address
`of the location within the memory unit 42 of the block
`table station 1 in the above example, using a conven-
`of graphics information containing the cursor picture
`tional keyboard 52 and/or, if desired, a conventional
`data. The microprocessor 40 would also preferably
`touch sensitive screen 54, such as the previously men-
`write a data word to a DMAcontrol register whose
`tioned Elographics E270, which could,if desired, pref-
`contents are used to conventionally inform a DMA
`erably be placed over the normal video screen 56, to
`control unit that movable object graphics will be dis-
`provide keyboard-free data entry. In either mode, the
`food selection mode or entertainment mode, the table
`played. Accordingly, as described in detail in U.S. Pat.
`No. 4,296,476 specifically incorporated by reference
`station terminal is utilized by the restaurant patrons to
`herein, the DMA control] unit provides the moveable
`store or retrieve information from the remotely located
`object DMA counter with signals that cause the DMA
`central data base 22-32. The video display unit 48 pro-
`counter to sequentially address the memorylocations of
`vides the restaurant patrons located at the table station
`memory unit 42 containing the graphics information for
`1 with graphics information, such as an alphanumeric
`
`60
`
`40
`
`45
`
`55
`
`65
`
`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 11
`
`PMC Exhibit 2124
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00753
`Page 11
`
`

`

`4,547,851
`
`0
`
`5
`
`25
`
`8
`7
`With respect to the operation of the central data base
`the cursor. The data used by the microprocessor 40 in
`22-32 in connection with the processing of food menu
`the entertainment mode and/or with respect to cursor
`and entertainment requests,
`including the down-line
`movement, in either mode,
`is preferably provided by
`loading of food menu modules or operating programs
`the joysticks 46a-46d or operation of the keyboard 52,
`and entertainment modules or operating programs to
`or the touch-sensitive screen 56, by the restaurant pa-
`the requesting table station terminals 12, 14, 16, 18, 20,
`trons seated at the table station 1. Typically, the joy-
`the logging and routing of orders to the kitchen and bar
`sticks 46a-46d, assuming by way of example one for
`terminals 24, 26, 28, the calculation of composite bills,
`each of up to four restaurant patronsto be seated at the
`table station 1, provide user generated position informa-
`the updating of inventory and the overall processing of
`messages, a condition responsive logic flow diagram of
`tion, and possibly other game information, which is
`communicated to the microprocessor 40 via a conven-
`a typical processing control program for the central
`computer 22 for accomplishing the above is shown in
`tiorial data interface unit 60. The conventional joysticks
`FIG. 6. The program itself can conventionally readily
`46a-46d may typically be of the type disclosed in U.S.
`be written by one of ordinary skill in the art based on
`Pat. No. 4,091,234, the teachings of which are specifi-
`the description herein.
`cally incorporated by reference hereinin its entirety. In
`Summarizing the overall operation of the preferred
`addition to the above,as further shown and preferred in
`FIG. 2, the terminal 12 also includes a conventional
`system 10 of the present invention,either after or before
`the diners or restaurant patrons are seated at their re-
`audio generator 62 for generating audio signals, a con-
`spective table station, the table station terminal would
`ventional timing unit 64 for generating the various tim-
`ing signals required such as thoseillustrated, by way of
`preferably display a welcome message andalist of
`choices for the patrons. The patrons would then select
`example,
`for use in the system of U.S. Pat. No.
`4,296,476, a conventional video summercircuit 66 for
`a choice by touching a location on the touch sensitive
`screen or by pressing keys on the keyboard. Theinitial
`conventionally summing the color/luminance and com-
`posite sync signal output of the object graphics genera-
`choices may be type of food, type of meal, etc. Thereaf-
`tor 58, and a conventional RF modulator 68 which
`ter, by stepping through various displays, the patrons,
`provides the displayable video signal to the video dis-
`using their unique position identification code, could
`order their meals which would be transmitted to the
`play unit 48 via line 50. Furthermore, an optional con-
`ventional printer unit 70 may also be provided at the
`central data base for billing and filing. The patrons
`would then be allowed to select entertainment such as
`table station for local printing of bills, or other data if
`desired, with the printer 70 being connected to the
`games, educational programs, computer generated art
`displays, etc., and possibly television channelsif desired
`microprocessor 40 via the data interface unit 60 and a
`serial (I/O) bus through which the terminal 12 is con-
`by using a television receiver as the video display unit.
`nected to the central data base 22-32. It should be noted
`Associated charges for both food and entertainment,
`where applicable, would automatically be added to a
`that after the desired food menu module or operating
`composite bill. The central computer downloads the
`program or entertainment module or operating pro-
`gram is requested by and down-line loaded to the termi-
`selected activity to the requesting table station terminal,
`with each terminal being capable of independently re-
`nal 12, the microproces