[0001] The present invention generally relates to an improved online ordering system for ordering a good or service. The present application has particular, although not exclusive application to ordering coffee.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

[0003] It is common for workers to get a coffee on their way to work each day. In practice, city workers often order a coffee close to work and then bring it with them to the office. In practice, there is often a line up to order a coffee and so much time is spent ordering and waiting for the coffee to be provided.

[0004] Apps for the advance ordering of coffee are known. However, the Applicant has perceived that these Apps are largely unutilized because customers ultimately become distracted on the way to work and forget to place an order for coffee. By the time they remember, they are already at the coffee shop. Also, even if they do remember, it is highly inconvenient to place an order when in transit.

[0005] The preferred embodiment provides an improved coffee ordering tool. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an online ordering method involving:

monitoring the location of a mobile phone; and

ordering a good or service responsive to the mobile phone entering a geographic region. [0007] Advantageously, the good or service is ordered responsive to the mobile phone entering the geographic region, and without requiring any intervention from a customer.

[0008] The geographic region may be defined by a boundary. The boundary may be circular with a provider of the good or service at its centre. The customer may enter the centre of the boundary. The boundary may correspond to a received travel time by a customer. The travel time may be a walking time.

[0009] The method may involve providing an opt-out message to the mobile phone to not proceed with the order. The opt-out message may be an SMS. The step of ordering may automatically occur unless an opt-out response to the opt-out message is received within a predetermined period of time. Alternatively, the method may involve providing an opt-in message to the mobile phone to proceed with the order responsive to an affirmative response.

[00010] The method may further include the step of subscribing to the ordering method. The step of subscribing may involve entering payment details and an ongoing order. The payment details may relate to a credit card. The step of subscribing may involve entering one or more periods (e.g. weekdays) on which the order is to be placed. The order may only occur once in a period.

[00011] The method may involve displaying a list of orders. The method may involve sound notifying of a new order. The method may involve indicating completed orders. The method may involve providing order history.

[00012] The good or service may include a coffee. The good or service may include food or beverages.

[00013] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an online ordering system configured to order a good or service responsive to a mobile phone entering a geographic region.

[00014] The system may include a provider computer for displaying a list of orders. [00015] Any of the features described herein can be combined in any combination with any one or more of the other features described herein within the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00016] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

[00017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a online coffee ordering system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

[00018] Figure 2 is a flowchart of an online coffee ordering method performed using the system of Figure 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[00019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an online coffee ordering system 100 as shown in Figure 1 . The system 100 includes a mobile smartphone 102 which is carried by a customer 104 walking to work. A coffee shop 106 is located in close proximity to the customer's workplace.

[00020] The system 100 further includes a coffee shop server or point-of-sale (POS) 108 for ordering a coffee (i.e. a good or service) responsive to the mobile phone entering a geographic region 1 10 in which the coffee shop 106 is centred.

[00021] Advantageously, the coffee is ordered responsive to the mobile phone 102 entering the geographic region 1 10, and without requiring any intervention from the travelling customer 104 who is distracted or preoccupied and would otherwise not order a coffee in advance.

[00022] The POS 108 also includes a customer database 1 12 of customer records for customers 10 placing orders. Each customer record includes details of the coffee order (e.g. flat white), payment details (e.g. a token linked to a credit card debited by a third party gateway system) of the customer 104 and a phone number of the phone 102.

[00023] The smart phone 102 includes an App (application software) for

communicating over a network 1 14 with the coffee shop POS 108. The system 100 further includes a coffee shop (provider) computer 1 16, in Wi-Fi communication with the POS 108, for displaying a list 1 18 of orders.

[00024] An automated online coffee ordering method 200 is described with reference to Figure 2.

[00025] At step 202, the customer 104 uses smartphone 102 to download the App and subscribe to the ordering method 200 with the coffee shop 106. Subscribing involves the customer 104 entering payment details and an ongoing coffee order. The order will only be automatically placed once per day (i.e. period) so that multiple coffees are not ordered if the customer 104 leaves and re-enters the geographic region 1 10 multiple times in a day. The step of subscribing also involves entering one or more periods (e.g. particular weekdays) on which the order is to be placed.

[00026] The customer 104 also enters a travel time from the coffee shop 106 at which time the order is to be placed. The travel time is typically a walking travel time or car travel time (e.g. 10 minutes). In turn, the App on phone 102 calculates a circular boundary defining the geographic region with the selected coffee shop 106 at its centre and which corresponds to the received travel time by the customer 104. The distance, or radius of the circular boundary, is calculated by multiplying the average travel speed by the entered time.

[00027] The foregoing information is stored in the customer record in the database 1 12.

[00028] At step 204, the system 100 monitors the location of the phone 102 relative to the coffee shop 106 using GPS geographic co-ordinates (longitude and latitude).

[00029] At query step 206, the system 100 determines whether the phone 102 is in the geographic region 1 10. [00030] If not, system 100 continues to monitor the location of the phone 102 relative to the coffee shop 106.

[00031] If the phone 102 enters the geographic region 1 10, the customer 104 is given the opportunity to cancel the order at step 208.

[00032] At step 208, the phone 102 is sent an SMS displaying an opt-out message to the customer 104 to not proceed with the order. The SMS reads "we're about to order for you unless you respond with N or NO in 60 seconds". The advantage of sending the SMS is that the phone 102 receives the message without the need for the App to be open.

[00033] At query step 210, the system 100 monitors for an opt-out response SMS from the customer 104 which includes "N or NO". The monitoring occurs for a maximum predetermined period of time (e.g. 1 minute).

[00034] If the system 100 receives an opt-out instruction, the order is not placed and the method ends.

[00035] If the system 100 does not receive an opt-out instruction within the

predetermined period of time, the order is placed responsive to the mobile phone 102 being in the geographic region as previously determined at step 206.

[00036] At step 212, the coffee shop computer 1 16 displays the order in the list 1 18 of queued orders along with its status. The computer 1 16 also makes a sound notification when logging the new order to alert the coffee shop 106 to make the coffee.

[00037] At step 214, the coffee shop computer 1 16 receives notification from the barista that the coffee is ready for pick-up and updates the order in the list 1 18 as completed. The phone 104 may receive confirmation of the completed order and the customer 104 can collect the coffee from the shop 106. The customer 104 is charged for the order using the payment details stored in the customer record.

[00038] At step 216, the coffee shop computer 1 16 or customer's phone can obtain an order history from the database 1 12. [00039] A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention.

[00040] In one embodiment, an administrator server hosts a website from which the App can be downloaded to the phone 102. The administration server can also administer the database 1 12 of customer records.

[00041] In one embodiment, the customer 104 can be charged for the order in advance of the order being prepared.

[00042] In one embodiment, the method 200 can involve providing an opt-in message to the mobile phone at step 208 to only proceed with the order responsive to an affirmative response.

[00043] The present invention can be expanded to cover other goods and services, including food for example. In other embodiments, a restriction of automatically placing in order only once per day can be removed whereby multiple orders are placed each time the customer 104 leaves and then re-enters the geographic region 1 1 0.

[00044] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.

[00045] Reference throughout this specification to One embodiment' or 'an

embodiment' means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases 'in one embodiment' or 'in an embodiment' in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.