Patents by Inventor Christopher Siefken
Christopher Siefken has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 12381673Abstract: A communications system for a restaurant includes multiple field communications units, a portable communications device, and processing circuitry. The field communications units include a speaker and a microphone. The portable communications device is transportable by an order taker of the restaurant. The processing circuitry obtains a user input to transition the portable communications device between multiple different channels. The multiple different channels correspond to one of the multiple field communications units. The processing circuitry transitions the portable communications device to one of the multiple different channels according to the user input. The processing circuitry facilitates end-to-end bi-directional audio communication between the order taker and a customer by operating the portable communications device and the one of the multiple field communications units to exchange audio data over the one of the multiple different channels.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2024Date of Patent: August 5, 2025Assignee: Xenial, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Siefken, Tushar Dabhade, Michael Roth, Israel Rivera, Arjun Wadwalkar
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Publication number: 20250182080Abstract: A method of operating a drive through interface of a drive through system includes detecting a presence of a vehicle at the drive through interface based on image data of a portion of a lane at the drive through interface. The method includes, responsive to an order being placed by a customer in the vehicle via the drive through interface, operating a display screen of the drive through interface to notify the customer that the order is not yet ready for pickup and prompting the customer to keep the vehicle at the drive through interface. The method includes, responsive to the order being ready for pickup at a particular pickup window of multiple pickup windows, operating the display screen of the drive through interface to notify the customer that the order is ready for pickup and prompt the customer to drive the vehicle to the particular pickup window.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2025Publication date: June 5, 2025Applicant: Xenial, Inc.Inventors: Christopher SIEFKEN, Israel RIVERA, Keith SHAIBLEY, Sean WEGELER, Brian JACKSON, James DAVIDSON
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Publication number: 20250182079Abstract: A method of operating a drive through interface of a drive through system includes detecting a presence of a vehicle at the drive through interface based on image data of a portion of a lane at the drive through interface. The method includes, responsive to an order being placed by a customer in the vehicle via the drive through interface, operating a display screen of the drive through interface to notify the customer that the order is not yet ready for pickup and prompting the customer to keep the vehicle at the drive through interface. The method includes, responsive to the order being ready for pickup at a particular pickup window of multiple pickup windows, operating the display screen of the drive through interface to notify the customer that the order is ready for pickup and prompt the customer to drive the vehicle to the particular pickup window.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2024Publication date: June 5, 2025Inventors: Christopher SIEFKEN, Israel RIVERA, Keith SHAIBLEY, Sean WEGELER, Brian JACKSON, James DAVIDSON
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Publication number: 20250148553Abstract: A control system for a drive through includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to determine, using image data obtained from multiple cameras, a characteristic of a vehicle in a lane of the drive through. The processing circuitry can operate a point of sale unit to provide an indication of the characteristic of the vehicle. The processing circuitry can, responsive to detection of one or more of a plurality of vehicles using the image data, perform at least one of (i) initiating an alert via the point of sale unit for staff of the drive through, (ii) initiating an action to open an additional lane, or (iii) initiating a kitchen action to prepare one of more food or beverage items.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2024Publication date: May 8, 2025Inventors: Christopher SIEFKEN, Brian JACKSON, Istvan ILLES-TOTH, James DAVIDSON, Patrick O'BRIEN, Christopher CLARK, Israel RIVERA, Keith SHAIBLEY
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Patent number: 12192130Abstract: A communications system for a restaurant includes multiple field communications units, a portable communications device, and processing circuitry. The field communications units include a speaker and a microphone. The portable communications device is transportable by an order taker of the restaurant. The processing circuitry obtains a user input to transition the portable communications device between multiple different channels. The multiple different channels correspond to one of the multiple field communications units. The processing circuitry transitions the portable communications device to one of the multiple different channels according to the user input. The processing circuitry facilitates end-to-end bi-directional audio communication between the order taker and a customer by operating the portable communications device and the one of the multiple field communications units to exchange audio data over the one of the multiple different channels.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2024Date of Patent: January 7, 2025Assignee: Xenial, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Siefken, Tushar Dabhade, Michael Roth, Israel Rivera, Arjun Wadwalkar
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Publication number: 20240311937Abstract: A control system for a drive through includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to determine, using image data obtained from multiple cameras, a characteristic of a vehicle in a lane of the drive through. The processing circuitry can operate a point of sale unit to provide an indication of the characteristic of the vehicle. The processing circuitry can, responsive to detection of one or more of a plurality of vehicles using the image data, perform at least one of (i) initiating an alert via the point of sale unit for staff of the drive through, (ii) initiating an action to open an additional lane, or (iii) initiating a kitchen action to prepare one or more food or beverage items.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2024Publication date: September 19, 2024Inventors: Christopher SIEFKEN, Brian JACKSON, Istvan ILLES-TOTH, James DAVIDSON, Patrick O'BRIEN, Christopher CLARK, Israel RIVERA, Keith SHAIBLEY
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Publication number: 20230368274Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable medium is configured to store instructions executable by one or more processors to perform operations including receiving, via an audio signal interface, audio data, processing the audio data to identify one or more speakers from which the audio data is produced, determining, from the processed audio data, an intention to place one or more orders, and communicating, in response to determining the intention, with at least one point-of-sale (POS) terminal to execute order processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2023Publication date: November 16, 2023Applicant: XENIAL, INC.Inventors: Christopher SIEFKEN, Mahesh KOMMAREDDI, William WINE, Arjun WADWALKAR, Santiago LOPEZ, David SANCHEZ, Davison ANAYA
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Patent number: 11741529Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable medium is configured to store instructions executable by one or more processors to perform operations including independently processing, by each of a first processor and a second processor, audio data relating to one or more orders, determining whether the first processor has supplied a first indication to perform first language processing of the audio data, and selecting a result of second language processing of the audio data from the second processor in response to determining that the first system has not supplied the first indication. The first processor is configured to perform one or more of the first language processing, first transcription processing, or first entity recognition processing. The second processor is configured to perform one or more of second language processing of higher quality than the first language processing, second transcription processing of lower quality than the first transcription processing, or second entity recognition processing.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2020Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: XENIAL, INC.Inventors: Christopher Siefken, Mahesh Kommareddi, William Wine, Arjun Wadwalkar, Santiago Lopez, David Sanchez, Davison Anaya
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Patent number: 11244681Abstract: A system and a method for automating drive-thru orders are provided. In particular, a bridge board is provided that can integrate existing drive-thru hardware with computer devices executing machine learning models to detect and analyze speech from a drive-thru. The system and method employ vehicle tracking to account for vehicle behavior during its time at the drive-thru as well as enhanced vehicle analytics. Additionally, the system and method employ tools for assessing customer speed-of-service. Cameras and vehicle image analysis are used to link drive-thru and/or on-line food/beverage orders with vehicles entering the eatery property to accelerate food/beverage delivery to vehicle occupants.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2021Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: XENIAL, INC.Inventors: Christopher Siefken, William Wine, Arjun Wadwalkar, Brian Keith Jackson, Andrew Grindstaff
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Publication number: 20220036898Abstract: A system and a method for automating drive-thru orders are provided. In particular, a bridge board is provided that can integrate existing drive-thru hardware with computer devices executing machine learning models to detect and analyze speech from a drive-thru. The system and method employ vehicle tracking to account for vehicle behavior during its time at the drive-thru as well as enhanced vehicle analytics. Additionally, the system and method employ tools for assessing customer speed-of-service. Cameras and vehicle image analysis are used to link drive-thru and/or on-line food/beverage orders with vehicles entering the eatery property to accelerate food/beverage delivery to vehicle occupants.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2021Publication date: February 3, 2022Applicant: XENIAL, INC.Inventors: Christopher SIEFKEN, William WINE, Arjun WADWALKAR, Brian Keith Jackson, Andrew Grindstaff
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Publication number: 20200273089Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable medium is configured to store instructions executable by one or more processors to perform operations including independently processing, by each of a first processor and a second processor, audio data relating to one or more orders, determining whether the first processor has supplied a first indication to perform first language processing of the audio data, and selecting a result of second language processing of the audio data from the second processor in response to determining that the first system has not supplied the first indication. The first processor is configured to perform one or more of the first language processing, first transcription processing, or first entity recognition processing. The second processor is configured to perform one or more of second language processing of higher quality than the first language processing, second transcription processing of lower quality than the first transcription processing, or second entity recognition processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2020Publication date: August 27, 2020Inventors: Christopher Siefken, Mahesh Kommareddi, William Wine, Arjun Wadwalkar, Santiago Lopez, David Sanchez, Davison Anaya