Abstract: A customer logs into a desired retailer through a Virtual Reality (VR)/Augmented Reality (AR) cross-retailer application (app). Preferences and/or a profile are obtained from the retailer via an Application Programming Interface (API). A customized VR/AR setting is rendered within the app based on the preferences and/or profile and a VR/AR session is initiated with the app. Consumable items and ingredients of each item are rendered as VR/AR selectable objects during the session for interaction by the customer and a custom item is made with selected ingredients. The customer purchases the item within the session and an order is placed with the retailer through the API. In an embodiment, an avatar of the customer and avatars of other customer placing orders with the retailer are rendered on a virtual floor or superimposed on an actual floor of the customer's physical environment within the app for social interaction and social network features.

Abstract: A touch field is created around a touchscreen display, the field is in front of a touch surface of the display and the field maps to locations on the display. An operator of a terminal during a transaction is presented with transaction interface screens that are visually rendered on the display. The operator makes interface options selections, performs screen navigation, and provides date entry field inputs by placing the operator's hand within the field without touching the touch surface of the display and making hand poses, hand movements, and/or hand gestures. The poses, movements, and/or gestures are translated into touch actions and touch inputs recognized by the transaction interface and processed as operator-provided input during the transaction.

Abstract: Historical transaction loads for transactions of a store are determined. Constraints are obtained for staff of the store over a given period of time in the future. The historical loads are forecasted into projected transaction loads for the given period of time. The constraints are processed to generate a dispatch demand schedule for the staff over the given period of time. The dispatch demand schedule is translated into a staff/worker schedule and provided to a scheduling system of the store.

Abstract: A customer order is received and associated with a list of items being ordered from an in-store counter of a store. An estimated time of preparing the order by attendants of the in-store counter is calculated. The customer selects a time to pickup the order after presented with the estimated required time to fulfill and prepare the order. The order is placed on behalf of the customer with the store. Status updates for the order are sent to the customer on a customer-operated device. Once the status of the order indicates the order is completed, the customer travels to the in-store counter within the store and picks up the order.

Abstract: When a new order is received and is to be inserted into an unprepared order queue for order preparation. The new order's items and items' ingredients are obtained along with expected preparation/cook time for each ingredient. Items and ingredients for the orders that are already in the queue are also inspected along with the times that each order was placed in the queue. A machine-learning model is processed with the data associated with the orders and the new order. The model returns an optimized rearrangement of the queue with the new order inserted into the queue that levels out the expected order wait times, reduces variations in order wait times, and minimizes order preparation times based on the rearranged/modified queue. The optimized queue is presented on a display associated with staff responsible for preparing the orders of the queue.

Abstract: A mobile device establishes an indirect network connection to a User Interface (UI) agent of a terminal. The indirect connection managed as a mobile navigational control session maintained through a server or through the server and a proxy. A keyboard widget/object and a navigation-selection widget/object are rendered within a mobile screen on a display of the mobile device. During the session, a user interacts with the keyboard and/or navigation-selection widgets and corresponding UI key events are forwarded to the UI agent. The UI agent provides the UI key events as Human Interface Device (HID) key events to the terminal causing a transaction interface to update transaction screens being rendered on a transaction display of the terminal during a transaction. The user conducts the transaction at the terminal without touching the transaction display and controls the transaction screens for the transaction via the keyboard and navigational widgets from the mobile device.

Abstract: A customer logs into a desired retailer through a Virtual Reality (VR)/Augmented Reality (AR) cross-retailer application (app). Preferences and/or a profile are obtained from the retailer via an Application Programming Interface (API). A customized VR/AR setting is rendered within the app based on the preferences and/or profile and a VR/AR session is initiated with the app. Consumable items and ingredients of each item are rendered as VR/AR selectable objects during the session for interaction by the customer and a custom item is made with selected ingredients. The customer purchases the item within the session and an order is placed with the retailer through the API. In an embodiment, an avatar of the customer and avatars of other customer placing orders with the retailer are rendered on a virtual floor or superimposed on an actual floor of the customer's physical environment within the app for social interaction and social network features.

Abstract: A touch field is created around a touchscreen display, the field is in front of a touch surface of the display and the field maps to locations on the display. An operator of a terminal during a transaction is presented with transaction interface screens that are visually rendered on the display. The operator makes interface options selections, performs screen navigation, and provides date entry field inputs by placing the operator's hand within the field without touching the touch surface of the display and making hand poses, hand movements, and/or hand gestures. The poses, movements, and/or gestures are translated into touch actions and touch inputs recognized by the transaction interface and processed as operator-provided input during the transaction.

Abstract: A touch field is created around a touchscreen display, the field is in front of a touch surface of the display and the field maps to locations on the display. An operator of a terminal during a transaction is presented with transaction interface screens that are visually rendered on the display. The operator makes interface options selections, performs screen navigation, and provides date entry field inputs by placing the operator's hand within the field without touching the touch surface of the display and making hand poses, hand movements, and/or hand gestures. The poses, movements, and/or gestures are translated into touch actions and touch inputs recognized by the transaction interface and processed as operator-provided input during the transaction.

Abstract: A mobile device establishes an indirect network connection to a User Interface (UI) agent of a terminal. The indirect connection managed as a mobile navigational control session maintained through a server or through the server and a proxy. A keyboard widget/object and a navigation-selection widget/object are rendered within a mobile screen on a display of the mobile device. During the session, a user interacts with the keyboard and/or navigation-selection widgets and corresponding UI key events are forwarded to the UI agent. The UI agent provides the UI key events as Human Interface Device (HID) key events to the terminal causing a transaction interface to update transaction screens being rendered on a transaction display of the terminal during a transaction. The user conducts the transaction at the terminal without touching the transaction display and controls the transaction screens for the transaction via the keyboard and navigational widgets from the mobile device.

Abstract: A touch field is created around a touchscreen display, the field is in front of a touch surface of the display and the field maps to locations on the display. An operator of a terminal during a transaction is presented with transaction interface screens that are visually rendered on the display. The operator makes interface options selections, performs screen navigation, and provides date entry field inputs by placing the operator's hand within the field without touching the touch surface of the display and making hand poses, hand movements, and/or hand gestures. The poses, movements, and/or gestures are translated into touch actions and touch inputs recognized by the transaction interface and processed as operator-provided input during the transaction.

Abstract: Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, methods, and software of order logistics calculators. Such calculators are implemented to determine feasible logistic solutions for product order deliveries. One method embodiment includes receiving, via a network from a computing device of a customer, order data including data identifying products for purchase and delivery to the customer and then determining at least one possible delivery option. A delivery option may be determined by identifying a possible delivery location based on customer calendar schedule data and determining an estimated delivery time from a shipping location to the possible delivery location. The method of this embodiment may then output, via the network to the computing device of the customer, data identifying at least one possible delivery location and a respective delivery time and further request customer acceptance input with regard to a possible delivery location and respective delivery time.