Queuing system

Abstract

System and method for interactive queue management are disclosed. A system can include a server in communication with at least one queue and can communicate with a user via his or her smartphone to provide the user with queue data from the beacon, determine the location of the smartphone relative to the queue via GPS or a wireless beacon, and pre-book the POS checkout of the user of the smartphone at the at least one queue. The system can be configured to allow the smartphone user to not have to maintain a view of the at least one queue or its progress in processing customers. The system can enable a user of the smartphone to dwell a minimum time at the at least one queue upon notification from the beacon to the smartphone of an advanced position/reservation at the queue to complete the customer's transaction.

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         21 . An interactive queue management system, comprising:
 wireless beacons deployed throughout aisles in a store to track a location of a smartphone within the store and deployed in association with the at least one point of sale to track the location of the smartphone at the at least one point of sale; and   at least one server in communication with at least one point of sale via at least one wireless beacon among the beacons, said at least one server operable to enable the smartphone to:   (a) receive point of sale data from the at least one wireless beacon;   (b) determine a location of the smartphone relative to the at least one point of sale;   (c) pre-book checkout of a user of the smartphone at the at least one point of sale;   (d) allow the smartphone to monitor a progress of the at least one point of sale; and   (e) allow the smartphone to dwell a minimum time at or near the at least one point of sale upon notification of an advanced position at the at least one point of sale to complete a transaction;   wherein the at least one server is further operable to forecast an expected duration time of the user of the smartphone at the at least one point of sale; and   wherein the at least one server is further operable to analyze point of sale data to determine attributes including user duration at the at least one point of sale.   
     
     
         22 . The interactive queue management system of  claim 21  wherein the expected duration time of the user of the smartphone at the at least one point of sale is forecast based on point of sale activity associated with the user. 
     
     
         23 . The interactive queue management system of  claim 21  wherein the expected duration time of the user of the smartphone at the at least one point of sale is forecast based on a location of the smartphone. 
     
     
         24 . The interactive queue management system of  claim 21  wherein the expected duration time of the user of the smartphone at the at least one point of sale is forecast based on smartphone user activity history. 
     
     
         25 . The interactive queue management system of  claim 21  wherein the expected duration time of the user of the smartphone at the at least one point of sale is forecast based on at least one of: point of sale activity and a location of the smartphone. 
     
     
         26 . The interactive queue management system of  claim 21  wherein the expected duration time of the user of the smartphone at the at least one point of sale is forecast based on at least one of: a location of the smartphone and smartphone user activity history. 
     
     
         27 . The interactive queue management system of  claim 21  wherein the expected duration time of the user of the smartphone at the at least one point of sale is forecast based on at least one of point of sale activity, a location of the smartphone, and smartphone user activity history. 
     
     
         28 . The interactive queue management system of  claim 21  wherein the attributes further include item scan rate. 
     
     
         29 . The interactive queue management system of  claim 21  wherein the attributes further include item processing time values. 
     
     
         30 . The interactive queue management system of  claim 21  wherein the attributes further include item scan rate, and item processing time values. 
     
     
         31 . A method for providing interactive queue management within a store, comprising:
 providing wireless communication beacons deployed throughout a store;   providing a server configured to monitor software activity of points of sale within a store and to determine a status of the points of sale, and to monitor a location of smartphones near the wireless communication beacons deployed throughout the store;   recording data about the status and the location in a database and periodically updating the data;   receiving from a smartphone used by a customer of the store an indication that the customer requests to enter a virtual line for a point of sale;   notifying the smartphone via a push notification message about the total number of customers in the virtual line, and the customer's turn position in the virtual line;   further notifying the smartphone via push notification messages about updated progress in the virtual line, and adjusted wait time expected for the customer's turn to check out at a point of sale; and   informing the smartphone via push notification message about which point of sale to go to check out from;   wherein the server is further operable to forecast user expected duration time at a point of sale.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the user expected duration time at the point of sale if based on at least one of: point of sale activity, smartphone location, and smartphone user activity history. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the messages about updated progress include a turn for arrival of the customer with respect to an assigned point of sale with a lowest duration time load at present. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the message about which point of sale to go to check out from includes a location of the point of sale or a number sign associated with the point of sale. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the software activity includes a time signature indication representing a contextual time of event at the point of sale. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the software activity includes recurring frequency rates and statistics of events; and   the software activity further includes a measurement of time between activity indications from the point of sale software to determine recurring frequency rates and statistics of events.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the software activity includes measuring time between activity indications from the point of sale software to determine at least one of: patterns and statistics; and   the software activity further includes monitoring the point of sale for a number of customers in a virtual queue waiting to checkout and for an estimated time spent checking each customer out.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the server is further configured to receive an indication that a smartphone has entered a geo-fenced location defined within the store based on communications of the smartphone with at least one wireless beacon.