Automated bakery kiosk with order customization

Abstract

An automated kiosk having a plurality of temperature-controlled storage compartment, each adapted to hold a bakery product. A customer interface receives customer input, including an identification of a bakery product, a desired pick-up date and time, and an intended destination following pick-up. A controller coupled to the customer interface receives the customer input, and adjusts a temperature of the individual storage compartment using a heating unit or a cooling unit to bring the bakery product to a first temperature at the desired pick-up date and time that will allow for the bakery product to reach a second temperature at the time the bakery item reaches the intended destination.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automated bakery kiosk comprising:
 a plurality of temperature-controlled storage compartments each adapted to hold a bakery product;   a customer interface adapted to receive customer input, the customer input including an identification of a bakery product, a desired pick-up date and time, and an intended destination following pick-up, wherein the customer interface obtains information as to a transport time between the automated bakery kiosk and the intended destination;   a heating unit coupled to the plurality of temperature-controlled storage compartments;   a cooling unit coupled to the plurality of temperature-controlled storage compartments; and   a controller coupled to the customer interface, the heating unit, and the cooling unit, that adjusts a temperature of an individual storage compartment based on the customer input received to bring the bakery product to a first temperature at the desired pick-up date and time that will allow for the bakery product to reach a second temperature at the time the bakery product reaches the intended destination.   
     
     
         2 . The automated bakery kiosk of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a transport mechanism that transports the bakery product from the individual storage compartment to a pick-up compartment configured for customer access. 
 
     
     
         3 . The automated bakery kiosk of  claim 2  wherein the pick-up compartment is lockable and accessible for customer access via an unlock code. 
     
     
         4 . The automated bakery kiosk of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a customization system, coupled to the controller, that receives customization instructions included in the customer input for customizing the bakery product. 
 
     
     
         5 . The automated bakery kiosk of  claim 4 , wherein the customization system further comprises:
 a nozzle assembly which expels a liquid food used for decoration;   at least one line transporting the liquid food;   a liquid food source adapted to force liquid food through the at least one line to, and out of the nozzle assembly; and   at least one nozzle actuator, coupled to the nozzle assembly, which moves the nozzle assembly to desired locations on top of the bakery product to expel liquid food at these desired locations according to the customization instructions.   
     
     
         6 . The automated bakery kiosk of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a packaging device, coupled to the controller, that packages the bakery product prior to transporting the bakery product to the pick-up compartment. 
 
     
     
         7 . The automated bakery kiosk of  claim 1  wherein the controller receives the customer input from the customer interface and further determines if the automated bakery kiosk has the minimum amount of materials immediately available to complete an order associated with the customer input and responsive to a determination that the minimum amount of materials is not immediately available, outputs an alert to the customer interface. 
     
     
         8 . The automated bakery kiosk of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a plurality of volume sensors configured to detect amounts of materials stored in the automated bakery kiosk, wherein the controller checks the plurality of volume sensors to determine if the minimum amount of materials is immediately available.   
     
     
         9 . The automated bakery kiosk of  claim 7  wherein responsive to the determination that the minimum amount of materials is not immediately available, the controller automatically orders an amount of materials to replenish an automated bakery kiosk supply. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving, by a controller of a kiosk, customer input from a customer interface, the customer input including an identification of a bakery product, a desired pick-up date and time, and an intended destination following pick-up;   determining a transport time between a location of the kiosk and the intended destination; and   adjusting a temperature of an individual storage compartment housing the bakery product based on the customer input received to bring the bakery product to a first temperature at the desired pick-up date and time that will allow for the bakery product to reach a second temperature at the time the bakery product reaches the intended destination based on the determined transport time.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 controlling a transport mechanism to transport the bakery product from the individual storage compartment to a pick-up compartment configured for customer access. 
 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 controlling a customization system to customize the bakery product based on customization instructions included in the customer input received. 
 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 controlling a packaging device to package the bakery product prior to transport of the bakery product to the pick-up compartment. 
 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 determining, based on the customer input received, if the kiosk has the minimum amount of materials immediately available to complete an order associated with the customer input; and 
 responsive to a determination that the minimum amount of materials is not immediately available, outputting an alert to the customer interface. 
 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 responsive to the determination that the minimum amount of materials is not immediately available, automatically ordering an amount of materials to replenish a kiosk supply. 
 
     
     
         16 . An automated kiosk comprising:
 a plurality of temperature-controlled storage compartments each adapted to hold a perishable product;   a customer interface adapted to receive customer input, the customer input including an identification of a perishable product, a desired pick-up date and time, and an intended destination following pick-up;   a heating unit coupled to the plurality of temperature-controlled storage compartments;   a cooling unit coupled to the plurality of temperature-controlled storage compartments; and   a controller, coupled to the customer interface, the heating unit, and the cooling unit, that determines a transport time between a location of the automated kiosk and the intended destination and adjusts a temperature of an individual storage compartment based on the customer input received to bring the perishable product to a first temperature at the desired pick-up date and time that will allow for the perishable product to reach a second temperature at the time the perishable product reaches the intended destination.   
     
     
         17 . The automated kiosk of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a transport mechanism that transports the perishable product from the individual storage compartment to a pick-up compartment configured for customer access. 
 
     
     
         18 . The automated kiosk of  claim 17  wherein the pick-up compartment is lockable and accessible for customer access via an unlock code. 
     
     
         19 . The automated kiosk of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a customization system, coupled to the controller, that receives customization instructions included in the customer input for customizing the perishable product. 
 
     
     
         20 . The automated kiosk of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a packaging device, coupled to the controller, that packages the perishable product prior to transporting the perishable product to the pick-up compartment.