Pay at the table system

Abstract

Patrons at a restaurant or bar can pay at their table using credit cards, without involving the restaurant or bar cashier and/or wait staff. Patrons are assisted using this system in dividing the bill by displaying the amount due (including tax) and allowing each patron to enter the amount they wish to pay. When the initial bill is presented, a balance due will be displayed and the indication will be provided that the bill has yet to be paid in full. As each transaction is entered, a running total will be displayed indicating the remaining balance due. When the running total reaches zero, the bill is paid in full, and an indication will be provided, such as by illuminating a green indicator light or by displaying a balance due of $0.00.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer program product operable for implementing a method for payment of a bill, the computer program product comprising:
 a memory readable by a data processing system, the memory storing program code comprising the program steps of:   a) calculating a total bill for a plurality of patrons at a table;   b) causing a display, on a display of a table unit device physically located at the table configured to enable patrons seated at the table to manually enter an electronic payment, of the total bill to the plurality of patrons at the table;   c) responsive to providing physical access at the table to the table unit device to a first one of the plurality of patrons receiving manual input information at the table unit device directly from the first one of the plurality of patrons on the table unit device at the table to pay a first portion of the total bill using a first credit card account;   d) automatically calculating, in response to receiving the input information directly from the first one of the plurality of patrons, a first balance owed equal to the total bill minus the first portion;   e) automatically causing the display, on the display of the table unit device, in response to automatically calculating the balance owed, to display the balance owed to the plurality of patrons, saving the balance owed as a balance owed on the total bill;   f) responsive to providing physical access at the table to the table unit device to a second of the plurality of patrons receiving manual input information on the table unit device at the table directly from the second of the plurality of patrons on the table unit device at the table to pay a second portion of the total bill using a second credit card account;   g) automatically calculating, in response to receiving the input information directly from the second one of the plurality of patrons, a balance owed equal to the balance owed on the total bill minus the second portion, and retaining this balance owed as second balance owed on the total bill, the second balance equaling a total amount owed by the plurality of patrons;   h) automatically causing the display, on the display of the table unit device at the table, in response to automatically calculating the balance owed, to display the second balance owed to the plurality of patrons; and   i) repeating steps f) through h) until the total amount owed equals zero.   
     
     
       2. The computer program product as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the total bill represents a total amount of money owed by the plurality of patrons for items selected for purchase by the plurality of patrons. 
     
     
       3. The computer program product as recited in  claim 1 , wherein program step c) comprises the program steps of:
 receiving credit card account information associated with the first credit card account; and   receiving the first portion manually inputted by the first one of the plurality of patrons, and wherein the step f) comprises the steps of:   receiving credit card account information associated with the second credit card account; and   receiving the second portion manually inputted by the second of the plurality of patrons.   
     
     
       4. The computer program product as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the receipt of credit card information further comprises the step of reading of a magnetic strip on the credit card when it is swiped through a credit card reader. 
     
     
       5. The computer program product as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising the step of:
 initiating a transmitting of the manually input information received in program steps c) and f) to one or more financial institutions.   
     
     
       6. The computer program product as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:
 requesting the first one of the plurality of patrons to include a first gratuity amount with the first manually input information, wherein the first portion includes the first gratuity amount; and   requesting the second of the plurality of patrons to include a second gratuity amount with the second input information, wherein the second portion includes the second gratuity amount.   
     
     
       7. The computer program product as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
 requesting the plurality of patrons add an amount of gratuity to the total bill before step c) is performed.   
     
     
       8. The computer program product as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the first and second gratuity amounts equal to the amount of gratuity added to the total bill. 
     
     
       9. The computer program product as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the total bill includes a gratuity selected by the plurality of patrons. 
     
     
       10. The computer program product as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising the step of:
 causing a visual indication to the plurality of patrons that the total bill has not yet been paid when the balance owed is greater than zero.   
     
     
       11. The computer program product as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
 causing a visual indication to the plurality of patrons that the total bill has been paid when the balance owed is equal to zero.   
     
     
       12. The computer program product as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the step of requesting the plurality of patrons adds the amount of gratuity to the total bill before program step c) is performed comprises the step of:
 causing a display, on the display device at the table, to the plurality of patrons of one or more suggested gratuity amounts.   
     
     
       13. The computer program product as recited in  claim 2 , wherein step b) comprises:
 causing a display, on the display device at the table, of the items and a cost associated with each of the items on the display device; and   wherein step c) further comprises the step of:   receiving an input from the first one of the plurality of patrons of which of the items on the total bill is to be included in the first portion.   
     
     
       14. A method for payment of a bill, the method comprising steps of:
 a) displaying, on a display of a table unit device physically located at a table configured to enable patrons seated at the table to manually enter an electronic payment of a total bill to the plurality of patrons at the table, items selected for purchase by the plurality of patrons included on the total bill and a cost associated with each of the items;   b) receiving, after providing physical access at the table to the table unit device to a first of the plurality of patrons, manual input information at the table unit device directly from the first one of the plurality of patrons on the table unit device at the table of which of the items of the total bill are to be included in a first portion to pay the first portion of the total bill using a first credit card account;   c) automatically calculating, using the processing unit, in response to receiving the input information directly from the first one of the plurality of patrons, a first balance owed equal to the total bill minus the first portion, and saving the first balance owed as a balance owed on the total bill;   d) displaying, on the display of the table unit device, the remaining items of the total bill to the plurality of patrons;   e) receiving, on the table unit device at the table responsive to providing physical access at the table to the table unit device to a second one of the plurality of patrons, manual input information at the table unit device directly from the second one of the plurality of patrons on the table unit device at the table of which of the items of the total bill are to be included in a second portion to pay the second portion of the total bill using a second credit card account;   f) automatically calculating, in response to receiving the input information directly from the second one of the plurality of patrons, a second balance owed equal to the balance owed on the total bill minus the second portion, and retaining this second balance owed as a balance owed on the total bill, the second balance owed equaling a total amount owed by the plurality of patrons;   g) causing the display, on the display of the table unit device, to display the remaining items of the total bill to the plurality of patrons; and   h) repeating the steps e) through g) if the total amount owed is not equal to zero.   
     
     
       15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein step b) further comprises:
 receiving credit card account information associated with the first credit card account;   receiving the first portion manually inputted by the first one of the plurality of patrons; and   wherein step e) further comprises:
 receiving credit card account information associated with the second credit card account; and 
 receiving the second portion manually inputted by the second one of the plurality of patrons. 
   
     
     
       16. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:
 transmitting the manual input information received in steps b) and e) to one or more financial institutions.   
     
     
       17. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:
 requesting the first one of the plurality of patrons to include a first gratuity amount with first input information, wherein the first portion includes the first gratuity amount; and   requesting each subsequent ones of the plurality of patrons to include a gratuity amount with subsequent input information, wherein each subsequent portion includes the gratuity amount.   
     
     
       18. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the total bill includes a gratuity selected by the plurality of patrons. 
     
     
       19. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:
 visually indicating to the plurality of patrons that the total bill has not yet been paid when the balance owed is greater than zero.   
     
     
       20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:
 visually indicating to the plurality of patrons that the total bill has been paid when the balance owed is equal to zero.   
     
     
       21. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the receipt of credit card account information further comprises swiping a credit card through a credit card reader or entering a credit card number using an input keypad of the table unit device. 
     
     
       22. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the display is a touch-sensitive screen that displays a list of the items, and wherein step b) comprises the step of:
 receiving a selection of items on the total bill to be included in the first portion by recognizing one or more touches by the first one of the plurality of patrons of a selected one or more items displayed on the touch-sensitive screen.   
     
     
       23. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the first portion includes a subtotal of the items on the total bill to be included in the first portion and a tax associated with the items. 
     
     
       24. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the first portion includes a gratuity provided by the first one of the plurality of patrons.