Merchandise sales data processing apparatus, and program therefor

• US 10,229,405 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2017
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Gotanda, Tsuyoshi, Ando, Taro, Okuma, Yumiko, Sasaki, Yasutsugu, Mochizuki, Katsuhito, Nimiya, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayles, Ashford S
• Application Number:
  US15/405,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20170132605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems

Abstract

A merchandise sales data processing apparatus includes a code reading unit configured to read a code of a customer purchasing a merchandise, an electronic receipt issuing instruction unit configured to receive an instruction for issuing electronic receipt information associated with merchandise sales data, an electronic receipt generation unit configured to generate the electronic receipt information in correlation with the code of the customer when the instruction for issuing the electronic receipt information is received by the electronic receipt issuing instruction unit, a transmission unit configured to transmit a company code indicating a company and the electronic receipt information generated by the electronic receipt generation unit to an electronic receipt server, and a receipt printing unit configured to print a paper receipt associated with the merchandise sales data when the instruction for issuing the electronic receipt information is not received by the electronic receipt issuing instruction unit.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a terminal having an identification code, the terminal including a code reader, a printer, an input/output device, a memory, a network interface, and a processor configured to

control the code reader to read a user code;

retrieve data from the memory and generate electronic information from the data in correlation with the user code;

control the network interface to transmit the electronic information; and

control the input/output device to receive input from a user and provide notifications;

a portable terminal;

one or more first servers corresponding to the identification code; and

a second server, wherein

the input from the user includes an instruction for issuing electronic information;

the processor generates the electronic information when the instruction for issuing the electronic information is received;

the notifications include a notification that the electronic information is to be issued;

the processor controls the network interface to transmit the identification code with the electronic information to one of the first servers that corresponds to the identification code;

the processor controls the printer to print paper information associated with the electronic information when the instruction for issuing the electronic information is not received;

the processor determines whether an offline state occurs with respect to communication with the one of the first servers that corresponds to the identification code; and

if the processor determines that the offline state occurs with respect to the communication with the one of the first servers, the processor controls the printer to print the paper information.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the input/output device includes an input interface having a first input element to instruct the electronic information to be issued, and a second input element to instruct the paper information to be printed.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the input/output device receives the instruction to issue the electronic information in response to an input operation on the first input element and the printer prints the paper information in response to an input operation on the second input element.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the input/output device includes a first display unit and a second display unit, and the processor controls the input/output device to issue a notification that the electronic information is to be issued, using the first display unit and the second display unit, when the instruction for issuing the electronic information is received.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the notifications include a notification that the paper information is not printed, and the processor controls the input/output device to issue the notification that the paper information is not printed using an operator display, when the instruction for issuing the electronic information is received.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the code reader includes one of a scanner, a bar code reader, a two-dimensional code reader, and a Near Field Communication (NFC) receiver.

7. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a terminal including a code reader, which includes one of a scanner, a bar code reader, a two-dimensional code reader, and a Near Field Communication (NFC) receiver, the terminal also including a printer, an input/output device, a memory, a network interface, and a processor configured to

control the code reader to read a user code;

retrieve data from the memory and generate electronic information from the data in correlation with the user code;

control the network interface to transmit the electronic information;

control the input/output device to receive input from a user and provide notifications;

a portable terminal having an identification code;

a plurality of first servers, at least one of which corresponds to the identification code; and

a second server, wherein

the input from the user includes an instruction for issuing electronic information;

the processor generates the electronic information when the instruction for issuing the electronic information is received;

the notifications include a notification that the electronic information is to be issued;

the processor controls the network interface to transmit the identification code with the electronic information to one of the first servers that corresponds to the identification code;

the processor controls the printer to print paper information associated with the electronic information when the instruction for issuing the electronic information is not received;

the processor determines whether an offline state occurs with respect to communication with the one of the first servers that corresponds to the identification code; and

if the processor determines that the offline state occurs with respect to communication with the one of the first servers, the processor controls the printer to print the paper information.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the input/output device includes an input interface having a first input element to instruct the electronic information to be issued, and a second input element to instruct the paper information to be printed.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the input/output device receives the instruction to issue the electronic information in response to an input operation on the first input element and the printer prints the paper information in response to an input operation on the second input element.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the input/output device includes a first display unit and a second display unit, and the processor controls the input/output device to issue a notification that the electronic information is to be issued, using the first display unit and the second display unit, when the instruction for issuing the electronic information is received.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the notifications include a notification that the paper information is not printed, and the processor controls the input/output device to issue the notification that the paper information is not printed using an operator display, when the instruction for issuing the electronic information is received.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the first servers does not correspond to the identification code.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions for causing a terminal to carry out a data processing method, said method comprising:

controlling a code reader to read a user code;

controlling an input/output device to receive a first instruction for issuing electronic information;

controlling the input/output device to receive a second instruction for issuing paper information;

when the first instruction is received, generating the electronic information in correlation with the user code, issuing a notification on the input/output device that the electronic information is to be issued, and transmitting an identification code associated with the terminal with the electronic information to a server corresponding to the identification code;

when the second instruction is received, controlling a printer to print paper information associated with the electronic information; and

determining whether an offline state occurs with respect to communication with the one of the first servers that corresponds to the identification code, and, if it is determined that the offline state occurs with respect to communication with the one of the first servers, controlling the printer to print the paper information.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein one of the first instruction and the second instruction is received through respective first and second input elements provided in an input interface of the input/output device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein said receiving the first instructions includes detecting an operation of the first input element and said receiving the second instructions includes detecting an operation of the second input element.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the notification is issued on a first display and a second display of the input/output device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

when the first instruction is received, issuing a notification on a display of the input/output device that the paper information is not printed.