Quick legend receipt system

• US 10,366,381 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2016
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Square Inc (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Inventors: Bell, Bruce, Wilson, Mathew, Knight, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Obaid, Fateh M
• Application Number:
  US15/331,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20170039540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/29 characterised by micropayments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/088 the card reader being part of the point of sale [POS] terminal or electronic cash register [ECR] itself
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for enabling more efficient tipping by providing a merchant the ability to reduce the time used on manually entering tip amounts. In one embodiment, a method includes automatically generating, by a point-of-sale (POS) system, a transaction receipt that indicates a plurality of selectable tip options, wherein said automatically generating the transaction receipt is based on one or more rules specified by a user of the POS system. The method further includes causing the transaction receipt to be printed as a printed receipt. The method further includes identifying, by the POS system, a one of the plurality of selectable tip options specified by a customer on the printed receipt. Among other benefits, the disclosed techniques reduce the time and effort the merchant needs to spend on collating the tipping at end of the business day.

Claims

1. A method for operating a computing device of a merchant by use of a software entity, wherein the software entity configures the computing device to function as a point-of-sale (POS) system, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors of the computing device, one or more logic statements regarding an attribute of transactions, wherein the attribute is associated with a plurality of possible attribute values;

storing, by the one or more processors, the one or more logic statements in a memory coupled to the computing device;

determining, by the one or more processors, an algorithm based on the one or more logic statements, wherein the algorithm is associated with performing calculations based on the attribute of transactions;

receiving, by the one or more processors, transaction data from the POS system, wherein the transaction data corresponds to a transaction between the merchant and a customer and indicates that the transaction is associated with a particular attribute value of the plurality of possible attribute values;

performing, by the one or more processors, calculations based on the particular attribute value and according to the algorithm to generate a plurality of selectable options, wherein a selectable option corresponds to a tip amount associated with the transaction;

producing, by the one or more processors, for the transaction, a digital receipt that indicates the transaction and includes the plurality of selectable options associated with the transaction;

transmitting, by the one or more processors, the digital receipt to a mobile payment application executing on a mobile device associated with the customer;

receiving, by the one or more processors and from the mobile device, an indication of a selection of a tip amount corresponding to one of the plurality of selectable options;

associating, by the one or more processors, the tip amount with the transaction; and

crediting, by the one or more processors, an account of the merchant with an amount of the transaction and the tip amount.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors and from a card reader coupled to the computing device, payment information for the transaction, wherein the card reader is adapted to be communicatively coupled to the computing device through a communication port.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the attribute of transactions includes at least one of:

a total amount, a time, or a location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more logic statements comprise logic specifying that if a total transaction price exceeds a predetermined transaction amount, then producing, by the one or more processors, a set of percentages on which the calculations are based.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more logic statements comprise logic specifying that if a total transaction price does not exceed a predetermined transaction amount, then producing, by the one or more processors, a set of fixed amounts as the plurality of selectable options.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more logic statements comprise logic specifying that if a time of a particular transaction is within a first range, then producing, by the one or more processors, a first set of percentages on which the calculations are based.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more logic statements further comprise logic specifying that if the time of a particular transaction is within a second range that is exclusive of the first range, then producing, by the one or more processors, a second set of percentages on which the calculations are based.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more logic statements comprise logic specifying that if a geographic location of a particular transaction is detected, then adjusting, by the one or more processors, a set of percentages for generating the plurality of selectable options based on the geographic location of the particular transaction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more logic statements comprise logic specifying that only if an item in a particular transaction is marked as suitable then is the item included as a basis for the calculations.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning, by the one or more processors, a transaction category to an item available for inclusion in a particular transaction, wherein the transaction category indicates how the plurality of selectable options are to be generated for all items in the transaction category.

11. A computing device to function as a point-of-sale (POS) system, the computing device associated with a merchant and comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor and having instructions stored therein, execution of which by the at least one processor causes the computing device to;

receive one or more logic statements regarding an attribute of transactions, wherein the attribute is associated with a plurality of possible attribute values;

store the one or more logic statements in the memory coupled to the at least one processor;

determine an algorithm based on the one or more logic statements, wherein the algorithm is associated with performing calculations based on the attribute of transactions;

receive transaction data from the POS system, wherein the transaction data corresponds to a transaction between the merchant and a customer and indicates that the transaction is associated with a particular attribute value of the plurality of possible attribute values;

perform calculations based on the particular attribute value and according to the algorithm to generate one or more results as selectable options associated with the transaction, wherein a selectable option of the selectable options corresponds to a tip amount associated with the transaction;

generate, for the transaction, a digital receipt that indicates the transaction and includes the plurality of selectable options associated with the transaction;

receive, from a device associated with the customer, an indication of a selection of a tip amount corresponding to one of the plurality of selectable options; and

associate, by the at least one processor, the tip amount with the transaction.

12. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising a card reader for entering payment information for the transaction into the computing device, wherein the card reader is adapted to be communicatively coupled to the computing device through a communication port.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the attribute of transactions includes at least one of:

a total amount, a time, or a location.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the one or more logic statements comprise logic specifying that if a total transaction price exceeds a predetermined transaction amount, then producing a set of percentages on which the calculations are based.

15. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the one or more logic statements comprise logic specifying that if a total transaction price does not exceed a predetermined transaction amount, then producing a set of fixed amounts as the selectable options.

16. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the one or more logic statements comprise logic specifying that if a time of a particular transaction is within a first range, then producing a first set of percentages on which the calculations that generate the selectable options are based and if a time of the particular transaction is within a second range that is exclusive of the first range, then producing a second set of percentages on which the calculations are based.

17. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the one or more logic statements comprise logic specifying that if a geographic location of a particular transaction is detected, then adjusting a set of percentages for generating the selectable options based on the geographic location of the transaction.

18. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the one or more logic statements comprise logic specifying that only if an item in a particular transaction is marked as suitable then is the item included as a basis for the calculations.

19. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the computing device is further configured to receive an assignment of a transaction category to an item available for inclusion in the transactions, wherein the transaction category indicates how the selectable options are to be generated for all items in the transaction category.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein, execution of which by a processor of a computing device associated with a merchant causes the computing device to:

receive one or more logic statements regarding an attribute of transactions, wherein the attribute is associated with a plurality of possible attribute values;

store the one or more logic statements in a memory coupled to the processor;

determine an algorithm based on the one or more logic statements, wherein the algorithm is associated with performing calculations based on the attribute of transactions;

receive transaction data from the computing device, wherein the transaction data corresponds to a transaction between the merchant and a customer and indicates that the transaction is associated with a particular attribute value of the plurality of possible attribute values;

perform calculations based on the particular attribute value and according to the algorithm to generate one or more results as selectable options associated with the transaction, wherein a selectable option of the selectable options corresponds to a tip amount associated with the transaction;

generate, for the transaction, a digital receipt that indicates the transaction and includes the selectable options associated with the transaction;

transmit the digital receipt to a mobile payment application executing on a mobile device associated with the customer;

receive, from the mobile device, an indication of a selection of a tip amount corresponding to one of the selectable options; and

associate the tip amount with the transaction.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the computing device is further caused to receive, from a card reader coupled to the computing device, payment information for the transaction.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the attribute of transactions includes at least one of:

a total amount, a time, or a location.