Method and apparatus for coordinating transaction data for a plurality of point-of-sale terminals

• US 20030065569A1
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Transaction Network Services Incorporated (Trident Private Holdings I LLC)
• Original Assignee: Transaction Network Services Incorporated (Trident Private Holdings I LLC)
• Inventors: Danis, Aaron, Crupper, Randy
• Application Number:
  US10/235,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065569A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• 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: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00

Abstract

A system and method for wirelessly processing transactions from a plurality of point-of-sale terminals using a wireless transaction system, the system including a wireless data network for communicating data between a remote device and a server on a computer network, a plurality of point-of-sale terminals, a communications hub in communication with each of the plurality of point of sale terminals and a communications device in communication with the communications hub. The communication device includes a transceiver for communicating data to and from the server via the wireless network for at least two point of sale terminals. The method includes scanning by the communications device via the communication hub each point-of-sale terminal for a request to send transaction data, receiving a request to send transaction data from a first point of sale terminal, suspending scanning of the remainder of the plurality of point of sale terminals, asserting a clearance for sending the transaction data from the first point of sale terminal to the transceiver, sending the transaction data from the first point of sale terminal to the transceiver via the communications hub, receiving the transaction data by the transceiver, verifying that the transaction data is complete, forwarding the transaction data from the transceiver to the server via the wireless data network for obtaining transaction authorization, dropping the clearance to send indication and continuing scanning of the point of sale terminals for a next request to send transaction data.

Claims

1. A system for processing transactions for a plurality of point-of-sale terminals wirelessly comprising:

a plurality of point-of-sale terminals;

a communications hub in communication with each of the plurality of point of sale terminals; and

a communications device in communication with the communications hub, the communications device for communicating data to and from a wireless network for at least two point of sale terminals.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of point-of-sale terminals each include a first communication port.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the communications hub includes a plurality of second communication ports for connection with a corresponding first communication port of the plurality of point of sale terminals, a control port, a data port, and a status indicator for each of the second communication ports.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the communications device comprises a wireless data transceiver, a controller, a control port for connection with the control port of the hub, a data port for connection with the data port of the hub, a power supply and an antenna, wherein the transceiver communicates transaction data over the wireless network to a server provided on a computer network for at least two point of sale terminals.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein upon a request for sending transaction data from a particular point of sale terminal, the corresponding status indicator indicates communication from the particular point of sale terminal.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the data ports each comprises an RS-232 port.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein the control ports each comprises RS-232 port.

8. The system according to claim 2, wherein the first communication port comprises an RJ45 port.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein data transfer between the point of sale terminals, the communications hub and the communications device is via RS232 protocol.

10. The system according to claim 3, wherein the first communication port and the second communication port each comprises an 8 pin port.

11. The system according to claim 4, wherein the data ports each comprises a 9-pin port.

12. The system according to claim 4, wherein the control ports comprise a 9-pin port.

13. The system according to claim 4, wherein flow control of the data ports through the hub to the POS terminals are via RTS or CTS.

14. A system for processing transactions for a plurality of point-of-sale terminals wirelessly comprising:

a wireless data network for communicating data between a remote device and a server on a computer network;

a plurality of point-of-sale terminals;

a communications hub in communication with each of the plurality of point of sale terminals; and

a wireless data network transceiver in communication with the communications hub, the transceiver for communicating data to and from the server via the wireless network for at least two point of sale terminals.

15. A system for wirelessly processing transactions from a plurality of point-of-sale terminals comprising:

a plurality of point-of-sale terminals each having a first communication port;

a communications hub having a corresponding second communication port for connection with each first communication port of the plurality of point of sale terminals, a control port, a data port, and a status indicator for each of the second communication ports; and

a communications device including a controller, a wireless data network transceiver, a control port for connection with the control port of the hub, a data port for connection with the data port of the hub, a power supply and an antenna, wherein the transceiver communicates transaction data over a wireless network to a server provided on a computer network for at least two point of sale terminals.

16. A method for wirelessly processing transactions from a plurality of point-of-sale terminals using a wireless transaction system, the system including:

a wireless data network for communicating data between a remote device and a server on a computer network;

a plurality of point-of-sale terminals;

a communications hub in communication with each of the plurality of point of sale terminals; and

a communications device in communication with the communications hub, the communication device having a transceiver for communicating data to and from the server via the wireless network for at least two point of sale terminals.

the method comprising;

scanning by the communications device via the communication hub each point-of-sale terminal for a request to send transaction data;

receiving a request to send transaction data from a first point of sale terminal;

suspending scanning of the remainder of the plurality of point of sale terminals;

asserting a clearance for sending the transaction data from the first point of sale terminal to the transceiver;

sending the transaction data from the first point of sale terminal to the transceiver via the communications hub;

receiving the transaction data by the transceiver;

verifying that the transaction data is complete;

forwarding the transaction data from the transceiver to the server via the wireless data network for obtaining transaction authorization;

dropping the clearance to send indication; and

continuing scanning of the point of sale terminals for a next request to send transaction data.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of point of sale terminals are connected to the communication hub via a plurality of ports, each port corresponding to a particular point of sale terminal, and wherein the plurality of ports are scanned in a predetermined order.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of ports are sequentially numbered, and wherein the predetermined order comprises a sequential order.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the transceiver receiving a transaction approval from the server, forwarding the transaction approval from the transceiver to the first point of sale terminal for completing the transaction.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein, upon the transceiver receiving the transaction approval during a time in which the transceiver is forwarding second transaction data from another point of sale terminal to the server, the transaction approval is temporality stored in a buffer, and wherein the transaction approval is forwarded to the first point of sale terminal after the second transaction data has been forwarded by the transceiver to the server.

21. A system for wirelessly processing transactions from a plurality of point-of-sale terminals using a wireless transaction system, the system comprising:

scanning means for scanning each point-of-sale terminal for a request to send transaction data;

first receiving means for receiving a request to send transaction data from a first point of sale terminal;

suspending means for suspending scanning of the remainder of the plurality of point of sale terminals;

asserting means for asserting a clearance to the first point of sale terminal for sending the transaction data from the first point of sale terminal to a transceiver;

sending means for sending the transaction data from the first point of sale terminal to the transceiver via a communications hub;

second receiving means for receiving the transaction data by the transceiver;

verifying means for verifying that the transaction data is complete;

forwarding means for forwarding the transaction data from the transceiver to the server via the wireless data network for obtaining transaction authorization;

dropping means for dropping the clearance to send indication; and

continuing means for continuing scanning of the point of sale terminals for a next request to send transaction data.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the first receiving means and the second receiving means comprise a common receiving means.

23. A method for wirelessly processing transactions from a plurality of point-of-sale terminals using a wireless transaction system, the system including:

a wireless data network for communicating data between a remote device and a server on a computer network;

a plurality of point-of-sale terminals;

a communications hub in communication with each of the plurality of point of sale terminals via a plurality corresponding ports, wherein the ports are arranged in a sequential order; and

a wireless data network transceiver in communication with the communications hub, the transceiver for communicating data to and from the server via the wireless network for at least two point of sale terminals.

the method comprising;

scanning, by the communications device via the communication hub, each point-of-sale terminal for a request to send transaction data, the scanning conducted in the sequential order of the ports;

receiving a request to send transaction data from a first point of sale terminal;

suspending scanning of the remainder of the plurality of point of sale terminals;

asserting a clearance to the first point of sale terminal for sending the transaction data from the first point of sale terminal to the transceiver;

sending the transaction data from the first point of sale terminal to the transceiver via the communications hub;

receiving the transaction data by the transceiver;

verifying that the transaction data is complete;

forwarding the transaction data from the transceiver to the server via the wireless data network for obtaining transaction authorization;

dropping the clearance to send indication;

continuing scanning of the point of sale terminals for a next request to send transaction data;

receiving a transaction approval from the server via the transceiver; and

forwarding the transaction approval to the first point of sale terminal via the transceiver for completing the transaction.

24. A computer readable medium having computer instructions provided thereon for causing a computer system to perform a method for wirelessly processing transactions from a plurality of point-of-sale terminals using a wireless transaction system, the system including:

a wireless data network for communicating data between a remote device and a server on a computer network;

a plurality of point-of-sale terminals;

a communications hub in communication with each of the plurality of point of sale terminals; and

a wireless data network transceiver in communication with the communications hub, the transceiver for communicating data to and from the server via the wireless network for at least two point of sale terminals.

the method comprising;

scanning by the communications device via the communication hub each point-of-sale terminal for a request to send transaction data;

receiving a request to send transaction data from a first point of sale terminal;

suspending scanning of the remainder of the plurality of point of sale terminals;

asserting a clearance to the first point of sale terminal for sending the transaction data from the first point of sale terminal to the transceiver;

sending the transaction data from the first point of sale terminal to the transceiver via the communications hub;

receiving the transaction data by the transceiver;

verifying that the transaction data is complete;

forwarding the transaction data from the transceiver to the server via the wireless data network for obtaining transaction authorization;

dropping the clearance to send indication; and

continuing scanning of the point of sale terminals for a next request to send transaction data.