Point of sale terminal arrangement using television set-top box

• US 20030105679A1
• Filed: 01/03/2001
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Eyer, Mark Kenneth, Candelore, Brant L., Zustak, Fred J., Shintani, Peter Rae, Colsey, Nicholas, Proehl, Andrew M., Golden, Dayan Ivy, Krishnan, Aditya, Chang, Matthew S., Yang, David K.L.
• Application Number:
  US09/753,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20030105679A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4185 for payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A television set-top box used as a point of sale terminal at a retail establishment such as a department store or kiosk. The television set-top box may include a swipe card reader and is coupled to a television display, an input device and a printer. The customer accesses a catalog database of merchandise and inventory using a user interface to point of sale software. The customer may also enter an order using order entry software forming a part of the point of sale software. The catalog database is situated on a disc drive within the set-top box and can be updated from a catalog server as required to maintain accurate inventory and merchandise information in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the set-top box operates in a client mode to access information from the catalog server.

Claims

1. A point of sale terminal arrangement, comprising in combination:

a television set-top box having an internal programmed processor;

a display coupled to the set-top box for displaying output from the set-top box;

an input device suitable for providing input commands to the set-top box;

a database operatively coupled to the internal programmed processor, the database comprising a catalog of merchandise available for purchase by a consumer; and

catalog program means, operating on the programmed processor, for permitting a consumer to search the database for merchandise.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising order entry program means, operating on the programmed processor, for permitting a consumer to enter an order for merchandise appearing in the catalog of merchandise.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a swipe card reader coupled to the programmed processor to permit the consumer to enter a swipe card to effect payment for merchandise appearing in the catalog of merchandise.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a keyboard.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display comprises a television display.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display comprises a high definition television display.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the database resides on a storage device situated within the set-top box, and further comprising a connection to a catalog server, to thereby download updates of the catalog of merchandise to the database.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the database resides on a catalog server, coupled to the set-top box via a cable television connection.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printer coupled to the set-top box.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for receiving updates to the database on a periodic basis.

11. A point of sale terminal arrangement, comprising in combination:

a digital television set-top box having an internal programmed processor;

a high definition television display coupled to the set-top box for displaying output from the set-top box;

a keyboard suitable for providing input commands to the set-top box;

a storage device situated within the set-top box;

a database residing on the storage device and operatively coupled to the internal programmed processor, the database comprising a catalog of merchandise available for purchase by a consumer;

means for receiving updates to the database on a periodic basis;

catalog program means, operating on the programmed processor, for permitting a consumer to search the database for merchandise;

order entry program means, operating on the programmed processor, for permitting a consumer to enter an order for merchandise appearing in the catalog of merchandise;

a swipe card reader coupled to the programmed processor to permit the consumer to enter a swipe card to effect payment for merchandise appearing in the catalog of merchandise;

a cable modem coupled to a catalog server, to thereby download updates of the catalog of merchandise to the database; and

a printer coupled to the set-top box.

12. A point of sale terminal arrangement, comprising in combination:

a digital television set-top box having an internal programmed processor;

a high definition television display coupled to the set-top box for displaying output from the set-top box;

a keyboard suitable for providing input commands to the set-top box;

a cable modem coupled the programmed processor to access a catalog server;

means for receiving updates to the database on a periodic basis

a storage device situated within a catalog server accessible by the set-top box using the cable modem;

a database residing on the storage device and operatively coupled to the internal programmed processor, the database comprising a catalog of merchandise available for purchase by a consumer;

means for receiving updates to the database on a periodic basis;

catalog program means, operating on the programmed processor, for permitting a consumer to search the database for merchandise;

order entry program means, operating on the programmed processor, for permitting a consumer to enter an order for merchandise appearing in the catalog of merchandise;

a swipe card reader coupled to the programmed processor to permit the consumer to enter a swipe card to effect payment for merchandise appearing in the catalog of merchandise; and

a printer coupled to the set-top box.