Computerized system for a retail environment

• US 20040059634A1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Big Y Foods Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Big Y Foods Incorporated
• Inventors: Sarno, John, Tami, Michael A., Vaillancourt, John
• Application Number:
  US10/254,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20040059634A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• 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 computerized system for a retail environment including a host computer, an in store processor in electrical communication with the host computer, and a Point Of Sale system. The Point Of Sale system includes a primary point of sale server in electrical communication with the in store processor, and a POS terminal in electrical communication with the primary point of sale server. The POS terminal includes a central processing unit, a cashier display, and a customer display. The cashier display and the customer display are directly controlled by the central processing unit such that they are interactive with each other.

Claims

1. A computerized system for a retail environment comprising:

a host computer;

an in store processor in electrical communication with the host computer; and

a Point Of Sale system including,

a primary point of sale server in electrical communication with the in store processor, and

a POS terminal, in electrical communication with the primary point of sale server, for use by a cashier to interact with a customer at a point of sale, the POS terminal including,

a central processing unit,

a cashier display for use by the cashier at the point of sale, and

a customer display for use by the customer at the point of sale,

wherein the cashier display and the customer display are directly controlled by the central processing unit such that they are interactive with each other.

2. The computerized system of claim 1 wherein the Point Of Sale system includes:

a secondary point of sale server in electrical communication with the primary point of sale server;

wherein the primary point of sale server has sufficient memory to include a plurality of relational databases which receive and store date from the Point Of Sale system, and wherein the primary and secondary point of sale servers are interactive such that the plurality of relational databases are updated on a substantially real time basis.

3. The computerized system of claim 2 wherein the primary point of sale server is in electrical communication with a plurality of POS terminals which input data to the relational databases from a plurality of points of sale of the Point Of Sale system.

4. The computerized system of claim 3 wherein the in store processor includes an inventory management system which is integrated with the relational databases of the primary point of sale server such that the inventory management system is updated on a substantially real time basis.

5. The computerized system of claim 4, wherein the host computer is in electrical communication with a plurality of in store processors, the host computer including sufficient memory for at least one relational database which is updated from the in store processors on a substantially real time basis.

6. The computerized system of claim 4 comprising:

a host LAN including,

the host computer,

a switch electrically connected to the host computer,

a plurality of main servers electrically connected to the host switch, and

a router electrically connected to the switch; and

an in store LAN electrically connected to the host LAN, the in store LAN including,

the in store processor,

the primary point of sale server,

the secondary point of sale server, and

the plurality of POS terminals;

wherein the host LAN and the in store LAN comprise a wide area network.

7. The computerized system of claim 4 comprising:

an electronic shelf labeling terminal in electrical communication with the in store processor; and

a hand held unit in wireless communication with the electronic shelf labeling terminal, the hand held units being designed to read bar codes of stock items.

8. The computerized system of claim 7 wherein the hand held unit is integrated with the inventory management system and the relational databases of the primary point of sale server to provide an output based on the bar code of each item read of at least one of:

a current price per item;

a quantity of items currently in stock; and

an amount of items sold per time of day.

9. The computerized system of claim 8 wherein the output of the hand held unit is updated on a substantially real time basis.

10. A computerized system for a retail environment comprising:

a host computer;

an in store processor in electrical communication with the host computer; and

a Point Of Sale system including,

a primary point of sale server in electrical communication with the in store processor,

a secondary point of sale server in electrical communication with the primary point of sale server, and

wherein the primary point of sale server has sufficient memory to include a plurality of relational databases which receive and store date from the Point Of Sale system, and wherein the primary and secondary point of sale servers are interactive such that the plurality of relational databases are updated on a substantially real time basis.

11. The computerized system of claim 10 wherein the primary point of sale server is in electrical communication with a plurality of POS terminals which input data to the relational databases from a plurality of points of sale of the Point Of Sale system.

12. The computerized system of claim 11 wherein the in store processor includes an inventory management system which is integrated with the relational databases of the primary point of sale server such that the inventory management system is updated on a substantially real time basis.

13. The computerized system of claim 12, wherein the host computer is in electrical communication with a plurality of in store processors, the host computer including sufficient memory for at least one relational database which is updated from the in store processors on a substantially real time basis.

14. The computerized system of claim 12 comprising:

an electronic shelf labeling terminal in electrical communication with the in store processor; and

a hand held unit in wireless communication with the electronic shelf labeling terminal, the hand held units being designed to read bar codes of stock items.

15. The computerized system of claim 14 wherein the hand held unit is integrated with the inventory management system and the relational databases of the primary point of sale server to provide an output based on the bar code of each item read of at least one of:

a current price per item;

a quantity of items currently in stock; and

an amount of items sold per time of day.

16. The computerized system of claim 15 wherein the output of the hand held unit is updated on a substantially real time basis.

17. The computerized system of claim 12 comprising:

a host LAN including,

the host computer,

a switch electrically connected to the host computer,

a plurality of main servers electrically connected to the host switch, and

a router electrically connected to the switch; and

an in store LAN electrically connected to the host LAN, the in store LAN including,

the in store processor,

the primary point of sale server,

the secondary point of sale server, and

the plurality of POS terminals;

wherein the host LAN and the in store LAN comprise a wide area network.

18. A computerized system for a retail environment comprising:

a host computer;

an in store processor in electrical communication with the host computer, the in store processor including an inventory management system;

a primary point of sale server in electrical communication with the in store processor, the primary point of sale server having sufficient memory to include a plurality of relational databases which receive and store date;

an electronic shelf labeling terminal in electrical communication with the in store processor; and

a hand held unit in wireless communication with the electronic shelf labeling terminal, the hand held unit being designed to read bar codes of stock items, and is integrated with the inventory management system and the relational databases of the primary point of sale server to provide an output based on the bar code of each item read of at least one of;

a current price per item,

a quantity of items currently in stock, and

an amount of items sold per time of day, and

wherein the output of the hand held unit is updated on a substantially real time basis.

19. The computerized system of claim 18 comprising:

a POS terminal, in electrical communication with the primary point of sale server, for use by a cashier to interact with a customer at a point of sale, the POS terminal including,

a central processing unit,

a cashier display for use by the cashier at the point of sale, and

a customer display for use by the customer at the point of sale,

wherein the cashier display and the customer display are directly controlled by the central processing unit such that they are interactive with each other.

20. The computerized system of claim 19 wherein the primary point of sale server is in electrical communication with a plurality of POS terminals which input data to the relational databases from a plurality of points of sale.

21. The computerized system of claim 20 wherein the in store processor includes an inventory management system which is integrated with the relational databases of the primary point of sale server such that the inventory management system is updated on a substantially real time basis.

22. The computerized system of claim 21, wherein the host computer is in electrical communication with a plurality of in store processors, the host computer including sufficient memory for at least one relational database which is updated from the in store processors on a substantially real time basis.

23. The computerized system of claim 21 comprising:

a host LAN including,

the host computer,

a switch electrically connected to the host computer,

a plurality of main servers electrically connected to the host switch, and

a router electrically connected to the switch; and

an in store LAN electrically connected to the host LAN, the in store LAN including,

the in store processor,

the primary point of sale server,

the plurality of POS terminals;

wherein the host LAN and the in store LAN comprise a wide area network.