Network system, portable data entry terminal, program, and data output terminal control method

• US 20050209963A1
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Columbia Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Momose, Yuichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1271 Job submission at the printing node, e.g. creating a job from a data stored locally or remotely G06F3/1238 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A network system that uses a low cost, general purpose data input terminal reduces the control processing burden of the data input terminal. The network system has data input terminals used for data entry, mobile printers, each of which is paired in a predetermined 1:1 relationship to a specific data input terminal, and a data processing server. Each mobile printer prints data based on information input to the corresponding data input terminal. The data processing server communicates over a network with each of the data input terminal/mobile printer devices, and centrally controls the devices including their output terminals. The data processing server controls all data output by the mobile printers, such that data output by a given mobile printer is based on data from the paired data input terminal.

Claims

1. A network system, comprising:

at least one data input terminal enabling data entry;

at least one data output terminal, each data output terminal for use in a predetermined one-to-one relationship with a corresponding data input terminal and for outputting information based on data entered in the corresponding data input terminal;

a data processing server, in communication via a network with, and for centrally controlling, each data input terminal and each data output terminal, the data processing server comprising a storage medium for storing pairing information linking each data input terminal with its corresponding data output terminal in accordance with the predetermined one-to-one relationship; and

a data output controller for controlling data output from each data output terminal, the data output controller being further configured to select, in response to an instruction from a specific data input terminal, the corresponding data output terminal linked to the specific data input terminal by referencing the pairing information for the specific data input terminal and corresponding output terminal.

2. A network system as described in claim 1, wherein each data output terminal comprises a printer, and the data output controller controls the printer.

3. A network system as described in claim 2, wherein

the data processing server further comprises:

a print form storage medium for storing print forms for objects that can be printed, and

a print data generator for referencing a print form and generating print data for printing an object based on an instruction from a data input terminal; and

the data output controller further comprises a print data transmission module for sending the generated print data to the corresponding printer.

4. A network system as described in claim 3, wherein

each data input terminal includes a payment processing function that comprises:

a product information acquisition module for acquiring product information about products ordered by a customer,

a payment method information acquisition module for acquiring information indicating whether a payment method selected for the ordered products is cash payment or credit card payment,

a card information acquisition module for acquiring information pertaining to a credit card presented by the customer when credit card is selected as the method of payment, and

a card transaction information transmission module for sending the product information and credit card information as card transaction information to the data processing server; and

the data processing server further comprises;

a card transaction information storage medium for storing the card information linked to the product information when card transaction information is received from the data input terminal,

an order total calculator for calculating a total amount of the ordered products based on the product information,

a card authorization module for acquiring a credit card authorization based on the card information, and

a credit card transaction module for completing the credit card transaction based on the order total when charging the credit card is authorized by the card authorization module;

the print data generator generates card authorization result print data for printing based on the card authorization result; and

the print data transmission module sends the card authorization result print data to the corresponding printer.

5. A network system as described in claim 4, wherein

the network system further comprises a cash transaction processing terminal that is centrally controlled over the network by the data processing server and that processes cash payments based on product information acquired by each data input terminal that does not have a cash payment processing function;

each data input terminal further comprises a cash transaction information transmission module for sending a product order number and product information as cash transaction information to the data processing server for later processing the cash payment when cash is selected as the payment method;

the data processing server further comprises a cash transaction information storage medium for storing the product order number linked to the product information when the cash transaction information is received from the data input terminal;

the print data generator generates product order receipt print data for printing a receipt object used to complete a cash transaction at the cash transaction processing terminal based on the product order number stored in the cash transaction information storage medium;

the print data transmission module sends the product order receipt print data to the corresponding printer;

each printer comprises a print mechanism for printing product order receipt print data to a receipt object; and

the cash transaction processing terminal comprises;

a product order number reader for reading the product order number by image scanning the product order receipt print data printed on the receipt object,

a product information reader for reading the product information from the cash transaction information storage medium of the data processing server based on the read product order number, and

a cash payment processor for completing the cash transaction based on the product information.

10. A data input terminal as described in claim 1, wherein the network is a wireless network.

6. A network system, comprising:

at least one data input terminal enabling data entry;

at least one printer, each printer for use in a predetermined one-to-one relationship with a corresponding data input terminal for printing based on data entered into the corresponding data input terminal; and

a data processing server in communication via a network, with, and for centrally controlling, each data input terminal and each printer, the data processing server comprising an input data receiver for receiving input data sent from the at least one data input terminal;

a print data generation determining module for determining based on the input data whether to generate print data for printing;

a print data generating module for generating print data according to the determination made by the print data generating determining module; and

a print data transmission module for sending the print data to the corresponding printer.

7. A network system as described in claim 6, wherein

the data processing server further comprises a print form storage medium for storing print forms for objects that can be printed, and

the print data generating module references a print form and generates print data based on the received input data.

8. A network system, comprising:

at least one data input terminal enabling data entry;

at least one printer, each printer for use in a predetermined one-to-one relationship with a corresponding data input terminal for printing based on data entered into the corresponding data input terminal; and

a data processing server in communication via a network with, and for centrally controlling, each data input terminal and each printer, the data processing server comprising

an input data receiver for receiving input data sent from the at least one data input terminal,

a print form storage medium for storing a plurality of print forms for objects that can be printed,

a print form selector for selecting one print form from the plurality of print forms based on the input data,

a print data generating module for referencing the selected print form and generating print data for printing the selected object, and

a print data transmission module for sending the print data to the corresponding printer.

9. A network system as described in claim 8, wherein

the at least one data input terminal comprises a plurality of data input terminals and the at least one printer comprises a plurality of printers;

the data processing server comprises;

a pairing information storage medium for storing information linking the data input terminals and corresponding printers in predetermined one-to-one pairs,

a data output controller for selecting the corresponding printer based on an instruction from the data input terminal by referencing the pairing information for the corresponding data input terminal, and controlling all data output from the printers,

a one-way data input receiving module for only receiving input data sent from the data input terminals, and

a one-way print data transmission module for only sending the print data to the corresponding printer.

11. A control method for a data output terminal in a network system that comprises at least one data input terminal enabling data entry, at least one data output terminal, each of which is used in a predefined one-to-one relationship with the corresponding data input terminal for outputting data based on information input into the corresponding data input terminal, and a data processing server in communication via a network with, and for centrally controlling, each data input terminal and each data output terminal, the method comprising:

controlling data output by each data output terminal based on an instruction from the corresponding data input terminal.

12. A control method for a data output terminal in a network system that comprises at least one data input terminal enabling data entry, at least one data output terminal, each of which is used in a predefined one-to-one relationship with the corresponding data input terminal for outputting data based on information input into the corresponding data input terminal, and a data processing server in communication via a network with, and for centrally controlling, each data input terminal and each data output terminal, wherein the data processing server executes the steps of:

receiving input data sent from a data input terminal;

selecting the data output terminal linked to the data input terminal from which the input data was received by referencing pairing information for that data input terminal based on the received input data;

determining whether to generate output data for output by the selected data output terminal;

generating the output data based on the result of the determination; and

sending the output data to the selected data output terminal.

13. A control method for a data output terminal in a network system that comprises at least one data input terminal enabling data entry, at least one data output terminal, each of which is used in a predefined one-to-one relationship with the corresponding data input terminal for outputting data based on information input into the corresponding data input terminal, and a data processing server in communication via a network with, and for centrally controlling, each data input terminal and each data output terminal, wherein the data processing server stores a plurality of output forms for generating output data to be output, the data processing server executing the steps of:

receiving input data sent from a data input terminal;

selecting one output form from the plurality of output forms based on the input data;

referencing the selected output form and generating the output data; and

sending the output data to a printing device.