POS system, network system, method of generating printing data for POS system, and method of managing sales and advertisement information in network system

• US 20050247781A1
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Masahiro Minowa, Toshiro Horikawa, Tsutomu Nobutani
• Original Assignee: Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Masahiro Minowa, Toshiro Horikawa, Tsutomu Nobutani
• Inventors: Horikawa, Toshiro, Yokoyama, Kazuyuki, Minowa, Masahiro, Nobutani, Tsutomu
• Granted Patent: US 7,156,304 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/00 Cash registers alarm indicators G07G3/00
• 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

Abstract

A POS system is made up of: a POS terminal having a printing apparatus for printing on a receipt based on printing data, and a terminal apparatus for obtaining input information inputted by a user and for generating receipt printing information; a POS server connected to the POS terminal through a network, for controlling the POS terminal; a memory card for providing advertising information; and printing data generating part for generating printing data by adding the advertising information provided by the memory card to the receipt printing information obtained by the terminal apparatus. The printing data generating part is constituted by an additional apparatus connectable to the printing apparatus.

Claims

1. A network system comprising:

first means for generating, in a local controller, first information to be printed;

second means for receiving, from a central system controller, second information to be printed;

printing means for printing at least one of said first information and said second information; and

an apparatus mounted to said printing means, said first information and said second information being transmitted through said apparatus.

2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises an interface unit mounted to said printing means.

3. The network system according to claim 1, wherein said first information is cash equivalent information, and said second information is non-cash equivalent information.

4. A network system comprising:

a terminal apparatus for inputting cash equivalent information to be printed;

a control server for providing non-cash equivalent information to be printed;

a printer for printing at least one of said cash equivalent information and said non-cash equivalent information on an object to be printed; and

an adapter unit mounted to said printer,

wherein said cash equivalent information and said non-cash equivalent information are transmitted through said adapter unit.

5. The network system according to claim 4, wherein said adapter unit comprises an interface unit mounted in a board slot of said printer.

6. A method of managing a network system comprising:

generating, in a local controller, first information to be printed;

receiving, from a central system controller, second information to be printed; and

printing at least one of said first information and said second information on an object to be printed, wherein said first information and said second information are transmitted through an additional apparatus.

7. A method of managing a network system, said network system comprising a terminal apparatus, a control server, a printer, and an adapter unit mounted to said printer, said method comprising:

inputting cash equivalent information at said terminal apparatus;

receiving non-cash equivalent information from said control server; and

printing at least one of said cash equivalent information and said non-cash equivalent information by said printer,

wherein said cash equivalent information and said non-cash equivalent information are transmitted through said adapter unit.