METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING A SUPPLEMENTARY PRODUCT SALE AT A POINT-OF-SALE TERMINAL

• US 20050261973A1
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Van Luchene, Andrew S.
• Application Number:
  US11/160,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20050261973A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• 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: G06Q 20/207 Tax processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/145 PLU-management

Abstract

Upsells are made accessible to customers so customers may select upsells as they select items in their purchase. Each upsell has an associated rounding code. For example, the rounding code may be determinable from a bar code printed on an adhesive label that is affixed to the upsell. A POS terminal receives the rounding code, by scanning the label or other means. Typically, the rounding code is read in a manner similar to the manner in which items in the purchase are read by the POS terminal. The purchase price (sum of all item prices and any tax) is rounded, based on the rounding code. For example, given a purchase price of $8.26, and a rounding code that indicates a multiple of $5, the purchase price would be rounded up to the next-higher multiple of $5 ($10.00). The customer would pay the rounded price in exchange for the items and the upsell. Thus, the difference between the rounded price and the purchase price ($10.00−$8.26=$1.74) is effectively the price the customer pays for the upsell.

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of rounding codes, each rounding code having a corresponding rounding multiple and fixed price;

determining a purchase price; and

rounding the purchase price based on the rounding codes.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the step of rounding comprises:

adding at least one of the fixed prices to the purchase price, thereby generating an augmented purchase price; and

rounding the augmented purchase price based on a rounding multiple.

9. The method of claim 7, in which the step of rounding comprises:

rounding the purchase price based on a rounding multiple, thereby generating an augmented purchase price; and

adding at least one of the fixed prices to the augmented purchase price.

10. The method of claim 7, in which the step of rounding comprises:

selecting a rounding code, thereby defining a selected rounding code and a set of unselected rounding codes.

11. The method of claim 10, in which the step of rounding further comprises:

adding the fixed price of each unselected rounding code to the purchase price, thereby generating an augmented purchase price; and

rounding the augmented purchase price based on the rounding multiple of the selected rounding code.

12. The method of claim 10, in which the step of rounding further comprises:

rounding the purchase price based on the rounding multiple of the selected rounding code, thereby generating an augmented price; and

adding the fixed price of each unselected rounding code to the augmented price.

13. The method of claim 10, in which the step of selecting a rounding code comprises:

selecting a rounding code having a rounding multiple that is not greater than the rounding multiple of each unselected rounding code.

14. The method of claim 10, in which the step of selecting a rounding code comprises:

selecting a rounding code having a minimal rounding multiple.

15. The method of claim 7, in which the fixed price and the rounding multiple of each rounding code are equal.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor connected to the storage device,

the storage device storing

a program for controlling the processor; and

the processor operative with the program to;

receive a plurality of rounding codes, each rounding code having a corresponding rounding multiple and fixed price;

determine a purchase price; and

round the purchase price based on the rounding codes.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

add at least one of the fixed prices to the purchase price, thereby generating an augmented purchase price; and

round the augmented purchase price based on a rounding multiple.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

round the purchase price based on a rounding multiple, thereby generating an augmented purchase price; and

add at least one of the fixed prices to the augmented purchase price.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

select a rounding code, thereby defining a selected rounding code and a set of unselected rounding codes.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

add the fixed price of each unselected rounding code to the purchase price, thereby generating an augmented purchase price; and

round the augmented purchase price based on the rounding multiple of the selected rounding code.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

round the purchase price based on the rounding multiple of the selected rounding code, thereby generating an augmented price; and

add the fixed price of each unselected rounding code to the augmented price.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

select a rounding code having a rounding multiple that is not greater than the rounding multiple of each unselected rounding code.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

select a rounding code having a minimal rounding multiple.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, in which the fixed price and the rounding multiple of each rounding code are equal.