CASH DRAWER HAVING A NETWORK INTERFACE

• US 20110172960A1
• Filed: 01/03/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apg Cash Drawer
• Original Assignee: Apg Cash Drawer
• Inventors: Vue, Patrick, St.George, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,049,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/179
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means
• 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

Cash drawers having a network interface and a processing unit are disclosed. The network interface connects to a network. The processing unit detects cash drawer events and transmits an indication of the cash drawer events across the network interface. The cash drawer optionally includes a storage component that stores the indication of the cash drawer events. The network interface may be a wired or a wireless interface. The cash drawer may receive electrical power from an external supply or from the network connection.

Claims

1. A cash drawer comprising:

a network interface that connects to a network; and

a processing unit that detects cash drawer events and transmits an indication of the cash drawer events across the network interface.

2. The cash drawer of claim 1, further comprising:

a storage component that stores the indication of the cash drawer events.

3. The cash drawer of claim 1, wherein the network interface is a wireless interface.

4. The cash drawer of claim 1, wherein the network interface is a wired interface.

5. The cash drawer of claim 1, wherein the cash drawer receives electrical power from an external supply.

6. The cash drawer of claim 1, wherein the cash drawer receives electrical power from the network connection.

7. A cash drawer comprising:

a cash drawer housing;

a moveable drawer that fits within the housing; and

a transceiver that sends information to and receives information from a network.

8. The cash drawer of claim 7, further comprising:

a processing component that detects cash drawer events and generates an event log.

9. The cash drawer of claim 8, further comprising:

a memory component that stores the event log.

10. The cash drawer of claim 9, wherein the memory component comprises non-volatile memory.

11. The cash drawer of claim 7, further comprising:

an addressing component that is utilized in establishing a network address for the cash drawer.

12. The cash drawer of claim 7, wherein the cash drawer receives power from an external supply.

13. The cash drawer of claim 7, wherein the cash drawer receives power from a network connection.

14. A cash drawer method comprising:

detecting cash drawer events;

storing the cash drawer events to an event log; and

transmitting the event log across a network connection.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the event log includes a cash drawer identifier.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the event log includes an event identifier.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the event log includes an event status.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the event log includes time and date identifiers.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

calculating one or more statistics based on data included within the event log.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

graphically displaying a report based on the one or more calculated statistics.