SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MANAGING UNAVAILABLE ITEMS IN SHARED SCREEN DATA

• US 20120089927A1
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Salmen, Larry James, Knight, Paul Ford, Ulrich, Steve, Fisher, Andy
• Granted Patent: US 10,679,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0009 Details of the software in the checkout register, electronic cash register [ECR] or point of sale terminal [POS]

Abstract

A system and method of managing unavailable items in shared screen data which provides access to modified screen data substantially simultaneously. The system includes a first computer including a display for displaying a screen containing items from screen data including modified screen data during a transaction. The modified screen data reflects that at least one of the items is unavailable. The first computer shares the screen data with a second computer. The first computer is also for displaying an indication that the at least one item is unavailable substantially simultaneously following modification of the screen data and upon selection of the at least one item at one of the first and second computers.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

A first computer including a display for displaying a screen containing items from screen data including modified screen data during a transaction, wherein the first computer shares the screen data with a second computer;

wherein the modified screen data reflects that at least one of the items is unavailable, and wherein the first computer is also for displaying an indication that the at least one item is unavailable substantially simultaneously following modification of the screen data and upon selection of the at least one item at one of the first and second computers.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computer comprises an attendant computer operated by an attendant and the second computer comprises a self-service computer operated by a customer.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the attendant computer displays the indication upon selection of the least one item by the customer at the self-service computer.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the selections made by the attendant include selections on behalf of the customer.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the attendant computer is also for modifying the screen data to reflect that the at least one item is unavailable and to include the indication.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the indication is available for display by the self-service computer substantially simultaneously following modification of the screen data by the attendant computer and selection of the at least one item by the customer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computer comprises a self-service computer operated by a customer and the second computer comprises an attendant computer operated by an attendant.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the self-service computer displays the indication upon selection of the least one item by the attendant at the attendant computer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication comprises a grayed image of the at least one item and disabled selection of the at least one item.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication comprises a message stating that the at least one item is unavailable.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one item is temporarily unavailable, and wherein the indication includes a time period that the at least one item is unavailable.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the time period is a decreasing time remaining until the item is available.

13. A system comprising:

an attendant computer including a display for displaying a screen containing items from screen data including modified screen data during a transaction at a self-service computer, wherein the attendant computer shares the screen data with the self-service computer, the attendant computer further including an input device for recording selections from the items made by an attendant;

wherein the modified screen data reflects that at least one of the items is unavailable, and wherein the attendant computer is also for displaying an indication that the at least one item is unavailable substantially simultaneously following modification of the screen data and upon selection of the at least one item by the attendant.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the attendant computer is also for displaying the indication substantially simultaneously with selection of the at least one item by a user at the self-service computer.

15. A system comprising:

a self-service computer including a display for displaying a screen during a transaction containing items from screen data including modified screen data, wherein the self-service computer shares the screen data with an attendant computer, the self-service computer further including an input device for recording user selections from the items by the user;

wherein the modified screen data reflects that at least one of the items is unavailable, and wherein the self-service computer is also for displaying an indication that the at least one item is unavailable substantially simultaneously following modification of the screen data and upon selection of the at least one item by the user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the self-service computer is also for displaying the indication substantially simultaneously with selection of the at least one item by an attendant at the attendant computer.

17. An interaction method comprising:

determining a screen containing items from screen data including modified screen data reflecting that at least one of the items is unavailable;

sharing the screen data with a second computer by a first computer;

recording a selection of the at least one item at one of the first and second computers; and

displaying an indication that the at least one item is unavailable by the first computer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first computer comprises an attendant computer operated by an attendant and the second computer comprises a self-service computer operated by a customer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the recoding step comprises recording the selection by the attendant computer.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the recoding step comprises recording the selection by the self-service computer.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the first computer comprises a self-service computer operated by a customer and the second computer comprises an attendant computer operated by an attendant.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the recoding step comprises recording the selection by the attendant computer.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the recoding step comprises recording the selection by the self-service computer.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising modifying the screen data by the attendant computer.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the indication comprises a grayed image of the at least one item and disabled selection of the at least one item.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the indication comprises a message stating that the at least one item is unavailable.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one item is temporarily unavailable, and wherein the indication includes a time period that the at least one item is unavailable.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the time period is a decreasing time remaining until the item is available.