CREDIT CARD READER FOLIO AND BILLING SYSTEM FOR WAIT STAFF
First Claim
1. A card reader/wait staff folio combination for a billing system in an establishment, the establishment having an existing billing system which accepts cards for payment, comprising:
- a portable check folder or folio, and a card reader, the card reader being connectable to the folio and having memory and a communication port;
the card reader being adapted to communicate with a docking system comprising a receiver, remote from the portable card reader/folio combination, via the card reader'"'"'s communication port; and
,the docking system also comprising a USB or similar interface which transfers information from the docking system receiver to the establishment'"'"'s existing billing system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
According to the present invention, restaurant folios, for example, are equipped with a credit card reader, the card reader having memory and a communication port. The customers swipe their credit cards, for example, at the table and the credit card information is stored in the card reader. Waiters retrieve the card reader/folios combinations and carry them to an existing remote billing location. At the billing location a docking system receives local, preferably wireless, communication from the card readers and transfers card information to an establishment'"'"'s existing centralized point-of-sale (POS) system as though the card had been taken from the customer at the table and swiped at the remote billing location.
10 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A card reader/wait staff folio combination for a billing system in an establishment, the establishment having an existing billing system which accepts cards for payment, comprising:
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a portable check folder or folio, and a card reader, the card reader being connectable to the folio and having memory and a communication port; the card reader being adapted to communicate with a docking system comprising a receiver, remote from the portable card reader/folio combination, via the card reader'"'"'s communication port; and
,the docking system also comprising a USB or similar interface which transfers information from the docking system receiver to the establishment'"'"'s existing billing system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A card reader for a billing system in an establishment, the establishment having an existing billing system which accepts cards for payment, comprising:
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a portable card reader, the card reader having memory and a communication port; the card reader being adapted to communicate with a docking system comprising a receiver, remote from the card reader, via the card reader'"'"'s communication port; and the docking system also comprising a USB or similar interface which transfers information from the docking system receiver to the establishment'"'"'s existing billing system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for collecting payment in an establishment which accepts cards for payment, the establishment having an existing billing system, comprising:
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presenting to the customer a bill for goods and services with a portable card reader, the card reader having memory and a communication port; communicating with the card reader via its communication port by a docking system, the docking system comprising a docking system receiver, which receiver is remote for the card reader; and
,transferring the card reader'"'"'s information communicated to the docking system receiver from the receiver to the establishment'"'"'s existing billing system.
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Specification