SYSTEM FOR GENERATING DIGITAL RECEIPTS

• US 20120253958A1
• Filed: 04/01/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Third Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Third Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Sock, Birame, Crichton-McCutcheon, John
• Application Number:
  US13/078,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20120253958A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• 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 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output

Abstract

A digital receipt generator is placed between a point of sale terminal and a printer. The digital receipt generator receives receipt printing requests from the point of sale terminal, identifies the customer making the purchase, and transmits the receipt data to a printer, to a central server or to both.

Claims

1. A system for generating digital receipts comprising:

a point of sale terminal, wherein the point of sale terminal processes transaction data and generates a print request;

a receipt generator operably connected to the point of sale terminal, wherein the receipt generator generates a digital receipt in response to the print request; and

a central server operably connected to the receipt generator wherein the central server receives the digital receipt.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server is selected from one of the group consisting of a receipt database, an email server, communication server, receipt storage databases, data analysis tools, and value added applications.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the receipt generator is operably connected to the point of sale terminal by one of the groups consisting of short-range wireless connectivity, a wired network connection, a USB connection and a parallel port.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the receipt generator is adapted to install digital receipt generator software on the point of sale terminal when the receipt generator is connected to the point of sale terminal.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the receipt generator comprises a keypad.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the receipt generator uses radio frequency identification to identify the user.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mobile device that receives the digital receipt from the central server.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital receipt comprises transaction data, user identification, merchant data and the device'"'"'s identification number.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the receipt generator further comprises a screen for the user to review data.

10. A method for generating a digital receipt comprising:

processing transaction data at a point of sale terminal;

intercepting a print request from the point of sale terminal;

receiving the print request at a receipt generator operably connected to the point of sale terminal;

generating a digital receipt; and

forwarding the digital receipt to a central server.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising prompting a user to accept or decline a digital receipt.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising entering a unique identifier into the digital receipt generator.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the unique identifier is selected from the group consisting of a phone number, an email address or a magnetic strip card identifier.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising forwarding the print request to a point of sale printer.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the digital receipt comprises transaction data, user identification, merchant data and the device'"'"'s identification number.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising identifying a user to receive a digital receipt with radio frequency identification.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising prompting a user to choose whether to receive a paper receipt.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the receipt generator installs digital receipt generator software on the point of sale terminal when the receipt generator is connected to the point of sale terminal.

19. A digital receipt generator comprising:

connecting means adapted for connecting to a point of sale terminal;

receiving means for receiving the print request from the point of sale terminal;

generating means for generating a digital receipt from the print request;

a customer interface for entering user supplied information; and

transmitting means for transmitting the digital receipt to a central server.

20. The digital receipt generator of claim 19, wherein the digital receipt comprises transaction data, user identification, merchant data and the device'"'"'s identification number.