Automatic store transaction system and terminal therefor

• US 3,899,775 A
• Filed: 04/13/1973
• Issued: 08/12/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: John M. Larsen
• Inventors: Larsen, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Gareth D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, James D.
• Application Number:
  US05/351,087
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 340/172.5,149R,152R,150,149A,167,408,147SY 179/15AL,2DP 235/1R,2,7R,3R,145R,92DP 178/68,69.5
• US Class Current: 705/21
• 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: G07G 1/10 mechanically operated
• 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

An automatic store transaction system controlled by a retrieval data processor. The system includes a plurality of electronic transaction terminals that may be used at the check-out stands for a supermarkets for recording store transactions and generating binary data signals representative thereof. The data processor and transaction terminals are linked by a three-wire transmission line for transmitting data signals therebetween. The retrieval processor and each terminal is coupled to an individual transceiver for handling and controlling the data signals between a terminal and the retrieval processor for completing a transaction at the terminal.

Claims

1. An automatic store transaction system comprising a digital computer having preselected, accessible transaction information recorded therein and capable of executing preselected operations on transaction information, the computer generating a train of binary coded signals including a unique signal for activating a single transaction terminal adapted to respond to the unique signal, a transceiver coupled to said computer for transmitting binary coded signals to and from the computer, a terminal for recording store transactions including means for generating binary coded signals representative of a transaction entered therein and means responsive to a unique signal for activating the terminal in response to the reception of the unique signal, a transceiver coupled to the terminal for transmitting binary coded signals to and from the terminal, and means coupled between said transceivers for transmitting the binary coded signals between the digital computer and the terminal, said means comprising a transmission line system having three transmission lines arranged in a balanced system, the store transactions entered into the terminal being represented by binary coded signals that are transmitted to the digital computer for processing once the terminal is activated in response to the unique signal and the processed data being transmitted back to the transaction terminal for completing the storE transaction.

2. An automatic store transaction system as defined in claim 1 wherein three transmission lines are arranged in a common sheath with one of the lines being connected to a point of reference, another one of the transmission lines being adapted for transmitting binary signals with the remaining line transmitting binary signals complementary to the signals on said another line, one signal being transmitted by the binary signal on said another one of the transmission lines and the complementary binary signal on said remaining line.

3. An automatic store transaction system as defined in claim 2 including a second transaction terminal having an individual transceiver coupled in serial relationship with the first mentioned terminal to said transmission lines and including means responsive to a different unique signal than the first mentioned terminal for activating the second terminal in response only to said different unique signal for completing a transaction at the second terminal.

4. An automatic store transaction system comprising a data processor including means for generating a train of binary coded signals including address signals for selecting one of the transaction terminals for transmission of the binary coded signals to and from the processor, a plurality of transaction terminals, each terminal having means for generating binary coded signals representative of a transaction entered into the terminal and having circuit means coupled to be responsive to a preselected address signal for activating the terminal and transmitting any transaction signals to the data processor for operation thereon and back to the terminal to complete the transaction, and a three-wire, balanced transmission line system coupled between the data processor and each of the transaction terminals for transmitting binary coded signals to and from the data processor and the activated transaction terminals.

5. An automatic store transaction system as defined in claim 4 wherein each of the transaction terminals comprises an electronic cash register having keyboard means for entering transaction information therein and generating binary coded signals representative thereof.

6. An automatic store transaction system as defined in claim 5 wherein each of the keyboard means includes means for generating a signal representative of a completed transaction to signal the availability of the keyboard generated signals for processing.

7. An automatic store transaction system as defined in claim 4 wherein said transmission line system includes an individual termination network coupled to the opposite ends thereof.

8. An automatic store transaction system comprising a retrieval data processor having preselected, accessible transaction information recorded therein and capable of executing preselected operations on the transaction information, a data transceiver for bidirectionally transmitting data to and from the data processor, a plurality of transaction terminals, each of the terminals being adapted for generating binary coded signals representative of a transaction entered therein and operating on the binary coded signals received from the data processor once activated, a corresponding plurality of data transceivers, one for each transaction terminal, coupled to bidirectionally control the transfer of the binary coded signals to and from the individual transaction terminals, means for serially and bidirectionally transmitting binary coded signals between the data processor and the transaction terminals through the individual data transceivers for the terminals and the processor, said transmission means comprises a three-wire, balanced transmission line system coupled between the data processor transceiver and each of the individual transceivers, the binary coded signals transmitted from the retrieval data processor includes terminal identification signals for selecting one of the transaction terminals to be activAted and terminal function signals and data signals for controlling a preselected function at the selected terminal including transmitting binary coded signals from the terminal to the data processor, each of said terminals includes circuit means for responding to an individual identification signal for activating the individual terminal and producing a terminal activating signal in response to the reception of said individual identification signal from the processor, and means at said terminal coupled to be responsive to the terminal activating signal for processing any terminal generated binary coded signals for completing a transaction at the activated terminal.

9. An automatic store transaction system as defined in claim 8 wherein each transaction terminal includes temporary storage means for receiving and storing the binary coded signals transmitted thereto from the data processor, and data control networks for operating on the received signals, said control network including means for decoding the stored terminal address signals to determine if the individual address signals match the address of the individual terminal and in the event of a match to produce an address enable signal for activating the individual terminal having a matching address, means for decoding the stored function signals in response to said address enable signal, the decoded function signals controlling a preselected function of the terminal including the transfer of binary coded signals generated at the terminal into said temporary storage means, means for transferring the stored function bits to the terminal in response to the address enable signal, and means for controlling the function of the terminal in response to the decoded function bits including transferring the terminal generated binary coded signals to said temporary storage means, and means for transferring the latter-mentioned stored signals out of the storage means for serial transmission by said transmission means to the data processor.

10. An automatic store transaction system as defined in claim 9 wherein said three-wire system is arranged in a common sheath with one of the lines being connected to a point of reference potential, another one of the transmission line being adapted for transmitting binary coded signals with the remaining line transmitting binary coded signals complementary to the signals on said another line, a single signal being transmitted by the two lines transmitting a binary coded signal and its complement.

11. An automatic store transaction system as defined in claim 10 wherein said three-wire system includes a termination network coupled to the opposite ends of the transmission system.

12. An automatic store transaction system as defined in claim 9 wherein each terminal includes means for displaying the transaction to a customer.

13. An automatic store transaction system as defined in claim 12 wherein the means for displaying the transaction to a customer comprises temporary alpha numeric display means and permanent recording means for recording a completed transaction.

14. An electronic transaction terminal for an automatic store transaction system comprising an electronically controlled transaction terminal capable of a plurality of transaction functions including means for generating binary coded signals representative of a transaction to be completed, each of said plurality of functions is executed by a unique function control device, a corresponding plurality of control networks coupled to be responsive to a preselected function signal for controlling an individual function control device, transceiving circuit means for receiving data signals from an external source to be processed by the transaction terminal and receiving data signals generated at the transaction terminal for transmission to an external device, said transceiving circuit means including means coupled to be responsive to a unique terminal identification signal for activatinG the terminal upon reception of said identification signal and providing a terminal activating signal at the terminal having a matching identification in response thereto, said transceiving means including means coupled to be responsive to and for storing terminal function control signals received from an external source, a common data bus for the terminal coupled between the terminal transceiving circuit means and the plurality of function control networks for bidirectionally transferring data therebetween, said transceiving means including means coupled to be responsive to data signals received from an external source, control means coupled to said function control signal means for transferring the function control signals to said common data bus, means for decoding the function control signals in response to the coupling of said terminal activating signal thereto, said decoded signals signalling the transmission of data to a terminal control device or the transfer of data from a terminal control device, said control network including means coupled to a decoded function signal for transferring data from a control device having data signals generated thereat and appearing on the common data bus to said transceiving circuit means for transmission to an external source, and means coupled to a decoded function signal for transferring the received data signals to said common bus, said control network responsive to said preselected function signal being operative on the data on said common bus for controlling the operation of the individual control device coupled thereto for executing the function thereof.