Product sales data processing system for on-line connection to host CPU

• US 4,683,536 A
• Filed: 07/29/1985
• Issued: 07/28/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electric Co.
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Mikio
• Primary Examiner(s): Harkcom, Gary V.
• Application Number:
  US06/760,294
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 364/405-408, 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 235/379-380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/382.5
• US Class Current: 705/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• 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 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• 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

A product sales data processing system includes a plurality of interconnected credit authorization terminals for performing the transmission and reception of data with an outside host computer. One of the credit authorization terminals receives the sales data from the other credit authorization terminals and sequentially transmits these sales data over an outside line to the host computer.

Claims

1. A product sales data processing system, comprising:

a plurality of point of sales (POS) terminals including a master POS terminal and a number of slaves POS terminals for registering sales data of products by transferring said sales data to an external host computer for registration;

a plurality of slave credit authorization terminals (CATs), each including first card reading means for reading a credit card number from a credit card set at a reading position, a first working memory area, first data input means for inputting sales data of products and a personal identification number into said first working memory area, a slave POS interface arranged for connection to a respective one of said slave POS terminals, a slave CAT interface, and first data transfer control means for controlling data transfer to said slave POS and said slave CAT interfaces; and

a master credit authorization terminal including second card reading means for reading the credit card number from the credit card set at a reading position, a second working memory area, second data input means for inputting sales data of products and a personal identification number, a master POS interface arranged for connection to said master POS terminal, a master CAT interface arranged for connection to the CAT interfaces of said plurality of slave credit authorization terminals, inline circuit means for connecting said master CAT interface to each of said slave CAT interfaces, a host interface arranged for connection to said external host computer, online circuit means for connecting said host interface to said host computer, and second data transfer control means for controlling data transfer to said master POS, master CAT and host interfaces,

wherein each of said first data transfer control means of said plurality of slave credit authorization terminals produces authorization data on the basis of the sales data from either said respective slave POS terminal or said first data input means, the card data from said first card reading means and the personal identification number from said first data input means, and then supplies said authorization data to said master credit authorization terminal,

the second data transfer control means of said master credit authorization terminal sequentially transferring the authorization data from said plurality of slave credit authorization terminals to the external host computer through said host interface.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said first and said second data input means of said master and slave credit authorization terminals comprises keyboard means and a personal identification number pad means.