Printer slip table with integral scanner

• US 5,278,396 A
• Filed: 01/08/1992
• Issued: 01/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: McGaha, Jerry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEPPERD, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US07/818,303
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/432, 235/462, 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/432
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A printer slip table which employs a laser scan module in combination with a printer to expedite checkout and return of merchandise articles. The scan module may be employed to scan bar code labels on slips attached to the articles, coupons, and previous receipts for return articles. The printer may be a single printer or a plurality of specialized printers. The printer prints receipts, voids coupons by printing seller information thereon, and prints journals. The printer may additionally print buyer information on coupons and return information on receipts, slips, and journals. Return information, such as purchase date and location, may be encoded as a bar code label to be scanned upon return.

Claims

1. A retail checkout apparatus comprising:

a housing, including a base member and a top member mounted on the base member;

a laser scan module within the top member for producing a scan pattern for reading a bar code label containing information about an article, wherein the bar code label is printed on a slip;

a microcontroller coupled to the laser scan module;

a first printer within the top member and coupled to the microcontroller for printing the information about the article on a receipt and information about returning the article on the receipt;

a second printer within the top member and coupled to the microcontroller for printing the return information on the slip;

a third printer within the top member and coupled to the microcontroller for printing the article and return information on a journal; and

means coupled to the microcontroller for sensing the presence of the slip within the scan pattern.

2. The retail checkout apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the return information is printed as another bar code label.

3. A retail checkout apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a laser scan module within the housing for producing a scan pattern for reading a bar code label containing information about an article, wherein said bar code label is located on a receipt for the article;

means within the housing for printing the information onto a record medium; and

a microcontroller coupled between the laser scan module and the printing means.

4. A retail checkout apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a laser scan module within the housing for producing a scan pattern for reading a bar code label containing information about an article;

means within the housing for printing the information as well as information about returning the article on a record medium; and

a microcontroller coupled between the laser scan module and the printing means.

5. The retail checkout apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the return information is printed as another barcode label.