Apparatus and method for managing transactions
First Claim
1. Apparatus for managing a transaction, comprisinga transaction terminal having a manual code reading means for reading a data code printed on a visual medium;
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said transaction terminal including a computer means interfaced to said manual code reading means,said computer means including program storage means and data storage means,said program storage means storing both a command management program for managing the sequential entry and execution of said program commands and a set of command execution routines each of said command execution routines being associated with one of said program commands,said set of command execution routines including at least one data entry routine including program steps for reading one of said second set of said data codes and storing the transaction data contained therein in said data storage means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for managing a transaction using a transaction terminal having a manual code reading device, such as a barcode reader, for reading a data code printed on a visual medium. A transaction program forming part of the system includes at least one page of a visual medium having a first and second sets of data codes printed thereon. The first set of data codes in printed in a prearranged sequence and comprises a predetermined sequence of program commands for carrying out all of the steps of a prearranged transaction, including a subset of program commands associated with a corresponding subset of data entry steps. The second set of data codes is printed on the same or another page of said visual medium. Each of the data codes in the second set comprises a prearranged item of transaction data for use in said data entry steps. The transaction terminal includes a computer means interfaced to said manual code reading means. This computer means including a program storage device and a data storage device. The program storage device stores both a command management program for managing the sequential entry and execution of said program commands and a set of command execution routines. Each of the command execution routines is associated with one of said program commands. The set of command execution routines including at least one data entry routine which, in turn, includes program steps for reading one of said second set of said data codes and storing the transaction data contained therein in said data storage means. The terminal has a modem for communicating the stored transaction data to a remote host.
351 Citations
17 Claims
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1. Apparatus for managing a transaction, comprising
a transaction terminal having a manual code reading means for reading a data code printed on a visual medium; - and
a transaction program comprising at least one page of a visual medium having a first set of said data codes printed thereon in a prearranged sequence and comprising a predetermined sequence of program commands for carrying out all of the steps of a prearranged transaction, including a subset of program commands associated with a corresponding subset of data entry steps, and a second set of said data codes printed on the same or another page of said visual medium, each comprising a prearranged item of transaction data for use in said data entry steps; said transaction terminal including a computer means interfaced to said manual code reading means, said computer means including program storage means and data storage means, said program storage means storing both a command management program for managing the sequential entry and execution of said program commands and a set of command execution routines each of said command execution routines being associated with one of said program commands, said set of command execution routines including at least one data entry routine including program steps for reading one of said second set of said data codes and storing the transaction data contained therein in said data storage means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for managing a transaction, comprising a transaction terminal and a transaction program;
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said transaction terminal comprising; user input means for receiving input data from a terminal user; output means for communicating output message activity to a terminal user; manual code reading means for reading a data code printed on a visual medium, said reading being performed under manual control of a terminal user; and a computer means including control and data communication interfaces to said user input means, said output means, and said manual code reading means; said transaction program comprising; at least one page of a visual medium having a first set of said data codes printed thereon in a prearranged sequence and comprising a predetermined sequence of program commands for carrying out all of the steps of a prearranged transaction, including a subset of program commands associated with a corresponding subset of data entry steps, and a second set of said data codes printed on the same or another page of said visual medium, each comprising a prearranged item of transaction data for use in said data entry steps; said computer means including program storage means and data storage means, said program storage means storing both a command management program for managing the sequential entry and execution of said program commands and a set of command execution routines each of said command execution routines being associated with one of said program commands, said set of command execution routines including at least one data entry routine including program steps for reading one of said second set of said data codes and storing the transaction data contained therein in said data storage means. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A transaction terminal adapted for use by a customer in managing a plurality of different types of transactions involving communication with a host computer and adapted for supporting multiple vendors associated with each of said types of transactions, with each actual transaction to be managed having an associated vendor-specific transaction program furnished to the customer and comprising:
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at least one page of a visual medium having a first set of said data codes printed thereon in a prearranged sequence and comprising a predetermined sequence of program commands for carrying out all of the steps of a prearranged transaction, including a subset of program commands associated with a corresponding subset of data entry steps, and at least one program command associated with identification of the type of transaction and the vendor associate with the transaction; a second set of said data codes printed on the same or another page of said visual medium, each comprising a prearranged item of transaction data for use in said data entry steps; said transaction terminal comprising; manual code reading means for reading said data codes on said visual medium with said reading being done by manual manipulation by said customer; and a data communication means adapted for transmitting data via a prearranged communication channel to a host computer; a computer means interfaced to said manual code reading means and said data communication means, said computer means including program storage means and data storage means, a command management program being stored in said program storage means for managing the sequential entry and execution of said program commands, and a set of command execution routines being stored in said program storage means, each of said command execution routines being associated with one of said program commands; said set of command execution routines including; at least one data entry routine including program steps for reading one of said second set of said data codes and storing the transaction data contained therein in said data storage means, and at least one data communication routine including program steps for transmitting stored transaction data to a host computer via said data communication means. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of managing the entry of transaction data comprising the steps of:
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a defining a transaction program command structure including at least a command code field and a data field; b. defining a transaction data structure; c. defining a set of transaction program commands each associated with a prearranged transaction program function, including at least one data entry function, and utilizing said transaction program command structure; d. providing a command management program for managing entry and processing of program command and a set of command execution routines each associated with one of said transaction program commands and including program steps for carrying out said prearranged transaction program function; e. imprinting on a visual medium a first set of data codes representing a prearranged sequence of said transaction program commands and a second set of data codes representing a prearranged set of transaction data items for selective use in said data entry function to provide a transaction program for carrying out a particular type of transaction; g. scanning each of said first set of imprinted data codes in sequence with a manual code reader and in response to each of said imprinted data codes executing an associated command execution routine; h. scanning a selected one of said second set of imprinted data codes in response to a command execution routine calling for data entry and recording data associated with said data code as a data field in a data packet associated with the transaction being entered. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification