Portable signature capture pad

• US 5,561,282 A
• Filed: 09/14/1994
• Issued: 10/01/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reliance Data LP
• Original Assignee: Microbilt Corporation (Western Union)
• Inventors: Widdel, James M., Price, James F.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEPPERD, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US08/306,003
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/472, 178/18, 902/3
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/35 by means of a handwritten signature
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1066 PIN data being compared to data on card
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means

Abstract

A portable signature capture pad operative for gathering signature data associated with customer transactions includes a digitizer, microprocessor, and a pad cradle that facilitates a wireless data link between the portable signature capture pad and a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, such as an electronic cash register. Subsequent to receiving a ready signal from the POS terminal, the portable signature capture pad is removed, temporarily disconnecting the pad from communication with the pad cradle and thus the POS terminal. A transaction receipt is printed at the POS terminal and placed on the portable signature capture pad. The portable signature capture pad and receipt are presented to a customer for signature capture. Data signals corresponding to the customer'"'"'s signature are captured by the digitizer and stored in a memory in the pad. The pad is then returned to the cradle. Through the wireless data link, the pad downloads the captured signature signals to the POS terminal in response to a download command received from the POS terminal. The pad also includes a power source that may be recharged using a novel routine disclosed herein. Uncompressed signature data may be used to provide a facsimile signature on a display or printer at the POS terminal, whereby the signature may be approved by the operator.

Claims

1. In a system for recording transaction information associated with a financial transaction, including a terminal including an input device for obtaining numeric data associated with said transaction and an output device for providing a printed receipt, the improvement comprising:

a signature capture pad cradle connected to said terminal;

a portable signature capture pad held by said signature capture pad cradle, said portable pad comprising a housing, and a digitizer and a memory located within said housing;

said digitizer being operative to digitize signature signals in response to a start signal from said terminal, said signature signals corresponding to a signature written on said receipt;

said memory being operative to store said digitized signature signals; and

a wireless data link being operative to connect said portable pad to said terminal through said cradle;

said portable pad being removable from said signature pad cradle to receive, digitize and store said signature signals, said digitized signature signals being downloaded from said memory to said terminal through said wireless data link in response to a signature download command from said terminal.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said wireless data link comprises infrared light-emitting diodes and phototransistor detectors located in both said portable pad and said cradle, said infrared light-emitting diodes and phototransistor detectors of said portable pad being operative for communicating data between said portable pad and said terminal through said infrared light-emitting diodes and said phototransistor detectors of said cradle when said portable pad is placed in said cradle such that said infrared light-emitting diodes and phototransistor detectors in both said portable pad and said cradle are in operative proximity with each other.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said signature capture pad cradle comprises:

a base;

a panel extending upwardly from said base at a slight angular incline, said panel having spaced apart top and bottom edges; and

an elongated stop connected to said bottom edge of said panel;

said cradle infrared light-emitting diodes and phototransistor detectors being located on said panel;

said portable pad being in communication with said terminal when said portable pad is placed on said panel and said stop such that said infrared light-emitting diodes and phototransistor detectors in both said portable pad and said cradle are in operative proximity with each other.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a circuit in said portable signature capture pad for terminating said signature capture mode after a specified amount of time has elapsed after said last signature signal has been captured by said digitizer.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a visible indicator on said portable signature capture pad for indicating when said portable pad is activated for signature capture.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said portable pad further comprises a battery, said battery contained within said portable pad and being operative to provide power to said portable pad.

7. A system as recited in claim 6, further comprising a charging circuit for charging said battery, said charging circuit located on said cradle.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

a clock in said portable pad that tracks usage time of said battery; and

a visible indicator on said portable pad for indicating when said battery falls below a specified level of power based upon data obtained from said clock.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a device for holding said receipt on said portable signature capture pad.

10. A system for capturing data associated with a financial transaction, comprising:

a transaction terminal including a transaction data entry device for obtaining numeric data associated with said transaction;

a remote host computer for communicating with said terminal;

a portable data acquisition pad comprising;

a housing;

a processor located within said housing and operative to perform data capture subroutines in response to commands from said host;

an indicator operative to indicate to an operator that said portable data acquisition device is ready to capture data, said indicator being activated in response to said commands from said host;

a data capture device for capturing data corresponding to said transaction;

a memory operatively connected to said processor for storing said captured data; and

a first set of wireless data transceivers operatively connected to said processor for communication with said host; and

a data acquisition pad cradle operatively connected to said terminal and comprising a second set of wireless data transceivers, said data acquisition pad cradle being operative to hold said portable pad;

whereby said captured data stored in said portable pad is downloaded to said terminal in response to an operator-initiated signal from said transaction terminal, said captured data being downloaded through said first and second sets of data transceivers when said portable pad is placed in said cradle such that said first and second sets of data transceivers are in operative proximity to each other.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said data capture device comprises a digitizer.

12. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said data capture device comprises a personal identification number (PIN) keypad.

13. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said portable pad further comprises a battery located within said housing, said battery operative for providing power to said portable pad.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said portable pad further comprises first and second status indicators located on said pad and controllably illuminated by said pad, said first status indicator indicating the present operative relationship of said pad with said cradle, said second indicator indicating the charge status of said battery.

15. A system as recited in claim 10, further comprising charging circuitry located on said cradle for charging said battery.

16. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein said cradle further comprises a third status indicator located on said cradle to indicate said charge status of said battery and controllably illuminated by said charging circuitry.

17. A portable data capture pad, comprising;

a first wireless data transceiver for communication with a host system;

a data capture device for capturing data upon receiving a data capture command from said host system through said wireless data transceiver;

an indicator operative to indicate to an operator that said portable data capture device has received said data capture command; and

a memory for storing said captured data and, in response to receipt of a download command from said host system, downloading said captured data through said wireless data transceiver to said host;

said portable pad being detached from said host to remotely acquire and store data upon receiving said data capture data command from said host, said portable pad being re-attached to said host through said first data transceiver to download said stored data to said host.

18. A portable data capture pad as recited in claim 17, further comprising a portable data capture pad cradle operatively connected to said host system and for holding said portable data capture pad,

said cradle comprising a second data transceiver cooperative with said first data transceiver for facilitating attachment and detachment of said portable signature capture pad to said host system when said pad is positioned in said cradle such that said first and second data transceivers are in operative proximity to each other.

19. A portable data capture pad as recited in claim 18, further comprising a battery providing power to said pad.

20. A portable data capture pad as recited in claim 19, further comprising a battery charging circuit located on said cradle for charging said battery.

21. A portable data capture pad as recited in claim 20, further comprising a battery charging jack connected to said battery to allow charging of said battery by said battery charging circuit.

22. A portable data capture pad as recited in claim 19, further comprising a power measurement register in said portable pad for storing the charge status of said battery.

23. A portable data capture pad as recited in claim 22, wherein data in said power usage measurement register is downloaded to said host system via said wireless data transceiver.

24. A portable data capture pad as recited in claim 17, wherein said portable data capture pad downloads data upon receiving a download signal from said host system via said first and second data transceivers.

25. A portable data capture pad as recited in claim 17, wherein said data capture device comprises a signature digitizer.

26. A portable data capture pad as recited in claim 17, wherein said memory stores data from a plurality of transactions associated with said host system before downloading data to said terminal.

27. In a method for recording transaction information associated with a financial transaction, including the steps of providing a terminal including an input device for acquiring numeric data associated with the transaction, providing a remote host computer operative to communicate with the terminal, and providing a printed receipt in connection with the transaction, the improvement comprising the steps of:

providing a portable signature capture pad including a digitizer and a memory, said digitizer being operative to capture digitized signature signals corresponding to a signature applied to the receipt;

providing a signature capture pad cradle for holding the signature capture pad and for communicating digitized signature signals to the terminal through a wireless data link between the signature capture pad cradle and the portable signature capture pad;

providing a signature capture ready signal to said portable signature capture pad;

activating an indicator on said portable signature capture pad in response to said signature capture ready signal, said indicator being operative to indicate to an operator that said signature capture pad is ready to receive said signature;

removing the portable signature capture pad from the cradle for application of a written signature on the receipt;

placing the receipt upon the portable signature capture pad prior to obtaining the signature;

digitizing the signature to produce digitized signature signals;

storing the digitized signature signals in a memory in the portable signature capture pad;

replacing the portable signature capture pad in the signature capture pad cradle; and

communicating the digitized signature signals to the terminal from the portable signature capture pad through the wireless data link.

28. A method as recited in claim 27, further comprising the step of compressing the digitized signature signals the said step of digitizing the signature.

29. A method as recited in claim 27, further comprising the step of charging a battery in the portable signature capture pad through a battery charger located on the signature capture pad cradle.

30. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein the portable signature capture pad includes a visible indicator, and further comprising the step of signalling a low battery condition via said visible indicator upon detection that the battery is low.

31. A method as recited in claim 27, further comprising the step of detecting that the portable signature capture pad has been replaced in the signature capture pad cradle before the step of communicating the signature signals to the terminal from the portable signature capture pad through the cradle.

32. In a method for recording transaction information associated with a financial transaction, including the steps of providing a terminal including an input device for acquiring numeric data associated with the transaction, providing a remote host computer operative to communicate with the terminal, and providing a printed receipt in connection with the transaction, the improvement comprising the steps of:

providing a portable signature capture pad comprising a digitizer and a memory, the digitizer being operative to provide digitized signature signals corresponding to a signature applied to the receipt, the memory operative to store the digitized signature signals;

providing a signature capture pad cradle for accepting the signature capture pad and communicating stored digitized signature signals to the terminal;

providing a signature capture start signal to said portable signature capture pad, said portable signature capture pad being operative to enter a signature capture mode in response to said signature capture state signal;

activating an indicator on said portable signature capture pad in response to said signature capture ready signal, said indicator being operative to indicate to an operator that said signature capture pad is operative to receive said signature;

removing the signature capture pad from the cradle for application of a written signature;

placing the printed receipt upon the signature capture pad prior to obtaining the signature;

digitizing the signature to produce the digitized signature signals;

placing the signature capture pad back in the cradle;

receiving a signature capture cycle termination signal from the terminal;

compressing the digitized signature signals to produce compressed signature signals; and

communicating the compressed signature signals to the terminal from the signature capture pad through the cradle.

33. A method for controlling a plurality of portable data acquisition devices associated with a transaction terminal in communication with a host computer, comprising the steps of:

receiving at said transaction terminal transaction information associated with a transaction;

providing a start signal and device identification information to a selected one of said plurality of portable data acquisition devices;

removing said selected one of said plurality of portable acquisition devices from communication with said terminal in order to receive remote transaction information associated with said transaction;

storing at said selected one of said plurality of portable acquisition devices said remote transaction information;

resuming communication between said terminal and said selected one of said plurality of portable data acquisition devices;

transmitting from said selected one of said plurality of portable data acquisition devices to said terminal said remote transaction information and said device identification information;

confirming at said terminal that said device identification information corresponds to said transaction;

forming at said terminal a data packet comprising said remote transaction information and said transaction information; and

transmitting said data packet to said host computer.

34. A method for controlling a plurality of portable data acquisition devices as recited in claim 33, wherein said portable data acquisition devices comprise portable signature captures pads and said remote transaction information comprises a signature.

35. A method for controlling a plurality of portable data acquisition devices as recited in claim 33, wherein said portable data acquisition devices comprise personal identification number (PIN) pads and said remote transaction information comprises a personal identification number.

36. A method for controlling a plurality of portable data acquisition devices as recited in claim 33, wherein the step of resuming communication comprises the steps of:

returning said selected one of said plurality of portable data acquisition devices to operative contact with said terminal; and

providing a termination signal from said terminal to said selected one of said plurality of portable data acquisition devices.

37. A method for controlling a plurality of portable data acquisition devices as recited in claim 36, wherein said termination signal is provided in response to an input at said terminal from said user.