Transaction systems and methods sending product identification signals to two processors in each register station

• US 6,456,980 B1
• Filed: 11/23/1998
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sterling Global Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Softcard Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Powell, Ken R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US09/198,550
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/1, 705/10, 705/16, 705/30, 705/400, 235/375, 235/383, 700/231
• US Class Current: 705/14.38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/00 Cash registers alarm indicators G07G3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• 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 store system for a commercial system with multiple products. The store system includes multiple register stations. Each register station includes a bar code reader that generates a first signal identifying a product selected by a customer, a register computer, and a cable that transfers the first signal to the register computer. Each register station is associated with a respective second computer that sends a second signal to the register computer. A cable transfers the first signal to the second computer. The register computer includes logic that determines a total amount due from the customer, by receiving the first and second signals. In an exemplary embodiment, the second computer interfaces to a customer card that stores discount information.

Claims

1. In a system including a store with a plurality of products, and a plurality of register stations, each including a bar code reader, and a first processing unit executing a first program in a first memory, wherein the system further includes a plurality of second processing units, each executing a second program in a second memory, each register station including a respective second processing unit, a method comprising the steps, performed multiple time for each register station to perform a checkout transaction for multiple customers, of:

using the bar code reader of a register station, to generate a first signal identifying a product selected by a customer;

sending the first signal to the first processing unit of the register station;

sending the first signal to a respective second processing unit in the plurality of second processing units;

subsequently sending, from the respective second processing unit in the register station, a second signal to the first processing unit; and

determining, in the first processing unit, a total amount due from the customer, by receiving the first signal and second signals.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein the method further includes the step, performed before sending the second signal to the first processing unit, of

receiving, in the respective second processing unit, signals from the card memory of one of the portable cards.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein sending the first signal to the respective second processing unit includes sending the first signal to the respective second processing unit via a signal path that excludes the first processing unit.

4. The method of claim 2 further including communicating product pricing information from a common computer to each of the first processing units.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein the method further includes the step, performed in the respective second processing unit, of

deciding whether to send a second signal to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein sending the first signal to the respective second processing unit includes sending the first signal to the respective second processing unit via a signal path that excludes the first processing unit.

7. The method of claim 5 further including

communicating product pricing information from a common computer to each of the first processing units.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the first signal to the respective second processing unit includes sending the first signal to the respective second processing unit via a signal path that excludes the first processing unit.

9. The method of claim 1 further including

communicating product pricing information from a common computer to each of the first processing units.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein the method further includes

deciding whether to send a second signal to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards.

11. A store system for a commercial system with a plurality of products, the store system comprising:

a plurality of register stations, each register station including

a bar code reader that generates a first signal identifying a product selected by a customer;

a first processing unit executing a first program in a first memory; and

a signal path that transfers the first signal to the first processing unit, wherein each register station includes

a respective second processing unit that executes a second program in a second memory and sends a second signal to the first processing unit, wherein the second processing unit executes the second program multiple times for multiple customers, and each register station is associated with

a signal path that transfers the first signal to the second processing unit, and wherein the first processing unit includes logic that determines a total amount due from the customer, by receiving the first and second signals.

12. The store system of claim 11 wherein the commercial system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein each second program includes

logic to receive signals from the card memory of one of the portable cards, before sending the second signal to the first processing unit.

13. The store system of claim 12 wherein the signal path that transfers the first signal to the second processing unit excludes the first processing unit.

14. The store system of claim 12 further including a common computer that sends pricing information to each of the first processing units.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the commercial system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein each second program includes

logic to decide whether to send a second signal to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards.

16. The store system of claim 15 wherein the signal path that transfers the first signal to the second processing unit excludes the first processing unit.

17. The store system of claim 15 further including a common computer that sends pricing information to each of the first processing units.

18. The store system of claim 11 wherein the signal path that transfers the first sign to second processing unit excludes the first processing unit.

19. The store system of claim 11 further including

communicating product pricing information from a common computer to each of the first processing units.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the commercial system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein the store system further includes

logic to decide whether to send a second signal to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards.

21. In a retail system including a store with a plurality of products, and a plurality of register stations, each including a first processing unit, and a second processing unit, a store system comprising the following, in each register station, for processing multiple customers in each register station:

means for generating a first signal identifying a product selected by a customer;

means for sending the first signal to the first processing unit;

means for sending the first signal to the second processing unit, the means for sending the first signal to the second processing unit excluding the first processing unit;

means for subsequently sending, from the second processing unit, a second signal to the first processing unit; and

means for determining, in the first processing unit, a total amount due from the customer, by receiving the first signal and second signals.

22. The store system of claim 21 wherein the retail system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein each register station further includes

means for receiving, in the second processing unit, signals from the card memory of one of the portable cards.

23. The store system of claim 22 wherein the means for sending the first signal to the second processing unit excludes the first processing unit.

24. The store system of claim 22 further including means for communicating product pricing information to each of the first processing units.

25. The store system of claim 21 wherein the retail system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein the store system further includes

logic for deciding whether to send a second signal to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards.

26. The store system of claim 25 wherein the means for sending Me first signal to the second processing unit excludes the first processing unit.

27. The store system of claim 25 further including means for communicating product pricing information to each of the first processing units.

28. The store system of claim 21 further including means for communicating product pricing information to each of the first processing units.

29. The store system of claim 21 wherein the retail system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein each means for subsequently sending includes

logic for deciding whether to send a second signal to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards.

30. In a system including a store with a plurality of products, and a plurality of register stations, each including a bar code reader, and a first processing unit executing a first program in a first memory, wherein the system further includes a plurality of second processing units, each executing a second program in a second memory, a method comprising the steps, performed multiple time for each register station to perform a checkout transaction for multiple customers, of:

using the bar code reader of a register station, to generate a first signal identifying a product selected by a customer;

sending the first signal to the first processing unit of the register station;

sending the first signal to a respective second processing unit in the plurality of second processing units, via a signal path that excludes the first processing unit;

subsequently sending, from the respective second processing unit, a second signal to the first processing unit; and

determining, in the first processing unit, a total amount due from the customer, by receiving the first signal and second signals.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein the method further includes the step, performed before sending the second signal to the first processing unit, of

receiving, in the respective second processing unit, signals from the card memory of one of the portable cards.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein the method further includes the step, performed in the respective second processing unit, of

deciding whether to send a second signal to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards.

33. A store system for a commercial system with a plurality of products, the store system comprising:

a plurality of register stations, each register station including

a bar code reader that generates a first signal identifying a product selected by a customer;

a first processing unit executing a first program in a first memory; and

a signal path that transfers the first signal to the first processing unit, wherein each register station is associated with

a respective second processing unit that executes a second program in a second memory and sends a second signal to the first processing unit, wherein the second processing unit executes the second program multiple times for multiple customers; and

a signal path that transfers the first signal to the second processing unit, the signal path that transfers the first signal to second processing unit excluding the first processing unit, and wherein the first processing unit includes logic that determines a total amount due from the customer, by receiving the first and second signals.

34. The store system of claim 33 wherein the commercial system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein each second program includes

logic to receive signals from the card memory of one of the portable cards, before sending the second signal to the first processing unit.

35. The store system of claim 33 further including a common computer that sends pricing information to each of the first processing units.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the commercial system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and wherein each second program includes logic to decide whether to send a second signal to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards.