Apparatus and method for displaying a menu with an interactive retail terminal

• US 6,507,352 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Francis, John B., White, David C., Cohen, Sally M., Jacobson, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US09/470,436
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 345/702, 345/703, 345/853-855, 345/810, 345/835, 345/817-820, 345/840, 705/16-17, 705/20-21, 705/27
• US Class Current: 715/817
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/01 Details for indicating displaying information in general G09F, G09G

Abstract

A method of performing a retail transaction with a retail terminal having (i) a display monitor which includes a touch screen, (ii) a scanner, and (iii) a card reader. The method includes the step of displaying a home display screen with the display monitor. The home display screen has a first plurality of local-navigation touch buttons which are located in a first local navigation area and a first plurality of global-navigation buttons which are located in a first global navigation area. Use of the local-navigation touch buttons and the global-navigation touch buttons facilitates use of the retail terminal by a user to complete a retail transaction. A retail terminal is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of performing a retail transaction with a retail terminal having (i) a display monitor which includes a touch screen, (ii) a scanner, and (iii) a card reader, comprising the steps of:

displaying a home display screen with said display monitor, said home display screen having a first plurality of local-navigation touch buttons which are located in a first local navigation area and a first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons which are located in a first global navigation area;

determining if said user of said retail terminal touches one of said first plurality of local-navigation touch buttons and generating a first local control signal in response thereto;

displaying a first product display screen with said display monitor in response to generation of said first local control signal, said first product display screen including (i) an image of a first item for purchase, (ii) a second plurality of local-navigation touch buttons within said local navigation area, and (iii) said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons within said global navigation area;

determining if said user of said retail terminal touches one of said second plurality of local-navigation touch buttons and generating a second local control signal in response thereto;

displaying a second product display screen with said display monitor in response to generation of said second local control signal, said second product display screen including (i) an image of a second item for purchase, (ii) a third plurality of local-navigation touch buttons within said local navigation area, and (iii) said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons within said global navigation area;

determining if said user of said retail terminal operates said scanner so as to enter a product identification code associated with either said first item for purchase or said second item for purchase and generating a purchase-item control signal in response thereto; and

operating said card reader so as to read an account code from a payment card in response to generation of said purchase-item control signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said user of said retail terminal touches one of said third plurality of local-navigation touch buttons and generating a third local control signal in response thereto;

displaying a third product display screen with said display monitor in response to generation of said third local control signal, said third product display screen including (i) an image of a third item for purchase, (ii) a fourth plurality of local-navigation touch buttons within said local navigation area, (iii) said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons within said global navigation area, and (iv) a scroll touch button within said local navigation area;

determining if said user of said retail terminal touches said scroll button and generating a scroll control signal in response thereto; and

displaying with said display monitor an ordered sequence of display screens which includes said first product display screen, said second product display screen, and said third product display screen in response to generation of said scroll control signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons includes a home touch button, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said user of said retail terminal touches said home touch button during said step of displaying said third product display screen and generating a home control signal in response thereto; and

displaying said home display screen in response to generation of said home control signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons includes a help touch button, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said user of said retail terminal touches said help touch button and generating a help control signal in response thereto; and

displaying a message on said display monitor which provides instruction to said user in response to generation of said help control signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein (i) said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons includes a language touch button, (ii) said step of displaying said second product display screen includes the step of displaying a product description of said second item in a first language, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said user of said retail terminal touches said language touch button and generating a change-language control signal in response thereto; and

displaying said product description of said second item in a second language in response to generation of said change-language control signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons includes a service touch button, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said user of said retail terminal touches said service touch button and generating a service control signal in response thereto; and

displaying a message with said display monitor which provides a services list to said user in response to generation of said service control signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons includes a product-locator touch button, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said user of said retail terminal touches said product-locator touch button and generating a locate control signal in response thereto; and

displaying a product lookup screen with said display monitor which assists said user in determining location of said first item for purchase and said second item for purchase in response to generation of said locator control signal.

8. A retail terminal for performing a retail transaction within a retail store, comprising:

a display monitor having a touch screen associated therewith;

a scanner;

a card reader;

a processing unit electrically coupled to each of said display monitor, said scanner, and said card reader; and

a memory device electrically coupled to said processing unit, wherein said memory device has stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by said processing unit, causes said processing unit to;

(a) display a home display screen with said display monitor, said home display screen having a first plurality of local-navigation touch buttons which are located in a first local navigation area and a first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons which are located in a first global navigation area,

(b) determine if said user of said retail terminal touches one of said first plurality of local-navigation touch buttons and generate a first local control signal in response thereto,

(c) display a first product display screen with said display monitor in response to generation of said first local control signal, said first product display screen including (i) an image of a first item for purchase, (ii) a second plurality of local-navigation touch buttons within said local navigation area, and (iii) said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons within said global navigation area,

(d) determine if said user of said retail terminal touches one of said second plurality of local-navigation touch buttons and generate a second local control signal in response thereto,

(e) display a second product display screen with said display monitor in response to generation of said second local control signal, said second product display screen including (i) an image of a second item for purchase, (ii) a third plurality of local-navigation touch buttons within said local navigation area, and (iii) said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons within said global navigation area,

(f) determine if said user of said retail terminal operates said scanner so as to enter a product identification code associated with either said first item for purchase or said second item for purchase and generate a purchase-item control signal in response thereto, and

(g) operate said card reader so as to read an account code from a payment card in response to generation of said purchase-item control signal.

9. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to:

(a) determine if said user of said retail terminal touches one of said third plurality of local-navigation touch buttons and generate a third local control signal in response thereto,

(b) display a third product display screen with said display monitor in response to generation of said third local control signal, said third product display screen including (i) an image of a third item for purchase, (ii) a fourth plurality of local-navigation touch buttons within said local navigation area, (iii) said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons within said global navigation area, and (iv) a scroll touch button within said local navigation area,

(c) determine if said user of said retail terminal touches said scroll button and generate a scroll control signal in response thereto, and

(d) displaying with said display monitor an ordered sequence of display screens which includes said first product display screen, said second product display screen, and said third product display screen in response to generation of said scroll control signal.

10. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein:

said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons includes a home touch button,

said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to;

(a) determine if said user of said retail terminal touches said home touch button during display of said third product display screen and generate a home control signal in response thereto, and

(b) display said home display screen with said display monitor in response to generation of said home control signal.

11. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein:

said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons includes a help touch button,

said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to;

(a) determine if said user of said retail terminal touches said help touch button and generate a help control signal in response thereto, and

(b) display a message on said display monitor which provides instruction to said user in response to generation of said help control signal.

12. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein:

said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons includes a language touch button,

said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to;

(a) display a product description of said second item in a first language,

(b) determine if said user of said retail terminal touches said language touch button and generate a change-language control signal in response thereto, and

(c) display said product description of said second item in a second language in response to generation of said change-language control signal.

13. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein:

said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons includes a service touch button,

said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to;

(a) determine if said user of said retail terminal touches said service touch button and generate a service control signal in response thereto, and

(b) display a message with said display monitor which provides a services list to said user in response to generation of said service control signal.

14. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein:

said first plurality of global-navigation touch buttons includes a product-locator touch button,

said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to;

(a) determine if said user of said retail terminal touches said product-locator touch button and generate a locate control signal in response thereto, and

(b) display a product lookup screen with said display monitor which assists said user in determining location of said first item for purchase and said second item for purchase in response to generation of said locator control signal.