Write input credit transaction apparatus and method with paperless merchant credit card processing

• US 6,539,363 B1
• Filed: 08/30/1990
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Protheroe, Robert L., Crooks, John F., Allgeier, David M., Jones, Floyd Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi, Hani M.
• Application Number:
  US07/575,096
• Time in Patent Office: 4,590 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 364/405, 364/408, 382/3, 382/13, 382/119, 178/18, 178/19, 340/709, 705/16, 705/17, 705/24, 705/39, 705/44, 235/379, 235/380
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0425 the cheque being electronic only
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/247 electronically, e.g. by comparing signal of hand-writing with a reference signal from the pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A method and system for generating a completed payment document ready for signature in image form and enabling signature in image form, storing the image and providing a printed copy of the document including the signature. A write input device for showing the image and enabling the signature includes a transparent interactive digitizing element with writing stylus, a display module positioned beneath the digitizing element and visible therethrough, and optionally a magnetic stripe reader for providing document-related information for the display. The device is embodied in a system which also includes a point of sale terminal, a printer for printing records of transactions processed by the system and a controller operatively coupled to other elements of the system.

Claims

1. A method for processing customer charge transactions in an establishment using apparatus which includes a cashier-operated point of sale (POS) terminal, a printer and a customer-operated write input device having a touch-sensitive display screen and a card reader, comprising the following steps:

(a) initiating the start of a transaction by the cashier;

(b) entering data concerning items of the transaction including a last item into the POS terminal by the cashier;

(c) indicating entry of the last item of the transaction by the cashier;

(d) entering customer account data by the cashier;

(e) displaying a business form which includes transaction item data and customer account data on the touch-sensitive display screen of the write input device;

(f) signing a signature by the customer on the touch-sensitive display screen of the business form displayed there;

(g) communicating combined business form and signature information to a storage medium for later retrieval; and

(h) printing at least a portion of the business form displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, in which advertising or promotional material is displayed on the screen.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the entry of customer account data in step (d) is accomplished by sensing data on a card.

4. The method of claim 3, in which the data is encoded on a magnetic stripe on the card.

5. The method of claim 3, in which the data is sensed by a card reader which is part of the write input device.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the entry of customer account data in step (d) is accomplished by sensing of magnetic stripe data by the card reader.

7. The method of claim 1, in which the entry of customer account data in step (d) is accomplished by keyboard entry on the POS terminal.

8. The method of claim 1, also including the step of displaying of data on said display screen concerning the item entries of step (b).

9. The method of claim 1, also including the step of obtaining credit approval for a charge transaction.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the business form of step (h) is a combined bill of sale and receipt of charge.

11. The method of claim 10, in which the information appearing on the receipt of charge includes an identification of the establishment in which the transaction took place, an account number and expiration date of any customer card used, a date of the transaction, appropriate transaction item and total information, and a signature of the customer.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the printing of the business form includes printing of the customer signature.

13. The method of claim 1, also including the step of transmitting the signature information over communication links to an authorization point for signature validation and transaction approval.

14. The method of claim 1, also including the step of verifying that the act of signing a signature by the customer is complete.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the signature complete verification is accomplished by the cashier depressing a designated key on the POS terminal.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the signature complete verification is acomplished by the customer touching a designated area on the touch-sensitive display screen.

17. The method of claim 1, in which the step (f) of signing a signature by the customer on the touch-sensitive display screen of the business form displayed there comprises the following sub-steps:

(f-1) signing a signature on a digitizer which comprises part of the touch-sensitive display screen, said signing producing a plurality of signals representing coordinates of the signature on the digitizer;

(f-2) transforming the signals representing said digitizer coordinates to a plurality of signals representing corresponding coordinates on a display which comprises part of the touch-sensitve display screen and is positioned directly beneath the digitizer; and

(f-3) operating the display under control of the transformed signals to activate coordinates on the display to produce a substantially instantaneous representation of the signature which is signed on the digitizer.

18. A method for processing customer charge transactions in an stablishment using apparatus which includes a cashier-operated point of sale (POS) terminal, a printer and a customer-operated write input device having a touch-sensitive display screen and a card reader, comprising the following steps:

(a) initiating the start of a transaction by the cashier;

(b) entering data concerning items of the transaction including a last item into the POS terminal by the cashier;

(c) displaying of data concerning said items on said touch-sensitive display screen;

(d) indicating entry of the last item of the transaction by the cashier;

(e) entering customer account data by the cashier either by reading a card in the card reader or by entering said account data into the POS terminal;

(f) obtaining credit approval by the establishment for the transaction;

(g) printing a portion of the receipt including an itemization portion of a bill of sale and a portion of the receipt of charge document by the printer;

(h) displaying a receipt of charge form which includes transaction item data and customer account data on the touch-sensitive display screen of the write input device;

(i) signing by the customer on the touch-sensitive display screen of the receipt of charge form displayed there;

(j) printing of the remainder of the receipt of charge document including the customer signature; and

(k) communicating combined form and signature information to a storage medium for later retrieval.

19. The method of claim 18, in which the step (i) of signing by the customer on the touch-sensitive display screen of the receipt form displayed there comprises the following sub-steps:

(i-1) signing a signature on a digitizer which comprises part of the touch-sensitive display screen, said signing producing a plurality of signals representing coordinates of the signature on the digitizer;

(i-2) transforming the signals representing said digitizer coordinates to a plurality of signals representing corresponding coordinates on a display which comprises part of the touch-sensitive display screen and is positioned directly beneath the digitizer; and

(i-3) operating the display under control of the transformed signals to produce a substantially instantaneous representation of the signature which is signed on the digitizer.

20. A system for processing transactions, comprising:

a write input device which includes a display for displaying data and a digitizer for direct entry of handwritten signature data into the write input device by a user;

a cashier-operated point of sale terminal on which item transactions can be entered and recorded;

circuitry coupling said point of sale terminal to said digitizer of said write input device;

a printer for printing records of transactions processed by said system;

means for storing handwritten signature data; and

controller means for controlling a display of a receipt for a transaction on said display of said write input device and for printing a copy of the receipt including a signature on said printer, said controller means being operatively coupled to said point of sale terminal, to said display of said write input device, to said digitizer of said write input device, to said storing means and to said printer, whereby a receipt relating to a transaction can be displayed on said display of said write input device and printed by said printer.

21. The system of claim 20, also including a magnetic stripe reader coupled to said point of sale terminal for providing additional data to the system which can be displayed on said display.

22. The system of claim 20, in which the display is a liquid crystal display.

23. The system of claim 20, also including a stylus electrically coupled to the digitizer having an end portion engageable with the surface of said digitizer means.

24. The system of claim 23, in which the digitizer provides electrical potentials between its edges, and in which the position of the end portion of the stylus on the upper surface of the digitizer is determined by the measurement of electrical potentials between the stylus and the edges of the digitizer.

25. The system of claim 23, in which movements of the stylus on the digitizer are reproduced graphically on the display under control of said controller means.

26. The system of claim 23, also including means for causing a representation of a document to appear on said display, and in which the display is controlled by the controller means to provide a signature on the display in an appropriate location on said document in response to movement of the stylus on the digitizer.

27. The system of claim 20, also including means to cause the representation of the document with the signature thereon on the display to be printed to provide a signed paper document.

28. A method for processing transactions using apparatus which includes a cashier-operated point of sale (POS) terminal and a customer-operated write input device having a touch-sensitive display screen and a card reader, comprising the following steps:

(a) initiating the start of a transaction by the cashier;

(b) instructing the apparatus by the cashier that an upcoming transaction is a credit transaction;

(c) entering customer account data relating to the transaction by the cashier;

(d) entering data concerning items of the transaction including a last item into the POS terminal by the cashier;

(e) indicating entry of the last item of the transaction by the cashier;

(f) displaying a business form which includes transaction item data and customer account data on the touch-sensitive display screen;

(g) signing by the customer on the touch-sensitive display screen of the business form displayed there; and

(h) communicating information representing said form including signature information from the signing by the customer on the touch screen to a storage medium for later retrieval.

29. The method of claim 28, also including the step of printing of the business form including the customer signature.

30. The method of claim 28, in which advertising or promotional information is displayed on the screen.

31. The method of claim 28, in which the entry of customer data in step (c) is accomplished by sensing data on a card.

32. The method of claim 28, in which the entry of customer account data in step (c) is accomplished by keyboard entry on the POS terminal.

33. The method of claim 28, also including the step of displaying of data on said display screen concerning the item entries of step (d).

34. The method of claim 28, in which the step (g) of signing by the customer on the touch-sensitive display screen of the business displayed there comprises the following sub-steps:

(g-1) signing a signature on a digitizer which comprises part of the touch-sensitive display screen, said signing producing a plurality of signals representing coordinates of the signature on the digitizer;

(g-2) transforming the signals representing said digitizer coordinates to a plurality of signals representing corresponding coordinates on a display which comprises part of the touch-sensitive display screen and is positioned directly beneath the digitizer; and

(g-3) operating the display under control of the transformed signals to produce a substantially instantaneous representation of the signature which is signed on the digitizer.

35. A system for processing transactions, comprising:

a cashier-operated point of sale terminal on which data relating to transactions for items can be entered and recorded;

a card reader for entry of customer account information;

a write input device which includes a digitizer for direct entry of handwritten signature data relating to a transaction by a customer and a display for displaying a representation of said signature;

a printer for printing a receipt of a transaction processed by said system including descriptions of said items and said customer account information as well as a representation of said signature;

a storage medium for storing said signature data combined with data relating to said receipt for later retrieval; and

circuitry coupling said point of sale terminal to said digitizer and said display of said write input device, to said printer, to said card reader and to said storage medium.

36. The system of claim 35, in which descriptions of said item transactions are displayed on said display.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein said printer also prints on said receipt said signature data in a form resembling the signature as entered by the customer and displayed on the write input device.

38. The system of claim 35, in which the card reader is a magnetic stripe reader.

39. The system of claim 35, in which said card reader is housed in the write input device.

40. The system of claim 35, in which said customer account information is displayed on the display of said write input device.

41. The system of claim 35, wherein promotional images are displayed on the display to be viewed by a user.

42. The system of claim 35, in which the digitizer of the write-input device is positioned directly over and in registry with the display of said write-input device;

and

also including circuitry for transforming signals generated by writing on the digitizer into signals for operating corresponding portions of the display to produce a substantially instantaneous representation on the display of the signature signed on the digitizer.

43. A method for creating a credit receipt form at a cashier-operated point of sale station in a store in which a customer participates in a cashier-assisted transaction using apparatus which includes a card reader and a write input device with an integrated display and digitizer, comprising the following steps:

(a) reading customer account data from a card by the cashier;

(b) accessing a look-up table in a memory to cause a particular receipt form to appear on the display in accordance with the particular customer account data read from said card;

(c) signing of a signature by the customer on the digitizer which is positioned in registry with the image of the receipt form displayed on the display; and

(d) storing in a storage medium of data representing said receipt form including said signature on said form.

44. The method of claim 43, in which the card is a magnetic stripe card.

45. The method of claim 43, in which step (c) includes producing an image of the signature on the image of the receipt form appearing on the display, said signature image appearing substantially simultaneously with the signing of the signature on the digitizer.

46. A method for electronically recording a transaction, comprising:

(a) storing a record of a transaction occurring at a cashier-operated point of sale station in a store in which a customer participates in a cashier-assisted transaction;

(b) providing a digitizer at said cashier-operated point of sale station in said store;

(c) requesting that said customer sign his or her signature on said digitizer at said cashier-operated point of sale station during the course of said cashier-assisted transaction;

(d) electronically capturing said signature applied to said digitizer during the course of said cashier-assisted transaction, to provide a captured signature related to said record of said transaction; and

(e) electronically storing said captured signature along with said related record of said transaction, to thereby provide a signed receipt of said transaction in electronic form, whereby said signed receipt of said transaction can be electronically stored in a manner that does not require the store to maintain a paper record of said transaction.

47. The method of electronically recording a transaction of claim 46, wherein said signed receipt of said transaction is stored in a manner to enable it to be graphically reproduced when needed, to form a printed and signed paper receipt.

48. The method of electronically recording a transaction of claim 46, wherein said step of providing a digitizer further includes the step of providing a display aligned with said digitizer for displaying data during said transaction.

49. The method for electronically recording a transaction of claim 47, further including the step of printing out said signed receipt, to thereby provide said printed and signed paper receipt.

50. The method for electronically recording a transaction of claim 49, wherein said printed and signed paper receipt is given to the customer at the point of sale.

51. The method for electronically recording a transaction of claim 46, in which the step of electronically storing said captured signature further comprises the step of generating electrical signals which represent the position of a writing implement placed in contact with said digitizer when said customer signs his or her signature on said digitizer.

52. The method for electronically recording a transaction of claim 51, further comprising the step of measuring potentials on either side of said writing implement, converting said potentials into digital form, and determining the position of said writing implement on said digitizer in response to said potentials.

53. The method of claim 46, wherein said transaction is a retail credit purchase.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein said record of said transaction includes a credit card account number, expiration date, the amount of said credit purchase, and said captured signature.

55. A system for electronically recording a transaction occurring at a cashier-operated point of sale station in a store in which a customer participates in a cashier-assisted transaction, comprising:

an electronic computing and storage device which stores a record of said transaction occurring at said cashier-operated point of sale station in said store;

a digitizer at said cashier-operated point of sale station in said store, said digitizer electronically capturing said customer'"'"'s signature applied thereto during the course of said cashier-assisted transaction, to provide a captured signature related to said record of said transaction; and

a connector for connecting said digitizer to said electronic computing and storage device, whereby said electronic computing and storage device electronically stores said captured signature along with said related record of said transaction, to thereby provide a signed receipt of said transaction in electronic form, whereby said signed receipt of said transaction can be electronically stored in a manner that does not require said store to maintain a paper record of said transaction.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein said signed receipt is electronically stored in a manner to enable it to be graphically reproduced when needed to form a printed and signed paper receipt.

57. The system of claim 56, further comprising a printer for printing said signed receipt of said transaction.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein said printer is located at said point of sale.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein said printer prints said signed receipt at the time of said transaction.

60. The system of claim 55, further comprising a display aligned with said digitizer, for displaying data during said transaction.

61. The system of claim 55, wherein said digitizer generates electrical signals which represent the position of the writing implement placed in contact with the digitizer when the customer signs his or her signature on said digitizer.

62. The system of claim 61, in which said digitizer measures potentials on either side of said writing implement, converts said potentials into digital form, and determines the position of said writing implement on said digitizer in response to said potentials.

63. The system of claim 55, wherein said transaction is a retail credit purchase.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein said record of said transaction includes a credit card number, expiration date, the amount of said credit purchase, and said captured signature.

65. An electronic signature capture device, comprising:

a digitizer adapted to be located at a cashier-operated point of sale station in a store in which a customer participates in a cashier-assisted transaction;

a connector for connecting said digitizer to said point of sale station;

wherein said digitizer is further adapted to receive and electronically capture said customer'"'"'s signature in the course of said cashier-assisted transaction to thereby allow said captured signature to be electronically stored along with information pertaining to said cashier-assisted transaction in a manner that does not require said. store to maintain a paper record of said cashier-assisted transaction.

66. The electronic signature device of claim 65, in which said digitizer is adapted to receive and electronically capture said customer'"'"'s signature in the course of said cashier-assisted transaction to thereby allow said captured signature to be electronically stored in a manner to enable it to be graphically reproduced when needed as part of a paper record of said transaction.

67. The electronic signature capture device of claim 65, further including a display aligned with said digitizer, for displaying data during said transaction.

68. The electronic signature capturing device of claim 65, wherein said digitizer generates electrical signals which represent the position of a writing implement placed in contact with the digitizer when the customer signs his or her signature on said digitizer.

69. The electronic signature capturing device of claim 68, in which said digitizer measures potentials on either side of said writing implement, converts said potentials into digital form, and determines the position of said writing implement on said digitizer in response to said potentials.

70. The electronic signature capturing device of claim 65, wherein said digitizer is adapted to be located at a cashier-operated point of sale station in a store in which a customer participates in a retail credit purchase transaction.

71. The electronic signature capture device of claim 70, wherein said information pertaining to said cashier-assisted transaction includes a credit card account number, expiration date, the amount of said credit purchase and said captured signature.