Point of sale payment terminal

• US 6,547,132 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2000
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated), Western Union
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Templeton, Randy J., Mollett, Cassandra J., Smith, David Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/634,901
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 705/16, 705/5
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0425 the cheque being electronic only
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/04 by paper currency
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• 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 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• 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

An integrated point of sale terminal for processing multiple payment types including payment by check includes a compact housing, a processor, and memory. The housing has a base shaped to sit on a merchant counter and has a document slot for receiving a check. The processor is disposed in the housing, and the memory is in communication with the processor. The payment terminal is located at the point of sale during use to allow a store merchant to accept multiple payment types. The payment terminal further includes a magnetic ink character recognition device for reading a string of magnetic ink characters on the check. The magnetic ink character recognition device is affixed to the housing at the document slot and is in communication with the processor. Further, the payment terminal includes an imaging device for capturing an image of the check. The imaging device is affixed to the housing at the document slot and is in communication with the processor. The processor is programed to process multiple payment types including processing a checking account transaction when the check is placed in a document slot.

Claims

1. A method of electronic check conversion for use with an integrated point of sale payment terminal for processing multiple payment types including payment by check, the payment terminal being located at the point of sale during use to allow a store merchant to accept multiple payment types, the payment terminal including a compact housing having a base shaped to sit on a merchant counter and having a document slot for receiving a check, a processor disposed in the housing, a memory in communication with the processor, a magnetic ink character recognition device for reading a string of magnetic ink characters on the check and affixed to the housing at the document slot and in communication with the processor, and an imaging device for capturing an image of the check and affixed to the housing at the document slot and in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is programmed to process multiple payment types including processing a checking account transaction when the check is placed in the document slot, the method comprising:

capturing an image of the check at the payment terminal;

sending a check transaction to a host;

accessing a set of image rules at the host;

determining an image status of the transaction based on the set of image rules, the image status being determined as required when dictated by estimated transaction risk; and

immediately requesting the transferring of the image from the payment terminal to the host when the image status is required, otherwise, allowing the payment terminal to transfer the image to the host, if at all, when the payment terminal is idle.