Method and apparatus for logging system test data in a POS system

• US 6,795,809 B2
• Filed: 09/03/1998
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing International Incorporated (Catalina Marketing Corporation)
• Inventors: Katz, Gary M., Off, George W., OʼBrien, Michael R., Cherney, Timothy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hewitt, II, Calvin L
• Application Number:
  US09/146,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,210 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8, 705/10, 705/14, 705/16, 705/18, 705/20, 705/21, 705/23, 705/33
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• 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 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• 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 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• 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: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A system for automatically distributing discount coupons or certificates in a retail store, conditioned on a preselected combination of present and past shopping behavior of a customer whose order is being processed at a checkout stand. Generation of a printable discount coupon can be based on any desired combination of customer-supplied data, obtained from a customer identification data base, past shopping activity, derived from data gathered during previous customer visits to the store, and present shopping activity, as evidenced by items identified in the current customer order. Collection of data pertaining to past behavior of customers is facilitated by filtering all sales transaction data at the point of sale. If all of the preselected conditions for generation of a coupon are satisfied, the coupon is generated and printed at the checkout stand.

Claims

1. A point of sale system, comprising:

(a) a terminal at a customer checkout location, said terminal having means for reading product codes on product items in a customer'"'"'s order;

(b) item record file means for storing price and product identification information for product items;

(c) a store controller with which said terminal can communicate, said store controller in communication with said item record file; and

(d) means for collecting and storing system test data, said system test data comprising a log of events including at least two of (1) loop error events, (2) terminal reload events, (3) price change at the terminal events, and (4) item-not-on-file events.

2. A point of sale system, comprising:

(a) a terminal at a customer checkout location, said terminal having means for reading product codes on product items in a customer'"'"'s order;

(b) item record file means for storing price and product identification information for product items;

(c) a store controller with which said terminal can communicate, said store controller in communication with said item record file; and

(d) means for collecting and storing system test data, said system test data comprising a log of events including at least three of (1) loop error events, (2) terminal reload events, (3) price change at the terminal events, and (4) item-not-on-file events.

3. A point of sale system, comprising:

(a) a terminal at a customer checkout location, said terminal having means for reading product codes on product items in a customer'"'"'s order;

(b) item record file means for storing price and product identification information for product items;

(c) a store controller with which said terminal can communicate, said store controller in communication with said item record file; and

(d) means for collecting and storing system test data, said system test data comprising a log of events including (1) loop error events, (2) terminal reload events, (3) price change at the terminal events, and (4) item-not-on-file events.

4. A point of sale system, comprising:

(a) a terminal at a customer checkout location, said terminal having means for reading product codes on product items in a customer'"'"'s order;

(b) item record file means for storing price and product identification information for product items;

(c) a store controller with which said terminal can communicate, said store controller in communication with said item record file; and

(d) means for collecting and storing system test data, said system test data comprising a log of events including at least one of (1) loop error events, (2) terminal reload events, (3) price change at the terminal events, and (4) item-not-on-file events.

5. A system according to claim 4 further comprising means for collecting and storing credit provider authorization time-out data, said time-out data comprising an amount of time-outs received during electronic tendering transactions.

6. A system according to claim 4 further comprising means for collecting and storing credit provider authorization time-out data, said time-out data comprising an amount of time-outs received during electronic tendering transactions, wherein said tendering transactions each involve an electronic request for authorization for credit from a credit provider.

7. A system according to claim 4 further comprising means for uniquely identifying the customer based upon a scannable identification card.

8. A system according to claim 4 further comprising a scanner for electronically, magnetically, or optically reading information.

9. A system according to claim 4 further comprising customer purchase file means for storing data pertaining to the customer'"'"'s purchase of products.

10. A system according to claim 4 further comprising means for automatically generating data defining a discount coupon.

11. A system according to claim 4 further comprising means for generating said coupon in response to a coupon signal indicating that a customer'"'"'s order meets conditions of a discount deal.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein said coupon signal is generated in response to a tender signal indicating purchase of said customer'"'"'s order.

13. A system according to claim 4 further comprising means for printing a discount coupon.

14. A system according to claim 4 further comprising means for printing a discount coupon at the terminal.

15. A system according to claim 4 further comprising a remote host computer for processing data and generating reports and a remote database for storing data, said remote database in communication with said remote host computer, and means for placing said remote host computer in communication with said store controller for transmitting data captured at said terminal to said remote host computer.

16. A system according to claim 4 wherein said store controller comprises means for performing a filter process for determining selected customer purchase data.

17. A process comprising the steps of:

(a) reading product codes on product items in a customer'"'"'s order using a terminal at a customer checkout location;

(b) storing price and product identification information for product items in an item record file;

(c) transmitting price and product identification information from the item record file to an store controller;

(d) transmitting customer purchase data from said terminal to said store controller; and

(e) collecting and storing system test data, said system test data comprising a log of events including at least two of (1) loop error events, (2) terminal reload events, (3) price change at the terminal events, and (4) item-not-on-file events.

18. A process comprising the steps of:

(a) reading product codes on product items in a customer'"'"'s order using a terminal at a customer checkout location;

(b) storing price and product identification information for product items in an item record file;

(c) transmitting price and product identification information from the item record file to an store controller;

(d) transmitting customer purchase data from said terminal to said store controller; and

(e) collecting and storing system test data, said system test data comprising a log of events including at least three of (1) loop error events, (2) terminal reload events, (3) price change at the terminal events, and (4) item-not-on-file events.

19. A process comprising the steps of:

(a) reading product codes on product items in a customer'"'"'s order using a terminal at a customer checkout location;

(b) storing price and product identification information for product items in an item record file;

(c) transmitting price and product identification information from the item record file to an store controller;

(d) transmitting customer purchase data from said terminal to said store controller; and

(e) collecting and storing system test data, said system test data comprising a log of events including (1) loop error events, (2) terminal reload events, (3) price change at the terminal events, and (4) item-not-on-file events.

20. A process comprising the steps of:

(a) reading product codes on product items in a customer'"'"'s order using a terminal at a customer checkout location;

(b) storing price and product identification information for product items in an item record file;

(c) transmitting price and product identification information from the item record file to an store controller;

(d) transmitting customer purchase data from said terminal to said store controller; and

(e) collecting and storing system test data, said system test data comprising a log of events including at least one of (1) loop error events, (2) terminal reload events, (3) price change at the terminal events, and (4) item-not-on-file events.

21. A process according to claim 20 further comprising the step of collecting and storing credit provider authorization time-out data, said time-out data comprising an amount of time-outs received during electronic tendering transactions.

22. A process according to claim 20 further comprising the step of uniquely identifying the customer based upon a scannable identification card.

23. A process according to claim 20 wherein said reading comprises electronic, magnetic or optical scanning.

24. A process according to claim 20 further comprising the step of storing data pertaining to the customer'"'"'s purchase of products.

25. A process according to claim 20 further comprising the step of generating data defining a discount coupon.

26. A process according to claim 25 wherein said step of generating is in response to a tender signal.

27. A process according to claim 20 further comprising the step of generating a coupon in response to a coupon signal indicating that a customer'"'"'s order meets conditions of a discount deal.

28. A process according to claim 20 further comprising the step of transmitting data captured at said terminal from the store controller to a remote host computer.

29. A system according to claim 20 further comprising the step of filtering thereby determining selected customer purchase data.