Form processing system and method

• US 7,021,538 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Igarashi, Tadashi, Ando, Munehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Seung H
• Application Number:
  US10/684,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20040118908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 705/1, 700/131, 700/132, 700/134
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services

Abstract

A form processing system makes it easier to handle forms generated in conjunction with product sales and thereby improves overall productivity. This form processing system processes forms generated in conjunction with product sales using a form printer 4 as a form printing unit for printing forms using a form format suitable to the product purchased by a customer and specific form configuration data that is added to the form format. A receipt generator 5 used as a form reading unit then reads a completed form and generates form image data from the completed form. The completed form is a form that was printed by the form printer and then had additional information relating to the product sale recorded on the form. A form management database 20 used as a form image storage unit then stores the form image data generated by the receipt generator 5. The productivity of forms processing and management is thus improved.

Claims

1. A form processing system for processing forms generated in conjunction with product sales, comprising:

a form printing means for printing a form using a form format suitable to a product purchased by a customer and specific form configuration data added to the form format;

a form reading means for reading a completed form having additional information relating to a product sale recorded on a form previously printed by the form printing means, and generating form image data;

a form image storage means for storing form image data generated by the form reading means; and

a receipt generating means for generating a receipt containing sales transaction information for a purchased product,

the receipt generating means generating an exchange receipt containing a partial image of the completed form in conjunction with the receipt.

2. A form processing system according to claim 1, wherein the receipt generating means cuts a specific area from the form image data generated by the form reading means to extract a part of the form image data, and generates the exchange receipt using exchange receipt printing data into which the extracted part of the form image data is pasted.

3. A form processing system according to claim 1, wherein the form configuration data includes customer information about a registered customer.

4. A form processing system according to claim 1, wherein the form configuration data includes product information about a product for sale.

5. A form processing system according to claim 4, wherein the product information includes a product profile to be displayed on a form.

6. A form processing system according to claim 1, wherein the form configuration data includes measurement information useful for identifying information related to measurements taken when the purchased product is clothing.

7. A form processing system according to claim 1, wherein the form configuration data includes barcodes corresponding to data to be displayed on a form;

and

the form reading means comprises a barcode reader for reading the barcodes.

8. A form processing system according to claim 7, wherein the barcodes include barcodes for product codes assigned to individual products, and barcodes for form numbers assigned to individual forms.

9. A form processing system according to claim 1, further comprising a common network that connects the form printing means, form reading means, and form image storage means, and a terminal connected to the network that can reference the form image data stored in the form image storage means.

10. A form processing system for processing forms generated in conjunction with product sales, comprising:

a form printing unit that prints a form using a form format suitable to a product purchased by a customer and specific form configuration data added to the form format;

a form reading unit that reads a completed form having additional information relating to a product sale recorded on a form previously printed by the form printing unit, and that generates form image data;

a form image storage unit that stores form image data generated by the form reading unit; and

a receipt generating unit that generates a receipt containing sales transaction information for a purchased product,

the receipt generating unit generating an exchange receipt containing a partial image of the completed form in conjunction with the receipt.

11. A form processing system according to claim 10, wherein the receipt generating unit cuts a specific area from the form image data generated by the form reading unit to extract a part of the form image data, and generates the exchange receipt using exchange receipt printing data into which the extracted part of the form image data is pasted.

12. A form processing system according to claim 10, wherein the form configuration data includes customer information about a registered customer.

13. A form processing system according to claim 10, wherein the form configuration data includes product information about a product for sale.

14. A form processing system according to claim 13, wherein the product information includes a product profile to be displayed on a form.

15. A form processing system according to claim 10, wherein the form configuration data includes measurement information useful for identifying information related to measurements taken when the purchased product is clothing.

16. A form processing system according to claim 10, wherein the form configuration data includes barcodes corresponding to data to be displayed on a form;

and

the form reading unit comprises a barcode reader that reads the barcodes.

17. A form processing system according to claim 16, wherein the barcodes include barcodes for product codes assigned to individual products, and barcodes for form numbers assigned to individual forms.

18. A form processing system according to claim 10, further comprising a common network that connects the form printing unit, form reading unit, and form image storage unit, and a terminal connected to the network that can reference the form image data stored in the form image storage unit.

19. A form processing method for processing forms generated in conjunction with product sales, comprising:

printing a form using a form format suitable to a product purchased by a customer and specific form configuration data added to the form format;

scanning a completed form having additional information relating to a product sale recorded on a form previously printed, and generating form image data;

generating a receipt containing sales transaction information, and an exchange receipt containing an image of part of the completed form; and

storing the generated form image data in a storage unit.

20. A form processing method according to claim 19, wherein generating the receipt comprises:

cutting a specific area from the generated form image data and extracting partial image data; and

pasting the partial image data into exchange receipt printing data to generate an exchange receipt.