Method and apparatus for processing a supplementary product sale at a point-of-sale terminal

• US 7,072,850 B1
• Filed: 03/20/1998
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Van Luchene, Andrew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myhre, James W.
• Application Number:
  US09/045,518
• Time in Patent Office: 3,028 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/19, 705/20, 705/21, 705/23, 705/24
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• 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 20/207 Tax processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/145 PLU-management

Abstract

Upsells are made accessible to customers so customers may select upsells as they select items in their purchase. Each upsell has an associated rounding code. For example, the rounding code may be determinable from a bar code printed on an adhesive label that is affixed to the upsell. A POS terminal receives the rounding code, by scanning the label or other means. Typically, the rounding code is read in a manner similar to the manner in which items in the purchase are read by the POS terminal. The purchase price (sum of all item prices and any tax) is rounded, based on the rounding code. For example, given a purchase price of $8.26, and a rounding code that indicates a multiple of $5, the purchase price would be rounded up to the next-higher multiple of $5 ($10.00). The customer would pay the rounded price in exchange for the items and the upsell. Thus, the difference between the rounded price and the purchase price ($10.00−$8.26 =$1.74) is effectively the price the customer pays for the upsell.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

scanning a bar code on at least one item;

determining a purchase price for a purchase including the at least one item;

receiving a rounding code from a first item not included in the purchase;

determining a rounding multiple corresponding to the rounding code;

rounding the purchase price based on the rounding multiple; and

allowing an exchange of the at least one item and the first item for the rounded purchase price.

2. A method comprising:

scanning a bar code on at least one item;

determining a purchase price for a purchase including the at least one item;

receiving a rounding code from a first item not included in the purchase;

determining a rounding multiple corresponding to the rounding code;

rounding the purchase price based on the rounding multiple; and

receiving the rounded purchase price in exchange for the at least one item and the first item.

3. A method comprising:

scanning a bar code on at least one item;

determining a purchase price for a purchase including at least one item;

receiving a rounding code from a first item not included in the purchase;

selecting a rounding multiple from a plurality of rounding multiples based on the received rounding code;

rounding the purchase price based on the selected rounding multiple; and

receiving the rounded purchase price in exchange for the at least one item and the first item.

4. A method comprising:

receiving a signal indicative of at least one item from a customer;

determining a price for the at least one item;

receiving a signal indicative of a scanned bar code on a first item not included in the at least one item;

selecting an integer from a plurality of integers based on the scanned bar code, in which at least one of the plurality of integers is “

1”

;

determining a rounded price based on the price and the selected integer, in which the rounded price is a lowest multiple of the selected integer that is greater than the price;

setting the rounded price as required payment for the at least one item and the first item; and

registering the rounded price as being paid for by the customer.

5. A method comprising:

receiving at least one item from a customer;

receiving a first item from a customer, in which the first item is not included in the at least one item;

scanning a bar code on the at least one item;

determining a price for the at least one item;

determining a rounding multiple based on the first item;

determining a rounded price based on the price and the rounding multiple, in which the rounded price is a lowest multiple of the selected integer that is greater than the price;

charging the customer the rounded price for the at least one item and the first item; and

receiving payment of the rounded price from the customer.

6. A method comprising:

receiving at least one item from a customer;

receiving a first item from a customer, in which the first item is not included in the at least one item;

determining a price for the at least one item;

scanning a bar code on the first item;

selecting an integer from a plurality of integers based on the scanned bar code, in which at least one of the plurality of integers is “

1”

;

determining a rounded price based on the price and the selected integer, in which the rounded price is a lowest multiple of the selected integer that is greater than the price;

charging the customer the rounded price for the at least one item and the first item; and

receiving payment of the rounded price from the customer.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of items from a customer, each item having a bar code;

scanning the bar code on each of the plurality of items;

selecting an integer from a plurality of integers based on one of the scanned bar codes;

determining a price of a subset of the plurality of items, the subset not including the item corresponding to the one of the scanned bar codes;

determining a rounded price based on the price and the selected integer, in which the rounded price is a lowest multiple of the selected integer that is greater than the price;

charging the customer the rounded price for the plurality of items; and

receiving payment of the rounded price from the customer.