Fixed amount sales system

• US 8,117,070 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2003
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujimoto, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haider, Fawaad
• Application Number:
  US10/632,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20040193498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,116 Days
• Field of Search: 705/23
• US Class Current: 705/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery

Abstract

A fixed amount sales system adopted in a gasoline stand or the like for preventing operation efficiency reduction which is the case due to independent payments of fuel supply charge and option item amount is disclosed. In the fixed amount sales system, in which the amount of gasoline corresponding to balance amount as a difference of the money amounts of items desired to be bought by a customer among option items (or TBA items) from a preliminarily selected fixed amount is sold by weighing, thus making the giving and taking of small amounts of money and changes between the customer and the shop unnecessary. The fixed amount of money and option items as selected by the customer, are displayed on a menu 22 in the POS terminal 20 for selection by a touch operation of electronic buttons or the like.

Claims

1. A fixed amount sales system associated with a gasoline stand, comprising:

a point of sales (POS) terminal;

a display associated with the POS terminal;

wherein said display displays a plurality of fixed amount selections for fuel,

wherein said POS terminal is used to select one fixed amount selection from said plurality of fixed amount selections for fuel,

wherein said display, after selection of said one fixed amount selection is made with said POS terminal, selectively displays one or more option items to be purchased, each option item being associated with an option item amount, each option item displayed having an option item amount which is less than said one fixed amount selection made with said POS terminal, and upon selection of one or more option items displays as a balance amount

a difference between said one fixed amount selection and any option item amounts for option items to be purchased, and

wherein said POS terminal permits fueling at said gasoline stand in an amount equal to said balance amount.

2. The fixed amount sales system according to claim 1, wherein the POS terminal issues an option item ticket for said option items purchased and a sales receipt.

3. The fixed amount sales system according to claim 2, wherein said option item ticket includes a bar code.

4. A fixed amount sales method of claim 1, wherein the POS terminal outputs a receipt for the sales as well as a coupon for option items chosen by a customer.