System and method for programming point of sale devices

• US 8,220,003 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paymentech LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Paymentech LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Meckenstock, David T., Lopez, Juan E., George, Mark J., Slavik, Diana E., Lawler, Mark A., Hansen, Robert C., Colon, Gregorio, Cooper, Lester L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Lechi
• Application Number:
  US12/343,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 719/310, 717/168
• US Class Current: 719/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• 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 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/206 Software aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0009 Details of the software in the checkout register, electronic cash register [ECR] or point of sale terminal [POS]
• 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

A system for programming point of sale devices is provided. The system includes a terminal programming system that can program point of sale devices provided by different manufacturers and having different proprietary operating systems. A communications interface is connected to the terminal programming system that receives update requests from the plurality of point of sale devices, such as when the point of sale devices call in to the system or when the point of sale devices respond to a poll.

Claims

1. A method for programming remote devices comprising:

receiving a programming request for a remote device;

determining which of two or more systems is used by the remote device;

transmitting a response to the programming request to the remote device based on the system used by the remote device;

wherein transmitting the response to the programming request to the remote device based on the system used by the remote device further comprises;

determining that a change has occurred for the remote device;

selecting a template for the remote device; and

determining whether to modify the template for the remote device based on the change;

wherein the remote devices are point of sale devices which have operating systems provided by different manufactures;

determining whether verification has been received from the remote device after the remote device processes the response; and

generating an operator notification if a verification has not been received from remote device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the programming request for the remote device comprises receiving a device setup command from the remote device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the programming request for the remote device comprises receiving a device update command from the remote device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the programming request for the remote device comprises receiving a polling command from a device update controller.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining which of two or more systems is used by the remote device comprises retrieving a file associated with the remote device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the response to the programming request to the remote device based on the system comprises transmitting the response to the programming request over a network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the response to the programming request to the remote device based on the system used by the remote device further comprises:

selecting a template for the remote device; and

imposing configuration constraints on the template based upon the remote device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the programming request for the remote device comprises receiving a device setup command from the remote device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the programming request for the remote device comprises receiving a device update command from the remote device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the programming request for the remote device comprises receiving a polling command from a device update controller.

11. A computing apparatus for programming remote devices comprising:

means for receiving on a processor a programming request for a remote device;

means for determining which of two or more systems is used by the remote device;

means for transmitting a response to the programming request to the remote device based on the system used by the remote device;

wherein the means for transmitting the response to the programming request to the remote device based on the system used by the remote device further comprises;

means for determining that a change has occurred for the remote device;

means for selecting a template for the remote device; and

means for determining whether to modify the template for the remote device based on the change;

wherein the remote devices are point of sale devices which have operating systems provided by different manufactures;

determining whether verification has been received from the remote device after the remote device processes the response; and

generating an operator notification if a verification has not been received from remote device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for receiving the programming request for the remote device comprises receiving a device setup command from the remote device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for receiving the programming request for the remote device comprises receiving a device update command from the remote device.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for receiving the programming request for the remote device comprises receiving a polling command from a device update controller.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for determining which of two or more systems is used by the remote device comprises retrieving a file associated with the remote device.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for transmitting the response to the programming request to the remote device based on the system comprises transmitting the response to the programming request over a network.

17. A method for programming remote devices comprising:

receiving a programming request for a remote device;

determining which of two or more systems is usec by the remote device;

transmitting a response to the programming request to the remote device based on the system used by the remote device;

wherein transmitting the response to the programming request to the remote device based on the system used by the remote device further comprises;

determining that a change has occurred for the remote device;

selecting a template for the remote device;

determining whether to modify the template for the remote device based on the change;

transmitting a response to the programming request to the remote device based on the system used by the remote device;

determining whether verification has been received from the remote device after the remote device processes the response; and

generating an operator notification if a verification has not been received from the remote device;

wherein the remote devices are point of sale devices which have operating systems provided by different manufactures.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein receiving the programming request for the remote device comprises receiving a device setup command from the remote device.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein receiving the programming request for the remote device comprises receiving a device update command from the remote device.