Method and apparatus for transferring and processing transaction data

• US 8,714,443 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter N. Ching
• Original Assignee: Peter N. Ching
• Inventors: Ching, Peter N.
• Primary Examiner(s): FRANKLIN, JAMARA ALZAIDA
• Application Number:
  US11/998,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20080086414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,352 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 705/24
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06056 the marking comprising a further embedded marking, e.g. a 1D bar code with the black bars containing a smaller sized coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1439 including a method step for retrieval of the optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

An information entry and reporting system and method for tracking data associated with retail transactions at the point of sale. Transaction data is converted into a machine readable dataform pattern and printed onto a sales receipt provided to the purchaser. Subsequently, the purchaser uses a suitably configured scanning device to read the dataform pattern into his or her computer. Software algorithms decode the scanned dataform pattern, extract the transaction data and store it for subsequent analysis and reporting. The system includes a computer, software adapted to retrieve selected data, assemble the retrieved data in a format suitable for encoding and encode the data in a dataform pattern, a printer to print the encoded transaction data, a scanning device to capture the encoded data, software to decode the transaction data and software to display the data in human readable form.

Claims

1. A method of processing a return transaction using a computerized apparatus, the method comprising:

reading using said computerized apparatus a pre-existing receipt having a first symbol associated therewith;

wherein said first symbol comprises an encrypted version of all of said transaction data needed to process said return transaction by said computerized apparatus; and

wherein encryption of said first symbol comprises public key encryption thereof into a non-human readable format only readable by said computerized apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of reading comprises:

detecting a second symbol; and

reading said first symbol after said act of detecting, said first symbol being in a prescribed relationship with said second symbol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of reading comprises:

detecting said first symbol;

determining an appropriate decoding algorithm based at least in part on said act of detecting; and

decoding said first symbol to obtain said transaction data using said algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of reading comprises decoding said first symbol to obtain said transaction data;

and

processing said return transaction using said transaction data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said act of processing comprises:

generating second transaction data; and

transmitting said second data to a remote location via a network interface of said computerized apparatus.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said act of processing comprises:

generating second transaction data; and

transmitting said second data to mobile device via a wireless interface of said computer apparatus.

7. A method of processing a return transaction, comprising:

reading a pre-existing first symbol at a computerized apparatus, said first symbol being encoded with non-sensitive data utilized to identify a particular consumer account at a secure database;

said computerized apparatus authenticating itself to a secure database and using said non-sensitive data to access information in said particular consumer account needed to complete said processing; and

completing said processing of said return transaction via said computerized apparatus using at least said information in said particular consumer account;

wherein said completion of said processing occurs substantially within said computerized apparatus and without use of entities external to said computerized apparatus.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said act of reading a first symbol comprises determining an appropriate decoding algorithm, and decoding said symbol using said algorithm.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said first symbol comprises a dataform, said dataform being rendered on a substrate.

10. A method of processing a return transaction, said method comprising:

reading a pre-existing receipt having an encoded first symbol associated therewith using a computerized apparatus;

said computerized apparatus decoding said first symbol to obtain transaction data therefrom;

processing at said computerized apparatus said return transaction using at least said transaction data;

generating second transaction data via said computerized apparatus; and

transmitting said second data to a remote location via a network interface of said computerized apparatus, said remote location being accessible to a buyer in an original transaction which caused generation of said pre-existing receipt;

wherein said reading of said pre-existing receipt by said computerized apparatus obviates a need to manually enter transaction information by a user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

said transaction data comprises at least a transaction reference identification code; and

said second transaction data comprises at least a transaction record.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said transaction record is stored at a secure database with which said computer apparatus is in data communication.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said encoded first symbol is encoded such that only an authorized entity for reading said pre-existing receipt may access sensitive information contained therein.

14. A method of using a computerized apparatus to process a return transaction, comprising:

decoding a first symbol via a processor entity of said computerized apparatus, said first symbol being encoded with non-sensitive data;

when said computerized apparatus is authorized to access a secure database;

utilizing at least a portion of said non-sensitive data to access said secure database to identify sensitive data needed to complete said processing of said return transaction, said sensitive data being encoded such that access to sensitive information contained therein is only available when it is determined said computerized apparatus is authorized to access said secure database; and

completing said processing of said return transaction using at least said non-sensitive and sensitive data; and

when said computerized apparatus is not authorized to access said secure database, said secure database providing access to only said non-sensitive data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said sensitive data comprises transaction data, and wherein said computerized apparatus comprises a secure apparatus authorized to access said transaction data by referencing said secure database.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said sensitive information comprises a credit or debit card number.