Information management system, and printer

• US 9,203,982 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US14/385,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20150138592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/468, 358/1.9, 358/1.18, 358/404, 358/444, 705/16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/00 Cash registers alarm indicators G07G3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/06 with provision for the noting of the money to be paid
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32053 Delayed transmission, e.g. to make use of reduced connection rates H04N1/32074 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

Customers are enabled to obtain information printed on a receipt without greatly changing the configuration of devices such as POS registers that process product sales.

A information management system 1 has a printer 3 that prints a receipt based on transaction information related to a product sale; a receipt database 7 that stores transaction information relationally to a unique ID 52; an member service server 6 that registers unique IDs 52 in the receipt database 7; an NFC reader 45 that reads the unique IDs 52; and a control unit 30 that determines if a unique ID 52 is registered in the receipt database 7, prints transaction information and access information for accessing the member registration server 62 if the unique ID 52 is not registered, and sends the unique ID 52 and the transaction information to the member service server 6 if the unique ID 52 is registered.

Claims

1. An information management system comprising:

a printing device including a print unit configured to print a receipt based on transaction information related to a product sale;

a transaction database configured to store the transaction information relationally to registered identification information;

an identification information management device configured to register identification information in the transaction database in response to access from an external terminal device; and

a print control device including an information acquisition unit configured to acquire identification information recorded on a recording medium, a decision unit configured to determine if the identification information acquired by the information acquisition unit is registered in the transaction database, a print controller configured to control printing the transaction information and accessing information for accessing the identification information management device by the print unit when the acquired identification information is not registered in the transaction database, and a transmission unit that sends the identification information relationally to the transaction information to the transaction database when the acquired identification information is registered in the transaction database.

2. The information management system described in claim 1, wherein

the printing device includes the information acquisition unit, the decision unit, and the print controller of the print control device, and is connected to a POS terminal configured to output the transaction information.

3. The information management system described in claim 1, wherein

the print control device acquires the identification information by the information acquisition unit each time the transaction information is externally input.

4. The information management system described in claim 3, wherein

the print control device has a storage unit configured to store the acquired identification information and the transaction information when the identification information acquired by the information acquisition unit when the transaction information is externally input is not registered in the transaction database;

and

when the identification information stored in the storage unit is registered in the transaction database, the transmission unit sends the transaction information stored in the storage unit with the identification information to the transaction database.

5. The information management system described in claim 1, wherein

the print control device has an identification information database configured to store identification information registered in the transaction database;

and

the decision unit determines if the identification information acquired from the information acquisition unit is registered in the transaction database by referencing the identification information database.

6. The information management system described in claim 1, wherein

in response to access from the external terminal device, the identification information management device acquires the identification information and an e-mail address used by the external terminal device from the external terminal device.

7. An information management system comprising:

a printing device including a print unit configured to print a receipt based on transaction information related to a product sale;

a transaction database configured to store the transaction information relationally to registered identification information;

an identification information management device configured to register identification information in the transaction database in response to access from an external terminal device;

a print conditions database configured to store information related to whether or not to print a receipt relationally to identification information registered in the transaction database; and

a print control device including an information acquisition unit configured to acquire identification information recorded on a recording medium, a decision unit configured to determine if the identification information acquired by the information acquisition unit is registered in the transaction database, a transmission unit configured to send the identification information relationally to the transaction information to the transaction database when the acquired identification information is registered in the transaction database, and a print controller configured to control printing a receipt by the print unit based on information stored in the print conditions database when the acquired identification information is registered in the transaction database.

8. The information management system described in claim 7, wherein

the print conditions database is stored internally or is connected to the print control device;

identification information registered in the transaction database is stored in the print conditions database; and

the decision unit determines whether or not the identification information acquired from the information acquisition unit is registered in the transaction database by referencing the print conditions database.

9. The information management system described in claim 7, wherein

the print controller controls printing the transaction information and accessing information for accessing the identification information management device by the print unit when the acquired identification information is not registered in the transaction database.

10. The information management system described in claim 7, wherein

the printing device includes the information acquisition unit, the decision unit, and the print controller of the print control device, and is connected to a POS terminal configured to output transaction information related to product sales.

11. The information management system described in claim 7, wherein

the print control device acquires the identification information by the information acquisition unit each time the transaction information is externally input.

12. The information management system described in claim 11, wherein

the print control device has a storage unit configured to store the acquired identification information and the transaction information when the identification information acquired by the information acquisition unit when the transaction information is externally input is not registered in the transaction database;

and

when the identification information stored in the storage unit is registered in the transaction database, the transmission unit sends the transaction information stored in the storage unit with the identification information to the transaction database.

13. The information management system described in claim 7, wherein

in response to access from the external terminal device, the identification information management device acquires the identification information and an e-mail address used by the external terminal device from the external terminal device.