Mobile barcode scanner gun system with mobile tablet device having a mobile POS and enterprise resource planning application for customer checkout/order fulfillment and real time in store inventory management for retail establishment

• US 9,430,681 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Retail Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Retail Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Hicks, Bruce J., McWhirter, Brian K., McArthur, DeVan, Williams, Bromley
• Primary Examiner(s): St Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/121,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20160055357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 235/462.45, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/089 hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0081 the reader being a portable scanner or data reader G07G1/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A mobile scanner gun system efficiently and reliably processes a retail store purchase and/or performs daily store inventory management functions. The system has a main body portion extending toward a handle portion, the main body portion having a base, side walls, a front wall and a back wall constructed to form an interior cavity, wherein the front wall includes an aperture with a lens recessed therein. The front wall has a trigger member located near the base of the main body. A USB scanner input device is mounted above and in front of the trigger, the scanner having two drivers, including 1) a native device driver and 2) a keyboard input driver, the scanner device being in communication with the trigger for initiating a scan of a barcode. A USB MSR input device is integrated on the short edge of the mobile tablet device (upper receiver) and is used for processing payment card sales transactions through a secured PCI compliant, end to end encrypted bank card processor. The top wall of the main body portion includes an attachment means comprising a base mount universal receiver with rotational coupling means and a specialized universal serial bus wiring harness adapted to interchangeably mount and communicate with a mobile tablet device having a system integrated therein that enables real-time store level inventory management and a fully functioning POS capability for selling merchandise in a retail sales environment. The base mount universal receiver with rotational coupling allows the mobile tablet device to rotate from portrait mode to landscape mode without operational delay of the system.

Claims

1. A mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store point of sale (POS) sales transaction, comprising:

a) a main body portion extending toward a handle portion, said main body portion having a base, side walls, a front wall and a back wall constructed to form an interior cavity, wherein said front wall includes an aperture with a lens recessed therein;

b) said front wall having a trigger member located near said base of said main body,

c) a Universal Serial Bus (USB) scanner input device mounted above and in front of said trigger, said scanner input device having two drivers, including

     1) a native device driver and

     2) a keyboard input driver, said scanner input device being in communication with said trigger for initiating a scan of a barcode;

d) a USB magnetic stripe reader (MSR) input device for carrying out and processing sales transaction is located on an upper receiver alongside a short edge of the mobile tablet device and directly above the scanner, said MSR being end to end encrypted through to the bank card authorization processor for payment card industry compliance requirements;

e) said top wall of said main body portion having a rotating attachment means comprising a base mount universal receiver with rotational coupling means adapted to interchangeably mount and communicate through a specialized universal serial bus wiring harness with the mobile tablet device having a system integrated therein that enables store level real-time inventory management and a fully functioning POS capability for selling merchandise in a retail sales environment;

f) said base mount universal receiver with rotational coupling means for conversion of said mobile tablet device from portrait mode to landscape mode without operational delay of said system.

2. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1 comprising a previously programmed electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) controlling all actions of said barcode scanner and said gun trigger for activating a scan operation of an item of interest to a customer by an employee of a retail establishment, wherein:

(1) said scan operation is adapted to cause said EEPROM of the main printed circuit board (Main PCB) to communicate with said mobile tablet device, launching said application software to ready said mobile tablet device for receiving a scanned barcode;

(2) said application communicating with said corporate Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to obtain detailed information for daily inventory management purposes for such tasks as physical inventory, cycle counting, inventory receiving, store to store transfers, return to vendor and product re-ticketing;

whereby the customer purchases a product from any retail store employee having said mobile scanner gun system receiving full product details, price, electronic and physical coupons, promotions, customer loyalty data and rewards and charges the purchase in a friendly, efficient, informative atmosphere without having the need to bring the product to a central checkout station and waiting in queue to check out.

3. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 2, wherein said wireless communication may be in the form of Wi-Fi through a plurality of links located within the retail establishment and beyond or wireless cellular data plan through a standard cellular carrier.

4. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 2, wherein said applications comprise an inventory management application in communication with the corporate ERP inventory management applications for managing real-time daily store level inventory management functions from a mobile device within any store location.

5. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 2, wherein said applications comprise a mobile POS application for processing customer check-out of purchases without consideration to the location of the inventory as the mobile POS application can initiate store and warehouse transfers, ship to customer location and special order from the vendor.

6. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 5, wherein said StoreMS Mobile™

application provides access to current pricing, electronic or physical coupons, promotions, and customer loyalty data and rewards available to customer and end to end encrypted payment card processing.

7. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said mobile device is a mobile tablet device with said mobile applications uploaded thereon.

8. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said mobile device is a mobile tablet device having a display and wherein said mobile tablet device is attached and mounted to said pistol grip base housing through said base mount universal receiver with rotational coupling for system operation of said mobile scanner gun system and mobile tablet device for real-time daily store level inventory management and POS customer check-out of merchandise throughout the store and beyond its walls.

9. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said mobile tablet device is capable of being removed from the mobile scanner gun system and attached to other mobile base housing systems, as well as docked on a fixed POS workstation at a cash-wrap station that are constructed and programmed to operate under said system.

10. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said base mount universal receiver with rotational coupling means for mounting said mobile tablet device comprises a sliding mechanism via tongue and groove mating between said mobile tablet device upper receiver and said pistol grip base housing of said mobile scanner gun system.

11. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said mobile tablet device is constructed having a rubberized frame.

12. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, comprising a rubberized frame for housing said mobile device.

13. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 12, wherein said rubberized frame for housing said mobile tablet device is smooth and rugged to protect said mobile device in a hostile store operation and provide optimal wear and usage as it is appointed to be used throughout the day on a sales floor.

14. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 13, wherein said mobile tablet device may be a custom made Original Equipment Manufacturer device affording all the ruggedness required in a hostile retail environment, thus eliminating the need for an external protective shell.

15. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said mobile scanner gun system includes a wrist lanyard.

16. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said mobile device measures about 2 inches to 10.5 inches diagonally.

17. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said mobile device measures 4 inches to 7 inches.

18. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said mobile device measures about 5 inches to about 5.5 inches diagonally.

19. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said mobile device is a mobile tablet device having an integrated case or unit to enable mounting upon said mobile scanner gun system.

20. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said handle is constructed as a pistol handle.

21. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, comprising a handle cover.

22. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said trigger is constructed as a pistol grip base housing.

23. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, comprising an integrated back-up battery.

24. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said device includes a secondary battery located within the upper receiver housing of the mobile tablet device.

25. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 24, wherein said mobile tablet device upper receiver includes a micro-USB connector for charging both the primary mobile tablet device battery and the secondary battery located within the upper receiver housing.

26. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, wherein said mobile device is software secured and rendered useless outside said retail enterprise.

27. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, comprising an RFD tag is imbedded in the mobile scanner gun system to sound alarm if stolen.

28. The mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store POS sales transaction as recited by claim 1, comprising a modification add-on member located thereon said pistol grip base housing of said main body portion adjacent and below the base mount universal receiver with rotational coupling.

29. A mobile scanner gun system for processing a retail store point of sale (POS) sales transaction or performing real-time daily store level inventory management functions, comprising:

a) a main body portion extending toward a handle portion;

b) said main body portion having a top wall, side walls, a front wall and a back wall constructed to form an interior cavity, wherein said front wall includes an aperture with a lens recessed therein;

c) a Universal Serial Bus (USB) mobile scanner input device with scanner engine housed within said interior cavity of said main body, said scanner engine located behind said lens recessed within said aperture of said front wall of said main body;

d) a USB mobile magnetic stripe reader (MSR) input device mounted along a short edge of the mobile tablet device upper receiver for easy access by the user regardless of which base housing is selected for use;

e) said handle portion having a trigger member in communication with said mobile scanner engine for initiating a scan of a barcode;

f) said top wall of said main body portion having an attachment means thereon, wherein said attachment means is adapted to receive a mobile tablet device housing having an MSR slot and being adapted to receive and house therein a mobile tablet device having an application software providing wireless secure communicative capability with a POS store systems server in a retail store, which is connected to a corporate Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system;

g) a specialized universal series bus wiring harness adapted to be attached to said mobile tablet device;

h) said main printed circuit board (Main PCB) having a previously programmed electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) controlling all actions of said scanner input device and a gun trigger for activating a scan operation of an item of interest to a customer by an employee of a retail establishment;

i) said scan operation is adapted to cause said EEPROM of the Main PCB to communicate with said mobile tablet device, launching said application software to ready said mobile tablet device for receiving a scanned barcode;

j) said application communicating with said corporate ERP system server to obtain detailed information for daily inventory management purposes for such tasks as physical inventory, cycle counting, inventory receiving, store to store transfers, return to vendor and product re-ticketing;

k) said application software communicating with said POS store systems server to obtain detailed information of the product scanned, its inventory, selling price, electronic and physical coupons, customer loyalty data and promotions available, and displaying product data on a display screen of said mobile tablet device;

l) said POS store systems server contacting a bank card authorization processor approving said purchase and communicating to the mobile tablet device that the customer payment card has been approved for scanned merchandise purchased;

m) said corporate ERP system adjusting the allocation of said product inventory visible chain-wide, sending a receipt to the e-mail address of the customer if requested, and/or printing a hard copy of the transaction on a central printer;

n) said mobile tablet device being operative, in the event that said authorization is denied, to inform the employee of this credit denial on the mobile tablet device display and alternate payment requested, so that said customer is informed;

whereby the customer purchases a product from any retail store employee having said mobile scanner gun system receiving full product details, price, electronic and physical coupons, promotions, customer loyalty data and rewards and charges the purchase in a friendly, efficient, informative atmosphere without having the need to bring the product to a central checkout station and waiting in queue to check out.