Point of sale (POS) docking station system and method for a mobile barcode scanner gun system with mobile tablet device or stand alone mobile tablet device

• US 9,558,482 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): St Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/999,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20160203455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 705/17, 235/385, 235/383
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0081 the reader being a portable scanner or data reader G07G1/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A POS docking station for a mobile scanner gun system or mobile tablet (tablet) processes POS sales transactions. An upper housing assembly enclosure houses the “tablet” in a “cradle fashion” fitting snuggly around the “tablet”, providing stability and form fit integration. An electrical connector integrates the upper housing to a printed circuit board (PCB1) to the “tablet”. A base housing assembly includes a scanner trigger button, a base mounting plate, a primary printed circuit board (PCB2) with at least one USB, Ethernet, Serial port, scan switch interface and an external power supply port, and a tilting and rotational mechanism. PCB1 is connected to PCB2 through an interface cable connecting the POS docking station to the “tablet”. USB, Ethernet, Serial ports, scan switch interface and power supply within the base housing assembly are fully operable to the “tablet”, and can be connected to a variety of store systems POS peripheral devices.

Claims

1. A point of sale (POS) docking station for a mobile scanner gun system with mobile tablet device having an upper receiver for processing a retail store POS sales transactions, comprising:

a. an upper housing assembly adapted to house the mobile barcode scanner gun system in a “

cradle fashion”

, comprising;

i. a tablet cradle enclosure having a base designed to receive and fit snuggly around the mobile barcode scanner gun system with mobile tablet device providing stability and a look of integration;

ii. a pin electrical (spring loaded) pogo pin connector having a housing integrated with a secondary printed circuit board (PCB1), located within the base of the tablet cradle enclosure;

iii. electronic coupling to the upper receiver of the mobile barcode scanner gun system with mobile tablet device;

b. a base housing assembly comprising;

i. a top portion with an integrated scanner activation button for use with a barcode scanner integrated with the mobile barcode scanner gun system with mobile tablet device when docked in the POS docking station;

ii. a base mounting plate adapted for attachment to an under cabinet mounting system to provide security and stability to the point of sale (POS) docking station;

iii. a primary printed circuit board (PCB2) located on the base mounting plate operable with at least one USB, Ethernet, debugging Serial ports, scan switch interface and an external power supply port;

iv. the top portion further comprising a tilting and rotational mechanism that connects the base housing assembly to the upper housing assembly, the tilting mechanism and rotational mechanism being adapted to allow the upper housing assembly to rotate and tilt “

toward”

or “

away”

from a user throughout its rotation allowing the user proper viewing orientation of the POS docking station from any position;

c. the secondary printed circuit board (PCB1) being connected to the primary printed circuit board (PCB2) through a custom interface cable operable to facilitate electrical connection between the POS docking station and the mobile barcode scanner gun system with mobile tablet device;

wherein USB, Ethernet, debugging Serial ports, scan switch interface and power supply port housed within the base housing assembly are fully operable to the mobile barcode scanner gun system with mobile tablet device and can be connected to a variety of POS peripheral devices and other store systems peripheral devices.

2. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1, wherein the upper housing assembly further comprises an extended table top extending from and surrounding the tablet cradle enclosure, extending flush from the table cradle enclosure, and being adapted to provide additional hand support and comfort for a user and a more thorough look of integration.

3. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 2, wherein the table top extension completely surrounds a top bracket of the tablet cradle enclosure.

4. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 2, wherein the table top extension has a length ranging from one inch to six inches.

5. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1, wherein the base housing assembly further comprises a detachable rear port cover.

6. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1 comprising two finger slot recessions on each side of a long edge of the upper housing assembly adapted to provide quick and easy removal of the mobile barcode scanner gun system with mobile tablet device.

7. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1, wherein the pin electrical (spring loaded) pogo pin connector is a twenty (20) pin electrical (spring loaded) pogo pin connector.

8. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1, wherein the upper housing assembly further comprises a pair of magnets integrated on ends of the pin electrical (spring loaded) pogo pin connector housing of the upper housing assembly, and mating pair of magnetic slugs installed in matching locations on ends of the upper receiver of the mobile barcode scanner gun system.

9. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1, wherein the upper housing assembly further comprises a payment processing slot adapted to align a magnetic stripe reader (MSR) and an EMV reader on the mobile barcode scanner gun system to operate while docked in the POS docking station adapted to allow a payment card to pass through the MSR or EMV reader installed within the mobile barcode scanner gun system without restriction.

10. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1, wherein the upper housing assembly further comprises a barcode scanner opening adapted to align with a barcode scanner installed on the mobile barcode scanner gun system to properly operate the barcode scanner while the mobile barcode scanner gun system is docked in the POS docking station through use of the barcode scanner switch located on the base housing assembly.

11. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1, wherein the upper housing assembly ranges from five inches in diagonal size to fifteen inches in diagonal size.

12. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1, wherein the primary printed circuit board (PCB2) located on the bade mounting plate is operable with at least one USB, Ethernet, debugging Serial port, Micro USB debug port, Micro USB MSR programming port, scan switch interface and external power supply connector.

13. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1, wherein the point of sale (POS) docking station is operable with USB and Ethernet receipt printers with attached cash drawers, USB Barcode Scanners, USB and Ethernet Payment Terminals, USB and Ethernet Weighted Scales, USB and Ethernet Coupon Printers.

14. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1, wherein the primary printed circuit board (PCB2) manages a 10/100 Ethernet switch with 4 ports, a USB 2.0 switch with 4 ports, an RS-232 Serial debug port, a Micro USB debug port, a Micro USB MSR programming port, the scan switch interface and the external power supply connector.

15. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1, wherein the tilting and rotational mechanism has a rotation of 360 degrees and tilts 90 degrees “

toward”

or “

away”

from the user throughout its 360 degree rotation.

16. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 1, wherein the mobile barcode scanner gun system with mobile tablet device comprises:

a. 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;

b. the front wall having a trigger member located near the base of the main body;

c. a USB scanner input device mounted above and in front of the trigger, the scanner input device having two drivers, including

     1) a native device driver and

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

d. a USB MSR input device for carrying out and processing sales transaction is located on the upper receiver alongside the short edge of the mobile tablet device and directly above the scanner, the MSR being end to end encrypted through to the bank card authorization processor for PCI compliance requirements;

e. the top wall of the 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. the base mount universal receiver with rotational coupling means for conversion of the mobile tablet device from portrait mode to landscape mode without operational delay of the system.

17. A point of sale (POS) docking station for a stand-alone mobile tablet appointed for processing a retail store POS sales transactions, comprising:

a. an upper housing table cradle assembly adapted to house the stand-alone mobile tablet, comprising;

i. a tablet cradle enclosure having a base designed to receive and fit snuggly around the stand-alone mobile tablet providing stability and a look of integration;

ii. a pin electrical (spring loaded) pogo pin connector having a housing integrated with a secondary printed circuit board (PCB1), located within the base of the tablet cradle enclosure;

iii. electronic coupling to the upper receiver of the stand-alone mobile tablet;

b. a base housing assembly comprising;

i. a base mounting plate adapted for attachment to an under cabinet mounting system to provide security and stability to the point of sale (POS) docking station;

ii. a primary printed circuit board (PCB2) located on the base mounting plate operable with at least one USB, Ethernet, debugging Serial ports, scan switch interface and an external power supply port;

iii. a top portion further comprising a tilting and rotational mechanism that connects the base housing assembly to the upper housing assembly, the tilting mechanism and rotational mechanism being adapted to allow the upper housing assembly to rotate and tilt “

toward”

or “

away”

from a user throughout its rotation allowing the user proper viewing orientation of the POS docking station from any position;

c. the secondary printed circuit board (PCB1) being connected to the primary printed circuit board (PCB2) through a custom interface cable operable to facilitate electrical connection between the POS docking station and the stand-alone mobile tablet;

wherein USB, Ethernet, debugging Serial ports, scan switch interface and power supply port housed within the base housing assembly are fully operable to the stand-alone mobile tablet and can be connected to a variety of POS peripheral devices and other store systems peripheral devices.

18. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17 comprising an extended table top extending from and surrounding the tablet cradle enclosure, extending flush from the table cradle enclosure, and being adapted to provide additional hand support and comfort for a user and a more thorough look of integration.

19. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein the table top extension completely surrounds a top bracket of the tablet cradle enclosure.

20. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein the table top extension has a length ranging from one inch to six inches.

21. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein the upper housing assembly ranges from five inches in diagonal size to fifteen inches in diagonal size.

22. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17 comprising a secondary “

tilting”

feature located at a point of integration between the stand-alone mobile tablet and the upper housing assembly allowing for the stand-alone mobile tablet itself to tilt ninety degrees down “

toward”

the user or “

away”

from the user on a secondary tilting armature.

23. The point of sale (PUS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein the base housing assembly'"'"'s top portion further comprises an integrated scanner activation button for use with a barcode scanner integrated with the stand-alone mobile tablet when docked in the POS docking station.

24. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein the base housing assembly further comprises a detachable rear port cover.

25. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein said mobile tablet comprises a USB scanner, MSR, and Europay, MasterCard, and Visa (EMV) processing devices, Near field communications (NFC).

26. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17 comprising two finger slot recessions on each side of a long edge of the upper housing assembly adapted to provide quick and easy removal of the mobile tablet device.

27. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein the pin electrical (spring loaded) pogo pin connector is a twenty (20) pin electrical (spring loaded) pogo pin connector.

28. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein the upper housing assembly further comprises a pair of magnets integrated on ends of the pin electrical (spring loaded) pogo pin connector housing of the upper housing assembly, and mating pair of magnetic slugs installed in matching locations on ends of the upper receiver of the stand-alone mobile tablet.

29. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein the upper housing assembly further comprises a payment processing slot adapted to align a magnetic stripe reader (MSR) and an EMV reader on the stand-alone mobile tablet to operate while docked in the POS docking station adapted to allow a payment card to pass through the MSR or EMV reader installed within the stand-alone mobile tablet without restriction.

30. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein the upper housing assembly further comprises a barcode scanner opening adapted to align with a barcode scanner installed on the stand-alone mobile tablet to properly operate the barcode scanner while the stand-alone mobile tablet is docked in the POS docking station through use of the barcode scanner switch located on the base housing assembly.

31. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein the primary printed circuit board (PCB2) located on the base mounting plate is operable with at least one USB, Ethernet, debugging Serial port, Micro USB debug port, Micro USB MSR programming port, scan switch interface and external power supply connector.

32. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein the point of sale (POS) docking station is operable with USB and Ethernet receipt printers with attached cash drawers, USB Barcode Scanners, USB and Ethernet Payment Terminals, USB and Ethernet Weighted Scales, USB and Ethernet Coupon Printers.

33. The point of sale (POS) docking station as recited by claim 17, wherein the tilting and rotational mechanism has a rotation of 360 degrees and tilts 90 degrees “

toward”

or “

away”

from the user throughout its 360 degree rotation.

34. A point of sale (POS) docking station for a mobile tablet device having an upper receiver for processing a retail store POS sales transactions, comprising:

a. an upper housing assembly adapted to house the mobile barcode scanner gun system in a “

cradle fashion”

, comprising;

i. a tablet cradle enclosure having a base designed to receive and fit snuggly around the mobile tablet providing stability and a look of integration;

ii. a pin electrical (spring loaded) pogo pin connector having a housing integrated with a secondary printed circuit board (PCB1), located within the base of the tablet cradle enclosure;

iii. electronic coupling to the upper receiver of the mobile tablet;

b. a base housing assembly comprising;

i. a primary printed circuit board (PCB2) located on the base mounting plate operable with at least one USB, Ethernet, debugging Serial ports, scan switch interface and an external power supply port;

ii. a top portion comprising a tilting and rotational mechanism that connects the base housing assembly to the upper housing assembly, the tilting mechanism and rotational mechanism being adapted to allow the upper housing assembly to rotate and tilt “

toward”

or “

away”

from a user throughout its rotation allowing the user proper viewing orientation of the POS docking station from any position;

c. the secondary printed circuit board (PCB1) being connected to the primary printed circuit board (PCB2) through a custom interface cable operable to facilitate electrical connection between the POS docking station and the stand-alone mobile tablet;

wherein USB, Ethernet, debugging Serial ports, scan switch interface and power supply port housed within the base housing assembly are fully operable to the stand-alone mobile tablet and can be connected to a variety of POS peripheral devices and other store systems peripheral devices.