Delivering customer specified receipt types at checkout

• US 9,576,283 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2012
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores Texas LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Argue, Stuart, Marcar, Anthony Emile
• Primary Examiner(s): Obaid, Fateh M
• Application Number:
  US13/595,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20140058861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0457 the tickets being sent electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards

Abstract

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for delivering customer specified receipt types at checkout. A customer specifies receipt delivery preferences at a mobile device (e.g., specifying delivery of a digital receipt and/or a paper receipt at checkout). The mobile device sends the customer'"'"'s receipt delivery preferences to a receipt preferences database server for storage in a receipt preferences database. During a sales transaction, a point-of-sale (“POS”) system refers to the receipt preferences database (or a relevant portion thereof) to access the customer'"'"'s receipt delivery preferences. Based on the customer'"'"'s receipt delivery preferences, the point-of-sale (“POS”) system delivers appropriate types of receipts (e.g. digital and/or paper) to the customer.

Claims

1. At a Point-Of-Sale (POS) computer system, the POS computer system in a store location for an entity, the POS computer system including one or more processors and system memory, a method comprising:

syncing, using a POS communication module at the POS computer system, a portion of a receipt preferences database from a receipt preferences database server being remote from the POS computer system, the portion of the receipt preferences database being relevant to the store location at which the POS computer system is located, the receipt preferences database storing, using a database access module, associations between derived customer identifiers for a plurality of customers and corresponding customer specified receipt delivery preferences that apply to sales transactions conducted with the entity for the plurality of customers, the specified receipt delivery preferences for each of the plurality of customers including a customer entered printed receipt preference, the customer entered printed receipt preference indicating if the customer desires printed receipts to be provided along with digital receipts for sales transactions at the store location;

opening a sales transaction at the POS computer system;

subsequent to opening the sales transaction, collecting receipt data for the sales transaction using the POS computer system;

acquiring the customer identifier associated with sales transaction, the customer identifier corresponding to a customer and being derivable from a fingerprint scanner of a mobile device associated with the customer such that the customer identifier comprises fingerprint data of the customer, the mobile device comprising one or more processors, a user interface for receiving input from the customer, a system memory comprising one or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, and a mobile device communication module for communicating with the receipt preferences database server, wherein the mobile device receives customer input specifying receipt delivery preferences and sends the specified receipt delivery preferences and the customer identifier with the mobile device communication module to the receipt preferences database server and wherein the receipt preferences database server receives, from the mobile device communication module, an indication of pairing of a device ID for the mobile device to the customer identifier;

using, at the POS computer system, the customer identifier derived from the fingerprint scanner to locate associated receipt delivery preferences for the customer and that are applicable to the sales transaction from within the synced portion of the receipt preferences database;

closing the sales transaction at the POS computer system; and

in response to closing the sales transaction, the POS computer system outputting one or more types of receipts for the sales transaction in accordance with the located receipt delivery preferences for the customer, including at least one of;

sending a digital receipt containing the collected receipt data for a sales transaction from the entity to the mobile device associated with the customer identifier via network communication wherein the digital receipt is presentable on a display of the mobile device; and

printing a paper receipt containing the collected receipt data based on the printed receipt preference included in the located receipt delivery preferences for the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein opening a sales transaction at the POS computer system comprises receiving an indication from an I/O peripheral that a sales transaction is to be opened.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting receipt data for the sales transaction, comprises for each of one or more items included in the sales transaction:

receiving an item identifier from a scanned bar code; and

referring to a product database to access item description data and item cost data for the item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein closing the sales transaction at the POS computer system comprises receiving an indication from an I/O peripheral that the sales transaction is to be closed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein printing a paper receipt containing the collected receipt data based on the printed receipt preference comprises printing a paper receipt based on a printed receipt preference that specifies paper receipts are to be printed for all of the customer'"'"'s sales transactions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein printing a paper receipt containing the collected receipt data based on the printed receipt preference comprises printing a paper receipt based on a printed receipt preference that specifies a paper receipt is to be printed for the sales transaction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a digital receipt comprises sending a digital receipt to the receipt preferences database server.

8. A computer program product for use at a Point-Of-Sale (POS) computer system, the POS computer system in a store location for an entity, the computer program product for implementing a method for delivering customer specified receipt types at checkout, the computer program product comprising a computer storage device having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause the POS computer system to perform the method, including the following:

sync, using a POS communication module at the POS computer system, a portion of a receipt preferences database from a receipt preferences database server being remote from the POS computer system, the portion of the receipt preferences database being relevant to the store location at which the POS computer system is located, the receipt preferences database storing, using a database access module, associations between derived customer identifiers for a plurality of customers and corresponding customer specified receipt delivery preferences that apply to sales transactions conducted with the entity for the plurality of customers, the specified receipt delivery preferences for each of the plurality of customers including a customer entered printed receipt preference, the customer entered printed receipt preference indicating if the customer desires printed receipts to be provided along with digital receipts for sales transactions at the store location;

open a sales transaction at the POS computer system;

subsequent to opening the sales transaction, collect receipt data for the sales transaction at the POS computer system;

acquire the customer identifier associated with sales transaction, the customer identifier corresponding to a customer and being derivable from a fingerprint scanner of a mobile device associated with the customer such that the customer identifier comprises fingerprint data of the customer, the mobile device comprising one or more processors, a user interface for receiving input from the customer, a system memory comprising one or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, and a mobile device communication module for enabling the receipt preferences database server to communicate with the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is configured to receive customer input specifying receipt delivery preferences and to send the specified receipt delivery preferences and the customer identifier with the mobile device communication module to the receipt preferences database server and wherein the receipt preferences database server receives, from the mobile device communication module, an indication of pairing of a device ID for the mobile device to the customer identifier;

use the customer identifier derived from the fingerprint scanner to locate associated receipt delivery preferences for the customer and that are applicable to the sales transaction from within the synced portion of the receipt preferences database;

close the sales transaction at the POS computer system; and

in response to closing the sales transaction, output one or more types of receipts for the sales transaction in accordance with the located receipt delivery preferences for the customer, including at least one of;

send a digital receipt containing the collected receipt data for a sales transaction from the entity to the mobile device associated with the customer identifier via network connection wherein the digital receipt is presentable on a display of the mobile device; and

print a paper receipt containing the collected receipt data based on the printed receipt preference included in the located receipt delivery preferences for the customer.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the POS computer system to print a paper receipt containing the collected receipt data based on the printed receipt preference comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the POS computer system to print a paper receipt based on a printed receipt preference that specifies paper receipts are to be printed for all of the customer'"'"'s sales transactions.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the POS computer system to print a paper receipt containing the collected receipt data based on the printed receipt preference comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the POS computer system to print a paper receipt based on a printed receipt preference that specifies a paper receipt is to be printed for the sales transaction.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the POS computer system to send a digital receipt to the receipt preferences database server.

12. A system for delivering customer specified receipt types at checkout, the system comprising:

a receipt preferences database for an entity, the entity having one or more store locations, the receipt preferences database storing associations between derived customer identifiers for a plurality of customers and associated customer specified receipt delivery preferences that apply to sales transactions conducted with the entity for the plurality of customers, the specified receipt delivery preferences for each of the plurality of customers including a customer entered printed receipt preference indicating if the customer desires printed receipts to be provided along with digital receipts for sales transactions;

a receipt preferences database server, the receipt preferences database server comprising;

one or more processors;

system memory;

a Web server for receiving customer specified receipt delivery preferences and the customer identifier from a mobile device comprising one or more processors, a user interface for receiving input from a user, a mobile device communication module, and system memory comprising one or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions;

a server communication module for sending customer specified receipt delivery preferences to the one or more store locations and being in communication with the mobile device communication module for enabling the receipt preferences database server to communicate with the mobile device; and

one or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the receipt preferences database server to;

receive customer specified receipt delivery preferences and the customer identifier through the Web server from the mobile device, the customer specified receipt delivery preferences specified through the mobile device by customers of the entity wherein the mobile device is configured to receive customer input specifying receipt delivery preferences and to send the specified receipt delivery preferences and the customer identifier with the mobile device communication module to the receipt preferences database server, the customer specified receipt delivery preferences including printed receipt preferences for the one or more store locations, the printed receipt preference indicating if a customer desires printed receipts to be provided along with digital receipts for transactions;

receive, from the mobile device communication module, an indication of pairing of a device ID for the mobile device to the customer identifier;

store, using a database access module, an association between the customer identifier and the customer specified receipt delivery preferences in the receipt preferences database; and

sync a relevant portion of the receipt preferences database through the server communication module to each of the one or more store locations; and

a Point-Of-Sale (POS) computer system at each of the one or more locations, the POS computer system being remote from the receipt preferences database server and comprising;

one or more processors;

system memory;

a POS communication module for receiving customer specified receipt delivery preferences from the receipt preferences database server;

one or more I/O peripherals for acquiring the customer identifiers to be provided to the Web server; and

one or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the POS computer system to;

sync a portion of the receipt preferences database through the POS communication module from the receipt preferences database server the portion of the receipt preferences database being relevant to the store location at which the POS computer system is located;

open a sales transaction for a customer;

subsequent to opening the sales transaction, collect receipt data for the sales transaction;

acquire the customer identifier associated with the sales transaction, the customer identifier corresponding to a customer and being derivable from a fingerprint scanner of the mobile device associated with the customer such that the customer identifier comprises fingerprint data of the customer;

use the customer identifier derived from the fingerprint scanner to locate associated receipt delivery preferences for the customer and that are applicable to the sales transaction from within the synced portion of the receipt preferences database;

close the sales transaction; and

in response to closing the sales transaction, output one or more types of receipts for the sales transaction in accordance with the located receipt delivery preferences for the customer, including at least one of;

send, via network communication a digital receipt containing the collected receipt data for a sales transaction from the entity to the mobile device that was previously paired to the customer identifier wherein the digital receipt is presentable on a display of the mobile device; and

print a paper receipt containing the collected receipt data based on a printed receipt preference included in the located receipt delivery preferences for the customer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the POS computer system to print a paper receipt comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the POS computer system to print a paper receipt based on a printed receipt preference that specifies paper receipts are to be printed for all of the customer'"'"'s sales transactions.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the POS computer system to print a paper receipt comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the POS computer system to print a paper receipt based on a printed receipt preference that specifies a paper receipt is to be printed for the sales transaction.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the POS computer system to output one or more types of receipts for the sales transaction consist of computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the POS computer system to send a digital receipt to the mobile device.