Systems and methods for identifying transaction capabilities of cashier

• US 9,779,395 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2015
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal Mart Stores Inc (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Perry, Dustin, Smith, Zachariah, White, Daryl, Wade, Grant
• Primary Examiner(s): Masud, Rokib
• Application Number:
  US14/711,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20150332242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 705 16, 705 18
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/206 comprising security or operator identification provisions, e.g. password entry
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/01 Details for indicating displaying information in general G09F, G09G
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to determining an availability of a transaction capability of a point-of-sale terminal, and alerting a customer of an availability of the transaction capability. Login activity can be detected at a point-of-sale terminal. An availability of a transaction capability for the point-of-sale terminal can be determined based on data retrieved by the point-of-sale terminal in response to the login activity. A visual alert associated with the transaction capability of the point-of-sale terminal is controlled based on the availability of the transaction capability.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for displaying a transaction capability associated with usage of a point-of-sale terminal, the method comprising:

detecting login activity at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal;

determining an availability of at least one transaction capability of a plurality of transaction capabilities for the POS terminal based on data programmatically retrieved by the POS terminal in response to the login activity;

receiving, via circuitry including a controller electrically coupled to the POS terminal, a signal from the POS terminal indicating the availability of the at least one transaction capability; and

controlling the circuitry based on the availability of the at least one transaction capability to cause the circuitry to control a visual alert device including one or more light sources, in response to receiving the signal,

wherein the visual alert device is configured to illuminate one or more graphical representations via the one or more light sources based on availability of the plurality of transaction capabilities for the POS terminal, and

wherein causing the circuitry to control the visual alert device comprises causing the circuitry to at least one of energize the one or more light sources or de-energize the one or more light sources associated with at least of the one or more graphical representations corresponding to the at least one transaction capability.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing code by the POS terminal to query a database storing employee information including an attribute of an employee associated with the login activity;

determining whether the attribute satisfies a specified criteria; and

determining whether the at least one transaction capability associated with the POS terminal is available based on whether the specified criteria is satisfied.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing code by the POS terminal to query a database storing information including a specified criteria for determining whether the at least one transaction capability is available; and

determining whether the at least one transaction capability associated with the POS terminal is available based on whether the specified criteria is satisfied.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing a database storing employee information to access data related to the login activity.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing a database storing store information to access data related to the login activity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one transaction capability of the POS terminal includes at least one of an ability to sell alcohol, ability to sell tobacco, ability to sell lottery ticket, ability to cash checks at the POS terminal, or ability to complete a transaction associated with restricted goods.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the circuitry to control the visual alert device comprises causing the circuitry to render a visual alert on a display device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting logoff activity, and in response to detecting the logoff activity, controlling the circuitry to de-energize the light source.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the login activity indicates a login to the POS terminal by an employee.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least one transaction capability associated with the POS terminal comprises determining whether an attribute associated with at least one of a location of a store within which the POS terminal is disposed, a calendar day on which the login activity is detected, or a time of a day during which the POS terminal is utilized.

11. A system for alerting a customer of a transaction capability of a point-of-sale system, the system comprising:

a point-of-sale (POS) system programmed to;

detect login activity and determine whether at least one transaction capability of a plurality of transaction capabilities is available at the POS system in response to the login activity; and

an alerting system electrically coupled to the POS system and configured to;

receive a signal from the POS system indicating availability of the at least one transaction capability;

control circuitry electrically coupled to the POS terminal based on the availability of the plurality of transaction capabilities to cause the circuitry to control a visual alert device including one or more light sources, in response to receiving the signal,

wherein the visual alert device is configured to illuminate one or more graphical representations via the one or more light sources based on the availability of the plurality of transaction capabilities for the POS terminal, and

wherein causing the circuitry to control the visual alert comprises causing the circuitry to at least one of energize the one or more light sources or de-energize the one or more light sources associated with at least one of the one or more graphical representations corresponding to the at least one transaction capability.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the POS system is programmed to query a database storing employee information including an attribute of an employee associated with the login activity, determine whether the attribute satisfies a specified criteria, and determine whether the transaction capability associated with the POS system is available based on whether the specified criteria is satisfied.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the POS system is programmed to query a database storing information including a specified criteria for determining whether the at least one transaction capability is available and determine whether the transaction capability associated with the POS system is available based on whether the specified criteria is satisfied.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the alerting system includes a display monitor, an output of the display monitor being controlled based on the availability of the at least one transaction capability at the POS system.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the POS system communicates with a database storing at least one of employee information or store information to determine whether the at least one transaction capability is available.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the database is stored on a store server.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the transaction capability of the POS system includes at least one of an ability to sell alcohol, ability to sell tobacco, ability to sell lottery ticket, and ability to cash checks.

19. The system in claim 11, wherein the alerting system comprises:

a controller electrically coupled to the POS terminal;

a first light source;

a second light source;

a first switch electrically coupled between a power source and the first light source;

a second switch electrically coupled between the first switch and the second light source, the second switch being controlled by the controller,

wherein, in response to activating the first light source, via the first switch, and receiving the signal by the controller from the POS terminal, the controller controls the second switch to activate the second light source.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the activation of the second light source requires the first light source to be activated.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a processing device, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processing device to implement a method for alerting a consumer of a transaction capability of a point-of-sale system in a store comprising:

detecting login activity at a point-of-sale (POS) system in a store;

determining at least one transaction capability of a plurality of transaction capabilities associated with the POS system based on data retrieved by the POS system in response to the login activity; and

receiving, via circuitry including a controller electrically coupled to the POS terminal, a signal from the POS system indicating availability of the at least one transaction capability;

controlling the circuitry based on the availability of the transaction capability to cause the circuitry to control a visual alert device including one or more light source, in response to receiving the signal,

wherein the visual alert device is configured to be illuminate one or more graphical representation via the one or more light sources, associated with the plurality of transaction capabilities of the POS terminal,

wherein causing the circuitry to control the visual alert comprises causing the circuitry to at least one of energize the one or more light sources or de-energize the one or more light sources associated with at least one of the one or more graphical representations corresponding to the at least one transaction capability.