Integrating predefined templates with open ticket functionality

• US 10,580,062 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2016
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abrons, Adam, Bell, Bruce, Wilson, Mathew, Rocklin, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Rudy, Andrew Joseph
• Application Number:
  US15/195,557
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 705 16, 705 261, 705 2681, 235375-383
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/219 Managing data history or versioning querying versioned data G06F16/2474; querying temporal data G06F16/2477
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02574 of combined substrates, multilayered substrates, piezoelectrical layers on not-piezoelectrical substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02866 of bulk wave excitation and reflections
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02992 Details of bus bars, contact pads or other electrical connections for finger electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/131 consisting of a multilayered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/14541 Multilayer finger or busbar electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/17 having a single resonator crystal tuning forks H03H9/21

Abstract

Techniques and arrangements for integrating predefined templates with open ticket functionality. For instance, a merchant device can identify a type of transaction between a merchant and a customer, select a ticket type for the transaction based on the type of transaction, and select a transaction flow based on the ticket type. The merchant device can then generate an open ticket for the transaction based on the ticket type, and associated transaction flow with the open ticket. Additionally, the merchant device can generate a visual representation of data associated with the open ticket, where a layout of the data within the visual representation is based on the type of transaction and the transaction flow, and present the visual representation to the merchant. In some examples, the type of transaction is identified using received input. In some examples, the type of transaction is identified based on a group associated with the customer.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a point-of-sale (POS) application comprising instructions executable by one or more processors of a device operable by a merchant, the method comprising:

receiving, via an interface of the device that is presented via the POS application, input associated with a transaction between the merchant and a customer;

determining, based at least in part on the input, a transaction type associated with the transaction;

generating a data structure storing data associated with the transaction;

determining, based at least in part on the transaction type, a transaction flow from a plurality of predefined transaction flows, wherein the transaction flow defines one or more processes that the merchant is to perform during a course of the transaction with the customer;

associating the transaction flow with the data structure;

determining, based on the transaction type associated with the transaction, a template defining a visual representation of the data; and

presenting the visual representation of the data via the interface of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the template comprises accessing a database comprising a plurality of predefined templates and each template corresponds to a different transaction type.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the template defines a layout of the data associated with the data structure, including one or more of graphics, text, or interactive elements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more processes include one or more of a time at which to (i) input data associated with the customer, (ii) input data associated with customer orders, or (iii) process the transaction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction type comprises (i) a delivery transaction, (ii) a transaction within a zone of a physical establishment of the merchant, (iii) a transaction within a station of the physical establishment, or (iv) a transaction within a defined area of the physical establishment.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving additional input associated with the transaction between the merchant and the customer;

determining, based at least in part on the additional input, a new transaction type associated with the transaction;

updating, based at least in part on the new transaction type, the data structure in order to generate an updated data structure;

determining, based at least in part on the new transaction type, a new transaction flow from the plurality of predefined transaction flows;

associating the new transaction flow with the updated data structure;

determining, based on the new transaction type, a new template defining a new visual representation of data associated with the updated data structure; and

presenting the new visual representation of the data via the interface of the device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the data structure includes an associated versioning data structure indicating a version of the data structure, and wherein the method further comprises:

updating, based at least in part on generating the updated data structure, the associated versioning data structure in order to indicate that the data structure has been updated; and

causing, based at least in part on updating the associated versioning data structure, one or more other POS devices to locally update the data structure stored on the one or more other POS devices to the updated data structure.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the input identifies a group associated with the customer, and wherein determining the transaction type is based at least in part on the group.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving additional input associated with merging the data structure with an additional data structure in the group;

merging the data structure with the additional data structure to create a new data structure, wherein the new data structure stores data associated with the transaction with the customer and data associated with another transaction by an additional customer;

determining a new template defining a new visual representation of the data associated with the new data structure; and

presenting the new visual representation of the data via the interface of the device.

10. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, the instructions programming the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving input associated with a transaction between a merchant and a customer;

determining, based at least in part on the input, a transaction type associated with the transaction;

generating a data structure storing data associated with the transaction;

determining, based at least in part on the transaction type, a transaction flow from a plurality of predefined transaction flows, wherein the transaction flow defines one or more processes that the merchant is to perform during a course of the transaction with the customer;

associating the transaction flow with the data structure;

determining, based on the transaction type associated with the transaction, a template defining a visual representation of the data; and

presenting the visual representation of the data via a display of a device operable by the merchant.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the input identifies a group associated with the customer, and wherein determining the transaction type is based at least in part on the group.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving additional input associated with merging the data structure with an additional data structure in the group;

merging the data structure with the additional data structure to create a new data structure, the new data structure storing data associated with the transaction by the customer and data associated with another transaction by an additional customer;

determining a new template defining a new visual representation of the data associated with the new data structure; and

presenting the new visual representation of the data via the display of the device operable by the merchant.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving additional input associated with the transaction between the merchant and the customer;

determining, based at least in part on the additional input, a new transaction type associated with the transaction;

updating based at least in part on the new transaction type, the data structure in order to generate an updated data structure;

determining, based at least in part on the new transaction type, a new transaction flow from the plurality of predefined transaction flows;

associating the new transaction flow with the updated data structure;

determining, based on the new transaction type, a new template defining a new visual representation of data associated with the updated data structure; and

presenting the new visual representation of the data via the display of the device operable by the merchant.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the data structure is associated with an open ticket.

15. One or more computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

receiving input associated with a transaction between a merchant and a customer;

determining, based at least in part on the input, a transaction type associated with the transaction;

generating a data structure storing data associated with the transaction;

determining, based at least in part on the transaction type, a transaction flow from a plurality of predefined transaction flows, wherein the transaction flow defines one or more processes that the merchant is to perform during a course of the transaction with the customer;

associating the transaction flow with the data structure;

determining, based on the transaction type associated with the transaction, a template defining a visual representation of the data; and

presenting the visual representation of the data via a display of a point-of-sale (POS) device.

16. The one or more computer-readable media as claim 15 recites, wherein the input identifies a group associated with the customer, and wherein determining the transaction type is based at least in part on the group.

17. The one or more computer-readable media as claim 16 recites, the acts further comprising:

receiving additional input associated with merging the data structure with an additional data structure in the group;

merging the data structure with the additional data structure to create a new data structure, the new data structure storing data associated with the transaction by the customer and data associated with another transaction by an additional customer;

determining a new template defining a new visual representation of the data associated with the new data structure; and

presenting the new visual representation of the data via the display of the POS device.

18. The one or more computer-readable media as claim 15 recites, the acts further comprising:

receiving additional input associated with the transaction between the merchant and the customer;

determining, based at least in part on the additional input, a new transaction type associated with the transaction;

updating based at least in part on the new transaction type, the data structure in order to generate an updated data structure;

determining, based at least in part on the new transaction type, a new transaction flow from the plurality of predefined transaction flows;

associating the new transaction flow with the updated data structure;

determining, based on the new transaction type, a new template defining a new visual representation of data associated with the updated data structure; and

presenting the new visual representation of the data via the display of the POS device.

19. The one or more computer-readable media as claim 18 recites, wherein the data structure includes an associated versioning data structure indicating a version of the data structure, and wherein the acts further comprise:

updating, based at least in part on generating the updated data structure, the associated versioning data structure in order to indicate that the data structure has been updated; and

causing, based at least in part on updating the associated versioning data structure, one or more other POS devices to locally update the data structure stored on the one or more other POS devices to the updated data structure.

20. The one or more computer-readable media as claim 15 recites, wherein the data structure is associated with an open ticket.