Point of sale business transaction data gathering using portable memory device
First Claim
1. A method of data gathering using a portable memory device, the method comprising:
- a customer conducting at least one business transaction with at least one vendor at a point of sale;
connecting said portable memory device to a first computer system used by said vendor, during said business transaction, wherein said portable memory device is received from said customer at said point of sale;
receiving a set of data from a data processing system used by said vendor, wherein said set of data is generated as the result of said customer conducting said business transaction;
preparing data contents of at least one of following data file;
a transaction data file and an electronic receipt file, using said set of data and creating at least one of said transaction data file and said electronic receipt file in said portable memory device; and
detaching said portable memory device from said first computer system and said customer receiving back said portable memory device.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, apparatus and computer programs for gathering data from business transactions conducted at a point of sale using a portable memory device, like, a removable USB flash memory drive. A customer gathers a plurality of a transaction and electronic receipt files by connecting the portable memory to a computer at the point of sale. Over a period of time, the customer consolidates the files into a second database. In one embodiment, the vendor reads an identification data of the customer from the portable memory and stores in a first database along with business transaction data. In another embodiment, the vendor searches for the electronic receipt in the portable memory for matching product identifier of a returned product to complete a return transaction. The apparatus comprises a portable memory connector with a connecting means for the customer to attach and detach the portable memory at the point of sale.
99 Citations
77 Claims
-
1. A method of data gathering using a portable memory device, the method comprising:
-
a customer conducting at least one business transaction with at least one vendor at a point of sale;
connecting said portable memory device to a first computer system used by said vendor, during said business transaction, wherein said portable memory device is received from said customer at said point of sale;
receiving a set of data from a data processing system used by said vendor, wherein said set of data is generated as the result of said customer conducting said business transaction;
preparing data contents of at least one of following data file;
a transaction data file and an electronic receipt file, using said set of data and creating at least one of said transaction data file and said electronic receipt file in said portable memory device; and
detaching said portable memory device from said first computer system and said customer receiving back said portable memory device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
-
42. A data gathering method comprising:
-
a customer creating a identification data in a device configuration file in a portable memory device, wherein said identification data uniquely identifies said customer to a vendor;
said customer entering into a business transaction with said vendor at a point of sale;
connecting said portable memory device to a computer system used by said vendor at said point of sale;
reading said identification data of said customer from said device configuration file;
receiving a set of data from a data processing system, wherein said set of data is generated as the result of said customer conducting said business transaction with said vendor; and
associating one or more of a data element from said set of data with said identification data and storing in a database. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
-
-
45. A method of returning at least one purchased item to a vendor, by a customer, using a portable memory device, the method comprising:
-
said customer returning the purchased item to said vendor and providing said portable memory device;
receiving the purchased item identification;
performing computer-implemented search for identifying at least one of following data file;
a transaction data file and electronic receipt file, in said portable memory device, wherein the data contents of the data file, comprising said purchased item identification; and
visually outputting the data contents of identified data file to said vendor to complete the return transaction. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
-
-
50. A computer readable medium storing a computer program with a plurality of code sections, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps of:
-
receiving a set of data from a data processing system, wherein said set of data is generated as the result of a customer conducting a business transaction with a vendor at a point of sale;
preparing data contents of at least one of a transaction data file and electronic receipt file using said set of data; and
creating at least one of said transaction data file and said electronic receipt file in a portable memory device, wherein said portable memory device is provided by said customer during said business transaction at said point of sale. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
-
-
58. A computer readable medium storing a computer program with a set of instructions that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps of:
-
receiving at least one purchased item identifier corresponding to a purchased item by a customer;
identifying at least one of following data file;
a transaction data file and an electronic receipt file in a portable memory device connected to the computer, wherein the data file contents comprising a data value matching with said purchased item identifier and portable memory device is provided by said customer; and
displaying the data file contents to a vendor using a display unit of the computer to assist said vendor to complete a return transaction. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60)
-
-
61. A computer readable medium storing a computer program with a plurality of code sections, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps of:
-
identifying at least one of the following data file;
a transaction data file and an electronic receipt file, in a portable memory device attached to said computer, wherein the data files are received by a customer from one or more vendors at a point of sale; and
extracting each of the data file into a database. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
-
-
70. An apparatus for attaching and detaching a portable memory device to a computer system used by a vendor, during a business transaction at a point of sale, by a customer, without human assistance from a vendor, the apparatus comprising:
-
a portable memory connector for attaching and detaching said portable memory device by said customer, wherein said portable memory connector is attached to a location easily accessible and visible by said customer at said point of sale; and
a first connecting means for connecting said portable memory connector to said computer system. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
-
Specification