DE8716522U1 - Screen POS terminal - Google Patents

Description

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Description

The invention relates to an electronic universal cash register terminal, preferably for customer processing in retail in the form of a flat, box-shaped attachment for the sales counter manufactured as a system component, designed with all contemporary and future-oriented features for fulfilling the functions or components required directly for customer processing (collection of goods data, billing, cashing, receipt creation, etc.).

Such a conception and construction is of great practical interest, because it enables the full use of communication and data technology at the point of customer processing, also under practical and business-related aspects.

Electronic cash registers are well known, which in their external design are basically comparable to the classic cash register as devices that can be placed on a sales counter. There are the first versions of this type that are supplemented with a mounted screen - either a cathode ray tube or a plasma flat screen - in order to make it easier to guide the cash register operator, especially when staff changes frequently and are not trained. These arrangements are usually supplemented with a receipt printer. These types of versions are now usually organized as a modular system, ie the keyboard, printer, operating display, customer display and possibly also the screen are mounted on the housing of the cash drawer as individual components. '

There is also a known design in which parts of an invoice text - usually just one or a few lines - are displayed on a screen installed with an almost vertical screen surface behind a keyboard, whereby only the monetary amounts are printed on the receipt, which is otherwise filled out by hand. In the mechanical design, these cash registers are also equipped with

2) comparable to the classic cash register design. '

A solution has also become known in which a computer cash register is formed from separate units that stand freely on the counter.

3) individual devices such as PC (computer), screen, keyboard and printer. '

Ultimately, due to the banking POS concepts (i.e. authorization and/or clearing of Eurocheques and/or credit cards via telephone, Datex or, in the future, ISDN network), the device configurations are in accordance with the

ÖS both of the solutions mentioned above have been supplemented by additional so-called customer service units, also known as customer terminals (for inserting or swiping a magnetic or chip card into a reader and entering the personal identification number PIN), which are again located on the sales counter. Sometimes this terminal is also physically separated into customer and dealer sections if the dealer

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the card should be inserted or swiped. '

As desirable as the use of computer cash registers with all the possibilities of today's communication and data technology is - in many industries, especially in conjunction with a screen - the following points of the device concepts known today are, on the other hand, perceived by users as disadvantageous: the devices take up too much space on the sales counter, the shop counter is confusing and looks untidy, maintenance and cleaning are cumbersome.

From the perspective of the rental price situation, especially in city locations, lost space, even of a small size, is definitely an economic factor.

The lack of a processing-friendly design is of particular importance for retailers, and is equally important for customers and staff* If the customer has the impression of a conglomerate of various technical devices, represented by the computer peripherals, the acceptance of banking POS also suffers.

The solutions mentioned above, with their devices distributed around and connected by cables above the sales counter, do not represent a particularly high level of operational safety in the sense of today's understanding of technology; even the possibility of them falling down unintentionally by the customer or staff cannot be ruled out.

Another special aspect is the arrangement of the screen and keyboard, where the height and angle often do not meet ergonomic requirements.

Finally, the user also misses the possibility of integrating complex technology appropriately into the interior design of a shopfitting concept.

The disadvantages mentioned above inevitably lead to the need for a solution whose requirements can be summarized as follows: optimal, functional processing of all functions associated with direct customer processing (collection of goods data, billing, shaving, receipt creation, etc.), including the extended functions due to banking POS with magnetic and/or chip and/or hybrid cards between staff and customers.

Operation options by staff in compliance with ergonomic principles, i.e. the screen - which is an LCD (liquid crystal display) screen in the flat design of the device - must, for example, be easy to read from a normal working position while standing (without having to bend down), the keyboard must be at a height that does not require the arms to be raised when used.

However, the level of training of the staff must also be taken into account, as they are often recruited from part-time workers who often change positions. This means that the cash register workstation must be manageable and as easy to use as possible.

An integrated functional block is to be created in the interest of customers Jj? 25 and staff with regard to processingj as well as because of the technical clarity and against the background of easy retrofitting to existing shop fittings and the high requirements for operational safety and ease of maintenance, especially at h.-^- &ogr; sen-

J sible place like the cash register.

The subject of the invention is therefore a universal screen cash register terminal with the components required directly for customer processing (collection of goods data, billing , cashing, receipt creation, etc.) such as
Cash drawer, screen, keyboard, invoice or receipt printer, customer

dendisplay, cash card terminal ' (with keyboard for PIN entry, cash card reader and small display for dialogue with the customer)
as well as the possibility of connecting a reading pen, a hand scanner
and coupling option for the transfer from a mobile data collection device (data from the sales process with the customer), which is characterized in that an integrated device manufactured as a system component and easily transportable accommodates all functions or components required for the processing of the customer. ,

Especially because of the compactness of its design, this j

Universal screen cash register terminal also as satellite cash register at frequently I

changing locations within a trading company advantageous \

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The figures illustrate the subject matter of the invention using an example.

Fig. 1 and 2 show the universal screen cash register terminal (UB terminal ) 2, placed on a counter surface 1. I

Fig. 1 shows the UB terminal from the operator side; Fig. 2 from the customer side. ^K :

Fig. 1 also shows a cash drawer, which at the relatively low
Room depth advantageously consists of two cash drawers 3 and 4 coupled together and arranged one above the other. The
Travel distances due to design measures a ratio of about
1:2 (upper to lower drawer).

The keyboard 5 consists - depending on the software concept - in the form of a |

PC keyboard or classic cash register keyboard with weapon group and/or I

Single item keyboard, |

*Geldkarte is a synonym for all card technologies &

The receipt 7 is fed upwards from the flush-mounted receipt or invoice printer 6 and can be removed from there by the staff.

A flat screen 8, which is inclined according to the viewing angle of the staff (cash register operator), is arranged below a suitably anti-reflective glass pane 16 so that the surface of the device is flush and mechanical protection for the screen is provided.

Furthermore, Fig. 1 shows the customer display 9 facing the customer to display the payment amount.

Fig. 2 also shows the connection options for the reading pen 13, handheld scanner 14 and transfer option 15 for data from a mobile data collection device.

Furthermore, Fig. 2 shows the cash card terminal with keyboard 12, cash card reader 11 and display 10, which is recessed for reasons of a discrete PIN entry option.

Claims (14)

Sch nt2 claims 1. Universal cash register terminal using communication and data technology, preferably for retail, equipped with all components required for direct customer processing (recording of goods data and other data associated with sales and their transfer to an inventory management system, processing of the payment process in cash, cashless or credit, printing of the commercially required receipts and lists) _r iDadurcn characterized in that a flat, box-shaped device manufactured as a system component, preferably as a mobile second cash register, is intended for the sales counter and in terms of construction includes all components required directly for customer processing at this cash register workstation in such a way that only the operating and display elements as well as the necessary openings for the exit of the receipts and the insertion of cash cards penetrate the outer surfaces. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the keyboard (5) for entering alphanumeric characters is arranged on the top of the device within reach of the operating personnel. ^' 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the keyboard door (5) is equipped as a classic cash register keyboard, among other things with article and product group keys. 4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the keyboard (5) is designed as a universal keyboard for numbers in document management, carrying out arithmetic operations, calculations, etc. 5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a flat screen or a single or multi-part operator display (not shown in detail here), preferably inclined towards the viewer, is arranged following the keyboard (5) in the direction of the center of the surface of the device. r m * r · ■ a mt • ·■ · · · &bgr;&igr; 6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a display (9) inclined towards the customer for displaying customer information such as invoice data, date, is preferably embedded flush in the surface of the device (2). 7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a card reader (not shown in detail here) for reading a cash card by the cashier is arranged within the reach of the cashier, preferably flush with the surface of the device and on the right-hand side of the same. e10 8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that in the ; Surface of the device due to the need for a discreet ,« would give the personal identification number by the customer to % A cash card terminal (10, 11, 12) is arranged on the customer side. 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the GeId-15 card terminal contains a keyboard (12), a card reader (11), and a &iacgr; display (10) for status display for the customer. 10. Device according to claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the cash card terminal is arranged recessed in the area of the aligned edge of the device. 11. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that an invoice or receipt printer (6) is arranged flush in the surface of the device, for example next to the screen. 12. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the screen (8) is covered flush with a glass plate (16). 13. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupling options for the reading pen, hand scanner and mobile data capture are located on the right-hand side of the device from the operator's perspective. IjI (13, 14, 15). I · f (1(1 111 III! Il i 14. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cash drawers (3 and 4) are arranged one above the other and are coupled to one another in such a way that the lower cash drawer has approximately twice the travel path as the upper one. 15, Device according to claim 1* characterized in that the cash drawers (3 and 4) consist of a single unit with less space required for storing money*