GB1310149A - Guest identification method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1310149 Credit recording apparatus CAPTAIN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES Ltd 13 Nov 1970 54051/70 Heading G4T In using apparatus for checking the identity of a person and for recording and storing financial charges incurred by the person, information given by the person is compared with previously stored information retrieved from a storage device and displayed on a visual display unit. In one embodiment, as shown, the apparatus is installed in a hotel and comprises a central memory 1, which may be of the magnetic disc type, connected to a number of control keyboards 3, 7, 9, cathode-ray tube displays 4, 6 and a print-out device 10. At a reception station, having a conventional full letter keyboard 3 also incorporating a monetary keyboard section and switches to activate the display unit 4, descriptive information about guests checking into the hotel is entered on the keyboard, displayed on the C.R.T. 4 as a visual accuracy check and then fed to the memory 1. A number of satellite stations 5 may be provided, one in each section of the hotel where charges are likely to be incurred by guests. The layout of a satellite keyboard 7 is divided into a guest identification section (13), (Fig. 2, not shown), and financial data section (13a). Financial transactions may include charging to a person's hotel bill, credit card account or by cash payment. For the latter facility the keyboard unit may be equipped with a cash drawer. Each keyboard may have keys marked for special recording functions such as charges for food 19, beverage 20, tax 21, for use in a restaurant, for example. A guest, who may be unknown to the operator, wishing to have charges included in his hotel bill, for example, is required to give some descriptive information such as name and room number, which was fed to the memory at the reception station. The operator keys in the description given, represented by line 25, and information from the store is retrieved, line 26, and visually displayed. If the identity of the person is verified, his charges are entered on the keyboard and displayed, line 27, prior to being fed into the memory store, line 28. A check-out station 8 comprises a keyboard 9 for recalling and totalling the charges of a guest which are produced on the print-out unit 10. Other applications of the apparatus include displaying a complete or partial list of guests in a hotel or a staff list for management purposes.