GB2244575A - Integrated scanner and point of sale system - Google Patents

Abstract

A point of sale system 10 includes: a terminal 12 for input of data; a scanner system 14 for scanning bar code labels and providing coded label data; at least one processor 34 for interpreting coded label data supplied by the scanner system 14 and for processing data supplied by the terminal 12; and a display 26 for providing product identification and pricing information, which display is responsive to the terminal 12 and to the scanner system 14. Also included is a non-volatile memory 40 for permanently storing product identification and pricing information associated with the coded label data and for storing software or programs for running the terminal; and a RAM 42 for running the software stored in the non-volatile memory 40 and for storing the resulting data. Finally, the point of sale system 10 includes an interface for receiving product information and associated pricing information stored in the RAM 42 and non-volatile memory 40; an EPROM 38 for storing a plurality of entries, with each entry having an EPROM address, a coded label and coded label data; and control logic for retrieving a match of the coded label data with one of the coded labels stored in the EPROM 38, and for reading the product identification and pricing information associated with the coded label. <IMAGE>

Description

INTEGRATED SCANNER AND POINT OF SALE SYSTEM The present invention relates generally to point of sale (POS) systems and, more particularly, to a POS system which integrates a scanner and a terminal into a single unit such that redundant components, such as processors, are shared.

Items for resale typically include a bar code or Universal Product Code (UPC) symbol thereon which, when optically scanned, is used to provide product identification and pricing information for the sale and other merchandising purposes, such as inventory control. A wide variety of optical scanners have been designed to read bar code labels used on a broad range of retail packages for check-out and inventory purposes at the point of sale for grocery stores and other high volume transaction businesses. Retail checkout counters commonly include such optical scanners mounted therein for optically scanning bar code labels on products to be purchased as the products are moved over scanning windows in the top surfaces of the scanners.Such a scanner, typically used by a clerk to enter product identification data automatically into an associated computer system, reads the bar code labels and transmits the bar code data to the cash register system or other POS terminal via an interface.

Currently, the scanner and the POS terminal consist of separate devices. There is considerable redundancy between the scanner and the terminal since they have similar electrical architectures and use the same components. For example, each device has its own RAM, ROM, EPROM, microprocessor or microcontroller, data base, displays, and power supply. In addition, further hardware and software are required to connect the terminal and the scanner together so as to provide an interactive system. The redundancy of components is inefficient and costly.

It is seen, then, that there is a need for an improved POS scanner and terminal system which integrates redundant components into a single system, such that the redundant components would be shared.

This need is met by a point of sale system of the present invention which integrates a scanner system and a terminal. According to the present invention, the product identification and pricing information data for a product are stored in a RAM at a host processor, and programs for utilizing the data may be stored in any suitable storage means such as a non-volatile memory means, a disk, a ROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM or a downloaded RAM. A scanner is used to electronically obtain this data. A bar code label is read at the scanner and transferred via a POS terminal to a host processor. The host processor examines its RAM to find a match for the bar code. The associated product identification and pricing information are then provided to the POS terminal and may, for example, be printed on a sales slip.

The point of sale system comprises: a terminal for input of data; a scanner system for scanning bar code labels and providing coded label data to the terminal and to the host processor; at least one processor for interpreting coded label data supplied by the scanner system and for processing data supplied by the terminal; and a display for providing product identification and pricing information, the display being responsive to the terminal and the scanner system.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the point of sale system also includes a non-volatile memory means for permanently storing product identification and pricing information associated with the coded label data and for storing software or programs for operating the terminal, and a RAM for processing the coded label data and the software or programs loaded from the non-volatile memory means and for storing the resulting data.In addition, the point of sale system may also include an interface for receiving product information and associated pricing information stored in the RAM and the non-volatile memory means; an EPROM for storing a plurality of entries, with each the entry having an EPROM address, a coded label and coded label data; and control means for retrieving a match of the coded label data with one of the coded labels in the EPROM, and for reading the product identification and pricing information associated with the coded label.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system which integrates a point of sale terminal and a scanner into a single system; to provide such a system in which the terminal and the scanner share like components to eliminate redundancy; and to provide such a system in which the scanner and terminal are integrated in a single cabinet such that the scanner and terminal are a single unit.

The invention wLll be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a pictorial view of a clerk directing a bar code label on a product toward the scanner of a preferred embodiment of the POS system of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the POS system of Fig. 1 which includes a scanner and terminal as a single unit connected to a host processor and a power supply; and Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a prior art example of a checkout counter which includes a scanner and a terminal as separate units which are connected to a host processor.

The present invention relates to a point of sale system of the type typically located at checkout counters in grocery stores and other high volume retail stores. Referring to the pictorial view of Fig. 1 and the schematic block diagram of Fig.

2, reference number 10 generally refers to a preferred embodiment of the point of sale system of the present invention which includes a terminal 12 and a scanner system 14. The terminal 12 is used for the input of data and performs the general functions of a cash register. Additionally, the system 10 is connected via an interface 18 of the terminal 12 to a host processor 16, as seen in Fig. 2, to perform additional accounting functions.

The scanner system 14 includes a laser scanner 20 for optically reading bar code labels on products. A clerk C passes a product P over the scanner 20 such that the bar code label L on the product P is read by the scanner 20. The scanner system 14 provides the coded label data from the label L to the terminal 12 where it may, for example, be displayed or printed out. The POS system 10 is powered by a single power supply 22 via line 24, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Also included in the POS system 10 of Fig. 1 is a display 26 which displays the input of data to the terminal 12, as well as the bar code label data scanned by the scanner system 14, and price information calculated by the terminal 12. The display 26 usually displays the price of each product P as the bar code label L of the product is scanned by the scanner system 14 and the coded label data is supplied to the terminal 12. The total purchase price, which may be tallied by the terminal 12, can be accessed by entering the request via a keyboard 28.

Additionally, the POS system may include a printer 30 which prints out product identification and pricing information for each product P, as well as the total cost, on a register or terminal tape 32, such as is as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2, a schematic block diagram of the POS system 10 of Fig. 1, illustrates the integrated redundant components between the terminal 12 and the scanner system 14. For instance, at least one processor 34 is responsive to both the terminal 12 and the scanner system 14 for controlling the operation of the POS system, identifying the characters on the scanned labels L, processing the data supplied by the terminal 12 and the scanner system 14, and transmitting the data to the host computer 16 via interface 18 over the line 36.

A control memory comprising erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) 38 communicates with the processor 34 and stores a plurality of sets of control characters in a non-volatile manner. The EPROM 38 stores, for example, characters which, when read on bar code labels, indicate product identification and pricing information about the various products. The use of EPROM 38 to store the control characters permits the scanner system 14 to be programmed to recognize any desired control characters relating to a product P. Each of the plurality of entries, typically sets of control characters, has an EPROM address, coded label information and data relating to the coded labels.

The block diagram of Fig. 2 also includes a nonvolatile memory means 40, which may be any non-volatile memory such as a disk or a single read only memory (ROM), and a single random access memory (RAM) 42, shared by the terminal 12 and the scanner system 14. The non-volatile memory means 40 permanently stores product identification and pricing information associated with the coded label L data. In addition, the non-volatile memory means 40 is one method of storing software programs for operating the terminal 12 and the scanner 14. Program storage may be by any of a variety of means including ROM, EPROM, electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), or downloaded RAM. The shared RAM 42 is utilized in processing the coded label data and the software programs loaded from the non-volatile memory means 40. The resulting data is also stored in the RAM 42.

Interface and control logic means 44 receive product identification information and associated pricing information stored in the non-volatile memory means 40 and the RAM 42. The interface and control logic means 44 is also capable of retrieving a match of the scanned coded label data with one of the coded labels in the EPROM 38, and then reading the product identification and pricing information associated with that coded label.

Fig. 3 illustrates a prior art schematic block diagram of a checkout counter 46 which includes a scanner 48 and a terminal 50 connected to a host processor 52 is shown. Since the scanner 48 and the terminal 50 are completely separate units, there is considerable redundancy of components between the scanner 48 and the terminal 50. The scanner 48 includes a scan unit 52 which reads the bar code label or UPC symbol on a label or tag 54. The scanner 48 also includes a display 56, a processor 58, a RAM 60, a ROM 62, an EPROM 64, and interface and control logic 66. The terminal 50 of Fig. 3 includes a keyboard 68, a display 70, a printer 72, a processor 74, a RAM 76, a ROM 78, and interface and control logic 80.The terminal 50 also includes an interface 82 which couples it to the host processor 52, and an interface 84 which enables the terminal 50 to communicate with the scanner 48 via the scanner interface 86.

The considerable redundancy of components is apparent in the prior art system of Fig. 3. For example, there is a first ROM 62 for the scanner 48 and a second ROM 78 for the terminal 50; a pair of RAMs, 60 and 76; a pair of processors 58 and 74; a pair of displays, 56 and 70; a pair of interface and control logic means, 66 and 80; as well as additional hardware and software for connecting the scanner 48 and the terminal 50. All of these redundant components are integrated and shared by the terminal 12 and the scanner system 14 of the present invention.

Additionally, the interface link between the scanner 48 and the terminal 50, consisting of interfaces 86 and 84, respectively, is eliminated by the integrated POS system of the present invention.

Having described the invention in detail and by reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be apparent that other modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

Claims (6)

1. A point of sale system for use in conjunction with a host processor, comprising: a terminal including a keyboard for the input of data; a scanner system for scanning bar code labels and providing coded label data to said terminal and to said host processor; at least one processor for interpreting coded label data supplied by said scanner system and for processing data supplied by said terminal; and a display for displaying product identification and pricing information, said display being responsive to said terminal and said scanner system.

2. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a non-volatile memory means for permanently storing product identification and pricing information associated with said coded label data and for storing software for operating said terminal; and a RAM for processing said coded label data and said software loaded from said ROM and for storing the resulting data.

3. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising: an interface for receiving product information and associated pricing information stored in said RAM and said non-volatile memory means; an EPROM for storing a plurality of entries, with each said entry having an EPROM address, a coded label and coded label data; and control means for retrieving a match of said coded label data with one of said coded labels in said EPROM, and for reading said product identification and pricing information associated with said coded label.

4. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein said non-volatile memory means comprises a ROM.

5. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein said non-volatile memory means comprises a disk.

6. A point of sale system substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.