WO2003032269A1 - Point of sale system - Google Patents

Point of sale system Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2003032269A1
WO2003032269A1 PCT/NZ2002/000211 NZ0200211W WO03032269A1 WO 2003032269 A1 WO2003032269 A1 WO 2003032269A1 NZ 0200211 W NZ0200211 W NZ 0200211W WO 03032269 A1 WO03032269 A1 WO 03032269A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
parallel processing
point
processing system
data
communication
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NZ2002/000211
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Chris Berryman
Original Assignee
Gotech Usa Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Gotech Usa Limited filed Critical Gotech Usa Limited
Publication of WO2003032269A1 publication Critical patent/WO2003032269A1/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07G—REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS
    • G07G1/00—Cash registers
    • G07G1/12—Cash registers electronically operated

Definitions

  • This invention relates to point of sales systems particularly thought not solely to a parallel point of sale system using bar code prefix recognition.
  • a printed bar code such as shown in Figure 1 to identify a product.
  • the bar code is broken up to identify the manufacturer 100, a unique product code 101 and a check digit 102.
  • the bar codes can be in a number of formats for example Universal Product (code UPC); European Article Numbering System (EAN) and may also vary in the number of digits or in additional add on information.
  • code UPC Universal Product
  • EAN European Article Numbering System
  • the present invention may be broadly said to consist in a method of communication between a point of sale system and at least one other parallel processing system comprising the steps: inputting data to the Point of Sale system relating to a scanned bar code, retrieving a predetermined portion of said bar code and if said portion being within a predetermined group entering a null entry a the sales record for that bar code and if not then recording the relevant transaction data into said sales record if said portion of said bar code is within said predetermined group them providing said bar code to said parallel processing system, receiving any additional transaction data to be added to said sales record from said parallel processing system, and producing a composite sales record based on said transaction data from said Point of Sale system and said additional transaction data from said parallel processing system.
  • Preferably said portion relates to the manufacturer prefix portion of a bar code.
  • Preferably said predetermined group identifies that barcode as a tickets for a retail gaming system.
  • said retail gaming system comprises a lottery and said bar code comprises a lottery number.
  • Point of Sale system includes business logic to determine whether said portion of said bar code follows within predetermined group.
  • said additional transaction data supplied by said parallel processing system may comprise information on whether or not said lottery ticket was a winning ticket and or detail of any prizes won.
  • said additional transaction data from said parallel processing data system further comprises an additional lottery ticket.
  • Figure 1 is an illustration of a bar code
  • FIG. 2 is a block diagram according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • the present invention takes advantage of the highly successful universal product code (upc) technology.
  • Universal product codes are standardised codes used to designate items.
  • the term "merchandise” is used to refer to items which are uniquely identified by a specific universal product code. For example the right to a 10% discount on all purchases can be identified by a upc, as can a service.
  • the system consists of a merchants POS system and a parallel processing system (PPS).
  • the merchants POS comprises a central processor 201 with a database 202 having merchandise and inventory data. Each type of merchandise has a bar code with the upc associated with it, Stored in the database 202.
  • the POS system has sales terminals 203 and 204 coupled to central processor 201, and at least one bar code reader 206 located with and connected to each sales terminal 204. Each of the bar code readers for scanning the bar code inputs the same data through the sales terminal 204 to the central processor 201 which in turn transfers data associated with merchandise from the central processor 201 to the sales terminal 204.
  • the POS system allows payment including but not limited to card readers 205 for reading data stored on the magnetic strip of a card.
  • the sales terminal 204 may include one or more device 208 for displaying information. The display device 208 may display a brief description and the price of the merchandise identified by the upc.
  • the point of sale system includes a upc interpreter 210 which relates to business logic programmed in addition to the normal point of sale processing software.
  • the interpreter could equally be provided in a separate unit between the reader and POS, or integrated with either the reader or PPS.
  • the interpreter 210 looks up the manufacture prefix in a look up table and if it falls within a list of special manufactures codes then the business logic instructs the point of sale system to insert a null entry in the sales record for that bar code.
  • the processing continues normally for the special bar codes and normal bar codes alike.
  • the bar codes relating to the special prefix are passed to the PPS 212.
  • the PPS 212 may implement anyone of a range of actions on the selected bar codes.
  • the special bar codes comprise lottery tickets and the PPS 212 interrogates a database 214 to determine whether or not each bar code correspondents to a winning lottery ticket. Once all the special bar codes have been checked by the PPS 212 then the PPS 212 returns additional transaction data to the point of sale system. This returned data to be appended to the end of the sales record includes the result of any lottery tickets ie. whether the customer has won a prize or not and may also include a further lottery ticket at the end of the sales record.
  • the PPS 212 is connected to the Internet or other network connections to the central processor 201 which inturn communicates all data to each sales terminal 204. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that variations on this theme for example smart sales terminal that include their own data store where by the PPS 212 communicates directly to the sales terminal 204.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Cash Registers Or Receiving Machines (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)

Abstract

A method of communication between a point of sale system and at least one other parallel processing system comprising the steps: inputting data to the Point of Sale system relating to a scanned bar code, retrieving a predetermined portion of said bar code and if said portion being within a predetermined group entering a null entry a the sales record for that bar code and if not then recording the relevant transaction data into said sales record if said portion of said bar code is within said predetermined group them providing said bar code to said parallel processing system, receiving any additional transaction data to be added to said sales record from said parallel processing system, and producing a composite sales record based on said transaction data from said Point of Sale system and said additional transaction data from said parallel processing system.

Description

"POINT OF SALE SYSTEM"
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to point of sales systems particularly thought not solely to a parallel point of sale system using bar code prefix recognition.
BACKGROUND ART
It is well known in the art to use a printed bar code, such as shown in Figure 1 to identify a product. The bar code is broken up to identify the manufacturer 100, a unique product code 101 and a check digit 102. The bar codes can be in a number of formats for example Universal Product (code UPC); European Article Numbering System (EAN) and may also vary in the number of digits or in additional add on information.
When a merchant wishes to utilise a bar code an appropriate record must be added to their inventory database. Thus where an independent system using the bar code runs simultaneously (parallel) with a point of sale (POS) system, any extra bar codes for the parallel system must be entered into the database so the POS system knows to hand off those codes to the parallel system. The entry of those bar codes into the POS system can take a prohibitive amount of time and therefore it would be desirable to use a system which avoids entering all the bar codes in the POS system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a Point of Sale system which goes someway to overcoming the disadvantages in the above mentioned prior art or which will at least provide the industry with a useful choice.
Accordingly in a first aspect the present invention may be broadly said to consist in a method of communication between a point of sale system and at least one other parallel processing system comprising the steps: inputting data to the Point of Sale system relating to a scanned bar code, retrieving a predetermined portion of said bar code and if said portion being within a predetermined group entering a null entry a the sales record for that bar code and if not then recording the relevant transaction data into said sales record if said portion of said bar code is within said predetermined group them providing said bar code to said parallel processing system, receiving any additional transaction data to be added to said sales record from said parallel processing system, and producing a composite sales record based on said transaction data from said Point of Sale system and said additional transaction data from said parallel processing system.
Preferably said portion relates to the manufacturer prefix portion of a bar code.
Preferably said predetermined group identifies that barcode as a tickets for a retail gaming system.
Preferably said retail gaming system comprises a lottery and said bar code comprises a lottery number.
Preferably said Point of Sale system includes business logic to determine whether said portion of said bar code follows within predetermined group.
Preferably said additional transaction data supplied by said parallel processing system may comprise information on whether or not said lottery ticket was a winning ticket and or detail of any prizes won.
Preferably said additional transaction data from said parallel processing data system further comprises an additional lottery ticket.
To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an illustration of a bar code, and
Figure 2 is a block diagram according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention takes advantage of the highly successful universal product code (upc) technology. Universal product codes are standardised codes used to designate items.
The term "merchandise" is used to refer to items which are uniquely identified by a specific universal product code. For example the right to a 10% discount on all purchases can be identified by a upc, as can a service. In the preferred embodiment the system consists of a merchants POS system and a parallel processing system (PPS).
The merchants POS comprises a central processor 201 with a database 202 having merchandise and inventory data. Each type of merchandise has a bar code with the upc associated with it, Stored in the database 202. The POS system has sales terminals 203 and 204 coupled to central processor 201, and at least one bar code reader 206 located with and connected to each sales terminal 204. Each of the bar code readers for scanning the bar code inputs the same data through the sales terminal 204 to the central processor 201 which in turn transfers data associated with merchandise from the central processor 201 to the sales terminal 204. Preferably the POS system allows payment including but not limited to card readers 205 for reading data stored on the magnetic strip of a card. Also the sales terminal 204 may include one or more device 208 for displaying information. The display device 208 may display a brief description and the price of the merchandise identified by the upc.
As illustrated in Figure 2 the point of sale system includes a upc interpreter 210 which relates to business logic programmed in addition to the normal point of sale processing software. The interpreter could equally be provided in a separate unit between the reader and POS, or integrated with either the reader or PPS. The interpreter 210 looks up the manufacture prefix in a look up table and if it falls within a list of special manufactures codes then the business logic instructs the point of sale system to insert a null entry in the sales record for that bar code.
The processing continues normally for the special bar codes and normal bar codes alike. At the end of the transaction the bar codes relating to the special prefix are passed to the PPS 212. The PPS 212 may implement anyone of a range of actions on the selected bar codes. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the special bar codes comprise lottery tickets and the PPS 212 interrogates a database 214 to determine whether or not each bar code correspondents to a winning lottery ticket. Once all the special bar codes have been checked by the PPS 212 then the PPS 212 returns additional transaction data to the point of sale system. This returned data to be appended to the end of the sales record includes the result of any lottery tickets ie. whether the customer has won a prize or not and may also include a further lottery ticket at the end of the sales record.
In the preferred embodiment the PPS 212 is connected to the Internet or other network connections to the central processor 201 which inturn communicates all data to each sales terminal 204. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that variations on this theme for example smart sales terminal that include their own data store where by the PPS 212 communicates directly to the sales terminal 204.

Claims

1. A method of communication between a Product Scanner a Point of Sale System and at least one other Parallel Processing System comprising the steps: receiving data from said Product Scanner relating to a scanned bar code, comparing at least a portion of said bar code against predetermined criteria and modifying or blocking said data if within said criteria, and supplying said data to said Point of Sale System if not within said criteria.
2. A method of communication between a Product Scanner a Point of Sale System and at least one other Parallel Processing System as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a step of entering a null entry into a sales record if within said criteria and if not then recording the relevant transaction data into a sales record.
3. A method of communication between a Product Scanner a Point of Sale System and at least one other Parallel Processing System as claimed in claims 1 or 2 further comprising the step of providing said bar code to said Parallel Processing System if within said criteria.
4. A method of communication between a Product Scanner a Point of Sale System and at least one other Parallel Processing System as claimed in claim 3 further comprising step of providing any additional transaction data from said Parallel Processing System to said sales record depending on said transaction data.
5. A method of communication between a Product Scanner a Point of Sale System and at least one other Parallel Processing System as claimed in claim 4 further comprising the step of producing a composite sales record based on said transaction data from said Point of Sale system and said additional transaction data from said Parallel Processing System.
6. A method of communication between a point of sale system and at least one other parallel processing system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said portion relates to the manufacturer prefix portion of a bar code.
7. A method of communication between a point of sale system and at least one other parallel processing system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said predetermined group identifies that barcode as a ticket for a retail promotion system.
8. A method of communication between a point of sale system and at least one other parallel processing system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said retail gaming system comprises a lottery and said bar code comprises a lottery number.
9. A method of communication between a point of sale system and at least one other parallel processing system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said Point of Sale system includes business logic to determine whether said portion of said bar code follows within predetermined group.
10. A method of communication between a point of sale system and at least one other parallel processing system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said additional transaction data supplied by said parallel processing system may comprise information on whether or not said lottery ticket was a winning ticket and or detail of any prizes won.
11. A method of communication between a point of sale system and at least one other parallel processing system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said additional transaction data from said parallel processing data system further comprises an additional lottery ticket.
12. A system for interfacing between a product scanner, A Point of Sale System and at least one Parallel Processing System comprising an interface adapted to control data communication between a Scanner and a Point of Sale System, and a processor adapted to receive data from said interface, wherein if data received falls within predetermined criteria, said data is modified or the transmission thereof blocked and at least a portion supplied to said Processor or a Parallel Precessing System.
13. A system as claimed in claim 12 adapted to locate adj acent and/or integrate with either of a Scanner or a Parallel Processing System
14. A system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said processor adapted to provide data to a Point of Sale System or Parallel Processing System depending on said received data.
PCT/NZ2002/000211 2001-10-10 2002-10-10 Point of sale system WO2003032269A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NZ51474901 2001-10-10
NZ514749 2001-10-10

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2003032269A1 true WO2003032269A1 (en) 2003-04-17

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2015227001A (en) * 2014-05-30 2015-12-17 ブラザー工業株式会社 Printer

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0448386A2 (en) * 1990-03-20 1991-09-25 Ncr Corporation Apparatus and method for lottery and point-of-sale transactions
US5128520A (en) * 1989-08-11 1992-07-07 Spectra-Physics, Inc. Scanner with coupon validation
US5239165A (en) * 1991-04-11 1993-08-24 Spectra-Physics Scanning Systems, Inc. Bar code lottery ticket handling system
US5256863A (en) * 1991-11-05 1993-10-26 Comark Technologies, Inc. In-store universal control system
US5844221A (en) * 1997-03-21 1998-12-01 Ncr Corporation Method and system for redeeming coupons
JPH1125307A (en) * 1997-06-30 1999-01-29 Tsubasa Syst Kk Wins selecting device and computer readable recording medium for recording wins selecting program

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5128520A (en) * 1989-08-11 1992-07-07 Spectra-Physics, Inc. Scanner with coupon validation
EP0448386A2 (en) * 1990-03-20 1991-09-25 Ncr Corporation Apparatus and method for lottery and point-of-sale transactions
US5239165A (en) * 1991-04-11 1993-08-24 Spectra-Physics Scanning Systems, Inc. Bar code lottery ticket handling system
US5256863A (en) * 1991-11-05 1993-10-26 Comark Technologies, Inc. In-store universal control system
US5844221A (en) * 1997-03-21 1998-12-01 Ncr Corporation Method and system for redeeming coupons
JPH1125307A (en) * 1997-06-30 1999-01-29 Tsubasa Syst Kk Wins selecting device and computer readable recording medium for recording wins selecting program

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2015227001A (en) * 2014-05-30 2015-12-17 ブラザー工業株式会社 Printer

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