Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Credit or identification card systems
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-06
2003-11-25
Le, Thien M. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Credit or identification card systems
C235S385000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06651882
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of concession sales tracking systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electronic concession sales calculator for entry of customer orders and computation of transaction value.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior calculators have provided hand-held calculators with a plurality of keys displaying numbers and mathematical symbols for calculating mathematical values and solving scientific equations. Large counter top retail sales cash registers have provided keyboards with a plurality of keys displaying numbers, symbols, and/or types of items for summation of a retail order placed by a customer. Counter top cash registers are of limited mobility and may not be easily reprogrammed if the type of merchandise changes between events hosted at the venue, such as a sports event followed by a concert event.
Many concession stands are manned by volunteer groups having members who are not skilled in high volume, rapid response retail transactions common to entertainment events having short intermissions during which a majority of customers make purchases to avoid missing the main event. These volunteer concession operators are not accustomed to computing a transaction and making change and often need assistance in figuring the correct amounts. Additionally, for small vendor booths, space is limited and a vendor may prefer to maximize use of the booth space for display and storage of merchandise, and/or to reserve space for preparation of food orders. A counter top cash register may not be a preferred method of tracking concession sales due to the large size and lack of mobility of the cash register. For mobile individual vendors, whether volunteers or experienced sales vendors, a concessions sales calculator is needed that is hand-held, is quickly operated, and provides a visual summary of the customer's order and the amount tendered by the vendor. There is a need for a hand-held calculator that requires a minimum of key manipulations for computation and display of a merchandise sale, and which provides a display of the amount tendered and change due to a customer for rapid completion of a transaction by a vendor.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a portable calculator for computation and display of an instantaneous transaction value between a vendor and a customer for concession sales. The portable calculator includes a hand held housing having a keyboard with a plurality of keys thereon. The plurality of keys are separated into at least a first group of keys, representing a plurality of unit price values, and a second group of keys representing a plurality of tendered values.
A means for computing includes a math processor in communication with the first group of keys and the second group of keys. The math processor requires at least one input from each of the first group of keys and the second group of keys to complete a transaction computation. The math processor includes a plurality of memory registers for storage of a plurality of unit price values and a plurality of tendered values associated with the respective keys of each group of keys manipulated by the operator.
At least one display is provided on the housing. The at least one display window is in communication with the math processor for display of a transaction value. The keyboard does not include additional function keys for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and/or division, due to automatic calculating functions associated with the math processor in communication with the respective keys for unit price values and for tendered values. Upon manipulation of the plurality of keys by the operator, the appropriate transaction value, tendered value summation, and “change due” value are displayed in the at least one display, for instantaneous verification to the vendor and the customer of a transaction value for each concession sale.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5579487 (1996-11-01), Meyerson et al.
patent: 5630664 (1997-05-01), Farrelly
patent: 6045044 (2000-04-01), Coleman
patent: 6048268 (2000-04-01), Humble
patent: 6068417 (2000-05-01), Butler
patent: 019638251 (1998-03-01), None
Le Thien M.
Pitts & Brittian P.C.
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