Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Credit or identification card systems
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-09
2003-04-15
Lee, Michael G. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Credit or identification card systems
C235S379000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06547132
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to point of sale devices and point of sale transactions.
BACKGROUND ART
In the sale of goods by a merchant to a consumer, there are various point of sale devices available to the merchant which may be utilized to complete the transaction. Typically, each point of sale device has limited functionality. For example, one known point of sale device is the debit card reader that exists in, for example, some grocery stores. The merchant rings up a total amount due on a register, and passes the debit card through a card reader to debit the consumer account. Credit card readers work in a similar way. Usually, the functionality of these available point of sale devices is quite limited. If a merchant desires to have enhanced point of sale capabilities, multiple devices are required. Unfortunately, counter space is very valuable to the merchant good seller. Because the merchant usually must use multiple point of sale devices if more than a single point of sale function is required, these multiple devices take up valuable counter space. Although many of these devices have been commercially successful, the merchant is forced to make a trade off between having additional and enhanced capability at the point of sale and having more available counter space for small items that are commonly bought as a customer is about to check out.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a point of sale payment terminal that overcomes the limitations of the prior art and allows the merchant good seller to avoid the burdensome trade off decisions that must be made when deciding the importance of added counter space versus the importance of added functionality at the point of sale.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an integrated point of sale payment terminal for processing multiple payment types preferably including but not limited to payment by debit, payment by credit, payment by smart card, and payment by check, where the payment terminal may be located at the point of sale during use to allow a store merchant to accept multiple payment types with the single payment terminal.
In carrying out the above object, an integrated point of sale payment terminal for processing multiple payment types including payment by check, is provided. The payment terminal is located at the point of sale during use to allow a store merchant to accept multiple payment types. The payment terminal comprises a compact housing having a base shaped to sit on a merchant counter and having a document slot for receiving a check. The payment terminal further comprises a processor disposed in the housing, a memory in communication with the processor, a magnetic ink character recognition device, and an imaging device. The magnetic ink character recognition device is for reading a string of magnetic ink characters on the check, and is affixed to the housing at the document slot and in communication with the processor. The imaging device is for capturing an image of the check, and is affixed to the housing at the document slot and in communication with the processor. The processor is programed to process multiple payment types including processing a checking account transaction when the check is placed in the document slot.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the payment terminal further comprises a display on the housing and in communication with the processor and a keypad on the housing and in communication with the processor. Further, in a preferred embodiment, the housing has a second slot for receiving a payment card, and the payment terminal further comprises a magnetic stripe reader. The magnetic stripe reader is affixed to the housing at the second slot and is in communication with the processor.
Further, preferred embodiments include a printing device, and a modem located in the housing and in communication with the processor. And further, preferred embodiments include a serial port located on the housing and in communication with the processor for connecting an external device to the payment terminal. In addition, preferred embodiments of the present invention include a smart card reader affixed to the housing and in communication with the processor.
In some embodiments, the payment terminal is further configured to determine an authenticity of the document, and the payment terminal is further configured to utilize dynamic thresholding to, in real-time, discriminate text from background as it relates to checks at point of sale.
Further in carrying out the invention, an integrated point of sale payment terminal is provided. The payment terminal comprises a compact housing having a base shaped to sit on a merchant counter and having a first slot for receiving a payment card, a second slot for receiving a check, and a third slot for receiving a smart card. The payment terminal further comprises a processor disposed in the housing, a random access memory in communication with the processor, a display on the housing and in communication with the processor, and a keypad on the housing and in communication with the processor.
The payment terminal further comprises a magnetic stripe reader, a magnetic ink character recognition device, an imaging device, a smart card reader, a printing device, and a modem. The magnetic stripe reader is affixed to the housing at the first slot and is in communication with the processor. The magnetic ink character recognition device is for reading a string of magnetic ink characters on the check, and is affixed to the housing at the second slot in communication with the processor. The imaging device is for capturing an image of the check, and is affixed to the housing at the second slot and in communication with the processor. The modem is located in the housing and in communication with the processor.
The processor is programmed to process multiple payment types from the consumer, including processing a credit card or a debit card. The credit card or debit card is processed when the credit card or debit card is passed through (or equivalently is received in) the first slot and a receipt is printed. The smart card is processed when the smart card passes through the third slot and a receipt is printed. Further, the processor is programmed to process a checking account transaction when a check is placed in the second slot.
Advantageously, the single payment terminal has a compact housing allowing the acceptance of multiple payment types while avoiding overuse of counter space. Advantageously, the processor and associated devices may handle, for example, credit card payment, debit card payment, smart card payment or checking account payment which may be payment by paper check or payment by electronic debit.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the payment terminal comprises a printing device configured to print on a roll receipt and further configured to print on a check (or other document, for example, a money order) that is received in the second slot. That is, advantageously, a single printing device may print receipts off of a paper roll or print directly to a check to, for example, fill out the blanks on a check or frank the back of the check as “for deposit.” Preferably, the processor is further programmed to, when processing a checking account transaction, print a receipt on the check and treat the transaction as an electronic debit. Printing the receipt may include marking the check as void or processed. Alternatively, when processing a checking account transaction that is a payment by paper check as opposed to an electronic debit of the checking account, the processor is programmed to frank the check as “for deposit.”
In addition to embodiments of the present invention including a modem for connecting to a host that approves the transaction or requests other information regarding the transaction, preferred embodiments of the present invention include one or more serial ports in communication with the processor for connecting an external device to the payment terminal. For example,
Mollett Cassandra J.
Smith David Wayne
Templeton Randy J.
Brooks & Kushman P.C.
First Data Corporation
Lee Michael G.
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