Registers – Coded record sensors – Particular sensor structure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-05
2003-07-29
Le, Thien M. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Particular sensor structure
Reexamination Certificate
active
06598799
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a prescription transaction data system, and more specifically to a system for recording and tracking prescription transactions.
2. Description of Related Art
The invention relates to a system and a method for processing signature-based transactions. More particularly, a merchant's records of delivery of goods, such as the delivery of prescription drugs, can be generated and maintained electronically without generation or use of paper records except those delivered to customers at the point of sale.
In retailing and similar areas, the volume of transactions is often such that management of paper records is burdensome. Therefore paper records are being replaced by digital storage media whenever feasible. However, digital storage media have not been able to eliminate the need for paper storage in many financial transactions requiring consumer approval. Typical examples are transactions involving account debit, i.e., including checks and charge receipts. In such transactions, paper documentation bearing a signature has continued to be the norm. The storage and retrieval of such records is both inefficient and costly.
While techniques have been developed for producing digitized facsimiles of human signatures and processing thereof, there has been no practical means of correlating a digitized signature with a specific transaction. Only by a copy of the approving signature thereon has it been possible to satisfy the commercial need for proof of an obligation. Thus, paper records have persisted in the face of strong incentives for their elimination.
In the area of retail marketing of prescription drugs, there is a particular need for an automated system for tracking the order and delivery of drugs. Many consumers require several different prescription medications, have multiple prescriptions for the same medication, or require refills on a prescription. In many retail establishments there is no automated system for recording the date and time of delivery of the prescription medication to the consumer and the name of the person who accepted delivery. Consequently, when a consumer asks the clerk whether an order is ready, a manual search must be made of prescription medications waiting for customer pickup or waiting for preparation by the pharmacist. If there is a dispute between the consumer and the pharmacy about whether the medication has been picked up already, the pharmacy often has no record of the exact date and time the medication was picked up and the identity of the receiver of the prescription. Alternatively, if the pharmacy does have such records, they are paper records and require an undue amount of time to locate. Consequently, there is a need for an automated system for recording and tracking the delivery of goods to the consumer, and particularly for maintaining confidential records and forms, such as a patient's prescriptions.
The relevant art of interest will be described in the order of perceived relevance to the present invention.
Japanese Patent Application No. 5-46871 published on Feb. 26, 1993, for Tatsuo Morimoto describes a system eliminating a separate printer by miniaturizing a point-of-sale terminal or cash register to incorporate a central processing unit (CPU) with an operator's display, an elevated and larger customer's display on top, a journal printer inside, a keyboard, a memory, an IC card reader and writer, and a bar code reader. Sales information inputted from the keyboard or the bar code reader is transmitted to the IC card reader and writer via the CPU and recording sales information on the IC card. The system is distinguishable for recording sales information and eliminating an external printer device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,044 issued on Sep. 5, 1995, to James F. Price et al. describes a signature capture pad for gathering signature data associated with customer transactions including a digitizer, microprocessor, and a plurality of serial ports, and may be connected to a point of sale terminal, such as an electronic cash register. The device is distinguishable for its limited use to a signature capture pad.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,490 issued on Apr. 18, 2000, describes a handheld writing device and related data entry system. A digital electronic clipboard is used to mount pages or forms utilized in forms processing applications, such as inventory tracking. A stylus having a writing tip and a bar code scanning mechanism at its opposite tip is used to enter data on the pages and scan the bar codes. The system is distinguishable for its required stylus having a specific capacity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,194 issued on Jun. 12, 1979, to Lynn McWaters et al. describes an optical recognition system, wherein total data entry is accomplished through a hand held unit. The unit includes an optical scanner, a keyboard and a display which communicates with a portable character recognition unit. The system is distinguishable for requiring a portable character recognition unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,204 issued on Dec. 25, 1979, to Richard W. Koenig et al. describes an automatic inventorying system for automatically inventorying items having coded tags or labels using a character recognition device, such as a wand scanner, in combination with a system for specially marking labels when they have been successfully read and recorded by the scanner. The system comprises a photosensitive dye-forming material on the label and an ultraviolet light-producing flash device on the scanner. The system is distinguishable for being limited to a scanner for marking labels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,189 issued on Nov. 4, 1986, to Rajendra Kumar et al. describes a hand held data entry scanner apparatus having an optical scanning head rotatable on a hand-held keyboard and a liquid crystal display. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to a hand-held scanner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,202 issued on Mar. 22, 1994, to Michael A. Kapp et al. describes a method and system for generating a completed payment document ready for signature in image form. The document is signed by a customer, and a copy of the signature is captured in digital form. Thereafter, the signature is encrypted and saved along with a digital record of the transaction. The system is distinguishable for requiring a write input apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,078 issued on Apr. 18, 1995, to James A. Campo et al. describes a portable point of sale terminal that provides all of the usual point of sale terminal functions, but that is entirely field portable. Data pertinent to each purchase can be input to the terminal via a keyboard assembly, a touch-screen display or a signature-capture screen assembly, or via an antenna and radio link from an associated bar code scanner. Data can be communicated to a remote host computer via a separate antenna and radio link. The terminal functions as a portable repeater or a node in a data communications network. The system is distinguishable for its reliance on portability in the field.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,276 issued on Jul. 4, 1995, to Kazuo Ohtani-et al. describes an image recording apparatus for (1) reading information for identifying an original document; (2) a recording unit for recording the image of the original document on a recording medium; (3) a selector for selecting a first mode or a second mode; and (4) a controller for causing the recording unit (a) to record the image only when the identifying information is read by the reading means if the first mode is selected, or (b) causing the recording unit to record the image regardless of the reading of the identifying information if the second mode is selected. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to image recording.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,555 issued on Apr. 29, 1997, to Patrick H. Davis describes a transport vehicle having as an on-board peripheral system coupled to a Local Area Network (LAN), and a data communication system with an adapter for removable coupling of portable data terminals. A LAN data bus prov
Le Thien M.
Litman Richard C.
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