Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-26
2003-03-18
Le, Thien M. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
C235S436000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06533168
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to data entry and reporting systems and more specifically, to a method of employing machine-readable dataforms to automate transmission of transaction data from vendor point of sale transaction registers to purchaser data processing devices such as computers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED TECHNOLOGY
Computer based storage, analysis and reporting of transaction data offers powerful analytical tools with applications in both personal and business contexts. A key challenge to full exploitation of these analytical and reporting tools is accurate and timely entry of transaction data and associated categories into user data processing devices such as computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), hand-held PCs, or even cellular telephones.
In a retail transaction at the point of sale, transaction data, including the currency value of the transaction, the time and date of the transaction, and the items or services transacted, are typically entered by a vendor into a cash register or other transaction processing device (hereinafter “cash register”), either manually or by use of an automated data entry device. The cash register creates a record of the sale for the vendor's accounting system.
The cash register also prints the previously entered transaction data combined with vendor configurable information such as the name, address and telephone number of the vendor onto a tangible (e.g., paper) register receipt. This receipt is then provided to the purchaser as a record of the transaction. For various reasons including, inter alia, tax reporting or expense reimbursement claims purposes, purchasers will often add their own handwritten notations regarding the circumstances of the transaction to the receipts after receiving the receipt from the vendor.
Typically, in order to enter this information into their own computer, the purchaser must duplicate the vendor's original data entry efforts. This entry process requires re-entry of the transaction data and is commonly accomplished by means of manual entry of the transaction data, including any handwritten notations on the receipts, using a keyboard attached to the purchaser's computer.
This method presents several obvious problems. The data entry is itself time consuming and labor intensive. Data entry errors can occur either while the purchaser is reading the transaction data from the receipts or while the transaction data is subsequently being entered using the keyboard. The time, effort and monotony associated with hand keying receipt information into the purchaser's computer means that purchasers often will delay or simply fail to enter the receipts. Among other problems, this can result in loss of the receipts and/or incomplete purchaser transaction records.
Dataform Technology
So-called “barcodes” are well known in the data encoding arts. Linear barcodes (also known as one-dimensional barcodes), stacked barcodes (also known as one-dimensional stacked or two-dimensional stacked barcodes), matrix barcodes (also known as two-dimensional matrix barcodes) and any other arrangement whereby data is fixed in some form of machine readable copy (collectively “dataforms”), are machine readable graphical patterns of encoded data within a matrix which typically incorporate graphical finder, orientation and reference structures. Dataforms are often printed on paper or other suitable substrates. They are functionally non-volatile “write once read many” storage for recording and transmission of data. They typically take the form of dark colored elements printed on a substrate, the latter providing a light colored background. The specific pattern of dark and light areas communicates encoded data and varies depending on the specific encoding symbology used. These patterns can be subsequently read by use of an electro-optical scanning device or other suitable devices which are capable of distinguishing between different reflective values of light reflected from the dark and light elements of the dataform. The variations in reflected light are photoelectrically converted into electrical signals which are in turn amplified and digitized. The digitized information representing the encoded pattern is then processed to reveal the dataform pattern. The dataform pattern is then decoded by use of an algorithm, such decoding allowing extraction of the encoded data.
Data storage capacities among dataforms vary based on a number of factors including encoding symbology and size of the dataform. For example, as compared with stacked and matrix barcodes, linear barcodes, have a limited capacity to store information. In contrast, stacked and matrix barcodes offer greatly expanded data storage capacity. Where linear barcodes generally contain a string of numbers functioning as a record locator referencing an external database, stacked and matrix barcodes can themselves function as self-contained databases. Examples of dataform encoding symbologies are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,304,786 (Pavlidis, et al.); 5,591,956 (Longacre, et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,552 (Little, et al). Other dataform encoding symbologies include the United Parcel Service's MaxiCode 2D matrix barcode, Ted William's Code One matrix barcode, and International DataMatrix, Inc.'s DataMatrix 2D matrix barcode.
As compared with read-only memory based on electronic storage mediums, dataforms, being encoded patterns printed onto paper or other suitable substrates, provide other advantages. They commonly incorporate error correction protocols, thereby allowing damaged or partial images to communicate the required data. They are also comparatively cheap to produce, have no power requirements for maintaining the integrity of their encoded data, are very convenient to transport and store and as compared with electro-mechanical based storage methods, are very durable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,739,512 entitled “Digital Delivery of Receipts” issued Apr. 14, 1998 and assigned to Sun Microsystems, Inc., (hereinafter “the '512 patent”) discloses a method and apparatus for transmitting electronic receipts via a variety of mechanisms including e-mail and “smart” cards. However, while affording advantages in terms of ease and speed of routing of information to its desired destination, the invention disclosed in the '512 patent disadvantageously does not allow the user to make annotations upon the receipt generated by the vendor. Additionally, no facility for automatically identifying and storing encoded transaction information based on classification codes provided by the vendor or the purchaser is disclosed. Furthermore, no method for transmitting the transaction data via means other than smart cards or the Internet is disclosed. In particular, no method for transmitting transaction data to Personal Digital Assistants (PDAS) is disclosed. Additionally, no facility for allowing the user to characterize or annotate stored transaction information at the time of transaction is disclosed.
Based on the foregoing, what is needed is an improved method and apparatus for communicating information relating to transactions, including user-customized or annotated data, from the point of occurrence of the transaction (e.g., the point of sale) to a data processing device accessible by the user via one or more communications links. Such improved method and apparatus would ideally allow the transmission of a variety of different types of information, including transaction details and transaction classification codes, directly or indirectly to one or more data processing devices, thereby obviating the need for manual entry of the information by the purchaser. Furthermore, such method and apparatus would ideally not require both the vendor and the purchaser to be connected to the communications link(s) at the same time, and would be compatible with a variety of different hardware and software environments. Such method and apparatus would also robust from a data error perspective, and would be cost effective to implement.
SUMMARY
Gazdzinski & Associates
Le Thien M.
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