Merchant/customer POS interaction system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10139864-B2
Application number	US-201414558376-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2014
Priority date	Dec 27, 2013
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing merchant/customer interaction include determining that a tablet computer is in a merchant orientation, retrieving merchant product information according to a received instruction and merchant orientation information, and displaying a merchant screen on the tablet computer that includes the merchant product information according to the merchant orientation information. A change in the orientation of the tablet computer enclosure/stand is then detected from the merchant orientation to a customer orientation. In response, the merchant screen is transitioned on the tablet computer display to a customer screen as the tablet computer enclosure/stand changes orientations by moving the merchant screen and the customer screen linearly while in a stacked orientation. The customer screen includes the merchant product information displayed according to customer orientation information such that the merchant product information is displayed differently on the customer screen relative to the merchant screen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tablet computer orienting system, comprising:
a tablet computer chassis base, comprising:
a first wall configured to engage a support surface when the tablet computer chassis base is in a first orientation;
a second wall extending from the first wall and configured to engage the support surface when the tablet computer chassis base is in a second orientation that is rotated relative to the first orientation;
a tablet computer housing member extending between the first wall and the second wall and defining a tablet computer housing that is configured to house a tablet computer;
a tablet computer housing entrance defined by the tablet computer housing member adjacent the tablet computer housing, wherein the tablet computer housing entrance is configured to allow a tablet computer to enter the tablet computer housing; and
a chassis data connector that is located adjacent the tablet computer housing, wherein the chassis connector is configured to connect to a tablet computer when the tablet computer being housed in the tablet computer housing;

at least one data input subsystem on the tablet computer chassis base that is communicatively coupled to the chassis data connector and that is configured to communicate with a tablet computer that is connected to the chassis data connector; and
a tablet securing member that is configured to physically constrain a tablet computer to the tablet computer chassis base, wherein the physically constraining the tablet computer to the tablet computer chassis base causes:
the chassis data connector to directly engage a tablet data connector that is part of the tablet computer such that the tablet computer establishes a data connection with the at least one data input subsystem; and
prevents access to the tablet computer housing entrance in order to secure the tablet computer in the tablet computer housing.

2. The tablet computer orienting system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one data input subsystem comprises a card reader subsystem that includes a card reader device.

3. The tablet computer orienting system of claim 2 , wherein the card reader subsystem is integrated into the tablet computer chassis base, and wherein the tablet computer chassis base defines a card reader channel that is configured to allow a card positioned in the card reader channel to be read by the card reader device.

4. The tablet computer orienting system of claim 1 , wherein the tablet securing member includes a tablet housing end cap that is configured to engage an edge of each of the first wall, the second wall, and the tablet computer housing member.

5. The tablet computer orienting system of claim 1 , wherein the tablet securing member includes a tablet computer chassis bezel that is configured to engage the tablet computer housing member that defines the tablet computer housing.

6. The tablet computer orienting system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display window defined by the tablet computer housing and configured to align with a display device on the tablet computer when the tablet computer is housed in the tablet computer housing.

7. The tablet computer orienting system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first orientation and the second orientation provide the tablet computer in a landscape mode when the tablet computer is housed in the tablet computer housing, and wherein the system further comprises:
a plurality of edges that are included on the tablet computer chassis base and that are configured to engage the support surface to provide the tablet computer in a portrait mode when the tablet computer is housed in the tablet computer housing.

8. A tablet computer system, comprising:
a tablet computer; and
a tablet computer chassis, comprising:
a first wall configured to engage a support surface when the tablet computer chassis is in a first orientation;
a second wall extending from the first wall and configured to engage the support surface when the tablet computer chassis is in a second orientation that is rotated relative to the first orientation;
a tablet computer housing member extending between the first wall and the second wall and defining a tablet computer housing that houses the tablet computer;
a tablet computer housing entrance defined by the tablet computer housing member adjacent the tablet computer housing, wherein the tablet computer housing entrance allows the tablet computer to enter the tablet computer housing; and
a chassis data connector that is located adjacent the tablet computer housing and that is connected to the tablet computer;
at least one data input subsystem on the tablet computer chassis that is communicatively coupled to the tables computer through the chassis data connector;
a tablet securing member that physically constrains the tablet computer to the tablet computer chassis, wherein the physically constraining the tablet computer to the tablet computer chassis causes:
the chassis data connector to directly engage a tablet data connector that is integrated with the tablet computer such that the tablet computer establishes a data connection with the at least one data input subsystem; and
prevents access to the tablet computer housing entrance in order to secure the tablet computer in the tablet computer housing.

9. The tablet computer system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one data input subsystem comprises a card reader subsystem that includes a card reader device.

10. The tablet computer system of claim 9 , wherein the card reader subsystem is integrated into the tablet computer chassis, and wherein the tablet computer chassis defines a card reader channel that is configured to allow a card positioned in the card reader channel to be read by the card reader device.

11. The tablet computer system of claim 8 , wherein the tablet securing member includes a tablet housing end cap that engages an edge of each of the first wall, the second wall, and the tablet computer housing member.

12. The tablet computer system of claim 8 , wherein the tablet securing member includes a tablet computer chassis bezel that engages the tablet computer housing member that defines the tablet computer housing.

13. The tablet computer system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a display window defined by the tablet computer housing and that aligns with a display device on the tablet computer.

14. The tablet computer system of claim 8 , wherein each of the first orientation and the second orientation provide the tablet computer in a landscape mode, and wherein the system further comprises:
a plurality of edges that are included on the tablet computer chassis and that are configured to engage the support surface to provide the tablet computer in a portrait mode.

15. A method for orienting a tablet computer, comprising:
positioning the tablet computer in a tablet computer chassis base by moving the tablet computer through a tablet computer housing entrance defined by a tablet computer housing member and into a tablet computer housing defined by a tablet computer housing member;
physically constraining the tablet computer to the tablet computer chassis base using a tablet securing member that engages the tablet computer to cause a tablet data connector that is part of the tablet computer to directly engage to a chassis data connector that is located in the tablet computer housing;
communicatively coupling the tablet computer with at least one data input subsystem that is included in the tablet computer chassis base in response to directly engaging the tablet data connector with the chassis connector data connector;
preventing access to the

Assignees

• Paypal Inc

Inventors

• Voege Michael
• Najafi Faran
• Schultz Egan
• Govindarajan Satish

Classifications

• H04M1/04

  Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers · CPC title

• G07G1/12

  electronically operated · CPC title

• G07G1/01

  Details for indicating · CPC title

• G06F1/1686

  the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title