Extensible point-of-sale platforms and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016125449-A1
Application number	US-201514925966-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 28, 2015
Priority date	Nov 2, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device is disclosed. The method includes registering a third-party application to be notified of a transaction change on the point-of-sale device. The method also includes displaying a user interface to a user during a purchase transaction on a display of the point-of-sale device using one of a register module and a payment module. The method also includes receiving the transaction change via the user interface of the point-of-sale device. The method also includes broadcasting the transaction change to a set of registered applications that includes the third-party application. The method also includes taking an action that modifies the purchase transaction using the third-party application in response to the broadcasting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device, comprising:
registering a third-party application to be notified of a transaction change on the point-of-sale device; displaying a user interface to a user during a purchase transaction on a display of the point-of-sale device using one of a register module and a payment module; receiving the transaction change via the user interface of the point-of-sale device; broadcasting the transaction change to a set of registered applications that includes the third-party application; and taking an action that modifies the purchase transaction using the third-party application in response to the broadcasting.

2 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein:
the action is inserting an image onto a receipt printed for the purchase transaction by the point-of-sale device.

3 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 2 , wherein the action of inserting the image onto the receipt comprises:
transmitting the image to a services process on the point-of-sale device from the third-party application; adding the image to the receipt using the services process; and printing the receipt for the purchase transaction using the services process.

4 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein:
the action is inserting a text string onto a receipt printed for the purchase transaction by the point-of-sale device.

5 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein:
the action is displaying information on the display of the point-of-sale device.

6 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 5 , further comprising:
generating the information to display on the point-of-sale device using the third-party application; and displaying the information on an area of the display along with the user interface.

7 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 6 , wherein:
the third-party application displays the information on the area of the display independently of the register module and the payment module; and one of the register module or the payment module concurrently displays transaction data along with the information on the display.

8 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein:
the action is inserting a user interface element on a payment window display screen of the user interface.

9 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 8 , wherein:
the third-party application displays the user interface element on the display; and the payment module concurrently displays a payment window on the display along with the user interface element.

10 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 9 , wherein:
the user interface element initiates a method of payment provided by the third-party application.

11 . An extensible point-of-sale device, comprising:
a POS processing service that registers a third-party application to be notified of a transaction change on the point-of-sale device; and a display that displays a user interface to a user during a purchase transaction; and a register module that receives the transaction change involving the purchase transaction via the user interface of the point-of-sale device; wherein the third-party application is configured to take an action to modify the purchase transaction in response to a trigger; and wherein the POS processing service is configured to provide the trigger via a broadcast of the transaction change to a set of registered applications that includes the third-party application.

12 . The extensible point-of-sale device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a printer that prints a receipt for the purchase transaction with an added image using the POS processing service on the point-of-sale device; wherein the action is transmitting the image to the POS processing service from the third-party application; wherein the transaction change generates a printing receipt event to initiate a printing process; and wherein the trigger is the printing receipt event.

13 . The extensible point-of-sale device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a printer that prints a receipt for the purchase transaction with an added text string using the POS processing service on the point-of-sale device; wherein the action is transmitting the text string to the POS processing service from the third-party application; wherein the transaction change generates a printing receipt event to initiate a printing process; and wherein the trigger is the printing receipt event.

14 . The extensible point-of-sale device of claim 11 , wherein:
the action is generating information to display on the display; and the information is displayed on an area of the display along with the user interface.

15 . The extensible point-of-sale device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a network connection; and a local database that stores the transaction change in a queue; wherein the point-of-sale device is configured to upload the transaction change from the queue via the network connection when the point-of-sale device is able to communicate with a server.

16 . A computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device, comprising:
displaying a user interface to a user during a purchase transaction on a display of the point-of-sale device using one of a register module and a payment module; modifying a customer order with a modification received via the user interface of the point-of-sale device; updating a database using the modification and a server; and broadcasting the modification to a plurality of other point-of-sale devices.

17 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 16 , further comprising:
updating a second database using the modification and the server; wherein: one of the second database and the database is an inventory database; and the modification decrements a quantity in the inventory database.

18 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 16 , further comprising:
registering a third-party application to be notified of a transaction change on the point-of-sale device; broadcasting the modification to the third-party application; and taking an action that modifies the purchase transaction using the third-party application in response to the broadcasting to the third-party application.

19 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 18 , wherein:
a built-in register application on the point-of-sale device is used to instantiate the user interface.

20 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 16 , further comprising:
receiving an indication that a condition was met by the modification using a third-party application; and taking an action that modifies the purchase transaction using the third-party application in response to the indication; wherein the register module is part of a built-in register application on the point-of-sale device.

21 . The computer-implemented method for an extensible point-of-sale device of claim 20 :
wherein the third-party application is on one of the

Assignees

• Clover Network Inc

Inventors

• Beatty John Daniel
• El Calamawy Tamer Mohamed
• Abrams Jacob Whitaker
• Quinlan Michael Joseph
• Blattman Jeffrey

Classifications

• G06Q20/202

  Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR · CPC title

• G06Q30/0238 Primary

  at point-of-sale [POS] · CPC title

• G06Q20/209

  Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output · CPC title