Point-of-sale system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016358147-A1
Application number	US-201615241901-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 19, 2016
Priority date	Apr 18, 2012
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A point-of-sale system includes a stand that supports a tablet computer. The tablet computer can run a merchant application to provide the typical functionality for a point-of-sale system. The stand can be rotatable to face either the merchant or the customer. The stand can incorporate a card reader. The tablet computer can be connected through a hub to other peripheral components, such as a controllable cash drawer, a printer and/or a bar code reader. The cash drawer can include a slidable drawer having sliding rails that are hidden from a top view of the drawer.

First claim

1 .- 3 . (canceled)

4 . A system for point of sale operations, the system comprising:
a base; a touchscreen display that is pivotably connected to the base, wherein the touchscreen display is configured to swivel about the base between a merchant-facing position and a customer-facing position; a card reader device that is pivotably connected to the base, wherein the card reader device is configured to swivel about the base between the merchant-facing position and the customer-facing position, wherein the card reader device is further configured to receive a transaction card, and wherein the card reader device is further configured to read transaction information from the transaction card in response to receipt of the transaction card; and a processor configured to receive the transaction information from the card reader device.

5 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising a bar code scanner.

6 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising a printer.

7 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising a cash drawer.

8 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port.

9 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the card reader device encrypts the transaction information before the transaction information is received by the processor.

10 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the card reader device includes a magnetic stripe reader configured to receive the transaction information from a magnetic stripe of the transaction card.

11 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the card reader device includes a chip reader configured to receive the transaction information from a chip of the transaction card.

12 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising a near-field communication (NFC) reader configured to receive the transaction information wirelessly.

13 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the touchscreen display is configured to swivel between a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the touchscreen display is configured to swivel between the landscape orientation and the portrait orientation while swiveling about the base between the merchant-facing position and the customer-facing position.

15 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising a frame that is pivotably connected to the base, wherein the frame is configured to swivel about the base between the merchant-facing position and the customer-facing position, wherein the frame includes the touchscreen and the card reader device.

16 . A system for point of sale operations, the system comprising:
a frame; a bar code reader within the frame; a touchscreen display within the frame; a card reader device within the frame, the card reader device configured to receive a transaction card, the card reader device further configured to read transaction information from the transaction card in response to receipt of the transaction card; a processor configured to receive the transaction information from the card reader.

17 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising a wireless transceiver.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the card reader device includes a magnetic stripe reader configured to receive the transaction information from a magnetic stripe of the transaction card.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the card reader device includes a chip reader configured to receive the transaction information from a chip of the transaction card.

20 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising a near-field communication (NFC) reader configured to receive the transaction information wirelessly.

21 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising a printer.

22 . A method for point of sale operations, the method comprising:
receiving a merchant input via a touchscreen display of a point of sale device while the touchscreen display is oriented in a merchant-facing orientation; swiveling the touchscreen display of the point of sale device about a base of the point of sale device from the merchant-facing orientation to a customer-facing orientation; receiving transaction information from a transaction card read by a card reader device of the point of sale device; receiving a customer input via the touchscreen display of the point of sale device while the touchscreen display is oriented in a customer-facing orientation; and transmitting the transaction information from the point of sale device to a payment server.

23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising encrypting the transaction information at the point of sale device before transmitting the transaction information from the point of sale device to a payment server.

Assignees

• Square Inc

Inventors

• Edwards Troy
• Skoog Lukas
• Babu Amish
• Dorogusker Jesse

Classifications

• G06Q20/209

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

• G06Q20/04

  Payment circuits · CPC title

• G06Q20/204 Primary

  comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit · CPC title

• G06K7/087

  flux-sensitive, e.g. magnetic, detectors (G06K7/10336 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1632

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title