Point-of-sale system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9257018-B2
Application number	US-201313798691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2013
Priority date	Apr 18, 2012
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

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

What is claimed is:

1. A point-of-sale system comprising:
a frame to support a cradle, an embedded host, and a card reader, the card reader being embedded in the frame;
the cradle to support a tablet computer, the cradle including a data connector to mate to the tablet computer;
the embedded host including a processor, wherein the embedded host is coupled with the data connector and is configured to communicate with the tablet computer;
the card reader being coupled to the embedded host, wherein the embedded host is configured to direct signals from the card reader to the tablet computer, including to receive card data from the card reader and to send the card data to the tablet computer; and
the frame including a first portion, a second portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion extending horizontally between the first portion and the second portion;
wherein the first portion extends vertically from a first end of the bottom portion and the second portion extends vertically from a second end of the bottom portion, the second portion of the frame being connected to the cradle that supports the tablet computer.

2. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
a hub including:
a chipset configured to communicate with the tablet computer,
a mobile device port configured to couple the chipset to the embedded host,
a connector for receiving power, and
an enclosure surrounding the chipset, mobile device port and the connector for receiving power.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the hub enclosure comprises a printer port, wherein the printer port is configured to couple the chipset to a printer.

4. The system of claim 2 , where the hub enclosure further comprises a drawer port, wherein the drawer port is configured to couple the chipset to a drawer.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the embedded host is configured to open or close the drawer.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the embedded host is configured to track whether the drawer is open or closed.

7. The system of claim 1 , where the card reader comprises a flex circuit.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the card reader comprises a magnetic stripe reader.

9. The system of claim 8 , where the magnetic stripe reader includes a first read head and a second read head, the first read head and the second read head attached to the flex circuit.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the flex circuit includes a horizontal first portion, a vertical second portion extending on one side of a slot, and a vertical third portion extending on an opposite side of the slot, the first read head attached to the first or second portion of the flex circuit and the second read head attached to the third portion of the flex circuit.

11. The system of claim 9 , where the read heads comprise encrypted magnetic head readers.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the encrypted magnetic head readers comprise a first encryption chip attached to the flex circuit adjacent the first read head and a second encryption chip attached to the flex circuit adjacent the second read head.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first encryption chip and the first read head are encapsulated by a first potting and the second encryption chip and the second read head are encapsulated by a second potting.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the connector for receiving power comprises a power cord.

15. The point-of-sale system of claim 1 , wherein, after the tablet computer is removed from the cradle, the embedded host and the card reader remain supported by the frame.

16. The point-of-sale system of claim 1 , wherein the card reader is formed on a top surface of the first portion of the frame that extends vertically from the second end of the bottom portion.

17. The point-of-sale system of claim 1 , further comprising a horizontal strut that connects the cradle to the second portion of the frame.

18. A point of sale system, comprising:
a tablet computer with a merchant application;
a stand including a cradle that supports the tablet computer and a frame that supports the cradle, the cradle configured to releasably support the tablet computer with a face of the tablet computer at an oblique angle, the cradle including a data connector that mates with a data port of the tablet computer, the stand being supported by a base that allows the stand to rotate about a vertical axis between a first physical orientation for facing a merchant and a second physical orientation for facing a customer; and
a card reader embedded in the stand,
wherein, in the first physical orientation, the merchant application is configured to display on a screen of the tablet computer a first user interface for identifying items being purchased by a customer and calculating a total amount due for the items,
wherein, in the second physical orientation, the merchant application is configured to display on the screen of the tablet computer a second user interface to permit the customer to authorize a transaction; and
the frame including a first portion, a second portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion extending horizontally between the first portion and the second portion;
wherein the first portion extends vertically from a first end of the bottom portion and the second portion extends vertically from a second end of the bottom portion, the second portion of the frame being connected to the cradle that supports the tablet computer.

19. The point of sale system of claim 18 , wherein the second user interface prompts the customer to insert the card into the card reader.

20. The point of sale system of claim 18 , wherein the second user interface prompts the customer to sign or to input a personal identification number (PIN).

Assignees

• Square Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06F1/1632

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

• 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

• H04L9/3226

  using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083) · CPC title

• G06K7/10297

  arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 (cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00) · CPC title

• G06Q20/3278

  RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices · CPC title