Point of sale data systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9741025-B2
Application number	US-201113818361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2011
Priority date	Jan 18, 2011
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

Point of sale (POS) data systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided. A POS data system ( 100 ) can include a plurality of coupled POS devices ( 110 ) each including a processor and a data storage device ( 120 ). The data storage device can include logic ( 130 ) which, when executed by the processor provides point of sale functionality; data storage ( 140 ) accessible to at least one of the remaining coupled POS devices; and logic to allocate at least a portion of the data generated by a first POS device on at least one of the remaining coupled POS devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A point of sale (POS) data system, comprising:
a plurality of coupled POS devices, each respective one of the plurality of coupled POS devices including:
a processor; and
a data storage device comprising:
POS logic which, when executed by the processor, enables POS functionality;
data storage storing POS transactional data generated by the respective POS device, the POS transactional data being accessible by at least one other coupled POS device of the plurality of coupled POS devices; and
system logic enabling master control for the plurality of coupled POS devices, wherein the system logic, when executed by the processor, causes the respective coupled POS device to:
duplicate the POS transactional data generated by the plurality of coupled POS devices for selective storage on the at least one other coupled POS device; and
based on a fault in the respective coupled POS device being detected by a second one of the plurality of coupled POS devices, transfer master control for the plurality of coupled POS devices to the second coupled POS device.

2. The POS data system of claim 1 :
wherein the data storage device includes a plurality of partitions, including a first partition and a second partition;
wherein the POS logic is disposed within the first partition; and
wherein the data storage is disposed in the second partition.

3. The POS data system of claim 1 , wherein the executed system logic enabling master control causes the respective coupled POS device to establish the plurality of coupled POS devices as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) utilizing at least a portion of the data storage of each of the plurality of coupled POS devices.

4. The POS data system of claim 3 , wherein the executed system logic causes the respective coupled POS device to duplicate the POS transactional data by mirroring the POS transactional data across a plurality of the data storage devices of the RAID.

5. The POS data system of claim 3 , wherein the executed system logic causes the respective coupled POS device to duplicate the POS transactional data by striping the POS transactional data across a plurality of data storage devices of the RAID.

6. The POS data system of claim 1 , wherein the second coupled POS device comprises a secondary master POS device that monitors the respective coupled POS device for the fault based on the respective coupled POS device having master control.

7. The POS data system of claim 6 , wherein upon transferring master control for the plurality of coupled POS devices to the second coupled POS device, the executed system logic causes the POS data system to assign a new secondary master POS device, from the plurality of coupled POS devices, to monitor the second coupled POS device.

8. A point of sale (POS) data control method performed by a primary master POS device, selected from a plurality of coupled POS devices, the POS data control method comprising:
implementing a data storage device within each of the plurality of coupled POS devices, the data storage device of each of the plurality of POS devices comprising:
POS logic which, when executed by a processor, provides POS functionality; and
data storage storing POS transactional data generated by the respective POS device, the POS transactional data being accessible by at least one other coupled POS device of the plurality of coupled POS devices;

duplicating the POS transactional data generated by the plurality of coupled POS devices for selective storage on the data storage of the at least one other coupled POS device;
based on a fault being detected in the primary master POS device, transferring master control of the POS data control method to a secondary master POS device from the plurality of coupled POS devices, the fault being detected by the secondary master POS device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
establishing the plurality of coupled POS devices as a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) by using at least a portion of the data storage of each of the plurality of coupled POS devices.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein duplicating the POS transactional data comprises mirroring the POS transactional data across a plurality of the data storage devices of the RAID.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein duplicating the POS transactional data comprises striping the POS transactional data across a plurality of the data storage devices of the RAID.

12. The POS data control method of claim 8 , wherein the secondary master POS device monitors the primary master POS device for the fault based on the primary master POS device having master control.

13. The POS data control method of claim 12 , wherein upon transferring master control for the plurality of coupled POS devices to the secondary master POS device, a new secondary master POS device, from the plurality of coupled POS devices, is assigned to monitor the secondary master POS device.

14. A point of sale (POS) apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a data storage device including:
data storage storing POS transactional data generated by the POS apparatus, the data storage being connected to a plurality of interconnected POS apparatuses; and
system logic enabling master control for the plurality of interconnected POS apparatuses, wherein the system logic, when executed by the processor, causes the POS apparatus to:
utilize data storage devices of the plurality of interconnected POS apparatuses as a single logical volume;
duplicate the POS transactional data generated by the plurality of interconnected POS apparatuses and the POS apparatus for selective storage on at least one other interconnected POS device of the plurality of interconnected POS apparatuses;
based on a fault in the POS apparatus being detected by a second one of the plurality of interconnected POS apparatuses, transfer master control for the plurality of interconnected POS apparatuses to the second interconnected POS apparatus.

15. The POS apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the single logical volume comprises a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) having at least a portion of the data storage device of each of the plurality of interconnected POS apparatuses being accessible by (i) the POS apparatus, and (ii) the second interconnected POS apparatus upon receiving master control.

16. The POS apparatus of claim 15 , wherein executed system logic causes the POS apparatus to duplicate the POS transactional data by mirroring the POS transactional data across a plurality of the data storage devices of the RAID.

17. The POS apparatus of claim 15 , wherein executed system logic causes the POS apparatus to duplicate the POS transactional data by striping the POS transactional data across a plurality of the data storage devices of the RAID.

18. The POS apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second interconnected POS apparatus comprises a secondary master POS device that monitors the POS apparatus for the fault based on the POS apparatus having master control.

19. The POS apparatus of claim 18 , wherein upon transferring master control for the plurality of coupled POS devices to the second interconnected POS apparatus, a new secondary master POS device, from the plurality of coupled POS devices, is assigned to monitor the second POS apparatus.

Assignees

• Cao Roger
• Biggs Kent E
• Hewlett Packard Development Co Lp

Inventors

• Cao Roger
• Biggs Kent E

Classifications

• G07G1/14

  Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit · CPC title

• G06Q20/202 Primary

  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