Systems and methods for identifying transaction capabilities of cashier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9779395-B2
Application number	US-201514711161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2015
Priority date	May 13, 2014
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to determining an availability of a transaction capability of a point-of-sale terminal, and alerting a customer of an availability of the transaction capability. Login activity can be detected at a point-of-sale terminal. An availability of a transaction capability for the point-of-sale terminal can be determined based on data retrieved by the point-of-sale terminal in response to the login activity. A visual alert associated with the transaction capability of the point-of-sale terminal is controlled based on the availability of the transaction capability.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for displaying a transaction capability associated with usage of a point-of-sale terminal, the method comprising:
detecting login activity at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal;
determining an availability of at least one transaction capability of a plurality of transaction capabilities for the POS terminal based on data programmatically retrieved by the POS terminal in response to the login activity;
receiving, via circuitry including a controller electrically coupled to the POS terminal, a signal from the POS terminal indicating the availability of the at least one transaction capability; and
controlling the circuitry based on the availability of the at least one transaction capability to cause the circuitry to control a visual alert device including one or more light sources, in response to receiving the signal,
wherein the visual alert device is configured to illuminate one or more graphical representations via the one or more light sources based on availability of the plurality of transaction capabilities for the POS terminal, and
wherein causing the circuitry to control the visual alert device comprises causing the circuitry to at least one of energize the one or more light sources or de-energize the one or more light sources associated with at least of the one or more graphical representations corresponding to the at least one transaction capability.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
executing code by the POS terminal to query a database storing employee information including an attribute of an employee associated with the login activity;
determining whether the attribute satisfies a specified criteria; and
determining whether the at least one transaction capability associated with the POS terminal is available based on whether the specified criteria is satisfied.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
executing code by the POS terminal to query a database storing information including a specified criteria for determining whether the at least one transaction capability is available; and
determining whether the at least one transaction capability associated with the POS terminal is available based on whether the specified criteria is satisfied.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising accessing a database storing employee information to access data related to the login activity.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising accessing a database storing store information to access data related to the login activity.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transaction capability of the POS terminal includes at least one of an ability to sell alcohol, ability to sell tobacco, ability to sell lottery ticket, ability to cash checks at the POS terminal, or ability to complete a transaction associated with restricted goods.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the circuitry to control the visual alert device comprises causing the circuitry to render a visual alert on a display device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting logoff activity, and in response to detecting the logoff activity, controlling the circuitry to de-energize the light source.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the login activity indicates a login to the POS terminal by an employee.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one transaction capability associated with the POS terminal comprises determining whether an attribute associated with at least one of a location of a store within which the POS terminal is disposed, a calendar day on which the login activity is detected, or a time of a day during which the POS terminal is utilized.

11. A system for alerting a customer of a transaction capability of a point-of-sale system, the system comprising:
a point-of-sale (POS) system programmed to:
detect login activity and determine whether at least one transaction capability of a plurality of transaction capabilities is available at the POS system in response to the login activity; and
an alerting system electrically coupled to the POS system and configured to:
receive a signal from the POS system indicating availability of the at least one transaction capability;
control circuitry electrically coupled to the POS terminal based on the availability of the plurality of transaction capabilities to cause the circuitry to control a visual alert device including one or more light sources, in response to receiving the signal,
wherein the visual alert device is configured to illuminate one or more graphical representations via the one or more light sources based on the availability of the plurality of transaction capabilities for the POS terminal, and
wherein causing the circuitry to control the visual alert comprises causing the circuitry to at least one of energize the one or more light sources or de-energize the one or more light sources associated with at least one of the one or more graphical representations corresponding to the at least one transaction capability.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the POS system is programmed to query a database storing employee information including an attribute of an employee associated with the login activity, determine whether the attribute satisfies a specified criteria, and determine whether the transaction capability associated with the POS system is available based on whether the specified criteria is satisfied.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the POS system is programmed to query a database storing information including a specified criteria for determining whether the at least one transaction capability is available and determine whether the transaction capability associated with the POS system is available based on whether the specified criteria is satisfied.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the alerting system includes a display monitor, an output of the display monitor being controlled based on the availability of the at least one transaction capability at the POS system.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the POS system communicates with a database storing at least one of employee information or store information to determine whether the at least one transaction capability is available.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the database is stored on a store server.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the transaction capability of the POS system includes at least one of an ability to sell alcohol, ability to sell tobacco, ability to sell lottery ticket, and ability to cash checks.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a processing device, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processing device to implement a method for alerting a consumer of a transaction capability of a point-of-sale system in a store comprising:
detecting login activity at a point-of-sale (POS) system in a store;
determining at least one transaction capability of a plurality of transaction capabilities associated with the POS system based on data retrieved by the POS system in response to the login activity; and
receiving, via circuitry including a controller electrically coupled to the POS terminal, a signal from the POS system indicating availability of the at least one transaction capability;
controlling the circuitry based on the availability of the transaction capability to cause the circuitry to control a visual alert device including one or more light source, in response to receiving the signal,
wherein the visual alert device is configured to be illuminate one o

Assignees

• Walmart Stores Inc
• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Perry Dustin
• Smith Zachariah
• White Daryl
• Wade Grant

Classifications

• G07G1/0018

  Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means · CPC title

• G07G1/01

  Details for indicating · CPC title

• G06Q30/0607

  Regulating the sale of restricted items, e.g. alcohol · CPC title

• G07G1/12

  electronically operated · 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