Point of sale system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a point of sale system. The system includes a point of sale (POS) machine for making a sale and a receipt file creator for creating a receipt file related to the sale. The receipt file creator includes a near-field communication (NFC) tag. The system also includes a portable computer for receiving the receipt file from the NFC tag. Advantageously, the receipt file may be provided in place of physical printed sale receipt which has a limited lifespan and costs ink to produce. However, the receipt file may be used to render the sales receipt for physically printing a hardcopy if desired.

Description

POINT OF SALE SYSTEMTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a point of sale system.BACKGROUND

[0002] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

[0003] A point of sale (POS) machine is used to make a sale.

[0004] In practice, the POS machine prints a sale receipt related to the sale on thermal paper. The printed receipt has a limited lifespan and quickly become smudged, erased or even lost. The printer adds to the cost of the transaction by way of ink, that needs to be purchased and invariably runs out.

[0005] The preferred embodiment provides a means for avoiding the foregoing disadvantages associated with a physical printed sale receipt.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a point of sale system including: a point of sale (POS) machine for making a sale; a receipt file creator for creating a receipt file related to the sale, the receipt file creator including a near-field communication (NFC) tag; and a portable computer for receiving the receipt file from the NFC tag.

[0007] Advantageously, the receipt file may be provided in place of physical printed sale receipt which has a limited lifespan and costs ink to produce. However, the receipt file may be used to render the sales receipt for physically printing a hardcopy if desired.

[0008] The receipt file creator may be a separate unit in communication with the point of sale (POS) machine. The receipt file creator may include visual indicator indicating that the receipt file is created and ready for transfer to the portable computer. The receipt file creator may include a visual target to indicate the location where the computer is to be located near the NFC tag to facilitate transfer of the receipt file.

[0009] Preferably, the portable computer is a smartphone. The computer may be bumped onto the receipt file creator to initiate transfer of the receipt file from the NFC tag and to the smartphone. The portable computer may store the receipt file in a folder including a plurality of receipt files. The folder may be located in a database in the cloud. The portable computer may be loaded with application software (i.e. an App). The portable computer may authenticate the tag to enable the secure download of the receipt file from the tag to the smartphone.

[0010] The portable computer may be able to render the receipt file to display a sale receipt. The portable computer may be able to translate and render the receipt file to display a translated sale receipt.

[0011] The receipt file may be categorized according to the type of sale (e.g. business expense, personal expense, etc.). The portable computer may prompt a user to manually categorize the type of sale.

[0012] The receipt file creator may include a printer for printing a hard copy of the receipt.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receipt data creator for a point of sale system, the receipt data creator including a nearfield communication (NFC) tag and configured to: create receipt data related to a sale made using a point of sale (POS) machine; and transmit the receipt data to a portable computer using the NFC tag.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a point of sale method including: making a sale using a point of sale (POS) machine;creating a receipt file related to the sale using a receipt file creator including a near-field communication (NFC) tag; and receiving, with a portable computer, the receipt file from the NFC tag.

[0015] Any of the features described herein can be combined in any combination with any one or more of the other features described herein within the scope of the invention.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a drawing as follows:

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of a point of sale system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a point of sale (PCS) system 100 as shown in Figure 1 .

[0019] The system 100 includes a vendor’s point of sale (PCS) machine 102 for making a sale. The system 100 also includes a hardware receipt file creator 104 for creating a receipt file (i.e. formatted data) related to the sale. The electronic receipt file creator 104 includes a near-field communication (NFC) tag 106. The system 100 also includes a smartphone (i.e. portable computer) for receiving the receipt file from the NFC tag 106.

[0020] Advantageously, the receipt file can be provided in place of a physical printed sale receipt which has a limited lifespan and costs ink to produce. However, the receipt file may be used to render the sales receipt for physically printing a hardcopy if desired.

[0021] The unique receipt file creator 104 is a separate unit, connected in wired or wireless communication with the point of sale (POS) machine 102. The receipt file creator 104 includes an LED visual indicator 110 indicating that the receipt file is created and ready for wireless transfer to the smartphone 108.

[0022] The smartphone 108 is loaded with application software (i.e. an App) to facilitate operation of the system 100. In particular, the smartphone App will authenticate the tag 106, and can initiate the secure download of the receipt file from the NFC tag 106 to the smartphone 108.

[0023] The smartphone 108 is bumped onto the receipt file creator 104 to initiate transfer of the receipt file from the NFC tag 106 and to the smartphone 108. The NFC tag 106 is a passive device, drawing power from the smartphone 108 that reads it through magnetic induction. When the smartphone 108 gets close enough, it energizes the tag 106 and transfers the receipt file. The smartphone 108 stores the receipt file in a folder already including a plurality of receipt files. The folder is located in a database in the cloud or can be locally stored on the smartphone 108, depending on version / subscription.

[0024] The smartphone 108 is able to render the receipt file to display a sale receipt for hardcopy printing. The smartphone 108 is also able to language- translate and render the receipt file to display a translated sale receipt. For example, if the original receipt was in the Spanish language, the displayed translated receipt could be in the English language for printing.

[0025] The receipt file can be categorized according to the type of sale (e.g. business expense, personal expense, etc.). The smartphone 108 prompts a user to manually categorize the type of sale using a picklist.

[0026] A point of sale method using the system 100 is briefly described.

[0027] Initially, a sale is made using the point of sale (POS) machine 102 and receipt data in the form of a print job is automatically transferred to the receipt file creator 104.

[0028] Upon receiving the receipt data, the receipt file creator 104 creates the receipt file. The LED visual indicator 110 illuminates green indicating that the receipt file is created when ready for transfer.

[0029] The user bumps the smartphone 108 onto the receipt file creator 104 to initiate transfer of the receipt file from the NFC tag 106 and to the smartphone 108. The receipt file creator 104 may include visual target to indicate the location where the smartphone 108 is to be bumped near the NFC tag 106 to facilitate transfer.

[0030] Once the smartphone 108 receives the receipt file, the smartphone 108 can render a soft copy, language translate, categorize, store or hardcopy print it. The receipt file can be used for cross platform conversion and importing.

[0031] A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention.

[0032] In one embodiment, the receipt file creator 104 includes an onboard printer for printing a hard copy of the receipt.

[0033] In one embodiment, the receipt file is stored locally in the smartphone 108.

[0034] The PCS machine 102 may be an electronic funds transfer point of sale (EFTPOS) machine.

[0035] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.

[0036] Reference throughout this specification to ‘one embodiment’ or ‘an embodiment’ means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases ‘in one embodiment’ or ‘in an embodiment’ in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:1 . A point of sale system including: a point of sale (POS) machine for making a sale; a receipt file creator for creating a receipt file related to the sale, the receipt file creator including a near-field communication (NFC) tag; and a portable computer for receiving the receipt file from the NFC tag.

2. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the receipt file is provided in place of physical printed sale receipt which has a limited lifespan and costs ink to produce.

3. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the receipt file can be used to render the sales receipt for physically printing a hardcopy if desired.

4. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the receipt file creator is a separate unit in communication with the point of sale (POS) machine.

5. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the receipt file creator includes visual indicator indicating that the receipt file is created and ready for transfer to the portable computer.

6. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the receipt file creator includes a visual target to indicate the location where the computer is to be located near the NFC tag to facilitate transfer of the receipt file.

7. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portable computer is a smartphone.

8. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the computer can be bumped onto the receipt file creator to initiate transfer of the receipt file from the NFC tag and to the computer.

9. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portable computer stores the receipt file in a folder including a plurality of receipt files.

10. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the folder is located in a database in the cloud.

11. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portable computer is loaded with application software (i.e. an App).

12. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portable computer authenticates the tag to enable the secure download of the receipt file from the tag to the computer.

13. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portable is able to render the receipt file to display a sale receipt.

14. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portable computer is able to translate and render the receipt file to display a translated sale receipt.

15. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the receipt file is categorized according to the type of sale.

16. A point of sale system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the portable computer prompts a user to manually categorize the type of sale.

17. point of sale system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the receipt file creator includes a printer for printing a hard copy of the receipt.

18. A receipt data creator for a point of sale system, the receipt data creator including a near-field communication (NFC) tag and configured to: create receipt data related to a sale made using a point of sale (POS) machine; and transmit the receipt data to a portable computer using the NFC tag.

19. A point of sale method including: making a sale using a point of sale (POS) machine; creating a receipt file related to the sale using a receipt file creator including a near-field communication (NFC) tag; and receiving, with a portable computer, the receipt file from the NFC tag.

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