Device and method for managing and printing data

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for managing and printing data, comprising a data input module (1), an NFC device (2), a portable computer (5) and a printer (3), wherein the NFC device (2) is located between the data input module (1) and the printer (3) such that when the NFC device (2) receives data previously input into the data input module (1), it is designed to direct the printing thereof to the printer or in a dematerialised manner to an application of the portable computer according to a choice received at the NFC device.

Description

[0001] Data management and printing system and method

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates mainly to the field of processing and printing receipts (also called receipts or acknowledgments) and the digital management of said documents and more particularly to a system and method of digital data management and printing.

[0004] STATE OF THE ART

[0005] In general, the problem solved by the invention is the inefficient and often unnecessary generation of paper receipts during transactions in most commercial establishments. Traditional methods rely primarily on printing receipts by default, resulting in unnecessary paper use and a negative environmental impact. From an accounting perspective, the manual processing and storage of paper receipts can be time-consuming and prone to errors.

[0006] Digital receipt solutions exist, such as sending invoices via email or through a merchant's own branded app. However, these require additional steps for customers to access their receipts and manage them individually, which explains their limited adoption. Furthermore, existing solutions generally don't integrate seamlessly with the transaction process and don't offer customers a convenient choice between digital and printed receipts. Additionally, printed receipts must be printed individually for accounting or warranty management purposes.

[0007] One aim of the present invention is therefore to solve the problems described above, and more particularly to provide a replacement solution for traditional ticket printers.

[0008] SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0009] This problem is solved by the present invention which offers the possibility of receiving, storing, sorting, classifying, counting and other options of receipts in a personal cloud space, via an NFC device and a dedicated application, instead of a physical printout; while still leaving the choice to the user to have a physical printout.

[0010] More specifically, the invention solves this problem by integrating NFC technology with a digital printing device and cloud-based artificial intelligence. This integration allows customers to make a real-time decision at the point of sale as to whether they prefer a printed receipt, a digital receipt sent to their designated application, or both. By offering this choice, the invention reduces paper waste, streamlines receipt management for customers, and provides efficient data processing and storage.Furthermore, in the event of a printing requirement for an accounting department or a state request, the system allows all the necessary information from each receipt to be classified and condensed onto one or more pages, in order to avoid printing each receipt individually; this will significantly reduce paper usage and combat deforestation, water and energy consumption for paper production, solid waste accumulation and carbon emissions related to transportation.

[0011] To this end, a first aspect of the present invention relates to a data management and printing system comprising a data entry module, an NFC device, a laptop and a printer in which the NFC device is located between the data entry module and the printer so that during a transaction and when the NFC device receives data previously entered in the data entry module which is intended to generate a receipt, it is arranged to direct their printing to said printer or dematerialized to an application on the laptop according to a choice received at said NFC device.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the data entry module is a cash register and the data is billing data (receipt / invoice).

[0013] Advantageously, the laptop is a smartphone.

[0014] Ideally, the data entry module includes an interface with multiple outputs connected to the NFC device and the printer via wired and / or wireless connection through a wireless module.

[0015] Alternatively, the data entry module includes an interface with a single output connected to the NFC device itself connected to the printer.

[0016] Preferably, the NFC device includes a switch allowing the cash register to be connected directly to the printer. According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a method of managing and printing data implemented by the laptop of the data management and printing system according to the first aspect of the invention, comprising the steps of receiving the data to be printed electronically from the NFC device on the laptop, automatically recognizing a type of data according to at least one criterion chosen from a receipt issuer, a date, a time, a receipt amount, a country of issue, a payment method, a distinction between private and professional receipts, logos, guarantees, tax-free receipts or a combination of at least two of these criteria, and processing, categorizing and storing the data by category according to at least one of these criteria.

[0017] Advantageously, the data management and printing method implemented by the laptop further includes a data coding step in which each category and category combination corresponds to a specific code.

[0018] Ideally, the data management and printing method implemented by the laptop also includes a step of comparing the coded data in a category to a predetermined threshold.

[0019] Preferably, the data management and printing method implemented by the laptop further includes a payment blocking step if the coded data exceeds the predetermined threshold.

[0020] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0021] Other advantages, purposes and particular features of the invention will become apparent from the following non-limiting description of at least one particular embodiment of the devices of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 describes the system of the present invention with multiple wired outputs according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 describes the system of the present invention with multiple hybrid outputs according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 describes the system of the present invention with multiple hybrid outputs according to a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 describes the system of the present invention with a single wifi output according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; Figure 5A describes the system of the present invention with a single output according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.Figure 5B describes in detail the operation with the system of the present invention with a single output according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

[0022] DESCRIPTION OF METHODS OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

[0023] This description is not exhaustive; each feature of one embodiment can be advantageously combined with any other feature of any other embodiment. It should be noted from the outset that the figures are not drawn to scale.

[0024] Figures 1 to 5 show five different embodiments of the invention.

[0025] The invention is a data stream management and printing system and includes a cash register, a paper printer, a smartphone and an NFC device positioned between the cash register and the printer and the smartphone.

[0026] In general, according to the present invention, during a transaction between a customer and a cashier, the latter uses the cash register as a data entry device which will generate data relating to the transaction and transmit it to the NFC device using a wired connection, for example USB, RJ11 or the same kind, or wirelessly such as Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth or the same kind.

[0027] This NFC device is designed to read and store data received from the cash register and decodes it using embedded software capable of reading any programming language. At that point, via a screen integrated into the NFC device, at least one of the cashier or customer chooses between scanning the receipt or printing it.

[0028] This selection can be made directly at the cash register by the cashier at the user's request, or via the NFC device by the user through input on a touchscreen, for example. Alternatively, the NFC device can transmit this information to the customer's smartphone, who then selects the print option directly on their phone, which sends the information back to the NFC device.

[0029] At this point, the NFC device transmits the data according to the choice made to the consumer's smartphone for a paperless printout or to the printer via a serial connection, and the receipt is printed on paper.

[0030] In the case of an electronic ticket, the smartphone receives the information and stores it for categorization using a computer-implemented method. This method is described below.

[0031] If the customer opted for a printed receipt, the transaction data is sent to the physical printer for printing. If a digital receipt is chosen, the data is sent to the customer's application for display.

[0032] The computer-based method mentioned above is cloud software that automatically recognizes the type of receipt data in order to process and categorize it.

[0033] This software is based on artificial intelligence trained to recognize at least one of an issuer, a receipt, a date, a time, a receipt amount, a country, a payment method, a distinction between private and business receipts, guarantees, tax-exempt receipts and the like in order to process, categorize and store, for example in table format, the receipts according to one or a combination of these criteria for efficient storage and retrieval.

[0034] Preferably, the method further includes a data coding step in which each category and category combination corresponds to a specific code, ideally followed by a step comparing the coded data in a category to a predetermined threshold and possibly a payment blocking step if the coded data exceeds the predetermined threshold.

[0035] The software that implements the method on the smartphone can take the form of a dedicated app installed on the customer's smartphone, allowing them to interact with the NFC device and receive digital receipts. It may also include features for managing and organizing digital receipts. The customer app can further include additional features such as search functionality and integration with accounting software.

[0036] It is also coded so that it only interacts with the NFC device under certain distance criteria, for example if the device is less than 10 cm away from the device or via a manual transaction confirmation, so that there is no interaction with another customer's smartphone behind it, for example.

[0037] In the event that the merchant does not have the system, the customer can still benefit from the advantages of the software by using a system for photographing the printed receipt included in the application.

[0038] While the above description describes the invention in general terms, several alternative embodiments can be implemented. For example, according to a first alternative, the NFC device can be integrated directly into the cashier's terminal for seamless interaction.

[0039] Figure 1 describes the system of the present invention according to a first embodiment in which the system comprises a cash register 1 including an interface 11 having multiple wired outputs, here two, connected to the NFC device 2 and to the printer 3.

[0040] Figure 2 describes the system of the present invention according to a second embodiment in which the system comprises a cash register 1 including an interface 11 having multiple wired outputs, here two, connected to a wireless module 4 and to the printer 3. The wireless module is connected to the NFC device 2 via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Figure 3 describes the system of the present invention according to a third embodiment in which the system comprises a cash register 1 including an interface 11 having multiple wired outputs, here two, connected to a wireless module 4 and to the NFC device 2. The wireless module is connected to the printer 3 via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

[0041] Figure 4 describes the system of the present invention according to a fourth embodiment in which the system comprises a cash register 1 including an interface 11 having a single wired output connected to a wireless module 4. The wireless module 4 is connected to the printer 3 and the NFC device 2 by Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

[0042] Figure 5A describes the system of the present invention according to a fifth embodiment in which the system comprises a cash register 1 including an interface 11 having a single wired output connected to the NFC device 2 itself connected to the printer 3. The NFC module 2 includes a switch allowing the cash register to be connected directly to the printer 3.

[0043] An alternative to the fifth embodiment of Figure 5A is shown in detail in Figure 5B.

[0044] In this mode, the cash register 1 is connected to the NFC module by wifi, or by wire (USB, Ethernet, ...) and the NFC module is itself connected to the printer by wifi, or by wire (USB, Ethernet, ...).

[0045] The NFC module has an input terminal, such as a touchscreen, which offers the user several options during a transaction. Among these options, the preferred choice is "no receipt." In this case, the NET module records the transaction on the merchant's server for accounting purposes and performs no further action.

[0046] The second choice is the "receipt printing" option. In this case, as with the first choice, the NFT module records the operation on a merchant's server for their accounting, but in addition it creates a volatile URL link which is converted into a QR code and it controls the printer to print a longer till receipt which includes this QR code, preferably at the end of the receipt.

[0047] The user can then scan this QR code which downloads the accounting management software mentioned above and the invoice is recorded there, automatically or on request.

[0048] Finally, the third choice is the "record in the app" option if the user already has the application which records the digital receipt at the merchant and at the customer simultaneously.

[0049] The described invention offers several advantages over traditional methods of generating receipts, including reduced paper waste, simplified receipt management for customers, and improved efficiency and speed of transactions.

[0050] Although aspects of the invention have been described in conjunction with a number of embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variants would be, or are, obvious to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, this disclosure is intended to encompass all such alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and variants that fall within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Data management and printing system comprising a data entry module (1), an NFC device (2), a laptop (5) and a printer (3) wherein the NFC device (2) is located between the data entry module (1) and the printer (3) such that when the NFC device (2) receives data previously entered into the data entry module (1), it is arranged to direct its printing to said printer or dematerialized to an application on the laptop according to a choice received at said NFC device.

2. Data management and printing system according to claim 1, wherein the data entry module (1) is a cash register and said data is billing data.

3. Data management and printing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the laptop (5) is a smartphone.

4. Data management and printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the data input module (1) comprises an interface (11) having multiple outputs connected to the NFC device (2) and to the printer (3) by wired and / or wireless connection via a wireless module (4).

5. A data management and printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the data entry module (1) comprises an interface (12) presenting a single output connected to the NFC device (2) itself connected to the printer (3).

6. Data management and printing system according to claim 5, wherein the NFC device (2) includes a switch for connecting the cash register (1) directly to the printer (3).

7. Data management and printing method implemented by the laptop (5) of the data management and printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 comprising the steps of receiving the data to be printed electronically from the NFC device (2) on the laptop (5), automatically recognizing a type of data according to at least one criterion selected from a receipt issuer, a date, a time, a receipt amount, a country of issue, a payment method, a distinction between private or professional receipts, guarantees, tax-exempt receipts or a combination of at least two of these criteria, and processing, categorizing and storing the data by category according to at least one of these criteria.

8. Data management and printing method implemented by the laptop (5) according to claim 7 further comprising a data coding step in which each category and category combination corresponds to a specific code.

9. Method of data management and printing implemented by the laptop according to claim 8 further comprising a step of comparing the coded data in a category to a predetermined threshold.

10. Data management and printing method implemented by the laptop according to claim 9 further comprising a payment blocking step if said coded data exceeds said predetermined threshold.

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