POS System Code Reader Intermediary for Receipt Routing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Point Of Sales (POS) systems face challenges in efficiently managing the communication and selection of receipt issuing devices and POS terminals, particularly in scenarios where multiple devices are used simultaneously, leading to potential errors and increased system setup costs due to the need for one-to-one device associations.
Innovation Solution
An information processing system that includes a code reader, an information processing apparatus, and a first printer, which selects and communicates with target printers based on read codes, allowing for wireless communication and efficient receipt issuance even when devices are arranged in a shared or separated manner, using identification information to associate devices and commodities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple receipt issuing devices are used simultaneously in a POS system, then receipt issuance capacity and system versatility are improved, but device complexity and communication management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a code reader as an intermediary device that mediates communication between the POS terminal and multiple receipt issuing devices. The code reader reads identification codes from receipts and transmits this information to the POS terminal, which then determines the appropriate receipt issuing device. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the communication management complexity while enabling support for multiple receipt issuing devices simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the code reader reads identification information from the receipt, transmits it to the POS terminal, and the POS terminal uses this feedback to automatically select and communicate with the appropriate receipt issuing device. This closed-loop feedback system resolves the communication management difficulty by enabling automatic device selection based on receipt-specific identification information.
2Reliability
If one-to-one association is enforced between barcode scanners and POS terminals, then communication reliability is improved, but system adaptability and setup flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables a single POS terminal to communicate with multiple receipt issuing devices through the code reader intermediary, eliminating the need for strict one-to-one associations. The POS terminal universally interfaces with multiple devices by receiving identification information from the code reader and dynamically selecting the appropriate receipt issuing device, thereby improving setup flexibility while maintaining communication reliability through the structured feedback mechanism.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple POS terminals share fewer receipt printers, then system cost is reduced, but receipt distribution accuracy and operational reliability may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The code reader serves as a critical intermediary that ensures accurate receipt distribution when multiple POS terminals share fewer receipt printers. By reading identification codes from receipts and transmitting this information to the POS terminal, the system can accurately determine which receipt issuing device should handle each receipt, preventing distribution errors even in shared configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism involving code reading and identification transmission enables the system to accurately route receipts to the correct issuing device. The POS terminal receives feedback from the code reader about the receipt's identification information and uses this to reliably select the appropriate shared receipt printer, thereby maintaining receipt distribution accuracy while reducing system costs through resource sharing.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing system includes a code reader, an information processing apparatus configured to receive codes read by the code reader, and a first printer in communication with the information processing apparatus. Upon receiving a first code which indicates printing information and a second code which indicates a target printer, the information processing apparatus selects the target printer indicated by the second code, and transmits the printing information indicated by the first code to the target printer. The first printer receives from the information processing apparatus the printing information and prints the printing information, when the first printer is indicated by the second code as the target printer.