Systems and methods for performing transactions at a point-of-sale
View Patent ↗A point-of-sale device useful in relation to a variety of circumstances and/or utilization methods. Various implementations of such point-of-sale devices are disclosed. For example, one particular point-of-sale device includes a base unit adapted for performing merchant functions and a peripheral unit adapted to perform customer functions. The base unit can include a base unit housing with a processor disposed therein and capable of supporting a variety of transaction types.
1. A point-of-sale device comprising:
a base unit adapted for use by a merchant at a point-of-sale to process transaction payment information, wherein the base unit includes:
a base unit housing that is sized and shaped so as to be capable of sitting on a merchant's counter;
a processor disposed within the base unit housing and configured to process two or more of a check acceptance transaction, a credit card transaction, a money transfer transaction, and a stored value transaction;
a document slot formed in the base unit housing and adapted for receiving a document;
a printer disposed within the base unit housing and operable to print on a document within the document slot; and
a peripheral unit housed independently from and in communication with the base unit, the peripheral unit including a peripheral unit housing that is sized and shaped so as to sit on a merchant's counter, and being adapted for use by a customer and configured to receive transaction payment information at the point-of-sale, the peripheral unit including an interface configured to receive account information associated with customers via transponders.
2. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the base unit further includes a magnetic-ink character recognition reader positioned with respect to the document slot and adapted to read a string of magnetic-ink characters on the document when the document is inserted within the document slot.
3. The point-of-sale device of claim 2 , wherein the base unit further includes a document imager positioned with respect to the document slot and adapted to capture an image of the document when the document is inserted within the document slot.
4. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the printing device is a slip printer, the point-of-sale device further comprising:
a roll printer.
5. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the printing device is a slip printer, the point-of-sale device further comprising:
a document imager configured to image a document received within the document slot; and
wherein the document imager and the slip printer share a common paper transport mechanism.
6. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the point-of-sale device comprises a biometrics device.
7. The point-of-sale device of claim 6 , wherein the biometrics device is integral to the peripheral unit.
8. The point-of-sale device of claim 7 , wherein the base unit further includes a display on the base unit housing and in communication with the processor.
9. The point-of-sale device of claim 8 , wherein the base unit further comprises a touch-screen.
10. The point of sale device of claim 6 , wherein the biometrics device is a finger-print device.
11. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the base unit further includes a keypad on the base unit housing and in communication with the processor.
12. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the base unit housing further includes a payment-card slot for receiving a payment card and wherein the base unit further includes a magnetic strip reader affixed with the base unit housing at the payment-card slot and in communication with the processor.
13. The point-of-sale device of claim 12 , the point-of sale device further comprising a magnetic-strip writer in communication with the base unit.
14. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the base unit further comprises a card issuer for distributing one or more types of stored value cards.
15. The point-of-sale device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more types of stored value cards comprises a phone card.
16. The point-of sale device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more types of stored value cards comprise a retail gift card.
17. The point-of-sale device recited in claim 1 , the point-of-sale device further comprising a modem located within the base unit housing and in communication with the processor.
18. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , the point-of-sale device further comprising an external communications interface in communication with the processor.
19. The point-of-sale device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive and process Internet communications over the external communications interface.
20. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the base unit housing is adapted for mounting on a wall.
21. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral unit further comprises a display on the peripheral unit housing.
22. The point-of-sale device of claim 21 wherein the display is adapted for electronic signature capture.
23. The point-of-sale device of claim 22 wherein the peripheral unit further comprises an electrostatic writing stylus configured for writing on the display.
24. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 wherein the peripheral unit further comprises a keypad on the peripheral unit housing.
25. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 wherein the peripheral unit further comprises:
a payment-card slot within the peripheral unit housing for receiving a payment card; and
a magnetic stripe card reader affixed with the peripheral unit housing at the payment-card slot.
26. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 wherein the peripheral unit further comprises a smart-card reader affixed with the peripheral unit housing.
27. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 wherein the base unit further includes a docking station and the peripheral unit is adapted for docking within the docking station.
28. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises a radio frequency interface.
29. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises an infra-red interface.
30. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the point-of-sale device further comprises an audio interface to at least one of receive audio data and output audio data.
31. The point-of-sale device of claim 30 , wherein the audio interface includes a speaker.
32. The point-of-sale device of claim 30 , wherein the audio interface includes a microphone.
33. A point-of-sale device comprising:
a base unit adapted for use by a merchant at a point-of-sale to process transaction payment information, wherein the base unit includes:
a base unit housing having a document slot adapted for receiving a document, wherein the base unit housing is sized and shaped so as to be capable of sitting on a merchant's counter;
a processor disposed within the base unit housing and configured to process two or more of a check acceptance transaction, a credit card transaction, a money transfer transaction, and a stored value transaction;
a printer disposed within the base unit housing and operable to print on the document within the document slot;
a magnetic-ink character recognition device positioned with respect to the document slot and adapted to read a string of magnetic-ink characters on the document when the document is inserted within the document slot; and
a docking station integral with the base unit housing; and
a peripheral unit housed independently from and in communication with the base unit and adapted for docking with the base unit, the peripheral unit including:
a peripheral unit housing; and
a display on the peripheral unit housing.
34. The point-of-sale device of claim 33 , wherein at least one of the base unit and the peripheral unit comprises a magnetic stripe card reader adapted for reading a magnetic stripe from a payment card.
35. The point-of-sale device of claim 33 the point-of-sale device further comprising an external communications interface in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to receive and process Iriternet communications over the external communications interface.
36. The point-of-sale device of claim 33 wherein the display further comprises a touch-screen and is adapted for electronic signature capture.
37. A point-of-sale device comprising:
means for use by a merchant at a point-of-sale to process transaction payment information, such means including:
housing means, wherein said housing means is configured so as to be capable of sitting on a merchant's counter; and
processor means disposed within the first housing means for processing a plurality of payment types that includes check processing and at least one other payment type; and
means for performing customer functions at the point-of-sale configured so as to be capable of sitting on a merchant's counter and so as to be remotely located from said means for use by a merchant, wherein the means for use by a merchant and the means for performing customer functions are in communication and wherein the means for performing customer functions includes an audio means for inputting and outputting audio data coupled with a converter means for converting inputted audio data to digital data manipulable by the processor means.
38. The point-of-sale device of claim 37 , wherein the housing means compnses:
means for receiving a document; and
means for reading a string of magnetic-ink characters on the document when the document is inserted within the means for receiving the document.
39. The point-of-sale device of claim 37 , wherein the housing means comprises a first display means, such first display means being configured to support touch operation, and wherein the means for performing customer functions comprises a second display means, such second display means being configured to capture electronic signature information.
40. The point-of-sale device of claim 37 , wherein at least one of the means for performing merchant functions and the means for performing customer functions comprises means for reading a magnetic stripe comprised by a payment card.
41. The point-of-sale device of claim 37 , the point-of-sale device further comprising means for performing Internet communications externally from the point-of-sale device to the processor means.
42. The point-of-sale device of claim 37 , wherein the audio means includes microphone means for inputting audio data and speaker means for outputting audio data.
43. The point-of-sale device of claim 37 , wherein the means for performing customer functions further includes interface means for receiving account information associated with customers from transponders.