Apparatus and method for POS processing

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a portable electronic device comprising a non-volatile memory; and

an interface on the portable electronic device for communication between the non-volatile memory and a point-of-sale device;

wherein the non-volatile memory includes instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

electronically coupling the interface to the point-of-sale device, wherein responsive to the coupling the point-of-sale device operates as a host to the portable electronic device and the portable electronic device operates as a peripheral of the host; and

responsive to the coupling, supporting the point-of-sale device in processing a transaction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

upon the availability of a network connection, instructing the point-of-sale device to transmit a record of the transaction via the network connection to a remote server computer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein processing the transaction comprises charging an account.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting to the point-of-sale device at least one of coupon data or product inventory data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise supporting the point-of-sale device in processing the transaction without the processing requiring a network connection between the point-of-sale device and a remote server computer during the transaction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein supporting the point-of-sale device in processing the transaction further comprises:

retrieving, by the portable electronic device, an account identifier for use with the transaction from the non-volatile memory of the portable electronic device; and

transmitting, by the portable electronic device to the point-of-sale device, the account identifier for use with the transaction.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving, at the portable electronic device, a confirmation that the transaction has been completed, the confirmation from the point-of-sale device or a remote server computer.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the account identifier is associated with at least one of a credit card account, a debit card account, or a gift card account.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, by the portable electronic device to the point-of-sale device, at least one of coupon data or product inventory data.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise functioning as a key to unlock the point-of-sale device when connected and lock the point-of-sale device when unconnected.

11. A method, comprising:

electronically coupling an interface of a portable electronic device comprising a non-volatile memory to a point-of-sale device, wherein responsive to the coupling the point-of-sale device operates as a host to the portable electronic device and the portable electronic device operates as a peripheral of the host; and

responsive to the coupling, executing, using a processing device, instructions stored on the non-volatile memory of the portable electronic device to support the point-of-sale device in processing a transaction.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

upon the availability of a network connection, instructing the point-of-sale device to transmit a record of the transaction via the network connection to a remote server computer.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein processing the transaction comprises charging an account.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising transmitting to the point-of-sale device at least one of coupon data or product inventory data.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising supporting the point-of-sale device in processing the transaction without the processing requiring a network connection between the point-of-sale device and a remote server computer during the transaction.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein supporting the point-of-sale device in processing the transaction further comprises:

retrieving, by the portable electronic device, the account identifier for use with the transaction from the non-volatile memory of the portable electronic device; and

transmitting, by the portable electronic device to the point-of-sale device, the account identifier for use with the transaction.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising receiving, at the portable electronic device, a confirmation that the transaction has been completed, the confirmation from the point-of-sale device or a remote server computer.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the account identifier is associated with at least one of a credit card account, a debit card account, or a gift card account.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising transmitting, by the portable electronic device to the point-of-sale device, at least one of coupon data or product inventory data.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising functioning as a key to unlock the point-of-sale device when connected and lock the point-of-sale device when unconnected.

21. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

downloading a merchant-specific configuration from the point-of-sale device; and

restoring the merchant-specific configuration onto another point-of-sale device.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

means for persistently storing data;

means for electronically coupling an interface corresponding to the persistent storage means to an interface corresponding to a point-of-sale device, wherein responsive to the coupling the point-of-sale device operates as a host to the portable electronic device and the portable electronic device operates as a peripheral of the host; and

means for executing instructions stored on the persistent storage means responsive to the coupling to support the point-of-sale device in processing a transaction.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising:

means for retrieving the account identifier for use with the transaction from the persistent storage means; and

means for providing the retrieved account identifier to the point-of-sale device.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising:

means for downloading a merchant-specific configuration from the point-of-sale device; and

means for restoring the merchant-specific configuration onto another point-of-sale device.