Configuring point-of-sale (POS) applications based on a priority level in order to communicate with peripheral devices in a POS system

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

generating, at a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal, a key for a POS peripheral device responsive to detecting a predetermined trigger event;

obtaining a configuration file for the POS peripheral device based on the key, wherein the configuration file comprises configuration data defining configuration settings for the POS peripheral device and environmental context information for the POS terminal, and

wherein obtaining a configuration file for the POS peripheral device based on the key comprises:

retrieving the configuration file from a local memory circuit at the POS terminal if the configuration file is stored in the local memory circuit; and

retrieving the configuration file from a control server communicatively connected to the POS terminal if the configuration file is not stored in the local memory circuit;

assigning a priority level to the configuration file based on a comparative analysis of the configuration data in the configuration file to configuration information stored in a cache at the POS terminal; and

configuring a POS application program executing at the POS terminal with the configuration data in the configuration file, wherein the configuration data controls the POS application to update the configuration of the POS application program for the POS peripheral device based on the priority level.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein assigning a priority level to the configuration file comprises assigning a priority level to the configuration file based on a comparative analysis of the environmental context information to the configuration information stored in the cache at the POS terminal.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at the POS terminal, a plurality of configuration files associated with the POS peripheral device, each configuration file comprising configuration data defining configuration settings for the POS peripheral device and environmental context information for the POS terminal;

selecting at least one of the plurality of configuration files based on the priority level; and

configuring the POS application with the configuration data in the selected configuration file.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein generating a key for the POS peripheral device comprises generating the key based on information received from the POS peripheral device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein assigning a priority level to the configuration file further comprises assigning the priority level to the configuration file based on a device where the configuration file is stored.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein if the configuration file is not stored in the local memory circuit and is not stored at the control server, obtaining a configuration file for the POS peripheral device based on the key further comprises:

sending a configuration file request message to an enterprise server via a communications network;

receiving the configuration file if the enterprise server stored the configuration file; and

generating a default configuration file for the POS peripheral device if the configuration is not stored at the enterprise server.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising generating a notification for a user of the POS terminal to provide additional information associated with allowing the POS application to operate with the POS peripheral device.

8. A Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal comprising:

a communications interface circuit configured to communicate data with one or more remote devices via a communications network; and

a processing circuit configured to:

generate a key for a POS peripheral device communicatively connected to the POS terminal responsive to detecting a predetermined trigger event;

obtain a configuration file for the POS peripheral device based on the key, wherein the configuration file comprises configuration data defining configuration settings for the POS peripheral device and environmental context information for the POS terminal;

assign a priority level to the configuration file based on a comparative analysis of the configuration data in the configuration file to configuration information stored in a cache at the POS terminal;

configure a POS application program executing at the POS terminal with the configuration data in the configuration file, wherein the configuration data controls the POS application to update the configuration of the POS application program for the POS peripheral device based on the priority level; and

wherein to obtain a configuration file for the POS peripheral device based on the key, the processing circuit is configured to:

obtain the configuration file for the POS peripheral device from a local memory circuit if the configuration file is stored in the local memory circuit; and

obtain the configuration file for the POS peripheral device from a control server communicatively connected to the POS terminal if the configuration file is not stored in the local memory circuit.

9. The POS terminal of claim 8 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to assign a priority level to the configuration file based on a comparative analysis of the environmental context information to the configuration information stored in the cache at the POS terminal.

10. The POS terminal of claim 8 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

receive, via the communications interface, a plurality of configuration files associated with the POS peripheral device, each configuration file comprising configuration data defining configuration settings for the POS peripheral device and environmental context information for the POS terminal;

selecting at least one of the plurality of configuration files based on the priority level; and

configuring the POS application with the configuration data in the selected configuration file.

11. The POS terminal of claim 8 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to generate the key for the POS peripheral device based on information received from the POS peripheral device.

12. The POS terminal of claim 8 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to;

assign the priority level to the configuration file according to a device from which the configuration file was obtained.

13. The POS terminal of claim 8 wherein if the configuration file is not stored in the local memory circuit, and if the configuration file is not stored at the control server, the processing circuit is further configured to:

send a configuration file request message to an enterprise server;

receive the configuration file if the enterprise server stored the configuration file; and

generate a default configuration file for the POS peripheral device if the configuration is not stored at the enterprise server.

14. The POS terminal of claim 8 wherein processing circuit is further configured to prompt a user of the POS terminal to provide additional information associated with allowing the POS application to operate with the POS peripheral device.

15. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer program code stored thereon that, when executed by a processing circuit of a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal, configures the processing circuit to:

generate a key for a POS peripheral device communicatively connected to the POS terminal responsive to detecting a predetermined trigger event;

obtain a configuration file for the POS peripheral device based on the key, wherein the configuration file comprises configuration data defining configuration settings for the POS peripheral device and environmental context information for the POS terminal;

assign a priority level to the configuration file based on a comparative analysis of the configuration data in the configuration file to configuration information stored in a cache at the POS terminal; and

configure a POS application program executing at the POS terminal with the configuration data in the configuration file, wherein the configuration data controls the POS application to update the configuration of the POS application program for the POS peripheral device based on the priority level; and

wherein to obtain a configuration file for the POS peripheral device based on the key, the computer program code configures the processing circuit to:

obtain the configuration file for the POS peripheral device from a local memory circuit if the configuration file is stored in the local memory circuit; and

obtain the configuration file for the POS peripheral device from a control server communicatively connected to the POS terminal if the configuration file is not stored in the local memory circuit.