Apparatus and method for context-based credit card reader power management

1. An apparatus for context-based credit card reader management, the apparatus comprising:

a point-of sale (POS) terminal, configured to accept employee login credentials via a magnetic stripe card, to display menu items for selection, to add selected menu items to an order, and to accept payment for said order, wherein said payment may be obtained via swipe, dip, or tap, said POS terminal comprising:

a card reader, configured to read provided cards when fully powered and enabled; and

a reader controller, coupled to said card reader, configured to determine one or more workflow states of said POS terminal, and configured to dynamically control power states of said card reader according to said one or more workflow states;

wherein:

said workflow states comprise a power up state, a login state, a reader update state, a menu state, an order state, and a payment state;

said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power full state for a first period of time upon entry of said POS terminal into said login state, and wherein, if said login state persists longer than said first period of time, said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from said card reader; and

said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power full state for a second period of time upon entry of said POS terminal into said reader update state, and wherein, if said reader update state persists longer than said second period of time, said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from said card reader.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power standby state for a first period of time upon entry of said POS terminal into said power up state, and wherein, if said power up state persists longer than said first period of time, said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from said card reader.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power standby state for a first period of time upon entry of said POS terminal into said menu state, and wherein, if said menu state persists longer than said first period of time, said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from said card reader.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power full state for a first period of time upon entry of said POS terminal into said order state, thus enabling a guest to provide payment for said order via said card reader immediately after said POS terminal enters said order state, and wherein, if said order state persists longer than said first period of time, said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from said card reader.

5. An apparatus for context-based credit card reader management, the apparatus comprising:

a point-of sale (POS) terminal, configured to accept employee login credentials via a magnetic stripe card, to display menu items for selection, to add selected menu items to an order, and to accept payment for said order, wherein said payment may be obtained via swipe, dip, or tap, said POS terminal comprising:

a card reader, configured to read provided cards when fully powered and enabled;

a reader controller, coupled to said card reader, configured to determine one or more workflow states of said POS terminal, and configured to dynamically control power states of said card reader according to said one or more workflow states; and

an order processor, coupled to said reader controller, configured to set said workflow state of said POS terminal based upon commands received from a backend server and entries via a touchscreen that is disposed within said POS terminal, wherein said backend server is not on-premise with said POS terminal;

wherein:

said workflow states comprise a power up state, a login state, a reader update state, a menu state, an order state, and a payment state;

said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power full state for a first period of time upon entry of said POS terminal into said login state, and wherein, if said login state persists longer than said first period of time, said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from said card reader; and

said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power full state for a second period of time upon entry of said POS terminal into said reader update state, and wherein, if said reader update state persists longer than said second period of time, said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from said card reader.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 , wherein said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power standby state for a first period of time upon entry of said POS terminal into said power up state, and wherein, if said power up state persists longer than said first period of time, said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from said card reader.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 , wherein said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power standby state for a first period of time upon entry of said POS terminal into said menu state, and wherein, if said menu state persists longer than said first period of time, said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from said card reader.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 , wherein said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power full state for a first period of time upon entry of said POS terminal into said order state, thus enabling a guest to provide payment for said order via said card reader immediately after said POS terminal enters said order state, and wherein, if said order state persists longer than said first period of time, said reader controller directs said card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from said card reader.

9. A method for context-based credit card reader management, the method comprising:

providing a point-of sale (POS) terminal that is configured to accept employee login credentials via a magnetic stripe card, to display menu items for selection, to add selected menu items to an order, and to accept payment for the order, wherein said payment may be obtained via swipe, dip, or tap;

via a card reader disposed as part of the POS terminal, reading provided cards when fully powered and enabled; and

via a reader controller that is coupled to the card reader, determining one or more workflow states of the POS terminal, and dynamically controlling power states of the card reader according to the one or more workflow states;

wherein:

the workflow states comprise a power up state, a login state, a reader update state, a menu state, an order state, and a payment state;

the reader controller directs the card reader to enter a power full state for a first period of time upon entry of the POS terminal into the login state, and wherein, if the login state persists longer than the first period of time, the reader controller directs the card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from the card reader; and

the reader controller directs the card reader to enter a power full state for a second period of time upon entry of the POS terminal into the reader update state, and wherein, if the reader update state persists longer than the second period of time, the reader controller directs the card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from the card reader.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the reader controller directs the card reader to enter a power standby state for a first period of time upon entry of the POS terminal into the power up state, and wherein, if the power up state persists longer than the first period of time, the reader controller directs the card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from the card reader.

11. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the reader controller directs the card reader to enter a power full state for a first period of time upon entry of the POS terminal into the order state, thus enabling a guest to provide payment for the order via the card reader immediately after the POS terminal enters the order state, and wherein, if the order state persists longer than the first period of time, the reader controller directs the card reader to enter a power off state by removing power from the card reader.