Granted Patent B1

US 12,299,715 · App. 18/494,256 · Granted May 13, 2025

Inventors: Susan W. Brosnan (Raleigh, NC); Jessica Snead (Cary, NC); Patricia Hogan (Raleigh, NC); Daniel Robert Goins (Wake Forest, NC)

Assignee: TOSHIBA GLOBAL COMMERCE SOLUTIONS, INC.

G06Q30/0268G06Q20/20

Abstract

Claims (41)

1. A method implemented by a transaction management system comprising a Point of Sale (PoS) controller and two or more PoS terminals, the method comprising:

performing, by each of the PoS terminals, one or more PoS tasks in a retail environment;

execute, by each of the PoS terminals, background monitoring software to monitor for an item scanned by a scanner of the PoS terminal; and

transmit, from each of the PoS terminals and to the PoS controller, information regarding the item scanned by the scanner of the PoS terminal;

receiving, by the PoS controller and from each of the PoS terminals, the information regarding the items scanned;

calculating, by the PoS controller and based on the information regarding the scanned items scanned, a combined transaction service time indicating that the transaction management system is occupied performing the PoS tasks for more than a threshold amount of time;

responsive to detecting that the combined transaction time is over a threshold amount of time, initiating, by the PoS controller, an in-store event within the retail environment;

generating, by the PoS controller, a graphical notification interface comprising graphical elements depicting the in-store event; and

transmitting, by the PoS controller, the graphical notification interface to at least one wireless device associated with a shopper in the retail environment.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprises detecting that there is a line of shoppers located at a PoS terminal of the transaction management system.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprises selecting the in-store event based on the PoS tasks occupying the transaction management system.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising estimating an amount of time that the transaction management system will be occupied by the PoS tasks, wherein selecting the in-store event based on the PoS tasks comprises selecting the in-store event based on an estimated amount of time.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initiating an in-store event comprises sending the graphical notification interface, including a transaction service time, to a wireless device associated with the shopper.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initiating an in-store event comprises sending an alert to store personnel.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initiating an in-store event comprises triggering a speaker located in the retail environment to play audio.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initiating an in-store event comprises activating a digital sign.

9. A transaction management system comprising:

a Point of Sale (PoS) controller and two or more PoS terminals;

wherein each of the PoS terminals comprises a scanner, processing circuitry and memory comprising instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the processing circuitry is configured to:

perform one or more PoS tasks in a retail environment;

execute background monitoring software to monitor for an item scanned by the scanner; and

transmit information regarding the scanned item to the PoS controller;

wherein the PoS controller is configured to:

receive the information regarding the scanned item from the PoS terminal;

calculate, based on the information regarding the scanned items, and a combined transaction service time indicating that the transaction management system is occupied performing the PoS tasks for more than a threshold amount of time;

responsive to detecting that the combined transaction time is over a threshold amount of time, initiate an in-store event within the retail environment;

generate a graphical notification interface comprising graphical elements depicting the in-store event; and

transmit the graphical notification interface to at least one wireless device associated with a shopper in the retail environment.

10. The transaction management system of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to detect that there is a line of shoppers located at a PoS terminal of the transaction management system.

11. The transaction management system of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select the in-store event based on the PoS tasks occupying the transaction management system.

12. The transaction management system of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to estimate an amount of time that the transaction management system will be occupied by the PoS tasks, wherein to select the in-store event based on the PoS tasks the processing circuitry is configured to select the in-store event based on an estimated amount of time.

13. The transaction management system of claim 9 , wherein to initiate an in-store event, the processing circuitry is configured to send the graphical notification interface, including a transaction service time, to a wireless device associated with the shopper.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program comprising software instructions that, when run on processing circuitry of a transaction management system that comprises a Point of Sale (PoS) controller and two or more PoS terminals, cause the transaction management system to:

perform, by each of the PoS terminals, one or more PoS tasks in a retail environment;

execute, by each of the PoS terminals, background monitoring software to monitor for an item scanned by a scanner of the PoS terminal; and

transmit, from each of the PoS terminals and to the PoS controller, information regarding the item scanned;

receive, by the PoS controller, the information regarding the items scanned;

calculating, by the PoS controller and based on the information regarding the scanned items, a combined transaction service time indicating that the transaction management system is occupied performing the PoS tasks for more than a threshold amount of time;

responsive to detecting that the combined transaction time is over a threshold amount of time, initiate, by the PoS controller, an in-store event within the retail environment;

generate, by the PoS controller, a graphical notification interface comprising graphical elements depicting the in-store event; and

transmit, by the PoS controller, the graphical notification interface to at least one wireless device associated with a shopper in the retail environment.

Assignments (1)

References Cited (29)