Synchronization system for intermittenly-connected point-of-sale terminals employing browser based ordering
A system for fulfilling orders under non-persistent network conditions includes point-of-sale (POS) terminals and a server. Each terminal generates first changes corresponding to one or more orders, queues the first changes in order queues that correspond to the one or more orders, and transmits the first changes in the order queues, from oldest to youngest, when operably connected to a network. The server receives the first changes and transmits the first changes and second changes to the terminals, where the second changes correspond to one of the one or more orders received by the server from a browser-based terminal. The server has a queue processor that queues the state changes in terminal queues that correspond to the terminals, where the first and second changes are transmitted to a first one of the terminals, from oldest to youngest, when the first one of the plurality of terminals is operably connected to the network, and where the first and second changes are maintained in terminal queues corresponding to other ones of terminals while the other ones remain operably disconnected from the network.
1. A synchronization system for fulfilling orders under non-persistent network conditions, comprising:
point-of-sale (POS) terminals, each configured to generate first state changes corresponding to orders, and configured to queue said first state changes in durable order queues that correspond to said orders, and configured to transmit said first state changes in said durable order queues, from oldest to youngest, when operably connected to a network; and
a synchronization server, disposed not on-premise with said POS terminals, operably coupled to said POS terminals via said network, configured to receive said first state changes, and configured to transmit said first state changes and second state changes to said POS terminals, wherein said second state changes correspond to one of said orders received by said synchronization server from a browser-based terminal that is not on-premise with said POS terminals, said synchronization server comprising:
a queue processor, configured to queue said state changes in durable terminal queues that correspond to said POS terminals, wherein said first and second state changes are transmitted to a first one of said POS terminals, from oldest to youngest, when said first one of said POS terminals is operably connected to said network, and wherein said first and second state changes are maintained in durable terminal queues corresponding to other ones of said POS terminals while said other ones of said POS terminals remain operably disconnected from said network.
2. The synchronization system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said network comprises the internet.
3. The synchronization system as recited in claim 2 , wherein said synchronization server comprises a cloud-based server.
4. The synchronization system as recited in claim 3 , wherein two or more of said POS terminals are configured to generate unique ones of said first state changes corresponding to a same one of said orders.
5. The synchronization system as recited in claim 4 , wherein a first subset of said POS terminals operably connect to said network via one or more Wi-Fi access points that are disposed within a retail facility.
6. The synchronization system as recited in claim 5 , wherein a second subset of said POS terminals operably connect to said network via a wired connection disposed within said retail facility.
7. The synchronization system as recited in claim 6 , wherein a third subset of said POS terminals operably connect to said network via one or more cellular access points.
8. A synchronization system for fulfilling orders under non-persistent network conditions, comprising:
point-of-sale (POS) terminals, each configured to generate first state changes corresponding to orders, said each of said POS terminals comprising:
a state processor, configured to queue said first state changes in durable order queues that correspond to said orders, and configured to transmit said first state changes in said durable order queues, from oldest to youngest, when operably connected to a network; and
a synchronization server, disposed not on-premise with said POS terminals, operably coupled to said POS terminals via said network, configured to receive said first state changes, and configured to transmit said first state changes and second state changes to said POS terminals, wherein said second state changes correspond to one of said orders received by said synchronization server from a browser-based terminal that is not on-premise with said POS terminals, said synchronization server comprising:
a queue processor, configured to queue said first and second state changes in durable terminal queues that correspond to said POS terminals, wherein said first and second state changes are transmitted to a first one of said POS terminals, from oldest to youngest, when said first one of said plurality of POS terminals is operably connected to said network, and wherein said first and second state changes are maintained in durable terminal queues corresponding to other ones of said POS terminals while said other ones of said POS terminals remain operably disconnected from said network.
9. The synchronization system as recited in claim 8 , wherein said network comprises the internet.
10. The synchronization system as recited in claim 9 , wherein said synchronization server comprises a cloud-based server.
11. The synchronization system as recited in claim 10 , wherein two or more of said POS terminals are configured to generate unique ones of said first state changes corresponding to a same one of said orders.
12. The synchronization system as recited in claim 11 , wherein a first subset of said POS terminals operably connect to said network via one or more Wi-Fi access points that are disposed within a retail facility.
13. The synchronization system as recited in claim 12 , wherein a second subset of said POS terminals operably connect to said network via a wired connection disposed within said retail facility.
14. The synchronization system as recited in claim 13 , wherein a third subset of said POS terminals operably connect to said network via one or more cellular access points.
15. A synchronization method for fulfilling orders under non-persistent network conditions, comprising:
within each of a plurality of point-of-sale (POS) terminals, generating first state changes corresponding to orders, and queuing the first state changes in durable order queues that correspond to the orders, and transmitting the first state changes in the durable order queues, from oldest to youngest, when operably connected to a network; and
via a synchronization server that is disposed not on-premise with the POS terminals and that is operably coupled to the POS terminals via the network, receiving the first state changes, and transmitting the first state changes and second state changes to the POS terminals, wherein the second state changes correspond to one of the one or more orders received by the synchronization server from a browser-based terminal that is not on-premise with the POS terminals, said transmitting comprising:
queuing the first and second state changes in durable terminal queues that correspond to the POS terminals, wherein the first and second state changes are transmitted to a first one of the POS terminals, from oldest to youngest, when the first one of the POS terminals is operably connected to the network, and wherein the first and second state changes are maintained in durable terminal queues corresponding to other ones of the POS terminals while the other ones of the POS terminals remain operably disconnected from the network.
16. The synchronization system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the network comprises the internet.
17. The synchronization system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the synchronization server comprises a cloud-based server.
18. The synchronization system as recited in claim 17 , wherein two or more of the POS terminals are configured to generate unique ones of the first state changes corresponding to a same one of the one or more orders.
19. The synchronization system as recited in claim 18 , wherein a first subset of the POS terminals operably connect to the network via one or more Wi-Fi access points that are disposed within a retail facility.
20. The synchronization system as recited in claim 19 , wherein a second subset of the POS terminals operably connect to the network via one or more cellular access points.