Patent ID: 7890372
Filing Date: 2011-02-15
Classification: G06Q,G07C,G07F,G07G

Abstract:
1. An electronic point-of-sale authorization device removably attachable to an auxiliary register system for verifying the identity of the user during point-of-sale transactions, said electronic point-of-sale authorization device comprising: a platform and a housing directly seated thereon; a microprocessor positioned within said housing; a memory electrically coupled to said microprocessor and including software instructions that cause the device to perform the steps of: instructing the user to place at least one metacarpal on a fingerprint reader, scanning a print of the metacarpal into a temporary storage medium, scanning a remotely located central database housing a plurality of pre-scanned fingerprint data and comparing the user's fingerprint with the database such that the identity of the user can be determined based on a matching fingerprint data found in the database, wherein the register system verifies the user's identity if the matching fingerprint data is located in the database and thereby allowing the user to complete the point-of-sale transaction without providing a picture ID; a user interface situated on said housing, said user interface including a display, screen and an associated implement electrically coupled thereto such that the user may sign their name on the display screen in an electronic format; a communication link operably connected to said microprocessor for transmitting data signals to the register system during operating conditions; a personal identification card reader electrically coupled to said microprocessor wherein the user may swipe their identification card through said reader to initiate a verification process; means for pivotally oscillating said housing and said tray about a pivot axis disposed beneath said tray; wherein said pivotally oscillating means comprises a mounting bracket adapted to be removably secured to a support surface; a telescopic support rod having a longitudinal axis oriented perpendicular to said pivot axis, said support rod further having axially opposed top and bottom ends directly coupled to said tray and said mounting bracket respectively; wherein said pivotally oscillating means further comprises: a pair of cog wheels equidistantly spaced apart from said support rod, each of said Cog wheels being integrally coupled to said tray; a rectilinear drive shaft passing through said support rod and being registered orthogonal to a longitudinal length of said support rod; a pair of spurred gears statically mated to opposed ends of said drive shaft respectively; wherein each of said cog wheels is provided with a toothed arcuate inner surface spaced from said opposed ends of said drive shaft wherein said spurred gears are rotatably reciprocated along said toothed arcuate inner surfaces and thereby cause said cog wheels to pivot along first and second curvilinear paths defined about said pivot axis; wherein said pivotally oscillating means further comprises: a first motor communicatively coupled to said user interface and said drive shaft, said first motor causing said drive shaft to rotate along clockwise and counter clockwise directions upon receiving an input signal from said user interface; and a second motor communicatively coupled to said user interface and said drive shaft respectively, said second motor causing said support rod to linearly reciprocate along a vertical axis defined orthogonal to said pivot axis.