Patent ID: 6845363
Filing Date: 2005-01-18
Classification: G06Q,G07G,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A POS terminal connectable to a store controller, comprising: (a) program storage means having a first non-volatile storage means storing a computer program for controlling the operation of the POS terminal; (b) program updating means for comparing, at the time of startup of said POS terminal, a first version of the computer program stored in said program storage means with a second version of the computer program stored in said store controller and for reading the second version of the computer program and storing the read second version of the computer program in said program storage means when a comparison between the first and second versions of the computer program shows that the first version of the computer program stored in said program storage means is older than the second version of the computer program; (c) program executing means for executing the most recent version of the computer program stored in said program storage means after the program comparison is performed; (d) goods identification code inputting means for inputting codes identifying items of commercial goods; (e) goods information storage means for holding, by storing in the first non-volatile storage means, a first version of goods information which corresponds to the goods identification codes and which includes at least one of prices or names of the items of the commercial goods; (f) goods information updating means for comparing the first version of goods information stored in said goods information storage means with a second version of goods information stored in said store controller and for reading the second version of goods information and storing the read second version of goods information in said goods information storage means when a comparison between the first and second versions of goods information shows that the first version of goods information stored in said goods information storage means is incorrect or older than the second version of goods information; (g) sales data generating means for generating sales data including at least transaction data, based on the goods identification code inputted by said goods identification code inputting means and on the correct or most recent version of goods information stored in said goods information storage means; (h) environment data storage means for storing environment data including, at least, information concerning a peripheral device connected to said POS terminal, the environmental data being stored together with an identification code identifying the POS terminal; and (i) environment data updating means for comparing a first version of the environment data stored in said environment data storage means with a second version of the environment data concerning said POS terminal stored in said store controller and for reading the second version of the environment data and storing the read second version of the environment data in said environment data storage means when a comparison between the first and second versions of the environment data shows that the first version of the environment data stored in said environment data storage means is incorrect or older than the second version of the environment data.