EXTERNAL DISPLAY FOR A POINT OF SALE HOST

An external display to be used with a point of sale (POS) host, including a serial data transmission interface that receives purchase information and an advertisement multimedia file from the POS host, a register memory module including a first section and a second section, a display memory module, a processor, a display screen and a display controller. The processor stores the purchase information in a first section and stores the advertisement multimedia file in a second section of the register memory module, accesses the register memory module to obtain the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file, generates a composite multimedia file, and stores the composite multimedia file in the display memory module. The display controller obtains the composite multimedia file, and controls the display screen to display the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file simultaneously thereon.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Taiwanese Utility Model Patent Application No. 112201431, filed on Feb. 18, 2023.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a display device, and more particularly to an external display that can be used with different point of sale (POS) hosts to constitute a POS system.

BACKGROUND

FIG.1is a block diagram illustrating a conventional point of sale (POS) system100. The POS system100includes a POS host11, a main display screen12(e.g., a touchscreen), and a customer display device13. The POS host11includes a processor10, a data storage16that stores a graphical user interface (GUI) and a POS software application therein, and a scanner18. The POS software application includes instructions that, when executed by the processor10, causes the processor10to implement the operations associated with the POS system100.

The main display screen12is coupled to the POS host11via an audio/video interface14(e.g., High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI®)), and is controlled by the POS host11to display the GUI, which is provided by the POS host11, for allowing a cashier to operate thereon by touching the main display screen12. The customer display device13is coupled to the POS host11via a serial data transmission interface15(e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface), and is configured to display purchase information associated with a purchase (e.g., a name of merchandise scanned by the scanner18, a number of the merchandise purchased, a unit price, and a total price calculated by the processor10, etc.) for a customer. Typically, the customer display device13is embodied using a display device with a resolution that is relatively low, and is only configured for displaying basic information such as the display purchase information.

FIG.2is a block diagram illustrating another conventional POS system200. The POS system200includes a POS host21, a first display screen22(e.g., a touchscreen), and a second display screen23. The POS host21includes a processor20, a data storage26that stores the GUI, the POS software application and at least one advertisement multimedia file (which may be an image, a video, etc.) containing advertisement material therein, and a scanner28.

The first display screen22is coupled to the POS host21via a first audio/video interface24(e.g., High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI®)), and is controlled by the POS host21to display the GUI, which is provided by the POS host21, for allowing a cashier to operate thereon by touching the first display screen22. The second display screen23is coupled to the POS host21via a second audio/video interface25(which may be similar to the first audio/video interface24), and is configured to display purchase information associated with a purchase (e.g., a name of merchandise scanned by the scanner18, a number of the merchandise purchased, a unit price, a total price calculated by the processor10, etc.) for a customer. Specifically, in this example, the processor20may incorporate the purchase information and advertisement multimedia file to generate a composite multimedia file, and transmit the composite multimedia file to the second display screen23. As such, in addition to the purchase information, a customer is able to view the advertisement multimedia file simultaneously on the second display screen23. It is noted that the second display screen23is typically more advanced in comparison to the customer display device13shown inFIG.1, and is capable of displaying the advertisement multimedia file adequately.

In some cases, it may be desired to use the POS system100ofFIG.1to implement the function of displaying the composite multimedia file as in the POS system200(as shown inFIG.2). As such,FIG.3is a block diagram of another POS system100′ which is an upgraded version of the conventional POS system100. Specifically, the POS host11further includes an additional audio/video interface17(which may be similar to the audio/video interface14), and the POS system100′ further includes an additional display19that has a specification similar to that of the main display screen12and that is connected to the POS host11via the additional audio/video interface17. The data storage16further stores at least one advertisement multimedia file containing advertisement material therein. In use, the purchase information is transmitted via the serial data transmission interface15to the customer display device13for display, and the advertisement multimedia file is transmitted via the additional audio/video interface17to the additional display19for display. To achieve this, the POS host11may also need modification and/or upgrades. For example, the POS software application stored in the POS host11may need to be updated or replaced to accommodate the change.

SUMMARY

One object of the disclosure is to provide an external display that can be used with a point of sale (POS) host to form a POS system. Specifically, the POS host may be one with

According to one embodiment of the disclosure, the external display is to be used with a POS host. The external display includes:a serial data transmission interface that enables a wired connection between the POS host and the external display, so as to receive purchase information associated with a purchase and an advertisement multimedia file from the POS host;a register memory module including a first section and a second section;a display memory module;a processor connected to the serial data transmission interface, the register memory module and the display memory module;a display controller connected to the display memory module, anda display screen connected to the display controller;wherein the processor is configured toin response to receipt of the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file, storing the purchase information in one of the first section and a second section of the register memory module and storing the advertisement multimedia file in the other one of the first section and the second section of the register memory module,access the register memory module to obtain the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file, and generate a composite multimedia file based on the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file, andstore the composite multimedia file in the display memory module,wherein the display controller is configured to access the display memory module to obtain the composite multimedia file, and to control the display screen to display the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file simultaneously thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.4is a block diagram illustrating an external display4to be used with a point of sale (POS) host31that is electrically connected with a main display screen32according to one embodiment of the disclosure. Typically, the POS host31, the main display screen32and the external display4collectively form a POS system.

In this embodiment, the POS host31may be embodied using a computing device, and includes a processor30, an audio/video interface33(e.g., High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI®)), a serial data transmission interface34(e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface), a data storage module36, and a scanner38.

The processor30may include, but is not limited to, a single core processor, a multi-core processor, a dual-core mobile processor, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and/or a radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), etc.

The data storage module36is connected to the processor30, and may be embodied using, for example, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), firmware, and/or flash memory, etc. The data storage module36stores a graphical user interface (GUI), a POS software application and at least one advertisement multimedia file (which may be an image, a video, etc.) containing advertisement material therein. In this embodiment, the data storage module36stores a plurality of advertisement multimedia files containing the advertisement material associated with different categories of merchandise, respectively. The POS software application includes instructions that, when executed by the processor30, cause the processor30to perform the operations as described below.

The scanner38is connected to the processor30, and is configured to scan a barcode (e.g., a two-dimensional (2D) code) attached to a merchandise, and as such, the processor30is configured to determine the content included in the 2D code. In use, the scanner38may be embodied using a commercially available scanner.

The main display screen32may be embodied using a touch screen, is connected to the POS host31via the audio/video interface33, and is controlled by the POS host11to display the GUI, which is provided by the POS host11, for allowing a cashier to operate thereon by touching the main display screen32.

The external display4includes a serial data transmission interface41, a register memory module42, a display memory module43, a processor44, a display screen45, and a display controller46.

The serial data transmission interface41may be embodied using components that are similar to those of the serial data transmission interface34(e.g., another USB interface), so as to enable a wired connection between the external display4and the POS host31using, for example, a USB cable.

The register memory module42may be embodied using a register memory of a microcontroller40, a built-in memory of the external display4, or an externally connected memory module. The register memory module42includes a first section421and a second section422. In this embodiment, the first section421and the second section422are two sections that are included in the same register memory module42but are separate from each other, while in other embodiments, the first section421and the second section422may be embodied using two separate memory modules.

The display memory module43may be embodied using a memory included in a built-in video card (not depicted in the drawings) of the external display4, a built-in memory of the external display4, or an externally connected memory module.

The processor44is connected to the serial data transmission interface41, the register memory module42and the display memory module43, and may be embodied using a central processing unit (CPU) of the microcontroller40of the external display4in this embodiment, but is not limited to such.

The display screen45may be embodied using a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen or a touch screen.

The display controller46may be embodied using a video display controller (VDC), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or a controller included in the built-in video card, and is connected to the display memory module43and the display screen45, and is configured to access data stored in the display memory module43and to transmit the data to the display screen for display.

In use, the POS host31may first download and store a driver program related to the external display4, and after executing the driver program, the processor30is capable of interacting with the external display4.

Specifically, the POS system including the POS host31, the main display screen32and the external display4may be placed in a retail store, a department store, or other locations, and may be handled by a cashier. The GUI is transmitted by the POS host31to the main display screen32

In the case that a customer intends to make the purchase that may include one or more merchandises, he/she may proceed to the POS system. Then, at the POS system, a check-out process is started, and the cashier places the merchandise near the scanner38to read a barcode (e.g., a two-dimensional (2D) code) that is attached to the merchandise facing the scanner38. As a result, merchandise information encoded in the 2D code (e.g., information of the merchandise, such as a name and a price) is scanned by the scanner38and obtained by the processor30, and the processor30generates purchase information based on the merchandise information obtained from the scanner38. It is noted that the purchase information may be updated as 2D code of additional merchandise is scanned by the scanner38, or as merchandise is cancelled from purchase.

During the check-out process, the processor30is configured to transmit the GUI to the main display screen32via the audio/video interface33, and to transmit the purchase information and one of the advertisement multimedia files to the external display4via the serial data transmission interface34. In this embodiment, the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file may be transmitted to the external display4in the form of one or more packets that can be received and parsed by the external display4, and the selection of one of the advertisement multimedia files may be based on the purchase information.

In response to the receipt of the packet(s), the processor44is configured to process the packet(s) to extract the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file, and to store the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file in the register memory module42. Specifically, in this embodiment, the processor44is configured to store the purchase information in the first section421, and to store the advertisement multimedia file in the second section422.

Then, the processor44is configured to access the register memory module42to obtain the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file stored therein. Next, the processor44is configured to integrate the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file, so as to generate a composite multimedia file, and to transmit the composite multimedia file to the display memory module43that includes the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file.

The display controller46is configured to access the display memory module43to obtain the composite multimedia file, and to control the display screen45to display the composite multimedia file. It is noted that during the check-out process, additional merchandise may be added, the purchase information included in the composite multimedia file (and therefore the content of the composite multimedia file to be displayed by the display screen45) may be changed accordingly. In embodiments, the composite multimedia file may be displayed in different manners. For example, in this embodiment, the advertisement multimedia file may be displayed on a left side of the display screen45, and the purchase information may be displayed on a right side of the display screen45, but is not limited to such.

FIG.5is a block diagram illustrating an external display4to be used with a POS host21′, which is a different model from the POS host31shown inFIG.4but similar to the POS host21shown inFIG.2, and a main display screen22? according to one embodiment of the disclosure. In this embodiment, the POS host21′ may be embodied using a computer device, and includes a processor20, an audio/video interface24′ (e.g., HDMI®), a data storage26that stores the GUI, the POS software application and at least one advertisement multimedia file therein, a scanner28, and a serial data transmission interface29(e.g., a USB Type-C® interface). The main display screen32is coupled to the POS host21′ via the audio/video interface24′.

The external display4is connected to the POS host21′ via the serial data transmission interface41and the serial data transmission interface29. In this embodiment, the POS host21′ is configured to generate the composite multimedia file, and to transmit the composite multimedia file to the external display4, instead of directly transmitting the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file to the external display4. In response to receipt of the composite multimedia file, the processor44stores the composite multimedia file in the register memory module42(e.g., in the second section422).

Then, the processor44is configured to access the register memory module42to obtain the composite multimedia file stored therein. Then, the processor44is configured to store the composite multimedia file in the display memory module43.

The display controller46is configured to access the display memory module43to obtain the composite multimedia file, and to control the display screen45to display the composite multimedia file.

To sum up, embodiments of the disclosure provide an external display that is configured to be used with different models of the POS host to form a POS system. In use, when connected to the external display, the POS host is configured to transmit the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file, or a composite multimedia file, to the external display via a serial data transmission interface. In response to receipt of the data from the POS host, the external display is configured to generate a composite multimedia file based on the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file and control a display screen to display both the purchase information and the advertisement multimedia file of the composite multimedia file simultaneously, or to directly display the composite multimedia file received from the POS host. In this manner, the POS system may be operated without having to replace the POS host to include multiple audio/video interfaces or having to include more than two display devices (as the example shown inFIG.3). Additionally, the POS host only needs to load a driver program related to the external display, and the POS software application need not be updated. As such, the external display is capable of functioning together with various POS hosts of different models, a conventional POS system (as described inFIG.1) may be upgraded with a relatively low cost.