Abstract:
In a terminal system having a printing function for printing additional information about special events, introductions, or advertising to sales receipts issued by a convenience store or kiosk when a purchase is made, or to queuing number tickets issued to customers waiting in a bank, customers can select information of personal interest from a list of advertising information so that the selected information is printed to the receipt or ticket issued by the system. A functional terminal of a POS system having an input device, printer, display, and controller for use in various applications comprises a display for presenting plural advertising information entries, a means for selecting desired entries from the displayed list, and a means for printing the selected information to a receipt issued by the terminal device. Information wanted by the customer can thus be selectively printed with the sales transaction information normally printed to the receipt that is handed to the customer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a receipt printing and issuing system, and a printing method for the same, and relates more particularly to a receipt printing and issuing system and method for printing information of added value (also referred to below as “advertising information” or “additional information”) such as an advertisement, coupon, introduction or event advertisement, to a receipt or queuing number ticket such as issued by a queuing number printer used in banks, securities companies, and hospitals to issue numbers for serving customers in order, or POS system or sales register printers for issuing receipts. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     POS systems that can print specific information input from a data entry terminal, for example, located in the store in addition to sales receipt information printed on the sales receipt issued by the POS system have been proposed for use primarily in convenience stores and other retail establishments. Such systems can directly provide individual local residents with advertisements and information about local events, such as community chess tournaments or karaoke singing contests. As lifestyles change, such systems can be an extremely effective advertising medium for events in the near future. One of the basic functions essential to any system for printing such added-value information for handing directly to customers is a function for issuing printed matter to a customer. 
     The additional information is printed by such systems in addition to the information conventionally printed by the system, and is typically printed without white space therebetween. The advertising, public announcement, or other information thus additionally printed by the system is referred to herein as “additional information” or “advertising information.” In addition, a POS system or other system having a function for printing such additional information is referred to herein as a “receipt printing and issuing system.” 
     In a conventional POS system capable of printing advertising information to a customer receipt automatically extracts the print data based on customer information input by the convenience store operator (clerk, for example), and then prints the receipt. Whether the advertising information printed on the receipt is of any particular interest to the customer receiving the receipt is therefore unknown. 
     If the information printed on the receipt is of real interest to the customer receiving the receipt, the customer can be expected to read the information with care, making the advertisement extremely effective. Such media can be a powerful advertising medium depending on how it is used because such media are handed one at a time to a single customer. 
     Furthermore, any system that generates a receipt or other printed medium for a specific purpose is a potential advertising medium as used herein. Such systems can be integrally linked and operated as an advertising medium, and the value of such an advertising medium is potentially very powerful. 
     For example, queuing number printers (printers that print numbers for customers waiting in line at a bank or hospital, for example), ATMs, and even parking lot ticket printers offer potential advertising media. Potential advertising media such as these are already commonly used and there is widespread interest in using such media for advertising purposes. 
     Each of these potential advertising media is passed individually to a single customer, and the success of the system as an advertising medium therefore depends on how successfully information of interest can be provided to a particular customer. 
     An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a receipt printing and issuing system, advertising method, and data storage medium capable of providing advertising information of the greatest possible interest to the customer to whom the printed medium is provided. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a receipt printing and issuing system and advertising method that can be deployed in any system that generates a printed medium, and is therefore applicable but not limited to a POS system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To achieve the above objects, a receipt printing and issuing system according to a first aspect of the present invention has an input device, printing device, display device, and storage device for printing other information in addition to required print information; comprises (a) a memory control means for receiving and storing advertising or other additional information, and reading said stored additional information as requested, (b) a display control means for displaying from the stored additional information a list of additional information satisfying a particular condition, (c) a selection control means for receiving input selecting additional information from the displayed list, and reading the additional information specified by said input, and (d) a print data generating means for generating and sending to the printing device as print data the additional information read by the selection control means; and thus prints other information in addition to the information that must normally be printed. With this aspect of the invention customers can select additional information that the customer wants, thus enabling effective advertising. 
     In a receipt printing and issuing system according to a second aspect of the invention the memory control means is a control means for receiving and storing additional information input over a network. This makes it possible to rapidly update the additional information. 
     In a receipt printing and issuing system according to a third aspect of the invention the selection control means is a means for selecting at least one item of additional information. It is therefore possible to provide at the same time plural additional information entries of interest to a single customer, and advertisements can therefore be presented more frequently. 
     In a receipt printing and issuing system according to a fourth aspect of the invention the selection control means is a means having a function for automatically reading specific additional information according to a specific rule when a specific time has elapsed. A drop in system output as a result of waiting for a selection can thus be appropriately prevented. 
     In a receipt printing and issuing system according to a fifth aspect of the invention the display control means is a means further comprising a function for selectively changing the specific condition for generating a list of additional information presented on the display device. In this case the operator at a convenience store, for example, enters customer data so that the customer data can be used to display a list of additional information thought to be most appropriate to the customer. The hit ratio of advertisements matching customer interests can thus be improved. 
     In a receipt printing and issuing system according to a sixth aspect of the invention the print data generating means further comprises a function for generating print data reducing plural items of additional information read by the selection control means to a specific ratio when plural items of additional information are selected. More additional information can thus be printed and customer wants can be better addressed. Advertisements can thus be presented without losing advertising opportunities. The required printing area can also be reduced. 
     In a receipt printing and issuing system according to a seventh aspect of the invention the receipt printing and issuing system is a purchase transaction processing system further comprising (e) an accounting information control means for registering a product purchase by a customer and outputting accounting information. The print data generating means generates print data combining accounting information output by the accounting information control means with the additional information read by the selection control means for printing as a receipt, and sends the print data to the printing device. This aspect of the invention is clearly applicable to a sales accounting system. While a POS system is typical of such a sales accounting system, the invention shall not be limited to use in POS systems and can be used in other transaction systems, such as used in a hospital or pharmacy. 
     In a receipt printing and issuing system according to an eighth aspect of the invention the receipt printing and issuing system is a customer ticket issuing system further comprising (f) a queuing number control means for managing queuing numbers and outputting a queuing number as print data. The print data generating means generates and sends to the printing device print data combining print data output by the queuing number control means with the additional information read by the selection control means. 
     This aspect of the invention is clearly applicable to a ticket issuing system. It will also be obvious that the present invention can be used in other applications, including such systems as ATM systems, parking ticket vending systems, and any other type of system that issues printed matter. 
     Other objects and attainments together with a fuller understanding of the invention will become apparent and appreciated by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1(   a ) is a front oblique view of a register for a POS system (POS terminal) using the present invention, and  FIG. 1(   b ) is a back oblique view of the POS terminal; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the POS terminal in  FIG. 1  in greater detail; 
         FIG. 3  shows a POS system comprising a store server and plural POS terminals connected thereto; 
         FIG. 4  is a function block diagram showing the basic functions of a POS system according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows a queuing number issuing device in which the present invention is used; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a process for displaying an additional information selection list and selecting an item in a POS system according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart of a financial transaction process; 
         FIG. 8  is a flow chart of a printing process for combining receipt (purchase) information and additional information, and printing the combined information to a receipt; 
         FIG. 9  shows an exemplary display of an advertising information list (selection list) presented on an information selection device; 
         FIG. 10  shows an exemplary receipt having advertising information printed below the transaction data; 
         FIG. 11  shows an exemplary receipt having plural blocks of advertising information printed below the transaction information with the advertising information reduced in scale for printing; 
         FIG. 12  shows another example in which the advertising information is printed above the transaction information; and 
         FIG. 13  shows an exemplary queuing number ticket having advertising information printed below the queuing number. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying figures. 
       FIG. 1(   a ) is an oblique view from the front of a cash register for a POS system (referred to below as POS terminal  10 ) used in the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the POS terminal operator enters product information and customer information using the operator keyboard  12 . Also shown in  FIG. 1  are the operator display  13 , cash drawer  15 , and printer  19 . A receipt  40  is issued by means of printer  19  after a transaction process is completed. Advertising information such as described above can be printed on the receipt  40 . A card reader  20  is used for reading a credit card or other type of magnetic strip card. 
       FIG. 1(   b ) is an oblique view from the back of the POS terminal  10  shown in  FIG. 1(   a ). Shown in  FIG. 1(   b ) is an information selector  16  as used in the present invention. In this exemplary embodiment the information selector  16  is a display with a touch screen. The information selector  16  has a display  17  and selection input unit  18  (see  FIG. 8) . A list of advertising information that can be selected according to the customer is presented on the display  17 . The customer can select information (further described in detail below) using the selection input unit  18 , which is the touch screen in this exemplary embodiment. The advertising information selected by the customer using the information selector  16  is then printed on the receipt  40 . 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the configuration of the POS terminal  10  in  FIG. 1  in greater detail. While not shown in  FIG. 2 , it will be obvious that POS terminal CPU  11  also contains ROM, RAM, or other memory, and a storage device such as a hard disk. Connected to the POS terminal CPU  11  are operator keyboard  12 , operator display  13 , bar code reader  14 , cash drawer  15 , information selector  16 , printer  19 , and card reader  20 . The POS terminal CPU  11  controls the various components of the POS system according to the operating system and other software stored to the internal memory. The CPU  11  is also connected to server  31  by way of interface  22 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a POS system  30  comprising a store server  31  and a plurality of POS terminals  10   a  to  10   c  (referred to as POS terminal  10  below) connected to the server  31 . 
     The CPU  32  of server  31  comprises ROM, RAM, disk storage, or other type of memory (not shown in the figure) similarly to the CPU  11  of the POS terminal  10 . Storage device  33 , which is typically a hard disk or other relatively high capacity random-access storage device, is connected to and controlled by the server CPU  32 . 
     Server CPU  32  is connected to POS terminal  10  by way of POS terminal interface  34 , and is connected on the opposite side by way of server-side interface  35  to a central computer or network server (not shown in the figure). Updated product data and advertising information for printing to the receipt is sent to store server  31  from the central computer or network server by way of server-side interface  35 . 
     CPU  32  is connected to a data input terminal by way of interface  36 . Note that the data input terminal is not shown in the figures as it is not an essential element of the present invention. The data input terminal receives requests for advertising information to be printed to the receipt  40 , and sends advertising information and other types of advertising data to the store server  31  by way of interface  36 . 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing the basic functions of a POS system  30  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The functions of control means  2  to  8  in  FIG. 4  are achieved by integrally connecting the POS terminal  10  and server  31 , that is, by the interaction of the software, including the OS, stored to internal memory and CPUs  11  and  32  in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . 
     The POS system  30  comprises a main controller  2  for controlling overall operation of the POS system  30 . Various controllers, including a display controller  3 , selection controller  4 , print data generator  5 , print controller  6 , transaction processor  7 , and storage controller  8 , and operator I/O device  23 , are connected to the main controller  2 . An information selector  16  is connected to display controller  3  and selection controller  4 . 
     When a customer comes to the operator with product to purchase, the operator first uses the operator keyboard  12  to enter specific customer data, such as the customer&#39;s age range and sex. The main controller  2  then sends this customer data to the storage controller  8 . Based on this customer data, the storage controller  8  searches the advertising information in the storage device  33 , and generates an advertising information list (selection list) appropriate to the customer. 
     The selection list is sent to main controller  2 , and from there to the display controller  3 . The display controller  3  then presents the selection list on the display  17  of information selector  16 . The display controller  3  also notifies the selection controller  4  when the selection list has been displayed. Selection controller  4  enables the selection input unit  18  when this notice is received from the display controller  3 . The customer is thus able to select the desired advertising information (additional information) from the selection list. When the customer selects the desired additional information from the selection input unit  18 , the selection is output to selection controller  4 . 
     The selection controller  4  notifies the main controller  2  if a selection has been received from the selection input unit  18  of information selector  16 . The main controller  2  then reads the selected advertising information from storage device  32  by way of storage controller  8 , and sends the information to the print data generator  5 . The print data generator  5  combines the advertising information with the transaction data from a transaction process so that a receipt  40  can be printed and issued from the printer  19  under the control of print controller  6 . 
     The transaction processor  7  is a function characteristic of a POS system or other sales transaction processing terminal, and typically sequentially registers the sale of each product. To register a product transaction, a bar code label applied to each product is typically scanned or otherwise entered; the product price is then fetched from storage device  33 , and the name, price, and quantity of the product are stored; and the purchased quantity is subtracted from the inventory data. 
     A queuing number printer  25  using the present invention is shown in  FIG. 5 . This type of queuing number printer  25  is typically used in banks, securities companies, hospitals, meat shops, delicatessens, and similar establishments serving customers in order on a first-come-first-serve basis. Like the POS system, this queuing number printer  25  is also connected to a server (not shown in the figure). A selection list of advertising information is shown on display  26 , and a desired selection can be entered using the input unit  27 . 
     A touch screen is also provided on display  26 , making it possible to reduce the space needed for the queuing number printer  25 . Queuing number ticket  41  is a numbered ticket issued by the queuing number printer  25 . It should be noted that customer information is not entered with this queuing number printer  25 , which is therefore preferably comprised to automatically display a particular selection list. 
     The displayed content of the selection list can be randomly selected. The displayed content could also be generated by analyzing the typical customers at particular times of the day based on statistical data so that the list content varies according to the likely customers at a given time. An employee or other operator could also analyze the customers present at a particular time of day, and appropriately change the selection list content according to the customers. 
     A large-scale display  28  can be mounted on the wall or ceiling of a waiting room, for example, for displaying the selection list and other information. People waiting in a waiting room are a captive audience with available time, and are likely to print information even if only slightly interesting. The desired information can be output on the queuing number printer  25  when a particular button is pressed, for example, or a completely separate output device could be used. 
     A process for displaying the selection list and enabling a selection to be input in a POS system  30  according to the present invention is described next with reference to  FIG. 6 . 
     When a customer brings a product to the POS terminal  10  to make a purchase (transaction), the operator (clerk) first enters the age range, sex, or other customer information from the keyboard  12 , and the CPU  11  of POS terminal  10  waits for this data input (S 100 ). When the CPU  11  receives the customer information, it sends the information to server  31  by way of interface  22  (S 101 ). When the server  31  receives the customer information by way of interface  34  (S 200  returns yes), it searches the storage device  33  for advertising information (selection list) having advertising conditions matching the customer information (S 201 ). 
     When the search is completed, a list of selectable additional information extracted by the search is sent via interface  34  to the POS terminal  10  (S 202 ). The POS terminal  10  receiving the selection list from server  31  (S 102  returns yes) presents the selection list on information selector  16  and enables the user to select an entry (S 103 ). When the selection list display process ends at this point, control proceeds from S 110  in process A shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     An exemplary advertising information list (selection list) display presented on information selector  16  is shown in  FIG. 9 . A transaction amount line  51  is displayed on the top line of the screen on display  17  of information selector  16 . This transaction amount is the transaction total accumulated each time a purchase transaction is registered. The advertising information list is shown by reference numeral  52  in  FIG. 9 . Selections  1  to  7  are available in this example. The customer can select one or a plurality of the desired items. Various selection entry means could be used. In this exemplary embodiment, however, the screen part of the advertising information list  52  is a touch screen so that when list entries are assembled in a matrix such as shown in  FIG. 9 , the customer can simply touch the desired item to make a selection. As a result of the above-described process only advertising information appropriate to the receipt-receiving party (that is, the customer) is presented in the selection list, thereby making it possible to provide advertising information that is appropriate to the customer. 
     A transaction process is described next with reference to  FIG. 7 . A transaction process is only appropriate in a POS system or other device used for handling monetary transactions. 
     When the operator enters product identification and quantity information using a bar code reader  14  and operator keyboard  12 , for example, to start the transaction, this information is input to the CPU  11  (S 110 ), and sent thereby to the server  31  by way of interface  22  (S 111 ). 
     When the server  31  receives the product identification information via interface  34  (S 210  returns yes), it finds the product price in the product database stored to storage device  33  (step S 211 ), and sends this price information via interface  34  to the POS terminal  10  (S 212 ). The server  31  then runs the transaction process for the purchased product (S 213 ), and waits for the next product transaction process (S 210 ). 
     POS terminal  10  receives the product price information through interface  22  (S 112 ), and displays the price information on operator display  13 , display  17  of information selector  16 , and a customer display unit (not shown in the figure) (S 113 ). 
     It is then determined whether entering product identification information has been completed (S 114 ). Entering the product identification information has been completed if, for example, the operator presses a total key on the keyboard. If data entry is not over (step S 114  returns no), the procedure loops back to step S 110 . If data entry is over (step S 114  returns yes), control continues from the printing process shown in  FIG. 8  and indicated as routine (B) in  FIG. 7 . 
     A printing process is described next with reference to  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 8  is a flow chart of a printing process for combining the transaction data with the advertising information, and then printing receipt  40 . 
     When the product registration process shown in  FIG. 7  ends, CPU  11  determines whether output information has been selected from the selection input unit  18  of information selector  16  (S 120 ). If desired output information has already been selected (S 120  returns yes), the selection information is sent through interface  22  to server  31  (S 121 ). 
     If desired output information has not been selected (S 120  returns no), whether to force termination of selection input is determined. If termination is not forced (S 126  returns no), the procedure again waits for the selection to be entered (S 120 ). If selection input is to be forcibly terminated (S 126  returns yes) because the selection input standby time has exceeded a predetermined limit, for example, a display list selection is forced and the list is output (S 127 ). 
     When the server  31  receives the selection information through interface  34  (S 220  returns yes), the selected information is read from storage device  33 , and the specific desired output information (advertising information) is sent to POS terminal  10  through interface  34 . CPU  11  of POS terminal  10  then receives the advertising information through interface  22  (S 123 ). 
     The POS terminal  10  then combines the advertising information received in step S 123  and the transaction information generated in steps S 110  to S 113  in  FIG. 7  to generate the advertising information (S 124 ), prints receipt  40  by means of printer  19  (S 125 ), and the printing process then ends. Various methods of combining the information are possible, including setting aside a printing area on the receipt  40  for the additional information and printing the additional information in this area, or first printing the additional information and then printing the transaction information. 
     Print samples of the receipt  40  or queuing number ticket  41  are shown in  FIG. 10  to  FIG. 14 . 
       FIG. 10  shows an exemplary receipt  40   a  having advertising information  42   a  printed below the transaction data.  FIG. 11  shows another receipt  40   b  likewise having the advertising information printed below the transaction information. In this case, however, plural advertising information blocks  42   b  to  42   d  are printed reduced. It is thus also possible to enable plural selections with each selection printed reduced in size, in which case a print data generator  5 , for example, composes the print data with the advertising information reduced a specific percentage. 
       FIG. 12  shows an example in which the advertising information  42   e  is printed at the top of the receipt  40   c , and  FIG. 13  shows an example in which the advertising information  42   f  is printed below the number on queuing number ticket  41 . 
     As will be known from the preceding description, it is possible with the present invention to provide a receipt printing and issuing system, advertising method, and data storage medium whereby advertising information of particular interest to the customer receiving the printed matter can be provided. It is therefore possible to print advertising information (additional information) of real interest to the customer on the receipt or other printed matter that is handed to the customer. Because the customer receiving this can be expected to read the information with interest, it is possible to print effective advertising. Being able to provide advertising information matching the interests of individual customers is extremely effective because media of this type is reliably hand delivered individually to the customer. 
     The present invention shall not be limited to a POS system, for example, and can be applied to any system that issues a printed medium for a specific purpose, and is thus not limited to receipts. Therefore, such systems that are integrated and deployed as an advertising medium are both a large-scale advertising medium and a system capable of providing advertising information matching the particular interests of individual people, and are thus systems capable of providing extremely powerful advertisement. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.