Abstract:
A point of sale system is provided that can selectively control operation of one or more peripherals. The system includes a payment terminal with a reader for an electronic payment card and a port for communication with the peripheral. The system further includes a peripheral with a reader for the electronic payment card, and a monitor with a first port for coupling to the payment terminal and a second port for coupling to the payment device. The monitor includes a microcontroller providing for communication between the payment terminal and the peripheral, and the monitor determines an operational status of the peripheral. The monitor causes a redirection of communication as necessary based on the operational status of the peripheral.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/797,343 entitled “PAYMENT SYSTEM WITH OUTDOOR TERMINAL,” filed May 2, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Retail locations, such as stores and restaurants typically provide a payment terminal where a customer can pay using a debit card, credit card, gift card, and other cards that are accepted for payment. Typically, such a point-of-sale (POS) terminal includes a card reader, a keypad, a display, and additional reprogrammable keys surrounding the display. The terminal typically also includes a communication capability, e.g., a serial port, a parallel port, Ethernet, or a wireless transceiver that links the terminal to a POS system, such as a PC-based cash register or other electronic cash register (ECR), so that the retailer can process the payment as part of its ongoing business. Quick-service restaurants often incorporate both an indoor customer service area and a drive-through window for customers to purchase meals either indoors or outdoors, typically from the customer&#39;s car.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     The disclosed payment system with an outdoor terminal would be useful in a quick-service restaurant, where the outdoor terminal would be placed in the drive-through lane, but also may be incorporated in any other retail location. The payment system may incorporate a communication-control monitor that provides switching between point-of-sale devices and peripherals, depending upon their data packet identification and/or their device driver interfaces. The payment system may provide for connecting various payment devices, loaded remotely from the ECR or payment terminal, and may also provide for controlling the transmission of messages and signals between the various devices in the system. The monitor may also provide for an automated upload of software from an indoor payment terminal to the monitor and to the outdoor payment terminal without user intervention. The features of the present inventions will be understood more readily after a consideration of the drawings and the Detailed Description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a payment processing system including a cash register coupled through a multiport cable to an indoor payment terminal and a monitor which connects to an outdoor payment terminal, and to a backup payment terminal.  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the monitor.  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  is a pictorial depiction of an embodiment of the payment processing system.  
         [0007]      FIG. 4  is a pictorial depiction of an embodiment of the payment processing system.  
         [0008]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the monitor or the payment processing system.  
         [0009]      FIG. 6  is a pictorial depiction of an embodiment of a customer payment device for the payment processing system.  
         [0010]      FIG. 7  is a pictorial depiction of an embodiment of a customer payment device for the payment processing system including a mounting bracket.  
         [0011]      FIG. 8  is a pictorial depiction of an embodiment of a customer payment device for the payment processing system including a mounting bracket.  
         [0012]      FIG. 9  is a pictorial depiction of an embodiment of a customer payment device for the payment processing system including a mounting bracket.  
         [0013]      FIG. 10  is a pictorial depiction of an embodiment of a customer payment device for the payment processing system including a mounting bracket.  
         [0014]      FIG. 11  is a pictorial depiction of three embodiment of customer payment devices for the payment processing system mounted adjacent a window in a drive-through lane of quick service restaurant. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     A payment processing system  10  is shown in  FIGS. 1, 3 , and  4 . System  10  is typically for use in a quick service restaurant that includes a drive-through lane and a wall  12  that separates an indoor portion  14  of system  10  from an outdoor portion  16  of system ( FIGS. 3, 4 , and  9 - 11 ). The payment processing system may also be provided in any type of retail or other location where customers pay for goods or services, and all portions of the system may be indoors or outdoors, or the division between an indoor portion and an outdoor portion may be altered from that shown in the Figures. Wall  12  typically includes a window  18  that may be opened in the course of serving customers and closed to protect the inside of the restaurant.  
         [0016]     System  10  typically includes an electronic cash register (ECR)  20 ,  20   a ,  20   b  that may be integrated into the operations of the retail location, e.g., providing automatic entry of menu items for both ordering and bill calculation purposes. The ECR typically includes a keypad or a touchscreen, a display, and associated electronics and may also include a card reader, a check reader, and other connected devices. The ECR is typically provided with an electrical connection to other devices in the system by a multiport cable  22  but may provided with any suitable type of connection. Cable  22  may also couple to a cash drawer  24  and/or a coin changer  26  and other devices.  
         [0017]     A POS payment terminal  28 , such as an Omni 7000 made by VeriFone, may also be coupled to the multiport cable or otherwise connected to the ECR for the handling of payments for goods and services by the customer. Payment terminal  28  is typically located indoors. The ECR or the payment terminal may be programmed and connected to a payment processor for the authorization of payments by customers using any of the typical cards, or checks. Payment terminal  28  typically includes a reader and processing capability for any magnetic card, such as credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, such as gift cards, or EBT cards, and may also include a contactless or RF card reader  30 , made, e.g., by Vivotech.  
         [0018]     The outdoor portion  16  of the payment processing system typically includes a customer payment device  32  shown in block diagram in  FIG. 2 , and pictorially in  FIGS. 3, 4 , and  6 - 11 . As noted above, customer payment device  32  is not required to be located outside. Customer payment device  32  may be provided with an enclosure  34 , which may be water-resistant and provided with a heating system, a cooling system or fan, and a lamp as appropriate for the location of the enclosure. Typical dimensions for the enclosure are about 10-inches by about 7.5-inches by about 7.5-inches, but the enclosure may be designed for any reasonable dimensions as appropriate for the desired application. For outdoor applications, the payment device is ordinarily designed to operate in a temperature range from about −20° C. to about 50° C. and to withstand temperatures without damage from about −40° C. to about 60° C. The payment device is typically designed to operate in relative humidity from about 15% to about 90%, in a temperature range from about −5° C. to about 50° C.  
         [0019]     The enclosure may be provided with protection from water in the forms of rain or washing spray from water jets in accordance with the IPX5 rating of the international standard IEC 60529, or in accordance with such other specification as is suitable for the desired application of the payment device.  
         [0020]     Payment device  32  may include a magnetic stripe reader  36 , a contactless reader  38 , a display screen  40  with screen-addressable keys  42 , and a keypad  44 , typically with  12  or  16  keys of metal or other suitable construction. Reader  36  may be a swipe-style or a motorized device, or any suitable configuration, typically a dip-insertion style, with dual-track and bidirectional reading capability.  
         [0021]     Keypad  44  may be coupled to an encryption device to secure PINs in an encrypted format for transmission to other components in the payment processing system. Typically keypad  44  is provided with a privacy shield to limit unwanted visual access to the customer&#39;s Personal Identification Number (PIN). Any appropriate encryption may be used, e.g., DES, 3DES, RSA, and/or AES in conjunction with a security module. Within payment device  32 , communications between the keypad, display screen, and security module are typically safeguarded to prevent any unwanted detection or recording. All cryptography and key management functions (such as DUKPT or other suitable scheme) are typically performed by an integrated security chip.  
         [0022]     Payment device  32  also typically includes LEDs  46  that indicate operational status of the contactless reader and/or other devices in the payment device. A speaker  48  may be incorporated in the payment device to provide the customer with audio instructions or information.  
         [0023]     The messages displayed on screen  40 , typically to instruct the customers in how to pay for a transaction, may include an option for selecting the language in which the messages are displayed. Display screen  40  maybe of any suitable size, definition, and rating, for example, a 128×64 pixel LCD with backlighting, sunlight-readable, and outdoor rated.  
         [0024]     The ECR  20  and indoor payment terminal  28  are typically connected to the outdoor portion of the payment system by a monitor  50  that provides various capabilities. Monitor  50 , as shown in  FIG. 5  typically includes a microcontroller  52  which is programmed, typically in firmware, to provide for the communication between the devices in the payment system  10 . Monitor  50  may include a port  54 , typically RS-232, for connection to indoor payment terminal  28  via cable  22 . Monitor  50  also may include one or more spare ports  56 , which may be RS-232 or other types of ports, such as USB. Monitor  50  typically also includes a power connector  58  and communications connector  60  for coupling to the outdoor payment device. Monitor  50  may also include a port  62 , RS-232 or otherwise, for connecting to a PINpad  64 , such as VeriFone&#39;s PINpad 1000SE. The spare ports on monitor  50  may be used, e.g., for coupling a secondary magnetic stripe reader  66  for specialized use, such as with gift cards.  
         [0025]     The monitor provides for expansion of the port capability of the payment terminal  28 . The monitor allows the payment system to have one or more RS-232 serial port(s), using a suitable connector, e.g., RJ-45, and/or other types of ports, such as USB. The microcontroller firmware in the monitor analyzes packets coming from the payment terminal  28 , and looks for packet headers. It redirects the message to the appropriate port based on commands or instructions in the header.  
         [0026]     Monitor  50  may also include one or more status LEDs  68  for visual reporting of the status of the monitor and/or connected devices (e.g., power status and data communication status). Monitor  50  may also include power supplies, logic circuitry, and communications circuitry as appropriate for carrying out the herein described communication and control. Monitor  50  analyzes the message traffic in the payment system, such as messages between the indoor payment terminal and the outdoor payment device. If the outdoor payment device fails to respond appropriately, or otherwise indicates a lack of operational capability, monitor  50  can instruct the indoor payment terminal to redirect messages, e.g., to indoor PINpad  64 , or monitor  50  can redirect messages to indoor PINpad  64  so that the customer can use PINpad  64  to complete a transaction. Monitor  50  may also poll the customer payment device and other devices in the system, in the absence or in conjunction with other message traffic, to determine the status of the devices and report the status or redirect messages based on the status.  
         [0027]     The functionality of the indoor payment terminal may be incorporated into the cash register or other computer operating in the payment processing system.  
         [0028]     It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Similarly, where any claim recites “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof, such claim should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.  
         [0029]     Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or properties are claimed through presentation of the following claims. Such claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to other claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of the present disclosure.