Patent Publication Number: US-2019172034-A1

Title: Point-of-sale system that enables or disables processing based on proper placement of devices thereof

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/008,134, filed Jan. 27, 2016, which application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-017203, filed Jan. 30, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to a point-of-sale system that enables or disables processing based on proper placement of devices thereof. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In recent years, a POS (Point of Sales) system has become commonplace in stores where various products and services are sold. In one example, the POS system comprises a POS terminal and a plurality of peripheral devices which are connected with the POS terminal in a wired or wireless manner. The peripheral devices include a touch scanner, a stationary barcode scanner, a receipt printer, a drawer, an automatic change dispenser, a credit card terminal, a password number input device, a point card terminal, a keyboard, and a display for customer. 
     If the peripheral devices are not returned to proper positions after being used, then a job cannot be executed smoothly in some cases, and thus, users are prompted to return the peripheral devices to proper positions. 
     In a case where the POS terminal is connected with the peripheral devices in a wired manner, for example, by a communication cable (e.g., USB, RS-232C), the peripheral devices are powered by a power cable. As a consequence, communication cables and power cables are deployed in the POS system in a complex manner, which undermines the beauty of a store. Moreover, a large number of wires may reduce the maintainability of the peripheral devices. Thus, a POS system has been developed in which the POS terminal is connected with a plurality of peripheral devices in a wireless manner; however, when peripheral devices are connected with a POS terminal in a wireless manner, users may forget to return the peripheral devices at their proper locations. 
     As a technology for preventing a wireless device from being misplaced, a technology has been developed which warns, with a warning tone, when a wireless device has been misplaced. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a wireless POS system according to one or more embodiments. 
         FIGS. 2A-2C  each depicts a screen displayed by a wireless POS system according to one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the wireless POS system according to one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating an operation carried out by a wireless POS system according to a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating an operation carried out by a wireless POS system according to a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a wireless POS system according to a third embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating an operation carried out by a wireless POS system according to the third embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram illustrating a wireless POS system according to a fourth embodiment. 
         FIGS. 9A-9B  each depicts a screen displayed by a wireless POS system according to the fourth embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a point-of-sale terminal includes a communication module configured to receive status data from a device that is chargeable using a charger, the status data representing whether or not the device is at a designated location where the device can be charged by the charger, and a processor configured to disable a selection of a specific processing by the point-of-sale apparatus if the status data indicating that the device is at the designated location is not received from the device, and to enable the selection of the specific processing if the status data indicating that the device is at the designated location is received from the device. 
     Embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to accompanying drawings. 
     The First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a wireless POS system according to the first embodiment. Described herein is how the first embodiment prevents a peripheral device which is connected with a POS terminal in a wireless manner from being misplaced; however, the embodiment is also applicable to preventing a peripheral device which is connected with a POS terminal by a cable from being misplaced. 
     A wireless POS system comprises a POS terminal  100  and a plurality of peripheral devices. The POS terminal  100  which comprises a display section  101  and an input section (e.g., touch panel)  102  is connected, through wireless communication, to peripheral devices which include a touch scanner  110 , a receipt printer  130  and a customer display  140 . The POS terminal  100  is further connected with other peripheral devices such as a stationary barcode scanner, a drawer, an automatic change dispenser, a credit card terminal, a password number input device, a point card terminal, a keyboard and a display for customer in a wired or wireless manner. The touch scanner  110  is placed on a charging table  120  which supplies power for the touch scanner  110 . The power can be supplied in an electrode-based contact manner or using a non-contact power supply method represented by Qi®. When a non-contact power supply method is employed, the touch scanner  110  can be supplied with power merely by being positioned nearby the charging table  120 . 
       FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  depict an application screen displayed by the wireless POS system according to the first embodiment for commodity registration. The application screen will be described later in detail. 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the wireless POS system according to the first embodiment. In  FIG. 3 , the relationship among the POS terminal  100 , the touch scanner  110  and the charging table  120  is illustrated and other devices are not depicted. 
     The POS terminal  100  comprises a display section  101 , an input section  102 , a wireless communication section  104  (e.g., a wireless communication adapter or card), a CPU  105 , a RAM  106  and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive)  107 , wherein the CPU  105  is connected with the display section  101 , the input section  102 , the wireless communication section  104 , the RAM  106  and the HDD  107 . The program of the POS terminal  100  is stored in the HDD  107 , and the program is loaded into the RAM  106  and executed by the CPU  105  as needed. The result of the execution of the program is displayed on the display section  101 , and a store clerk inputs various kinds of information through the input section  102  represented by touch panel. 
     The touch scanner  110  comprises a control section  111 , a power receiving section  112  (charger), a power source section  113 , a wireless communication section  114  and a barcode reading section  115 . The charging table  120  comprises a power transmission section  121  consisting of power transmission coils and a control section (not shown) and a power source section  122 . The power receiving section  112  of the touch scanner  110 , which comprises power receiving coils, a rectifying circuit and a control section (not shown), receives electric power through magnetic coupling with the power transmission coils of the power transmission section  121  arranged on the charging table  120  to charge the power source section  113  with the electric power received. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart exemplifying the operation carried out by the wireless POS system according to the first embodiment. 
     For example, a cashier inputs a commodity registration job start instruction (the CPU  105  starts a commodity registration job according to the input) from the input section  102  of the POS terminal  100  (Act 1) and thereafter scans the barcode of a commodity using the touch scanner  110  (Act 2). The barcode information (unique numerical data) read by the barcode reading section  115  of the touch scanner  110  is transmitted to the control section  111  and sent from the wireless communication section  114 , and if the barcode information is received by the wireless communication section  104  of the POS terminal  100 , then the CPU  105  refers to the HDD  107  to extract the commodity information (a commodity name and an amount) associated with the received barcode information (Act 3) and displays the commodity name and the amount on the display section  101  (Act 4). Further, the operation of reading the commodity name and the amount from barcode information in ACT 3 is referred to as PLU (Price Look Up). If the commodity name and the amount associated with the received barcode information are not registered in the HDD, then a host computer located outside of the POS terminal  100  is queried to acquire a commodity name and an amount associated with the received barcode information. The acquisition of a commodity name and an amount associated with the received barcode information from the host computer is not described herein. 
     The foregoing commodity registration counts the number of commodity quantities. That is, the number of times the touch scanner  110  is used to scan the barcode of a commodity is counted. For example, if three commodities A are registered, each of the barcode of the commodities A is scanned by the touch scanner  110 . As a result a number ‘3’ is input. Then, the touch scanner  110  scans the barcode of a commodity B, and sequentially, the touch scanner  110  scans each of the barcode of three commodities C resulting in a number ‘3’ being input. Next, the touch scanner  110  scans the barcode of a commodity D and so on; the display section  101  displays the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  until the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120 . The display section  101  displays the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2B  after the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120 , that is, the display section  101  switches from the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  to the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2B . 
     Herein, a control processing is described which is executed after the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120 . After the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120 , the power receiving section  112  of the touch scanner  110  detects the magnetic coupling of the power receiving coils thereof with the power transmission coils of the power transmission section  121  of the charging table  120 , the power transmission section  121  of the charging table  120  starts transmitting electric power, and the power receiving section  112  of the touch scanner  110  starts receiving electric power. The electric power received by the power receiving section  112  is transmitted to the power source section  113 , and in the meantime, the power receiving section  112  notifies the control section  111  of the start of the reception of electric power or the ongoing reception of electric power, and the control section  111  transmits power reception information representing the start of reception of electric power or the ongoing reception of electric power to the wireless communication section  104  of the POS terminal  100  via the wireless communication section  114 . 
     Herein, if the CPU  105  recognizes that the power reception information is received (Act 5: Yes), then the display section  101  switches from the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  to the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2B , and the CPU  105  is ready to receive an instruction for subtotaling based on a subtotal key  201   a  (i.e., a selection of the subtotal key  201   a ). That is, the CPU  105  activates the subtotal key  201   a  on the application screen  200  to permit the reception of a request for settlement processing based on commodity information (Act 6), and carries out the settlement processing based on commodity information upon receipt of the request (Act 7). 
     The display section  101  displays the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  and the CPU  105  rejects receiving an instruction for subtotaling based on the subtotal key  201   a  (subtotal key cannot be selected) until the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120  (i.e., until the CPU  105  recognizes that the power reception information is received). That is, during the period the touch scanner  110  is not placed on the charging table  120  (during the period power reception information is not received by the CPU  105 ) (Act 5: No). For example, the subtotal key  201   a  is grayed out (the subtotal key  201   a  is displayed in a light gray color) on the application screen  200  to visually indicate the instruction for subtotaling will not be accepted. That is, the CPU  105  deactivates the subtotal key  201   a  on the application screen  200  to disable receiving a request for settlement processing based on commodity information. Thus, the POS terminal  100  cannot proceed to the settlement processing in Act 7. 
     In this way, a settlement processing cannot be completed when the touch scanner  110  is not returned to the charging table  120  (fixed position). To carry out a settlement processing, the touch scanner  110  must be placed on the charging table  120  (fixed position), thus preventing the touch scanner from being misplaced. Further, the fixed position refers to a chargeable position between the touch scanner  110  and the charging table  120 . 
     The Second Embodiment 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart exemplifying the operation carried out by a wireless POS system according to the second embodiment. Moreover, the structure of the machine of the second embodiment is identical to that of the first embodiment ( FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 ) and is therefore not repeated. 
     For example, a cashier inputs a commodity registration job start instruction (the CPU  105  starts a commodity registration job according to the input) through the input section  102  of the POS terminal  100  (Act 11) and thereafter scans the barcode of a commodity using the touch scanner  110  (Act 12). The barcode information read by the barcode reading section  115  of the touch scanner  110  is transmitted to the control section  111  and sent from the wireless communication section  114 , and if the barcode information is received by the wireless communication section  104  of the POS terminal  100 , then the CPU  105  starts a timer (Act 13). Then, the CPU  105  refers to the HDD  107  to extract the commodity information (a commodity name and an amount) associated with the barcode information (Act 14) and displays the commodity name and the amount on the display section  101  (Act 15). Further, the operation of reading a commodity name and an amount according to the barcode information carried out in Act 14 is referred to as PLU (Price Look Up). If the commodity information is not registered in the HDD, then a host computer located outside of the POS terminal  100  is queried to acquire a commodity name and an amount associated with the barcode information. The acquisition of a commodity name and an amount associated with the barcode information from the host computer is not described. 
     The foregoing commodity registration counts the number of commodity quantities. The display section  101  continues to display the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  if the time period during which no information is input is shorter than a specific time, until the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120 ; the display section  101  displays the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2B  if the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120 . The CPU  105  outputs a warning if the time period during which no information is input is longer than a specific time (time-out condition) until the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120 . For example, the display section  101  displays the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2C , and if the touch scanner  110  is thereafter placed on the charging table  120 , then the display section  101  displays the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2B . That is, the display section  101  switches from the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  to the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2B  or  FIG. 2C  or from the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2C  to the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2B . 
     Herein, a control processing is described which is executed after the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120 . If the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120 , then the power receiving section  112  of the touch scanner  110  detects the magnetic coupling of the power receiving coils thereof with the power transmission coils of the power transmission section  121  of the charging table  120 . Thereafter, the power transmission section  121  of the charging table  120  starts transmitting electric power, and the power receiving section  112  of the touch scanner  110  starts receiving electric power. The electric power received by the power receiving section  112  is transmitted to the power source section  113 , and in the meantime, the power receiving section  112  notifies the control section  111  of the reception of electric power, and the control section  111  transmits power reception information representing the start of the reception of electric power or the ongoing reception of electric power to the wireless communication section  104  of the POS terminal  100  via the wireless communication section  114 . 
     Herein, if the CPU  105  recognizes that the power reception information is received (Act 16: Yes), then the CPU  105  stops the timer (Act 17), and the display section  101  switches from the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  to the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2B , activates the subtotal key  201   a  on the application screen (Act 18) and carries out a settlement processing based on commodity information (Act 19). 
     As described above, when the display section  101  displays the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2A , the CPU  105  rejects receiving an instruction for subtotaling based on the subtotal key  201   a  (subtotal key cannot be selected) until the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120  (i.e., until the CPU  105  recognizes that the power reception information is received). That is, during the period the touch scanner  110  is not placed on the charging table  120  (during the period power reception information is not received by the CPU  105 ) (Act 16: No). Further, the CPU  105  monitors the value displayed by the timer (Act 21) and displays, on the application screen  200 , an error or a message for prompting the user to place the touch scanner on the charging table (Act 22) if the time of the state in which there is no input (for example, no barcode information is received) is longer than a specific time (Act 21: Yes). For example, the display section  101  displays the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2C . 
     Herein, if the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120  and the key ‘OK’ included in the confirmation screen of the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2C  is selected (Act 23: Yes), then the power reception confirmation state is recovered (Act 16: Yes) and Acts 17-20 are carried out. 
     Further, the operation of selecting the key ‘OK’ through the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2C  may be omitted. That is, if the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120  and the CPU  105  recognizes that the power reception information is received, then the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2B  is displayed even if the key ‘OK’ is not selected. 
     If the value displayed by the timer is not beyond a specific value (Act 21: No), the operations after the barcode scanning operation (Act 12) is continued. In this case, the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  is displayed. 
     In this way, if the touch scanner  110  is not returned to the charging table  120  (fixed position), then an error or a message for prompting the user to place the touch scanner on the charging table is displayed on the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2C  and a settlement job is prevented from being completed. To carry out a settlement processing, the touch scanner  110  is required to be placed on the charging table  120  (fixed position), thus preventing the touch scanner  110  from being misplaced. 
     The Third Embodiment 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a wireless POS system according to the third embodiment. Moreover, the identical elements shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 6  are denoted by the same reference numbers and are not repeated. 
     A dedicated barcode  150  is arranged nearby or integrated with the charging table  120 . Further, when the touch scanner  110  is placed at a position where the power receiving section  112  of the touch scanner  110  can be charged, the dedicated barcode  150  is a barcode (referring to the dedicated barcode  150  shown in  FIG. 6 ) located at a position where the barcode can be read by the barcode reading section  115  of the touch scanner  110 . 
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart exemplifying the operation carried out by a wireless POS system according to the third embodiment. 
     For example, a cashier inputs a commodity registration job start instruction (the CPU  105  starts a commodity registration job according to the input) through the input section  102  of the POS terminal  100  (Act 21) and thereafter scans the barcode of a commodity using the touch scanner  110  (Act 22). The barcode information read by the barcode reading section  115  of the touch scanner  110  is transmitted to the control section  111  and sent from the wireless communication section  114 , and if the barcode information is received by the wireless communication section  104  of the POS terminal  100 , then the CPU  105  refers to the HDD  107  to extract the commodity information (a commodity name and an amount) associated with the barcode information (Act 23) and displays the commodity name and the amount on the display section  101  (Act 24). Further, the operation of reading a commodity name and an amount from the barcode information carried out in Act 23 is referred to as PLU (Price Look Up). If the commodity information is not registered in the HDD, then a host computer located outside of the POS terminal  100  is queried to acquire the commodity name and the amount associated with the barcode information. The acquisition of a commodity name and an amount associated with the barcode information from the host computer is not described herein. 
     The foregoing commodity registration substantially only counts the number of commodity quantities (Act 25: No). The display section  101  continues to display the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  until the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120  (fixed position) and the dedicated barcode  150  is recognized. If the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120  (fixed position) and the dedicated barcode  150  is read by the touch scanner  110 , the dedicated barcode  150  is transmitted to the control section  111  and sent from the wireless communication section  114  to the POS terminal  100 . Then, the CPU  105  refers to the HDD  107  to recognize the read dedicated barcode  105  (recognize the read dedicated barcode  105  as a barcode representing the arrangement of the touch scanner  110  on the charging table  120 ) (Act 23) (Act 25: Yes). In this case, no new commodity information is added (Act 24). 
     If the touch scanner  110  is placed on the charging table  120  (fixed position) and the dedicated barcode  150  is recognized (Act 25: Yes), the display section  101  switches from the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  to the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2B , and the CPU  105  is ready to receive an instruction for subtotaling based on the subtotal key  201   a  (subtotal key can be selected). That is, the CPU  105  activates the subtotal key  201   a  on the application screen  200  to permit the reception of a request for settlement processing based on commodity information (Act 26), and carries out the settlement processing based on commodity information upon receipt of the request (Act 27). 
     If the dedicated barcode  150  is not read (Act 25: No), the subtotal key  201   a  is deactivated, and thus, the cashier cannot proceed to the settlement processing in Act 27. 
     In this way, a settlement processing cannot be completed when the touch scanner  110  is not returned to the charging table  120  (fixed position). To carry out the settlement processing, the touch scanner  110  must be placed on the charging table  120  (fixed position), thus definitely preventing the touch scanner  110  from being misplaced. 
     The Fourth Embodiment 
     The description of the first through third embodiments is directed to preventing one touch scanner  110  (one peripheral device) from being misplaced. However, the first through third embodiments are applicable to more than one peripheral device. Herein, it is described in conjunction with  FIG. 8 , how to prevent a peripheral device  110 A (e.g., a touch scanner) from being misplaced, i.e., forgotten to be placed on a charging table  120 A (e.g., a power receiving table for touch scanner or a power receiving table shared by peripheral devices) after use, and a peripheral device  110 B (e.g., a credit card terminal) from being misplaced, i.e., forgotten to be placed on a charging table  120 B (e.g., a power receiving table for credit card terminal or a power receiving table shared by peripheral devices) after use. The basic components of the peripheral device  110 A and the charging table  120 A as well as the peripheral device  110 B and the charging table  120 B are identical to that of the touch scanner  110  and the charging table  120  and are therefore not described in detail. Further, if the peripheral device  110 A is a touch scanner, then the peripheral device  110 A comprises a barcode reading section  115 A. Similarly, if the peripheral device  110 B is a touch scanner, then the peripheral device  110 B comprises a barcode reading section  115 B. 
     A machine IDA is assigned to the peripheral device  110 A and a machine IDB is assigned to the peripheral device  110 B. For example, the HDD of the POS terminal  100  stores a list of machine IDs of monitored objects, wherein the machine IDA and a peripheral device name A as well as the machine IDB and a peripheral device name B are stored in the list of machine IDs of monitored objects. 
     If the peripheral device  110 A is returned to the charging table  120 A (fixed position), then the power receiving section  112 A of the peripheral device  110 A detects the magnetic coupling of the power receiving coils thereof with the power transmission coils of the power transmission section  121 A of the charging table  120 A. Then, the power transmission section  121 A of the charging table  120 A starts transmitting electric power, and the power receiving section  112 A of the peripheral device  110 A starts receiving electric power. The electric power received by the power receiving section  112 A is transmitted to a power source section  113 A, and in the meantime, the power receiving section  112 A notifies a control section  111 A of the start of the reception of electric power or the ongoing reception of electric power, and the control section  111 A sends power reception information A representing the start of the reception of electric power or the ongoing reception of electric power and the machine IDA, to the wireless communication section  104  of the POS terminal  100  via a wireless communication section  114 A. 
     If the peripheral device  110 B is returned to the charging table  120 B (fixed position), then a power receiving section  112 B of the peripheral device  110 B detects the magnetic coupling of the power receiving coils thereof with the power transmission coils of a power transmission section  121 B of the charging table  120 B. Then, the power transmission section  121 B of the charging table  120 B starts transmitting electric power, and the power receiving section  112 B of the peripheral device  110 B starts receiving electric power. The electric power received by the power receiving section  112 B is transmitted to a power source section  113 B, and in the meantime, the power receiving section  112 B notifies a control section  111 B of the start of the reception of electric power or the ongoing reception of electric power, and the control section  111 B sends power reception information B representing the start of the electric reception of power or the ongoing reception of electric power and the machine IDB, to the wireless communication section  104  of the POS terminal  100  via a wireless communication section  114 B. 
     Herein, if the CPU  105  recognizes the reception of the power reception information A and the machine IDA as well as the power reception information B and the machine IDB, and the CPU  105  recognizes, according to the list of machine IDs of monitored objects, that all peripheral devices (refer to the peripheral devices  110 A and  110 B) are returned to their proper fixed positions, the display section  101  switches from the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2A  to the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2B , and the CPU  105  is ready to receive an instruction for subtotaling based on a subtotal key  201   a  (the subtotal key can be selected). That is, the CPU  105  activates the subtotal key  201   a  on the application screen  200  to permit the reception of a request for settlement processing based on commodity information, and carries out the settlement processing based on commodity information upon receipt of the request. 
     For example, if the CPU  105  recognizes that neither the power reception information A and the machine IDA nor the power reception information B and the machine IDB is received and the time period of the state during which no information is input is greater than a specific time, then the display section  101  displays the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 9A  on which a message ‘return the peripheral devices A and B to the charging tables’ is displayed. If the peripheral device  110 A is placed on the charging table  120 A (the CPU  105  recognizes that the power reception information A and the machine IDA are received) and the key ‘OK’ on the confirmation screen of the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 9A  is selected, then the display section  101  displays the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 9B  on which a message ‘there is a device that is not returned to the charging table. Please return the device that should be returned to the charging table, that is, the peripheral device B, to the charging table’ is displayed. 
     Further, the operation of selecting the key ‘OK’ on the confirmation screen of the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 9A  may be omitted. That is, if the peripheral device  110 A is placed on the charging table  120 A and the CPU  105  recognizes that the power reception information A and the machine IDA are received, then the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 9B  is displayed even if the key ‘OK’ is not selected. 
     Then, if the peripheral device  110 B is placed on the charging table  120 B (the CPU  105  recognizes that the power reception information B and the machine IDB are received) and the key ‘OK’ on the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 9B  is selected, then the display section  101  displays the application screen  200  shown in  FIG. 2B . 
     In this way, if each peripheral device contained in the list of machine IDs of monitored objects is left at a proper position but not returned to a fixed position, then an error or a message for prompting the user to place the peripheral devices on charging tables is displayed on the application screen  200 , as shown in  FIG. 9A or 9B , thus preventing a settlement job from being completed. As each peripheral device contained in the list of machine IDs of monitored objects is required to be placed at a fixed position, the peripheral devices are prevented from being misplaced. Further, the power receiving tables may be power receiving tables separately dedicated to each peripheral device, or a universal power receiving table that is shared by all the peripheral devices. 
     Thus, according to the first embodiment to the fourth embodiment, peripheral devices can be prevented from being misplaced without adding a piece of a specific hardware. Further, even in a case where a plurality of peripheral devices is required to be prevented from being misplaced, as the reception of a signal shared by the plurality of peripheral devices (the reception of a combination of power reception information and a machine ID) is used as a trigger, the determination on whether or not each peripheral device is returned to a fixed position is simplified. 
     The first through the fourth embodiments avoid the problems associated with the misplacement of a small wireless device such as a touch scanner or a password number input reader, e.g., not returning the device to its proper fixed position after being used, the problems including the hindrance of the execution of a settlement job. Further, the first through fourth embodiments are also applicable to a case where peripheral devices are connected with each other in a wired manner. 
     Further, each operation included in the processing or control operation described in the first through fourth embodiments can be carried out by software. Thus, the foregoing processing and control operation can be carried out easily merely by installing and executing programs for carrying out the operation of the foregoing processing and control in a wireless POS system through a computer-readable storage medium in which the programs are stored. 
     For example, the wireless POS system (e.g., the CPU  105 ) can read the foregoing programs from the computer-readable storage medium which stores the read programs in a storage device such as the HDD  107  and install the programs. Alternatively, the wireless POS system can download the programs, store the downloaded programs in a memory device such as the HDD  107 , and then install the programs. In this way, the wireless POS system (in particular the CPU  105 ) can realize the foregoing processing and control according to the installed programs. 
     While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.