Patent ID: 7479946

Claim:
A transaction terminal for reading information from a credit card in a retail point of sale transaction, said transaction terminal comprising: a card reader unit for reading said credit card, said card reader unit including a slot for receiving said credit card, at least one magnetic stripe reader for reading magnetic stripe encoded data, and a smart card reader for reading encoded data of an integrated circuit disposed on said credit card; a control circuit coupled to said card reader unit, said control circuit configured to receive information read from said credit card by said card reader unit; a touch screen including a display and a touch screen overlay, said transaction terminal configured so that signature information can be entered into said touch screen utilizing a stylus; and a housing encapsulating said control circuit and components of said card reader unit for reading said credit card, said housing further supporting said touch screen, wherein said housing further includes a base and a top surface, said touch screen being disposed at said top surface, said housing further defining said slot of said card reader unit and further including a circumferential lip extending at least one of outwardly sideward or outwardly forward from said base, said circumferential lip extending about a perimeter of said housing, wherein said housing further has disposed thereon a holder apparatus for holding a stylus for use in entering data into said transaction terminal.