Sales transaction processing system, sales transaction processing apparatus, and method performed by sales transaction processing apparatus

A sales transaction processing apparatus, comprising:

• a communication interface connectable to:
• a plurality of terminals installed in a store and configured to register an item for purchase in a sales transaction, and
• a plurality of first devices connectable to the terminals for executing the sales transaction;
• a memory that stores first data that associates each of the terminals with one of the first devices;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• upon receipt of a notification indicating one of the first devices from a first terminal, update the first data to associate the first terminal with said one of the first devices,
• upon receipt of a registration request from the first terminal, generate second data that associates an in-progress sales transaction with said one of the first devices and store the second data in the memory, and
• upon receipt of a change request from a second terminal requesting association with said one of the first devices previously associated with the first terminal,
• update the first data to disassociate the first terminal and associate the second terminal with said one of the first devices, and
• control the communication interface to transmit an instruction to the second terminal to resume the in-progress sales transaction based on the second data.

A method performed by a sales transaction processing apparatus, the method comprising:

• storing, in a memory, first data that associates each of a plurality of terminals with one of a plurality of first devices, the terminals being installed in a store and configured to register an item for purchase in a sales transaction, and the first devices being connectable to the terminals for executing the sales transaction;
• upon receipt of a notification indicating one of the first devices from a first terminal, updating the first data to associate the first terminal with said one of the first devices;
• upon receipt of a registration request from the first terminal, generating second data that associates an in-progress sales transaction with said one of the first devices and storing the second data in the memory, wherein the second data is maintained in the memory independently of the first terminal;
• and
• upon receipt of a change request from a second terminal requesting association with said one of the first devices previously associated with the first terminal,
• updating the first data to disassociate the first terminal and associate the second terminal with said one of the first devices, and
• transmitting an instruction to the second terminal to resume the in-progress sales transaction based on the second data.