Circulation Control Strategies For Tangible Media
AssigneeCentral Technology, Inc.
InventorKenneth R. Czapla
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Circulation control of tangible media materials may include transmitting an authorization request from a self-checkout station for a checkout transaction. A signal may be received at the self-checkout station indicative of a fault generated in response to the authorization request, and a handheld control device may be used to command assignment of a pseudo-identifier to the checkout transaction such that the article of tangible media can be released to circulation via the self-checkout station. Related hardware and control logic is also disclosed.
Claims20
A method of controlling circulation of tangible media materials comprising the steps of:
- transmitting an authorization request from a self-checkout station for a checkout transaction, the authorization request encoding at least one of a patron identifier and a media identifier;
- receiving a signal at the self-checkout station indicative of a fault generated in response to the authorization request;
- and
- commanding assignment of a pseudo-identifier to the checkout transaction, such that the article of tangible media can be released to circulation via the self-checkout station.
A system for controlling circulation of tangible media materials comprising:
- a self-checkout station including at least one reader configured to read each of a media identifier for an article of tangible media to be checked out by a patron, and a patron identifier for the patron;
- the self-checkout station further including a transmitter, a receiver, and a computer in communication with the at least one reader, the transmitter, and the receiver;
- the computer being configured to receive data from the at least one reader indicative of at least one of the media identifier and the patron identifier, and responsively transmit an authorization request via the transmitter to a server, for a checkout transaction at the self-checkout station;
- the computer being further configured to receive a signal from the server indicative of a fault generated in response to the authorization request;
- and
- a control device in communication with the self-checkout station and being configured to command assignment of a pseudo-identifier to the checkout transaction to override the fault, such that the article of tangible media can be released to circulation via the self-checkout station.
A self-checkout station for controlling circulation of tangible media materials comprising:
- at least one reader configured to read a media identifier for an article of tangible media to be checked out by a patron, and a patron identifier for the patron;
- a transmitter;
- a receiver;
- and
- a computer in communication with the at least one reader, the transmitter, and the receiver;
- the computer being configured to receive data from the at least one reader indicative of at least one of the media identifier and the patron identifier, and responsively transmit an authorization request via the transmitter to a server, for a checkout transaction at the self-checkout station;
- the computer being further configured to receive a signal from the server indicative of a fault generated in response to the authorization request, and to assign a pseudo-identifier to the checkout transaction to override the fault, such that the article of tangible media can be released to circulation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.