Cash register computing system

Cash register computing system for furnishing first and second output signals respectively signifying the total price of a plurality of items in a transaction and the total number of items in each of a predetermined plurality of categories in said transaction, comprising, in combination, a plurality of tickets each carrying machine readable price and category markings respectively signifying the price and category of one of said items, each of said tickets having a plurality of columns and a plurality of lines intersecting said plurality of columns, said price markings being located in a first region of said ticket bounded by a first and second one of said lines, said category markings being located in a second region of said ticket different from said first region;

• transport means for transporting said ticket along a predetermined path in a direction parallel to said columns;
• read-out means positioned at a predetermined location along said predetermined path, for reading out said price and category markings and furnishing corresponding price and category marking signals, said read-out means comprising a plurality of read-out elements corresponding in number to said plurality of columns;
• first and second buffer storage means connected to said read-out means for, respectively, storing said price and category marking signals and furnishing corresponding stored price and stored category marking signals, said first buffer storage means comprising a plurality of counters each connected to a corresponding one of said read-out elements, each for counting the price marking signals furnished by said corresponding one of said read-out elements and storing a counting signal corresponding to the number of so-counted price marking signals;
• a plurality of position control means positioned along said predetermined path, each for furnishing a position control signal when a predetermined part of said ticket is at a corresponding predetermined location along said predetermined path;
• gating means connected to said position control means and said first and second buffer storage means for controlling entry of signals to said buffer storage means in response to corresponding ones of said position control signals;
• price adder means connected to said first buffer storage means for adding said stored price marking signals read from one of said tickets to price marking signals read from previous ones of said tickets in said transaction and furnishing said first output signals following the addition of stored price marking signals read from the last of said ticket in said transaction, said price adder means having a counting input, said price adder means further comprising means for applying a plurality of pulse sequences to said counting input, each under control of a counting signal stored in one of said counters of said first buffer storage means, each including a number of pulses equal to the number signified by the corresponding one of said counting signals, said means for applying a plurality of pulse sequences comprising comparator means having a first and second comparator input and a comparator output, for furnishing a comparator output signal when the signals at said first and second inputs are equal, pulse generator means, pulse counting means having a counting output connected to said second input of said comparator means, first gating means connected to said position control means, said first buffer storage means and first said input of said comparator means, for connecting said counters in said first buffer storage means to said first input of said comparator means in a predetermined sequence at predetermined time intervals following a predetermined one of said position control signals, second gating means connected to said first gating means, said pulse generator means, said pulse counting means and said counting input of said price adder means for connecting said pulse generator means to said pulse counting means and said counting input of said pulse adder means in synchronism with the application of said signals to said first input of said comparator means and for disconnecting pulse generator means from pulse counting means and said counting input of said price adder means in response to said comparator output signals;
• and a plurality of category adder means connected to the output of said second buffer storage means, each for counting stored category marking signals signifying a predetermined one of said categories only, whereby said plurality of category adder means furnishes said second output signals following addition of stored category marking signals read from the last of said tickets in said transaction.

Cash register computing system for furnishing output signals signifying the total number of items in each of a predetermined plurality of categories in a transaction, comprising, in combination, a plurality of tickets each carrying machine readable category markings signifying the category of one of said items;

• read-out means for reading out said category markings and furnishing corresponding category marking signals;
• buffer storage means connected to said read-out means for storing said category marking signals and furnishing corresponding stored category marking signals;
• a plurality of category adder means corresponding in number to said determined plurality of categories;
• decoder means having a plurality of inputs connected to said buffer storage means and a plurality of outputs each connected to one of said category adder means, for furnishing a decoder output signal at a corresponding one of said outputs in response to each of said stored category marking signals;
• and means for advancing the one of said plurality of category adder means receiving said decoder output signal by one count, whereby said plurality of category adder means furnishes said output signals following receipt of the decoder output signal corresponding to the stored marking signals read from the last of said plurality of tickets.