Signature capture pad for point of sale system

A method for recording transaction information associated with a financial transaction, including the steps of providing a terminal including an input device and an output device, acquiring transaction data associated with said transaction, providing a remote host computer operative to communicate with said terminal, and providing a printed receipt including said transaction data, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of:

• providing a standalone signature capture pad including an electromagnetic digitizer and a stylus, said electromagnetic digitizer being operative to provide digitized signature signals corresponding to a signature written on said receipt by a customer using said stylus;
• placing said receipt upon said signature capture pad prior to obtaining said signature;
• as a signature is applied by the customer to said printed receipt, digitizing said signature to produce said digitized signature signals as said stylus is moved in the vicinity of said electromagnetic digitizer;
• compressing said digitized signature signals to produce compressed signature signals;
• and
• communicating said compressed signature signals to said terminal.

A system for recording transaction information associated with a financial transaction, including a terminal including an input device and an output device, means for obtaining transaction data associated with said transaction, a printed receipt, and a remote host computer operative to receive transaction data from said terminal, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a standalone signature capture pad including an electromagnetic digitizer and a cooperating stylus, said electromagnetic digitizer being operative to provide digitized signature signals corresponding to a signature written applied to said receipt as said stylus is moved in the vicinity of said electromagnetic digitizer;
• a controller operative in a compressed signature mode for selectably compressing said digitized signature signals to provide compressed signature signals or alternatively operative in a raw signature mode for providing raw signature signals:
• and
• a communications port for providing said compressed signature signals or said raw signature signals to said terminal;
• and
• means for terminating the provision of said compressed signature signals or said raw signature signals upon the receipt of a signature termination signal.

A system for recording transaction information associated with a financial transaction, including a terminal including an input device and an output device, means for obtaining transaction data associated with said transaction, a printed receipt, and a remote host computer operative to receive transaction data from said terminal, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a standalone signature capture pad including an electromagnetic digitizer and a cooperating stylus, said electromagnetic digitizer being operative to provide digitized signature signals corresponding to a signature written applied to said receipt as said stylus is moved in the vicinity of said electromagnetic digitizer;
• means for compressing said digitized signature signals to provide compressed signature signals;
• a communications port for providing said compressed signature signals to said terminal upon the receipt of a signature termination signal;
• and
• means for providing a signature termination signal.

A system for recording information related to a financial transaction, comprising:

• a terminal including at least one input device for obtaining numeric data associated with the financial transaction;
• a signature capture device, said signature capture device including an electromagnetic digitizer for providing digitized signature signals corresponding to a signature applied to a printed receipt positioned on said signature capture device during a signature capture cycle;
• a timer for indicating the passage of a predetermined period of time since the last of said digitized signature signals was received by said signature capture device;
• and
• a first key associated with said terminal for allowing an operator to indicate that the signature is complete;
• whereby said signature capture pad is operative to terminate said signature capture cycle in response to a predetermined signal from said timer or a signal generated by the actuation of said key.

A method for associating digitized signature signals with numeric transaction data, comprising the steps of:

• providing a point of sale terminal including an input device and an output device;
• providing a standalone signature capture pad including a digitizer;
• providing a host computer;
• acquiring numeric transaction data;
• indicating a maximum compressed signature size;
• placing a receipt on said signature capture pad;
• obtaining a signature on said receipt;
• providing digitized signature signals corresponding to said signature;
• terminating the provision of said digitized signature signals upon receipt of a predetermined signal;
• compressing said digitized signature signals to form compressed signature signals;
• comparing the size of said compressed signature signals to said maximum compressed signature size;
• in response to the size of said compressed signature being less than or equal to said maximum compressed signature size, transmitting said compressed signature to said point of sale terminal;
• and
• in response to the size of said compressed signature being greater than said maximum compressed signature size, providing a signal to said point of sale terminal.

A method for digitizing a signature associated with a financial transaction, comprising the steps of:

• providing point-of-sale equipment operative to collect numeric data associated with said transaction;
• providing a printed receipt including a space for said signature;
• providing a signature capture pad including a digitizer for providing digitized signature signals corresponding to said signature, said signature capture pad being operative to compress said digital signature signals to form compressed signature signals, said signature capture pad further providing user selectable resolution and user selectable maximum compressed signature size;
• selecting a first signature capture pad resolution;
• selecting said maximum compressed signature size;
• collecting numeric data associated with said transaction;
• associating said receipt with said signature capture pad;
• writing a signature on said receipt;
• digitizing said signature to form said digitized signature signals;
• compressing said digitized signature signals using said first signature capture pad resolution to form first compressed signature signals;
• comparing the size of said first compressed signature signals to said maximum compressed signature size;
• if said first compressed signature signals do not exceed said maximum compressed signature signal size, communicating said first compressed signature signals to said point-of-sale equipment;
• and
• associating, at said point-of-sale equipment, said compressed signature signals with said numeric data to form said transaction data.

A system for digitizing a writing associated with a financial transaction, comprising:

• point-of-sale equipment operative to collect numeric data associated with said transaction;
• a printer, said printer being operative to print a receipt including a space for said writing;
• a signature capture pad including a digitizer for providing digitized signature signals corresponding to said writing, said signature capture pad being operative to provide first compressed signature signals corresponding to said digitized signature signals, said signature capture pad further providing user selectable resolution and a user selectable maximum compressed writing size;
• means for selecting a first signature capture pad resolution;
• means for selecting said signature capture pad maximum compressed writing size;
• means for comparing the size of said first compressed signals to said maximum compressed writing size;
• a communications port for providing said compressed signals to said point-of-sale equipment;
• and
• means, at said point-of-sale equipment, for associating said first compressed signals with said numeric data.

A signature capture pad for providing digitized signature signals applied to a printed receipt to a remote terminal, comprising:

• a housing including a top surface;
• an electromagnetic digitizer including a grid and a stylus, said grid being mounted beneath said top surface and said electromagnetic digitizer being operative to provide digital signals corresponding to a signature applied to said receipt as said stylus is moved in the vicinity of said electromagnetic digitizer;
• a microprocessor for receiving said digital signals from said digitizer, and for providing said digitized signature signals;
• at least one serial port connected to said microprocessor and operative to communicate with said remote terminal;
• and
• an alignment guide for aligning said receipt over said digitizer grid.

A signature capture pad for use as a wedge device between a host system and a peripheral device, and for providing signature signals corresponding to a signature applied to a preprinted receipt provided in conjunction with a financial transaction, comprising:

• an electromagnetic digitizer including a stylus, said digitizer operative to provide digital signals as said stylus is moved in the vicinity of said electromagnetic digitizer as a signature is applied to said receipt;
• a first communications port for communicating with said host system;
• a second communications port for communicating with said peripheral device;
• and
• a controller operative for receiving said digital signals from said digitizer and converting said digital signals to signature signals for transmission to said host system,
• said controller being further operative for communicating with said host system and with said peripheral device, and for transferring data between said host system and said peripheral device in response to receipt of data intended for communication therebetween.

A method for controlling the size of a compressed signature, comprising the steps of:

• providing a signature capture pad including a digitizer, said digitizer being operative for providing digitized signature signals corresponding to a signature, said signature capture pad being operative for compressing said digitized signature signals to form compressed signature signals, said signature capture pad further providing user selectable resolution and user selectable maximum compressed signature size;
• selecting a first signature capture pad resolution;
• selecting said maximum compressed signature size;
• digitizing said signature to form said digitized signature signals;
• compressing said digitized signature signals using said first signature capture pad resolution to form first compressed signature signals;
• and
• comparing the size of said first compressed signature signals to said maximum compressed signature size.

A method for providing a compressed signature, comprising the steps of:

• providing a signature capture pad operative to provide selectably variable digitizer resolution in response to internal or external commands;
• providing an external command to select a first digitizer resolution;
• providing digitized signature signals corresponding to a signature to be digitized;
• compressing said digitized signature signals using said first digitizer resolution to provide first compressed signature signals;
• providing, if said first compressed signature signals exceed a predetermined size, an internal command to select a second digitizer resolution;
• compressing said digitized signature signals using said second digitizer resolution to provide second compressed signature signals.