# US 6,293,715 B1 · Self contained point of sale printing system and method

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- Number: US 6,293,715 B1
- Document ID: US6293715B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 08/944,157
- Filed: 1997-10-06
- Granted: 2001-09-25
- Earliest claimed: 1997-10-06
- Assignees: Axiohm Transaction Solutions, Inc.
- Inventors: Arthur James; Phillip M. Martinez; Michael Walls; Keith Jentoft
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6293715B1

## CPC

- G06Q 20/04: Payment circuits
- G06Q 20/042: {characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque}
- G06Q 20/20: Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
- G07G 5/00: Receipt-giving machines
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G07G: REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS

## Abstract

The present invention features a Point of Sale (POS) printer that includes an encoding module that magnetizes and reads the account and bank information from existing magnetic characters on a check. The encoding module prints the characters in the AMOUNT field of the check, according to ANSI1, ISO2, or other standards. The characters are printed with an ink having magnetic particles embedded therein. The POS printer magnetizes and reads these characters after they are printed, in order to verify that the correct amount has been encoded onto the check. The encoding module can include a magnet to magnetize the characters; a read head to read and analyze the signal waveform from each character; and a print mechanism with the capability of using magnetic ink for printing the characters. The method of the invention directs the POS printer to follow a certain sequence of actions in order to accomplish the printing and verification at the point of sale.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A self-contained Point of Sale (POS) printer, comprising an encoding module that magnetizes and reads account and bank information from existing magnetic characters disposed on a check, said encoding module having non-impact printing means for printing MICR characters in an amount field disposed along an edge of a front face of said check, according to a standard using an ink having magnetic particles embedded therein, said encoding module magnetizing and reading said characters after they are printed, in order to verify that said characters, as printed, are correct.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The POS printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said encoding module further comprises:
means for magnetizing said characters;
a read head for generating a signal waveform representative of each character; and
electronic circuitry operatively connected to said read head for analyzing said signal waveforms, and wherein said means for printing includes a mechanism with the capability of using magnetic ink for printing the characters.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The POS printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said encoding module further comprises:
a DC-biased read head for generating a signal waveform representative of each character;
means for analyzing said signal waveform; and wherein
said means for printing includes a mechanism with the capability of using magnetic ink for printing the characters.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The POS printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said encoding module encodes using an ANSI standard.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The POS printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said encoding module encodes using an ISO standard.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The POS printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for printing has a front end and said encoding module is disposed on said front end of said means for printing.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The POS printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said encoding module includes a module separate from said means for printing.

### Claim 8

A self-contained Point of Sale (POS) printer, comprising an encoding module, said encoding module comprising non-impact printing means for printing MICR characters in an amount field disposed along an edge of a front face of a check using magnetic ink, according to a predetermined standard.

### Claim 9

A self-contained Point of Sale (POS) printer, comprising an encoding module, said encoding module having non-impact printing means for printing MICR characters in an amount field disposed along an edge of a front face of a check, using magnetic ink, according to a predetermined standard, said POS printer comprising means for reading said MICR characters to verify that the correct characters have been encoded onto said check.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The POS printer in accordance with claim 9, wherein said encoding module further comprises:
means for magnetizing said characters;
a read head for generating a signal waveform representative of each character; and
electronic circuitry operatively connected to said read head for analyzing said signal waveforms, and wherein said means for printing includes a mechanism with the capability of using magnetic ink for printing the characters.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The POS printer in accordance with claim 9, wherein said means for printing includes means for using said magnetic ink to print said characters.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The POS printer in accordance with claim 9, wherein said encoding module further comprises:
a DC-biased read head for reading a signal waveform provided by each character;
electronic circuitry for analyzing said signal waveforms; and wherein
said means for printing includes a mechanism using magnetic ink for printing the characters.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The POS printer in accordance with claim 9, wherein said predetermined standard comprises an ANSI standard.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The POS printer in accordance with claim 9, wherein said predetermined standard comprises an ISO standard.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The POS printer in accordance with claim 9, wherein said means for printing has a front end and said encoding module is disposed on said front end of said means for printing.

### Claim 16

A self-contained Point of Sale (POS) printer, comprising an encoding module, said encoding module having means for non-impact printing MICR characters in an amount field disposed along an edge of a front face of a check, using magnetic ink, according to a predetermined standard, wherein said encoding module shares at least one component with said POS printer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

A Point of Sale (POS) printer as recited in claim 16, wherein said at least one component is a power supply.