Ergonomically designed multifunctional transaction terminal

A transaction terminal for reading information from a credit card in a retail point of sale transaction, said transaction terminal comprising:

• a card reader unit for reading said credit card, said card reader unit including a slot for receiving said credit card, at least one of a magnetic stripe reader for reading magnetic stripe encoded data, and a smart card reader for reading encoded data of an integrated circuit disposed on said credit card;
• a control circuit coupled to said card reader unit, said control circuit configured to receive information read from said credit card by said card reader unit;
• a signature capturing touch screen including a display and a touch screen overlay, said transaction terminal being configured so that signature information can be entered into said signature capturing touch screen utilizing a stylus;
• and
• a housing encapsulating said control circuit and components of said card reader unit for reading said credit card, said housing further supporting said signature capturing touch screen, wherein said housing further includes a base and an enlarged head portion, said enlarged head portion having a top surface, said enlarged head portion extending at least one of sideward or forward from said base, said signature capturing touch screen being disposed at said top surface of said enlarged head portion in such manner that said touch screen delimits a substantial portion of a top surface of said housing, said housing further defining said slot of said card reader unit, wherein said enlarged head portion defines a curved profile both from a top view of said transaction terminal and at least one of a side view and a front view of said transaction terminal.

A transaction terminal for reading information from a card in a retail point of sale transaction, said transaction terminal comprising:

• an insert style card reader unit for reading said card, said insert style card reader unit including a slot for receiving said card and a smart card reader for reading encoded data of an integrated circuit disposed on said card;
• a control circuit coupled to said card reader unit, said control circuit configured to receive information read from said card by said card reader unit;
• a signature capturing touch screen including a display and a touch screen overlay;
• and
• a housing encapsulating said control circuit and components of said insert style card reader unit, said housing further supporting said signature capturing touch screen, wherein said housing further includes a base and a top surface, said signature capturing touch screen being disposed at said top surface, said housing further defining said slot of said insert style card reader unit and further including a circumferential lip extending outwardly from said base, said circumferential lip extending at least one of sideward or forward from said base, wherein said housing further has disposed thereon a holder apparatus for holding a stylus for use in entering signature data into said transaction terminal,
• wherein said base has a base plane, wherein said display has a screen plane and wherein said slot of said insert style reader has a slot plane, and wherein said transaction terminal is configured so that both of said screen plane and said slot plane are angled downwardly toward said base plane to form an acute angle with respect to said base plane, wherein said transaction terminal is configured so that said screen plane is oriented such that a higher portion of said screen plane is positioned rearward on said terminal relative to a lower portion of said screen plane, and wherein said transaction terminal is also configured so that a higher portion of said slot plane is also positioned rearward on said transaction terminal relative to a lower portion of said slot plane.

A transaction terminal for reading information from a card in a retail point of sale transaction, said transaction terminal comprising:

• an insert style card reader unit for reading said card, said insert style card reader unit including a slot for receiving said card and a smart card reader for reading encoded data of an integrated circuit disposed on said card;
• a control circuit coupled to said card reader unit, said control circuit configured to receive information read from said card by said card reader unit;
• a signature capturing touch screen including a display and a touch screen overlay;
• and
• a housing encapsulating said control circuit and components of said insert style card reader unit, said housing further supporting said signature capturing touch screen, wherein said housing further includes a base and a top surface, said touch screen being disposed at said top surface, said housing further defining said slot of said insert style card reader unit and further including a circumferential lip extending outwardly from said base, said circumferential lip extending at least one of sideward or forward from said base, said circumferential lip having a first portion extending continuously from a front of said housing to a left rear of said housing, wherein a vertical cross section of said first portion throughout a length thereof defines a generally semicircle shaped surface tapering outwardly from an interior of said housing and then inwardly moving in a direction upwardly on said terminal, said first portion of said circumferential lip defining a generally semicircle shaped edge from a top view;
• and
• wherein said base has a base plane, wherein said display has a screen plane and wherein said slot of said insert style card reader unit has a slot plane, and wherein said transaction terminal is configured so that both of said screen plane and said slot plane are angled downwardly toward said base plane to form an acute angle with respect to a base plane, wherein said transaction terminal is configured so that said screen plane is oriented such that a higher portion of said screen plane is positioned rearward on said terminal relative to a lower portion of said screen plane, and wherein said transaction terminal is also configured so that a higher portion of said slot plane is also positioned rearward on said transaction terminal relative to a lower portion of said slot plane.

A transaction terminal for reading information from a card in a retail point of sale transaction, said transaction terminal comprising:

• an insert style card reader unit for reading said card, said insert style card reader unit including a slot for receiving said card and a smart card reader for reading encoded data of an integrated circuit disposed on said card;
• a control circuit coupled to said card reader unit, said control circuit configured to receive information read from said card by said card reader unit;
• a signature capturing touch screen including a display and a touch screen overlay;
• and
• a clamshell housing encapsulating said control circuit and components of said insert style card reader unit, said clamshell housing further supporting said signature capturing touch screen, wherein said clamshell housing further includes a lower mold having a base and an upper mold having a top surface, said touch screen being disposed at said top surface, said housing further defining said slot of said insert style card reader unit and further including a circumferential lip extending outwardly from said base, said circumferential lip extending at least one of sideward or forward from said base, said circumferential lip having a first portion extending continuously from a front of said housing to a left rear of said housing, wherein a vertical cross section of said first portion throughout a length thereof defines a generally semicircle shaped surface extending outwardly from an interior of said housing and then extending inwardly toward an interior of said housing moving in a direction upwardly on said terminal, wherein a lower portion of said generally semicircle shaped surface is defined by said lower mold and wherein an upper portion of said generally semicircle shaped surface is defined by said upper mold, wherein said transaction terminal is further configured so that said first portion of said circumferential lip defines a generally semicircle shaped edge from a top view of said transaction terminal;
• and
• wherein said base has a base plane, wherein said display has a screen plane and wherein said slot of said insert style card reader unit has a slot plane, and wherein said transaction terminal is configured so that at least one of said screen plane and said slot plane are angled downwardly toward said base plane to form an acute angle with respect to said base plane.