Point-of-sale system
AssigneeSquare, Inc.
InventorsTroy Edwards, Lukas Skoog, Amish Babu, Jesse Dorogusker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A point-of-sale system includes a stand that supports a tablet computer. The tablet computer can run a merchant application to provide the typical functionality for a point-of-sale system. The stand can be rotatable to face either the merchant or the customer. The stand can incorporate a card reader. The tablet computer can be connected through a hub to other peripheral components, such as a controllable cash drawer, a printer and/or a bar code reader. The cash drawer can include a slidable drawer having sliding rails that are hidden from a top view of the drawer.
Claims20
A point-of-sale system comprising:
- a frame to support a cradle, an embedded host, and a card reader, the card reader being embedded in the frame;
- the cradle to support a tablet computer, the cradle including a data connector to mate to the tablet computer;
- the embedded host including a processor, wherein the embedded host is coupled with the data connector and is configured to communicate with the tablet computer;
- the card reader being coupled to the embedded host, wherein the embedded host is configured to direct signals from the card reader to the tablet computer, including to receive card data from the card reader and to send the card data to the tablet computer;
- and
- the frame including a first portion, a second portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion extending horizontally between the first portion and the second portion;
- wherein the first portion extends vertically from a first end of the bottom portion and the second portion extends vertically from a second end of the bottom portion, the second portion of the frame being connected to the cradle that supports the tablet computer.
A point of sale system, comprising:
- a tablet computer with a merchant application;
- a stand including a cradle that supports the tablet computer and a frame that supports the cradle, the cradle configured to releasably support the tablet computer with a face of the tablet computer at an oblique angle, the cradle including a data connector that mates with a data port of the tablet computer, the stand being supported by a base that allows the stand to rotate about a vertical axis between a first physical orientation for facing a merchant and a second physical orientation for facing a customer;
- and
- a card reader embedded in the stand,
- wherein, in the first physical orientation, the merchant application is configured to display on a screen of the tablet computer a first user interface for identifying items being purchased by a customer and calculating a total amount due for the items,
- wherein, in the second physical orientation, the merchant application is configured to display on the screen of the tablet computer a second user interface to permit the customer to authorize a transaction;
- and
- the frame including a first portion, a second portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion extending horizontally between the first portion and the second portion;
- wherein the first portion extends vertically from a first end of the bottom portion and the second portion extends vertically from a second end of the bottom portion, the second portion of the frame being connected to the cradle that supports the tablet computer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.