GB2341255A - Ordering system - Google Patents

Abstract

A product ordering system comprises a central unit 20 and at least one user terminal 10. Each user terminal comprises processing means 14 for processing data, reader means 15 for reading product data from a portable data carrier, user interface means 12 for enabling a user to input order instructions to the terminal, and transmitter and receiver means 17 for transmitting an order signal representing the input order instructions and the read product data, together with an identification code identifying the particular user terminal, and for receiving response signals sent from the central unit 20 to that user terminal. The central unit 20 comprises processing means 21 for processing data and having a memory for receiving and storing data, and transmitting and receiving means 23 for receiving order signals from user terminals and for transmitting response signals to user terminals. The invention provides a much more convenient ordering system. It allows a user to receive immediate confirmation that an order has been received. It also avoids the need for the user to have details about the product which he/she is ordering.

Description

2341255 ORDERING SYSTEM The _4 nvention relates --o an ordering system,

par,icularl7 a system for ordering consumables, such as stationerv.

Current methods employed for ordering consumables include ordering by post, telephone or fax. However these me-ihods have many drawbacks, for example difficulty ordering outside o-)ening hours, the need to have order information abou-_ the consumable required to hand, such as its European Article 1 Number (EAN) or Universal Product Code ()PC), the need -o look up tne telephone number or postal address. The present invention provides an improved ordering syste-L1 which addresses hese problems. The inven-ion provdes an 'S order ng system in which a portable data carrer, usua'ly a card, stores information identifying one or more produc7 s' -o be ordered. This information is read from the card w-en an order is to be made and sent to a central unit, usually the system manager, along with data indicating the quant-ty 22 required.

fica--ion, his ordering svstem avoids the need for the spec-part number, UPC or EAN of the product required to be known by the user at the time of ordering. The order may be made at any time of day, on any day of the week as it. can be made even when no personnel are present at the sys,em manager. Also, the system manager can immediately send a messace back to the user terminal confirming that the order '-as been rece-'ved.

The invention is defined in more detail _n the appended claims to which reference should now be made.

A preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to --he drawings in which:

- i - ts making up a syster, according Eigure 1 shows the component to a preferred embod---nen-- of the invention; Figures 2A and 2B show a flow-chart of the operational a user ie.:7m.Jna-' in the me er7bodprogram o - - s a.7 J.lenz; and r wJgu-e 3 shows a of --he oce--a--io-al iD--ocram of the system manager in the same embod-ment.

Referring to Figure 11, the system comprises one or -.,re user terminal ',s) 10 (enly one shown in Figure 1,, and a Centra, unit 12, called the svs--em manager in Figure 1. In t---re will be a s u bst a - t --"a 'I number of user t:er.-r. n a l s w'- i ch may be us ed s imul tane ou, s!v by d- ff fe rent u, -se rs i n different retail but ii-ere need o,.-,.lv be: one sys-tern manager 20.

The user terminal is a card transaction apparatus in a retail outlet such as a Electronic --und Transfer Point-of Sale/Ellectronic Point-of-Sale (E FT POS / E POS) t e iin, a 1 0 r cas'n--i-'ll machine. 7'-e -err."nal comiDrises r_rocessor means 14, means for reading a portable data carrier 15, a displav 16, a kevboard 12, a receipt printer 11, a Terminal Adaptor (TA) 17, and a power suepi-, 19, the connections of w'l-ich are not shown to avoid undue complexity. The TA 17 connects the processor 14 through a PSTN/0800 Bus 18 to an 7-SDN network 3C.

1he service manager 20 comprises an ethernet 21 on which a plurality of processors 21, 24 are connected. In Figure 1, two orocessors only are shown to avoid undue complexity.

The first processor 21 is connected via a Terminal Adaptor 23 (or Digital Service Unit) to the ISDN network 3C. This processor 21 has a memory for storing data f-J-,es wh-i,',-,.

3 contain, by re - ere=e to the card identification numbe-r, on all card)wrers, such as each owner's credit history, order and credIt Th-s n--ceessor is 3 - responsible for on-line ordering. A Second processor 24 is used for all manual ordering, that is orders input to the processor 24 using a keyboard 25.

The user terminal(s) 10 communicate with the system manager 20 via the ISDN network 30 using X.25 packet transmission protocol. The Terminal Adaptor is an X.25 pad.

The use of the system will now be described. When a user wants to make an order, for example if thev are down to ine last roll of receipt paper for the printer 11 and need -zo order some more, the user presses a button on the keyboard 12 of the terminal 10 to initiate a transact-on. The display 16 then displays a message -i-d-,ca.ing that the terminal is waiting for the user to swipe a card. The user then swipes a card through the reader 15, as if -w a s a credit or payment card.

The card is a magnetic stripe card, of the same s-ze and format as a credit card, and has stored on it data definna the type of paper rolls used in the E-E-FTPOS machine, and a customer identification code. These are read by the reader i5. lhe dis-olav 16 then requests the user to _nout the -,uant-ity of rolls of paper which are required. The user t_hen waits until the order transaction is authorised bv the system manager. The display then asks the user to press ---Enter"to complete the transaction, and a receipt is then printed by the receipt printer 11. If the order is not authorised then an error message will be displayed with instructions to the user.

Referring to Figures 2A and 2B, the operational program of the user terminal 10 will now be described. When the user 3 terminal 10 is not being used for a transaction it -reverts from a normal, functional mode to an idle or "standbv- mode. This is indicated at 100 in Figure 2A. in idle mode the screen or other peripherals may be powered down to sa-,.,e power.

The termnal 10 is s-.itc',led from its idle mode to -.is functional mode when it detects that a narticular button on the keyboard 12 has been pressed, indicating that a transaction is being requested (s:ieiD 201) The ierm--nal then displays a message or its d-Js13-,a,,, 16 requesting t----ie user to swpe a daia card 1step l-u). Th e t e r m i n a 1 tl e n checks hat the card has been read success f ul-y (step 1--6), and if noasks the user to sw4r)e the card again. 111 --- has e P.

swiped successfully, the terminal d-splays a message as,<ing the user to e-7-er the quantit-v cf thee i--artic,,-i-ar product recuired step 1.08'; --ie terminal then dials the system manager (step 110) and transmits the order rea,-est, including the data read from the card and the:fuan-L--LtV reouired. The terminal 10 waits for the system manager to send back a response s-gnal ind--'cating whether or not the order _s authorised (step 112. if the response sici:-,aL indicates the order is not authorised, then the terminal displays an error message _ndicating the reason why the order has rot been accepted. Possible errors are s.r-,o-wn in Table 1.

TABLE 1

ERROR TERMINAL MESSAGE SENT BY SYSTEM MANAGER Svstem Manager does not -recognise the INVALID USER ident-ficat-cn code 2) Quantitv of order exceeds the cre d e -f -- n ed 1 - m -i t Y) s e QUANTITY EXCEEDED by Svstem Manager for that user 3) The communication link CALL AUTHORISATION to System Manager is CENTRE nnnnnnnnnn not available Quote User No.XX 4) The System Manager's CALL AUTHORIS-PTION host is not available CENTRE nnnnnnnnnn Quote User No.XX 5) Non payment of ACCOUNT ON HOLD previous orders.

nnnnnnnnnn = referral telephone number.

if the response signal indicates the order is the terminal prompts the user to press the "Enter" key to comple.ie the transaction (step 118). If "Enter" is -oressed step 120) the terminal displays an "order comclete" message step 1-22) and prints a receipt acknowledging that the order 1 has been made (step 124). The terminal then reverts t, id-e mode (ste2 100).

if the "Enter" key is not pressed within a predeterimined time interval, the terminal assumes the order is to be cancelled, and calls the system manager 20 to canoe' the 1 order (step 126).

The operational program of the system manager will now be described with reference to Figure 3. When the svstem manager 20 receives a request for authorisation from a -ser terminal 10 it first cheeks whether the card identification 2 code sent by the user terminal is listed in its file of identification codes (step 130). If the code is not = this list then the system manager 20 sends a response signal back to the user terminal indicating that the order is not authorised and that the terminal should diso-av error message number 1 (step 132).

if the card identification code is on the list, the svs--,M, manager 20 then checks whether the quantity of woods ordered b,,,, the user _s below a predefined limit 'Y' set bythe systern manager for that user and which is stored --,n one of les its f-rst processor 2-11. If the amount the data f - o -' - 1-e-'ng ordered is greater than the assigned limit, the svstem to the user term-nall manager sends a response s-igna that the order -,s not authorised and 'nstructinC -ne termina- tc d-, s:)lav error message numbeer 2 (ste -3 E 1 If the quantitv of the product heing ordered is,.ithin the alic,wed imit 'Y', the --rccessor 21 next checks the user's account -F-c see -,,:hether an,7)re-.7ious orders have s-:i-i11 not h_ e e n i-) a id, for, or f tre user has a of bad deb.:

(step 138', If the user's account is not acceptable the system manager sends a response s-gna-, 'no the user terminal -n-icatinQ hat the c-rder is noi autho---'sed and it to error message 5 (ste- 1,10 If the user acc-cin-- --s 'ZK, the svstem manacer sends a -esnonse signal to the useauthoris-nc the order step 142,,. The s-,,,stem manaaer then stores the detal,-s of the order (step 140:;, in the memory c-' processor 21. T h e C -ests f=m user svstem manager then wa-ts more order reai -errn,inals (step 146, Ir. a of --'ne i-r--'erred embodiment of the s-,7s-em the jser card is a combined ordering card ana payment card.

In this case the sys-_em manager would carry out a fina-ncia transaction --r-i ca-vmen -'cr the goods ordered when i re,--eiies and authorises an order.

ir. another the s,,,,stem manager may be c=nected on-line to a,;areho.-,se -w.,-iere te products being ordered are store,'. The manager 20 forwards any orders rece--.-,ed 3,-: -- DM --iser -:er-nina-s d _ -- e c:,i 1,1, i:.3 the -war.-hu,,se.

Alternati-velv, --',e system- manager could print the orders oui into ---;per format, and del-ver these to the,;arehcuse.

As would be clear to a man skilled in the art, ihe telephone network used need not be ISDN network, but may also be an analogue network, or a radio telephone network.

The invention provides a much more convenient order-rig S 7 S'1 em. It allows a user to receive immediate onf-mat-'on.iha. an order has been received. It also avoids the need the user to have details about the product which he/she is ordering.

Claims (9)

1. A product ordering system Includ=g a central unit and at least one user termi-al, each user terminal comprising:

   first processing means for p=cessing data; reader means coupled to the first processing means for reading product data from a nor-:iable daLa carrier; user -nterface means z-- the first,:--Gcessinc means for enab--,ng a user te input order ins----uc---ons tc, the - nal; erm- 1 --rst transmitter and rece-,er means counled to the -irs.i process= means fcr -:irans--ili-ii--ng a- order sianal r-c)resent,,-a t,-e -inp,,it i-s-.--uct-ions and the read prcdu--t data, toaet-er w - t -i a n id-n,--icat-on cccie ident'fving the particular user ierminal, and for recei,7--g response sicna" s sen-- 'ror-,. -:ihe central -ini,, --o tat user terminal; and a pcwe-- for supplying power io the ter--,i-nal; the central unit comprising:

   second processing means fcr rrocess-,-ig data hav'ng a memory -for receiving and storing data; and second ----ansm-tt-iig and- re:e---.--nc means fcr rece--,,Tlnc the order signa- and t--ansm-'.i--'nQ a response s=al -o the user termnal.
2. ing tc cla _n system accord- -which the central unit f, print-ng means for data identi an order from tne user term-Lnal.
3. 3. A system accordng to any --receding claim in which the first and/or second transmitting and receivinc means comprise -.e-,e-,:,hone interfaces.

   -em a t 0 m 3 in which the first andlor
4. 4. A svst- --c-ordina cl a i_ 1 se(-c,id transmitting and recei-,-i'nc means compr-ise a Term-i-c----! 7, - 1 - ' i-e.

   daptor for connec ion to a digtal eephone L_ 9
5. 5. A system according to any preceding claim in which the portable data carrier comprises a card with a readabl e magnetic data store.
6. 6. A system according to any preceding claim in which the portable data carrier is a card comprising a microch-Lp.
7. A user terminal for ordering products comprising: processing means for processing data; reader means coupled to the processing means or reading product data from a portable data carr-er; user nterface means coupled to the processing means for enabling a user to input order instructions to he terminal; transmitter and receiver means cou,,-ed to zhe processing means for transmitting an order sgnal representing the input order instructons and ihe reaci croduct data, together with an identificatIon code identifying the particular user terminal, and for receiving response signals sent to that user terminal; and a power supply for supplying power to the terminall.
8. A system for ordering products substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.
9. 9. A user terminal substantially as described herein -;,;-i--h reference to the drawings.