Financial transaction approval system and method

Abstract

A method includes processing a plurality of items for purchase using a transaction approval system. Before processing ends, the transaction approval system is used to provide an offer to electronically receive from a consumer at least one of identification of a financial account and approval from the consumer to charge a total cost of the plurality of items to the financial account, and after processing ends, the total cost of the plurality of items is determined. If the consumer did not provide one or more of identification of the financial account and approval in response to the offer, then, after determining the total cost of the plurality of items, the transaction approval system is used to electronically prompt the consumer for and to electronically receive at least one of the identification of the financial account and approval from the consumer to charge the total cost to the financial account.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of processing a retail sales transaction, the method comprising:
 processing a plurality of items for purchase using a point-of-sale terminal that is part of a transaction approval system at a point of sale in a retail store, wherein:
 processing the plurality of items for purchase includes using the transaction approval system to determine associated price information for each item included in the plurality of items for purchase based on identifiers associated with the plurality of items for purchase, 
 processing the plurality of items for purchase begins when information regarding an identifier of a first one of the plurality of items for purchase is entered into the point-of-sale terminal, and 
 processing the plurality of items for purchase ends when information regarding the identifiers associated with the plurality of items for purchase has been entered into the point-of-sale terminal and all the associated price information for each item included in the plurality of items for purchase has been determined; 
   before processing the plurality of items for purchase ends, providing an offer, via the transaction approval system, to electronically receive from a consumer at least one of an identification of a financial account that will be used by the consumer to pay for the plurality of items for purchase and approval from the consumer to charge the total cost to the financial account;   after processing the plurality of items for purchase ends, determining the total cost of the plurality of items for purchase using the point-of-sale terminal; and   if the consumer did not provide one or more of identification of the financial account and approval to charge to the financial account in response to the offer before the total cost is determined, then, after determining the total cost of the plurality of items for purchase, using the transaction approval system to electronically prompt the consumer for and to electronically receive from the consumer at least one of the identification of the financial account that will be used by the consumer to pay for the plurality of items for purchase and approval from the consumer to charge the total cost to the financial account.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 after providing the offer and during processing of the plurality of items for purchase, electronically capturing the approval from the consumer using the transaction approval system such that the consumer is free from providing another approval to complete purchase of the plurality of items after the total cost is determined.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein electronically capturing the approval of the consumer is completed substantially free from assistance from a retail store employee operating the point-of-sale terminal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the approval includes a signature of the consumer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the identification of the financial account is completed substantially free from assistance from a retail store employee operating the point-of-sale terminal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the transaction approval system includes a financial transaction terminal in electrical communication with the point-of-sale terminal, the financial transaction terminal having a financial transaction terminal display facing in a different direction than a point-of-sale terminal display of the point-of-sale terminal,   the offer and the prompt are each visually performed using the financial transaction terminal display, and   providing the offer includes visually indicating that the total cost of the plurality of items for purchase has not yet been determined.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein visually indicating that the total cost of the plurality of items for purchase has not yet been determined includes displaying an empty total cost field on the user interface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 using the transaction approval system to electronically prompt the consumer includes using the financial transaction terminal to visually indicate the total cost in the location of the financial transaction terminal display previously occupied by the empty total cost field.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 receiving the identification of the financial account is completed substantially free from assistance from a retail store employee operating the point-of-sale terminal, and   the method decreases an amount of time the consumer needs to spend at the point of sale in the retail store to complete the retail sales transaction.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the financial transaction terminal includes a reception slot, and   receiving the identification of the financial account includes receiving a financial transaction card from the consumer via the reception slot such that the transaction approval system can determine the identification of the financial account by reading from the financial transaction card.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising visually presenting the total cost to the consumer via the financial transaction terminal display after determining the total cost of the plurality of items for purchase using the point-of-sale terminal. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 completing the retail sales transaction after determining the total cost of the plurality of items for purchase, wherein the consumer is free to take the plurality of items for purchase from the retail store only after completing the retail sales transaction;   wherein the retail sales transaction is completed in a single visit by the consumer to the point of sale in the retail store.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving authorization from a financial institution supporting the financial account that the financial account is sufficiently funded to support the retail sales transaction for the total cost of the plurality of items for purchase; and   charging the total cost of the plurality of items for purchase against the financial account.   
     
     
         14 . A method of performing a retail sales transaction using a transaction approval system including a point-of-sale terminal and a financial transaction terminal, the method comprising steps performed in the following order:
 using the point-of-sale terminal to determine an identity of a first one of a plurality of goods being purchased by a consumer based on a product code of the first one of the plurality of goods to begin the retail sales transaction;   using the financial transaction terminal to determine an identity of a financial account based on a financial transaction card presented to the financial transaction terminal by the consumer;   using the financial transaction terminal to present to the consumer an opportunity to provide final approval to charge a total price for all of the plurality of goods to the financial account;   using the point-of-sale terminal to determine an identity of a last one of the plurality of goods being purchased by the consumer based on a product code of the last one of the plurality of goods;   determining a total price for all of the plurality of goods being purchased by the consumer;   if the consumer did not provide final approval in response to the opportunity being presented to the consumer, visually prompting the consumer to provide the final approval using the financial transaction terminal;   if the consumer did not provide final approval in response to the opportunity being presented to the consumer, electronically receiving the final approval; and   charging the total price of all the plurality of goods to the financial account.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein presenting the consumer the opportunity to provide the final approval to charge the total price for all of the plurality of goods to the financial account is preformed simultaneously with using the financial transaction terminal to visually indicate to the consumer that the total price has not yet been determined. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein electronically receiving the final approval includes electronically receiving a consumer confirmation to charge the total price to the financial account via the financial transaction terminal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the transaction approval system is located within a retail store, and   the consumer is free to take the goods from the retail store only after charging the total price of all of the plurality of goods to the financial account is substantially completed.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the financial transaction terminal includes a user interface, and   the method further comprises:
 prior to determining the total price of all of the plurality of goods and while using the financial transaction terminal to present the consumer the opportunity, visually indicating to the consumer via the user interface that the total price has not yet been determined, and 
 after determining the total price of all of the plurality of goods, visually indicating the total price to the consumer via the user interface of the financial transaction terminal while visually prompting the consumer to provide the final approval using the financial transaction terminal. 
   
     
     
         19 . A method of processing a retail sales transaction in a retail store, the method comprising:
 processing a plurality of items for purchase using a point-of-sale terminal including determining associated price information for each item included in the plurality of items for purchase, wherein processing the plurality of items begins by determining price information for a first one of the plurality of items for purchase and is completed when a total price of all the plurality of items for purchase is determined;   after beginning and before completing processing the plurality of items for purchase, receiving a financial transaction card via a financial transaction terminal coupled with the point-of-sale terminal and reading the financial transaction card to determine an identification of a financial account that will be used by a consumer to pay for the plurality of items for purchase;   after receiving the financial transaction card and before completing processing, using the financial transaction terminal to display to the consumer a first opportunity to provide final approval to charge the total price of the plurality of items for purchase to the financial account after the total price is determined;   after completing processing of the plurality of items for purchase and receiving the financial transaction card, determining the total price of the plurality of items for purchase;   where the consumer did not use the first opportunity to provide final approval, using the financial transaction terminal to display to the consumer a second opportunity to provide the final approval to charge the total price of the plurality of items to the financial account and receiving the total approval via the financial transaction terminal, wherein using the financial transaction terminal to display to the consumer the second opportunity includes displaying the total price substantially simultaneously with displaying the consumer the second opportunity; and   charging the total price of the plurality of items for purchase to the financial account.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein using the financial transaction terminal to display to the consumer the first opportunity to provide the final approval is performed substantially simultaneously with using the financial transaction terminal to display an indication that the total cost is currently undetermined.