Transaction data processing apparatus connected to an external device for data communication

Abstract

A transaction data processing apparatus includes a scanning unit configured to scan a product code of a product related to a transaction, a printing unit configured to print transaction data on a sheet, a communication unit configured to transmit the transaction data to an external device over a network, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to generate the transaction data based on the scanned product code, determine whether the network is online or offline, and control the communication unit to transmit the transaction data to the external device when the network is online, and the printing unit to print the transaction data on the sheet when the network is offline.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A point-of-sale terminal control unit, comprising:
 a processor configured to:   check receipt information of a sales transaction for a transaction character string to obtain an output condition for the receipt information;   detect a communication state between a POS terminal and an external device over a network; and   output the receipt information according to the output condition and the communication state, wherein   the receipt information is output for printing when either the output condition indicates printing has been selected or the communication state is detected as offline, and   the receipt information is output as an electronic receipt when both the output condition indicates an electronic receipt has been selected and the communication state is detected as online.   
     
     
         2 . The point-of-sale terminal control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 generate the receipt information of the sales transaction.   
     
     
         3 . The point-of-sale terminal control unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the receipt information is generated in an unstructured format. 
     
     
         4 . The point-of-sale terminal control unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the output method is indicated according to whether or not a flag character string is included in the transaction character string. 
     
     
         5 . The point-of-sale terminal control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the output condition is set according to whether or not a membership identification is entered in association with the sales transaction. 
     
     
         6 . The point-of-sale terminal control unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the membership identification is associated with a preferred output method in a membership database. 
     
     
         7 . The point-of-sale terminal control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the receipt information is output in a structured data format which is converted to the electronic receipt based on a predetermined conversion rule. 
     
     
         8 . The point-of-sale terminal control unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the structured data format is one XML or CSV. 
     
     
         9 . The point-of-sale terminal control unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the structured data format is converted to the electronic receipt by a network driver from transmission to the external device. 
     
     
         10 . The point-of-sale terminal control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the external device is a third-party electronic receipt server. 
     
     
         11 . The point-of-sale terminal control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the external device is a store server. 
     
     
         12 . A point-of-sale terminal, comprising:
 a code scanner for scanning merchandise codes in a sales transaction;   a printer for outputting a printed receipt for the sales transaction;   a processor configured to:
 generate receipt information according to the merchandise codes in the sales transaction and include a transaction character string in the receipt information, the transaction character string indicating an output condition for the receipt information; 
 check the receipt information of the sales transaction for the transaction character string to obtain the output condition for the receipt information; 
   detect a communication state between a POS terminal and an external device over a network; and   output the receipt information according to the output condition and the communication state, wherein   the receipt information is output for printing by the printer when either the output condition indicates printing has been selected or the communication state is detected as offline, and   the receipt information is output as an electronic receipt when both the output condition indicates an electronic receipt has been selected and the communication state is detected as online.   
     
     
         13 . The point-of-sale terminal according to  claim 12 , wherein the receipt information is generated in an unstructured format. 
     
     
         14 . The point-of-sale terminal according to  claim 13 , wherein the output method is indicated according to whether or not a flag character string is included in the transaction character string. 
     
     
         15 . The point-of-sale terminal according to  claim 12 , wherein the output condition is set according to whether or not a membership identification is entered in association with the sales transaction. 
     
     
         16 . The point-of-sale terminal according to  claim 12 , wherein the receipt information is output in a structured data format which is converted to the electronic receipt based on a predetermined conversion rule. 
     
     
         17 . The point-of-sale terminal according to  claim 16 , wherein the structured data format is one XML or CSV. 
     
     
         18 . The point-of-sale terminal according to  claim 16 , wherein the structured data format is converted to the electronic receipt by a network driver from transmission to the external device. 
     
     
         19 . The point-of-sale terminal according to  claim 12 , wherein the external device is a third-party electronic receipt server. 
     
     
         20 . The point-of-sale terminal according to  claim 12 , wherein the external device is a store server.