Point-of-sale system including isolation layer between client and server software

Abstract

A system and method of transferring information between a first software application and a second software application which employ an isolation layer. The system includes a client computer system provided by a first seller of computer systems, including a client software application, and a server computer system provided by a second seller of computer systems different from the first seller of computer systems, including a server software application which provides information from the server computer system to the client computer system. The system additionally includes isolation layer software, either at the client computer system or at the server computer system, which facilitates communication between the client software application and the server software application to transfer the information.

1. A transaction system comprising:
 a client computer system provided by a first seller of computer systems, including a client software application; and  
 a server computer system provided by a second seller of computer systems different from the first seller of computer systems, including a server software application which provides information from the server computer system to the client computer system and isolation layer software which facilitates communication between the client software application and the server software application to transfer the information between the client software application and the server software application, the isolation layer providing translation for commands and data communicated between the client software application and the server software application, the isolation layer including a translation layer producing custom outputs for communicating between the client software application and the server software application, the custom outputs being based on customized mappings and translations directed to facilitating communication between the client software application and the server software application.  
 
     
     
       2. A transaction system comprising:
 a server computer system provided by a first seller of computer systems, including a server software application; and  
 a client computer system provided by a second seller of computer systems different from the first seller of computer systems, including a client software application which obtains information from the server computer system and isolation layer software which facilities communication between the client software application and the server software application to transfer the information between the client software application and the server software application, the isolation layer providing translation for commands and data communicated between the client software application and the server software application, the isolation layer including a translation layer producing custom outputs for communicating between the client software application and the server software application, the custom outputs being based on customized mappings and translations directed to facilitating communication between the client software application and the server software application.  
 
     
     
       3. A method of transferring information between a first software application and a second software application comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing the first software application by a first company;  
 (b) providing the second software application by a second company different from the first company;  
 (c) executing the first software application by a first computer;  
 (d) executing the second software application by a second computer different from the first computer;  
 (e) providing an isolation layer having hooks into the second software application, the isolation layer providing translation for commands and data communicated between the first software application and the second software application, the isolation layer including a translation layer producing custom outputs for communicating between the first software application and the second software application, the custom outputs being based on customized mappings and translations directed to facilitating communication between the first software application and the second software application;  
 (f) executing the isolation layer; and  
 (g) establishing communication between the first software application and the second software application by the isolation layer to transfer the information.  
 
     
     
       4. The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein step f comprises the substep of:
 (f) executing the isolation layer by the first computer.  
 
     
     
       5. The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein step f comprises the substep of:
 (f) executing the isolation layer by the second computer.  
 
     
     
       6. A method of transferring information between a client software application and a server software application comprising the steps of:
 (a) installing a client computer by a first company;  
 (b) providing and installing the client software application by the first company;  
 (c) installing a server computer by a second company different from the first company after installation of the client computer and the client software by the first company;  
 (d) providing and installing the server software application by the second company;  
 (e) providing and installing an isolation layer having hooks into the server software application by the second company, the isolation layer providing translation for commands and data communicated between the client software application and the server software application, the isolation layer including a translation layer producing custom outputs for communicating between the client software application and the server software application, the custom outputs being based on customized mappings and translations directed to facilitating communication between the client software application and the server software applications;  
 (f) executing the client software application by the client computer;  
 (g) executing the server software application and the isolation layer by the server computer; and  
 (h) establishing communication between the client software application and the server software application by the isolation layer to transfer the information.  
 
     
     
       7. A method of transferring information between a client software application and a server software application comprising the steps of:
 (a) installing a server computer by a first company;  
 (b) providing and installing the server software application by the first company;  
 (c) installing a client computer by a second company different from the first company after installation of the server computer and the server software by the first company;  
 (d) providing and installing the client software application by the second company;  
 (e) providing and installing an isolation layer having hooks into the server software application by the second company, the isolation layer providing translation for commands and data communicated between the client software application and the server software application, the isolation layer including a translation layer producing custom outputs for communicating between the client software application and the server software application, the custom outputs being based on customized mappings and translations directed to facilitating communication between the client software application and the server software application;  
 (f) executing the client software application and the isolation layer by the client computer;  
 (g) executing the server software application by the server computer; and  
 (h) establishing communication between the client software application and the server software application by the isolation layer to transfer the information.  
 
     
     
       8. A method of obtaining information for a client software application from a server software application comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing the client software application from a first company;  
 (b) providing a server software application for accessing the information by a second company different from the first company;  
 (c) providing an isolation layer between the client software application and the server software application, the isolation layer providing translation for commands and data communicated between the client software application and the server software application, the isolation layer including a translation layer producing custom outputs for communicating between the client software application and the server software application, the custom outputs being based on customized mappings and translations directed to facilitating communicating between the client software application and the server software application;  
 (d) sending a call for the information to the isolation layer by the client software application;  
 (e) sending a request message for the information to the server software application by the isolation layer;  
 (f) instructing control software to obtain the information by the server software application;  
 (g) sending the information to the isolation layer by the server software application; and  
 (h) sending the information to the client software application by the isolation layer.  
 
     
     
       9. The transaction system of  claim 1  in which the client computer system comprises a first POS client terminal communicating with the server computer system through the isolation layer software, and in which the transaction system further comprises a second client computer system including a second POS client terminal that communicates with the server software application on the server computer system without requiring isolation layer software as required by the first POS client terminal. 
     
     
       10. The transaction system of  claim 9  in which the first and second POS client terminals respectively run different POS client software applications from different developers and with different requirements for communicating with the server computer system. 
     
     
       11. The transaction system of  claim 1  in which the client computer system comprises a first POS client terminal communicating with the server computer system through the isolation layer software, and in which the transaction system further comprises a second client computer system including a second POS client terminal communicating with the server computer system through different, custom isolation layer software. 
     
     
       12. The transaction system of  claim 11  in which the first and second POS client terminals respectively run different POS client software applications from different developers and with different requirements for communicating with the server computer system. 
     
     
       13. The transaction system of  claim 1  in which the client computer system comprises a first POS client terminal communicating with the server computer system through the isolation layer software, and in which the transaction system further comprises a second client computer system including a second POS client terminal communicating with the server computer system through different, custom isolation layer software. 
     
     
       14. The transaction system of  claim 13  in which the first and second POS client terminals respectively run different POS client software applications from different developers and with different requirements for communicating with the server computer system. 
     
     
       15. A method of providing the transaction system of  claim 1  in which the client software application and the server software application are POS software, and enabling client terminals with POS client application software from different developers to be connected to and communicate with the server software application on the server computer system, which comprises the following steps:
   providing the client computer system including a client terminal adding to an existing POS system network of which the server computer system is a part, where the existing network includes a second client computer system with a client terminal running a POS client software application not requiring the isolation layer software to communicate with the server software application on the server computer system; and        providing the isolation layer software to provide translation services for the client terminal adding to the existing POS system network, to facilitate communications with the server software application on the server computer system.     
     
     
       16. A method of providing the transaction system of  claim 1  in which the client software application and the server software application are POS software, comprising the step of providing the client computer system including a client terminal adding to an existing POS system network in which the server computer system is included, and in which the network includes a second client computer system, including a client terminal running a POS client software application not requiring the isolation layer software to communicate with the server software application running on the server computer system. 
     
     
       17. A method of providing the transaction system of  claim 1 , in which the client software application and the server software application are POS software, and enabling client terminals with POS client application software from different developers to be connected to and communicate with the server software application on the server computer system, comprising the step of providing the client computer system including a first POS client terminal adding to an existing POS system network of which the server computer system is a part, where the existing network includes a second client computer system with a second POS client terminal running a POS client software application requiring isolation layer software different than required by the first client terminal to communicate with the server software application on the server computer system. 
     
     
       18. A method of providing the transaction system of  claim 1  in which the client software application and the server software application are POS software, comprising the step of providing the server computer system as part of a host computer system added to an existing POS system network in which the client computer system is included. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  that comprises the further steps of writing the isolation layer software to provide translation services between the client software application and the server software application, and storing the isolation layer software on the host computer system added to the existing POS system network. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18  in which the isolation layer software provides read and write services for the client software application. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 18  in which the client computer system includes IPC software facilitating inter- process communications between the client software application and the isolation layer software.   
     
     
       22. The transaction system of  claim 2  in which the client computer system comprises a first POS client terminal communicating with the server computer system through the isolation layer software, and in which the transaction system further comprises a second client computer system including a second POS client terminal that communicates with the server software application on the server computer system without requiring isolation layer software as required by the first POS client terminal. 
     
     
       23. The transaction system of  claim 22  in which the first and second POS client terminals respectively run different POS client software applications from different developers and with different requirements for communicating with the server computer system. 
     
     
       24. A method of providing the transaction system of  claim 2  in which the client software application and the server software application are POS software, and enabling client terminals with POS client application software from different developers to be connected to and communicate with the server software application on the server computer system, which comprises the following steps:
   providing the client computer system including a client terminal adding to an existing POS system network of which the server computer system is a part, where the existing network includes a second client computer system with a client terminal running a POS client software application not requiring the isolation layer software to communicate with the server software application on the server computer system; and        providing the isolation layer software to provide translation services for the client terminal adding to the existing POS system network, to facilitate communications with the server software application on the server computer system.     
     
     
       25. A method of providing the transaction system of  claim 2  in which the client software application and the server software application are POS software, comprising the step of providing the client computer system including a client terminal adding to an existing POS system network in which the server computer system is included, and in which the network includes a second client computer system, including a client terminal running a POS client software application not requiring the isolation layer software to communicate with the server software application running on the server computer system. 
     
     
       26. A method of providing the transaction system of  claim 2 , in which the client software application and the server software application are POS software, and enabling client terminals with POS client application software from different developers to be connected to and communicate with the server software application on the server computer system, comprising the step of providing the client computer system including a first POS client terminal adding to an existing POS system network of which the server computer system is a part, where the existing network includes a second client computer system with a second POS client terminal running a POS client software application requiring isolation layer software different than required by the first client terminal to communicate with the server software application on the server computer system. 
     
     
       27. A method of providing the transaction system of  claim 2  in which the client software application and the server software application are POS software, comprising the step of providing the client computer system including a client terminal added to an existing POS system network in which the server computer system is included. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27  in which the isolation layer software provides read and write services for the client software application. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 27  in which the client computer system includes IPC software facilitating inter- process communications between the client software application and the isolation layer software.   
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 27  that comprises the further steps of writing the isolation layer software to provide translation services between the client software application and the server software application, and storing the isolation layer software on the client terminals added to the existing POS system network. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30  in which the isolation layer software is written by compiling sample target routines that have been edited and customized to meet the needs of a target transaction establishment. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 30  in which the client computer system includes a plurality of different independent software applications running on a plurality of different client terminals from different developers. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 32  in which the client computer system includes client terminals running independent software applications developed by the same developer as the server software application and not requiring isolation layer software to communicate with the server software application, and client terminals running independent software applications developed by a developer different from the server software application and using isolation layer software to communicate with the server software application. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 29  for which communications between the server computer system and the added client POS computer terminal occurs between interprocess communications software and the isolation layer software.