Point of sale system that bypasses the public telephone network

US5541925A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• CompuServe Incorporated · US

Inventors

• Paul M. Pittenger · San Mateo, US
• John H. Hall · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 27, 1995
• Grant date: Jul 30, 1996
• Expiry date: Mar 27, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L9/40
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A system for communication between a POS terminal and a destination host, which may be a credit transaction authorization entity. The system includes a POS terminal, RF network port, a packet switched network, a destination node, and a destination host. The system eliminates dependence on the public telephone network by using a radio frequency link rather than the public telephone network to access the packet switched network. The originating node assembles a Data packet, which include all necessary transaction data, prior to sending a Call Request packet to the destination node, thus eliminating handshake steps and reducing the duration of packet switched network use.