GB2395339A

GB2395339A - Cash register

Info

Publication number: GB2395339A
Application number: GB0325663A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip Noble
Original assignee: NOBLE ORGANISATION Ltd
Current assignee: NOBLE ORGANISATION Ltd
Priority date: 2002-11-08
Filing date: 2003-11-04
Publication date: 2004-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 2023-11-04
Also published as: GB0226093D0; GB2395339B; GB0325663D0

Abstract

The cash register 100 is adapted to receive payments for goods and/or services and includes means 105 for producing a receipt for a purchase through the till. The register 100 further includes means for marking the receipt with a random number which forms at least part of a chance to win. The register may also include a display 104 for a further random number and a set of rules which define conditions that must be met by a random number on the receipt and the random number on the display for a prize to be paid on the chance to win. A network of cash registers may be linked to a display, each register providing means 105 for producing a receipt with a random number.

Description

A CASH REGISTER

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for use in facilitating a chance to win.

By chance to win we include such activities as games of chance, gaming, lotteries, bets or other promotions or giveaways, and chance to win should hereinafter be construed accordingly.

10 It is well known to provide gaming machines, or amusement machines, which permit a player to take part in a chance to win. The machines usually pay out a prize at random in return for a stake, the outcome of the game determining at least some of whether a prize is awarded, the magnitude and the type of prize as appropriate. Prizes may be monetary, 15 or equally well may be of the form of points, credits, free plays, other rewards and any combination thereof. Whilst these machines are popular, players must actively choose to approach a machine in order to play. To some potential players, there is a stigma involved in approaching these machines. With the increase in popularity of national lotteries more and more people are now taking part in gaming with the a prize for a relatively small stake. The lottery can be played by completing a ticket with a set of numbers chosen by the player and paying the stake at a cash register 25 provided at a point of sale or other distribution point.

Alternative games include the provision of gaming cards, often referred to as scratch cards which can also be purchased or are distributed at a point of sale or other distribution point. The card typically includes a plurality 30 of gaming symbols which are covered up and hence invisible to the player

when they receive the card. The cover is then scratched or peeled off to reveal the symbols.

In both the national lotteries and scratch card based chances to win, a 5 player wins if the numbers or symbols match a set of predetermined numbers or symbols which are either drawn at random after the purchase (lottery) or are set out in the rules of the game (gaming cards).

In each case the player pays for the stake at a cash register provided at 10 the point of sale of the ticket or gaming card. Tickets and scratch cards are at the time of writing available at a large number of outlets including newsagents and petrol stations.

These forms of gaming are generally easier for the player to participate 15 in, given that the means for taking part is often associated with a point of sale. However, the ease of use of these forms could well be improved to reduce the complexity of buying a chance to win.

It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus that can facilitate in 20 the provision of a chance to win which ameliorates some of the problems set out hereinbefore.

According to a first aspect the invention provides apparatus for use in facilitating a chance to win which includes a cash register adapted to 25 receive payment for goods and/or services and which includes means for producing a receipt for a purchase of goods and/or services through the till, and means for marking the receipt with a random number which forms at least part of a chance to win.

30 By cash register we mean apparatus which is adapted to process items which are sold at a point of sale and which produces a receipt for those

purchases and which optionally provides a total for an plurality of purchases. The items may include goods and or services in addition to a stake which is paid by a player taking part in the chance to win.

5 The cash register may include a first random number generator which is adapted to generate the number to be marked on the receipt.

Alternatively, the cash register may include a link, such as a modem link across a telecommunications network, to a random number generator. The register may be provided with means for retrieving a random number 10 from the random number generator across the network.

The cash register may also include a display upon which a second random number is displayed. This may be provided so that it is visible to a purchaser of goods and/ or services. The display may be integral with the is cash register or may be distant from it. The display may be of the form of a screen such as a cathode ray tube, a liquid crystal display screen or any other type of display screen.

The cash register may include means for generating the random number 20 that is to be displayed on the display means. This may be generated before a number can be marked on a receipt. Alternatively, the cash register may be connected by a link, such as a modem, across a network such as a telecommunications network.

25 The same random number generator that generates the random number for display on the apparatus may be used to generates the random number that is to be marked on the till receipt. Alternatively, the cash register may include two random number generators, one for each random number. In a still further alternative, two random number generators may be 30 connected to the cash register by a communications link as described above.

It will of course be readily understood that by random number and random number generator it is intended to include numbers which are pseudorandom. The cash register may include a means for comparing the random number displayed on the display and the number which is marked on the receipt.

The receipt may be provided in a variety of different forms although it is 10 - preferred that the cash register includes a till roll holder and the receipt if printed on a till roll which is provided in the till roll holder.

The random number may be marked on the till roll by an ink or possibly a thermal based printing process.

The apparatus may also include a set of rules which define conditions that must be met by a number on a receipt and the number on the display for a prize to be paid on the chance to win.

20 The rules may stipulate that the number on the receipt must be same as that on the display, or that a part of the numbers match for example. Of course, many other rules could be applied.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a network 25 of interconnected cash registers according to the first aspect of the invention linked to a common display.

This allows multiple cash registers to participate in the same chance to win. Each cash register may include a random number generator which 30 generates a first random number to be marked on the receipt.

Alternatively, the first random number may be generated by a first

. common random number generator common to all the cash registers. The display may display a second random number, which may be generated by the first common random number generator or by a second common random number generator. Accordingly, in order to win the rules may 5 require that the first random number matches the second random number.

The cash registers may be interconnected by means of a network such as ethernet, by modems or by a wireless network such as Bluetooth.

10 There will now be described, by way of example only, one embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is an overview of an apparatus in accordance with the first 15 aspect of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the apparatus of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a schematic plan of a network in accordance with the second 20 aspect of the invention.

A cash register 100 comprises a main body 101 and a money drawer 102 which is adapted to slide in and out of the body. The drawer 102 has a variety of compartments (not shown) for coins and notes as is known in 25 the art. On an upper face of the body 101 is a numerical keypad 103 which permits an operator to enter the amount of a purchase made by a customer at the point of sale into the register. The keypad 103 also includes a plurality of operator keys including and addition key and an equals key. This allows the operator to enter the amount of several 30 purchases made by a single customer and for the register to provide a total for that amount.

A display 104 is provided which can be viewed simultaneously by the operator of the register 100 and any customers whose purchases are being put through the register. In the example, the display 104 comprises two 5 sub-regions of liquid crystal alphanumeric display arranged back to back of which only one can be seen in the drawings. The numbers entered into the register by the operator and also the total are presented on the display. 10 The register 100 also include a device 105 for printing receipts which includes a print head (not shown), a till roll holder (not shown) for supporting a continuous roll of paper 106 and a feeder for pulling the paper past the print head. As is well known in the art, a serrated blade 107 is provided at the outlet of the feeder across which the paper can be 15 torn.

As shown in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings, the keys of the keyboard 103 are electrically connected to a microprocessor 108 which is housed within the main body. The microprocessor 108 is also connected 20 to an area of memory which stores program instructions that are to be executed by the processor. An area of random access memory 109 is also provided which serves as a temporary store for data during calculations performed by the microprocessor. A display driver 110 is also provided which receives data from the microprocessor 108 and in turn produces a 25 drive signal which is fed to the display 104.

Again from Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings, the register 100 includes a random number generator 111. This produces a random number upon receipt of a request made by the microprocessor 108 which 30 can either be displayed on the display 104 or printed on the paper of the till roll 105 to form part of a printed receipt.

In use, the random number generator 111 produces a winning random number which is shown on the display 104. This may be generated whenever the register is switched on, for example at the start of the day.

5 Alternatively, a random number may be generated at several preset times of the day. The timing at which the number is produced is determined by the program which is running on the microprocessor.

The microprocessor also generates a play random number whenever a 10 customer requests a chance to win, and the printer prints this on the till roll to form a part of the receipt.

The play random number shown on the till roll and the winning number on the display 104 can be used to form a part of a chance to win, with a 15 prize being awarded if the play number on the till roll and the winning number on the display match either in whole or in part. A set of rules may be provided which stipulate the conditions in which a prize is to be awarded. This can be displayed alongside the register or may be printed on the receipt.

Figure 3 shows a network according to the second aspect of the invention.

This could typically be installed in a large supermarket with many cash registers. A plurality (of which three are shown; there may be any number) of service points 200 are provided, each having a cash register 25 201. Cash registers 201 are identical to the cash register 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings except that the winning random number is neither generated by the cash register 201 nor displayed on the display of the cash register.

30 In use of the network, customers approach the service points 200 bearing the goods they wish to purchase. An operator 203 of each till then

processes the goods in the customary manner and asks the customer 202 if they would like to purchase a chance to win. If they do so, the operator 203 requests the cash register 201 to print a play random number on the till receipt.

The customers then approach a display 204 which itself contains a random number generator and uses such to display a winning number 206. Each cash register 201 is connected to the display by means of network connections 205 which may be ethernet or similar technology. The 10 customers 202 then check the play number printed on their receipt and check it against the winning number 206 displayed on the display 204. If the numbers match, they contact a draw official 207 at a draw station 208 to collect a prize.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use in facilitating a chance to win which includes a cash register adapted to receive payment for goods and/or services and 5 which includes means for producing a receipt for a purchase of goods and/or services through the till, and means for marking the receipt with a random number which forms at least part of a chance to win.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the cash register includes 10 a first random generator which is adapted to generate the random number to be marked on the receipt.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the cash register includes a link, such as a modem link across a telecommunications network, to a 15 random number generator and in which the register is provided with means for retrieving a random number from the random number generator across the network.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the cash register 20 also includes a display upon which a further random number is displayed.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the display is visible to a purchaser of goods and/or services.

25

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5 in which the cash register includes means for generating the further random number that is to be displayed on the display means.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5 in which the cash 30 register is connected by a link, such as a modem, across a network such

as a telecommunications network to a generator for the further random number.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 7 in which the 5 cash register includes a means for comparing the random number displayed on the display and the number which is marked on the receipt.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 which includes a set of rules which define conditions that must be met by a number on a receipt and 10 the number on the display for a prize to be paid on the chance to win.

10. A network of interconnected cash registers according to any one of claims 1 to 9.