Printing Dynamic Image Content on Receipts

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage medium for printing a receipt. Receipt data may be generated at a point-of-sale terminal. At least one value adding message including a graphical image may be automatically selected and dynamic content for the value adding message may be automatically generated. A receipt may be printed by a point-of-sale printer, the receipt including the receipt data, the graphical image, and the dynamic content, wherein the dynamic content is printed in a window embedded within the graphic image.

1 . A method for printing a receipt, comprising:
 generating receipt data at a point-of-sale terminal   automatically selecting at least one value adding message, the value adding message comprising a graphical image   automatically generating dynamic content for the value adding message   printing a receipt by a point-of-sale printer, the receipt including the receipt data, the graphical image, and the dynamic content, wherein the dynamic content is printed in a window embedded within the graphic image.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 automatically selecting at least one value adding message comprises selecting the value adding message based, at least in part, on the receipt data.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 automatically generating dynamic content comprises generating dynamic content based, at least in part, on the receipt data.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein
 the dynamic content includes a date derived from a transaction date included in the receipt data.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein
 the dynamic content includes an item description included in the receipt data.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein
 the receipt data is generated to document a transaction   the dynamic content includes at least one of a store location, a register number, an employee identifier, and a receipt number associated with the transaction.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein printing the receipt further comprises:
 printing one or more horizontal bands containing full-width portions of the graphical image   printing one or more horizontal bands containing dynamic content and one or more partial-width portions of the graphical image.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 retrieving full-width portions of the graphic image from respective image data files stored in a memory within the point-of-sale printer.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein printing a horizontal band containing dynamic content and one or more partial-width portions of the graphical image further comprises:
 a) extracting corresponding lines for each partial-width portion of the graphic image and the dynamic content   b) concatenating the extracted corresponding lines to form a complete print line   c) printing the complete print line proximate to a previously printed line   d) repeating a) thru c) for each successive line of the horizontal band.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein
 actions a) and b) are performed at the point-of-sale terminal and   printing a horizontal band containing dynamic content and one or more partial-width portions of the graphical image further comprises:
 retrieving partial-width portions of the graphic image from respective image data files stored in a memory within the point-of-sale terminal. 
   
     
     
         11 . A receipt synthesizer, comprising:
 a processor   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions which, when executed, cause the receipt synthesizer to perform actions comprising:
 receiving receipt data from a point-of-sale terminal 
 automatically selecting at least one value adding message, the value adding message comprising a graphical image 
 automatically generating dynamic content for the value adding message 
 generating print data to cause a point-of-sale printer to print a receipt, the receipt including the receipt data, the graphical image, and the dynamic content, wherein the dynamic content is printed in a window embedded within the graphic image. 
   
     
     
         12 . The receipt synthesizer of  claim 11 , wherein
 automatically selecting at least one value adding message comprises selecting the value adding message based, at least in part, on the receipt data.   
     
     
         13 . The receipt synthesizer of  claim 11 , wherein
 automatically generating dynamic content comprises generating dynamic content based, at least in part, on the receipt data.   
     
     
         14 . The receipt synthesizer of  claim 13 , wherein
 the dynamic content includes a date derived from a transaction date included in the receipt data.   
     
     
         15 . The receipt synthesizer of  claim 13 , wherein
 the dynamic content includes an item description included in the receipt data.   
     
     
         16 . The receipt synthesizer of  claim 13 , wherein
 the receipt data is generated to document a transaction   the dynamic content includes at least one of a store location, a register number, an employee identifier, and a receipt number associated with the transaction.   
     
     
         17 . The receipt synthesizer of  claim 11 , wherein generating print data further comprises:
 printing one or more horizontal bands containing full-width portions of the graphical image   printing one or more horizontal bands containing dynamic content and one or more partial-width portions of the graphical image.   
     
     
         18 . The receipt synthesizer of  claim 17 , that actions performed further comprising:
 retrieving full-width portions of the graphical image from respective image data files stored in a memory within the point-of-sale printer.   
     
     
         19 . The receipt synthesizer of  claim 17 , wherein generating print data corresponding to a horizontal band containing dynamic content and one or more partial-width portions of the graphical image:
 a) extracting corresponding lines for each partial-width portion of the graphical image and the dynamic content   b) concatenating the extracted corresponding lines to form a complete line of print data   c) repeating a) and b) for each successive line of the horizontal band.   
     
     
         20 . The receipt synthesizer of  claim 19 , wherein the actions performed further comprise:
 retrieving partial-width portions of the graphic image from respective image data files stored in a memory within the point-of-sale terminal.   
     
     
         21 . A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause a point-of-sale system to perform actions comprising:
 generating receipt data at a point-of-sale terminal   automatically selecting at least one value adding message, the value adding message comprising a graphical image   automatically generating dynamic content for the value adding message   printing a receipt at point-of-sale printer, the receipt including the receipt data, the graphical image, and the dynamic content, wherein the dynamic content is printed in a window embedded within the graphic image.   
     
     
         22 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 21 , wherein
 automatically selecting at least one value adding message comprises selecting the value adding message based, at least in part, on the receipt data.   
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 21 , wherein
 automatically generating dynamic content comprises generating dynamic content based, at least in part, on the receipt data.   
     
     
         24 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein
 the dynamic content includes a date derived from a transaction date included in the receipt data.   
     
     
         25 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein
 the dynamic content includes an item description included in the receipt data.   
     
     
         26 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein
 the receipt data is generated to document a transaction   the dynamic content includes at least one of a store location, a register number, an employee identifier, and a receipt number associated with the transaction.   
     
     
         27 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 21 , wherein printing the receipt further comprises:
 printing one or more horizontal bands containing full-width portions of the graphical image   printing one or more horizontal bands containing dynamic content and one or more partial-width portions of the graphical image.   
     
     
         28 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 retrieving full-width portions of the graphic image from respective image data files stored in a memory within the point-of-sale printer.   
     
     
         29 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 27 , wherein printing a horizontal band containing dynamic content and one or more partial-width portions of the graphical image further comprises:
 a) extracting corresponding lines for each partial-width portion of the graphic image and the dynamic content   b) concatenating the extracted corresponding lines to form a complete print line   c) printing the complete print line proximate to a previously printed line   d) repeating a) thru c) for each successive line of the horizontal band.   
     
     
         30 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 29 , wherein
 actions a) and b) are performed at the point-of-sale terminal and   printing a horizontal band containing dynamic content and one or more partial-width portions of the graphical image further comprises:
 retrieving partial-width portions of the graphic image from respective image data files stored in a memory within the point-of-sale terminal.