Pos network including printing and highlighting

Abstract

The invention provides for optional printing at a point of sale (POS). The invention provides a system and computer implemented method for printing information at a POS relating to a purchase transaction at the POS, comprising printing a second alternative instead of a default print, or printing both a default and a second print, in both cases dependent upon the second print being timely delivered to the POS printer. Preferably, the second print depends upon processing business rules related to color in the print.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of highlighting transaction information, the method being implemented in a computer system having one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer system, programs the computer system to perform the method, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the computer system, transaction information from a point of sale (POS) computer, the transaction information relating to one or more products scanned at the POS;   identifying, by the computer system, a product identification that identifies a product scanned at the POS based on the transaction information;   generating, by the computer system, highlighting information to be printed on a receipt;   generating, by the computer system, a print instruction to print the receipt based on the highlighting information, wherein the receipt, when printed, includes the highlighting information and a description that identifies the product; and   providing, by the computer system, the print instruction to a POS printer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the product identification comprises a stock keeping unit, and the description comprises a name of the product. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating highlighting information comprises:
 obtaining, by the computer system, an additional description and an image of the product to be printed on the receipt in association with the description.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating highlighting information comprises:
 obtaining, by the computer system, an additional description of the product to be printed on the receipt in association with the description.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating highlighting information comprises:
 obtaining, by the computer system, an image of the product to be printed on the receipt in association with the description.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating highlighting information comprises:
 obtaining, by the computer system, an additional description and a picture of the product to be printed on the receipt in association with the description.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating highlighting information comprises:
 generating, by the computer system, a bounding box around the description.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein generating the bounding box comprises:
 coloring, by the computer system, the bounding box with a background color.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating highlighting information comprises:
 adding, by the computer system, coupon information to be printed adjacent to the description.   
     
     
         10 . A system of highlighting transaction information, the system comprising:
 a computer system comprising one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer system, programs the computer system to:   receive transaction information from a point of sale (POS) computer, the transaction information relating to one or more products scanned at the POS;   identify a product identification that identifies a product scanned at the POS based on the transaction information;   generate highlighting information to be printed on a receipt;   generate a print instruction to print the receipt based on the highlighting information, wherein the receipt, when printed, includes the highlighting information and a description that identifies the product; and   provide the print instruction to a POS printer.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the product identification comprises a stock keeping unit, and the description comprises a name of the product. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein to generate highlighting information, the computer system is programmed to:
 obtain an additional description and an image of the product to be printed on the receipt in association with the description.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein to generate highlighting information, the computer system is programmed to:
 obtain an additional description of the product to be printed on the receipt in association with the description.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein to generate highlighting information, the computer system is programmed to:
 obtain an image of the product to be printed on the receipt in association with the description.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein to generate highlighting information, the computer system is programmed to:
 obtain an additional description and a picture of the product to be printed on the receipt in association with the description.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein to generate highlighting information, the computer system is programmed to:
 generate a bounding box around the description.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein to generate the bounding box, the computer system is programmed to:
 color the bounding box with a background color.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein to generate highlighting information, the computer system is programmed to:
 add coupon information to be printed adjacent to the description.   
     
     
         19 . A point of sale (POS) printer, comprising:
 one or more processors programmed by one or more computer program instructions that programs the POS printer to:   receive default print information that includes transaction information for a transaction;   determine whether second print information is obtained from a computer system remote from the POS printer within a predefined wait period, wherein the second print information includes the transaction information and additional print information related to the transaction information, wherein the second print information is used, instead of the default print information, to print the receipt for the transaction;   print the receipt based on the default print information responsive to a determination that the second print information is not received before expiration of the predefined wait period; and   print the receipt and the additional print information based on the second print information instead of the default print information responsive to a determination that the second print information is received before the expiration of the predefined wait period.   
     
     
         20 . The POS printer of  claim 19 , wherein the additional print information comprises highlighting information, and wherein the POS printer is further programmed to:
 print the highlighting information adjacent to a corresponding product description on the receipt.