SERVER RACK MOUNTABLE AUTOMATED TEST PLATFORM FOR TRANSACTION DEVICE TESTING

Number: 20240232845
Published: 2024-07-11
Filed: 2023-01-09
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Wilk, JR.; Thomas Anthony
CPC: B25J11/00; G06Q20/204; G06F11/2221; G06F11/26; G06Q20/208; G07G1/0036
Verdict: High Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Robotic automated-test-platform hardware (transaction device testing).

Abstract

An automated test platform configured for use in testing and validating point of sale (POS) software and hardware. The platform is designed for mounting within shelf or drawer of a conventional server rack to enhance the safety and security of using the automated test platform, and a test system may include a plurality of server racks filled with dozens of the automated test platforms to concurrently test numerous terminals. The platform includes robotic or mechanical systems to perform EMV (Europay, Mastercard, and Visa) card inserts, swipes, and tap transactions on a payment or transaction terminal undergoing testing. The platform utilizes a robotic system that performs PIN (personal identification number) entry and button pressing on the touch screen of the payment or transaction terminal. The platform has capabilities of automating tests that require use of barcode scans and simulated network and/or device outages.

Background

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Description

The present invention relates, in general, to automated testing of transaction terminals or devices, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for automating the testing of point of sale (POS) terminals that are each configured to support multiple modes of user input. 2. Relevant Background

In recent years, point of sale (POS) systems have become ubiquitous in retail and other settings, and these POS systems may be referred to by many names including point of purchase (POP) systems, retail management systems, and the like. An important part of these systems are terminals (e.g., POS terminals) that implement communication interface standards for communicating with backend systems that handle transactions with financial institutions, security systems, inventory systems, and the like. Transaction terminals also implement user interface components to receive manually entered information, such as chip readers, magnetic stripe readers, quick response (QR) and bar code readers, and the like, as well as human input components, such as mechanical and touchscreen keypads. As technology evolves, additional user interface components and technologies are used to improve functionality and security of these transaction terminals.

POS terminals implement a wide variety of communication interfaces and user interfaces that are continuously evolving. Any given environment may have multiple different terminal types from a variety o

Claims

1. An automated test platform for testing point of sale (POS) terminals, comprising: a support frame for removably securing a POS terminal; a card insert assembly mounted on the support frame comprising a smartcard interposer coupled to an actuated mechanism operable to insert and withdraw the smartcard interposer from a card slot of the POS terminal; a card swipe emulator assembly mounted on the support frame, wherein the card swipe emulator is coupled to a magnetic stripe reader of the POS terminal and configured to generate timed and magnetic pulses that emulate a magnetic stripe read by the magnetic stripe reader; a card tap to pay assembly mounted on the support frame and comprising a robotic device configured to move one or more transaction input components into and out of read proximity of a tap reader of the POS terminal; and a data entry assembly mounted on the support frame and comprising a three-axis mechanical actuator operable to physically interact with a keypad or a touchscreen of the POS terminal to activate keys at defined positions of the keypad or interact with the touchscreen. || 10. An automated test platform for testing transaction terminals, comprising: a support frame for supporting a transaction terminal; and a data entry assembly mounted on the support frame and comprising a three-axis mechanical actuator operable to physically interact with a keypad or a touchscreen of the POS terminal to activate keys at defined positions of the keypad or interact with the touchscreen, wherein the support frame with the data entry assembly is physically configured for insertion in a drawer or shelf of a server rack. || 19. An automated test platform for testing transaction terminals, comprising: a card swipe emulator assembly mounted on the support frame, wherein the card swipe emulator is coupled to a magnetic stripe reader of the POS terminal and configured to generate timed and magnetic pulses that emulate a magnetic stripe read by the magnetic stripe reader; and an optical code emulator mounted on the support frame and comprising a display device operable to display an optical code in a viewing position with respect to an optical code scanner of the POS terminal, wherein the optical code displayed is a barcode or a QR code.