Transaction control system including portable data terminal and mobile customer service station

Abstract

A communication system including a battery powered mobile service station is used to provide transactional support within a premises. The mobile service station includes a plurality of network devices that operate on a second wireless network, where at least one of the plurality of network devices participates on a first wireless network. In one embodiment, a network device participates as a slave device on the first wireless network and participates as a master device in the second wireless network. In another embodiment, a mobile service station includes a mobile network device that simultaneously operates over a wireless premises network and a wireless peripheral sub-network having a relatively shorter range than the wireless premises network. One or more peripheral devices communicate with the mobile network device in the peripheral sub-network. The mobile service station includes a battery power supply and may further include a peripheral device coupled to the battery. The mobile network device mounts to the service station and has access to the battery. The service station houses a number of peripheral devices which are used in merchandising operations to conclude customer purchase transactions. The peripheral devices may include a printer, a magnetic card reader and a cash drawer, and may wirelessly communicate with the mobile network device.