202 - BreakPoint/XCP Smart Card Interface
BreakPoint interfaces to the XCP Device through this serial / RS232 interface. Once BreakPoint is connected to the XCP Device through any standard serial port (eg. COM1, COM2, COM3, or COM4), it permits updating of the Smart Card Balance through a variety of cashier operations, including:
Each of these cashier operations may be set by System Flag to ADD or SUBTRACT the entered amount from the Smart Card Balance. This permits the operator to utilize the XCP Smart Card Device with these cashier operations in numerous applications.
- Department Sale
- Tender Entry
- Paid Out Entry
- Received on Account Entry
One application of the XCP Smart Card Interface is the sale of "Meal Cards" for theme park, university, or school lunch meal programs. In this application, a Department Key called MEAL CARD SALE is used to ADD the dollar amount desired to the XCP Smart Card Balance. The cashier can enter the dollar amount desired as a simple department sale, finalize with any available tender, such as Cash or Credit Card, and the dollar amount purchased by the customer is immediately ADDED to the XCP Smart Card Balance. Once the balance is written to the XCP Smart Card, the card can be issued to the customer to be used at a later time as a form of payment. When the customer presents the card as payment, the BreakPoint cashier simply presses the tender key programmed for Smart Card Payment, which would cause the amount tendered to be SUBTRACTED from the Smart Card Balance. Once the Smart Card Balance reaches a zero balance, it can be collected by the cashier or left with the customer for further use.
Smart Card usage has also proven effective for providing a method of tracking customer account balances, credit limits, cheque cashing limits, and other customer credit controls, particularly for multi-store operations that need a method of tracking customers between locations. Through the use of 256 Department Keys, 30 Tender Keys, the Paid Out, and the Received on Account, all able to ADD or SUBTRACT from the XCP Smart Card Balance, operators are able to configure the XCP Smart Card Interface for virtually any application.
Installation and Setup of the XCP Smart Card Interface
The XCP Smart Card Interface is a standard component of the BreakPoint Professional product. There are no additional modules or components that should be required.
To implement the XCP Smart Card Interface, there are two programming considerations:
The HARDWARE SETUPS option of the BreakPoint Configuration Menu is used to set the communication parameters for the XCP Device. The Hardware Setup Screen may be requested through the BreakPoint Configuration Menu. To access the Hardware Setup Screen, press the
- Hardware Configuration, as programmed through the HARDWARE SETUPS option.
- System Flag Programming, to indicate which operations will update the XCP Smart Card Balance.
The Hardware Setup Screen will first position the cursor to the Rear display: field. Press the Cursor down key to move to the Mag Card: field. This field permits you to enter the operating parameters of the Magnetic Card Reader System being used with BreakPoint, including Location, Model, IRQ, Baud Rate, Data Bits, Stop Bits, and Parity. Use the Cursor up and Cursor down keys to move from field to field and use the Right Cursor and Left Cursor keys to modify the field values. The settings for the XCP Smart Card Device should be as follows:
LOCATION: Usually Set to COM1 or COM2Enter the correct parameters according to how your XCP Smart Card Device is connected to your BreakPoint workstation. When all settings have been entered correctly, press Esc to save and exit. All information is recorded instantly when you press Esc
MODEL: No Setting Required
IRQ: Usually Set to 4 for COM1 or 3 for COM2
BAUD RATE: Set to 9600
DATA BITS: Set to 8
STOP BITS: Set to 1
PARITY: Set to NONE
Once the HARDWARE SETUP programming has been completed, the XCP Smart Card Device is ready to be used with BreakPoint. The connection between the XCP Device and the BreakPoint workstation will be made through a simple serial cable which should be provided with the XCP Device. There are no other hardware connections or settings that should be required. However, certain System Flags will need to be programmed to activate the reading and updating of the XCP Smart Card with the desired cashier operations.
Updating of XCP Smart Card Balance by Department Sale Entry
Any BreakPoint Department Key can be programmed to update the XCP Smart Card Balance. This option is implemented by the use of two Department System Flags, as follows:
Once one of these flags is set to YES, the BreakPoint System will automatically update the XCP Smart Card Balance each time that the Department Key is used, either ADDING or SUBTRACTING the amount of the Department Sale.
- Department System Flag 43 - Add to XCP Balance with Department Sale.
- Department System Flag 44 - Subtract from XCP Balance with Department Sale.
Updating of XCP Smart Card Balance by Tender Entry
Any BreakPoint Tender Key can be programmed to update the XCP Smart Card Balance. This option is implemented by the use of two Tender System Flags, as follows:
Once one of these flags is set to YES, the BreakPoint System will automatically update the XCP Smart Card Balance each time that the Tender Key is used, either ADDING or SUBTRACTING the amount of the Tender Entry.
- Tender System Flag 25 - Add to XCP Balance with Tender Entry.
- Tender System Flag 26 - Subtract from XCP Balance with Tender Entry.
Updating of XCP Smart Card Balance by Received on Account Entry
The BreakPoint Received on Account Key can be programmed to update the XCP Smart Card Balance. This option is implemented by the use of two Global System Flags, as follows:
Once one of these flags is set to YES, the BreakPoint System will automatically update the XCP Smart Card Balance each time that the Received on Account Key is used, either ADDING or SUBTRACTING the amount of the Received on Account Entry.
- Global System Flag 330 - Add to XCP Balance with Received on Account Entry.
- Global System Flag 331 - Subtract from XCP Balance with R/A Entry.
Updating of XCP Smart Card Balance by Paid Out Entry
The BreakPoint Paid Out Key can be programmed to update the XCP Smart Card Balance. This option is implemented by the use of two Global System Flags, as follows:
Once one of these flags is set to YES, the BreakPoint System will automatically update the XCP Smart Card Balance each time that the Paid Out Key is used, either ADDING or SUBTRACTING the amount of the Paid Out Entry.
- Global System Flag 332 - Add to XCP Balance with Paid Out Entry.
- Global System Flag 333 - Subtract from XCP Balance with Paid Out Entry.