Abstract: A method of operating a point-of-sale (POS) system (1), the POS system comprising a POS terminal (3) having a software module (17, 21) thereon for enabling a retailer to process transactions within a transaction environment, and a peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3), the POS system (1) further comprising a driver software module (40) installed between the POS terminal (3) software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7), the method comprising: receiving, at the driver software module (40), data sent between the software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3); communicating with a further device (44, 60, 64) in dependence on the data received at the driver software module (40); receiving modified data from the further device (44, 60, 64); and outputting the modified data.

Abstract: A method of operating a point-of-sale (POS) system (1), the POS system comprising a POS terminal (3) having a software module (17, 21) thereon for enabling a retailer to process transactions within a transaction environment, and a peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3), the POS system (1) further comprising a driver software module (40) installed between the POS terminal (3) software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7), the method comprising: receiving, at the driver software module (40), data sent between the software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3); communicating with a further device (44, 60, 64) in dependence on the data received at the driver software module (40); receiving modified data from the further device (44, 60, 64); and outputting the modified data.

Abstract: A method of operating a point-of-sale (POS) system (1), the POS system comprising a POS terminal (3) having a software module (17, 21) thereon for enabling a retailer to process transactions within a transaction environment, and a peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3), the POS system (1) further comprising a driver software module (40) installed between the POS terminal (3) software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7), the method comprising: receiving, at the driver software module (40), data sent between the software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3); communicating with a further device (44, 60, 64) in dependence on the data received at the driver software module (40); receiving modified data from the further device (44, 60, 64); and outputting the modified data.

Abstract: A method of operating a point-of-sale (POS) system (1), the POS system comprising a POS terminal (3) having a software module (17, 21) thereon for enabling a retailer to process transactions within a transaction environment, and a peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3), the POS system (1) further comprising a driver software module (40) installed between the POS terminal (3) software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7), the method comprising: receiving, at the driver software module (40), data sent between the software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3); communicating with a further device (44, 60, 64) in dependence on the data received at the driver software module (40); receiving modified data from the further device (44, 60, 64); and outputting the modified data.

Abstract: A method of operating a point-of-sale (POS) system (1), the POS system comprising a POS terminal (3) having a software module (17, 21) thereon for enabling a retailer to process transactions within a transaction environment, and a peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3), the POS system (1) further comprising a driver software module (40) installed between the POS terminal (3) software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7), the method comprising: receiving, at the driver software module (40), data sent between the software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3); communicating with a further device (44, 60, 64) in dependence on the data received at the driver software module (40); receiving modified data from the further device (44, 60, 64); and outputting the modified data.

Abstract: A method of operating a point-of-sale (POS) system (1), the POS system comprising a POS terminal (3) having a software module (17, 21) thereon for enabling a retailer to process transactions within a transaction environment, and a peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3), the POS system (1) further comprising a driver software module (40) installed between the POS terminal (3) software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7), the method comprising: receiving, at the driver software module (40), data sent between the software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3); communicating with a further device (44, 60, 64) in dependence on the data received at the driver software module (40); receiving modified data from the further device (44, 60, 64); and outputting the modified data.

Abstract: A method of delivering a digital receipt relating to a transaction to a user, the method comprising, at a server: receiving transaction related data from a point of sale system, the transaction related data having been intercepted in a data communications path between a point of sale terminal and a peripheral device; analysing transaction related data to extract user identification data; querying a user data module using extracted user identification data to determine user preferences relating to delivery of digital receipts; generating the digital receipt in dependence on the determined user preferences and the received transaction related data; outputting the digital receipt.

Abstract: A computer implemented search method, to be implemented on a computing device, for identifying a user from a first data store, the first data store comprising a plurality of data records, each data record comprising an identifier proxy category for an identifier proxy data item and an associated user identifier category for a user identifier data item, the method comprising: receiving a set of data items relating to a user interaction, the set of data items comprising an identifier proxy data item; formulating an identifier search query comprising the received identifier proxy data item and sending the identifier search query to the first data store containing the plurality of data records; receiving search results from the first data store in the form of one or more data records in which the identifier proxy data item within each returned search result matches the identifier proxy data item in the search query; outputting a user identifier data item from the returned search results.

Abstract: A transaction server for managing a merchant-user transaction between a point-of-sale system of a merchant and a user computing device, the server comprising: an input arranged to receive transaction data from the point-of-sale system and to receive a user request from the user computing device to complete the merchant-user transaction between the point-of-sale system and the user computing device; a processor arranged to complete the merchant-user transaction by running a payment process in dependence on the received transaction data and user request; an output arranged to output a transaction complete communication to the point-of-sale system.

Abstract: A method of establishing a user profile on a server computer, the user profile being associated with a unique user identifier used during a transaction made by a user, the method comprising: receiving user-related data comprising identification data associated with the unique user identifier; sending a server authentication message to the user in dependence on the user related data; receiving a registration message from the user, the message comprising the authentication message; establishing the user profile in response to receiving the registration message

Abstract: A method of operating a point-of-sale (POS) system (1), the POS system comprising a POS terminal (3) having a software module (17, 21) thereon for enabling a retailer to process transactions within a transaction environment, and a peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3), the POS system (1) further comprising a driver software module (40) installed between the POS terminal (3) software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7), the method comprising: receiving, at the driver software module (40), data sent between the software module (17, 21) and the peripheral device (5, 7) in communication with the POS terminal (3); communicating with a further device (44, 60, 64) in dependence on the data received at the driver software module (40); receiving modified data from the further device (44, 60, 64); and outputting the modified data.

Abstract: Unsecure system software and secure system software on the same computer system is switched between. A computer system includes one or more processors, which may not have any built-in security features, memory, and firmware. The memory stores secure system software and unsecure system software. In response to receiving a user signal, the firmware switches from the unsecure system software running on the processors to the secure system software running on the processors (and back again). While the unsecure system software is running, the secure system software is protected from tampering by the unsecure system software.

Abstract: Unsecure system software and secure system software on the same computer system is switched between. A computer system includes one or more processors, which may not have any built-in security features, memory, and firmware. The memory stores secure system software and unsecure system software. In response to receiving a user signal, the firmware switches from the unsecure system software running on the processors to the secure system software running on the processors (and back again). While the unsecure system software is running, the secure system software is protected from tampering by the unsecure system software.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a storage device having an access-restricted area accessible if the password is properly authenticated and an access-unrestricted area accessible regardless of whether or not the password is authenticated. The information processing apparatus allows a password to be registered in a registration server beforehand, prompts a user to enter the password when accessing the access-restricted area and, if the password is not entered, reads from the access-unrestricted area a password retrieval program for retrieving the password from the registration server, activates and executes the password retrieval program to retrieve the password from the registration server, and causes the storage device to authenticate the retrieved password to place the access-restricted area in an accessible state.

Abstract: Unsecure system software and secure system software on the same computer system is switched between. A computer system includes one or more processors, which may not have any built-in security features, memory, and firmware. The memory stores secure system software and unsecure system software. In response to receiving a user signal, the firmware switches from the unsecure system software running on the processors to the secure system software running on the processors (and back again). While the unsecure system software is running, the secure system software is protected from tampering by the unsecure system software.

Abstract: An information processor for information registration, capturing means captures a graphics processing command, and database registering means registers, as information about completed work in the database, information about a series of graphics processing commands concerning completed works out of the captured graphics processing commands. In an information processor for information retrieval, proceeding work detecting means detects a work in progress as a proceeding work based on the captured graphics processing command, and information acquiring means searches a database for the information about the work in progress which has been done before based on the graphics processing command concerning the proceeding work and acquires the information about the work in progress which has been done before.

Abstract: A boot block that contains a first public key is activated and a system Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) that contains a second public key and a first digital signature is verified, the verifying being performed by confirming that the first and second public keys match. In response to a determination that the first and second public keys match, the BIOS is activated and a system image is loaded to a real device. The system image is verified by confirming that the first digital signature that is stored in the system BIOS matches a second digital signature that is stored in a mass storage device. In response to the first and second digital signatures matching, a virtual mass storage device is created. Control of the virtual mass storage device is transferred to a boot strap code in an operating system image and the operating system image is booted from the virtual mass storage device.

Abstract: Unsecure system software and secure system software on the same computer system is switched between. A computer system includes one or more processors, which may not have any built-in security features, memory, and firmware. The memory stores secure system software and unsecure system software. In response to receiving a user signal, the firmware switches from the unsecure system software running on the processors to the secure system software running on the processors (and back again). While the unsecure system software is running, the secure system software is protected from tampering by the unsecure system software.

Abstract: A method for is disclosed. A boot block that contains a first public key is activated and a system Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) that contains a second public key and a first digital signature is verified, the verifying being performed by confirming that the first and second public keys match. In response to a determination that the first and second public keys match, the BIOS is activated and a system image is loaded to a real device. The system image is verified by confirming that the first digital signature that is stored in the system BIOS matches a second digital signature that is stored in a mass storage device. In response to the first and second digital signatures matching, a virtual mass storage device is created. Control of the virtual mass storage device is transferred to a boot strap code in an operating system image and the operating system image is booted from the virtual mass storage device.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a storage device having an access-restricted area accessible if the password is properly authenticated and an access-unrestricted area accessible regardless of whether or not the password is authenticated. The information processing apparatus allows a password to be registered in a registration server beforehand, prompts a user to enter the password when accessing the access-restricted area and, if the password is not entered, reads from the access-unrestricted area a password retrieval program for retrieving the password from the registration server, activates and executes the password retrieval program to retrieve the password from the registration server, and causes the storage device to authenticate the retrieved password to place the access-restricted area in an accessible state.