NOOR AL KHALEEJ INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL – DOHA
2024-2025
Subject: ICT Theory Notes
Name of the student: ________________________ Roll No: ___ Year & Section: 9_____
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6.9 COMPUTERS IN THE RETAIL INDUSTRY
6.9 .1 Computers in the Retail Industry
Point of sale (POS) terminals: Computerized systems used at checkout counters to handle
purchases and oversee stock. It is extensively used in retail stores to process sales
transactions. They enable quick and secure payment processing through various methods,
including cash, credit/debit cards, mobile payments, and digital wallets. POS terminals
calculate totals, generate itemized receipts, update inventory, and provide real-time sales data
for effective business management.
• Some features include:
o update stock files immediately
o track inventory levels in real-time
o prevent stock discrepancies and ensure accurate records
o monitor inventory levels and reorder when stock is lower than a predefined
value
o streamline supply chain management and minimize stockouts
Electronic funds transfer at Point of sale (EFTPOS) terminals: Devices for processing
electronic payments; they allow customers to make payments using debit or credit cards by
securely transferring funds from their bank accounts. EFTPOS terminals authenticate and
authorize transactions in real-time, providing convenience and security for customers and
businesses during retail purchases.
The process of checking credit and debit cards at a supermarket EFTPOS is much the same
as was described for paying a restaurant bill in Section 6.6.
Some functions of EFTPOS include:
• Use of chip and PIN cards:
o Enhance security with two-factor authentication
o Require customers to enter a personal identification number (PIN)
• Use of contactless cards:
o Allow for faster transactions
o Enable customers to tap their card on the terminal
• Use of Near Field Communication (NFC):
o Facilitate payments through smartphones and other devices
o Increase convenience for customers
• Communication between supermarket computers and bank computers:
o Share transaction details securely
o Enable instant payment processing and verification
6.9.2 Internet Shopping
Characteristics of Internet Shopping:
• Online stores accessible through web browsers
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• A wide variety of products and services are available
• Convenient and often open 24/7
Advantages (To customer):
• access to the global market
• comparison between different products effortlessly
• can shop from anywhere in the world
• able to avoid queues and busy stores
Advantages (To business):
• can target prices and services based on buying data
• can update stock availability and prices more quickly than a physical store
• cheaper to publicize special offers
• international customer base
• increased profits due to lower staff
Disadvantages (To customer):
• security concerns
• can’t correctly examine products before purchase
• occasionally, products may take weeks before being delivered
• additional shipping and handling costs
• lack of face-to-face interaction with staff
Disadvantages (To business):
• increased competition
• digital fraud and security concerns
• technical issues and downtime
• costs of delivery and return
• fake negative reviews can lead to a lousy company reputation
6.10 RECOGNITION SYSTEMS
6.10.1 Recognition Systems
1. Optical Mark recognition (OMR) media in schools:
• School registers: Paper-based registers are fed into OMR to be scanned and stored in
a database.
• Multiple-choice examination papers: The position of a mark is stored in a
computer’s memory after being read by the OMR, a device using a template that maps
out the X-Y coordinates of each tablet (pen/pencil mark).
• Used at POS terminals for scanning and reading the information stored in barcodes.
• Many digital devices have OMR scanners, which may be used to scan QR codes.
• Advantages:
o very fast way of inputting the results of a survey
o more accurate than keying in data
o more accurate than OCR methods
• Disadvantages:
o designing the forms is a very complex job
o there can be problems if they haven’t been filled correctly
o often only work with black pens or pencils
2. Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
• Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems:
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o The sensor sends a signal to instruct a camera to capture an image of the front of
the vehicle
o An algorithm is used to locate and isolate the number plate from the image
taken by the camera.
o The brightness and contrast of the number plate are first adjusted. Each
character on the number plate is then segmented.
o Each character is then recognized using OCR software. The characters are
converted into a string of editable text by the software.
o This text string is then stored in a database.
o A barrier is raised, and the motorist is issued with a ticket. The ticket shows the
date and time of entering the car park.
o When the car returns to the car park, they insert their ticket into a machine that
calculates their charges and registers the payment into the database.
• Advantages:
o Used to automatically monitor the average speed of vehicles over a stretch of
road.
o There is no need to employ a car park or security guards.
o It's a much faster system than checking a ticket at the exit.
o It can automatically control the entry and exit to a car park or private roads.
o It can be used as a security system to prevent illegal parking.
o It can be used to analyze driver behaviour.
o It can be used in inner-city congestion charging systems.
• Disadvantages:
o A lack of manned security car park surveillance could lead to vandalism.
o There could be an invasion of privacy due to recording drivers’ number plates.
o Damaged or very dirty number plates will not be recognized.
o The ANPR system only recognizes the number plate and not the car so that a car
can be fitted with a cloned number plate, thus bypassing car park security, for
example.
3. RFID in tracking stock:
• Tracking of stock using RFID involves either tracking livestock (on a farm) or goods
in a shop, supermarket, or distribution centre.
• RFID in passports:
o The data on the RFID chip is read when the passport is scanned.
o Your photo is clicked and compared to the RFID chip image.
o If face recognition passes, some checks are made to ensure you are eligible to
enter the country, and if you are, the gate opens automatically.
• RFID in automobiles:
o Tags allow or deny access to parking in a secure, private car park.
o RFID tags in lorries and delivery vans can be used at weigh stations to ensure
the vehicle is not carrying too much weight.
o RFID tags can be used on a car production line to track its progress through
assembly.
• RFID in contactless payments:
o The embedded chip on credit/debit cards and the antenna enable customers to
wave their card over a reader at the point of sale terminals to make payments
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o Smartphone apps can also be used to make contactless payments.
• Advantages:
o No line-of-sight contact is necessary.
o It is a very robust and reliable technology.
o Tags are much more difficult to forge than barcodes.
o RFID tags can reduce the number of staff needed in, for example, a warehouse
because tracking items is automatic (thus reducing costs).
o It provides a very fast read rate.
o It allows bi-directional data transfer.
o Bulk detection is possible.
• Disadvantages:
o Tag collision is when the signals from two or more tags overlap, interfering with
each other.
o Because RFID uses radio waves, they are relatively easy to jam or interrupt.
o It is relatively easy to hack into the data/signal transmitted by the tag.
o The initial cost of an RFID system is more expensive than a comparable
barcode system.
4. Near Field Communication (NFC):
• Enables short-range wireless communication between devices.
• Allows payment using a smartphone.
• Advantages:
o Convenient and secure method of payment
o allows for contactless transactions
• Disadvantages:
o Limited range
o compatibility issues with some devices
5. Biometric recognition:
• Usually refers to automated technologies for authenticating and verifying human body
characteristics such as face, iris, retina, finger, thumb, hand and voice.
• Advantages:
o very high accuracy
o very easy to use
o very fast verification time
o non-intrusive method
o relatively inexpensive technology
• Disadvantages:
o it can make mistakes if the skin is dirty or damaged
o very expensive to install and set up
o uses a lot of memory for the data to be stored
o a person’s voice can be quickly recorded and used for unauthorized access
o an illness, such as a cold, can change a person’s voice, making absolute
identification difficult or impossible
6.11 Satellite Systems
6.11.1 Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
• Used to determine the exact location of several modes of transport
• Cars usually refer to GPS as satellite navigation systems
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• Satellites surrounding the Earth transmit signals to the surface
• Computers installed in the mode of transport receive and interpret these signals
• Knowing their position on the Earth depends on very accurate timing – atomic clocks
are used in the satellites, which are accurate to within a fraction of a second per day
• Each satellite transmits data indicating its position & time
• The computer on board the mode of transport calculates its exact position based on the
information from at least three satellites
Satellite Navigation (satnav):
• Used to determine the exact location of a car.
• The computers onboard can be used to show directions to a destination.
Advantages:
• Better focus as there isn’t a need to constantly check paper maps.
• Reduces fines by warning drivers about upcoming speed changes.
• The system shows an Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA).
• It is possible to program in the fastest route to avoid towns.
• The system can also give helpful information such as the location of petrol stations.
Disadvantages:
• If the maps are not updated, they can give incorrect instructions.
• Road closures due to accidents or roadworks can cause problems.
• The loss of satellite signals can cause problems.
• The system will give incorrect information if an incorrect start-point or end-point is
keyed in.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Used to capture, manage, analyze, and display geographically referenced information.
• Use to determine the distance between two places.
• Used to find the nearest petrol station or restaurant, etc.
• To protect animal and plant life in certain vulnerable places.
• It can be used in geography, science, or engineering lessons.
Advantages:
• Allows geographical and thematic data of any kind to be combined to show how they
are connected to each other.
• It allows the handling and exploration of vast amounts of data.
• It allows data to be integrated from a wide range of very different sources.
Disadvantages:
• The learning curve on GIS software can be very long.
• GIS software is very expensive.
• GIS requires enormous amounts of data to be input.
• It isn't easy to make GIS programs that are both fast and user-friendly.
Media Communication Systems
• Using satellite signals for communication.
• Used by media companies when sending stories/videos/pictures from remote
locations.
Advantages:
• They have good global coverage.
• They are cheaper, faster, and safer than laying cables in difficult or treacherous terrain.
• They have very high bandwidth.
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• It is relatively easy to expand the network.
• Security in satellite transmission is very good because data is coded, and the receiver
requires decoding equipment.
• During emergency situations, it is relatively easy to move stations on the ground from
one place to another.
• They are well-suited for broadcasting.
• Enable mobile communication in very remote locations.
Disadvantages:
• There is a time delay in receipt of the signals.
• The signals received can be affected by bad weather.
• Sunspot activity can affect the performance of a satellite.
• They must be monitored and controlled regularly to remain in the correct orbit.