Self-service system with user interface positioning

• US 10,025,321 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2010
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Inderrieden, Michael Thomas, Egan, Greg Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahi, Towfiq
• Application Number:
  US12/697,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20110153115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,088 Days
• Field of Search: 345156, 700302
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 3/10 without using feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/205 Housing aspects of ATMs

Abstract

A self-service system with user interface positioning which accommodates drive-through vehicles of different heights and optionally different distances from an order board. The self-service system includes a user interface and a computer for positioning the user interface at a height above ground which substantially coincides with a window height above the ground of a vehicle adjacent the user interface. The height of the user interface is within a predetermined range of possible heights of the user interface corresponding to different window heights of different vehicles.

Claims

1. A self-service system for drive-through venues comprising:

a stationary touch screen for displaying transaction information and recording operator selections in a user interface, the dimensions of the touch screen sufficient to display the user interface in one of a range of locations on the touch screen;

a vehicle sensing system including an imaging device that captures at least one image of a vehicle adjacent to the self-service system;

position determining software, executable by at least one processor of a computer of the self-service system, that receives information from the vehicle sensing system, the information including the at least one image of the vehicle adjacent to the self-service system, and analyzes the received information to map at least one location point represented in the received information;

position adjustment software, executable by the at least one processor of the computer of the self-service system, to receive data representative of the mapped at least one location point from the position determining software to position the user interface within the touch screen based on the mapped at least one location point at a height above ground which substantially coincides with a window height above the ground of a vehicle adjacent the user interface; and

at least one additional peripheral device co-located with the touch screen, the at least one additional peripheral device capable of performing at least one of receiving payment data and outputting a receipt;

wherein;

the height of the user interface is within a predetermined range of possible heights of the user interface corresponding to different window heights of different vehicles;

the position adjustment software positions the user interface in a portion of the touch screen less than all the touch screen and sizes the user interface based on information received from the positioning determining software corresponding to a window height of the vehicle adjacent to the self-service system;

the width of the user interface adjusted within a predetermined range of widths of the user interface corresponding to different window widths of different vehicles to display transaction screens with greater or less size and increase or decrease the size of corresponding touch areas including increasing or decreasing a number of touchpoints;

information presentation software to fill at least a portion of other areas of the touch screen with content that are not filled with the user interface; and

the position adjustment software further presents manual adjustment inputs and receive input therefrom to move the user interface.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising wherein advertising is displayed in areas of the touch screen not used to display the user interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle sensing system senses at least one of distance between the vehicle adjacent to the self-service system and the self-service system; and

the position determining software receives information about the location and distance of the vehicle from the vehicle sensing system wherein the distance information is used to resize the user interface including a resizing of corresponding touch areas.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

an indicator;

wherein the position determining software manipulates the indicator to indicate to a driver of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a predetermined optimal position for using the user interface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the position adjustment software positions the user interface within the touch screen under customer position adjustment control.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the position adjustment software positions the user interface within the touch screen automatically.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the mapped at least one location point is on a driver-side mirror.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the mapped at least one location point is on a driver-side window.

9. A self-service drive-through method comprising:

receiving, in a self-service system from a vehicle sensing system communicatively coupled to the self-service system, position data, including a least one image, of a vehicle adjacent to the self-service system;

receiving information, including information from the vehicle sensing system, directed to positioning a user interface within a touch screen display including screens displayed by the touch screen display and corresponding active touch points of the touch screen display by the self-service system, the dimensions of the touch screen display sufficient to provide a range of positions for locating the user interface and analyzing the received information to map at least one location point represented in the received information; and

positioning the user interface within the touch screen display at a height above ground which substantially coincides with a window height above the ground of the vehicle adjacent the user interface by the self-service computer based on a position within the touch screen display relative to the mapped at least one location point;

adjusting the width of the user interface within a predetermined range of widths of the user interface corresponding to different window widths of different vehicles to display transaction screens with greater or less size and increase or decrease the size of corresponding touch areas including increasing or decreasing a number of touchpoints;

filling at least a portion of other areas of the touch screen with content that are not filled with the user interface;

performing at least one of receiving payment data and outputting a receipt via at least one additional peripheral device co-located with the touch screen display;

presenting manual adjustment inputs within the user interface, receiving input therefrom, and moving the user interface in response thereto; and

wherein the height of the positioned user interface is within a predetermined range of possible heights of the user interface within the touch screen display corresponding to different window heights of different vehicles.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving step comprises:

receiving an input from the customer directed to positioning the user interface within the touch screen display.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the positioning step comprises:

positioning the user interface in a portion of the touch screen display less than the entire touch screen display by the computer;

wherein the touch screen display has a height dimension sufficient for the computer to position the user interface in different portions of the touch screen display corresponding to the different window heights of the different vehicles.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising positioning an advertisement in an area of the touch screen display not used to display the user interface.

13. A self-service apparatus comprising:

a touch screen configured to provide for display of a user interface; and

a processor configured to;

determine a location of a reference point on a vehicle positioned laterally from the touch screen by using a camera;

determine a position on the touch screen corresponding to the location of the reference point on the vehicle;

reposition the user interface from a first location on the touch screen to a second location on the touch screen;

wherein the second location on the touch screen is a predetermined distance from the position on the touch screen corresponding to the location of the reference point on the vehicle;

adjust the width of the user interface within a predetermined range of widths of the user interface corresponding to different window widths of different vehicles to display transaction screens with greater or less size and increase or decrease the size of corresponding touch areas including increasing or decreasing a number of touchpoints; and

present manual adjustment inputs within the user interface, receiving input therefrom, and moving the user interface in response thereto;

at least one additional peripheral device co-located with the touch screen, the at least one additional peripheral device capable of performing at least one of receiving payment data and outputting a receipt; and

information presentation software to fill at least a portion of other areas of the touch screen with content that are not filled with the user interface.