Physical security system for computer terminals

• US 10,049,533 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2018
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Kurian, Manu Jacob, Castinado, Joseph Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari, Ali
• Application Number:
  US15/860,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20180165921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• Field of Search: 340 57, 235375
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/205 Housing aspects of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic

Abstract

A computer terminal located in an environment may include an actuator, retractable privacy barrier attached to the computer terminal by the actuator, a display, a memory, a processor, and a terminal application stored in the memory. The actuator is typically configured to extend the retractable privacy barrier to thereby reduce viewability of the computer terminal. The terminal application is typically configured for initiating an interactive session with a user, determining that a trigger event has occurred, and in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, transmitting a control signal to the actuator, the control signal causing the actuator to extend the retractable privacy barrier. The present invention is further configured for monitoring one or more parameters of the environment, and displaying, via the display, data associated with the one or more parameters of the environment.

Claims

1. A computer terminal located in an environment, comprising:

a display;

an actuator;

a retractable privacy barrier attached to the computer terminal by the actuator, the actuator being configured to extend the retractable privacy barrier, the retractable privacy barrier being configured to reduce viewability of the computer terminal after the retractable privacy barrier has been extended by the actuator;

a memory;

a communication interface;

a processor; and

a terminal application stored in the memory, executable by the processor, and configured for;

initiating an interactive session with a user;

determining that a trigger event has occurred, wherein determining the trigger event comprises at least one of (i) identifying that an individual is located within a first predetermined distance from the computer terminal, (ii) identifying that the individual has been located within a second predetermined distance from the computer terminal for a first predetermined length of time, (iii) identifying that the individual has been stationary for a second predetermined length of time, (iv) identifying a predetermined incident, (v) identifying a predetermined environmental parameter, and (vi) identifying that a user condition exists;

in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, transmitting a control signal to the actuator, the control signal causing the actuator to extend the retractable privacy barrier, wherein extending the retractable privacy barrier comprises at least one of (i) linear extension of the retractable privacy barrier over a predetermined length and (ii) angular displacement of the retractable privacy barrier for a predetermined angle with respect to a predetermined axis.

2. The computer terminal according to claim 1, comprising a sensor.

3. The computer terminal according to claim 2, wherein:

the sensor is configured to detect a presence of the user;

determining that the trigger event has occurred comprises detecting, via the sensor, the presence of the user; and

the control signal is transmitted to the actuator in response to detecting, via the sensor, the presence of the user.

4. The computer terminal according to claim 2, wherein:

the sensor is configured to monitor a first parameter of one or more parameters of the environment;

wherein occurrence of the trigger event is determined based on monitoring the first parameter.

5. The computer terminal according to claim 4, wherein the terminal application is configured for:

determining that the trigger event no longer exists based on continuing to monitor the first parameter; and

in response to determining that the trigger event no longer exists, transmitting a second control signal to the actuator, the second control signal causing the actuator to retract the retractable privacy barrier.

6. The computer terminal according to claim 2, wherein:

the sensor is configured to monitor a first parameter of one or more parameters of the environment; and

displaying data associated with the first parameter on a graphical user interface.

7. The computer terminal according to claim 1, wherein:

the terminal application is configured for monitoring one or more biometric parameters of the user;

wherein the user condition is identified based on monitoring the one or more biometric parameters of the user.

8. The computer terminal according to claim 1, wherein the terminal application is configured for:

based on monitoring one or more parameters of the environment, determining that an environmental condition exists; and

in response to determining that the environmental condition exists, displaying an indicator that the environmental condition exists on a graphical user interface.

9. The computer terminal according to claim 8, wherein the environmental condition is the trigger event.

10. The computer terminal according to claim 1, wherein the terminal application is configured for:

displaying, via the display, a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface comprises data associated with one or more parameters of the environment;

wherein the graphical user interface comprises real-time data associated with the one or more parameters of the environment.

11. The computer terminal according to claim 1, comprising a detachable module, the detachable module comprising the actuator and the retractable privacy barrier.

12. The computer terminal according to claim 1, wherein the terminal application is configured for displaying a diagram of at least a portion of the environment adjacent to the computer terminal on a graphical user interface.

13. The computer terminal according to claim 1, wherein the computer terminal is an automated teller machine.

14. A system, comprising:

the computer terminal according to claim 1;

a sensor in communication with the computer terminal, wherein the sensor is configured to sense a first parameter of one or more parameters of the environment;

a second actuator in communication with the computer terminal;

a second retractable privacy barrier positioned proximate to the computer terminal, the second actuator being configured to extended the second retractable privacy barrier, the second retractable privacy barrier being configured to reduce viewability of the computer terminal after the second retractable privacy barrier has been extended by the second actuator;

wherein;

monitoring the one or more parameters of the environment comprises receiving, via the communication interface, data associated with the first parameter from the sensor;

the terminal application is configured for, in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, transmitting a second control signal to the second actuator, the second control signal causing the second actuator to extend the second retractable privacy barrier.

15. A computer program product for providing physical security at a computer terminal located in an environment, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions to:

initiate an interactive session with a user;

determine that a trigger event has occurred, wherein determining the trigger event comprises at least one of (i) identifying that an individual is located within a first predetermined distance from the computer terminal, (ii) identifying that the individual has been located within a second predetermined distance from the computer terminal for a first predetermined length of time, (iii) identifying that the individual has been stationary for a second predetermined length of time, (iv) identifying a predetermined incident, (v) identifying a predetermined environmental parameter, and (vi) identifying that a user condition exists;

in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, transmit a control signal to an actuator, the control signal causing the actuator to extend a retractable privacy barrier attached to the computer terminal by the actuator, wherein extending the retractable privacy barrier comprises at least one of (i) linear extension of the retractable privacy barrier over a predetermined length and (ii) angular displacement of the retractable privacy barrier for a predetermined angle with respect to a predetermined axis, wherein the retractable privacy barrier is configured to reduce viewability of the computer terminal after the retractable privacy barrier has been extended by the actuator.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the computer terminal comprises a sensor, wherein:

the sensor is configured to detect a presence of the user;

determining that a trigger event has occurred comprises detecting, via the sensor, the presence of the user; and

the control signal is transmitted to the actuator in response to detecting, via the sensor, the presence of the user.

17. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the computer terminal comprises a sensor, wherein:

the sensor is configured to monitor a first parameter of one or more parameters of the environment;

wherein occurrence of the trigger event is determined based on monitoring the first parameter.

18. A method for providing physical security at a computer terminal located in an environment, the method comprising:

providing the computer terminal comprising;

a display;

an actuator; and

a retractable privacy barrier attached to the computer terminal by the actuator, the actuator being configured to extend the retractable privacy barrier, the retractable privacy barrier being configured to reduce viewability of the computer terminal after the retractable privacy barrier has been extended by the actuator;

initiating an interactive session with a user;

determining that a trigger event has occurred, wherein determining the trigger event comprises at least one of (i) identifying that an individual is located within a first predetermined distance from the computer terminal, (ii) identifying that the individual has been located within a second predetermined distance from the computer terminal for a first predetermined length of time, (iii) identifying that the individual has been stationary for a second predetermined length of time, (iv) identifying a predetermined incident and (v) identifying a predetermined environmental parameter;

in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, transmitting a control signal to the actuator, the control signal causing the actuator to extend the retractable privacy barrier, wherein extending the retractable privacy barrier comprises at least one of (i) linear extension of the retractable privacy barrier over a predetermined length and (ii) angular displacement of the retractable privacy barrier for a predetermined angle with respect to a predetermined axis.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the computer terminal comprises a sensor, wherein:

the sensor is configured to detect a presence of the user;

determining that the trigger event has occurred comprises detecting, via the sensor, the presence of the user; and

the control signal is transmitted to the actuator in response to detecting, via the sensor, the presence of the user.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the computer terminal comprises a sensor, wherein:

the sensor is configured to monitor a first parameter of one or more parameters of the environment;

wherein occurrence of the trigger event is determined based on monitoring the first parameter.