Self-service terminal

• US 20090161580A1
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Forsyth, Gordon A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,680,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/344 Out-of-band transfers

Abstract

A self-service terminal comprises a plurality of devices, each device providing management information. A management agent is installed in the terminal and adapted to monitor the plurality of devices. In the event that management information from a device indicates that there is a fault, the management creates and transmits a notification. A communications stack is adapted to receive the transmitted notification from the management agent. A self-service terminal application is adapted to (i) monitor the communications stack to receive the transmitted notification, (ii) package the notification within a host message conforming to a host messaging format, and (iii) transmit the host message to a remote host via a legacy network.

Claims

1. A method of operating a self-service terminal, the method comprising:

receiving management information via a communications stack for use with a first network;

preparing a message using a protocol for transmission across a second network, where the message includes the management information; and

transmitting the prepared message to a host via the second network so that the host receives the management information from the self-service terminal without requiring the self-service terminal to be coupled to the first network.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communications stack is for use with a peer-to-peer network.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the communications stack receives messages from a management application.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the management application is a simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving management information via the communications stack includes monitoring the communications stack for messages received at a predetermined port.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of preparing a message using a protocol for transmission across a second network includes encrypting the management information.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the prepared message to a host via the second network includes transmitting the prepared message as a message type corresponding to an unsolicited message.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the further steps of the host receiving the prepared message;

parsing the received message to ascertain if the message contains management information; and

in the event that the message contains management information, forwarding the management information to a remote management centre responsible for maintaining the self-service terminal in normal operation.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the step of parsing the received message to ascertain if the message contains management information includes ascertaining if a predetermined device identifier is associated with the message.

10. A self-service terminal comprising:

a plurality of devices, each device providing management information;

a management agent adapted to monitor the plurality of devices and to create and transmit a notification in the event that management information from a device indicates that there is a fault;

a communications stack for receiving the transmitted notification from the management agent;

a self-service terminal application adapted to (i) monitor the communications stack to receive the transmitted notification, (ii) package the notification within a host message conforming to a host messaging format, and (iii) transmit the host message to a remote host via a legacy network.

11. A self-service terminal system, the system comprising:

a host coupled by a legacy network to a plurality of self-service terminals, each terminal including (i) a plurality of devices, each device providing management information, (ii) a management agent adapted to monitor the plurality of devices and to create and transmit a notification in the event that management information from a device indicates that there is a fault, (iii) a communications stack for receiving the transmitted notification from the management agent using internet protocol (IP), (iv) a self-service terminal application adapted to (a) monitor the communications stack to receive the transmitted notification, (b) package the notification within a host message conforming to a host messaging format, and (c) transmit the host message to the host via the legacy network.

12. A management centre adapted to manage a network of self-service terminals, where the terminals are connected to a host by a legacy network, the management centre being adapted to receive a notification from a management agent within one of the self-service terminals via the host despite the mangagement agent not being able to transmit information across the legacy network directly.