Self-service terminal

• US 20090204856A1
• Filed: 02/08/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Sinclair, Colin A., Taylor, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/069,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204856A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0706 the processing taking place on a specific hardware platform or in a specific software environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0778 Dumping, i.e. gathering error/state information after a fault for later diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs

Abstract

A self-service terminal comprises a watchdog timer coupled to a clock; and a reset driver for resetting the watchdog timer. The reset driver is operable to monitor a count reached by the watchdog timer, and to instigate a diagnostic action, such as writing information to a system event log, in the event that the count reaches a first predefined number.

Claims

1. A self-service terminal comprising:

a watchdog timer coupled to a clock; and

a reset driver operable

(i) to monitor a count reached by the watchdog timer,

(ii) to reset the watchdog timer, and

(iii) in the event that the count reaches a first predefined number to instigate a first diagnostic action.

2. A self-service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the count is a decrementing count and the first predefined number corresponds to a number higher than zero.

3. A self-service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first diagnostic action includes writing an event to a system log file so that the system log file can be analysed to ascertain if there is a trend of count values being below the first predefined number.

4. A self-service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the reset driver is further operable (iv) to instigate a second diagnostic action in the event that the count reaches a second predefined number.

5. A self-service terminal according to claim 4, wherein the second diagnostic action includes invoking a kernel exception and thereby causing an operating system to copy contents of memory to a file.

6. A self-service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the reset driver is an upper filter driver layered on a driver provided by an operating system.

7. A self-service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the terminal includes a cash dispenser.

8. A method of monitoring operation of a self-service terminal, the method comprising:

using a timer to control counting to a reset number;

using a processor to control execution of a reset driver for resetting the timer;

monitoring a count reached by the timer prior to resetting the timer; and

,

instigating a first diagnostic action in the event that the count reaches a first predefined number.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

instigating a second diagnostic action including invoking a kernel exception in the event that the count reaches a second predefined number, where the second predefined number is reached prior to the reset number.

10. A method of monitoring operation of a self-service terminal, the method comprising:

counting to a reset number using a hardware timer;

using a processor to provide a timed signal, where the timed signal is associated with the speed of operation of the processor;

monitoring a count reached by the hardware timer when the timed signal is provided;

resetting the hardware timer in response to the timed signal being provided; and

,

instigating a first diagnostic action in the event that the count reaches a first predefined number.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the timed signal is provided by a deferred procedure call (DPC).