SELF-SERVICE TERMINAL

• US 20110161498A1
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Joy, Ian M., Guntupalli, Vishwam, Behara, Ashalatha
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]

Abstract

A self-service terminal comprises: a plurality of session initiation devices, each associated with an initiation token, so that a customer can initiate a transaction using one of a plurality of different initiation tokens. The terminal further comprises a plurality of session suppliers, each session supplier being associated with one of the session initiation devices, and each session supplier being operable: (i) to receive from its associated session initiation device, information from an initiation token provided by a customer, and (ii) to create an electronic access token based on the received information. The terminal also comprises a session supplier aggregate operable to receive an electronic access token from one of the session suppliers for each session to be created; and a session component operable (i) to receive the electronic access token from the session supplier aggregate and (ii) to create a session based on the received electronic access token.

Claims

1. A self-service terminal comprising:

a plurality of session initiation devices, each associated with an initiation token, so that a customer can initiate a transaction using one of a plurality of different initiation tokens;

a plurality of session suppliers, each session supplier being associated with one of the session initiation devices, and each session supplier being operable;

(i) to receive from its associated session initiation device, information from an initiation token provided by a customer, and (ii) to create an electronic access token based on the received information;

a session supplier aggregate operable to receive an electronic access token from one of the session suppliers for each session to be created; and

a session component operable (i) to receive the electronic access token from the session supplier aggregate and (ii) to create a session based on the received electronic access token.

2. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein the session component is further operable to provide transaction options based on the electronic access token.

3. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of session initiation devices is associated with a physical initiation token, so that a customer can initiate a transaction using one of a plurality of different physical initiation tokens.

4. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the session initiation devices is associated with a non-physical initiation token, and at least some session initiation devices are associated with physical initiation tokens.

5. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein the session initiation devices comprise two or more devices selected from the:

a card reader;

an RF reader;

a biometrics reader;

a camera;

barcode scanner;

a keypad; and

a touchscreen display.

6. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein the session component is operable to provide transaction options based on the electronic access token by (i) transmitting the electronic access token to a plurality of transaction objects, and (ii) receiving a response from each transaction object indicating whether the customer can access that transaction based on information contained within the electronic access token.

7. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein each session supplier is responsive to an enable command, which enables the session supplier to receive a customer interaction relating to initiation of a session at its associated session initiation device.

8. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein each session supplier is also responsive to a reset command, which (i) clears any electronic access token stored therein, (ii) returns any inserted media to a customer, and (iii) disables the session supplier so that no customer interaction relating to session initiation can be received by the session supplier.

9. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein each session supplier is operable to create a customer accepted event, which reports to the session supplier aggregate that an electronic access token has been created.

13. A self-service terminal network comprising a plurality of self-service terminals according to claim 1, each self-service terminal being coupled to an authorization server for authorizing transactions entered at the self-service terminals.

10. A runtime software platform for a self-service terminal, the runtime software platform comprising:

a plurality of session suppliers, each session supplier being associated with at least one of a plurality of session initiation devices, and each session supplier being operable;

(i) to receive from its associated session initiation device, information extracted from a physical initiation token provided by a customer, and (ii) to create an electronic access token based on the received information;

a session supplier aggregate operable to receive the electronic access token from one of the session suppliers for each session to be created; and

a session component operable (i) to receive the electronic access token from the session supplier aggregate, (ii) to create a session based on the received electronic access token, and (iii) to provide transaction options based on the electronic access token.

11. A runtime software platform according to claim 10, wherein the runtime software platform is embodied on a data carrier.

12. A runtime software platform according to claim 10, wherein the runtime software platform is embodied on a memory in a self-service terminal.

14. A method of initiating a session at a self-service terminal, the method comprising:

receiving one of a plurality of different initiation tokens from a customer;

deriving information from the received initiation token;

creating an electronic access token based on the derived information;

using the created electronic access token to start a session for the customer; and

providing transaction options to the customer based on the created electronic access token.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step of providing transaction options to the customer based on the created electronic access token further comprises (i) transmitting the created electronic access token to a plurality of transaction objects, and (ii) receiving a response from each transaction object indicating whether the customer can access that transaction based on information contained within the created electronic access token.