Self-service terminal

• US 6,199,754 B1
• Filed: 10/23/1998
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Epstein, Howard I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FUREMAN, JARED
• Application Number:
  US09/177,746
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 348/150, 705/43, 902/6, 902/8, 902/20, 902/30, 902/31, 902/32, 902/35
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/205 Housing aspects of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00

Abstract

A self-service terminal such as an ATM (10) is co-located with a human-form recognition engine such as a camera (22) and appropriate software (23). If there is no user adjacent the ATM (10), the ATM screen 12 is operated as an advertising bill board. If one person or a short queue is present, the ATM (10) provides a full range of services on demand. For a longer queue, the services available are limited, e.g. one transaction per user or only one type of transaction such as cash dispense only. For a bank of ATMs (10A to 10D), different ATMs are arranged to provide different services. Each ATM has a service indicator (19A to 19D) to indicate the service or services available.

Claims

1. A responsive self-service terminal system comprising:

a self-service terminal for providing a plurality of on-demand services;

human-form recognition means for sensing a number of people in a queue beside the terminal; and

control means for varying the on-demand services provided by the terminal from one to all in accordance with the sensed number; and

wherein said on-demand services are selected from the group consisting of cash dispense, cash deposit, cheque deposit, account inquiry, receipt print, statement print, and inquires for loans, insurance, financial services, sporting events, and cultural events, and obtaining tickets for said events.

2. A responsive self-service terminal system according to claim 1, wherein a promotional advertising service is provided if the sensed number is zero.

3. A responsive self-service terminal system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal provides a plurality of on-demand services if the sensed number is between one and a predetermined number.

4. A responsive self-service terminal system according to claim 3, wherein the terminal provides a restricted on-demand service if the sensed number is equal to or greater than the predetermined number.

5. A responsive self-service terminal system according to claim 1, further comprising at least another self-service terminal for providing a plurality of services, the control means being arranged to vary the services provided at each terminal so that at least one terminal provides a different service relative to the other terminal.

6. A responsive self-service terminal system according claim 5, wherein each self-service terminal is an automated teller machine having a display, an input device, a cash dispenser, and a cash/cheque acceptor.

7. A method of controlling a self-service terminal which provides a plurality of on-demand services, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sensing the number of people in a queue adjacent the terminal; and

(b) varying the on-demand services provided from one to all in accordance with the sensed number; and

wherein said on-demand services are selected from the group consisting of cash dispense, cash deposit, cheque deposit, account inquiry, receipt print, statement print, and inquires for loans, insurance, financial services, sporting events, and cultural events, and obtaining tickets for said events.

8. A method of controlling a system including a plurality of self-service terminals each providing a plurality of on-demand services, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sensing the number of people in a queue adjacent the terminal; and

(b) varying the on-demand services provided from one to all so that at least one terminal provides a service which differs from the services provided by another terminal; and

wherein said on-demand services are selected from the group consisting of cash dispense, cash deposit, cheque deposit, account inquiry, receipt print, statement print, and inquires for loans, insurance, financial services, sporting events, and cultural events, and obtaining tickets for said events.

9. A self-service terminal comprising:

means for providing a plurality of on-demand services available to a user;

means for sensing the number of people in a queue to use said terminal; and

means for limiting said on-demand services to less than all and more than one thereof in response to the sensed number of people; and

wherein said on-demand services are selected from the group consisting of cash dispense, cash deposit, cheque deposit, account inquiry, receipt print, statement print, and inquires for loans, insurance, financial services, sporting events, and cultural events, and obtaining tickets for said events.

10. A terminal according to claim 9 wherein said limiting means are effective for permitting user access to all said on-demand services for a single person sensed in said queue.

11. A terminal according to claim 10 wherein said limiting means are effective for permitting user access to all said on-demand services for a predetermined plurality of people sensed in said queue.

12. A terminal according to claim 11 wherein said limiting means are effective for limiting user access to said on-demand services when people sensed in said queue exceed said predetermined plurality.

13. A terminal according to claim 12 further comprising means for displaying a message to said user to identify said limited on-demand services effected by said limiting means.

14. A terminal according to claim 12 in the form of an automated teller machine for effecting on-demand banking services including dispensing money.

15. A plurality of terminals according to claim 9 arranged in a multiple bank thereof, with said limiting means thereof being effective for differently limiting said on-demand services at each of said terminals in said bank.

16. A bank of terminals according to claim 15 further comprising a common queue, and said corresponding limiting means are responsive to the sensed number of people in said common queue.

17. A bank of terminals according to claim 16 wherein said sensing means are common to all said terminals of said bank, and are operatively joined to said corresponding limiting means thereof.

18. A bank of terminals according to claim 17 wherein said terminals are automated teller machines for providing on-demand banking services including dispensing cash.