Transaction processing systems

• US 6,311,165 B1
• Filed: 01/12/1999
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Coutts, Michael G., Dove, Lee G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LESLIE
• Application Number:
  US09/229,045
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8, 705/43, 705/21, 235/379, 235/380, 902/9, 902/11, 902/12, 902/40, 902/39, 700/244, 700/241, 710/1, 710/8
• US Class Current: 705/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/211 Software architecture within ATMs or in relation to the ATM network
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A banking, retail or other transaction network can comprise a number of terminals, for example an ATM, where each terminal comprises a plurality of peripheral devices such as a user interface, card reader, receipt printer and cash dispenser. The applications software for the peripheral devices can be held in a central server located externally of the terminal and linked to the terminal through a communications link. The link can extend to the individual peripheral devices so that they are direct clients of the server. Additionally the individual peripheral devices can be connected to each other over the link to enable them to communicate directly with each other on a peer-to-peer basis. Each peripheral can have an independent control application. In use, the independent control applications may communicate with each other so that a peripheral operates in response to a signal generated by another peripheral. A peripheral for use in such a terminal, and a network of such terminals are also described. A mainframe or server computer accessing a banking or other information database (e.g., a legacy host) can be connected to the central server through an information signal connection.

Claims

1. A banking or retail transaction network comprising a server and one or more transaction terminals, each of the transaction terminals containing a plurality of peripheral devices adapted to function as constituents of the transaction terminal operating through the server in the transaction network, wherein the server is arranged to store applications and driver software for the peripheral devices and communication links are provided from the server to the peripheral devices so that the server and the peripheral devices can communicate independently of the transaction terminal to enable the applications and driver software to be downloaded directly from the server to the peripheral devices.

2. A network according to claim 1 in which the peripheral devices include their own embedded processors to which the communication links are able to download software from the server.

3. A network according to claim 2 in which the devices each include hardware control elements controlling the hardware of the device and the processor embedded in a device operates the hardware control elements in a manner determined by the software downloaded to the processor through the communications link.

4. A network according to claim 1 in which the communication links also enable the peripheral devices of a terminal to communicate with each other.

5. A network according to claim 1 in which the peripheral devices are selected from the following peripheral devices, namely:

a user interface, a card reader, a receipt printer, a cash dispenser, and a bar code scanner.

6. A network according to claim 5 in which one of the peripheral devices is a card reader capable of reading from and writing to smart cards.

7. A network according to claim 5 in which one of the peripheral devices is a user interface comprising a keyboard and a display unit.

8. A network according to claim 1 in which the communication links are dedicated links.

9. A banking transaction network according to claim 1 in which the communication links comprise a modem and information signal transfer media enabling transfer of signals from the modem through a telephone network to a server.

10. A banking transaction network according to claim 1 in there is provided a banking information database and a communications link between the banking information database and the central server.

11. A banking transaction terminal including a plurality of peripheral devices adapted to function as constituents of the banking transaction terminal in which communication links are provided from individual devices to link said devices directly to an external server, wherein the external server and the peripheral devices can communicate independently of the banking transaction terminal.

12. A terminal according to claim 11 in which internal communication links are also provided between the peripheral devices to enable such devices to communicate directly with each other.

13. A terminal according to claim 11 in which the peripheral devices are selected from the following peripheral devices, namely:

a user interface, a card reader, a receipt printer, a cash dispenser, and a bar code scanner.

14. A terminal according to claim 13 in which the user interface comprises a keyboard and a display unit.

15. A terminal according to claim 11 in which the communication links are dedicated links.

16. A terminal according to claim 11 in which the communication links comprise a modem and information signal transfer media enabling transfer of signals from the modem through a telephone network to a server.

17. A banking transaction network comprising a plurality of banking transaction terminals according to claim 11 together with a central server to which each of the communication links from the individual peripheral devices of the terminals are connected.

18. A banking transaction network comprising a plurality of banking transaction terminals, each of the banking transaction terminals including a plurality of peripheral devices adapted to function as constituents of the banking transaction terminal in the banking transaction network, a central server, and communication links from the terminals to the server characterized in that the links extend from each individual peripheral device in a terminal directly to the server so that the central server and the peripheral devices can communicate independently of the banking transaction terminal.

19. A network according to claim 18 in which there is provided a banking information database and a communications link between the banking information database and the central server.

20. A transaction network comprising a server and at least one terminal, each terminal containing a plurality of peripheral devices adapted to function as constituents of the transaction terminal operating through the server in the transaction network, the network being characterized in that the server is arranged to store software for the peripheral devices, and communication links are provided from the server to each peripheral device, whereby each peripheral devices is operable to download software directly from the server independently of the terminal.

21. A transaction network according to claim 20, where each peripheral devices is operable to configure itself using the downloaded software.

22. A transaction network according to claim 20, where the software stored on the server includes applications software and peripheral driver software.

23. A transaction network according to claim 20, where each peripheral device includes an embedded processor that operates with the communication links to download software from the server.

24. A transaction network according to claim 23, where each peripheral device includes hardware control elements controlling the hardware of the peripheral device, and the embedded processor operates the hardware control elements in a manner determined by the downloaded software.

25. A transaction network according to claim 20, where each peripheral device has a non-volatile memory for storing boot-up information, whereby, on powering the peripheral device, the contents of the non-volatile memory may be used for initializing the peripheral device.

26. A transaction network according to claim 20, where the peripheral devices communicate with the server using the TCP/IP protocol.

27. A transaction network according to claim 20, where the communication links also enable the peripheral device of a terminal to communicate with each other.

28. A transaction network according to claim 20, where the peripheral devices are selected from the following peripherals, namely:

a user interface, a card reader, a receipt printer, a cash dispenser, and a bar code scanner.

29. A transaction network according to claim 20, where an information database is in communication with the server.

30. A transaction network according to claim 20, where the communication links include a router for concentrating information from the peripheral devices and transmitting that information across a single connection.

31. A transaction terminal including a plurality of peripheral devices adapted to function as constituents of the transaction terminal, each of the peripheral devices having communication hardware for use in connecting to a server, whereby, in use, each peripheral device is operable independently of the transaction terminal to access the server and to download software directly therefrom.

32. A transaction terminal according to claim 31, where the peripheral communication hardware is an Ethernet adapter.

33. A transaction network system comprising a server and at least one terminal, each terminal containing a plurality of peripheral devices adapted to function as constituents of the terminal operating through the server in the transaction network system, where the server stores a plurality of independent software modules, where at least one software module is associated with each peripheral device, and where communication links are provided from the server to each peripheral device so that the server and the peripheral devices can communicate independently of the terminal, whereby each peripheral device is operable to download one or more of the independent software modules directly from the server and to configure itself using the one or more downloaded software modules.

34. A transaction processing terminal including a plurality of modular elements that intercommunicate through a connected sub-network using IP protocols and that adapted to function as constituents of the transaction processing terminal operating through a remote server in a transaction network, and a router that concentrates communications between the modular elements and the remote server through a single IP protocol connection to the server, wherein the remote server and the modular elements can communicate independently of the transaction processing terminal to enable applications and driver software stored on the remote server to be downloaded directly from the remote server to the modular elements.

35. A peripheral device adapted to function as a constituent for a transaction processing terminal, the peripheral device including a dedicated processor, read/write memory, an I/O port, and a communication link to a remote server, wherein the peripheral device is configured for installation of software by download from the remote server independently of the transaction processing terminal using a Dynamic Host Control Protocol service when the peripheral device is initialized.

36. A peripheral device adapted to function as a constituent for a transaction processing terminal, the peripheral device including a dedicated processor, read/write memory, an I/O port, and a communication link to a remote server, wherein the peripheral device is configured for re-booting of the peripheral device initiated through the remote server independently of the transaction processing terminal over a connected network using a remotely executing Dynamic Host Control Protocol service.

37. A transaction processing terminal comprising a plurality of networked peripheral devices adapted to function as constituents of the transaction processing terminal operating through a remote server in a transaction network, each of the peripheral devices having its own data processor controlling operations of the device through execution of software applets downloaded to the device over the network from the remote server independent of the transaction processing terminal.

38. A transaction processing terminal comprising a plurality of networked peripheral devices adapted to function as constituents of the transaction processing terminal operating through a remote server in a transaction network, each of the peripheral devices having its own data processor controlling operations of the device through execution of software applets downloaded to the device over the network from the remote server independent of the transaction processing terminal via Web browser functioning incorporated within the device.

39. A transaction processing terminal comprising a plurality of networked peripheral devices adapted to function as constituents of the transaction processing terminal operating through a remote server in a transaction network, each of the peripheral devices having its own data processor controlling operations of the device through execution of interpreted software applets downloaded to the device over the network from the remote server independent of the transaction processing terminal and interpreted via virtual machine functioning incorporated within the device.

40. A transaction processing terminal comprising a plurality of networked peripheral devices adapted to function as constituents of the transaction processing terminal operating through a remote server in a transaction network, each of the peripheral devices having its own data processor controlling operations of the device through execution of compiled software byte code downloaded to the device over the network from the remote server independent of the transaction processing terminal and compiled via compiler functioning incorporated within the device.

41. A transaction processing terminal comprising a plurality of networked peripheral devices adapted to function as constituents of the transaction processing terminal operating through a remote server in a transaction network, each of the peripheral devices having its own data processor that directly executes byte code downloaded to the device over the network from the remote server independent of the transaction processing terminal to control operations of the device.

42. A banking or retail transaction terminal comprising a plurality of peripheral devices adapted to function as constituents of the transaction terminal operating through a remote server in a transaction network, each of the peripheral devices having control applications associated therewith, communication links for enabling the control applications to have individual access to an external server independent of the transaction terminal, and a central processor for providing processing power for the peripheral devices.