Automated transaction machine

• US 6,941,274 B1
• Filed: 02/05/2000
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Mark D., Graef, H. Thomas, Ramachandran, Natarajan, Haney, Sean, Force, Matthew, Junkins, Andrew, Owens, Mark, Miller, Robert G., Herrera, Elizabeth M., Mleziva, Roy, Hill, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H.
• Application Number:
  US09/498,789
• Time in Patent Office: 2,040 Days
• Field of Search: G06/F01.7/60, 705/40, 705 43- 45, 705/26, 705 16- 17, 705/39, 235379-382, 902/30, 237/379, 237/380, 237/382
• US Class Current: 705/26.35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/203 Dispensing operations within ATMs dispensing in general G07D11/00

Abstract

The invention relates to an automated transaction machine of the recycling currency type. The machine permits a merchant to both store and withdraw cash. The machine also permits a customer to withdraw cash. The automated transaction machine includes a chest portion and a top hat portion. The portions have a front side and a rear side. The rear side of the machine is primarily intended for use by the merchant. The front side of the machine is primarily intended for use by a customer. The merchant side of the chest portion includes an inlet opening for inserting cash and an outlet opening for dispensing cash. The customer side of the chest portion also includes an outlet opening for dispensing cash. The top hat portion includes a separate user interface on the merchant side and a separate user interface on the customer side. The machine provides for the safekeeping of excess cash from a merchant'"'"'s business operations. The machine enables the replenishment of cash therein without accessing the cash storage areas in the interior of the chest portion.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a financial transaction machine, wherein the machine includes a customer user side and a merchant user side, wherein the customer user side includes a sheet opening, wherein the merchant user side includes a sheet opening, wherein the machine further includes an imaging device providing image input signals, and an audio input device providing audio input signals, and at least one transaction function device, whereby a merchant user adjacent to the merchant user side of the machine causes image input signals to be generated and the voice of the merchant user causes audio input signals to be generated;

a processor, the processor being in operative connection with the imaging device, the audio input device, and the transaction function device, the processor also being in operative connection with a data store, wherein the data store includes data corresponding to a plurality of merchant users, the merchant user data for each merchant user including identity data corresponding to the merchant user, image data corresponding to an appearance feature of the merchant user, and voice data corresponding to a voice feature of the merchant user;

wherein the processor is operative responsive to the image input signals to resolve first identity data, and the processor is operative responsive to the audio input signals to resolve second identity data, and wherein the processor is operative to compare the first and second identity data for a level of correlation and to enable merchant user operation of the transaction function device when the level of correlation is reached.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the machine includes a sensing device, wherein the sensing device is operative to sense the merchant user in proximity to the machine, and wherein the sensing device is in operative connection with the processor, and wherein the processor is operative to resolve the first identity data responsive to the sensing device sensing the merchant user in proximity to the machine.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the machine includes an output device, and wherein the output device is in operative connection with the processor, and wherein the processor is operative to prompt the merchant user to speak through prompt outputs presented through the output device, whereby when the merchant user speaks audio input signals are generated.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the output device includes a display.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the output device includes a speaker.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the data store further includes audio output data corresponding to audio outputs, and wherein the output device prompts the merchant user through audio messages.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the machine further comprises an output device and a manually actuatable input device and wherein when the level of correlation is not reached the processor is operative to prompt a merchant user through the output device to operate the manually actuatable input device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the manually actuatable input device includes a card reader, wherein the merchant user is prompted to input a machine readable card associated with the merchant user in the card reader.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the merchant user data further includes account data wherein the account data includes at least one account associated with each merchant user, and wherein the machine readable card includes account identifying data corresponding to an account associated with the merchant user of the card, and wherein the card reader provides card input signals responsive to reading the card, and wherein the processor is operative to resolve the account of the merchant user responsive to the account identifying data.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the machine includes a keypad, and wherein the processor is operative responsive to resolving the merchant user account data to operate the output device to prompt the merchant user to input a code at the keypad, wherein the keypad generates keypad input signals responsive to the merchant user inputting the code at the keypad, and wherein the processor is operative to enable merchant user operation of the transaction function device responsive to the keypad input signals corresponding to input by the merchant of a predetermined code.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the transaction function device includes a currency dispenser.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising an input terminal in operative connection with the processor, wherein the input terminal includes a further imaging device and a further audio input device, wherein the merchant user image data and user voice data is input through the input terminal.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the machine includes a sensing device, wherein the sensing device is operative to sense the merchant user in proximity to the machine and wherein the sensing device is in operative connection with the processor, and wherein the processor is operative to cease merchant user operation of the transaction function device responsive to the sensing device ceasing to sense the merchant user in proximity to the machine.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising:

a chest portion, wherein the chest portion includes a first side corresponding to the customer user side and a second side corresponding to the merchant user side;

a sheet inlet opening in the merchant user side of the chest portion;

a first sheet outlet opening in the merchant user side of the chest portion; and

a second sheet outlet opening in the customer user side of the chest portion.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 and further comprising:

a housing in supporting connection with the chest portion;

a customer interface in supporting connection with the housing; and

a merchant user interface in supporting connection with the housing.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the chest portion comprises a sheet storage area.

17. A method of operation of an apparatus comprising the steps of:

providing a financial transaction machine, wherein the machine includes a customer user side and a merchant user side, wherein the customer user side includes a sheet opening, wherein the merchant user side includes a sheet opening,

storing in a data store in operative connection with a processor, merchant user data for a plurality of merchant users, said merchant user data including;

identity data corresponding to an identity of each merchant user;

image data corresponding to an appearance feature of each merchant user; and

voice data corresponding to a voice feature of each merchant user;

and thereafter in any order further comprising the steps of;

acquiring with an imaging device on the transaction machine an appearance feature of a merchant user adjacent to the machine;

resolving first user identity data with said processor from said appearance feature and the image data in the data store;

receiving with an audio input device on the transaction machine a voice feature of the merchant user adjacent the machine;

further resolving second user identity data with the processor from the voice feature and the voice data in the data store;

and thereafter further comprising;

comparing the first and second user identity data with the processor to determine if such data corresponds to a single merchant user; and

enabling merchant user operation of a transaction function device on the machine when the first and second identity data corresponds to a single merchant user.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the storing step further comprises storing for each of a plurality of merchant users manual input data, and wherein if in the comparing step the first and second identity data do not correspond to a single merchant user, and before the enabling step further comprising the steps of:

prompting the merchant user through an output device at the machine to make an input through a manually actuatable input device on the machine; and

further comparing the data input by the merchant user through the input device to manual input data in the data store, wherein correspondence of the data resolves the identity of a single merchant user.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein the storing step comprises prompting a merchant user through an input terminal to provide at least one of the image data or voice data.

20. The method according to claim 17 wherein the financial transaction machine further includes a sensing device wherein the sensing device enables sensing the merchant user in proximity to the machine, and further comprising the step of preventing merchant user operation of the transaction function device responsive to the merchant user ceasing to be sensed in proximity to the machine.

21. Apparatus comprising:

a transaction machine, wherein the machine includes a customer user side and a merchant user side, wherein the customer user side includes a sheet opening, wherein the merchant user side includes a sheet opening, wherein the machine further includes an imaging device providing image input signals, and an audio input device providing audio input signals, and at least one dispenser device, whereby a merchant user adjacent to the machine causes image input signals to be generated and the voice of the merchant user causes audio input signals to be generated;

a processor, the processor in operative connection with the imaging device, the audio input device and the dispenser device, the processor also being in operative connection with a data store, wherein the data store includes data corresponding to a plurality of merchant users, the merchant user data for each merchant user including identity data corresponding to the merchant user, image data corresponding to an appearance feature of the merchant user, and voice data corresponding to a voice feature of the merchant user;

wherein the processor is operative responsive to the image input signals to resolve first identity data, and the processor is operative responsive to the audio input signals to resolve second identity data, and wherein the processor is operative to compare the first and second identity data for a level of correlation and to enable merchant user operation of the dispenser device when the level of correlation is reached.

22. Apparatus comprising:

a transaction machine, wherein the machine includes a customer user side and a merchant user side, wherein the customer user side includes a sheet opening, wherein the merchant user side includes a sheet opening, wherein the machine further includes an imaging device providing image input signals, and an audio input device providing audio input signals, and at least one dispenser device, whereby a merchant user adjacent to the machine causes image input signals to be generated and the voice of the merchant user causes audio input signals to be generated;

a processor, the processor in operative connection with the imaging device, the audio input device and the dispenser device, the processor also being in operative connection with a data store, wherein the data store includes stored merchant user data corresponding to a plurality of merchant users, the merchant user data for each merchant user including identity data corresponding to the merchant user, image data corresponding to an appearance feature of the merchant user, and voice data corresponding to a voice feature of the merchant user;

wherein the processor is operative responsive to the stored merchant user data for a plurality of users and the image input signals to resolve first identity data, and the processor is operative responsive to the stored merchant user data for a plurality of users and the audio input signals to resolve second identity data, and wherein the processor is operative to compare the first and second identity data for a level of correlation and to enable merchant user operation of the dispenser device when the level of correlation is reached.