Fault monitoring and notification system for automated banking machines

• US 7,036,048 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Singer, Irek, Stock, Timothy M., Gill, Robert Bradley, Shirah, Roy, St. George, Peter, Baghdadi, Gaby, Symonds, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUYTON, PHILIP A
• Application Number:
  US10/186,146
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 714/47, 235/379, 705/43
• US Class Current: 714/47.2
• 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 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A system operates to receive status messages from banking machines (12) operating in a network (14). The messages are received by an event management system (20) operating at least one computer (54). The computer is in operative connection with a data store (52). The data store includes information representative of the banking machines in the network, status messages generated by the banking machines and actions to be taken including entities to be notified of conditions which cause status messages to be sent by the various banking machines. The event management system receives the messages and places them in a uniform standard message format for further processing by the system. A device status processing program (36) in the computer resolves an action to be taken responsive to the status message. Responsive to the action resolved by the device status processing program the computer causes a notification message to be dispatched by a multimedia reporter to an entity who is to be notified of the condition at the banking machine which caused the status message. The computer also causes a trouble record to be created in the data store responsive to the status message from the banking machine. The multimedia reporter receives input messages from the entity and the computer causes information to be included in the trouble record responsive to the input messages. The system further provides report data to a user which enables the user to analyze the operation of the banking machines and service providing entities. The system further includes test capabilities for testing proper operation of the system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) storing in at least one data store in operative connection with at least one computer, data representative of a plurality of automated banking machines operated at a plurality of geographically disposed locations;

b) storing in at least one data store for each of the plurality of automated banking machines, data corresponding to at least one action that is operative to cause currency to be replenished in the respective automated banking machine;

c) responsive to generation of at least one message from a first of the plurality of automated banking machines indicative of a level of currency remaining available for dispensing from the first automated banking machine, carrying out through operation of the at least one computer the corresponding at least one action that is operative to cause currency to be replenished in the first automated banking machine.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises determining through operation of the at least one computer responsive to data stored in the at least one data store, a servicer to be notified to replenish currency in the first automated banking machine and sending a notification message through at least one communication device to the servicer.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein step (c) comprises determining through operation of the at least one computer responsive to data stored in the at least one data store, a first medium for notifying the servicer, and sending the notification message through a first communication device responsive to determining the first medium for notifying the servicer.

5. The method according to claim 3 and further comprising:

d) receiving a response message from the servicer through a communication device in operative connection with the at least one computer;

e) sending a detail message through a communication device responsive to receipt of the response message in step (d), wherein the detail message is sent responsive to operation of the at least one computer and includes data representative of the first automated banking machine at which currency is to be replenished.

6. The method according to claim 5 and further comprising:

f) receiving through a communication device in operative connection with the at least one computer, a further message including data indicative that currency has been replenished in the first automated banking machine;

g) storing data indicating the replenishment of currency in the first automated banking machine in the at least one data store through operation of the at least one computer.

7. Computer readable media which is operative to cause at least one computer to carry out the method steps recited in claim 1.

12. The method according to claim 2 and further comprising:

d) prior to (c), storing in the at least one data store, data corresponding to a plurality of servicers and data associating at least one automated banking machine with each such servicer,

wherein in (c) the servicer is determined responsive to the data stored in (d).

4. A method comprising:

a) storing in at least one data store in operative connection with at least one computer, data representative of a plurality of automated banking machines operated at a plurality of geographically disposed locations;

b) storing in at least one data store for each of the plurality of automated banking machines, data corresponding to at least one action that is operative to cause currency to be replenished in the respective automated banking machine;

c) responsive to generation of at least one message from a first of the plurality of automated banking machines indicative of a level of currency remaining available for dispensing from the first automated banking machine, carrying out through operation of the at least one computer the corresponding at least one action that is operative to cause currency to be replenished in the first automated banking machine, including;

determining through operation of the at least one computer responsive to data stored in the at least one data store, a servicer to be notified to replenish currency in the first automated banking machine;

determining through operation of the at least one computer responsive to data stored in the at least one data store, a first medium for notifying the servicer; and

sending a notification message to the servicer through a first communication device responsive to determining the first medium for notifying the servicer;

d) monitoring for receipt of an acknowledgment of the notification message by the servicer through operation of the at least one computer, and responsive to a time passing after sending the notification message through the first medium without receipt of the acknowledgment, determining through operation of the at least one computer responsive to data in the at least one data store, a second medium for notifying the servicer, and sending the notification message through a second communication device responsive to determining the second medium for notifying the servicer.

11. Computer readable media which is operative to cause at least one computer to carry out the method steps recited in claim 4.

8. A method comprising:

responsive to generation of at least one message from a first of a plurality of automated banking machines indicative of a level of currency remaining available for dispensing from a first automated banking machine;

determining through operation of at least one computer responsive to data stored in at least one data store, a servicer to be notified to replenish currency in the first automated banking machine;

determining through operation of the at least one computer responsive to data stored in the at least one data store, a first way of notifying the servicer; and

sending through operation of the at least one computer responsive to determining the first way of notifying the servicer, a first notification message to the servicer through a communication device.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

monitoring for receipt of an acknowledgment by the servicer of the first notification message through operation of the at least one computer; and

responsive to a time passing after sending the first notification message the first way without receipt of the acknowledgment;

determining through operation of the at least one computer responsive to data in the at least one data store, a second way of notifying the servicer; and

sending through operation of the at least one computer responsive to determining the second way of notifying the servicer, a second notification message through a communication device.

10. Computer readable media which is operative to cause at least one computer to carry out the method steps recited in claim 8.