Cash dispensing automated banking machine diagnostic system and method

• US 7,093,749 B1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems Divison of Diebold Incorporated
• Inventors: Block, James, Shepley, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Stcyr, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel A.
• Application Number:
  US10/721,822
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 902 8- 21
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/206 Software aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/211 Software architecture within ATMs or in relation to the ATM network

Abstract

An automated transaction machine including an extensions for financial services (XFS) layer is provided. An application interface portion of the XFS layer is operative to communicate with an application layer of the ATM which may include terminal applications. A hardware interface portion of the XFS layer is operative to communicate with a hardware layer of the ATM which may include hardware devices of the ATM and associated service providers. A diagnostic application is operative to determine whether problems exist in the application layer or the hardware layer of the ATM by causing a plurality of hardware devices to perform predefined operations using the XFS layer and by monitoring the operations. The diagnostic application is operative to output a determination as to whether a problem with the ATM is associated with the components of the application or hardware layers of the ATM responsive to the success or failure of the operations.

Claims

1. An ATM apparatus comprising:

at least one computer;

at least one output device in operative connection with the at least one computer;

a hardware layer, wherein the hardware layer includes;

a plurality of transaction function devices in operative connection with the at least one computer, wherein the plurality of transaction function devices includes at least one cash dispenser; and

a plurality of service providers (SPs) operative in the at least one computer;

an application layer operative in the at least one computer, wherein the application layer includes at least one user interface application adapted to enable users of the ATM apparatus to perform transaction functions including the operation of the transaction function devices;

an extensions for financial services (XFS) layer operative in the at least one computer, wherein the at least one user interface application is adapted to control operation of transaction function devices through communication with the XFS layer, wherein the SPs are adapted to control operation of the transaction function devices responsive to communication with the XFS layer;

at least one diagnostic application operative in the computer, wherein responsive to communication with the XFS layer the at least one diagnostic application is operative to instruct at least one of the transaction function devices to perform at least one predefined function, and wherein the at least one diagnostic application is operative to determine whether the at least one predefined function was performed successfully and whether a failure to perform the at least one predefined function successfully is likely caused by at least one malfunction associated with the application layer or the hardware layer, and wherein the diagnostic application is operative to cause the computer to output through the at least one output device, at least one message that includes indicia representative of the application layer or the hardware layer which is determined as associated with the at least one malfunction.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the at least one predefined function is performed successfully, the at least one message includes indicia that indicates that the at least one malfunction is associated with the application layer.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the at least one predetermined function performed successfully, the indicia includes an upwardly directed arrow.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the at least one predetermined function is determined not to have been performed successfully, the at least one message includes indicia that indicates that the at least one malfunction is associated with the hardware layer.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein when the at least one predetermined function is not performed successfully, the indicia includes a downwardly directed arrow.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the transaction function devices includes a first cash dispenser, wherein the SPs include a first cash dispenser service provider software component operatively associated with the first cash dispenser.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the transaction function devices includes a card reader, wherein the SPs include a card reader service provider software component operatively associated with the card reader.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the transaction function devices includes a depository mechanism, wherein the SPs include a depository mechanism service provider software component operatively associated with the depository mechanism.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the XFS layer includes an application interface portion and a hardware interface portion, wherein the application layer communicates with the XFS layer through the application interface portion of the XFS layer, wherein the hardware layer of the ATM communicates with the XFS layer through the hardware interface portion of the XFS layer.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the application layer includes at least one software component, wherein the at least one user interface application is operative to communicate with the XFS layer through the at least one software component.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hardware layer includes a plurality of unified base release (UBR) components operative in the computer, wherein the SPs communicate with the transaction function devices through the UBR components.