Data warehouse applications for networks of self-service machines

• US 7,103,618 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2000
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Tramontano, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Cam Y T.
• Application Number:
  US09/481,766
• Time in Patent Office: 2,429 Days
• Field of Search: 707200-206, 707/100, 707/10, 707/3, 705/25, 705 40- 43
• US Class Current: 707/615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/278 Data partitioning, e.g. horizontal or vertical partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A network of interconnected self-service machines (SSMs), wherein each of the SSMs executes a relational database management system (RDBMS) that maintains a relational database stored on the SSM. The relational databases are partitions of a global relational database and each partition stores information for only those customers that frequent the SSM that executes the RDBMS. The relational databases are used to more effectively serve the customer at the SSM and to market products and services to the customer at the SSM.

Claims

1. A method of operating a system of automated teller machines (ATMs) to store at each ATM information about a sub-set of customers to allow the ATM to more effectively serve its sub-set of customers, the method comprising:

maintaining a first relational database at a first ATM, wherein the first relational database stores information about a first sub-set of customers who frequent the first ATM to conduct transactions at the first ATM;

maintaining a second relational database at a second ATM, wherein the second relational database stores information about a second sub-set of customers, different from the first sub-set of customers, and who frequent the second ATM to conduct transactions at the second ATM;

collecting in a data warehouse customer information from transactions conducted at the first and second ATMs;

determining first customer information based upon customer information collected in the data warehouse and relating to transactions conducted by the first sub-set of customers at the second ATM;

determining second customer information based upon customer information collected in the data warehouse and relating to transactions conducted by the second sub-set of customers at the first ATM;

transmitting the first customer information from the data warehouse to the first ATM to allow the first ATM to update the information about the first sub-set of customers stored in the first relational database to include the first customer information and thereby to allow the first ATM to more effectively serve the first sub-set of customers at the first ATM whenever the first sub-set of customers conduct future transactions at the first ATM; and

transmitting the second customer information from the data warehouse to the second ATM to allow the second ATM to update the information about the second sub-set of customers stored in the second relational database to include the second customer information and thereby to allow the second ATM to more effectively serve the second sub-set of customers at the second ATM whenever the second sub-set of customers conduct future transactions at the second ATM.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

capturing detailed data about a customer'"'"'s interaction for use both locally at the particular ATM and globally at the data warehouse.

3. A method of operating a system of automated teller machines (ATMs) to store at each ATM information about a sub-set of customers to allow the ATM to more effectively serve its sub-set of customers, the method comprising:

maintaining a first relational database at a first ATM, wherein the first relational database stores information about a first sub-set of customers who frequent the first ATM to conduct transactions at the first ATM;

maintaining a second relational database at a second ATM, wherein the second relational database stores information about a second sub-set of customers, different from the first sub-set of customers, and who frequent the second ATM to conduct transactions at the second ATM;

collecting in a data warehouse customer information from transactions conducted at the first and second ATMs; and

synchronizing customer information between the data warehouse and each of the first and second ATMs to (i) update the information about the first sub-set of customers stored in the first relational database to include certain customer information which has been collected in the data warehouse and thereby to allow the first ATM to more effectively serve the first sub-set of customers at the first ATM whenever the first sub-set of customers conduct future transactions at the first ATM, and (ii) update the information about the second sub-set of customers stored in the second relational database to include other certain customer information which has been collected in the data warehouse and thereby to allow the second ATM to more effectively serve the second sub-set of customers at the second ATM whenever the second sub-set of customers conduct future transactions at the second ATM.

4. A system of automated teller machines (ATMs) which stores at each ATM information about a sub-set of customers to allow the ATM to more effectively serve its sub-set of customers, the system comprising:

means for maintaining a first relational database at a first ATM, wherein the first relational database stores information about a first sub-set of customers who frequent the first ATM to conduct transactions at the first ATM;

means for maintaining a second relational database at a second ATM, wherein the second relational database stores information about a second sub-set of customers, different from the first sub-set of customers, and who frequent the second ATM to conduct transactions at the second ATM;

means for collecting in a data warehouse customer information from transactions conducted at the first and second ATMs;

means for determining first customer information based upon customer information collected in the data warehouse and relating to transactions conducted by the first sub-set of customers at the second ATM;

means for determining second customer information based upon customer information collected in the data warehouse and relating to transactions conducted by the second sub-set of customers at the first ATM;

means for transmitting the first customer information from the data warehouse to the first ATM to allow the first ATM to update the information about the first sub-set of customers stored in the first relational database to include the first customer information and thereby to allow the first ATM to more effectively serve the first sub-set of customers at the first ATM whenever the first sub-set of customers conduct future transactions at the first ATM; and

means for transmitting the second customer information from the data warehouse to the second ATM to allow the second ATM to update the information about the second sub-set of customers stored in the second relational database to include the second customer information and thereby to allow the second ATM to more effectively serve the second sub-set of customers at the second ATM whenever the second sub-set of customers conduct future transactions at the second ATM.

5. A system of automated teller machines (ATMs) which stores at each ATM information about a sub-set of customers to allow the ATM to more effectively serve its sub-set of customers, the system comprising:

means for maintaining a first relational database at a first ATM, wherein the first relational database stores information about a first sub-set of customers who frequent the first ATM to conduct transactions at the first ATM;

means for maintaining a second relational database at a second ATM, wherein the second relational database stores information about a second sub-set of customers, different from the first sub-set of customers, and who frequent the second ATM to conduct transactions at the second ATM;

means for collecting in a data warehouse customer information from transactions conducted at the first and second ATMs; and

means for synchronizing customer information between the data warehouse and each of the first and second ATMs to (i) update the information about the first sub-set of customers stored in the first relational database to include certain customer information which has been collected in the data warehouse and thereby to allow the first ATM to more effectively serve the first sub-set of customers at the first ATM whenever the first sub-set of customers conduct future transactions at the first ATM, and (ii) update the information about the second sub-set of customers stored in the second relational database to include other certain customer information which has been collected in the data warehouse and thereby to allow the second ATM to more effectively serve the second sub-set of customers at the second ATM whenever the second subset of customers conduct future transactions at the second ATM.