Automated banking machine with improved resistance to fraud

• US 7,240,827 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2003
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Blackson, Dale H., Enright, Jeffery M., Ramachandran, Natarajan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel A.
• Application Number:
  US10/601,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20040141058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/475, 235/375, 902/8, 902/9, 902/14
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/2055 Anti-skimming aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs

Abstract

An automated banking machine (10) includes a lockable first fascia portion (20) which when unlocked enables access to a chest lock input device (104), inputs to which enable opening a chest door (18) of the machine. Opening the first fascia portion also enables access to an actuator (116) which enables moving a second fascia portion (22) for conducting service activities. A baffle structure (164) is positioned on the housing adjacent the second fascia portion to enable cooling air flow within the housing of the machine and to prevent the introduction of moisture into the housing. A controller (72) in the machine selectively illuminates light emitting devices (118, 126) for purposes of facilitating user operation of the machine. Sensing devices (128) adjacent a card reader slot (28) on the machine enables the controller to detect the presence of a fraud device or unauthorized card reading devices.

Claims

1. An automated banking machine apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a user interface in supporting connection with the housing, the user interface including at least one input device and at least one output device, wherein the at least one input device includes a card reader having an associated card reader slot adapted to accept cards input by users of the apparatus;

at least one radiation emitting device positioned adjacent the slot, wherein the at least one radiation emitting device is operative to emit radiation;

at least one radiation sensing device adjacent the slot, wherein both with and without an unauthorized card reading device positioned adjacent the slot the at least one radiation sensing device is operative to sense radiation emitted from the at least one radiation emitting device such that positioning an unauthorized card reading device adjacent the slot causes a sensed change in at least one property of radiation from the at least one radiation emitting device;

at least one controller in the housing, wherein the at least one controller is in operative connection with the at least one radiation sensing device and is operative to generate at least one signal responsive to the change, whereby installation of an unauthorized card reading device adjacent the slot is indicated.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising a currency dispensing device in supporting connection with the housing.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the at least one radiation emitting device is operative to emit visible light.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the at least one radiation emitting device is adapted to surroundingly illuminate the card reader slot.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the controller is operative to cause the apparatus to carry out a currency dispensing transaction, and wherein the controller is operative to cause the at least one radiation emitting device to initiate emitting radiation during at least one of a transaction step when a user card is to be inserted in the slot and a further transaction step when a user card is to be taken from the slot.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 and further comprising at least one data store, wherein the controller is operative to cause at least one stored value corresponding to the at least one property of radiation sensed by the at least one radiation sensing device to be stored in the data store.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the controller is operative to compare the at least one stored value with at least one current value corresponding to the at least one property of radiation currently sensed by the at least one radiation sensing device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the controller is operative responsive to determining a difference when comparing the at least one stored value to the at least one current value to cause a status message to be sent by the machine to a remote computer.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the controller is operative responsive to determining a difference when comparing the at least one stored value to the at least one current value to cause an output message to be output through at least one output device on the user interface.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the output message advises of a possible object near the slot.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the controller is operative to change the at least one stored value responsive to the at least one current value.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the controller is operative to compare the at least one stored value with the at least one current value at a time when a transaction is not being conducted by a user at the apparatus.

13. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the controller is operative to execute fuzzy logic in comparing the at least one current value with the at least one stored value.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising a housing member bounding at least one side of the card reader slot, and wherein the at least one radiation emitting device and the at least one radiation sensing device are mounted in supporting connection with the housing member.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the housing member extends in surrounding relation of the card reader slot.

16. An automated banking machine apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a user interface in supporting connection with the housing,

wherein the user interface includes at least one input device and at least one output device,

wherein the at least one input device includes a card reader having an associated card reader slot adapted to accept cards input by users of the machine;

at least one radiation emitting device;

at least one sensing device,

wherein the at least one sensing device is adapted to sense an unauthorized card reading device positioned adjacent the card reader slot;

at least one controller in the housing and in operative connection with the at least one radiation emitting device and the at least one sensing device,

wherein the controller is operative to cause prompting of a user to move a card in the slot,

wherein the at least one controller is operative to selectively cause operation of the at least one radiation emitting device,

wherein the operation is dependent on the prompting,

wherein the at least one controller is operative to cause at least one output responsive to a sensing of an unauthorized card reading device.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the at least one sensing device comprises at least one radiation sensing device.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the at least one sensing device and the at least one radiation emitting device are both positioned adjacent the card reader slot, wherein the at least one radiation sensing device is adapted to sense radiation emitted by the at least one radiation emitting device.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the at least one controller is in operative connection with at least one data store,

and wherein the at least one controller is operative to

cause to be stored in the at least one data store at least one stored value responsive to at least one signal from the at least one sensing device,

compare the at least one stored value to at least one current value corresponding to at least one signal currently produced by the at least one sensing device, and

produce the at least one output responsive to a result of the comparison.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the at least one controller is further operative to cause the at least one stored value to be changed responsive to the at least one current value.

21. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the at least one output comprises a status message.

22. An automated banking machine apparatus comprising:

a user interface,

a slot member on the user interface and bounding at least one side of a slot,

at least one sensor device positioned to detect an unauthorized object placed adjacent the user interface,

wherein the at least one sensor device includes at least one radiation emitting device and at least one radiation sensing device mounted in supporting connection with the slot member,

wherein both with and without an unauthorized object placed adjacent the user interface, the at least one radiation sensing device is operative to sense radiation emitted from the at least one radiation emitting device,

at least one controller,

wherein the at least one controller is operative to selectively control the at least one sensor device.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22 wherein at least one radiation emitting device and at least one radiation sensing device are mounted on opposite sides of the slot.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the slot comprises a card slot, wherein the slot member extends in generally surrounding relation of the card slot, and the at least one radiation emitting device is operative to visibly illuminate an area surrounding the card slot.

25. An automated banking machine apparatus comprising:

a housing,

a user interface in supporting connection with the housing, the user interface including at least one input device and at least one output device, wherein the at least one input device includes a card reader having an associated card reader slot adapted to accept cards input by users of the machine,

at least one sensing device positioned adjacent the card reader slot, wherein the at least one sensing device is adapted to sense an unauthorized card reading device positioned adjacent the card reader slot,

at least one controller in the housing and in operative connection with the at least one sensing device, wherein the at least one controller is operative to execute fuzzy logic in comparing at least one stored value and at least one current value corresponding to at least one signal currently produced by the at least one sensing device, and wherein the at least one controller is operative to produce at least one output responsive to a result of the comparison.

26. A method comprising:

(a) sensing with at least one sensing device adjacent to a card reader slot of a user interface of an automated banking machine, an unauthorized card reader device attached to the user interface,

wherein the sensing includes emitting radiation with at least one emitting device located adjacent the slot;

wherein the sensing includes sensing radiation from the at least one emitting device with at least one radiation sensor device located adjacent the slot and the at least one emitting device;

wherein both with and without an unauthorized card reader device attached to the user interface, the at least one radiation sensing device is operative to sense radiation emitted from the at least one radiation emitting device,

wherein the sensing device is selectively controlled by at least one controller of the machine;

(b) responsive to sensing the unauthorized card reader device, providing at least one output from the machine.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein step (b) comprises sending a status message from the machine.

28. The apparatus according to claim 26 wherein step (b) comprises providing a notice indicating presence of a possible unauthorized reader device to a user of the machine through at least one output device.

29. The method according to claim 26 wherein at least one emitting device and at least one radiation sensor device are arranged on opposite sides of the slot, and wherein step (a) comprises:

sensing radiation emitted from an opposite side of the slot.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29 wherein step (a) further comprises:

comparing at least one property of radiation sensed from the at least one sensor device to at least one stored value.

31. The method according to claim 30 and further comprising:

(c) operating the at least one radiation emitting device when no unauthorized card reader device is sensed;

(d) sensing radiation emitted in step (c) with at least one radiation sensor device;

(e) changing the at least one stored value responsive to radiation sensed in step (d).

32. The method according to claim 26 wherein the at least one emitting device emits visible light during operation, and further comprising:

(c) operating the at least one emitting device when the machine conducts a transaction step in which a card is to be removed from the slot.

33. The method according to claim 32 and prior to step (c) further comprising:

dispensing currency from the machine, and wherein in step (c) the at least one emitting device illuminates the slot in generally surrounding relation.

34. A method comprising:

(a) operating at least one sensing device adjacent to a card reader slot of a user interface of an automated banking machine;

(b) executing fuzzy logic in comparing at least one property of a sensing with the at least one sensing device to at least one stored value in determining whether an unauthorized card reader device is attached to the user interface; and

(c) responsive to determining an unauthorized card reader device is attached, providing at least one output from the machine.