Method and system for connecting services to an automated transaction machine

• US 7,542,944 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2000
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Drummond, Jay Paul, Gilger, Mikal R., Weis, David, Smith, Mark, Church, James R., Cichon, Bob, Blackson, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Subramanian, Narayanswamy
• Application Number:
  US09/505,594
• Time in Patent Office: 3,394 Days
• Field of Search: 705/43, 705/21, 705/35, 705/38
• US Class Current: 705/43
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/548 Object oriented; Remote method invocation [RMI] non-remote method invocation G06F9/449
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/211 Software architecture within ATMs or in relation to the ATM network

Abstract

A system for connecting transaction services to an ATM (10, 500) that includes a network (20). A user interface service (12) and a lookup service (22) are in operative connection with the network. Transaction services such as a printer service (16), card reader service (18), and cash dispenser service (14) are also in operative connection with the network. These transaction services are operative to register with the lookup service and to upload a service proxy to the lookup service. The user interface service is operative to locate transaction services on the network by invoking a remote lookup method on the lookup service. The lookup service is operative to return service proxies that match the type of service that is required. The user interface service is further operative to invoke methods of the service proxies that remotely control the functionality of the transaction services on the network. The user interface service is further operative to register events with the service proxies for notification when certain events on the services occur.

Claims

1. An automated transaction machine comprising:

a plurality of transaction function devices, wherein each transaction function device includes an associated device computer processor, wherein at least one device computer processor associated with a first transaction function device is operative responsive to being placed in operative connection with at least one other device computer processor associated with a second transaction function device, to cause the first transaction function device to become automatically interoperative with the second transaction function device;

a data store in operative connection with both the first transaction function device and the second transaction function device, wherein the second transaction function device is operative to communicate a device driver from the second transaction function device to the data store for storage in the data store, wherein the first transaction function device is operative to access the device driver from the data store, wherein the device computer processor associated with the first transaction function device is operative responsive to the device driver to interact with the second transaction function device in carrying out a financial transaction with the automated transaction machine.

2. The automated transaction machine according to claim 1, and further comprising a network, wherein the network is in operative connection with the at least one data store, the first transaction function device and the second transaction function device, wherein the device computer processor associated with the first transaction function device is operative responsive to the device driver to communicate with the second transaction function device through the network.

3. The automated transaction machine according to claim 2, wherein the driver is a hardware independent software component that is operative in the device computer processor associated with the first transaction function device.

4. The automated transaction machine according to claim 2, wherein the device computer processor associated with the first transaction function device includes a virtual machine, wherein the device driver is operative in the virtual machine.

5. The automated transaction machine according to claim 2, wherein the device driver includes a method that is operative to cause the second transaction function device to perform a portion of the transaction, wherein the device computer processor associated with the first transaction function device is operative to invoke the method.

6. The automated transaction machine according to claim 1, wherein the device computer processor associated with the first transaction function device is operative to cause the second transaction function device to perform a portion of the transaction responsive to a remote procedure call by the device driver.

7. The automated transaction machine according to claim 1, wherein the second transaction function device includes a sheet dispenser, and wherein the transaction includes the dispense of a sheet from the sheet dispenser.

8. The automated transaction machine according to claim 7, wherein the sheet dispenser comprises a cash dispenser.

9. An automated transaction machine comprising:

a plurality of transaction function devices, wherein each transaction function device includes an associated device computer processor, wherein at least one device computer processor associated with a first transaction function device is operative responsive to being placed in operative connection with at least one other device computer processor associated with a second transaction function device, to cause the first transaction function device to become automatically interoperative with the second transaction function device, wherein the first transaction function device interacts with the second transaction function device in carrying out a financial transaction with the automated transaction machine;

a network, wherein the network is in operative connection with at least one data store, wherein the data store includes a transaction function device driver, wherein the device computer processor associated with the second transaction function device is operative to cause the driver to be stored in the data store, wherein the second transaction function device is operative responsive to the driver, wherein the first transaction function device interacts with the second transaction function device responsive to operation of the driver.

10. The automated transaction machine according to claim 9, wherein the device computer processor associated with the first transaction function device is operative to acquire the driver from the data store.

11. An automated financial transaction machine comprising a plurality of transaction function devices, wherein at least one of the transaction function devices includes a sheet dispenser, and wherein each one of the transaction function devices includes an associated device computer, and wherein at least one of the device computers is programmed so that operative connection of a first transaction function device to the machine automatically causes the first transaction function device to coordinate operation with at least one other transaction function device in carrying out a financial transaction which includes the dispense of at least one sheet from the sheet dispenser, wherein the first transaction function device is operative to communicate a device driver from the first transaction function device to the at least one other transaction function device, wherein the at least one of the device computers of the at least one other transaction function device is operative responsive to the device driver communicated from the first transaction function device to communicate with the first transaction function device.

12. The automated transaction machine according to claim 11, further comprising a database in operative connection with each of the transaction function devices, wherein each of the plurality of transaction function devices includes an associated device driver stored therein and is operative to communicate the associated device driver to the data store for storage therein, wherein the at least one other transaction function device is operative to access the device driver associated with the first transaction function device from the data store.

13. The automated transaction machine according to claim 11, wherein the sheet dispenser comprises a cash dispenser.