Cash dispensing automated banking machine system and communication method

• US 7,606,767 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2005
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Drummond, Jay Paul, Smith, Mark D., Putman, Harold V., Somers, Charles H. Jr., Couper, Denise
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nga B.
• Application Number:
  US11/135,948
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 705/41, 705/42, 705/43
• US Class Current: 705/43
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• 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

A method of operating an automated banking machine is provided. The method comprises sending a configuration XML message to an ATM from an application server, wherein the configuration XML data includes configuration data targeted to the ATM. The method also includes sending with the application server an application XML message to the ATM, wherein the application XML message includes application data. In addition, the method includes mapping the application data to at least one corresponding resource on the ATM responsive to the configuration data. In addition, the method includes performing a banking transaction using the at least one resource on the ATM responsive to the application XML message.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) sending through operation of at least one server computer, configuration data to at least one of a plurality of ATMs, which configuration data is associated with at least one of a plurality of resources included in the ATM, wherein the resources include a cash dispenser; and

b) sending through operation of the at least one server computer, at least one application markup language document to the ATM, wherein the at least one application markup language document includes application instructions, wherein at least one portion of the application instructions are adapted to be correlated by at least one computer in the ATM to the at least one resource of the ATM responsive to the configuration data sent in (a), whereby the application instructions are capable of causing the at least one computer of the ATM to cause the ATM to perform a banking transaction that includes using the correlated at least one resource.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in (a) the correlated at least one resource includes keys of a keypad of the ATM, wherein the configuration data includes a plurality of sets of data usable by at least one software component operating in the at least one computer of the ATM to enable sets of keys of the keypad, wherein in (b) the at least one portion of the application instructions specifies a keymap, wherein the specified keymap is capable of being correlated by the at least one computer of the ATM with one of the sets of keys of the keypad responsive to the configuration data sent in (a), wherein the banking transaction includes the at least one ATM being responsive to an input signal generated responsive to at least one of the subset of keys being pressed by a user.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein in (a) the configuration data further includes conversion data usable by the at least one computer of the ATM to convert keypad input signals to at least one of keyboard input signals and mouse input signals.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein (a) includes sending the configuration data in at least one configuration markup language document, wherein the configuration data includes a configuration instruction which associates the at least one portion of the application instructions sent in (b) to the at least one resource of the ATM.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein in (b) the at least one correlated resource comprises a device of the ATM which is in operative connection with the at least one computer of the ATM, wherein the banking transaction includes operating the device.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein in (b) the at least one correlated resource corresponds to one of a plurality of output documents accessible to the at least one computer of the ATM, wherein the banking transaction includes outputting, through operation of the at least one computer of the ATM, an output through an output device of the ATM responsive to the output document.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein in (b) the output document comprises HTML.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein in (b) the at least one application markup language document includes transaction data, wherein the output document comprises a form, wherein the banking transaction includes generating, through operation of the at least one computer of the ATM, the output responsive to the form, including populating the form with the transaction data.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein in (a) the output device corresponds to a printer.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein in (a) the output device corresponds to a display device.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein in (b) the at least one application markup language document includes transaction data, wherein, the output document includes format instructions, wherein in (b) the output includes indicia representative of the transaction data formatted responsive to the format instructions.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein in (b) the at least one portion of the application instructions specifies an application state of the ATM, wherein in (a) the at least one configuration instruction associates the specified application state with the output document.

13. The method according to claim 6, wherein the output documents is accessible by the ATM from the at least one server computer, wherein further comprising:

c) responsive to communication from the ATM, sending through operation of the at least one server computer the output document to the ATM.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein in (a) the at least one configuration instruction includes at least portions of a network address at which the output document is accessible from the at least one server computer.

15. The method according to claim 4, wherein in (a) the plurality of resources correspond to a plurality of different states of operation of at least one software application operating in the at least one computer of the ATM, wherein each operational state is associated with at least one action capable of being performed by the ATM and at least one presentation capable of being outputted by the ATM through an output device of the ATM, wherein in (b) the at least one correlated resource corresponds to one of the plurality of states, wherein the banking transaction includes performing the at least one action and outputting the at least one presentation.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein in (b) the at least one presentation includes indicia representative of a prompt to provide at least one input through an input device of the ATM, wherein the action includes sending from the ATM to the server computer a client markup language message which includes data representative of the input, further comprising:

c) receiving with the at least one server computer, the client markup language message from the ATM.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein in (b) the action includes causing through operation of the at least one computer of the ATM, the cash dispenser of the ATM to dispense cash.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein in (b) the at least one presentation includes indicia representative of an advertisement.

19. The method according to claim 4, wherein in (a) the plurality of resources correspond to a plurality of callable software functions operative to be accessed through operation of the at least one computer of the ATM, wherein in (b) the at least one portion of the application instructions are capable of being correlated by the at least one computer of the ATM to one of the software functions responsive to the configuration data sent in (a), wherein in (b) the at least one banking transaction includes calling the correlated software function with the at least one computer of the ATM responsive to the application instructions.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein in (b) the application instructions include transaction data, wherein the correlated software function is operative to cause the at least one computer of the ATM to cause at least a portion of the banking transaction to be performed responsive to the transaction data.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein in (b) the correlated software function corresponds to a function of an ATM object software component.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein in (b) the correlated software function corresponds to a function of a dispenser ATM object software component, wherein the dispenser ATM object is operative to cause the at least one computer of the ATM to cause the cash dispenser to dispense cash.

23. The method according to claim 2, further comprising periodically performing step (b).

24. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

c) sending through operation of the at least one server computer, further configuration data to at least one further computer, wherein the at least one further computer is in operative connection with a plurality of resources, wherein the further configuration data is associated with at least one of the plurality of resources of the at least one further computer, wherein the plurality of resources of the at least one further computer does not include a cash dispenser;

d) sending through operation of the at least one server computer, at least one further application markup language document to the at least one further computer, wherein the at least one further application markup language document includes further application instructions, wherein at least one portion of the further application instructions is substantially the same as the at least one portion of the application instructions in the at least one application markup language document sent in (b) wherein the at least one portion of the further application instructions are capable of being correlated through operation of the at least one further computer with the at least one resource of the at least one further computer responsive to the further configuration data received in (c), whereby the further application instructions are capable of causing the at least one further computer to enable a further banking transaction to be performed that includes use of the correlated at least one resource;

wherein the further banking transaction is substantially the same as the banking transaction in (b) performed by the ATM.

25. The method according to claim 24,

wherein in the at least one application markup language document in (b) and the at least one further application markup language document in (d) include transaction data, wherein an HTTP server at least one of includes or is in operative connection with the at least one further computer, wherein a client computer in operative connection with the HTTP server includes a display screen and a browser, wherein further comprising:

e) correlating through operation of the at least one further computer, the at least one portion of the further application instructions in the at least one further application markup language document received in (d) with the at least one resource responsive to the further configuration data received in (c);

f) sending through operation of the HTTP server at least one markup language document to the client computer responsive to the at least one resource correlated in (e), wherein the at least one HTML document includes indicia representative of the transaction data, wherein the further banking transaction includes the browser of the client computer generating an output through the display screen of the client computer responsive to the HTML document.

26. The method according to claim 25, prior to (f):

g) generating, through operation of the at least one further computer, the markup language document responsive to the resource correlated in (e).

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the at least one resource correlated in (e) corresponds to one of a plurality of forms accessible to the at least one further computer, wherein in (g) generating the HTML document includes populating the correlated form with the transaction data.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein in (e) the correlated form includes format instructions.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein in (e) the correlated form includes markup language.

30. The method according to claim 26, wherein the ATM includes a display screen and a browser, wherein in (b) the at least one computer of the ATM is operative to generate a second HTML document responsive to the at least one correlated resource, wherein the second HTML document includes indicia representative of the transaction data, wherein the banking transaction includes the browser of the ATM generating an output through the display screen of the ATM responsive to the second HTML document.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein in (e) the at least one resource correlated by the at least one further computer corresponds to one of a plurality of forms accessible to the at least one further computer, wherein in (g) generating the HTML document includes populating the one form accessible to the at least one further computer with the transaction data, wherein in (b) the at least one resource correlated by the ATM corresponds to one of a plurality of forms accessible to the at least one computer of the ATM, wherein the second HTML document is generated by the ATM by populating the one form accessible to the at least one computer of the ATM with the transaction data.

32. The method according to claim 24, wherein in (b) the at least one resource correlated by the ATM corresponds to a first output document, wherein in (e) the at least one resource correlated by the at least one further computer corresponds to a second output document, wherein the banking transaction performed by the ATM includes outputting, through operation of the at least one computer of the ATM, a first output through a first output device of the ATM responsive to the first output document, wherein the further banking transaction enabled to be performed by the at least one further computer includes outputting, through operation of the at least one further computer, a second output through a second output device in operative connection with the at least one further computer responsive to the second output document.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the first output document includes markup language, wherein the second output document includes markup language.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the at least one application markup language document sent in (b) and the at least one further markup language document sent in (d) includes transaction data, wherein the first output document includes a first form, wherein the second output document includes a second form, wherein the first output includes indicia representative of the transaction data formatted responsive to the first form, wherein the second output includes indicia representative of the transaction data formatted responsive to the second form.

35. The method according to claim 1, comprising prior to (a):

c) receiving a host message from a host banking system with the at least one server computer; and

d) generating through operation of the at least one server computer the at least one application markup language document responsive to the host message.

36. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one server computer is in operative connection with a data store, wherein the data store includes data corresponding to a set of a plurality of transaction steps, further comprising:

c) performing (b) for each of the transaction steps in the set stored in the data store, wherein for each performance of (b) the at least one application markup language document sent by at least one server computer includes application instructions corresponding to a respective one of the transaction steps, wherein the at least one portion of each of the respective application instructions are adapted to be correlated by at least one computer in the at least one ATM to one of the plurality of resources of the at least one ATM responsive to the configuration data sent in (a), wherein the application instructions are capable of causing the at least one computer of the ATM to progress through the plurality of transaction steps, wherein at least one of the transaction steps includes providing an output through an output device of the ATM which is generated responsive to a respective one of the resources.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein in (c) the output device includes a display device.

38. The method according to claim 36, wherein in (c) the resources correspond to forms stored in a data store of the ATM.

39. The method according to claim 36, wherein in (c) the resources correspond to presentations stored in a data store of the ATM.

40. The method according to claim 36, wherein in (c) the transaction steps correspond to operating states of the ATM.

41. The method according to claim 36, further comprising:

d) modifying the data in the data store to change the sequence of the plurality of transaction steps from a first order to a second order;

re-performing (c), wherein when (c) is performed before (d) the ATM progresses through the plurality of transaction steps in the first order, wherein when (c) is re-performed after (d), the ATM progresses through the plurality of transaction steps in the second order.

42. The method according to claim 36, further comprising:

d) modifying the data in the data store to change the transaction steps from a first set of steps to a second set of steps;

re-performing (c), wherein when (c) is performed before (d) the ATM progresses through the first set of transaction steps, wherein when (c) is re-performed after (d), the ATM progresses through the second set of transaction steps.

44. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

c) after (b) sending through operation of at least one server computer, further configuration data to at least one ATM, wherein both the configuration data sent in (a) and the further configuration data include different configuration data associated with a same resource name, wherein in (b) the at least one portion of the application instructions references the resource name, wherein the resource name referenced by the at least one portion of the application instructions is adapted to be correlated by the at least one computer in the ATM to the at least one resource responsive to the configuration data sent in (a);

d) sending through operation of the at least one server computer, a further at least one application markup language document to the at least one ATM, wherein the at least one further application markup language document includes further application instructions, wherein at least one portion of the further application instructions reference the resource name, wherein the resource name referenced by the at least one portion of the further application instructions is adapted to be correlated by the at least one computer in the ATM to a further at least one resource of the ATM responsive to the further configuration data sent in (c), wherein the further application instructions are adapted to cause the at least one computer of the ATM to perform a further banking transaction that includes the use of the correlated further at least one resource.

43. An article of computer readable media bearing a plurality of computer executable instructions operative to cause at least one server computer to carry out a method comprising:

a) sending through operation of the at least one server computer, configuration data to at least one of a plurality of ATMs, which configuration data is associated with at least one of a plurality of resources included in the ATM, wherein the resources include a cash dispenser; and

b) sending through operation of the at least one server computer, at least one application markup language document to the ATM, wherein the at least one application markup language document includes application instructions, wherein at least one portion of the application instructions are adapted to be correlated by at least one computer in the ATM to the at least one resource of the ATM responsive to the configuration data sent in (a), whereby the application instructions are capable of causing the at least one computer of the ATM to cause the ATM to perform a banking transaction that includes using the correlated at least one resource.

45. A method comprising:

a) sending through operation of at least one server computer, a configuration markup language document to at least one ATM, wherein the configuration markup language document includes configuration data correlating a resource name to at least one resource available to the at least one ATM for use with performing a banking transaction with the at least one ATM, wherein the at least one ATM includes a cash dispenser;

b) sending through operation of the at least one server computer, at least one application markup language document to the at least one ATM, wherein the at least one application markup language document includes application instructions which direct the at least one ATM to perform at least one portion of the banking transaction, wherein the application instructions specify the resource name for use with performing the at least one portion of the banking transaction, wherein the resource name is capable of being correlated by the at least one ATM to the at least one resource available to the at least one ATM responsive to the configuration data sent in (a), whereby the at least one ATM performs the at least one portion of the banking transaction responsive to the application instructions using the correlated at least one resource.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein in (b) the banking transaction includes the dispense of cash through operation of the cash dispenser in the at least one ATM.