Transaction system for video matching

• US 7,806,316 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2005
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canatelo, LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovation Institute
• Inventors: Ramirez-Diaz, Luis G., Vargas, Hector, Torres, Alexis V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koyama; Kumiko C
• Application Number:
  US11/121,951
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/487, 235/494, 348/150, 348/153, 705/27
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/00 Alarm indicators, e.g. bells

Abstract

An integrated surveillance and transaction record system is used to monitor a bank and to save records of transactions. The integrated system includes a central database and server. When a teller executes a transaction, an interface detects relevant transaction data and communicates this with the central database and server. An image of the customer is also captured. The transaction data and customer image are saved as a record in a database. In a drive-in system, a teller identification module obtains a teller identifier and corresponding lane number. This permits the central database and server to match a transaction record with an image of a customer at one of multiple drive-in lanes.

Claims

1. A method of operating a database suitable for storage of image data taken during bank transactions comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of video signals each associated with a respective drive-in banking station;

receiving a plurality of teller transaction records, wherein each transaction record includes an account number, a time and date, an amount, a transaction identifier and a teller identifier;

receiving matching signals comprising receiving lane identifiers by reading electronic tags on canisters received from the drive-in banking stations, and wherein each of the canisters are associated with one of the drive-in banking stations, wherein each matching signal matches one of the plurality of teller transaction records to one of the drive-in banking stations; and

storing records in a database wherein each of the records includes one of the plurality of teller transaction records and customer image data showing a customer associated with the transaction record proximate a time when the transaction record is made wherein the customer image data is received from the plurality of video signals each associated with the respective drive-in banking station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the plurality of video signals each associated with the respective drive-in banking station comprises receiving digital image data from a digital video camera.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the plurality of video signals each associated with the respective drive-in banking station comprises receiving an analog video signal and converting the analog video signal into a digital representation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the plurality of teller transaction records comprises monitoring a connection between a teller station and a printer and detecting when the teller station has transmitted a transaction record to the printer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of receiving the plurality of teller transaction records further comprises monitoring a USB, parallel or serial connection between the teller station and the printer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the plurality of teller transaction records comprises monitoring a connection between a teller station and a bank server and detecting when the teller station has transmitted a transaction record to the bank server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the plurality of teller transaction records comprises monitoring a connection between a bank server and a teller station and detecting when the bank server has transmitted a transaction record to the teller server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving matching signals comprises receiving teller identifiers and lane numbers through a keypad.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing records in the database comprises storing the record in a computer hard drive.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein step of storing records in the database comprises storing the records in a relational database, wherein each record includes a field for the account number, the time and date, the amount, the transaction identifier and the teller identifier, and wherein the database is searchable based upon any one of these fields.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a plurality of video signals each associated with a respective teller station.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of storing records in the database further comprises the step of storing an image of a teller received from the plurality of video signals each associated with the respective teller station.

13. A method of operating a database system especially suitable for saving image and transaction data obtained from a bank, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one teller station configured to receive transaction information from a teller and execute a banking transaction;

providing at least one transaction interface configured to monitor communications with the at least one teller station;

providing at least one customer station in a drive in-lane;

providing at least one video camera positioned to capture images of a customer at the at least one customer station in the drive-in lane;

providing an input operable to match transaction information with images of the customer at the station in the drive-in lane;

capturing an image of a customer at the at least one customer station in the drive-in lane through the at least one video camera;

capturing a transaction record through the at least one transaction interface;

receiving a signal from the input that matches the image of the customer at the at least one customer station in the drive-in lane with the transaction record; and

receiving lane identifiers by reading electronic tags on canisters received from the at least one customer station, and wherein each of the canisters are associated with one of the at least one customer stations; and

saving the transaction record and the image of the customer in a database.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of

providing at least one teller station comprises providing a computer and a printer.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing at least one transaction interface comprises providing a hardware module that connects between a computer and a printer, wherein the hardware module is configured to monitor data sent from the computer to the printer to detect and capture data associated with a transaction record.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing at least one transaction interface comprises providing a network device that monitors communications with the at least one teller station.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing at least one customer station in the drive in-lane comprises providing a communication and conveyor system wherein the communication system permits the customer to communicate with a teller at the at least one teller station and the conveyor system permits the customer to transmit and receive a capsule with the teller.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing at least one video camera comprises providing a digital video camera.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing the input comprises providing a keypad for the teller to enter a teller identifier and a lane number.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of

capturing the image of the customer at the station in the drive-in lane comprises saving the image when the customer sends a capsule from the at least one customer station in the drive-in lane.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of

capturing the transaction record comprises detecting the transmission of a transaction record from a computer to a printer.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of receiving the signal from the input comprises receiving a teller identification and a lane number associated with the at least one customer in the drive-in lane.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of saving the transaction record and the image of the customer in a database comprises saving the transaction record and the image of the customer as a record so that the image can be retrieved based upon data in the transaction record.