Automated banking machine that allows servicer to view front customer area through rear service display

• US 7,832,629 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tula, Pedro, Ramachandran, Natarajan, Mercina, Paul, Booth, James, Hill, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Savusdiphol; Paultep
• Application Number:
  US11/715,012
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/379, 235/380, 235/381
• 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

Abstract

An automatic banking machine includes a card reader for reading user cards, and a cash dispenser. A movable camera is positionable within the ATM housing. The automated banking machine carries out transactions related to user accounts based on information read from cards. Service personnel are enabled to direct the camera toward regions of machine components while conducting service activities that are not directly visible by a servicer. A camera assembly includes a microphone to sense sounds associated with machine components during test operations. The generated data may be used by an on-site servicer, or sent to an entity at a remote location. The visual images may be used to enhance diagnostic and servicing capabilities.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) generating through operation of at least one image capture device in operative connection with an automated banking machine including a card reader operative to read cards including indicia usable to identify at least one financial account, data corresponding to at least one visual image of a region adjacent a customer interface of the automated banking machine, wherein the region is not directly visible to a servicer while performing at least one service activity on the automated banking machine, wherein the automated banking machine includes at least one serviceable component, wherein the at least one serviceable component includes a currency dispenser, and wherein the automated banking machine includes at least one controller in operative connection with the at least one serviceable component; and

(b) displaying the at least one visual image on a service display in operative connection with the at least one controller, wherein the at least one visual image includes at least one image of at least a portion of potential banking machine user adjacent the customer interface, and wherein the service display is viewable by the servicer while performing the at least one service activity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is operative to provide status data, wherein the status data corresponds to at least one status of the at least one serviceable component, and further comprising:

(c) selectively displaying indicia corresponding to the status data and the at least one visual image, through the service display.

3. The method of claim 2 and further comprising:

(d) sensing a potential banking machine user within the region through operation of a sensing device, wherein the sensing device is in operative connection with the at least one controller.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

(e) responsive to sensing the potential banking machine user in (d), displaying the at least one visual image in a first area of the service display and indicia corresponding to status data in a second area of the service display.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the first area is larger than the second area, and further comprising, prior to (d), displaying the at least one visual image in the second area and the indicia corresponding to status data in the first area.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

(f) accessing the at least one serviceable component through an access opening in a housing of the automated banking machine.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

(g) placing a diagnostic article in operative connection with the at least one controller of the automated banking machine, wherein the at least one controller is operative to permit access to diagnostic data stored in the automated banking machine concerning the at least one serviceable component responsive to the diagnostic article.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

(h) outputting indicia corresponding to the diagnostic data through the service display.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the automated banking machine includes a wall portion of the housing disposed from the customer interface, and wherein the wall portion includes a viewing window, and wherein the service display is within the housing, and wherein in (b) the service display is viewable through the viewing window.

10. The method according to claim 8 and further comprising:

(i) sensing with at least one microphone in operative connection with the banking machine, sounds in the region;

(j) outputting through a speaker on the machine, the sounds sensed in (i), wherein the output sounds can be heard adjacent the service display.

11. The method according to claim 10, and further comprising:

(k) sensing with at least one further microphone in operative connection with the banking machine, sounds made by the servicer; and

(l) outputting through at least one speaker included in the customer interface of the machine, the sounds sensed in (k).

12. The method according to claim 11, and further comprising:

(m) receiving at least one input from the servicer through at least one input device;

wherein the sounds are output in (l) responsive to the at least one input in (m).

13. The method according to claim 12 and further comprising:

(n) operating the at least one controller to send data corresponding to the status data from the machine to at least one remote computer.

14. The method according to claim 13 and further comprising:

(o) operating the at least one controller to send data corresponding to the diagnostic data from the machine to at least one remote computer.

15. The method according to claim 14 and further comprising:

(p) operating the at least one controller to send data corresponding to the at least one image from the machine to a remote computer.

16. The method according to claim 15 and further comprising:

(q) capturing at least one further image of a serviceable component in the housing of the machine through operation of a further image capture device, wherein the further image capture device is in operative connection with the at least one controller;

(r) operating the at least one controller to send data corresponding to the at least one further image from the machine to at least one remote computer.

17. A method comprising:

(a) capturing at least one visual image of at least a portion of a potential banking machine user located in customer region adjacent a customer interface of an automated banking machine which includes at least one serviceable component;

(b) displaying status data corresponding to at least one status of the at least one serviceable component through a first area of a servicer display and the at least one visual image through a second area of the servicer display, while the servicer display is viewable by a machine servicer located in a service region adjacent the machine, wherein the customer region is not directly visible by the servicer while in the service region.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein step (b) includes simultaneously displaying the at least one visual image and the status data through the servicer display.

19. A method comprising:

(a) sensing through operation of at least one sensing device, a potential banking machine user within a customer region adjacent a customer interface of an automated banking machine; and

(b) responsive at least in part to the sensing in step (a), providing to a machine servicer located in a service region of the automated banking machine, an indication of the potential banking machine user through a machine servicer device situated in the service region, wherein the customer region is not directly visible by the machine servicer while located in the service region.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the machine servicer device comprises a servicer display, and further comprising

(c) capturing at least one visual image of at least a portion of the potential banking machine user;

wherein step (b) includes providing the at least one visual image through the servicer display.

21. A method comprising:

(a) operating a system to enable capture of at least one visual image of at least a portion of a potential user of an automated banking machine while the potential user is located within a customer region adjacent to the machine,

wherein the customer region is exterior of the machine,

wherein the customer region is adjacent a customer interface of the machine,

wherein the customer interface includes a customer display,

wherein the customer display is physically accessible to customers of the machine,

wherein the machine includes an interior service region,

wherein the interior service region is physically accessible to authorized servicers of the machine,

wherein the interior service region is inaccessible to customers of the machine; and

(b) operating the system to enable at least one visual image of at least a portion of a potential user of the machine captured responsive at least in part to the operating in (a), to be provided through a servicer display viewable by an authorized machine servicer located on-site of the machine and servicing the interior service region,

wherein the servicer display differs from the customer display.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein in (b) the customer region is not directly visible by an authorized machine servicer servicing the interior service region.