Automated banking machine system and method

• US 7,891,550 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: DePietro, Mark, McIntyre, Daniel S., Benore, Randolph C., Bakerink, Allan R., MEEK, JAMES, Smith, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Seung H
• Application Number:
  US11/732,410
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/376, 235/379, 902/8, 705/35
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 banking transaction processing system includes customer stations and at least one server provider station. The customer stations include automated banking machines. Each automated banking machine includes a card reader that reads indicia on user cards corresponding to financial accounts. Each automated banking machine also includes a cash dispenser. Service providers at service provider stations are enabled to communicate with customers at automated banking machines to help carry out transactions. Customers at automated banking machines may also carry out banking transactions without the involvement of service providers. Pneumatic tube transport systems may be used for moving items between local service providers and customers. In some embodiments, computers operating facial image transformation software and vocal sound transformation software enable outputs at customer stations which correspond to facial images and vocal sounds that customers may find more acceptable than those produced by the actual service provider.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) outputting instructions associated with operation of an automated banking machine, through a display of the machine responsive to operation of at least one processor in the machine, wherein the machine includes a card reader operative to read indicia from user cards corresponding to financial accounts, and a cash dispenser, wherein the automated banking machine is operative to cause transactions associated with such financial accounts to be carried out;

(b) responsive to communication with a service provider station remote from the automated banking machine, causing an output facial image to be output through the display of the machine;

(c) capturing with an image capture device at the service provider station, a captured facial image of a service provider'"'"'s face and producing responsive thereto facial image data through operation of at least one computer;

(d) modifying the facial image data through operation of facial image transformation software operating in at least one computer, to produce modified facial image data;

wherein in (b) the facial image is output responsive to the modified facial image data, and wherein the output facial image in (b) has an appearance different from that of the captured facial image of the service provider'"'"'s face.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein in (c) the captured facial image of the service provider'"'"'s face includes a moving image, and wherein the output facial image output through the display in (b) moves in generally real time corresponding relation with the service provider'"'"'s face.

3. The method according to claim 2 and further comprising:

(e) during at least a portion of (c), capturing through operation of a sound capture device at the service provider station, vocal sounds of the service provider, and producing through operation of a computer responsive to the vocal sounds, vocal sound data;

(f) modifying the vocal sound data produced in (e) through operation of vocal sound transformation software operating in at least one computer, to produce modified vocal sound data;

(g) during at least a portion of (b) outputting vocal sounds through an audio speaker of the automated banking machine, wherein the vocal sounds are output responsive to the modified vocal sound data,

wherein the vocal sounds output in (g) are different from the vocal sounds of the service provider captured in (e), but correspond to the output facial image output in (b), including movement of the output facial image.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein in (b) the output facial image output through the display of the automated banking machine, and wherein in (g) the vocal sounds output from the audio speaker of the automated banking machine, differ from those captured from the service provider in at least one of (c) and (e) respectively, in that they correspond to an entity having at least one of a different gender, race and age than the service provider.

5. The method according to claim 4 and further comprising:

(h) responsive to at least one input to at least one input device of the service provider station, outputting a generally untransformed facial image of the service provider corresponding to the facial image data produced in (c), through the display of the automated banking machine and generally untransformed vocal sounds of the service provider corresponding to the vocal sound data produced in (e), through the audio speaker.

6. The method according to claim 5 and further comprising:

(i) transporting at least one item through a pneumatic transport tube extending between the service provider station and the automated banking machine.

7. The method according to claim 6 and further comprising:

(j) dispensing cash from the automated banking machine, through operation of the cash dispenser.

8. The method according to claim 7 and further comprising:

(k) prior to (j) providing at least one dispense input through an input device at the service provider station,

wherein cash is dispensed in (j) responsive to the at least one input in (k).

9. The method according to claim 7 and further comprising:

(k) prior to (j), reading through operation of the card reader of the banking machine, indicia from a user card corresponding to a financial account, and

(l) operating at least one processor of the automated banking machine to cause the financial account to be assessed an amount corresponding to the cash dispensed in (j).

10. The method according to claim 9 and further comprising:

(m) receiving a check into the automated banking machine through operation of a check accepting device.

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

(n) modifying the facial image data through operation of the facial transformation software operating in the at least one computer, to produce further modified facial image data;

(o) responsive to communication with the service provider station, causing a further output facial image to be output from the display of the automated banking machine responsive to the further modified facial image data, wherein the further output facial image differs from both the output facial image and the generally untransformed facial image.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein in (o) the further output facial image corresponds to an entity that differs from an entity that corresponds to the output facial image, in at least one of age, gender, race and species.

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

(p) producing through operation of the vocal sound transformation software operating in at least one computer, further modified vocal sound data;

(q) responsive to communication with the service provider station, during at least one portion of (o), outputting vocal sounds through the audio speaker of the machine, wherein the vocal sounds are output responsive to the further modified vocal sound data, and wherein the vocal sounds output correspond to the entity associated with the further output facial image output in (o).

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein in (g) the sounds output from the automated banking machine correspond to an entity having at least one of a different gender, race and age than the service provider.

15. The method according to claim 4 wherein in (b) the output facial image from the display of the automated banking machine corresponds to a nonhuman entity.

16. The method according to claim 3, wherein in (b) the output facial image output from the machine corresponds to an entity having at least one of a different race, gender, age and species than the service provider.

17. The method according to claim 2 wherein the output facial image in (b) differs from the service provider'"'"'s face in at least one of gender, race and age.

18. The method according to claim 2 wherein the output facial image in (b) corresponds to a nonhuman.

19. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:

(e) receiving at least one input through at least one input device at the service provider station;

wherein the output facial image is output through the display of the automated banking machine in (b) responsive to the at least one input in (e).

20. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:

(e) modifying the facial image data through operation of facial image transformation software operating in at least one computer, to produce further modified facial image data;

(f) outputting a further output facial image through the display of the automated banking machine responsive to the further modified facial image data;

wherein the further output facial image output in (f) corresponds to a first entity, and the output facial image output in (b) corresponds to a second entity, and wherein the first entity and the second entity differ in at least one of gender, race, age and species.

21. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:

(e) outputting a further output facial image through the display of the automated banking machine responsive to the facial image data, wherein the further output facial image corresponds to the captured facial image of the service provider;

(f) receiving at least one input through an input device at the service provider station;

(g) outputting the output facial image in (b) responsive to the at least one input in (f).