Transaction system

• US 7,932,921 B1
• Filed: 07/07/1997
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kalman, Jeffrey M, DePietro, Mark A, McIntyre, Daniel S., Benore, Randolph C., Frazzitta, Bartholomew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUNG T
• Application Number:
  US08/889,033
• Time in Patent Office: 5,041 Days
• Field of Search: 348/61, 348/62, 348/159, 348/373, 348/376, 348/836, 348/838, 348/839, 348/842, 348/14.1, 358/93, 109/24.1, 109/37.5, 232/43.3, 340/825.35, 186/16, 186 37- 53, 186/63, 221/211, 235/379, 406/31, 382/117, 715/202, 709/204, 37916701-173
• US Class Current: 348/61
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A system for carrying out transactions (10) includes customer stations (18) and a service provider station (14). The system is operated in a building (12) or other facility in which a service provider operates the service provider station in a secure room (36). Audio and video communications are established between customers at the customer stations and the service provider at the service provider station. Items are exchanged between customers and the service provider through carriers (26) transmitted through a pneumatic tube system (22). A video material presentation device (50) provides promotional or other video material which is presented on displays at the customer stations. Video material is presented to customers when the customer terminal is not in communication with the service provider terminal. The customer stations are readily installed and configured in the transaction facility to maximize the floor space available for other purposes.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a service provider (SP) station including;

an SP visual display,

an SP CCTV camera,

an SP audio transmitting device and an SP audio receiving device,

an SP pneumatic tube carrier delivery and receiving device,

a plurality of customer stations, wherein each of the customer stations is in operative connection with the SP station,

wherein at least one customer station of the plurality of customer stations includes;

a customer visual display, wherein the customer visual display is in operative connection with the SP CCTV camera,

a customer CCTV camera in operative connection with the SP visual display,

a customer audio transmitting device and a customer audio receiving device in operative connection with the SP audio receiving device and SP audio transmitting device, respectively,

a customer pneumatic tube carrier delivery and receiving device in operative connection with the SP pneumatic tube carrier delivery and receiving device, wherein a carrier is enabled to be selectively moved between the customer station and the SP station, and

a building,

wherein the plurality of customer stations are in the building,

wherein the building comprises an interior area which includes an interior wall extending therein, wherein the SP station is housed in the interior area,

wherein the at least one customer station is positioned within the interior area, and

wherein at least one component among the customer visual display, customer CCTV camera, customer audio transmitting device, customer audio receiving device, and customer carrier delivery and receiving device of the at least one customer station is positioned within the interior area in operatively supporting connection with the interior wall,

wherein the building includes a secure room,

wherein the SP station is housed in the secure room,

wherein the at least one customer station is disposed outside of the secure room.

2. A system comprising:

a service provider (SP) station including;

an SP visual display,

an SP CCTV camera,

an SP audio transmitting device and an SP audio receiving device,

an SP pneumatic tube carrier delivery and receiving device,

customer stations in operative with the SP station,

wherein each of a plurality of the customer stations include a device actuatable by a customer at a customer station,

wherein at least one customer station of the customer stations includes;

a customer visual display, wherein the customer visual display is in operative connection with the SP CCTV camera,

a customer CCTV camera in operative connection with the SP visual display,

a customer audio transmitting device and a customer audio receiving device in operative connection with the SP audio receiving device and SP audio transmitting device, respectively,

a customer pneumatic tube carrier delivery and receiving device in operative connection with the SP pneumatic tube carrier delivery and receiving device, wherein a carrier is enabled to be selectively moved between the at least one customer station and the SP station,

a building,

wherein the building comprises an interior area which includes an interior wall extending therein, wherein the SP station is housed in the interior area, and

wherein at least one component among the customer visual display, customer CCTV camera, customer audio transmitting device, customer audio receiving device, and customer carrier delivery and receiving device of at least one the customer station is positioned within the interior area in operatively supporting connection with the interior wall,

a queuing device at the SP station,

wherein the queuing device is in operative connection with each customer actuatable device,

wherein the queuing device is operative to generate an order,

wherein the order includes data representative of a time sequence in which the actuatable devices at the plurality of the customer stations were actuated, and

wherein the queuing device is operative to indicate data responsive to the order.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the SP station further includes a communication selector unit, and wherein the system is operative responsive to inputs to the selector unit to selectively place the SP station in video and audio communication with one of the plurality of the customer stations, and wherein the selector unit is in operative connection with the queuing device, and wherein the queuing device is operative to remove from the order the data representative of the one customer station responsive to the selector unit operating to place the one customer station and the SP station in communication.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the customer actuatable device comprises a customer presence sensor, and wherein the queuing device is operative to defer placing data representative of the one customer station in the order while the SP station and the one customer station are in video and audio communication.

5. The system according to claim 4 and wherein the queuing device is operative to place data representative of the one customer station in the order again after the customer presence sensor ceases to sense the customer adjacent the one customer station subsequent to the one customer station and SP station being in communication, and thereafter again senses a customer.

6. A system comprising:

a service provider (SP) station including;

an SP visual display,

an SP CCTV camera,

an SP audio transmitting device and an SP audio receiving device,

an SP pneumatic tube carrier delivery and receiving device,

customer stations,

wherein at least one customer station of the customer stations includes;

a customer visual display, wherein the customer visual display is in operative connection with the SP CCTV camera,

a customer CCTV camera in operative connection with the SP visual display,

a customer audio transmitting device and a customer audio receiving device in operative connection with the SP audio receiving device and SP audio transmitting device, respectively,

a customer pneumatic tube carrier delivery and receiving device in operative connection with the SP pneumatic tube carrier delivery and receiving device, wherein a carrier is enabled to be selectively moved between the at least one customer station and the SP station,

a building,

wherein the building comprises an interior area which includes an interior wall extending therein,

wherein the SP station is housed in the interior area, wherein at least one component among the customer visual display, customer CCTV camera, customer audio transmitting device, customer audio receiving device, and customer carrier delivery and receiving device of the at least one customer station is positioned within the interior area in operatively supporting connection with the interior wall,

wherein a plurality of the customer stations are positioned within the interior area,

wherein each of the plurality of the customer stations includes;

a customer visual display, wherein the customer visual display is in operative connection with the SP station,

a customer CCTV camera in operative connection with the SP station,

a customer audio transmitting device in operative connection with the SP station,

a customer audio receiving device in operative connection with the SP station, and

a customer pneumatic tube carrier delivery and receiving device in operative connection with the SP station, wherein a carrier is enabled to be selectively moved between the respective customer station and the SP station.

7. A transaction system comprising:

a building,

wherein the building includes a fixed interior wall,

wherein the interior wall includes a support frame,

wherein the building includes a secure room,

a service provider (SP) station housed in the building,

wherein the SP station is housed inside the secure room,

wherein the SP station includes SP communication devices,

wherein the SP communication devices include an SP camera device,

wherein the SP camera device is operative to generate video material,

wherein the SP station includes at least one SP pneumatic tube carrier terminal,

a plurality of customer stations housed in the building,

wherein each customer station includes customer communication devices operatively connected to the SP communication devices, enabling two way audio and video communication between a customer at each respective customer station and an SP at the SP station,

wherein the customer communication devices include a customer display device,

wherein the customer display device is operatively supported by the frame,

wherein each respective customer station includes a customer pneumatic tube carrier terminal in operative connection with the at least one SP pneumatic tube carrier terminal, enabling a carrier to be pneumatically moved between each respective customer station and the SP station,

wherein each customer pneumatic tube carrier terminal is in operatively supporting connection with the interior wall,

wherein each respective customer station is located outside of the secure room,

wherein the plurality of customer stations include a first customer station,

a video material presenting device,

wherein the video material presenting device is operative to provide video material to each respective customer display device,

a video control device,

wherein the video control device controls presentation of video material at each respective customer display device,

wherein the video control device is operative to selectively present video material provided by the SP camera device at each respective customer display device,

wherein while a first customer at the first customer station is in two way audio and video communication with the SP at the SP station, the video control device causes video material provided by the SP camera device to be presented at the customer display device of the first customer station,

wherein the video control device is operative to selectively present video material provided by the video material presenting device at each respective customer display device,

wherein while the first customer at the first customer station is out of two way audio and video communication with the SP station, the video control device causes video material provided by the video material presenting device to be presented at the customer display device of the first customer station.

8. The transaction system according to claim 7 and further comprising a data store,

wherein the data store includes video material,

wherein the video material presenting device is in operative connection with the data store,

wherein the video material presenting device is operative to provide video material from the data store to each respective customer display device.

9. The transaction system according to claim 8

wherein the data store includes video material comprising advertising material,

wherein the video material presenting device is operative to provide advertising material from the data store to each respective customer display device.

10. The transaction system according to claim 7

wherein the video material presenting device is in operative connection with a video broadcast source,

wherein the video material presenting device is operative to provide video material from the video broadcast source to each respective customer display device.

11. The transaction system according to claim 7 and further comprising a movable user interface,

wherein the frame comprises a door frame,

wherein the user interface is operatively supported by the door frame,

wherein the user interface includes a display device opening,

wherein when the user interface is in an operative position, the display device is visible through the display device opening.