Machine out of service based on business hours

• US 8,387,874 B1
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Bohen, Daniel Christopher, Folk, Amy Baker, Johnson, Shane Anthony, Sanders, William Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US12/323,031
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/376, 235/379, 235/380, 235/383, 705/1.1, 705/43
• US Class Current: 235/382.5
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/20 Controlling or monitoring the operation of devices; Data handling
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/209 Monitoring, auditing or diagnose of functioning of ATMs

Abstract

An aspect of the invention provides methods, computer media, and apparatuses to support the administration of a cash recycler system. An administrator sets hours of operation for the cash recycler system during which a user can access a cash handling device in the cash recycler system. The cash recycler system may be configured according to an operating time setting to operate between a beginning time and a terminating time, where the operating time setting may specify a periodic operating time for a specified day of the week. Access to the recycler system may be restricted based on identification information from a user and may be restricted only to an administrator outside configured operating hours. The recycler system may receive a calendar entry corresponding to a time period of operation and may override a periodic operating time by the time period contained in the calendar entry.

Claims

1. A computer-assisted method comprising:

configuring, by a processor and based on a received input, an operating time setting of a cash recycler system to operate between a first beginning time and a first terminating time;

subsequent to the configuring, overriding the operating time setting of the cash recycler system with a time period included in a calendar entry;

supporting, by the processor with an operating environment, a first request from a user at the cash recycler system only between the first beginning time and the first terminating time specifying a scheduled time; and

rejecting, by the processor with the operating environment and without servicing intervention at the cash recycler system, a second request from the user at the cash recycler system that does not occur during the scheduled time, wherein the first and second requests initiate one of an acceptance of cash and a dispensing of cash.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reconfiguring the operating time of the cash recycler system to operate between a second beginning time and a second terminating time; and

supporting a third request from the user at the cash recycler system only between the second beginning time and the second terminating time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating time setting specifies a periodic operating time for a specified day of a week.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

overriding the operating time setting of the cash register system with an adjusted hours of operation for at least one holiday.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

restricting access to the cash recycler system based on identification information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identification information includes a password.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the identification information includes a biometric characteristic.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

restricting access to the cash recycler system for outside operating hours only to an administrator, wherein the operating hours are configured according to the operating time setting; and

allowing the administrator to modify the operating hours.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the user attempts to access the cash recycler system, generating an error message to the user, wherein the user does not have administrative permission.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating an alert message about the attempted access.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying administrative display objects only when the cash recycler system is accessed by an administrator.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring an inactive time setting of the cash recycler system to operate between the first beginning time and the first terminating time; and

denying access to the cash recycler system by the user during the inactive time.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a calendar display including the calendar entry; and

receiving the calendar entry, wherein the calendar entry corresponds to the time period of operation of the cash recycler system.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the operating setting of the cash recycler system with a periodic operating time for a specified day of a week.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

when the calendar entry corresponds to a holiday having a fixed day of the year, repeating the time period in the calendar entry for a subsequent year.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to perform, based on instructions stored in the memory;

configuring, based on a received input, an operating time setting of a cash recycler system to operate between a first beginning time and a first terminating time;

subsequent to the configuring, overriding the operating time setting of the cash recycler system with a time period included in a calendar entry;

supporting a first request from a user at the cash recycler system with an operating environment only between the first beginning time and the first terminating time specifying a scheduled time; and

rejecting, without servicing intervention at the apparatus, a second request from the user at the cash recycler system with the operating environment that does not occur during the scheduled time, wherein the first and second requests initiate one of an acceptance of cash and a dispensing of cash.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

reconfiguring the operating time of the cash recycler system to operate between a second beginning time and a second terminating time; and

supporting a third request from the user at the cash recycler system only between the second beginning time and the second terminating time.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the operating time setting specifies a periodic operating time for a specified day of a week.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

restricting access to the cash recycler system based on identification information.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

restricting access to the cash recycler system for outside operating hours only to an administrator, wherein the operating hours are configured according to the operating time setting; and

allowing the administrator to modify the operating hours.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

when the user attempts to access the cash recycler system, generating an error message to the user, wherein the user does not have administrative permission.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

displaying administrative display objects only when the cash recycler system is accessed by an administrator.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

displaying a calendar display; and

receiving a calendar entry, wherein the calendar entry corresponds to a time period of operation of the cash recycler system.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

configuring the operating setting of the cash recycler system with a periodic operating time for a specified day of a week; and

subsequent to the configuring with the periodic operating time, overriding the operating setting of the cash recycler system with the time period included in the calendar entry.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method comprising:

configuring, based on a received input, an operating time setting of a cash recycler system to operate between a first beginning time and a first terminating time;

subsequent to the configuring, overriding the operating time setting of the cash recycler system with a time period included in a calendar entry;

supporting a first request from a user at the cash recycler system with an operating environment only between the first beginning time and the first terminating time specifying a scheduled time; and

rejecting, without servicing intervention at the cash recycler system, a second request from the user at the cash recycler system that does not occur during the scheduled time, wherein the first and second requests initiate one of an acceptance of cash and a dispensing of cash.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, said method further comprising:

reconfiguring the operating time of the cash recycler system to operate between a second beginning time and a second terminating time; and

supporting a third request from the user at the cash recycler system only between the second beginning time and the second terminating time.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the operating time setting specifies a periodic operating time for a specified day of a week.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, said method further comprising:

restricting access to the cash recycler system based on identification information.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, said method further comprising:

restricting access to the cash recycler system outside operating hours only to an administrator, wherein the operating hours are configured according to the operating time setting; and

allowing the administrator to modify the operating hours.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, said method further comprising:

when the user attempts to access the cash recycler system, generating an error message to the user, wherein the user does not have administrative permission.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, said method further comprising:

displaying administrative display objects only when the cash recycler system is accessed by an administrator.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, said method further comprising:

displaying a calendar display; and

receiving a calendar entry, wherein the calendar entry corresponds to a time period of operation of the cash recycler system.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, said method further comprising:

configuring the operating setting of the cash register system with a periodic operating time for a specified day of a week; and

subsequent to the configuring with the periodic operating time, overriding the operating setting of the cash recycler system with the time period included in the calendar entry.