Time analysis at a banking system controlled by data bearing records

• US 8,403,213 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2011
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gromley, Neil, Cairns, Dustin, Lawver, Mike, Reese, Rodney J., Harroff, B. Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Savusdiphol, Paultep
• Application Number:
  US13/136,767
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/379, 235/380
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/209 Monitoring, auditing or diagnose of functioning of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/00 Alarm indicators, e.g. bells

Abstract

A banking system controlled responsive to data bearing records utilizes a communication system in acquiring, communicating, and/or processing time analysis data related to the duration of financial transaction activity in a drive-through lane of a bank facility. Vehicle sensors sense arrival and departure of vehicles in the drive-through lane. The system can calculate and store time data corresponding to each vehicle.

Claims

1. A system operative to acquire analysis metrics involving transaction times at a facility operable to accomplish financial transactions responsive at least in part to data read from data bearing records, comprising:

a banking facility, wherein the banking facility includes;

an automated banking machine,

wherein the machine is operative to carry out financial transactions,

wherein the machine includes a cash dispenser,

wherein the machine includes at least one reader device,

wherein the at least one reader device is operative to read from at least one data bearing record, user data usable to identify a financial account of a machine user,

 

wherein the at least one reader device includes a card reader,

wherein responsive at least in part to user data read by the at least one reader device substantially corresponding to authorized user information in at least one data store, the machine is operative to carry out a financial transaction that involves causing the cash dispenser to dispense cash to the machine user,

 

wherein the machine is operative to cause a financial account of the machine user to be assessed an amount corresponding to cash dispensed,

at least one drive-through lane,

at least one transaction apparatus usable to exchange items with persons in vehicles that are located in the at least one drive-through lane at a position adjacent the at least one transaction apparatus,

at least one vehicle sensor associated with the at least one drive-through lane,

wherein the at least one vehicle sensor includes at least one magnetic field sensor,

wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is operative to generate at least one output signal indicative of sensed magnetic field intensity,

a controller,

wherein the controller is operatively connected to the at least one vehicle sensor;

wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is operative to send the at least one output signal to the controller,

wherein the controller is operative to process the at least one output signal,

wherein the controller is operative,

 

responsive to an absolute value of an output signal substantially corresponding to a predetermined magnetic field entry amount associated with entry of a front end of a first vehicle in a first drive-through lane at a position adjacent a first transaction apparatus,

to generate a vehicle present signal that is indicative of the presence of the first vehicle at the position adjacent the first transaction apparatus,

wherein the controller is operative to deactivate the vehicle present signal when the absolute value of a subsequent output signal associated with a position adjacent the first transaction apparatus, decreases from the predetermined magnetic field entry amount to a predetermined magnetic field exit amount,

wherein prior to a rear end of the first vehicle being sensed at a position adjacent the first transaction apparatus by the at least one vehicle sensor, the predetermined magnetic field exit amount is a first predetermined magnetic field amount,

 

wherein the first predetermined magnetic field amount is greater than an ambient magnetic field amount at the position adjacent the first transaction apparatus when no vehicle is present at the position adjacent the first transaction apparatus,

wherein subsequent to the rear end of the first vehicle being sensed at a position adjacent the first transaction apparatus by the at least one vehicle sensor, the predetermined magnetic field exit amount is a second predetermined magnetic field amount,

 

wherein the second predetermined magnetic field amount is greater than the first predetermined magnetic field amount.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one reader device includes a biometric reader,

wherein the automated banking machine includes at least one computer,

wherein the at least one computer is operative during a transaction to

cause card data to be read from a customer card through operation of the card reader, and

cause biometric data to be read from a customer through operation of the biometric reader,

wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the read card data to be compared with card information stored in an authorized machine user information data store,

wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the read biometric data to be compared with biometric information stored in the authorized machine user information data store,

wherein a customer is authorized to request a financial transaction that involves operation of the cash dispenser responsive at least in part to both

computer-determined correspondence between the read card data and stored card information,

computer-determined correspondence between the read biometric data and stored biometric information, and

computer-determined association between the read card data and the read biometric data.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the banking facility is part of a banking arrangement that includes a plurality of automated banking machines.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the banking facility includes an interior area, wherein the interior area includes a telephone system.

5. The system of claim 4 and further comprising:

at least one telephone switching interface apparatus in operative connection with the at least one vehicle sensor and the telephone system,

at least one facility processor in operative connection with the telephone system and at least one data store,

wherein the at least one facility processor is operative to

determine at least one time value corresponding to generation of the first vehicle present signal, and

cause the at least one time value to be stored in the at least one data store.

6. The system of claim 1 and further comprising:

wherein the controller is operative to cause a first time value corresponding to generation of the first vehicle present signal, to be stored in at least one data store,

wherein the controller is operative to cause a second time value corresponding to deactivation of the first vehicle present signal, to be stored in the at least one data store.

7. A system operative to acquire analysis metrics involving transaction times at a facility operable to accomplish financial transactions responsive at least in part to data read from data bearing records, comprising:

a transaction facility, wherein the facility includes;

a transaction machine that is usable to carry out financial transactions,

at least one reader,

wherein the at least one reader is operative to read customer data usable to identify a financial account,

wherein the facility is configured to carry out a financial transaction involving a financial account associated with an authorized customer, responsive at least in part to computer-determined correspondence between customer data read by the at least one reader and the financial account,

at least one drive-through lane,

at least one transaction apparatus usable to exchange items with persons in vehicles that are located in the at least one drive-through lane at a position adjacent the at least one transaction apparatus,

at least one vehicle sensor,

wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is operative to generate at least one output signal indicative of sensed conditions associated with the at least one drive-through lane,

wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is operative to generate a first output signal indicative of the presence of a first portion of a first vehicle in a first drive-through lane at a position adjacent a first transaction apparatus,

wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is operative to generate a second output signal indicative of the presence of a second portion of the first vehicle in the first drive-through lane at a position adjacent the first transaction apparatus,

wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is operative to generate a third output signal indicative of the absence of the first vehicle in the first drive-through lane at a position adjacent the first transaction apparatus,

wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is operative to generate an ambient output signal corresponding to no vehicle being in the first drive-through lane at a position adjacent the first transaction apparatus,

a controller,

wherein the controller includes at least one processor,

wherein the controller is operatively connected to the at least one vehicle sensor,

wherein the controller is operative to process the output signals generated the at least one vehicle sensor,

wherein the controller is operative to respectively correspond absolute values of the output signals to amounts,

 

wherein an absolute value of the first output signal corresponds to a first predetermined amount,

 

wherein an absolute value of the ambient output signal corresponds to an ambient amount,

wherein the controller is operative to generate a first vehicle present signal, responsive to receiving the first output signal,

wherein the controller is operative after receiving the second output signal, to deactivate the first vehicle present signal responsive to the second output signal having an absolute value that corresponds to a second predetermined amount,

wherein the second predetermined amount is less than the first predetermined amount,

wherein the controller is operative prior to receiving the second output signal, to deactivate the first vehicle present signal responsive to the third output signal having an absolute value that corresponds to a third predetermined amount,

wherein the third predetermined amount is less than the second predetermined amount, and

wherein the third predetermined amount is greater than the ambient amount.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the at least one reader device includes a card reader, wherein the card reader operative to read card data corresponding to financial accounts from user cards.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the first vehicle includes a front end and a rear end, wherein the first portion of the first vehicle includes the front end and the second portion of the first vehicle includes the rear end.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is operative to sense magnetic field intensity and generate at least one output signal indicative of sensed magnetic field intensity.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the banking facility includes an interior area, wherein the interior area includes a telephone system.

12. The system of claim 11 and further comprising:

at least one telephone switching interface apparatus in operative connection with the at least one vehicle sensor and the telephone system,

at least one facility processor in operative connection with the telephone system and at least one data store,

wherein the at least one facility processor is operative to

determine at least one time value corresponding to generation of the first vehicle present signal, and

cause the at least one time value to be stored in the at least one data store.

13. The system of claim 7 and further comprising:

wherein the controller is operative to cause a first time value corresponding to generation of the first vehicle present signal, to be stored in at least one data store,

wherein the controller is operative to cause a second time value corresponding to deactivation of the first vehicle present signal, to be stored in the at least one data store.

14. Apparatus comprising:

a vehicle detection arrangement associated with a financial transaction facility including at least one drive-through lane comprising a first drive-through lane,

wherein the vehicle detection arrangement includes at least one vehicle sensor,

wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is operative to sense levels of magnetic field intensity adjacent a first position in the first drive-through lane,

wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is operative to sense an ambient level of magnetic field intensity adjacent the first position,

wherein the vehicle detection arrangement includes a controller,

wherein the controller includes at least one processor,

wherein the controller is in operative connection with the at least one vehicle sensor,

wherein the controller is operative to determine whether a level of magnetic field intensity sensed by the at least one vehicle sensor corresponds to a front portion of a vehicle being adjacent the first position,

wherein the controller is operative to cause activation of a vehicle present signal, responsive to a determination that a vehicle front portion level of magnetic field intensity was sensed,

wherein the controller is operative to determine whether a level of magnetic field intensity sensed by the at least one vehicle sensor corresponds to a rear portion of the vehicle being adjacent the first position,

wherein the controller is operative to cause deactivation of the vehicle present signal responsive to a controller decision that the vehicle is no longer adjacent the first position,

wherein with a determination that the rear portion of the vehicle was adjacent the first position, then the decision requires a sensing by the at least one vehicle sensor of a first level of magnetic field intensity that corresponds to a first predetermined decrease from the vehicle front portion level of magnetic field intensity,

wherein without a determination that the rear portion of the vehicle was adjacent the first position, then the decision requires a sensing by the at least one vehicle sensor of a second level of magnetic field intensity that corresponds to a second predetermined decrease from the vehicle front portion level of magnetic field intensity,

 

wherein the second level of magnetic field intensity is less than the first level of magnetic field intensity,

 

wherein the second level of magnetic field intensity is greater than the ambient level of magnetic field intensity,

 

wherein the second predetermined decrease is greater than the first predetermined decrease,

 

wherein the greater decrease allows for a level of magnetic field intensity to be sensed by the at least one vehicle sensor which corresponds to a middle portion of the vehicle being adjacent the first position, without causing deactivation of the vehicle present signal.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14

wherein the financial transaction facility includes:

an automated banking machine operable to carry out financial transactions,

wherein the machine includes a cash dispenser,

wherein the machine includes at least one reader,

wherein the at least one reader is operative to read user data usable to identify a financial account,

wherein the machine is operable to carry out a financial transaction involving a financial account associated with an authorized machine user, responsive at least in part to computer-determined correspondence between user data read by the at least one reader and the financial account.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the vehicle includes a front end and a rear end, wherein the front portion comprises the front end and the rear portion comprises the rear end.

17. Apparatus comprising:

a vehicle detection arrangement associated with a financial transaction facility including at least one drive-through lane comprising a first drive-through lane,

wherein the vehicle detection arrangement includes at least one vehicle sensor,

wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is operative to sense magnetic field intensity adjacent a first position in the first drive-through lane,

wherein the vehicle detection arrangement includes a controller,

wherein the controller includes at least one processor,

wherein the controller is in operative connection with the at least one vehicle sensor,

wherein the controller is operative to determine whether magnetic field intensity sensed by the at least one vehicle sensor is within either;

(i) a high intensity range,

 

wherein the high intensity range is indicative of a first vehicle being adjacent the first position,

(ii) a middle intensity range,

 

wherein the middle intensity range is indicative of the first vehicle leaving the first position,

(iii) a low intensity range,

 

wherein the low intensity range is indicative of the first vehicle being no longer present at the first position, or

(iv) an ambient intensity range,

 

wherein the ambient intensity range is indicative of no vehicle being present at the first position,

 

wherein the ambient intensity range is less than the low intensity range, which is less than the middle intensity range, which is less than the high intensity range,

wherein the controller is operable to sequentially determine;

that a front portion of the first vehicle is adjacent the first position, responsive to a first (i) being sensed, then

that a rear portion of the first vehicle is adjacent the first position, responsive to a second (i) being sensed, and then

that the first vehicle is no longer present at the first position, responsive to (ii) being sensed,

wherein the controller is also operable to sequentially determine;

that the first vehicle is adjacent the first position, responsive to a first (i) being sensed, and then

that the first vehicle is no longer present at the first position, responsive to (iii) being sensed prior to any sensing of a second (i).

18. The apparatus according to claim 17

wherein the financial transaction facility includes:

an automated banking machine operable to carry out financial transactions,

wherein the machine includes a cash dispenser,

wherein the machine includes at least one reader,

wherein the at least one reader is operative to read user data usable to identify a financial account,

wherein the machine is operable to carry out a financial transaction involving a financial account associated with an authorized machine user, responsive at least in part to computer-determined correspondence between user data read by the at least one reader and the financial account.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the first vehicle includes a front end and a rear end, wherein the front portion comprises the front end and the rear portion comprises the rear end.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17

wherein the controller is operative to determine whether magnetic field intensity sensed by the at least one vehicle sensor is within

(v) an intermediate intensity range,

wherein the intermediate intensity range is indicative of a middle portion of the first vehicle being adjacent the first position,

wherein the controller is operable to sequentially determine:

that a front portion of the first vehicle is adjacent the first position, responsive to (i) being sensed, then

that a middle portion of the first vehicle is adjacent the first position, responsive to (v) being sensed, then

that a rear portion of the first vehicle is adjacent the first position, responsive to a second (i) being sensed, and then

that the first vehicle is no longer present at the first position, responsive to (iv) being sensed.