Self-service terminal firmware visibility

• US 8,549,512 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2009
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Vannatter, Timothy B., Fitzgerald, Richard L., Crowley, Stephen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mamo, Elias
• Application Number:
  US12/484,487
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/209 Monitoring, auditing or diagnose of functioning of ATMs

Abstract

A server that remotely monitors an Automated Teller Machine (“ATM”) is provided. The server includes a memory module for maintaining information including identification of software applications resident on the self-service device, identification of firmware applications resident on the self-service device, and identification of the hardware resident on the self-service device. The server also includes a communications module for receiving updates of the identification of software applications resident on the self-service device, updates of the identification of firmware applications resident on the self-service device, and updates of identification of the hardware resident on the self-service device. The server may also include a processing module for storing in the memory module the updates of the identification of software applications resident on the self-service device, the updates of identification of firmware applications resident on the self-service device, and the updates of identification of the hardware resident on the self-service device.

Claims

1. A server that remotely monitors an Automated Teller Machine (“

ATM”

), the server comprising;

a memory module for maintaining information including identification of software applications resident on the ATM, identification of firmware applications resident on the ATM, and identification of hardware resident on the ATM;

the memory module further for storing an electronic file comprising a history of updates of identification of software applications resident on the ATM, updates of identification of firmware applications resident on the ATM, and updates of identification of hardware resident on the ATM;

a communications module for receiving an update of the identification of one or more of the software applications resident on the ATM, an update of the identification of one or more of the firmware applications resident on the ATM, and/or an update of the identification of one or more of the hardware resident on the ATM;

a processing module for storing in the memory module the one or more received updates; and

a transmitter, the transmitter configured to, in response to the processing module identifying a fault at the ATM, transmit information to the ATM that initiates a self-healing process at the ATM, the self-healing process including restoring at least one software application and/or firmware application to a version of the at least one software application and/or a version of the at least one firmware application that was resident on the ATM prior to the receipt of the one or more updates, the version of the at least one software application and/or the version of the at least one firmware application being identified in the electronic file comprising the history of updates of the identification of the at least one software application and/or firmware application.

2. The server of claim 1 further comprising a monitoring module for monitoring the operational status of the software applications, the operational status of the firmware applications, and the operational status of the hardware.

3. The server of claim 1 wherein the memory module is further configured for maintaining information including configuration parameters associated with software applications resident on the ATM, configuration parameters associated with firmware applications resident on the ATM, and configuration parameters associated with the hardware resident on the ATM.

4. The server of claim 3, wherein the processor module is configured to send an electronic notification to a technician workstation in response to a determination that at least one of the software applications, at least one of the hardware applications and at least one of the firmware applications is operating outside of a predetermined configuration parameter.

5. The server of claim 1 further comprising a monitoring module for monitoring the operational status of a Base24 software application running on the server.

6. The server of claim 1 wherein the communications module is further configured for receiving a software manifest of a remote ATM.

7. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor on a computer system, perform a method for remotely monitoring an Automated Teller Machine (“

ATM”

), the method comprising;

maintaining information in a remote database, the information including;

identification of software applications resident on the ATM, identification of firmware applications resident on the ATM, and identification of hardware resident on the ATM; and

an electronic file comprising a history of updates of identification of software applications resident on the ATM, updates of identification of firmware applications resident on the ATM, and updates of identification of hardware resident on the ATM;

receiving an update of the identification of one or more of the software applications resident on the ATM, an update of the identification of one or more of the firmware applications resident on the ATM, and/or an update of the identification of one or more of the hardware resident on the ATM;

a processing module for storing in the remote database the one or more received updates; and

a transmitter, the transmitter configured to, in response to the processing module identifying a fault at the ATM, transmit information to the ATM that initiates a self-healing process at the ATM, the self-healing process including restoring at least one software application and/or firmware application to a version of the at least one software application and/or a version of the at least one firmware application that was resident on the ATM prior to the receipt of the one or more updates, the version of the at least one software application and/or the version of the at least one firmware application being identified in the electronic file comprising the history of updates of the identification of the at least one software application and/or firmware application.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising monitoring the operational status of the software applications, the operational status of the firmware applications, and the operational status of the hardware.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising maintaining information including configuration parameters associated with software applications resident on the ATM, configuration parameters associated with firmware applications resident on the ATM, and configuration parameters associated with the hardware resident on the ATM.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising transmitting an electronic notification in a response to a determination that the software is operating outside a predetermined configuration parameter.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising monitoring the operational status of a Base24 software application running on the server.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving a software manifest of a remote ATM.

13. A method for remotely monitoring an Automated Teller Machine (“

ATM”

), the method comprising;

maintaining information in a remote database, the information including;

identification of software applications resident on the ATM, identification of firmware applications resident on the ATM, and identification of hardware resident on the ATM; and

an electronic file comprising a history of updates of identification of software applications resident on the ATM, updates of identification of firmware applications resident on the ATM, and updates of identification of hardware resident on the ATM;

receiving an update of the identification of one or more of the software applications resident on the ATM, an update of the identification of one or more of the firmware applications resident on the ATM, and/or an update of the identification of one or more of the hardware resident on the ATM;

storing the one or more received updates; and

transmitting, in response to identifying a fault at the ATM, information to the ATM that initiates a self-healing process at the ATM, the self-healing process including restoring at least one software application and/or firmware application to a version of the at least one software application and/or a version of the at least one firmware application that was resident on the ATM prior to the receipt of the one or more updates, the version of the at least one software application and/or the version of the at least one firmware application being identified in the electronic file comprising the history of updates of the identification of the at least one software application and/or firmware application.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising monitoring the operational status of the software applications, the operational status of the firmware applications, and the operational status of the hardware.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising maintaining information including configuration parameters associated with software applications resident on the ATM, configuration parameters associated with firmware applications resident on the ATM, and configuration parameters associated with the hardware resident on the ATM.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising transmitting an electronic notification in a response to a determination that the software is operating outside a predetermined configuration parameter.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising monitoring the operational status of a Base24 software application running on the server.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising receiving a software manifest of a remote ATM.