Cash supply chain notifications

• US 8,550,338 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Nichols, Michelle, Atwood, Todd, Heddleson, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mikels, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US12/262,908
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1481 with optical detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2402 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting mechanical aspects of the tags, e.g. related to locking E05B73/0017; RFID readers G06K7/00; RFID tags G06K19/00; access control systems G07C9/00; anti-theft control in point of sale systems G07G3/003; security seals G09F3/03

Abstract

An aspect of the invention provides methods, computer media, and apparatuses to generate notifications to verify processing of a deposit or change order along a cash supply chain. A user is provided automated alerts that are responsive to detected events, where an event may correspond to an occurrence happening or an occurrence not happening within a predetermined duration. Notification settings may be configured based on a user input. Based on the notification settings, status information is monitored from stages along the cash supply chain. When a corresponding event is detected, a notification is automatically sent to the user over a communications channel.

Claims

1. A computer-assisted method comprising:

configuring a notification setting, wherein the notification setting specifies an event type of a future event for transporting a monetary package through a cash supply chain;

monitoring status information representing a status of the monetary package at a selected stage in the cash supply chain;

detecting a first event in the cash supply chain based on the status information; and

generating, by a computing device, a first notification responsive to the first event being detected and based on the notification setting; and

determining a selected recipient of the first notification from a plurality of recipients based on the event type of the first event, wherein the selected recipient is a non-participant during the first event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises:

generating the first notification such that the notification identifies the first event.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

scheduling a second event corresponding to one of the cash supply chain stages;

determining whether the second event does not occur as scheduled; and

generating a second notification responsive to the second event not occurring as scheduled.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification setting comprises a notification type.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification setting comprises a predetermined duration.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises:

providing the notification about the event to a user via the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first event corresponds to an absence of the monetary package at the selected cash supply chain stage.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first event corresponds to an occurrence of a receipt of the monetary package at the selected cash supply chain stage.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first event corresponds to an occurrence of a transfer of the monetary package from the selected cash supply chain stage.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first event is the monetary package changing custody.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first event is a pickup of the monetary package by an armored carrier.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first event is a transfer of the monetary package to a barn of an armored carrier.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first event is a transfer of the monetary package to a cash vault.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification setting indicates that the first notification comprises an e-mail.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification setting indicates that the first notification comprises a telephone call.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification setting indicates that the first notification comprises a short message service (SMS) message.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the first notification includes a suggestion to a customer.

24. The method of claim 3, wherein the second event occurs after the monetary package has entered the cash supply chain and at a location along the cash supply chain that is different from the first event.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when a second event has not occurred within a predetermined time duration, generating an associated notification; and

when the second event has subsequently occurred, generating a subsequent notification indicative that the second event has occurred.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a memory;

a communications interface; and

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

configuring a notification setting;

monitoring status information representing a status of a monetary package at a selected stage in a cash supply chain;

detecting a first event in the cash supply chain based on the status information; and

generating a first notification responsive to the first event being detected and based on the notification setting;

determining a selected recipient of the first notification from a plurality of recipients based on an event type of the first event, wherein the selected recipient is a non-participant during the first event;

responsive to determining that a second event has not occurred within a predetermined time duration, generating an associated notification; and

responsive to determining that the second event has subsequently occurred, generating a subsequent notification indicative that the second event has occurred.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the generating comprises:

generating the first notification such that the notification identifies the first event.

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

scheduling a second event corresponding to one of the cash supply chain stages;

determining whether the second event does not occur as scheduled; and

generating a second notification responsive to the second event not occurring as scheduled.

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

specifying, in a notification setting, an event type for a future event during transporting a monetary package through a cash supply chain;

monitoring status information representing a status of the monetary package at a selected stage in the cash supply chain;

detecting a first event in the cash supply chain based on the status information; and

generating a first notification responsive to the first event being detected and based on the notification setting;

determining a selected recipient of the first notification from a plurality of recipients based on the event type of the first event, wherein the selected recipient is a non-participant during the first event.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the generating comprises:

generating the first notification such that the notification identifies the first event.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein:

scheduling a second event corresponding to one of the cash supply chain stages;

determining whether the second event does not occur as scheduled; and

generating a second notification responsive to the second event not occurring as scheduled.