User interface for an SST

• US 9,019,089 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: McKenna, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Jack K
• Application Number:
  US13/828,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1, 345/168, 700/232, 705/43
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for assisting a user of a Self-Service Terminal (SST). The apparatus provides a user interface for an SST, comprising a media slot for dispensing and/or depositing a media item to a user, a pair of spaced apart edges extending across a substantial portion of the user interface and converging in the vicinity of a transaction activation region to provide a tactile path to assist the user in locating the transaction activation region, and an illuminated guide to provide a visual path to further assist the user in locating the transaction activation region.

Claims

1. A user interface for a Self-Service Terminal (SST), the user interface comprising:

a media slot for dispensing and/or depositing a media item to a user;

a pair of spaced apart edges extending across a substantial portion of the user interface and converging in the vicinity of a transaction activation region to provide a tactile path to assist the user in locating the transaction activation region, and wherein the pair of spaced apart edges is defined by an elongate recessed portion extending between the pair of spaced apart edges for directing a user towards the transaction activation region; and

an illuminated guide to provide a visual path to further assist the user in locating the transaction activation region.

2. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the illuminated guide comprises a plurality of illumination devices arranged along the elongate recessed portion.

3. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of illumination devices are arranged along each of the pair of spaced apart edges.

4. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of illumination devices are selectively illuminated in a predetermined sequence to direct a user towards the transaction activation region.

5. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one proximity sensor for sensing the proximity of a user and wherein the illuminated guide is activated in response to the at least one proximity sensor to thereby direct the user to the transaction activation region for initiating a user transaction.

6. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transaction activation region of the user interface comprises at least one sensor for sensing when a user has successfully navigated to the transaction activation region and wherein at least one tactile and/or visual cue is responsive to the at least one sensor to indicate the successful navigation to the user.

7. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transaction activation region comprises a media input opening and/or a media output opening.

8. The user interface as claimed in claim 7, wherein the transaction activation region comprises a contactless token reader.

9. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises at least one tactile, visual and/or audible cue operable to indicate a predetermined operating state of an SST and/or a change of operating state of an SST during a user initiated transaction.

10. The user interface as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one tactile, visual and/or audible cue is operable to indicate when a predetermined event has been successfully completed by a user and/or has been successfully started and/or completed by the SST.

11. The user interface as claimed in claim 10, wherein the predetermined event comprises one or more of the following:

reading a token, receiving a transaction, receiving at least one deposited media item at the SST, checking and/or confirming an accepted user transaction, notifying a user of a failed transaction, picking and/or collating media items in response to an accepted user transaction, and/or dispensing at least one media item to a user.

12. A method of assisting a user of a Self-Service Terminal (SST), comprising the steps of:

via a pair of edges extending across a substantial portion of a user interface of an SST wherein the pair of edges converge in the vicinity of a transaction activation region of the user interface, providing a tactile path to assist a user in locating the transaction activation region; and

via an illuminated guide of the user interface, providing a visual path to assist the user in locating the transaction activation region;

to thereby direct the user of the SST to the transaction interaction region of the user interface of the SST.

13. A method of guiding a customer through a transaction at an SST user interface that does not include a customer display, the method comprising:

providing a first visual cue at a token reader;

reading a token presented by the customer;

providing a second visual cue at the token reader to indicate to the customer that the token was successfully read by the SST;

providing a third visual cue at the token reader to indicate to the customer that the SST is authorizing a pre-staged transaction; and

providing a fourth visual cue at a media dispense region to indicate to the customer that the SST is dispensing media at the media dispense region.