Customized kiosk modes of operation

• US 9,824,368 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobres, Erick
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, JEFFREY P
• Application Number:
  US12/913,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20120110311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,582 Days
• Field of Search: 705 141- 146, 705 1411- 1473
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Techniques for customized kiosk modes of operation are provided. A kiosk is configured to recognize periods of operation that are slow, moderate, or busy. A number of factors can be used to automatically recognize these periods and change the periods on demand. For each type of period (slow, moderate, or busy), the kiosk uses a different customized mode of operation so as to optimally use the kiosk for the benefit of the kiosk owner, customers interfacing with the kiosk, and marketers selling advertisements via the kiosk.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of self-service devices configured to provide services in a travel environment, the self-service devices sharing information with each other regarding load usage;

each self-service device including one or more processors, and instructions for a executing a processor-implemented method of operating self-service device, the instructions programmed in a non-transitory processor-readable medium and configured to be executed as the method on the one or more processors, wherein each self-service device is configured to provide services including;

evaluating, by the self-service device, load usage factors at the self-service device, the evaluating of load usage factors including evaluating the rate of usage of other self-service devices that are associated with a network of the self-service device;

managing throughput of transactions on the self-service device by configuring a throughput mode of operation for the self-service device, the mode of operation selected using the load usage factors, wherein more services are available in a low throughput mode of operation than in a high throughput mode of operation, the low throughput mode corresponding to longer transaction times than the high throughput mode;

receiving information from a customer and determining a current schedule of the customer;

adjusting, by the self-service device, the throughput mode of operation based at least in part on the current schedule of the customer, the throughput mode being adjustable to increase throughput to reduce a particular transaction time for the customer while at the self-service device, and the throughput mode of operation not being adjustable to reduce throughput below the mode of operation selected using the load usage factors; and

interacting, by the self-service device, with the customer in the adjusted throughput mode of operation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein evaluating load usage factors further includes evaluating one or more of a preconfigured day of the week, a preconfigured calendar day, a preconfigured time of day, and preconfigured promotions for the enterprise.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein determining the current schedule of the customer includes comparing a time of day for a schedule event on an itinerary of the customer versus a current time of day during which the customer interacts with the self-service device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein evaluating further includes identifying at least one factor as a preference for a particular mode of operation of the self-service device, the preference defined in a profile for the customer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein identifying further includes using the preference to override remaining factors and to artificially set the load usage to ensure the mode of operation is the particular mode of operation defined in the preference.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein configuring further includes obtaining a set of interface screens for a transaction with the customer based on the adjusted mode of operation.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein obtaining further includes acquiring a predefined minimum number of interface screens for the set of interface screens when the load usage is identified as being above a threshold value, the predefined minimum is a minimum number of interface screens for completing the transaction.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein obtaining further includes acquiring a preconfigured number of extra interface screens beyond a predefined minimum number of interface screens for the set of interface screens that is beyond a minimum number of interface screens for completing the transaction when the load usage is below a threshold value.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein acquiring further includes selecting the preconfigured number based on ranges of how far below the load usage is below the threshold value.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein interacting further includes dynamically switching from the adjusted mode of operation to a different mode of operation based on responses supplied by the customer in response to initially interacting with the self-service device in the adjusted mode of operation.

11. A processor-implemented method programmed in a non-transitory processor-readable medium and to execute on one or more processors configured to execute the method, comprising:

identifying, by a self-service device, a customer interacting with the self-service device to complete a transaction, the customer providing identifying information to identify the customer when the customer initiates the transaction;

determining, by the self-service device, whether the customer has a registered profile having a preferred throughput mode of operation for interacting with the self-service device to complete the transaction;

resolving, by the self-service device, a current state of a physical environment of an enterprise having the self-service device when there is no preferred mode of operation for the self-service device identified via the profile, the current state also including a particular state of the self-service device and the rate of usage of other self-service devices that are associated with a network of the self-service device; and

setting, by the self-service device, the preferred throughput mode of operation when the preferred throughput mode of operation exists, and when the preferred mode of operation does not exist, selecting a particular throughput mode of operation for the self-service device to conduct the transaction with the customer based on the current state of the environment for the enterprise, and adjusting the preferred throughput mode of operation based on a schedule of the customer by altering a transaction time for the transaction, the throughput mode being adjustable to increase throughput to reduce a particular transaction time for the customer while at the self-service device, and the throughput mode of operation not being adjustable to reduce throughput below the mode of operation selected based on the current state of the environment.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein resolving further includes dynamically determining the current state of the physical environment based on:

current rate of usage for the self-service device, current rate of usage for other self-service devices in the physical environment, preconfigured time of day, preconfigured day of week, preconfigured holiday, unscheduled events, time remaining until a next item on an itinerary of the customer, current wait times expected in getting to the next item on the itinerary, estimated time for the customer to get to the next item on the itinerary, unplanned delays associated with the next item on the itinerary, and a type of item associated with the next item on the itinerary.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein dynamically determining further includes recognizing the unscheduled event as one or more of:

current or planned operations associated with the physical environment of the enterprise, current or planned weather conditions, natural disasters, and natural emergencies.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein dynamically determining further includes recognizing the unplanned delays as one or more of:

unexpected maintenance or delay on arriving equipment that is to be used with the next item on the itinerary, and unexpected added security measures to be deployed in getting to the next item on the itinerary.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein setting further includes selecting the particular mode of operation as one of:

a rush mode indicating the self-service device is to minimize transaction times for the transaction, a moderate mode indicating the self-service device can apply a predefined moderate level of marking in conducting the transaction, a slow mode indicating the self-service device can apply a predefined aggressive mode of marketing in conducting the transaction, and an irregular operations mode indicating the self-service device can engage in assisting the customer during the transaction to rework or modify the transaction based on unplanned events associated with a next item on an itinerary of the customer.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein setting further includes defining the preferred mode of operation based on selections for services included in the profile of the customer.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein setting further includes providing one or more services with the selected preferred mode of operation or with the selected particular mode of operation, the one or more services include:

a marketing survey;

a loyalty program enrollment;

marketing of on-site services in the physical environment of the enterprise;

ancillary marketing services for purchasing insurance, upgrades, lodging, rental cars, meals, and entertainment; and

informational messages for printing or displaying directions within the physical environment or offsite from the physical environment, discount offers for other services, and purchasing offers for the other services.

18. A system, comprising:

a kiosk having one or more processors; and

a mode-of-operation service programmed and residing in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executing on the one or more processors of the kiosk;

the kiosk configured to complete transactions with customers using multiple throughput modes of operation, the mode-of-operation service configured to dynamically select a particular throughput mode of operation for a particular customer during a particular transaction with the kiosk based on multiple factors that are dynamically evaluated by the mode-of-operation service before the particular customer approaches the kiosk for the particular transaction, wherein at least some factors are relevant to a current state of;

the kiosk, a physical environment of the kiosk, the rate of usage of other kiosks that are associated with a network of kiosk, and operations of an enterprise occurring within the physical environment, and wherein the particular throughput mode of operation is dynamically selected based on initial interaction with the particular customer at the start of the particular transaction and wherein the mode-of-operation service is further configured to adjust the particular throughput mode of operation based on a schedule of the particular customer by altering a transaction time for the particular transaction, the throughput mode being adjustable to increase throughput to reduce a particular transaction time for the particular customer while at the kiosk, and the throughput mode of operation not being adjustable to reduce throughput below the mode of operation selected before the particular customer approached the kiosk.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein factors include:

conditions associated with a physical environment of the enterprise having the kiosk, conditions associated with business operations of the enterprise, and predefined unexpected events dynamically discoverable by the mode-of-operation service.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the kiosk is configured to network with information systems of the enterprise and with other kiosks of the enterprise to identify and discover the conditions.