Systems and methods for predicting and increasing the threat level at ATM centers prior to alarm event detection

• US 9,953,518 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2017
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bhat, Pathanjali N.
• Primary Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US15/658,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20180033292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 340540, 340541
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/203 Dispensing operations within ATMs dispensing in general G07D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data

Abstract

Systems and methods for predicting and increasing the threat level at ATM centers prior to alarm event detection are provided. Some methods can include receiving a first signal from an ATM machine indicative of whether the ATM machine dispenses cash, receiving a second signal from a people counter indicative of persons entering or exiting a region in which the ATM machine is located, and responsive to the first signal or the second signal, determining whether to increase a threat level associated with the ATM machine irrespective of detecting an alarm event associated with the ATM machine.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first signal from an ATM machine indicative of whether the ATM machine dispenses cash;

receiving a second signal from a people counter indicative of persons entering or exiting a region in which the ATM machine is located; and

responsive to the first signal or the second signal, determining whether to increase a threat level associated with the ATM machine irrespective of detecting an alarm event associated with the ATM machine.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing the threat level associated with the ATM machine when the first signal from the ATM machine indicates that the ATM machine dispensed cash and the second signal from the people counter indicates that more than one person is in the region in which the ATM machine is located.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

increasing the threat level to a maximum severity threat level; and

soliciting immediate operator attention to the ATM machine.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing the threat level associated with the ATM machine when the first signal from the ATM machine indicates that the ATM machine dispensed cash and the second signal from the people counter indicates that a single person is located in the region in which the ATM machine is located for a predetermined period of time after the ATM machine dispensed cash.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

increasing the threat level to a high severity threat level; and

notifying an operator about the high severity threat level associated with the ATM machine.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing the threat level associated with the ATM machine when the second signal from the people counter indicates that a person is in the region in which the ATM machine is located for a predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

increasing the threat level to a high severity threat level; and

notifying an operator about the high severity threat level associated with the ATM machine.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising increasing the threat level irrespective of the first signal from the ATM machine.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining the threat level associated with the ATM machine at a current threat level when the second signal from the people counter indicates that a single person exits the region in which the ATM machine is located within a predetermined period of time of the single person entering the region in which the ATM machine is located or within the predetermined period of time from when the first signal from the ATM machine indicates the ATM dispensed cash.

10. A system comprising:

a people counter in a region in which an ATM machine is located;

a transceiver device;

a programmable processor; and

executable control software stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium,

wherein the transceiver device receives a first signal from the people counter indicative of persons entering or exiting the region, and

wherein, responsive to the first signal, the programmable processor and the executable control software determine whether to increase a threat level associated with the ATM machine irrespective of detecting an alarm event associated with the ATM machine.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software increase the threat level associated with the ATM machine when the first signal from the people counter indicates that a person is in the region for a predetermined period of time.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software increase the threat level to a high severity threat level and cause a notification signal to be transmitted to an operator indicative of the high severity threat level associated with the ATM machine.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software increase the threat level irrespective of whether the ATM machine has dispensed cash.

14. The system of claim 10 further comprising the ATM machine, wherein the transceiver device receives a second signal from the ATM machine indicative of whether the ATM dispenses cash, and wherein, responsive to the first signal and the second signal, the programmable processor and the executable control software determine whether to increase the threat level associated with the ATM machine.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software increase the threat level associated with the ATM machine when the first signal from the people counter indicates that more than one person is in the region and the second signal from the ATM machine indicates that the ATM machine dispensed cash.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software increase the threat level to a maximum severity threat level and cause a solicitation signal to be emitted to solicit immediate operator attention to the ATM machine.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software increase the threat level associated with the ATM machine when the first signal from the people counter indicates that a single person is located in the region of the ATM machine for a predetermined period of time after the second signal indicates the ATM machine dispensed cash.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software increase the threat level to a high severity threat level and cause a notification signal to be transmitted to an operator indicative of the high severity threat level associated with the ATM machine.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software maintain the threat level associated with the ATM machine at a current level when the first signal from the people counter indicates that a single person exits the region in which the ATM machine is located within a predetermined period of time of the single person entering the region in which the ATM machine is located or within the predetermined period of time from when the first signal from the ATM machine indicates the ATM dispensed cash.

20. The system of claim 10 wherein the people counter includes first and second bidirectional infrared sensors monitoring a door to the region, wherein the first bidirectional infrared sensor detects a person entering the region, and wherein the second bidirectional infrared sensor detects the person exiting the region.