Method of using an automated banking machine

• US 20030154167A1
• Filed: 08/19/2002
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Drummond, Jay Paul, Blackson, Dale, Smith, Mark D., Weis, David W., Cichon, Bob A., Moales, Mark A., Ess, Joseph C., Church, James
• Granted Patent: US 6,839,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/43
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/206 Software aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/211 Software architecture within ATMs or in relation to the ATM network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 : Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 : Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 : Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 : for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols

Abstract

An automated banking machine (12) is operative to conduct transactions in response to HTML documents and TCP/IP messages exchanged with a local computer system (14) through an intranet (16), as well as in response to messages exchanged with foreign servers (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 96) in a wide area network (18). The banking machine includes a computer (34) having an HTML document handling portion (76, 80, 82). The HTML document handling portion is operative to communicate through a proxy server (88), with a home HTTP server (90) in the intranet or the foreign servers in the wide area network. The computer further includes a device application portion (84) which interfaces with the HTML document handling portion and dispatches messages to operate devices (36) in the automated banking machine. The devices include a sheet dispenser mechanism (42) which dispenses currency as well as other transaction devices. The device application portion communicates with a device interfacing software portion (64) in the banking machine through a device server (92) in the intranet. The device server maintains local control over the devices in the banking machine including the sheet dispenser. The banking machine operates to read indicia on the user'"'"'s card corresponding to a system address. The computer is operative to connect the banking machine to the home or foreign server corresponding to the system address, which connected server operates the banking machine until the completion of transactions by the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) checking to determine whether a document address is operative to enable transferring at least one HTTP record corresponding to the address, with a computer operating in an automated banking machine; and

(b) responsive to determining with the computer program in step (a) that the address is operative, transferring the one HTTP record to the computer operating in the automated banking machine.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein in step (a) the HTTP record includes an HTML document and wherein step (b) includes accessing the HTML document with a browser operative in the computer of the automated banking machine.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein responsive to determining in step (a) that the address is not operative, step (b) is not executed, and further comprising the step of:

(c) responsive to determining in step (a) that the address is not operative, transferring at least one alternative HTTP record to the computer from an alternative address.

4. The method according to claim 3 and prior to the step (c) further comprising the step of:

(d) checking to determine whether the alternative address is operative to enable transferring the at least one alternative HTTP record with the computer operating in the machine, wherein step (c) is executed responsive to determining that the alternative address is operative.

5. The method according to claim 3 wherein the computer in the banking machine is in operative connection with a memory, and wherein the alternative address corresponds to address data stored in the memory, and prior to step (c) further comprising the step of accessing with the computer the address data stored in the memory, and using the address data to determine the alternative address used in step (c).

6. The method according to claim 3, and prior to step (c) further comprising the steps of:

(d) responsive to determining with the computer in step (a) that the address is not operative, accessing a further HTTP record with the computer, wherein the further HTTP record includes address data; and

(e) determining with the computer the alternative address from the address data in the further HTTP record.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the automated banking machine includes a sheet dispenser, and wherein the one HTTP record includes a dispense instruction, and further comprising the step of:

(c) dispensing at least one sheet with the sheet dispenser responsive to the dispense instruction in the one HTTP record accessed in step (b).

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the automated banking machine includes a transaction function device, and wherein the one HTTP record includes a device instruction, and further comprising the step of:

(c) operating the transaction function device responsive to the device instruction in the one HTTP record accessed in step (b).

9. The method according to claim 8 and wherein the one HTTP record includes data corresponding to a signature, and wherein the computer is in operative connection with a memory, wherein the memory includes signature data corresponding to at least one signature, and prior to step (c) further comprising the step of:

(d) comparing the signature in the one HTTP record and the signature data in the memory with the computer, and executing step (c) responsive to the signature in the one HTTP record having a predetermined relationship to the signature data stored in memory.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (a) includes making a socket connection with a remote server.

11. Computer software operating an automated banking machine in accordance with the method recited in claim 1.

12. The method according to claim 1 and prior to completion of step (b) further comprising the step of:

(c) determining a transfer speed at which the one HTTP record is transferable to the computer.

13. The method according to claim 12 and further comprising the steps of:

(d) comparing data corresponding to the transfer to data representative of a speed value stored in memory with the computer; and

(e) responsive to the results of the comparison in step (d), transferring at least one alternative HTTP record to the computer from an alternative address.

14. Apparatus comprising:

an automated banking machine including;

at least one transaction function device;

a computer in operative connection with the transaction function device;

software executable in the computer, wherein the software is operative to transfer at least one HTTP record at a document address to the computer, and wherein the one record includes at least one device instruction, wherein the computer operates the transaction function device responsive to the device instruction included in the one record, and wherein the software further includes a program, wherein prior to transferring the one HTTP record the program is operative to cause the computer to determine if the record address is operative to enable accessing the one record, and wherein the computer operates to transfer the one HTTP record responsive to the program determining that the address is operative.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the software in the computer includes a browser, and wherein the one HTTP record includes an HTML document, and wherein the computer operates to transfer the HTML document by accessing the document with the browser.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the computer is operative responsive to the program determining that the address is not operative to determine an alternative record address, and further comprising at least one alternative HTTP record including device instructions is accessible at the alternative address, and wherein the computer is operative to access the alternative HTTP record.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the program is further operative prior to the computer accessing the alternative HTTP record to cause the computer to determine if the alternative address is operative to enable accessing the alternative HTTP record, and wherein the computer operates to transfer the alternative HTTP record responsive to determining that the alternative address is operative.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14 and further comprising a server, and wherein the one HTTP record is accessible through the server, and wherein program operates such that prior to the computer operating to access the one HTTP record the program operates the computer to determine if the server is operative.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16 and further comprising a memory wherein the computer is in operative connection with the memory, and wherein the memory includes address data, and wherein the computer is operative to determine the alternative address responsive to the address data.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the address data corresponds to a further HTTP record, and wherein the computer is operative to access the further HTTP record, and wherein the further HTTP record includes address instructions corresponding to the alternative address, and wherein the software is operative to cause the computer to determine the alternative address responsive to the address instructions.

21. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the transaction function device includes a sheet dispenser, and wherein the sheet dispenser is operative to dispense at least one sheet responsive to the device instruction included in the one HTTP record.

22. The apparatus according to claim 14 and wherein the software includes a further program, wherein the further program is operative to cause the computer to determine a value corresponding to a transfer speed for transfer of the one HTTP record to the computer.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22 and further comprising a memory in operative connection with the computer, and wherein the further program is operative to operate the computer to compare the transfer speed to data representative of a value stored in memory, and wherein the software is operating to access an alternative HTTP record responsive to a result of the comparison, whereby an alternative record may be accessed responsive to the one HTTP record transferring too slowly.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the software is operative to cause the computer to determine a file size corresponding to the one HTTP record and a transfer rate, and wherein the transfer speed is determined responsive to the file size and the transfer rate.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the one HTTP record includes an HTML document.