Self-service terminal

• US 7,100,818 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Swaine, Stephen W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/101,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20020139842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 235/376, 235378-379, 235/382, 705/16, 705/10, 382/107, 382/115, 382117-118, 382/120, 382/236
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/011 Emotion or mood input determined on the basis of sensed human body parameters such as pulse, heart rate or beat, temperature of skin, facial expressions, iris, voice pitch, brain activity patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs

Abstract

A self service terminal (10) and method of operating a self-service terminal (10) having a user interface (14) for interacting with a user (12). The terminal (10) includes a sensing device (18, 20, or 22) for sensing physiological data associated with a user, an analyzing device (74) for analyzing the physiological data to deduce the user'"'"'s emotional state, and a controlling device (72) responsive to the analyzing device (74) for adapting the terminal'"'"'s interaction with the user in response to the user'"'"'s emotional state.

Claims

1. An automated teller machine (ATM) for providing an ATM customer with a tailored cash dispense transaction based upon the ATM customer'"'"'s emotional state, the ATM comprising:

a cash dispenser for dispensing cash to the ATM customer to fulfill the cash dispense transaction;

a display for presenting a series of display screens to the ATM customer to guide the ATM customer through the cash dispense transaction;

at least one sensor which senses physiological data associated with the ATM customer;

an analyzer which analyzes the physiological data from the at least one sensor to provide either a first category code which is indicative of the ATM customer being in a first emotional state or a second category code which is indicative of the ATM customer being in a second emotional state which is different from the first emotional state; and

a controller for (i) tailoring the series of display screens to include a first set of display screens when the analyzer provides the first category code which is indicative of the ATM customer being in the first emotional state, (ii) tailoring the series of display screens to include promotional material not included in the first set of display screens when the analyzer provides the second category code which is indicative of the ATM customer being in the second emotional state, so that the ATM customer is not presented with the promotional material when the ATM customer is in the first emotional state and is presented with the promotional material when the ATM customer is in the second emotional state, and (iii) instructing the cash dispenser to dispense cash to the ATM customer during the cash dispense transaction.

2. An ATM according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a contact device.

3. An ATM according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a number of touch-sensitive sensors for determining a number of types of physiological data associated with an ATM customer.

4. An ATM according to claim 3, wherein types of physiological data include skin temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, and skin conductivity.

5. An ATM according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a non-contact device.

6. An ATM according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a voice monitoring system for detecting changes in an ATM customer'"'"'s voice.

7. An ATM according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a facial recognition system for detecting changes in an ATM customer'"'"'s facial appearance during an ATM transaction.

8. An ATM according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a human iris camera for imaging an ATM customer'"'"'s iris and for detecting changes within the iris.

9. An ATM according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a gesture recognition system.

10. An ATM according to claim 1, wherein the analyzer includes an algorithm for deducing an ATM customer'"'"'s emotional state based upon sensed physiological data associated with the ATM customer.

11. An ATM according to claim 1, wherein the controller includes a control application executing on the ATM.

12. A method of operating an automated teller machine (ATM) based upon an ATM customer'"'"'s emotional state to fulfill a cash dispense transaction, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing physiological data associated with the ATM customer;

analyzing the physiological data to provide either a first category code which is indicative of the ATM customer being in a first emotional state or a second category code which is indicative of the ATM customer being in a second emotional state which is different from the first emotional state;

tailoring a series of display screens presented to the ATM customer to include a first set of display screens when the first category code which is indicative of the ATM customer being in the first emotional state is provided;

tailoring the series of display screens to include promotional material not included in the first set of display screens when the second category code which is indicative of the ATM customer being in the second emotional state is provided, so that the ATM customer is not presented with the promotional material when the ATM customer is in the first emotional state and is presented with the promotional material when the ATM customer is in the second emotional state; and

dispensing cash to the ATM customer to fulfill the cash dispense transaction.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of sensing physiological data includes the step of sensing at least one of skin temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, and skin conductivity.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of sensing physiological data includes the step of detecting changes in an ATM customer'"'"'s voice.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of sensing physiological data includes the step of detecting changes in an ATM customer'"'"'s facial appearance during a transaction carried out at the ATM.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of sensing physiological data includes the steps of imaging an ATM customer'"'"'s iris and detecting changes within the iris.