Granted Patent B2

US 7,503,481 · App. 11/454,258 · Granted Mar 17, 2009

Abstract

Claims (67)

1. An automated banking machine apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of authorized banking machine components in supporting connection with the housing, including:

a currency dispensing device;

a visual display;

at least one input device, wherein the at least one input device is enabled to receive identifying inputs from users of the apparatus;

at least one sensing device in supporting connection with the housing, wherein the at least one sensing device is operative to sense radiation generated in proximity of the apparatus;

wherein the at least one sensing device is operative to sense radiation not attributable to the currency dispensing device, the visual display, or the at least one input device;

at least one controller in operative connection with the at least one sensing device;

wherein the at least one controller is operative to determine whether radiation sensed by the at least one sensing device involves radiation emitted from an unauthorized user input detection device located in proximity of the apparatus;

wherein the at least one controller is operative responsive to a positive determination of an unauthorized user input detection device, to cause generation of at least one signal corresponding to sensing of an unauthorized user input detection device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one signal is operative to cause the apparatus to take at least one action.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the at least one controller is operative to compare at least one property of sensed radiation and transaction activity at the apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 and further comprising at least one image capture device in operative connection with the at least one controller, wherein the at least one image capture device is operative to capture at least one image responsive to the at least one signal generated by the at least one controller.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 and further comprising a network connection to at least one remote entity, wherein the at least one controller is operative to cause the at least one signal to be transmitted to the remote entity through the network connection.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2 and further comprising at least one radiation emitter in operative connection with the at least one controller, wherein the at least one radiation emitter is operative to emit radiation responsive to the at least one signal.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the radiation emitter emits radiation that matches at least one frequency of sensed radiation.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the at least one controller is operative to compare variation in radiation sensed by the at least one sensing device with operation of at least one input device.

9. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the at least one input device includes a card reader,

wherein the apparatus further comprises a card reader slot associated with the card reader, and wherein the at least one sensing device includes at least one object sensing device adjacent the slot, wherein the at least one object sensing device is operative to sense an unauthorized card reading device adjacent the slot,

wherein the at least one object sensing device is in operative connection with the at least one controller, and wherein the at least one controller is operative to generate at least one further signal responsive to the at least one object sensing device sensing an unauthorized card reading device adjacent the slot.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one sensing device includes receiver circuitry, wherein the sensing device is operative to sense at least radio frequency (RF) radiation.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the at least one controller is operative to determine whether a frequency of sensed radiation is within a predetermined frequency range.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the predetermined frequency range includes at least one frequency associated with cellular telephones.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the at least one sensing device includes an antenna in supporting connection with the housing.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10 and further comprising a radiation shield in supporting connection with the housing, wherein the radiation shield is operative to at least partially shield the at least one sensing device from sensing radiation generated by the plurality of authorized banking machine components.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one input device includes a keypad adapted to accept personal identification numbers (PINs) input by users of the apparatus, wherein the keypad comprises a plurality of keys, and wherein at least one area extends between at least two keys of the keypad, and wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one key area sensing device adjacent the keypad such that positioning an unauthorized manual input intercepting device adjacent the keypad cause at least one change in at least one property that is sensed by the at least one key area sensing device, and wherein the at least one key area sensing device is in operative connection with the at least one controller, and wherein the at least one controller is operative to generate at least one second signal responsive to the at least one change.

16. A method comprising:

a) sensing with at least one sensing device, radiation in a proximity of an automated banking machine apparatus including a cash dispenser, wherein the at least one sensing device is in operative connection with at least one controller in the automated banking machine apparatus;

b) determining through operation of the at least one controller that the radiation is being generated by an unauthorized device that is detecting customer inputs to the automated banking machine apparatus;

c) responsive to the determination in (b), generating at least one signal through operation of the at least one controller.

17. The method according to claim 16 and further comprising:

d) receiving at least one input from a user through at least one input device of the automated banking machine apparatus; and

e) determining through operation of the at least one controller, at least one relationship between the sensed radiation and the at least one input.

18. The method according to claim 17 and further comprising:

f) responsive to the determination in (e), operating the at least one controller to cause at least one radiation emitter to emit radiation that interferes with the sensed radiation.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein the at least one input device includes a card reader, and wherein the apparatus further includes an object sensing device adjacent a card reader slot associated with the card reader and in operative connection with the at least one controller, wherein the method further includes:

f) sensing with the object sensing device, at least one unauthorized card reading device adjacent the card slot; and

g) responsive to sensing the at least one unauthorized card reading device, generating at least one further output through operation of the at least one controller.

20. The method according to claim 17 wherein the at least one input device includes a keypad, and wherein the apparatus includes at least one key area sensing device in operative connection with the at least one controller, wherein the method further includes:

f) sensing with the at least one key area sensing device, at least one unauthorized manual input intercepting device; and

g) responsive to sensing the at least one unauthorized manual input intercepting device, generating at least one further output through operation of the at least one controller.

21. The method according to claim 16 wherein (a) includes sensing radio frequency (RF) radiation with the at least one sensing device.

22. The method according to claim 21 and further comprising:

d) determining through operation of the at least one controller at least one frequency of the radiation being generated by the unauthorized device.

23. The method according to claim 16 and further comprising:

d) receiving at least one input from a user through at least one input device of the automated banking machine apparatus;

e) during at least a portion of (d) operating at least one radiation emitting device included in the apparatus, wherein the radiation emitting device is operative to generate radiation signals interfering with radiation being generated by the unauthorized device.

24. The method according to claim 16 and further comprising:

d) responsive to the at least one signal generated in (c), displaying a warning message on at least one output device of the automated banking machine apparatus.

25. The method according to claim 16 and further comprising:

d) responsive to the at least one signal generated in (c), sending at least one message from the automated banking machine apparatus to a remote computer.

26. The method according to claim 16 and further comprising:

d) receiving at least one input from a user through at least one input device of the automated banking machine apparatus;

e) determining through operation of the at least one controller, at least one relationship between the radiation sensed in (a) and the at least one input received in (d);

f) determining through operation of the at least one controller, at least one frequency of the radiation sensed in (a); and

g) emitting radiation from an emitter in operative connection with the at least one controller to interfere with the sensed radiation generated by the unauthorized device.

27. Apparatus comprising:

automated banking machine including:

a cash dispenser,

at least one sensing device operative to sense radiation in proximity of the machine,

at least one controller in operative connection with the at least one sensing device,

wherein the at least one controller is operative to determine whether radiation sensed by the at least one sensing device relates to foreign radiation not emitted from the machine,

wherein the at least one controller is operative responsive to a determination of foreign radiation, to determine whether the foreign radiation corresponds to an unauthorized detection device in proximity of the machine,

wherein the at least one controller is operative responsive to a determination of an unauthorized detection device in proximity of the machine, to cause generation of at least one signal operative to cause the machine to take at least one programmed action.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the at least one controller includes programming, wherein the programming is operative to determine that sensed radiation is foreign radiation based on a conclusion that the sensed radiation is not attributable to authorized machine transaction device activity.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the programming is operative responsive to a determination of foreign radiation, to determine that the foreign radiation corresponds to an unauthorized detection device based on a conclusion that the foreign radiation is not attributable to cell phone activity.

Assignments (20)