Cash dispensing automated banking machine system and method
View Patent ↗An automated banking machine ( 10 ) includes a cash dispenser ( 54 ). Servicing the machine is facilitated through use of a portable diagnostic article ( 98 ) which enables the controller to access diagnostic data stored in memory and which provides data indicative of the significance of the diagnostic data. A portable article of computer readable and writable media ( 314 ) is also operative to cause the computer to gather data concerning the banking machine and record it on the media through a drive ( 312 ). The data gathered is then analyzed by a separate analysis computer ( 324 ).
1. A method comprising:
a) operating at least one processor in an automated banking machine that operates responsive to data read from data bearing records corresponding to financial accounts, to gather data concerning operational parameters associated with each of a plurality of transaction function devices in the automated banking machine, wherein each of the plurality of transaction function devices is currently operating normally and wherein at least one transaction function device includes a cash dispenser;
b) receiving with at least one computer remote from the automated banking machine, the data gathered in (a);
c) operating at least one computer remote from the automated banking machine responsive at least in part to the data gathered in (a) to generate at least one output, wherein the at least one output includes a prediction of at least one future repair activity that will need to be conducted on a currently normally operative transaction function device of the automated banking machine.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein (a) includes gathering data corresponding to an average speed associated with at least one transaction function device.
3. The method according to claim 2 wherein (a) includes gathering data corresponding to power draw associated with at least one transaction function device.
4. The method according to claim 3 wherein (a) includes gathering data corresponding to a number of cycles carried out by at least one transaction function device.
5. The method according to claim 4 wherein (a) includes data corresponding to a number of currency notes diverted to a location in the automated banking machine by a transaction function device of the automated banking machine.
6. The method according to claim 5 wherein (a) includes gathering data corresponding to a number of double bills picked by a currency dispenser of the automated banking machine.
7. The method according to claim 6 wherein (a) includes gathering data corresponding to at least one calibration value associated with calibrating a sensor.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein (a) includes gathering data from a plurality of data stores in the automated banking machine, each data store associated with a respective one of a plurality of transaction function devices.
9. The method according to claim 8 and further comprising:
d) prior to (c), writing indicia corresponding to the data gathered in (a) on a removable media through operation of a media writing device of the automated banking machine.
10. The method according to claim 9 and further comprising:
(e) prior to (a), operatively connecting the removable media and a reading and writing device of the automated banking machine, wherein the removable media includes a plurality of instructions, and
wherein the data is gathered in (a) responsive to the instructions, and wherein in (d) the indicia is written to the removable media through operation of the reading and writing device.
11. The method according to claim 10 and further comprising:
subsequent to (e) and prior to (c), operatively connecting the removable media and the at least one computer remote from the automated banking machine,
wherein in (c) the at least one output is generated responsive to the indicia on the removable media.
12. The method according to claim 8 wherein in (b) the data is communicated through an online connection.
13. The method according to claim 9 wherein in (b) the data is communicated by moving the removable media between the automated banking machine and the at least one computer.
14. The method according to claim 8 wherein in (c) the at least one computer generates at least one output which includes a prediction of a future need to replace at least one motor in the automated banking machine.
15. The method according to claim 14 wherein in (c) the at least one computer generates at least one output which includes a prediction of a future need to replace at least one motor in the automated banking machine.
16. The method according to claim 15 and further comprising:
operating the at least one computer to provide at least one output indicating at least one part needed to conduct the at least one future repair activity.
17. The method according to claim 16 and further comprising, prior to (a), providing at least one input to the automated banking machine, wherein data is gathered in (a) responsive at least in part to the at least one input.
18. The method according to claim 17 wherein in (c) the at least one output comprises at least one of an output through a display, an automated voice output, a web interface output and an e-mail output.
19. The method according to claim 1 wherein in (c) the at least one future repair activity includes replacing at least one sensor in the automated banking machine.
20. The method according to claim 1 wherein in (c) the at least one future repair activity includes replacing the at least one motor in the automated banking machine.
21. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:
operating the at least one computer to provide at least one output corresponding to a part used to perform the at least one future repair activity predicted in (c).
22. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising: communicating data gathered in (a) on portable media to the at least one computer operated in (c).
23. The method according to claim 1 wherein in (a) the data gathered corresponds to speed of at least one device in the automated banking machine.
24. The method according to claim 1 wherein in (a) the data gathered corresponds to power draw of at least one device in the automated banking machine.
25. The method according to claim 1 wherein in (c) the at least one output comprises at least one of a printed output, an output on a display, an automated voice output, a web interface output and an e-mail.
26. Apparatus comprising:
an automated banking machine operated responsive to data read from data bearing records, including:
a plurality of transaction function devices, wherein at least one transaction function device includes a card reader operative to read data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts, and wherein at least one of the transaction function devices includes a cash dispenser,
at least one processor in operative connection with a plurality of the transaction function devices, and
at least one data store in operative connection with the at least one processor;
wherein the at least one data store includes data associated with the automated banking machine, wherein the data corresponds to data usable to predict at least one future need to service at least one currently normally operative transaction function device;
wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause the data to be gathered and to cause the automated banking machine to output indicia corresponding to the gathered data in machine readable form.
27. The apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the automated banking machine further includes:
a computer media write device in operative connection with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause the indicia to be recorded through operation of the media write device.
28. The apparatus according to claim 27 and further comprising:
removable computer readable media operatively releasibly engaged with the media write device, wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause the indicia to be recorded on the removable computer readable media.
29. The apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the automated banking machine further includes a read and write device in operative connection with the at least one processor, and further comprising:
removable media in operative connection with the read and write device, wherein the removable media includes computer executable instructions, and wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause the data to be gathered responsive to the instructions.
30. The method according to claim 29 wherein the instructions are operative to cause the at least one processor to cause the indicia to be recorded on the removable media.
31. The apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the instructions are operative to cause at least one temporary file to be established in the at least one data store, and to cause gathered data to be stored in the at least one temporary file.
32. The apparatus according to claim 31 wherein the instructions are further operative to cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one temporary file to be deleted after the indicia is output.
33. The apparatus according to claim 32 wherein the automated banking machine further comprises a visual output device, and wherein the instructions are operative to cause the at least one processor to cause the visual output device to provide at least one output indicative of gathering the data.
34. The apparatus according to claim 33 and further comprising an analysis computer remote from the automated banking machine, wherein the analysis computer is operatively connectable to the removable media, and wherein the analysis computer is operative responsive to the indicia on the removable media to analyze data corresponding to the indicia.
35. The apparatus according to claim 34 and further comprising at least one analysis output device in operative connection with the analysis computer, wherein responsive to the analysis of the data the analysis computer is operative to generate at least one result, and wherein the analysis computer is operative to cause result indicia corresponding to the at least one result to be output through the analysis output device.
36. The apparatus according to claim 35 wherein the analysis computer is operative to generate at least one result indicating a future need to service a currently normally operative transaction function device of the automated banking machine.
37. The apparatus according to claim 26 , and further comprising at least one analysis computer remote from the automated banking machine, wherein the at least one analysis computer is operative responsive to the indicia to generate at least one result predicting a future need to service at least one currently normally operative transaction function device in the automated banking machine, and to output result indicia corresponding to the at least one result through at least one output device.