Automated banking system controlled responsive to data bearing records
View Patent ↗An automatic banking machine operates responsive to data bearing records. The machine includes a card reader for reading user cards, and at least one of a note acceptor and a cash dispenser. The automated banking machine carries out financial transfers related to user accounts based on information read from cards. The automated banking machine provides a printed receipt for transactions conducted. The machine carries out transactions when operatively connected to a source of power and a transaction network. The machine also carries out functions to control the power status of devices in the machine.
1. Apparatus comprising:
an automated banking machine operated responsive to data bearing records, including:
a housing;
a card reader, wherein the card reader is operative to read data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts;
at least one of a note acceptor and a cash dispenser, wherein the note acceptor is operative to accept currency notes into the housing and the cash dispenser is operative to dispense cash from inside the housing to machine users;
at least one terminal processor, wherein the at least one terminal processor is in operative connection with the card reader and the at least one note acceptor and cash dispenser, and wherein the at least one terminal processor is operative to cause financial transfers involving financial accounts corresponding to data read from user cards;
a power controller within the housing, wherein the power controller is in operative connection with an electrical connector extending outside the housing, wherein the electrical connector is configured to be connected with an external source of AC power, and wherein the power controller is in operative connection with at least one transaction function device within the housing, wherein the at least one transaction function device includes at least one of the card reader and the at least one of the note acceptor and the cash dispenser, and wherein the power controller is in operative connection with the at least one terminal processor;
and wherein the power controller is operative to at least one of supply and shut off power to the at least one terminal processor and to the at least one transaction function device, at different times in at least one predetermined sequence.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , and further comprising:
a communication device, wherein the communication device is in operative connection with the power controller;
wherein the power controller is operative to cause the at least one terminal processor to shut down responsive to at least one communication received by the automated banking machine from a remote computer through operation of the communication device.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the power controller is further operative to cause the at least one terminal processor to shut down and then restart responsive to the at least one communication.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the power controller is operative to shut off power to the at least one transaction function device responsive to at least one further communication received by the automated banking machine from a remote computer through operation of the communication device.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the power controller is operative to cause power to be shut off to the at least one transaction function device, and to cause power to be supplied to the at least one transaction function device responsive to the at least one further communication.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the at least one terminal processor is operative to cause the automated banking machine to download software instructions from a remote computer through operation of the communication device, and wherein the power controller is operative responsive to at least one communication received through operation of the communication device, and wherein after the software instructions have been downloaded, the at least one terminal processor is caused to shut down and then restart responsive to the power controller.
7. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the power controller is operative in a first predetermined sequence to cause the at least one terminal processor to shut down, and then to cause power to be shut off to the at least one transaction function device.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the power controller is operative in the first predetermined sequence to cause power to be shut off to the at least one terminal processor after the at least one terminal processor has shut down.
9. Apparatus comprising:
an automated banking machine operated responsive to data bearing records, including:
a housing;
a card reader, wherein the card reader is operative to read data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts;
a cash dispenser, wherein the cash dispenser is in operatively supported connection with the housing and is selectively operative to dispense cash from inside the housing to machine users;
at least one terminal processor, where the at least one terminal processor is in operative connection with the card reader and the cash dispenser, wherein the at least one terminal processor is operative to cause to be determined that card data read from a user card corresponds to an authorized financial account, to cause the cash dispenser to dispense cash responsive to the determination, and to cause the financial account to be assessed a value corresponding to the dispensed cash;
a power controller within the housing, wherein the power controller is in operative connection with an electrical connector extending outside the housing, wherein the electrical connector is configured to be connected with an external source of AC power, and wherein the power controller is in operative connection with at least one transaction function device within the housing, wherein the at least one transaction function device includes at least one of the card reader and the cash dispenser, and wherein the power controller is in operative connection with the at least one terminal processor;
and wherein the power controller is operative to at least one of supply and shut off power to the at least one terminal processor and to the at least one transaction function device, at different times in at least one predetermined sequence.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , and further comprising:
a communication device, wherein the communication device is in operative connection with the power controller;
wherein the power controller is operative to cause the at least one terminal processor to shut down responsive to at least one communication received by the automated banking machine from a remote computer through operation of the communication device.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the power controller is further operative to cause the at least one terminal processor to shut down and then restart responsive to the at least one communication.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the power controller is operative to shut off power to the at least one transaction function device responsive to at least one further communication received by the automated banking machine from a remote computer through operation of the communication device.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the power controller is operative to cause power to be shut off to the at least one transaction function device, and to cause power to be supplied to the at least one transaction function device responsive to the at least one further communication.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the at least one terminal processor is operative to cause the automated banking machine to download software instructions from a remote computer through operation of the communication device, and wherein the power controller is operative responsive to at least one communication received through operation of the communication device, wherein after the software instructions have been downloaded the at least one terminal processor is caused to shut down and then restart responsive to the power controller.
15. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the power controller is operative in a first predetermined sequence to cause the at least one terminal processor to shut down, and then to cause power to be shut off to the at least one transaction function device.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the power controller is operative in the first predetermined sequence to cause power to be shut off to the at least one terminal processor after the at least one terminal processor has shut down.
17. The apparatus according to claim 16 and further comprising an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) in the housing, wherein the UPS is in operative connection with the power controller and the at least one terminal processor, and wherein in the first predetermined sequence the power controller is operative to cause the UPS to shut off power to the at least one terminal processor.
18. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein in a second predetermined sequence the power controller is operative to cause power to be supplied to the at least one terminal processor and then to cause the at least one terminal processor to be started.
19. The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein in the second predetermined sequence the power controller is operative to cause power to be supplied to the at least one transaction function device and then to cause the at least one terminal processor to be started.
20. The apparatus according to claim 19 and further comprising:
a UPS in the housing, wherein the UPS is in operative connection with the at least one terminal processor and the power controller, and wherein in the second predetermined sequence the power controller is operative to cause power to be supplied to the at least one terminal processor through the UPS.
21. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the at least one terminal processor, the UPS and the power controller are in operative connection through universal serial bus (USB) connections.
22. The apparatus according to claim 19 and further comprising:
an interface module in the housing, wherein the interface module is in operative connection with the power controller, and wherein the interface module includes at least one input device;
wherein the power controller is operative to cause at least one of the first predetermined sequence and the second predetermined sequence to be carried out responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device.
23. The apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the power controller is operative to cause the at least one terminal processor to shut down and to maintain power to the at least one transaction function device after the at least one terminal processor shutdown, responsive to at least one first input to the at least one input device of the interface module.
24. The apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein the power controller is operative to cause power to be shut off to the at least one transaction function device while supplied power is maintained to the at least one terminal processor after power shut off of the at least one transaction function device, responsive to at least one second input to the at least one input device of the interface module.
25. The apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the power controller is operative to cause at least one message indicative of at least one power status of at least one of the at least one terminal processor and the at least one transaction device, to be sent from the automated banking machine to a remote computer through operation of the communication device.
26. The apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the power controller is operative to change at least one power status of the at least one terminal processor responsive to at least one message received by the automated banking machine from a remote computer through operation of the communication device.
27. The apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the power controller is operative to determine that the at least one terminal processor has not shut down in response to an instruction to shut down from the power controller, and wherein responsive to such determination the power controller is operative to shut off power to the at least one terminal processor.
28. The apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the power controller is operative in a first predetermined sequence to send at least one message to the at least one terminal processor directing the terminal processor to shut down,
and wherein the power controller is operative to determine that the at least one terminal processor has not shut down responsive to the at least one message, and wherein the power controller is operative responsive to the determination to cause power to be shut off to the at least one terminal processor.
29. The apparatus according to claim 9 and further comprising:
an interface module in the housing, wherein the interface module is in operative connection with the power controller,
and wherein the interface module includes at least one input device,
and wherein the power controller is operative to cause the at least one predetermined sequence to be carried out responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device of the interface module.