ATM that places front customer interface in communication with rear servicer interface
View Patent ↗An automatic banking machine operates responsive to data read from data bearing records to cause financial transfers. The machine includes a card reader that reads data corresponding to financial accounts from user cards and carries out transactions related to the accounts. The machine includes a camera, a microphone, and the card reader at a customer interface located at the front of the machine. A servicer display device is at a servicer interface located at the rear of the machine. The customer interface and the servicer interface can be placed in audio/visual communication. Although a first servicer located at the customer interface may not be directly visible to a second servicer located at the servicer interface, they are still able to communicate through the customer interface and servicer interface during machine servicing.
1. A method comprising:
(a) operating an automated teller machine (ATM) to receive through at least one communication device located at a front interface of the ATM, at least one first service person input provided during an authorized servicing of the ATM,
wherein the at least one first service person input includes at least one of audio input and visual input,
wherein the ATM includes the at least one communication device, at least one servicer communication device, a housing, and a currency dispenser,
wherein the at least one communication device is located at a front interface of the ATM,
wherein the at least one communication device is in operative connection with the at least one servicer communication device,
wherein the at least one servicer communication device is located at a rear interface of the ATM,
wherein the rear interface is in supported connection with the housing,
wherein the rear interface is accessible to authorized servicers of the ATM,
wherein the rear interface is inaccessible to customers of the ATM,
wherein the currency dispenser extends inside of the housing;
b) responsive at least in part to (a), operating the ATM to provide for a second service person through the at least one servicer communication device, at least one output corresponding to the at least one machine-servicing input,
wherein the at least one output includes at least one of audio output and visual output corresponding to the at least one of audio input and visual input received in (a);
wherein during (a) a first service person is located adjacent the front interface,
wherein during (b) a second service person is located adjacent the rear interface,
wherein during (a) and (b) the ATM is out of service to potential customers of the ATM.
2. The method according to claim 1
wherein the ATM includes a card reader operative to read card data on user cards usable to identify at least one financial account,
wherein the ATM includes at least one serviceable component, wherein the at least one serviceable component includes the currency dispenser,
wherein the ATM includes at least one computer,
wherein the at least one computer is in operative connection with the card reader and the at least one serviceable component,
wherein the first service person is a first authorized ATM servicer,
wherein step (a) includes the first authorized ATM servicer communicating at least one of an audio and a visual message associated with the at least one serviceable component,
wherein the second service person is a second authorized ATM servicer,
wherein step (b) includes outputting the message so that the second authorized ATM servicer may perceive the message communicated in step (a).
3. The method according to claim 2
wherein the ATM is part of a banking system including a plurality of ATMs,
wherein each ATM includes at least one computer, a card reader, and a currency dispenser,
wherein for each ATM the at least one computer is operative to cause card data read by the card reader to be compared with data corresponding to card information stored in a user identification data store,
wherein each ATM further includes a biometric reader, wherein for each ATM the at least one computer is operative to cause user biometric data read by the biometric reader to be compared with data corresponding to biometric information in the user identification data store,
wherein for each ATM, an ATM servicer is authorized to use the ATM to carry out a servicing operation responsive at least in part to at least one of
computer-determined correspondence between read card data and data corresponding to stored card information, and
computer-determined correspondence between the read biometric data and data corresponding to stored biometric information,
and further comprising:
(c) at least one of
(ci) receiving ATM servicer card data through the card reader; and
(cii) receiving ATM servicer biometric data through the biometric reader.
4. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:
(c) prior to step (a), receiving through the ATM from one of the first service person at the front interface and the second service person at the rear interface, at least one input that causes at least one communication path to be operative between the front interface and the rear interface;
wherein step (b) includes outputting the at least one of audio output and visual output responsive to communication through the at least one communication path.
5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first service person is a first authorized servicer of the ATM, wherein the second service person is a second authorized servicer of the ATM,
wherein step (a) includes receiving from the first authorized servicer, the at least one input,
wherein step (b) includes outputting to the second authorized servicer, the at least one of audio output and visual output corresponding to the at least one input received in step (a).
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (a) includes receiving audio input, and wherein step (b) includes outputting audio output corresponding to the audio input received in step (a).
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (a) includes receiving visual input, and wherein step (b) includes outputting visual output corresponding to the visual input received in step (a).
8. The method according to claim 7
wherein step (a) includes the first service person moving adjacent to a camera,
wherein step (b) includes the second service person viewing through a display, at least one image captured by the camera of at least a portion of the first service person.
9. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (a) includes receiving both audio and visual input, and wherein step (b) includes outputting both audio and visual output corresponding to the audio and visual input received in step (a).
10. The method according to claim 1
wherein the first front interface comprises a customer interface including a customer transaction display,
wherein the rear interface comprises an ATM servicer interface including an ATM servicer display,
wherein step (a) includes receiving input at the customer interface, and
wherein step (b) includes outputting at the ATM servicer interface, output corresponding to the received input.
11. The method according to claim 10
wherein the second service person is an authorized servicer of the ATM,
wherein the customer interface located at a front side of the ATM
wherein the ATM servicer interface is located at a rear side of the ATM,
wherein during steps (a) and (b) the first service person is positioned adjacent the customer interface and the authorized servicer is positioned adjacent the ATM servicer interface,
wherein during steps (a) and (b) the first service person is not directly visible by the authorized servicer.
12. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising a wall, wherein in (a) the ATM comprises a through-the-wall ATM extending through the wall, wherein the front interface is located on a first side of the wall, wherein the rear interface is located on a second side of the wall, wherein the wall prevents a person located at the rear interface from directly viewing a person located at the front interface.
13. The method according to claim 1 wherein during (a) and (b) the first service person is not directly visible by the second service person.
14. A method comprising:
(a) capturing with at least one audio input device of an automated teller machine (ATM) during an authorized servicing of the ATM, audible sound produced by a first authorized ATM service person located adjacent a front region of the ATM, wherein the front region includes the at least one audio input device,
wherein the at least one audio input device is in operative connection with at least one audio output device of the ATM,
wherein the ATM includes a rear region,
wherein the rear region includes the at least one audio output device,
wherein the rear region is accessible to authorized servicers of the ATM,
wherein the ATM includes a housing and a currency dispenser,
wherein the currency dispenser extends inside of the housing;
(b) outputting in a manner audible by a second authorized ATM service person located adjacent the rear region, from the at least one audio output device, the audible sound captured in (a);
wherein during (a) and (b) the ATM is out of service to potential customers of the ATM.
15. The method according to claim 14
wherein step (a) includes providing by the first authorized ATM service person, spoken words into the at least one audio input device, wherein the at least one audio input device is located at a first interface of the ATM,
wherein the ATM includes a second interface spaced from the first interface, wherein the second interface includes the at least one audio output device,
wherein step (b) includes hearing by the second authorized ATM service person, the spoken words at the second interface through the at least one audio output device.
16. The method according to claim 14 and further comprising a wall, wherein in (a) the ATM comprises a through-the-wall ATM extending through the wall, wherein the front region is located on a first side of the wall, wherein the rear region is located on a second side of the wall, wherein the wall prevents a person located at the rear region from directly viewing a person located at the front region.
17. A method comprising:
(a) positioning during an authorized servicing of an automated teller machine (ATM), a first authorized ATM service person adjacent to at least one image capture device located at a front region of the ATM,
wherein the ATM includes at least one service display located at a rear region of the ATM,
wherein the at least one service display is in operative connection with the image capture device,
wherein the ATM includes a housing and a currency dispenser,
wherein the currency dispenser extends inside of the housing;
(b) responsive at least in part to (a), viewing by a second authorized ATM service person through the at least one service display, at least one image captured by the at least one image capture device of at least a portion of the first authorized ATM service person positioned in (a);
wherein during (a) and (b) the ATM is out of service to potential customers of the ATM.
18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the at least one image capture device includes a camera, wherein step (a) includes the first authorized ATM service person moving adjacent to the ATM,
wherein step (b) includes the second authorized ATM service person viewing at least one image captured by the camera of at least a portion of the first authorized ATM service person while the first authorized ATM service person is adjacent the ATM,
wherein the second authorized ATM service person differs from the first authorized ATM service person.
19. The method according to claim 17
wherein the at least one image capture device includes a camera,
wherein in step (a) the first authorized ATM service person moves to a position adjacent the camera,
wherein the person in step (b) differs from the person in step (a).
20. The method according to claim 17 and further comprising a wall, wherein in (a) the ATM comprises a through-the-wall ATM extending through the wall, wherein the front region is located on a first side of the wall, wherein the rear region is located on a second side of the wall, wherein the wall prevents a person located at the rear region from directly viewing a person located at the front region.