Automated banking system controlled responsive to data bearing records
View Patent ↗An automatic banking machine operates responsive to data read from data bearing records corresponding to authorized user or financial account data. The machine includes a card reader for reading data from user cards. The automated banking machine causes financial transfers related to financial accounts that correspond to data read from user cards. The automated banking machine also includes devices that control the supply of power to included devices to avoid exceeding power supply capacity.
1. Apparatus comprising:
an automated banking machine, including:
a card reader,
wherein the card reader is operative to read from user cards, card data that corresponds to financial accounts,
a display,
a receipt printer,
a cash dispenser,
at least one terminal processor,
wherein the at least one terminal processor is in operative communication with the card reader. the display, the receipt printer, and the cash dispenser,
wherein the at least one terminal processor is operative in carrying out a financial transaction to cause:
user card data to be read from a user card through operation of the card reader,
a determination to be made that the user card data corresponds to a financial account authorized to have the transaction conducted through operation of the machine,
the cash dispenser to dispense cash responsive at least in part to the determination,
the financial account to be assessed a value corresponding to the dispensed cash, and
the receipt printer produce a receipt corresponding to the value;
at least one battery,
a plurality of power sources other than the at least one battery,
wherein the plurality of power sources include a solar panel,
at least one power control processor,
wherein the at least one power control processor is in operative connection with the at least one battery and each of the plurality of power sources,
wherein the at least one power control processor is operative to cause the at least one battery to be charged by power supplied by a battery charger,
wherein the at least one power control processor is operative to cause power to be delivered from the solar panel to at least one of the card reader, the display, or the receipt printer,
wherein during the transaction, the at least one power control processor is operative to:
(a) determine at least one amount of power required to operate at least one of the display, the card reader, or the receipt printer,
(b) determine power currently available from each of the plurality of power sources,
(c) cause power to be delivered to the cash dispenser from the at least one battery, and
(d) cause power to be delivered from the plurality of power sources to at least one of the card reader, the display, or the receipt printer, responsive at least in part to at least one of the (a) or (b) determinations.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1
wherein the at least one power control processor is operative to:
further determine power currently available from each of a plurality of power sources other than the at least one battery, and
cause power to be delivered to the at least one of the card reader, the display, or the receipt printer from the at least one power source other than the at least one battery responsive to the further determination.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising:
a keypad, wherein the keypad is in operative connection with the at least one terminal processor and the at least one power control processor,
wherein during the transaction the cash dispenser operates at least in part to at least one input received through the keypad,
wherein during the transaction the at least one power control processor is operative to selectively deliver power to the keypad from at least one power source other than the at least one battery.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising:
at least one monitoring processor,
wherein the at least one monitoring processor is in operative connection with the at least one battery,
wherein the at least one monitoring processor is operative to prevent the at least one battery from being overcharged.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the at least one monitoring processer is operative to prevent the at least one battery from being over discharged.
6. The apparatus according to claim 4
wherein the at least one power control processor is in operative connection with the at least one terminal processor,
wherein the at least one power control processor is selectively operative to cause power to be delivered to the at least one terminal processor separately at different times from the at least one battery and at least one power source other than the at least one battery.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein responsive at least in part to at least one input corresponding to shutting down the machine, the at least one power control processor is operative to cause power to cease to be delivered to at least two of the cash dispenser, the card reader, the receipt printer, or the at least one terminal processor at different times in at least one predetermined sequence.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein responsive at least in part to at least one input corresponding to starting up the machine, the at least one power control processor is operative to cause power to be delivered to at least two of the cash dispenser, the card reader, the display, the receipt printer, or the at least one terminal processor at different times in at least one predetermined sequence.
9. The apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein the at least one power control processor is operative to cause power to be delivered to the at least one terminal processor from another power source other than the at least one battery, and
wherein the at least one power control processor is operative responsive at least in part to power no longer being available from the another power source, to cause power to be delivered to the at least one terminal processor from the at least one battery.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9 ,
wherein the machine is operable to carry out a further transaction,
wherein in the further transaction the at least one power control processor is operative to cause power to be delivered from the at least one battery to each of the cash dispenser, the card reader, the display, and the receipt printer.
11. Apparatus comprising:
an automated banking machine including:
a card reader,
wherein the card reader is operative to read from user cards, card data that corresponds to financial accounts,
a display,
a printer,
a cash dispenser,
at least one terminal processor,
wherein the at least one terminal processor is in operative connection with the card reader, the display, the printer, and the cash dispenser,
wherein the at least one terminal processor is operative in carrying out a financial transaction to cause:
user card data to be read from a user card through operation of the card reader,
a determination to be made that the user card data corresponds to a financial account authorized to conduct the transaction via the machine,
the cash dispenser to dispense cash responsive at least in part to the determination,
the financial account to be assessed a value corresponding to the dispensed cash,
the printer to produce a receipt corresponding to the value,
a plurality of power sources including:
at least one battery, and
at least one of a solar panel, a battery charger connectable to household current, an electrical generator, or a fuel cell;
at least one power control processor,
wherein during the transaction the at least one power control processor is operative to make at least one power control determination corresponding to power currently available from each of the plurality of power sources,
wherein during the transaction the at least one power control processor is operative responsive at least in part to the at least one power control determination, to cause power from at least two different power sources of the plurality of power sources to be delivered separately to respective ones of the card reader, the display, the cash dispenser, and the printer,
wherein during a further transaction involving operation of the cash dispenser, the at least one power control processor is operative to make at least one further power control determination corresponding to power then currently available from each of the plurality of power sources,
wherein during the further transaction the at least one power control processor is operative to cause power to be delivered to at least one of the card reader, the display, the cash dispenser, or the printer from a power source other than the respective power source that delivered power to the respective one of the card reader, the display, the cash dispenser, and the printer during the transaction.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , and further comprising,
at least one monitoring processor, wherein the at least one monitoring processor is operative to cause the at least one battery to be charged responsive to power from at least one power source other than the at least one battery.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the at least one monitoring processor is operative to prevent the at least one battery from being at least one of overcharged or over discharged.
14. The apparatus according to claim 11 ,
wherein the at least one power control processor during the transaction is operative to:
additionally determine at least one respective amount of power required for operation of at least one of the card reader, the display, the printer, or the cash dispenser, and
cause power to be delivered thereto from a respective one of the plurality of power sources responsive at least in part to the additional determination.
15. The apparatus according to claim 11 ,
wherein the at least one terminal processor is in operative connection with the at least one power control processor,
wherein the at least one power control processor is operative responsive at least in part to at least one shutdown input to cause power to be withdrawn from at least two of the at least one terminal processor, the card reader, the display, the cash dispenser, or the printer at different times in at least one predetermined sequence.
16. Apparatus comprising:
an automated transaction machine,
wherein the machine includes at least one display, at least one data reader, a cash dispenser, and at least one terminal processor,
wherein the at least one terminal processor is operable during a cash dispense transaction to cause operation of the at least one display, the at least one data reader, and the cash dispenser,
wherein the machine includes at least one battery,
wherein the machine includes at least one non-battery power source,
wherein the at least one non-battery power source includes at least one solar panel,
a power controller associated with the machine,
wherein the power controller is operable to:
(i) determine whether the at least one non-battery power source can provide enough power to operate the at least one display, and
(ii) determine whether the at least one non-battery power source can provide enough power to operate the at least one data reader;
wherein during a cash dispense transaction the power controller is configured to operate to:
cause the at least one display to be powered by either:
the at least one non-battery power source, responsive to a positive determination in (i), or
the at least one battery, responsive to a negative determination in (i);
cause the at least one data reader to be powered by either:
the at least one non-battery power source, responsive to a positive determination in (ii), or
the at least one battery, responsive to a negative determination in (ii); and
cause the cash dispenser to be powered by the at least one battery, regardless of whether the at least one non-battery power source can provide enough power to operate the cash dispenser.
17. The apparatus according to claim 16 ,
wherein (i) includes determining whether the at least one solar panel can provide enough power to operate the at least one display, and
wherein (ii) includes determining whether the at least one solar panel can provide enough power to operate the at least one data reader.
18. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the power controller is operable to:
(iii) determine an amount of power required to operate the at least one display, and
(iv) determine an amount of power required to operate the at least one data reader.
19. The apparatus according to claim 18 ,
wherein (i) includes determining whether the at least one non-battery power source can provide enough power to meet the amount of power determined in (iii), and
wherein (ii) includes determining whether the at least one non-battery power source can provide enough power to meet the amount of power determined in (iv).
20. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the power controller is operable to recharge the at least one battery with power provided by the at least one solar panel.
21. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the power controller is operable to recharge the at least one battery with power provided by a wind power electrical generator.