Granted Patent B2

US 8,800,863 · App. 13/326,862 · Granted Aug 12, 2014

Abstract

Claims (34)

1. Apparatus for dispensing at least one item of media from one of a plurality of possible media dispensing ports, comprising:

a user interface comprising a user display;

an intermediate display adjacent to the user display; and

a port location display adjacent to the intermediate display and adjacent to a plurality of possible media dispensing ports;

wherein each display is arranged to selectively display a visual cue to direct a user to a selected one of the possible media dispensing ports.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

each display is arranged to display a respective visual cue in a pre-determined sequence.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

the displayed visual cues on at least the user display and port location display are selected from a plurality of possible visual cues responsive to a type of media being dispensed.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

the user display comprises a touch screen.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

the intermediate display comprises a panel region in a first plane and a further panel region in a further plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane, each panel region comprising a plurality of pixels that selectively illuminate.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

the port location display comprises an electronic visual display.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one light source proximate to each dispensing port, the light source associated with the selected one dispensing port being arranged to illuminate responsive to the display of a visual cue on the port location display.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a wall element comprising the media dispensing ports, said wall element facing a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction faced by the user display.

9. An automated teller machine (ATM) comprising the apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a first media dispensing port comprises a currency note dispensing port and a second media dispensing port comprises a printed receipt dispensing port.

10. A method of dispensing at least one item of media from one of a plurality of possible media dispensing ports, comprising the steps of:

via a user interface comprising a user display, providing a user with a choice of items to be dispensed, each item being associated with a respective one of a plurality of possible media dispensing ports;

displaying a visual cue on the user display responsive to selection of an item;

displaying a visual cue on an intermediate display adjacent to the user display; and

displaying a visual cue on a port location display adjacent to the intermediate display and adjacent to the plurality of possible media dispensing ports thereby indicating the media dispensing port associated with the selected item.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:

starting to display the visual cue on the port location display subsequent to the display of the visible cue on the intermediate display; and

starting to display the visible cue on the intermediate display subsequent to the display of the visible cue on the user display.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said step of displaying a visual cue on the user display comprises:

displaying an image of said an item on a region of a touch screen.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said step of displaying a visual cue on the port location display comprises:

displaying a moving image on an electronic visual display, said moving image moving in a direction towards said the media dispensing port.

14. A method of dispensing or depositing items of media at one of a plurality of media ports, comprising the steps of:

responsive to a user selecting a transaction item type, providing at least one visible cue to the user extending across multiple displays to identify a media port associated with the item type.

Assignments (9)