Automated banking system controlled responsive to data bearing records
View Patent ↗An automated banking machine operates responsive to data read from data bearing records corresponding to authorized user or financial account data. The automated banking 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 transaction function devices such as the card reader to avoid exceeding power supply capacity.
1. An apparatus comprising:
an automated transaction machine including:
at least one transaction function device, wherein the at least one transaction function device uses electrical power during operation, wherein the at least one transaction function device is selected from a group consisting of a cash acceptor, a cash recycler, a check acceptor, a cash dispenser, a display, a printer, and an envelope depository;
at least one power supply, wherein the at least one power supply is operative to supply electrical power to the at least one transaction function device,
a power controller,
at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with the at least one transaction function device, wherein the at least one processor includes: at least one terminal processor associated with the machine, at least one device processor, wherein the at least one transaction function device includes the at least one device processor, and at least one power controller processor;
wherein the at least one processor is operative to:
determine at least one amount of power required to carry out at least one operation of the at least one transaction function device in conjunction with a financial transaction involving the at least transaction function device, prior to the at least one operation,
determine prior to the at least one operation, whether the at least one power supply can deliver the at least one amount of power, and cause the at least one operation to occur responsive at least in part to the determining that the power supply can deliver the at least one amount of power;
wherein the at least one terminal processor is operative to communicate prior to the at least one operation, at least one first message to the at least one device processor, wherein the at least one first message corresponds to the at least one operation,
wherein prior to the at least one operation, the at least one device processor is operative responsive at least in part to the at least one first message, to communicate at least one second message to the at least one power controller processor, wherein the at least one second message corresponds to at least one of a group consisting of an operation and an amount of power required to perform the at least one operation.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein prior to the at least one operation, the at least one power controller processor is operative responsive at least in part to the at least one second message, to communicate at least one third message to the at least one device processor, wherein the at least one device processor is operative to cause the at least one transaction function device to operate to perform at least a portion of the at least one operation, responsive at least in part to the at least one third message.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one power controller processor is operative to make the further determination and to cause the at least one third message to be communicated responsive at least in part to the further determination.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one power controller processor is in operative connection with at least one power controller data store, wherein the at least one power controller data store includes data corresponding to at least one power allocation, wherein the at least one power allocation corresponds to at least one prior operation of the at least one transaction function device that the at least one power controller as previously authorized to be currently occurring, and wherein the further determination is made responsive at least in part to the data corresponding to the at least one power allocation.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the at least one power controller processor is operative responsive at least in part to the further determination to cause the at least one operation to occur, to cause to be stored in the at least one power controller data store, data corresponding to a further power allocation corresponding to the power needed for the at least one transaction function device to perform the at least one operation.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one power controller processor is operative to delete from the at least one power controller data store, data corresponding to the further power allocation.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one device processor is operative to communicate at least one fourth message to the at least one power controller processor responsive at least in part to the at least one transaction function device completing at least a portion of the at least one operation, and wherein the at least one power controller processor is operative to delete data corresponding to the further power allocation responsive at least in part to the at least one fourth message.
8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one power controller processor is operative to calculate a time associated with the further power allocation, and wherein the at least one power controller processor is operative to delete the data corresponding to the further power allocation from the at least one power controller data store responsive at least in part to the time.
9. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein responsive to occurrence of an abnormal condition in performing the at least one operation, at least one device processor and the at least one terminal processor is operative to determine a recovery operation, wherein responsive at least in part to the determined recovery operation, and prior to the recovery operation, at least one of the at least one device processor and the at least one terminal processor is operative to cause at least one fourth message to be communicated to the at least one power controller processor, wherein the at least one fourth message includes at least one of data corresponding to the recovery operation and power required by the at least one transaction function device to perform the recovery operation, wherein the at least one power controller processor is operative to determine responsive at least in part to the at least one fourth message, at least one further amount of power required for the at least one transaction function device to carry out the recovery operation, prior to the at least one recovery operation, to cause another determination to be made whether the at least one power supply is capable of delivering the at least one further amount of power required to perform the recovery operation, to communicate at least one fifth message to the at least one device processor responsive at least in part to the another determination, and wherein the at least one device processor is operative to cause the at least one transaction function device to carry out at least a portion of the recovery operation responsive at least in part to the at least one fifth message.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one power controller processor is operative to make the another determination responsive at least in part to data corresponding to at least one power allocation, including the further power allocation, stored in the at least one power controller data store.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one power controller processor is operative responsive at least in part to the another determination to cause data corresponding to the another power allocation to be stored in the at least one power controller data store, wherein the another power allocation corresponds to at least one further amount of power required for the at least one transaction function device to carry out the recovery operation.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the at least one power controller processor is operative to cause data corresponding to the another power allocation to be deleted from the at least one power controller data store.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one transaction function device is operative to communicate at least one fifth message to the at least one power controller processor responsive to the at least one transaction function device carrying out at least a portion of the recovery operation, and wherein the at least one power controller processor is operative to delete the data corresponding to the another power allocation responsive at least in part to the at least one fifth message.
14. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein when the at least one power controller processor operates to cause the at least one operation to not occur responsive to the further determination, the at least one power controller processor is operative to generate at least one sixth message.
15. An apparatus comprising:
an automated transaction machine including:
at least one data reader, wherein the at least one data reader is operative to read user data usable to identify a financial account on which financial transactions can be carried out with the machine, and
at least one transaction function device arrangement, wherein the at least one transaction function device arrangement that includes at least one transaction function device selected from a group consisting of: at least one display, at least one printer, and at least one sheet handling mechanism;
at least one power supply, wherein the at least one power supply is configured to supply power to the at least one transaction function device, a power controller, at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
cause through operation of the at least one terminal processor, the at least one data reader to read user data,
cause at least one first message to be communicated to the at least one transaction function device arrangement, wherein the at least one first message includes at least one instruction for the at least one transaction function device to perform at least one operation associated with a transaction requested by a machine user,
responsive at least in part to the at least one instruction, cause at least one operational message to be communicated to the power controller, wherein the at least one operational message is indicative of the at least one operation to be performed,
responsive at least in part to the at least one operational message, determine an amount of power required by the at least one transaction function device to perform the at least one operation,
determine whether the at least one power supply has sufficient power to perform the at least one operation by the at least one transaction function device,
responsive at least in part to determining that the power supply has sufficient power to perform the at least one operation by the at least one transaction function device, cause at least one second message to be communicated to the at least one transaction function device, wherein the at least one second message indicates approval by the power controller to perform the at least one operation;
wherein the at least one operation is performed responsive at least in part to the at least one second message.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the at least one processor includes at least one device processor of the at least one transaction function device arrangement, wherein causing the at least one operational message to be communicated to the power controller includes operating the at least one device processor to cause the at least one operational message to be communicated to the power controller.
17. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the at least one processor includes at least one power controller processor associated with the power controller, wherein determining whether the at least one power supply has sufficient power includes operating the at least one power controller processor to determine whether the at least one power supply can deliver the amount of power, and wherein causing the at least one second message to be communicated includes operating the at least one power controller processor to cause the at least one second message to be communicated to the at least one transaction function device.
18. An apparatus comprising:
an automated transaction machine including:
at least one data reader, wherein the at least one data reader is operative to read user data usable to identify a financial account on which financial transactions can be carried out with the machine, and
at least one transaction function device arrangement, wherein the at least one transaction function device arrangement includes at least one transaction function device, selected from a group consisting of: at least one display, at least one printer, and at least one sheet handling mechanism;
at least one power supply, wherein the at least one power supply is configured to supply power to the at least one transaction function device, a power controller, at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
cause through operation of the at least one terminal processor, the at least one data reader to read user data,
cause at least one first message to be communicated to the at least one transaction function device arrangement, wherein the at least one first message includes at least one instruction for the at least one transaction function device to perform at least one operation associated with a transaction requested by a machine user,
responsive at least in part to the at least one instruction, cause at least one power requirement message to be communicated to the power controller, wherein the at least one power requirement message indicates an amount of power required by the at least one transaction function device to perform the at least one operation,
determine whether the at least one power supply has sufficient power to deliver the amount of power indicated in the at least one power requirement message, and
responsive at least in part to determining the at least one power supply can deliver the amount of power indicated in the at least one power requirement message, cause at least one second message to be communicated to the at least one transaction function device, wherein the at least one second message indicates approval by the power controller to perform the at least one operation;
wherein at least one operation is performed responsive to the at least one second message.
19. The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the at least one processor includes at least one device processor of the at least one transaction function device arrangement, wherein causing at least one power requirement message to be communicated to the power controller includes operating the at least one device processor to cause the at least one power requirement message to be communicated to the power controller.
20. The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the at least one processor includes at least one power controller processor associated with the power controller, wherein determine whether the at least one power supply has sufficient power to deliver the amount of power indicated in the at least one power requirement message includes operating the at least one power controller processor to determine whether the at least one power supply has sufficient power to deliver the amount of power, and wherein causing at least one second message to be sent includes operating the at least one power controller processor to cause the at least one second message to be communicated to the at least one transaction function device.