Merchandising – Customer service – Banking
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-18
2001-10-02
Olszewski, Robert P. (Department: 2167)
Merchandising
Customer service
Banking
C235S379000, C235S439000, C109S045000, C902S027000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296079
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to self-service terminals (SSTs), and in particular to methods and apparatus for automatically adjusting the position of user-interfacing elements of SSTs.
SSTs, such as automated teller machines (ATMs), are commonly and increasingly used to carry out many everyday transactions which do not require human supervision. In the case of ATMs, this is frequently the withdrawal of cash from a bank account.
To withdraw money from an account using a conventional ATM, the user is first required to insert a card into a card reader slot on the ATM fascia, the card serving as an identification token. The user must then confirm their identity, for example, by entering a personal identification number (PIN) associated with the card, but known only to the user. The PIN is entered on a keypad incorporated in the ATM.
The user will then proceed through a series of question and answer steps to obtain the desired service, typically in the format of reading instructions on a menu of choices displayed on a monitor incorporated in the ATM, and making selections by pressing keys arranged alongside the monitor.
Finally, the user may retrieve their cash from a dispensing slot provided in the ATM fascia, as well as a receipt, if desired, to provide a hard copy record of the transaction.
Clearly there is a requirement for ATMs, and other SSTs, to be of such a configuration as to be readily accessible to the user. To this end, ATMs are typically configured so as to be accessible by a user of average height, as determined by the Gaussian distribution of the height range of individuals. However, many individuals are not of average height, and those people who lie at the extreme ends of the Gaussian distribution, and hence diverge markedly from the average—for example, very tall individuals, very short individuals, or users in wheelchairs—may experience discomfort and difficulty in making use of a standard ATM, or may even be unable to use the machine at all.
In addition, there are a growing number of ‘drive-up’ SSTs, intended to allow users to make use of SSTs while seated in their vehicles. As motor vehicles are not of a uniform height or configuration, varying between sports cars and trucks and utility vehicles, access problems may be experienced by users of such drive-up SSTs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is among the objects of embodiments of the present invention to provide SSTs which are more easily accessible to users of different statures.
It is a further objective of embodiments of the present invention to provide drive-up SSTs which are more readily accessible to users seated in different vehicles.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for improving the accessibility of a self-service terminal (SST) having at least one user-interfacing element, the method comprising the steps of: sensing the position of a user with respect to the SST; and adjusting the position or orientation of at least one user-interfacing element of the SST with reference to the sensed position of the user such that the element is more readily accessible to the user.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for improving the accessibility of a self-service terminal (SST) including at least one user-interfacing element, the apparatus comprising a sensor for detecting the position of a user, and means for adjusting the position of a user-interfacing element of the SST with reference to the sensed position of the user to render the element more accessible to the user.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a self-service terminal (SST) including a sensor for detecting the position of a user, at least one user-interfacing element for permitting the SST to interact with the user, and means for adjusting the position of the user-interfacing element with reference to the sensed position of the user such that the element is more readily accessible to the user.
These aspects of the present invention provide SSTs which are more easily accessible to a range of users, and facilitate provision of SSTs which are easily accessible to users of widely differing statures or users whose positioning relative to an SST differs markedly from the norm, for example a drive-up ATM user in a sports car or a high ground clearance 4×4 vehicle.
Preferably, the sensor comprises a camera mounted on or adjacent the SST. Conveniently, the sensor comprises an infra-red detecting camera; this enables the body heat of a user to be detected over the background, and the user's location determined by, for example, detecting the uppermost part of a user which is at or close to normal body temperature, and taking this location to be that of the user's head. Of course those of skill in the art will recognise that other forms of sensor may be employed to identify the location of the user relative to the SST, such as sensors which detect signals issuing from an emitter mounted on or adjacent the SST and reflected by the user.
Preferably, the means for adjusting the position of an element of the SST is capable of adjusting the position in one or more axes, and most preferably in a plurality of axes. For example, vertical translational movement may be used to bring a keypad to a convenient height for a user of the stature detected by the sensor, and rotational movement around a vertical axis may be used to orient a display screen so that it is more easily visible to a user who is detected at a position not directly in front of the SST, such as a user of a drive-up ATM that has stopped short of the ATM. If desired, translational and rotational movement may be provided in combination for a single element.
Preferably, the means for adjusting the position of an element of the SST comprises at least one drive motor, and most preferably a plurality of drive motors, to facilitate adjustment of the position of the element in a plurality of axes.
Preferably, the SST is provided with a plurality of user-interfacing elements, and two or more of said elements are adjustable.
Most preferably, a plurality of user-interfacing elements are adjustable independently. For example, if the SST is an ATM, independent adjustments may be made to the monitor, the keypad, and the card reader slot. Alternatively, a plurality of elements may be moved together, for example a section of fascia incorporating a plurality of user-interfacing elements may be adjustable.
Preferably, the adjustable element is mounted and positioned relative to the non-moving parts of the SST, and in particular adjacent areas of an SST fascia, such that the surfaces at the interface between the element and fascia remain in close proximity, that is, there are no gaps in the fascia of the SST whereby an unauthorized individual may gain access to the SST. Preferably also, a weather seal is provided at the interface, to prevent ingress of dust, moisture and the like to the interior of the SST. Conveniently, this is achieved by providing a resilient seal at the interface between the moving and non-moving elements of the SST.
Preferably, the adjusting means comprises at least one radial collar on which the adjustable element is mounted, the collar being located in a window in the fascia of the SST. Most preferably, the radial collar is in the form of a section of a curved surface, typically a cylinder or a sphere, depending on the desired degree of freedom of movement of the element. Such a radial collar provides a simple means whereby the orientation of an element may be adjusted.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a processing unit for determining the optimum position for each adjustable element of the SST based on the height or position of the user as determined by the sensor and instructs the adjusting means to adjust the element to an optimum position for the sensed height or position of the user. The optimum position for the element may be determined from a predefined list of possible positions or may be calculated for each user by means of appropriate algorithms
Jaketic Bryan
NCR Corporation
Olszewski Robert P.
Priest Peter H.
LandOfFree
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