Abstract: A card reader device has a card entrance for receiving a card and a card enclosure in registration with the card entrance. The card enclosure defines an area in which the card is read. The card reader also has a card transport mechanism for drawing a card into the card enclosure and for ejecting the card from the card enclosure. A sensor is provided for sensing displacement of part of the card transport mechanism in a direction transverse to the plane of transport of the card, and a control circuit ascertains if the displacement of the card transport mechanism fulfills an alarm criterion.

Abstract: A self-service terminal (SST) (10) is provided which includes a plurality of media dispense and deposit modules (16), a media port (14), and a media transport (22) movable between the modules (16) and the port (14), the transport (22) including a media entrance and a media exit. The transport (22) may be movable vertically, horizontally, or both. Embodiments of the invention include SSTs with a number of separate media module assemblies and a number of movable transports, and SSTs with two communicating transports which may pass media between them.

Abstract: A surface wave touch screen) comprising a hydrophobic touch panel capable of propagating surface acoustic waves, wherein a touch on the touch panel causes a perturbation of a surface wave propagating through the region of the touch. Surface wave transducer means are coupled to the touch panel for transmitting and receiving surface acoustic waves on the panel and processing means are capable of determining the position of a touch on the panel. Use of a hydrophobic panel is advantageous in that operation of the touch screen is unaffected by moisture and so can be used in external environments.

Abstract: A self-service terminal having an acoustic interface is described. The terminal comprises a user locating mechanism, a controller, and an array of individually controllable acoustic elements. In use, the locating mechanism is operable to locate a user and to convey user location information to the controller, and the controller is operable to focus each acoustic element to the user's location to increase the privacy of the user in using the terminal. A method of interacting with a self-service terminal is also described.

Abstract: A security system is provided for use in association with a media entry slot (14, 24) on the user interface (12) of a self service terminal (10), such as a automated teller machine (ATM). At least three profile sensors (60a-60e) are arranged to detect the profile of the leading edge of an object (16) inserted into the slot, (14, 24). An access control means allows objects having a leading edge profile corresponding to a predetermined profile only to access a restricted zone such as the card reader module or a depository. This arrangement reduces the risk of fraudulent access to sensitive parts of the self service terminal via the media entry slots provided on its user interface (12).

Abstract: The present invention relates to modeling the variables of a data set by means of a robabilistic network including data nodes and causal links. The term ‘probabilistic networks’ includes Bayesian networks, belief networks, causal networks and knowledge maps. The variables of an input data set are registered and a population of genomes is generated each of which individually models the input data set. Each genome has a chromosome to represent the data nodes in a probabilistic network and a chromosome to represent the causal links between the data nodes. A crossover operation is performed between the chromosome data of parent genomes in the population to generate offspring genomes. The offspring genomes are then added to the genome population. A scoring operation is performed on genomes in the said population to derive scores representing the correspondence between the genomes and the input data.

Abstract: A self-service terminal (SST) (10) is provided comprising a plurality of user interfacing elements (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24) and a plurality of sound issuing arrangements (28, 30). The sound generated may be modulated to provide sound with an apparent source in the vicinity of a selected user interfacing element, so that a user's attention may be directed to the appropriate element, and so the user may be guided through the steps of a transaction. The invention may be provided in conjunction with conventional visual attention-directing devices, such as LEDs (26).

Abstract: An error delegating processing system for performing operations under control of one or more applications, with device requests being made as needed by the applications. If a device returns a normal status, processing proceeds. If a device returns an error status, a specialized error handler performs error correction. The error handler examines the error status to determine if the error interferes with continued system operation. If not, the error status is logged for later correction and control is returned to the requesting application. If the error status interferes with continued operation, the error status is further examined to determine if it is correctable by a customer. If so, the error handler gives the customer instructions for correcting the error. If the error status is not correctable by the customer, the error handler suspends system operation and issues an alert for a non-customer user to correct the error status.

Abstract: Circuits for continuously varying the gain control for a low noise amplifier (LNA) of a wireless receiver are described. The gain, input third order intercept point (IIP3) and noise figure (NF) of an LNA are continuously varied according to the received power levels, causing the receiver to utilize less current at different power levels. At high gain levels the IIP3and NF are at a minimum, while at low gain levels the IIP3and the NF are at a maximum. By continuously varying the gain of an LNA throughout the operational range, the present invention achieves wider dynamic range and higher power efficiency. According to one aspect, the present invention includes a power coupler and a power detector which are utilized to produce a rectified voltage which is proportional to the input power or output power of an LNA. The rectified voltage is utilized by a control circuit which produces a signal which controls the gain, IIP3and NF of the LNA.

Abstract: A self-service terminal (SST) comprises: a data capture device (16); an emitter (34); a detector (40); and an arrangement (44,48) for producing an alarm signal if the detector (40) fails to receive emissions from the emitter (34). The data capture device (16), the emitter (34) and the detector (40) are arranged such that an object (21) in the vicinity of the data capture device (16) will obstruct the path of emissions from the emitter (34) to the detector (40).

Abstract: An automated teller machine includes a processor on motherboard with BIOS on ROM which allows operation of hard disk via interface. The disk has at least one normal partition but also includes a hidden security partition not accessible under normal system control. Data relating thereto can be encoded for security reasons.

Abstract: Apparatus for improving the accessibility of a self-service terminal (SST) (50) comprises a sensor (52) for detecting the height of a user and a drive arrangement (84, 88) for moving a section of the terminal fascia incorporating a user-interfacing element such as a monitor (58) or keypad (62). The drive arrangement adjusts the position and orientation of the user-interfacing element to an optimum location relative to the detected height of the user.

Abstract: A system and method of locating a wireless device in a transaction establishment which relies on signal strength measurements and the known positions of receiving antennae. The system includes a number of transceivers each including a transmitter which transmits a first signal to the wireless device, a plurality of receivers including a plurality of antennae located throughout the transaction establishment and at least one signal strength determining circuit for determining signal strengths of second signals received by the antennae, and a control circuit for controlling transmission of the first signal and reception of the second signals. A storage medium contains the locations for each of the antennae. A computer coupled to the control circuit instructs the control circuit to transmit the first signal and determines a location of the wireless device in the transaction establishment from the signal strengths and from the locations of the antennae.

Abstract: A system for synchronization of the angular position of a rotating optical assembly in a bar code scanner having a rotating optical assembly. The optical assembly is rotated by a motor which produces a fixed number of pulses per rotation, the pulses occurring at equal intervals such that each pulse indicates a degree of angular rotation of the motor. The pulses are continuously monitored and counted. Timing is simultaneously monitored. A synchronization label is placed in the scanner such that light directed through the rotating optical assembly will strike the synchronization label and be reflected back to the rotating optical assembly when the rotating optical assembly is at a particular angular position, thus establishing an initial angular position of the rotating optical assembly. Once the initial angular position is established, timing is continuously monitored and pulses are continuously monitored and counted.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for detecting, collecting information about, and analyzing a queue. A video camera is positioned to view the queue, and a sequence of video images from the camera may be processed in order to perform the functionality of the present invention. The present invention may be implemented at checkout lanes in a retail establishment, in a bank, at customer service desks, at self-service kiosks, at banks, or any other location where a queue (line) of people or other objects may form. After detecting the queue, the present invention, may collect multi-dimensional information regarding the queue, including the number of people, etc., in the queue, the average service time for each person in the queue, as well as various other types of information regarding the queue. The present invention may thereafter analyze the collected information in various ways, based upon various criteria.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for correcting improperly printed or otherwise defective bar codes. The system scans a bar code and determines whether the scanned bar code data is correct. If the scanned bar code data is incorrect, the system uses the incorrect scanned bar code data to create a scan-based printhead model. The correct data is entered manually, and the manually entered data is used to construct an active printhead model. The scan-based and active printhead models are then compared in order to identify printhead defects, which are stored to correct future bar code scans.

Abstract: A system for detecting and decoding a supplemental barcode accompanying a primary barcode. A supplemental barcode is affixed to a product in the vicinity of a primary barcode. A scanner in a barcode reading system, such as a point of sale system, scans for a primary barcode. Upon detection of a primary barcode, the system inserts a delay while attempting to detect a supplemental barcode. Upon detection of a secondary barcode, the primary and supplemental barcode information is processed, for example by sending the information to a terminal connected to the scanner. Upon expiration of the delay without detection of a supplemental barcode, the primary barcode information is processed.

Abstract: A device for mounting an electronic price label (EPL) to a warehouse shelf which minimizes damage to the EPL from collisions and falls. The device includes a rail which contains the EPL, and a coupler for coupling the rail to an underside of the warehouse shelf. The coupler is weak enough to allow the rail to separate from the shelf when the EPL is struck by a vehicle.

Abstract: A parallel document buffer for holding a plurality of documents while recognition processing is performed on data captured from the documents. Information from each document in a document stream is captured, and passed to a recognition processor. Each document is then passed to one of a plurality of parallel buffer stages of a document buffer, and held until a specified processing time has elapsed. Upon expiration of the processing time, the document is returned to the document stream.

Abstract: An electronic price label (EPL) system including an EPL for attracting customers which uses a noisemaker to make noise during special promotions. The system includes an EPL associated with an item including a noisemaker, and an EPL computer which transmits a command to the EPL to activate the noisemaker during a special promotion of the item. The EPL computer may also transmit a command to display a promotional message to the EPL.