Abstract: A system and method for detecting a foreign object is disclosed. A transmit assembly has a transmit electrode, a ground plane, and a shield electrode positioned between the transmit electrode and the ground plane. Drive circuitry applies a predetermined fixed signal to the transmit electrode and to the shield electrode. A receive assembly is positioned adjacent to the transmit assembly and has a receive electrode. Detection circuitry is coupled to the receive electrode and generates a receive signal based the predetermined fixed signal applied to the transmit electrode. A controller monitors the receive signal to determine when a foreign object has been placed in proximity to the transmit assembly and/or the receive assembly.

Abstract: Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, methods, software, and devices for edge system health monitoring and auditing. One embodiment, in the form of a method includes performing a system audit over a first network of devices deployed within the facility to determine a status of each respective device. This embodiment further includes determining an overall system status for the facility based on results of the system audit including consideration of a status of each of the devices deployed within the facility and storing data representative of the overall system status of the facility. This embodiment also transmits at least a portion of the data representative of the overall system status of the facility over a second network to a facility system status monitoring application which may then present a single indicator of the overall system status or health.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying a foreign object in a stack of media items is disclosed. An upper clamping plate and an opposing lower clamping plate are positioned to hold a received stack of media items. Each clamping plate has an array of capacitive electrodes positioned on an inner surface thereof. Each of the capacitive electrodes in the one array positioned directly across from a corresponding one in the first array to form a capacitive electrode pair. A controller measures the capacitance of each capacitive electrode pair when the received stack of media items is positioned between the clamping plates, determine if a foreign object is present within the received stack of media items based on the capacitance measurements from each capacitive electrode pair, and generate a signal indicating that a foreign object has been detected when a foreign object is determined to be present.

Abstract: A display includes two-integrated cameras. A first camera is situated in a top right corner of a front display surface of the display and a second camera is situated in a top left corner of the front display surface. The display is connected to a transaction terminal with the first camera focused on a bagging area associated with the transaction terminal and with the second camera focused on a staging area associated with the transaction terminal. Each camera captures images of items and the item images are streamed over a high-speed display port directly to the transaction terminal. The transaction terminal performs item recognition, item tracking, and auditing on the items based the item images during transaction processing at the transaction terminal.

Abstract: A system and method of providing two-way communication between an isolated POS system and a website are described. The POS system operates as an air gap system. In response to detecting a trigger event the two-way communication is initiated for installation, diagnostic and repair services. POS information for transmission to the website through the internet is generated using a QR code that includes the website address and a data payload that depends on the desired service. The QR code is read by a smart phone and transmitted to the website. The website responds by sending response data dependent on the QR code and desired service. The response data is communicated to the POS system via another QR code for further operations by the POS system based thereon.

Abstract: A network-based work assignment platform is provided. Employers and workers are registered on the platform. A registered employer posts a temporary job on the platform. The platform matches a registered worker to the temporary job. The platform facilitates, coordinates, and monitors performance of the temporary job by the registered worker and processes payment to the registered worker for performance of the temporary job on behalf of the registered employer.

Abstract: Events generated from a terminal are analyzed and a problem associated with a component peripheral of the terminal is identified. Operations and parameters to the operation are obtained to resolve the problem. The operations and parameters are encoded in a code along with security information. The code is provided to a mobile device. The mobile device provides the code back to the terminal. The terminal verifies the security information from the code and decodes the operations and parameters. The operations with the parameters are processed to resolve the problem on the terminal, and the security information and code are logged for auditing.

Abstract: An Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) is provided. The UPS comprises Alternating Current (AC) power ports, communication ports, a battery to supply Direct Current (DC) power, a display, a surge controller, a wireless transceiver, a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions. The executable instructions when executed by the processor gathers coarse-grain and fine-grain power consumption metrics for a terminal plugged into an AC power port and the battery. The metrics displayed on the display and provided to user-operated devices over the wireless transceiver. User-operated devices include user interfaces that customer configure the executable instructions of the UPS for custom gathering of the metrics, custom aggregation of the metrics, custom reporting the metrics, and custom displaying of the metrics on the display.

Abstract: A configuration interface is provided. Hardware settings are obtained for a target server's networked environment through the configuration interface. Microservices are selected with configuration settings through the configuration interface. An installation package is created having an Operating System (OS), the selected microservices, the hardware settings, and the configuration settings. The installation package is uploaded to a blade server. Upon detection by the blade server of the presence of the target server's networked environment, a bootstrap operation is processed and the OS with the selected microservices are loaded and initiated on the blade server. The microservices are provided over the target server's network as a self-contained microservice platform from the blade server. The microservices interact with transaction devices over the network and user-operated devices through a portal interface provided with the installation package.

Abstract: Workload Images comprising one or more artifacts are managed in a decentralized and centralized manner. Local management comprises breaking any image/artifact into blocks, encrypting each block with a key known and available only to the local processing environment, and uniquely signing each encrypted block. Published versions of the images/artifacts are retained remotely in a cloud/server in encrypted and signed block format. When retrieval, modification, addition, deletion, and deployment of any given image/artifact is needed, the target device/server that is to receive the image/artifact provides a listing of encrypted blocks with the corresponding signatures that are already present on that device/server and a centralized cloud/server schedules and manages download of just those encrypted blocks that are missing to the target device/server.

Abstract: A machine-learning algorithm is trained with features relevant to a modeled set of input directed to patterns of activities specific to a given behavior. The trained algorithm is also trained on success and failures of remediation actions that change or do not change the given behavior. The trained algorithm is then provided the modeled set of input at predefined intervals of time and supplies as output expected deviations/changes that are predicted for the given behavior along with an indication as to whether the remediation actions are likely to prevent or change the expected behaviors.

Abstract: A machine-learning algorithm is trained with features relevant to a visual/video analysis performed on subjects conducting transaction at transaction terminals. The algorithm is also trained on weather data known at the time of the transactions and on selective details of the transactions. The algorithm produces as output predictions relevant to: whether a given subject for a current transaction is likely to enter a store, likely items that the given subject might purchase if the subject were to enter the store and likely amount of money that the subject would spend in the store, an effectiveness of providing an incentive for the subject to enter the store, and what type of incentive would most likely entice the subject to enter the store.

Abstract: A fraud detection system for a self-service terminal which has a card reader includes an optical proximity sensor and an electrode for a capacitive proximity sensor mounted adjacent to a slot in the card reader. A controller is coupled to the optical proximity sensor and the capacitive proximity sensor. The controller compares a proximity signal from the optical proximity sensor with a first predetermined proximity threshold that is adjusted based on a level of ambient infrared light at that sensor, and sets an alarm signal when an object is closer than the adjusted first predetermined proximity threshold. The controller also compares a proximity signal from the capacitive proximity sensor with a second predetermined proximity threshold that is adjusted based on a level of luminosity light at the optical proximity sensor, and sets an alarm signal when an object is closer than the adjusted second predetermined proximity threshold.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for detecting a printer jam. The systems and methods can include receiving a reference image of a printer opening and a second image of the printer opening. A lack of a receipt between the second image compared to the reference image can be detected. The lack of the receipt can indicate the printer jam. After detecting the printer jam, operation of the self-service terminal can be terminated.

Abstract: A distributed interface is provided with real-time updates. A first user accessing the interface through a first user window is dynamically updated within the first user window and in real time when a second user accessing the interface through a second user window changes a field/character within the second user window. In an embodiment, the updated notification is achieved without window refreshing and without a committed update for the field/character change being committed by the second user to a back end system associated with the distributed interface.

Abstract: Time-stamped images are captured for unknown items within a store. Portions of the images are cropped to restrict the cropped images to attributes associated with the unknown items. A set of time ordered cropped images are proved to a trained machine-learning item recognition algorithm, which produces an output of confidence values that map to specific items of the store. When the confidence value meets or exceeds a predefined threshold, the specific item associated with that confidence value is used to identify the unknown item. The known item is assigned to an appropriate shopping cart of a shopper based on tracking from the images of the shopper while in the store.

Abstract: A scan avoidance monitoring system detects instances in which a respective customer in a retail environment fails to properly scan or tally one or more retail items for purchase. To avoid generating false positives, such as flagging of events as scan avoidances when they really are not or likely are not scan avoidances, the scan avoidance system can be configured to require a level of confirmation by one or more other analyzers to flag a particular circumstance as a scan avoidance.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an augmented reality (AR) interaction zone to a user of a mobile device to provide remote access to a self-service terminal (SST) having a controller, a display for providing information and instructions to a user, a keypad for entering user data and user commands, and a camera (preferably a depth camera). A mobile device selectively initiates, based on a user command, a transaction by establishing a wireless communications channel with the SST. The controller generates the AR interaction zone based on signals from the camera, provides a signal to the mobile device to display an AR input field on an integral display, processes signals from the camera to monitor the AR interaction zone for user movement corresponding to input, identifies input based on the signals from the camera, and causes the SST to process a requested user transaction based on the identified input.

Abstract: A peripheral device is tracked between connections to host devices. A peripheral driver is dynamically configured and associated with a peripheral of a host device. A current association between the peripheral device and a current host device is maintained for purposes of providing the peripheral driver of the peripheral device on the current host device to remotely executing applications. The association is dynamically changed/updated based on a connection between the peripheral device and a given host device.

Abstract: A terminal receives card details for a payment card to process payment for a transaction. The card and transaction details are sent to an intermediate server. The card details are identified as being associated with a card issuer associated with a first currency while the terminal is associated with a second different currency from the first currency. A currency conversion entity selection request is sent to the card issuer. The card issuer requests a consumer select a currency conversion entity for payment at the terminal. A mobile device of the consumer generates encoded data representing: a selected currency conversion entity, the card details, and the transaction details. The encoded data is processed to verify and process payment for the transaction with the selected currency conversion entity preventing any override by a merchant to use a different currency conversion entity at the terminal.