Abstract: A base transaction User Interface (UI) is provided that provides transaction processing for transactions at transaction terminals. The base UI can be customized through independent and decoupled customization/extension files, which provide specific UI customizations for UI screen content, UI screen styles, UI screen views, UI screen workflows, and UI screen resource functionality. Customizations or extensions are achieved without modifying the base UI. The customizations or extensions are dynamically obtained during execution of the base UI from the corresponding files and processed by the base UI as user-defined custom overrides.

Abstract: Biometric features are derived from security data associated with a subject. The security data is obtained from a security device. A biometric value is calculated from the biometric features. The biometric value is anonymized to an identifier associated with the subject. The identifier is integrated with event data associated with a security system. In an embodiment, the security device is a Personal Identification Number (PIN) pad integrated into a transaction terminal, the security data is fingerprint data, which is read from a finger of the subject placed on a fingerprint reader integrated into the PIN pad, and the biometric value is a PIN calculated from fingerprint data during a transaction at the transaction terminal. In an embodiment, the security device is a security camera, the security data is a secure video stream, and the biometric features are facial features of the subject in the secure video stream.

Abstract: A site server agent monitors a site server for an event associated with an update process that spans multiple resources associated with multiple systems. The agent hands the monitoring off to a remote connected systems manager when a state associated with the event does not change to an expected value within a configured period of time or based on a configured condition. Connected systems manager continues to monitor the state and elevates the event to a level two incident after a second configured period of time or based on a second configured condition. When the state has still not changed after a third configured period of time or based on a third configured condition, a level one incident is generated in an incident management system associated with the site for support staff to immediately investigate the update process and resources of the systems.

Abstract: Images captured for components of a device are monitored for changes by evaluating a first region of interest in the images. Periodically, a command is sent to the device to move one or more of the components to a known position or state. A certain component or set of components associated with being moved based on the command is evaluated in a second region of interest in the images to determine if the corresponding component or set of components is in the known position or state within the images. When the corresponding component or set of components is not identified from the images in the known position or state, a security alert is raised for the device and security operations are processed on the host device.

Abstract: A user makes a request from a requesting device for access to a secure operation associated with a network-based service. A first biometric authentication is processed for the request and at least one second scope-based authentication is processed for the request based on an analysis of a physical environment for the requesting device. A determination is made based on at least the first biometric authentication and the scope-based authentication whether the secure operation can be: processed on behalf of the user by the network-based service, not processed at all, or processed only if requested from a specific medium/channel associated with a specific device, which may or may not be the requesting device.

Abstract: Inter-microservice communications are managed through in-memory connection routing. A sending microservice writes a message over a port associated with the connection. The message is routed directly to one or more receiving microservices associated with the connection over their ports associated with the connection. The message may be converted to a different format or multiple different formats through plugins processed when the message is received over the sending microservice's port and before the converting messages are routed over the receiving microservices' ports. The inter-microservice communications are hardware and platform independent or agnostic, such that the microservices associated with the connection can be processed on different hardware and different platforms from one another.

Abstract: A consumer is identified at a transaction terminal. A natural-language voice chatbot is initiated for the transaction. The chatbot is configured with store information for a store associated with the terminal and, optionally, with preferences registered to the consumer. A natural language voice dialogue using, at least the store information, is initiated between the chatbot and the consumer while the consumer is at the terminal and during the transaction. The consumer may order store items from the store and pay for the items through the dialogue. In an embodiment, the items ordered are delivered to the terminal where the consumer is located.

Abstract: A virtualized transaction terminal platform is provided. A transaction terminal is configured as a thin-client terminal. A virtualized transaction terminal (Virtual Machine (VM)) is instantiated remotely on a cloud or a server over a network connection. Peripherals connected to the thin-client terminal are mapped to virtual peripheral device drivers on the cloud or the server. Physical peripherals connected to the thin-client terminal are mapped inside the VM to the corresponding virtual peripheral device drivers. As transactions are initiated and physical peripherals are operated at the thin-client terminal, the transactions are processed by the VM and inputs/outputs from the physical peripherals are forwarded for processing by the corresponding virtual peripheral device drivers. A remote desktop (RD) agent on the thin-client terminal keeps states of the VM and virtual peripheral device drivers in synchronization with a peripheral display of the thin-client terminal.

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: Item vectors representing transaction contexts for items are mapped to multidimensional space. A request is received for an alternative to a given item from a resource. The multidimensional space is evaluated to identify closest candidate items to the given item based on the corresponding item vectors. An optimal candidate item is selected from the candidate items based on the request. The association between the given item and the optimal candidate item is injected within a process workflow associated with the resource.

Abstract: A pusher plate stacking bin apparatus is provided for a valuable media depository. The apparatus comprising a pusher plate driven by a rack and pinion apparatus to stack a media item that is in a final position within the apparatus onto a media stacking platform. The media item is urged into the final position such that a trailing edge of the media item overhangs and rests on a fixed media guide and such that a leading edge of the media item overhangs and rests on a hinged media guide with a bottom surface of the media item elevated above the media stacking platform. The rack and pinion apparatus drives the plate past the media guides causing the hinged media guide to drop and the media item to fold along the leading edge as the media item is stacked onto the platform.

Abstract: A presence of a consumer transacting at a transaction terminal is detected. Content for the transaction terminal is played as media on the transaction terminal. When an identity of the consumer is resolved, the content is switched to new content that is targeted/customized to the consumer and is played as new media on the transaction terminal. When a transaction concludes, the media play is stopped. Statistics for the transaction and media play are retained for tracking and reporting.

Abstract: An interface is rendered on a user-operated device. Selections are made with respect to a first set of options by the user operating the interface. A list of potential food dishes for further selection by the user is presented within the interface based on the selections. A food dish selection is received from the user through the interface. A recipe for the selected food dish is generated and presented within the interface based on the food dish selection and a list of ingredients needed for the recipe are generated as a shopping list for the user to obtain at a store. In an embodiment, a navigation route to obtain the ingredients within the store is provided to the user when the user is at the store, allowing the user to traverse the route within the store and obtain each of the ingredients.

Abstract: Item codes are mapped to multidimensional space as item vectors based on each item codes context relevant to other item codes in a product catalogue. A transaction history for a given customer is obtained and each item vector associated with a corresponding item purchase made by that customer is obtained. All item vectors per customer are summed to create an aggregated and single vector representing the purchase history of each customer. The aggregated customer-item vectors for the customers are plotted in the multidimensional space. The plotted customer-item vectors are then clustered into groupings based on their distances from one another in the multidimensional space; the groupings representing data-driven customer segments. The data-driven customer segments along with customer identifiers for the customers comprising each segment are provided as input to promotional engines and/or loyalty systems.

Abstract: An item price that is noted in a transaction for an item is identified. Any discount or item price override is identified for the transaction. A catalogue price for the item is obtained. Similar items associated with the item are determined based on mapped transaction contexts for the item and the similar items within a multidimensional space. Similar item prices are obtained and a median price for the item and similar items is calculated. A real-time price alert is sent to a resource that is associated with processing or handling the transaction when the item price, adjusted for any discount or item price override, deviates (above or below) from the median price by a threshold amount.

Abstract: A system and method is described for the touchless entry of a personal identification number (PIN) at a self-service terminal such as an automated teller machine (ATM). A mobile device includes a PIN entry application. The self-service terminal includes a wireless interface for communicating wirelessly with the PIN entry application in the mobile device. A communication channel is established between a particular customer's mobile device and the self-service terminal. The PIN entry application verifies a public key for the self-service terminal at the mobile device. The customer's PIN is encrypted by the PIN entry application at the mobile device using either an ephemeral symmetric encryption key or a one-time RSA PIN transport public key. The encrypted PIN is transmitted to an encryption processor at the self-service terminal. The encryption processor decrypts the PIN using the appropriate encryption key.

Abstract: Visual features of a vehicle, a vehicle's orientation with respect to a transaction terminal, and an individual associated with the vehicle are derived from video captured of the terminal and a surrounding area of the terminal. Additional information associated with brute force attacks in a location associated with the terminal are obtained as additional features. The visual features and the additional features are provided as input to a trained Machine-Learning Model (MLM) and the MLM provides as output a confidence value representing a prediction as to whether the current vehicle and the current individual are potentially about to engage in a brute force attack on the terminal. When the confidence value exceeds a threshold value, enhanced feature detection is enabled on the video, external systems are notified, and an incident packet of information is assembled.

Abstract: A cross-entity and cross-retailer platform is provided that captures transaction data (and/or browser history data associated with online browser-based transactions), indexes, and stores the data in a cloud-accessible data store. A cloud service is provided that custom processes retailer and entity-defined workflows based on purchase transactions using the data store. The service discovers and updates trends and patterns associated with item sales for a given retailer or for a given entity across channels associated with in-store and online item sales. The trends and patterns are dynamically reported to the corresponding entity or the corresponding retailer. The entities may comprise manufacturers of an item, a supplier of the item, a distributor of the item, and a Consumer Packaging Goods (CPG) company of the item.

Abstract: A media level of each Self-Service Terminal (SST) within a customized group of SSTs are managed in real time based on a current media level and a predicted optimal media level for each SST over a given period of time. During management, depositors are proactively steered away from media heavy SSTs to media deficient SSTs within the group. Any given SST of the group may have deposits temporarily disabled based on real-time instruction. Depositors that are being redirected may be incentivized to encourage the depositors to deposit at the cash deficient SSTs of the group.

Abstract: Payment card slot tampering at a transaction terminal is detected in real time. One or more images from one or more cameras are analyzed. The camera(s) is/are focused overhead of the terminal on an area adjacent to and in front of a card slot for a card reader of the terminal. The images are analyzed for determining whether hands of arms for an operator of the terminal are performing actions that indicate the operator may be attempting to install a card skimmer/shimmer into the card slot and/or attempting to remove an existing skimmer/shimmer from the card slot. When card slot tampering event is detected at the terminal a variety of automated actions are processed, such as shutting down the card reader, shutting down the terminal, confiscating any payment card inserted into the card slot, notifying a financial institution, and/or notifying legal authorities.