Abstract:
A method of executing a transaction for a user at a self-service terminal is described. The method comprises: (a) sensing a stroke gesture delineated by the user on a touch-sensitive panel; (b) recognizing the delineated stroke gesture; and (c) matching the delineated stroke gesture to one of a plurality of defined transaction strokes, each defined transaction stroke being associated with a specific transaction. The method further comprises (d) executing the specific transaction associated with the matched transaction stroke.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to improvements in, or relating to, a self-service terminal (SST). 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    SSTs are public access devices that provide goods and/or services to customers in an unattended environment and/or in an unassisted manner. One common type of SST is an Automated Teller Machine (ATM). An ATM provides a customer with a selection of transactions and gathers information from the customer to enable a desired transaction to be executed. This information gathering process may require the customer to navigate through multiple screens. However, some ATM customers have difficulty in navigating through ATM screens, perhaps due to visual, physical, or cognitive impairment; while other ATM customers would prefer a quicker way of executing a transaction at the ATM. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    Accordingly, the invention generally provides methods, systems, apparatus, and software for allowing a user to execute a transaction at an SST by drawing a character on a touch-sensitive panel of the SST. 
         [0004]    In addition to the Summary of Invention provided above and the subject matter disclosed below in the Detailed Description, the following paragraphs of this section are intended to provide further basis for alternative claim language for possible use during prosecution of this application, if required. If this application is granted, some aspects may relate to claims added during prosecution of this application, other aspects may relate to claims deleted during prosecution, other aspects may relate to subject matter never claimed. Furthermore, the various aspects detailed hereinafter are independent of each other, except where stated otherwise. Any claim corresponding to one aspect should not be construed as incorporating any element or feature of the other aspects unless explicitly stated in that claim. 
         [0005]    According to a first aspect there is provided a method of executing a transaction for a user at a self-service terminal, the method comprising: 
         [0006]    (a) sensing a stroke gesture delineated by the user on a touch-sensitive panel; 
         [0007]    (b) recognizing the delineated stroke gesture; 
         [0008]    (c) matching the delineated stroke gesture to one of a plurality of defined transaction strokes, each defined transaction stroke being associated with a specific transaction; and 
         [0009]    (d) executing the specific transaction associated with the matched transaction stroke. 
         [0010]    The method may comprise the further steps of: 
         [0011]    (c+1) informing the user of the specific transaction associated with the matched transaction stroke; 
         [0012]    (c+2) requesting the user to confirm that the specific transaction associated with the matched transaction stroke is the transaction that the user would like to execute; 
         [0013]    (c+3) executing step (d) only in response to detecting the user&#39;s confirmation that the specific transaction associated with the matched transaction stroke is the transaction that the user would like to execute. 
         [0014]    If the user does not confirm that the specific transaction associated with the matched transaction stroke is the transaction that the user would like to execute, then the self-service terminal may provide a selection of transaction options from which the user may select a desired transaction. 
         [0015]    Alternatively, the method may comprise the further steps of: 
         [0016]    (c+1) informing the user of the specific transaction associated with the matched transaction stroke; 
         [0017]    (c+2) informing the user that the specific transaction associated with the matched transaction stroke will be executed within a predefined time period unless the user cancels the transaction; 
         [0018]    (c+3) executing step (d) when the predefined time period elapses without the user cancelling the transaction. 
         [0019]    The predefined time period may comprise approximately three seconds, five seconds, ten seconds, or any other convenient time period. 
         [0020]    The predefined time period may not be a fixed amount of time (such as a defined number of seconds), but rather it may be related to how long it takes the SST to prepare the transaction for execution. For example, for a banknote dispense transaction, the predefined time period may elapse when the transaction has been authorized and the banknotes are ready for presenting to the user. 
         [0021]    The step of sensing a stroke gesture delineated by the user on a touch-sensitive panel may include converting the sensed stroke gesture to a sequence of points. Alternatively, the step of sensing a stroke gesture delineated by the user on a touch-sensitive panel may include performing optical character recognition on the stroke gesture. 
         [0022]    The step of recognizing the delineated stroke gesture may include the sub-steps of converting the sequence of points to one or more characters. 
         [0023]    The step of matching the delineated stroke gesture to one of a plurality of defined transaction strokes may include matching the one or more characters from the converted sequence of points to one or more characters in a list of transaction character entries (also referred to as defined transaction strokes), each transaction character entry in the list being (i) unique, and (ii) associated with a predefined transaction. Each transaction character entry may comprise one or more characters. 
         [0024]    The transaction may comprise: a dispense transaction, a deposit transaction, a statement printing transaction, a funds transfer transaction, a combined dispense and receipt transaction, a combined deposit and receipt transaction, or the like. 
         [0025]    According to a second aspect there is provided a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed on a processor, implement the steps of the method of the first aspect. 
         [0026]    The computer program may be embodied on a carrier, stored in a computer memory, or conveyed on a propagating signal. 
         [0027]    According to a third aspect there is provided a self-service terminal comprising: 
         [0028]    a touch-sensitive panel operable to detect contact by a user as the user delineates a stroke gesture on the panel; 
         [0029]    a stroke recognition engine arranged to (i) convert a sequence of points received from the touch-sensitive panel and corresponding to each stroke gesture delineated by the user to a character, (ii) match the converted characters to one of a plurality of transaction entries, each transaction entry being (a) unique, and (b) associated with a predefined transaction, and (iii) identify a specific transaction associated with the matched transaction entry; and 
         [0030]    a transaction execution component arranged to execute the specific transaction. 
         [0031]    Each of the plurality of transaction entries may comprise one or more characters. For example, a dispense transaction entry may comprise the letters “DI” or just “D”. A transaction entry may also include one or more numerals indicative of the amount of the transaction. For example, if a user delineates the characters “D50” on the touch-sensitive panel, then this may indicate that user is requesting a dispense transaction for the amount fifty dollars; similarly, “D100” would indicate that a one hundred dollar dispense transaction is requested; however, “DE100” would indicate that the user is requesting to deposit one hundred dollars. 
         [0032]    Any type of currency or other valuable media may be used, for example, U.S. dollars, pound sterling, Japanese Yen, Euros, cheques, Giros, or the like. 
         [0033]    The user may delineate a sequence of stroke gestures on the same portion of the touch-sensitive panel (that is, successive stroke gestures overlie each other) or each stroke gesture may be delineated on a different portion of the touch-sensitive panel (similar to writing a word on paper). 
         [0034]    The transaction execution component may comprise a transaction application program executing on a controller in the self-service terminal. 
         [0035]    The stroke recognition engine may include a conventional character recognition engine. Character recognition engines, which convert a stroke gesture input by a user into a character, are known. One type of character recognition engine is referred to as “Graffiti” and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,656, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Other character recognition engines may be used, such as Quickwriting (described at http://mrl.nyu.edu/˜perlin/doc/quikwriting/quikwriting.pdf). 
         [0036]    Matching the converted characters to one of a plurality of transaction entries may be implemented by storing a table of transactions and corresponding characters (transaction strokes) identifying those transactions. In some embodiments, the function of matching one or more recognized characters to one of a plurality of predefined transactions may be implemented by a separate software component. For example, a transaction application may include a component that matches one or more recognized characters to one of a plurality of predefined transactions, then executes the matched transaction. 
         [0037]    The self-service terminal may further comprise a token reader to identify the user. The token reader may be a card reader, a biometrics reader, a passbook reader, or the like. 
         [0038]    The user may be a customer or a service user. 
         [0039]    The self-service terminal may be an automated teller machine (ATM), an information kiosk, a financial services centre, a bill payment kiosk, a lottery kiosk, a postal services machine, a check-in and/or check-out terminal such as those used in the retail, hotel, car rental, gaming, healthcare, and airline industries, and the like. 
         [0040]    According to a fourth aspect there is provided a self-service terminal comprising: 
         [0041]    a touch-sensitive panel operable to detect contact by a user as the user delineates a stroke gesture on the panel; 
         [0042]    a stroke recognition engine arranged to (i) store a sequence of points received from the touch-sensitive panel and corresponding to the stroke gesture delineated by the user thereon, (ii) match the sequence of points to one of a plurality of transaction strokes, and (iii) identify a predefined transaction associated with the matched transaction stroke; and 
         [0043]    a transaction program arranged to (i) receive the identified transaction from the stroke recognition engine, and (ii) execute the received transaction. 
         [0044]    Each of the plurality of transaction strokes may correspond to one or more characters. For example, a dispense transaction stroke may correspond to the letter “D” or the letters “DI”. A transaction stroke may also include a numeral indicative of the value of the transaction amount. For example, if a user delineates the characters “D50” on the touch-sensitive panel, then this may indicate that user is requesting a dispense transaction for the amount fifty dollars; similarly, “D100” would indicate that a one hundred dollar dispense transaction is requested. 
         [0045]    The stroke recognition engine may comprise a distributed software architecture. 
         [0046]    It will now be appreciated that these aspects have the advantage that a user at an SST (typically a customer, but in some cases a service user, such as a replenisher) can execute a transaction by writing one or more strokes on a touch-sensitive panel rather than having to navigate through a sequence of screens presented by the SST. The stroke gestures can be used in a more extensive way than just as a text input mechanism. The stroke gestures can function in a similar way to a macro (a single command that incorporates multiple sequential commands). This is because stroke gestures allow the user to select and execute a transaction directly, without having to navigate through a sequence of information-gathering screens. 
         [0047]    For clarity and simplicity of description, not all combinations of elements provided in the aspects recited above have been set forth expressly. Notwithstanding this, the skilled person will directly and unambiguously recognize that unless it is not technically possible, or it is explicitly stated to the contrary, the consistory clauses referring to one aspect are intended to apply mutatis mutandis as optional features of every other aspect to which those consistory clauses could possibly relate. 
         [0048]    These and other aspects will be apparent from the following specific description, given by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0049]      FIG. 1  is pictorial front view of a self-service terminal (SST) according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0050]      FIG. 2  is a simplified schematic diagram showing internal components of the SST of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0051]      FIG. 3  is a table illustrating a plurality of transaction codes that can be delineated by a customer on a component (a display module) of the SST of  FIG. 1 , and transactions associated with those transaction codes; 
           [0052]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating the steps performed by the SST of  FIG. 1  when a customer executes a transaction using stroke gestures; 
           [0053]      FIG. 5  is a pictorial drawing illustrating the display module of the SST of  FIG. 1  being used by a customer to enter a first stroke gesture; 
           [0054]      FIG. 6  is a pictorial drawing illustrating the display module of the SST of  FIG. 1  being used by a customer to enter a second stroke gesture; 
           [0055]      FIG. 7  is a pictorial drawing illustrating the display module of the SST of  FIG. 1  being used by a customer to enter a third stroke gesture; 
           [0056]      FIG. 8  is a pictorial drawing illustrating the display module of the SST of  FIG. 1  being used by a customer to enter a fourth stroke gesture; and 
           [0057]      FIG. 9  is a pictorial drawing illustrating the display module of the SST of  FIG. 1  presenting a screen informing the customer of a transaction about to be executed in response to the stroke gestures delineated by the customer, as shown in  FIGS. 5 to 8 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0058]    Reference is first made to  FIG. 1 , which is a pictorial front view of a self-service terminal (SST)  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the SST  10  is a through-the-wall ATM. 
         [0059]    The ATM  10  includes a customer interface comprising apertures (also called slots) aligning with devices within the ATM  10 . These apertures include: a cash dispenser aperture  12 , a coin dispenser aperture  14 , a statement printer aperture  16 , a receipt printer aperture  18 , a card reader aperture  20 , and a cash deposit aperture  22 . 
         [0060]    The ATM  10  also includes an encrypting keypad  30 , a private audio socket  32 , and a touch-sensitive display module  34 . 
         [0061]    Reference will now also be made to  FIG. 2 , which is a simplified schematic diagram showing internal components of the ATM  10 . 
         [0062]    The ATM  10  includes user interface modules that align with the apertures shown in  FIG. 1 . These modules comprise: a cash dispenser  42 , a coin dispenser  44 , a statement printer  46 , a receipt printer  48 , a card reader  50 , and a cash depository  52 . 
         [0063]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the touch-sensitive display module  34  comprises a transparent touch-sensitive panel  60  overlying a display  62  and in registration therewith. The display  62  renders screens thereon to allow a customer to view transaction options. 
         [0064]    As used herein, a “screen” refers to data (text, graphics) that is rendered on a display and instructions (control characters) for rendering that data. In other words, a screen is software; whereas, a display is hardware. 
         [0065]    The ATM  10  further comprises a controller  70  for controlling the operation of the ATM  10 , including the user interface modules that align with apertures (listed above) and the other user interface modules, such as the encrypting keypad  30 , the private audio socket  32 , and the touch-sensitive display module  34 . These modules collectively will be referred to as the user interface modules. 
         [0066]    The controller  70  comprises a central processing unit  72 , a chipset  74  (including a memory interface, a graphics adapter, and an input/output interface), storage  76  (in the form of a disk drive), a BIOS  78 , a network connection (in the form of an Ethernet card)  79 , and memory  80 . 
         [0067]    The user interface modules are connected to the controller via the chipset  34 . The display  62  is coupled via a graphics adapter (not shown) in the chipset  34 , and the other modules (including the touch-sensitive panel  60 ) are connected via an I/O interface in the chipset  34 . 
         [0068]    The controller  70  executes two main software suites; each suite comprising a collection of software components. 
         [0069]    The first software suite is a control application suite  82 . The control application suite  82  comprises, inter alia, a transaction application (not shown) and a management application (not shown). The second software suite is a runtime platform  84 . The runtime platform  84  comprises an operating system  86  (such as Windows (trade mark) XP, available from Microsoft Corporation), proprietary components (including drivers and supports files)  88  to control and operate the user interface modules, and a recognition engine  90  for operating on data receiving from the touch-sensitive panel  60 . 
         [0070]    The proprietary components  88  include a touch panel driver  89  that receives a signal from the touch-sensitive panel  60  each time that a user touches the panel  60 , and creates a co-ordinate corresponding to the point touched. Where the user draws a stroke gesture on the touch-sensitive panel  60 , the driver  89  creates a sequence of points (corresponding to the current contact position of the user&#39;s finger as it moves along the touch-sensitive panel  60 ) and conveys the sequence of points to the recognition engine  90 . 
         [0071]    The recognition engine  90  includes a character recognition engine based on the “Graffiti” engine, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,656 that converts the sequence of points to a character. 
         [0072]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the recognition engine  90  also stores a transaction table  92 . The first column  94  of transaction table  92  lists transaction strokes, that is, characters representing stroke gestures that a user may delineate on the touch-sensitive panel  60 . The second column  96  of transaction table  92  lists transactions corresponding to the transaction strokes. Thus, if a user writes “D100” on the touch-sensitive panel  60  then the recognition engine  90  recognizes this as a request to withdraw $100 from the user&#39;s account. The second column  96  of transaction table  92  is provided to aid the reader in understanding the transaction strokes and may not be used in practical embodiments. 
         [0073]    The operation of the ATM  10  when a customer executes a transaction using stroke gestures will now be described with reference to  FIG. 4 , which is a flowchart  200  illustrating the steps performed by the ATM  10 . Reference will also be made to  FIGS. 5 to 9 , which are pictorial drawings illustrating the display module  34  being used by a customer at various stages in entering a transaction. 
         [0074]    Initially, a customer walks up to the ATM  10  and inserts his/her card into the card reader aperture  20  to be read by the card reader module  50 . The ATM  10  reads the customer&#39;s card (step  202 ) to ascertain account information. 
         [0075]    The ATM  10  then presents a gesture screen  100  (step  204 ) having text  102  inviting the customer to write a transaction code on the display  62 , or to press one of the keys on the keypad  30  to select a transaction option. 
         [0076]    The customer decides what transaction he/she would like to execute. In this example, the customer would like to withdraw two hundred dollars. To initiate this transaction, the customer uses his/her finger to draw a “D” shape (illustrated by broken line  106  in  FIG. 5 ) on the touch-sensitive panel  60  using a single stroke of his/her finger  108 . The customer then writes the number “2” (illustrated by broken line  112  in  FIG. 6 ) on the touch-sensitive panel  60 , followed by the number “0” twice (illustrated by broken lines  114 , 116  in  FIGS. 7 and 8  respectively). 
         [0077]    The touch-sensitive panel  60  detects this sweeping movement for each gesture delineated by the customer (step  206 ). Each stroke gesture begins when the customer places his/her finger  106  on the touch-sensitive panel  60  and ends when the customer lifts his/her finger  106  off the touch-sensitive panel  60 . 
         [0078]    The touch panel driver  89  converts each stroke delineated by the user into a series of co-ordinates representing the points touched by the customer while making the stroke gesture (step  208 ), and conveys these co-ordinates to the recognition engine  90  (step  210 ). 
         [0079]    The recognition engine  90  then attempts to recognize each stroke (step  212 ). If the recognition engine  90  does not recognize the entered stroke as written by the customer&#39;s finger  106 , then the ATM  10  displays a screen (step  214 ) inviting the customer either to re-enter the character or to press a key on the keypad  30  to select a transaction in a conventional manner. 
         [0080]    If the recognition engine  90  succeeds in recognizing the stroke gesture as a character, then the ATM  10  displays this recognized character on a feedback region  120  ( FIG. 5 ) of the gesture screen  100  (step  216 ). 
         [0081]    The ATM  10  then ascertains if the recognized character is the last character that the customer will enter (step  218 ). Ascertaining if the recognized character is the last character can be implemented in different ways. In this embodiment, if a predetermined amount of time elapses, for example four seconds, before another character is written on the touch-sensitive panel  62 , then the ATM  10  handles this as the last character. 
         [0082]    If the recognized character is not the last character, then the ATM returns to step  206 , where the customer&#39;s stroke gesture entry is detected. 
         [0083]    If the recognized character is the last character, then the ATM ascertains if the transaction code is a complete code (step  220 ). This is implemented by the recognition engine  90  ascertaining if sufficient characters have been entered to match a transaction code in the transaction stroke list column  94  of transaction table  92 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . However, in parallel with this, the touch panel driver  89  continues to detect any inputs (such as stroke gestures) at the touch-sensitive panel  60 , to convert any stroke gestures delineated by the customer into a series of co-ordinates, and to convey these co-ordinates to the recognition engine  90 . 
         [0084]    If insufficient characters have been entered to match a transaction code in the transaction table  92 , then the recognition engine  90  ascertains if another character has been input since entry of the character that was handled as the last character (step  222 ). 
         [0085]    If another character has been input then the ATM  10  returns to step  212  to attempt to recognize the character. 
         [0086]    If another character has not been input then the ATM  10  aborts the transaction and returns the card to the customer (step  224 ). 
         [0087]    If sufficient characters have been entered to match a transaction code in the transaction table  92 , then the recognition engine  90  conveys this transaction code (or another code indicative of the transaction associated with the transaction code) to the control application  82  (step  226 ). 
         [0088]    As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the control application  82  then presents a confirmation screen  130  to the customer indicating the transaction that has been selected by the customer (step  228 ). 
         [0089]    The confirmation screen  130  includes a banner  132  indicating that the entered transaction is being executed, a transaction description  134  giving details of the transaction being executed, a cancel option  136 , and a decrementing timer  138 . The cancel option indicates to the customer the time remaining before the transaction will be executed. This allows the customer to cancel the transaction, for example, by pressing a cancel zone  140  on the confirmation screen  130  before the decrementing timer  138  reaches zero. While the confirmation screen  130  is being displayed, the ATM  10  obtains authorization for the desired transaction and pre-stages the requested banknotes (two hundred dollars in this example) so that the transaction can be executed immediately after the decrementing timer  138  reaches zero without any further delay. 
         [0090]    ATM  10  ascertains if the customer has decided to cancel the transaction (step  230 ). 
         [0091]    If the customer decides to cancel the transaction, for example, by pressing the cancel zone  140 , then the ATM aborts the transaction and returns the card to the customer (step  224 ). 
         [0092]    If the decrementing timer reaches zero without the customer cancelling the transaction, then the ATM  10  executes the transaction (step  232 ) by dispensing the requested amount (two hundred dollars) to the customer. 
         [0093]    It should now be appreciated that this embodiment has the advantage that a customer can execute an entire transaction merely by writing a letter and a few numbers on the touch-sensitive panel  60 . No further customer entry is required. This improves usability and may decrease the time taken to execute a transaction. 
         [0094]    Various modifications may be made to the above described embodiment within the scope of the invention, for example, in other embodiments, an SST other than an ATM may be used. 
         [0095]    In other embodiments, the customer may only enter a number using a stroke gesture, and the SST may conclude that this number relates to an amount of cash requested. For example, the customer may enter the number eight then the number zero using two stroke gestures. The ATM  10  may then present a screen or provide an audible response via the private audio socket  32  (or through a loudspeaker) asking the customer to confirm that he/she wants to withdraw eighty dollars. If the customer confirms, for example by pressing a confirmation area on the screen (or tapping the touch-sensitive panel  60  twice for “yes”) then the ATM executes the transaction. If the customer indicates that this is not correct (for example, tapping the touch-sensitive panel  60  once for “no”), then the ATM may present a screen or provide an audible response via the private audio socket  32  asking the customer to confirm that he/she wants to deposit eighty dollars. 
         [0096]    In other embodiments, the SST may learn what transactions a customer typically requests, and may prompt the customer with further options once the customer has completed one or more stroke gestures. For example, if the customer enters the letter “B” for balance, the SST may offer the customer two options, (i) print a mini-statement with the customer&#39;s balance (which may correspond to the stroke gesture “BP”), or (ii) display the current balance on a screen on the SST (which may correspond to the stroke gesture “BD”). 
         [0097]    In other embodiments, ascertaining if the recognized character is the last character may be implemented in a different way. For example, the ATM may provide a visual and/or audible countdown of the time remaining for the customer to delineate another character on the touch-sensitive panel. Alternatively, the customer may delineate a “last character” stroke, such as a horizontal line, to indicate that the gesture input is complete. 
         [0098]    In other embodiments, the length of times used may differ from those described above. 
         [0099]    In other embodiments, a customer may have to confirm that the transaction is correct prior to execution of the transaction. 
         [0100]    In other embodiments, test transactions may be offered to service personnel, such as receipt printing transactions. 
         [0101]    In other embodiments, a display may be provided having an imager that views stroke gestures delineated on the display and performs optical character recognition on those delineated stroke gestures. 
         [0102]    The steps of the methods described herein may be carried out in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. The methods described herein may be performed by software in machine readable form on a tangible storage medium or as a propagating signal. 
         [0103]    The terms “comprising”, “including”, “incorporating”, and “having” are used herein to recite an open-ended list of one or more elements or steps, not a closed list. When such terms are used, those elements or steps recited in the list are not exclusive of other elements or steps that may be added to the list. 
         [0104]    Unless otherwise indicated by the context, the terms “a” and “an” are used herein to denote at least one of the elements, integers, steps, features, operations, or components mentioned thereafter, but do not exclude additional elements, integers, steps, features, operations, or components.