Abstract:
A self-service terminal, such as an ATM (Automated Teller Machine). The ATM has a communication port for interfacing with a user&#39;s portable electronic device. The ATM is operable to receive a transaction authorization from the user&#39;s portable electronic device, to examine the transaction authorization, and to dispense an item to fulfil a requested transaction associated with the transaction authorization, without the terminal preparing an authorization request to a remote computer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a self-service terminal (SST), such as an automated teller machine (ATM). In particular, the invention relates to a low cost ATM. 
     An ATM is expensive to buy and to maintain. One of the reasons that ATMs are so expensive to buy is that they are secure devices that require high levels of: 
     (1) physical security (such as a safe) to store currency and other valuable media, and 
     (2) electronic security (such as DES Data Encryption Standard encryption and associated cryptographic devices) to ensure that a customer&#39;s PIN (personal identification number) is not compromised when conveyed between modules in the ATM or outside the ATM to an authorization center. 
     ATMs also require expensive user interfaces. Typical ATMs include a large display and one or more loudspeakers for presenting visual and audible information to a user. Typical ATMs also include an encrypting PIN keypad and function display keys (FDKs) to allow a user to enter selections and transaction details. 
     A further factor that increases the cost of an ATM is that the ATM requires highly reliable telecommunications links to enable it to communicate with a remote authorization center for authorizing transactions requested by users. Typically ATMs are either: 
     (1) connected to a dedicated ATM network through which transaction information is routed; or 
     (2) connected to a public telephone network via a modem within the ATM, so that the ATM dials a telephone number of an authorization center when a transaction requires authorization. 
     In addition to increasing the cost of buying an ATM, the requirement for reliable telecommunications links also increases the cost of running the ATM. The need for reliable telecommunications links also limits the possibility of locating the ATM in areas which do not have a reliable telecommunication infrastructure, or in locations that are not well-suited to a connection to a fixed-point telecommunications line, such as trains or other vehicles. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is among the objects of one or more embodiments of the present invention to obviate or mitigate one or more of the above disadvantages or other disadvantages associated with prior art self-service terminals. 
     According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a self-service terminal characterized in that the terminal comprises: a communication port for interfacing with a user&#39;s portable electronic device and for receiving a transaction authorization therefrom; and an authorization approval facility for approving a requested transaction in the event of the transaction authorization meeting a predetermined acceptance criterion; whereby the terminal is operable to receive a requested transaction from a user&#39;s device and to fulfil the requested transaction without the terminal preparing an authorization request. 
     The terminal may further comprise a dispenser for dispensing items; whereby the terminal is operable to receive a requested transaction from a user&#39;s device and to dispense an item to fulfil the requested transaction without the terminal preparing an authorization request. 
     The dispenser may dispense physical items, such as banknotes, tickets, coupons, money orders, or such like. Alternatively or additionally, the dispenser may dispense virtual items, such as data. The data may be dispensed in electronic, optical, magnetic or such like format. The data may be in a format suitable for being executed as a program or application on the user&#39;s device, or may convey information to the user. 
     The terminal may further comprise a storage area for receiving an item inserted by a user; whereby the terminal is operable to receive a requested transaction from a user&#39;s device and to receive an item from a user as part of the requested transaction without the terminal preparing an authorization request. The terminal may credit funds to a user&#39;s account if the received item is a financial instrument, such as a check, money order, or such like. 
     The storage area may be a physical receptacle for storing banknotes, checks, or other physical items. Alternatively, the storage area may be in the form of storage media (such as a magnetic disk drive) for storing electronic items (such as data uploaded from a user&#39;s portable device to the terminal). 
     By virtue of this aspect of the present invention, a self-service terminal is provided that does not require any telecommunications links (such as a network connection) because the terminal does not obtain authorization from any device outside itself. The terminal does not require any user interface (screen, encrypting PIN keypad, and such like) as all information is sent from and to the portable electronic device. The terminal does not need access to any network, as the portable device obtains authorization itself. As a result, the terminal is inexpensive and can be located anywhere, provided an electronic device can establish a communication there. 
     The requested transaction may consist of the transaction authorization, so that only the transaction authorization is transmitted to the terminal. Alternatively, the requested transaction may comprise the transaction authorization and additional information. The additional information may be used to reduce the possibility of fraud. 
     The communication port may be a wireless communication port, such as an infra-red (IR) port, a radio-frequency (RF) port, or such like. An IR port may be an IrDA (infra-red data association) compliant port. An RF port may be a Bluetooth (trade mark) port, or such like. Alternatively, the port may be a physical cradle into which the user&#39;s portable device couples, so that the device docks in the port. 
     The user&#39;s portable device may be a cellular radiotelephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an Internet access device, or such like. 
     Preferably, the user&#39;s portable device includes a telecommunications link so that the portable device can dial a telephone number associated with an authorization center for authorizing a transaction. Alternatively, but much less preferred, the user&#39;s portable device may not include any telecommunications links, each transaction being pre-authorized at an authorization site that connects to an authorization center. 
     The dispenser may be, for example, a cash dispenser for dispensing banknotes; a ticket dispenser for dispensing tickets, coupons, or other media; or a commodity dispenser for dispensing a commodity item, such as an integrated circuit for use in a cellular phone; or such like. 
     The authorization approval facility may be a cryptographic device comprising a cryptographic processor, a secure memory, and an encryption/decryption algorithm. The authorization approval facility may be implemented by an encrypting keypad, so that the keypad is used to examine and authorize a requested transaction. 
     The predetermined acceptance criterion may include the presence of a signature and/or a certificate issued by an authorization authority, so that the authorization approval facility examines the transaction authorization to determine if a signature and/or certificate is present. 
     The terminal may store each transaction authorization for proving that a transaction was executed. 
     The terminal may be an ATM. Alternatively, the terminal may be a dispensing kiosk or a kiosk for receiving items from a user, where the items may be physical (such as tickets, coupons, or such like) or virtual (data stored in electronic, optical, magnetic, or such like format). 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a portable electronic device having a telecommunication link, characterized in that the device includes a user interface for entering a transaction, an authorization request facility for preparing an authorization request including details of the entered transaction, and a communication port for interfacing with a self-service terminal; whereby, the device is operable to transmit an authorization request to a remote authorization center, to receive a transaction authorization therefrom, and to transmit the transaction authorization to a terminal for fulfilling the prepared transaction. 
     The portable device may execute a transaction using the following steps: 
     (1) dialing the telephone number of a remote authorization center, 
     (2) transmitting an authorization request including an identifier and a requested transaction (which was pre-entered by the user) to the authorization center, 
     (3) receiving a transaction authorization (in the form of an electronic token) from the authorization center to indicate that the requested transaction has been authorized, and 
     (4) transmitting the transaction authorization (electronic token) to the terminal. 
     The ATM receives this authorization token, examines the token to ensure that it is authentic (this may involve reading a digital signature and/or a digital certificate stored in the token), stores the token in a secure memory, and dispenses the requested cash (or other item). 
     The identifier in step (2) includes details of the user&#39;s account, and may also include details of the portable device and/or the terminal at which the transaction is to be executed. 
     Each terminal may have a unique code. The code may be transmitted electronically to the portable device via the communication port. 
     The code may include a digital signature unique to the terminal. The code may also include time/date information relating to when the code was transmitted to the portable device. In some embodiments, the authorization center may only authorize an authorization request if the request includes a valid terminal identification, recent time/date information, and the signature associated with the identified terminal. 
     The authorization request facility may be operable to include details of the transaction requested and/or an expiry time and/or date for the transaction, in addition to an authorization for the transaction. 
     The authorization request facility may be operable to include details of a specific terminal on which the transaction may be executed. This has the advantage that users will typically only authorize a transaction when in the vicinity of a terminal, thereby avoiding the problem of a user carrying a pre-authorized transaction on his/her portable electronic device. 
     The authorization request facility may be operable to include details specific to the user&#39;s portable electronic device, so that only that device can be used to execute the authorized transaction. This has the advantage of avoiding or at least reducing the possibility of fraud, for example by replay attacks. 
     An institution may provide a user with software for installing on the user&#39;s portable device so that the telephone number of the institution&#39;s authorization center is dialed each time a transaction is to be authorized. The institution&#39;s authorization center may be operated by the institution; alternatively, the institution may have a partner agreement with the authorization center. 
     Each terminal may have an assigned telephone number (which may be displayed prominently on a visual display or on a label attached to the terminal) so that the portable device can obtain a transaction authorization by dialing this number. The number may be transmitted from the terminal to the portable device via the communication ports. 
     According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a system comprising the terminal of the first aspect of the invention in communication with the portable device of the second aspect of the invention. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided an authorization request facility for executing on a portable electronic device, the facility being operable to prepare an authorization request including details of an entered transaction for transmission to a self-service terminal. 
     According to a fifth aspect of the invention there is provided a public access docking terminal for a portable electronic device, the docking terminal being operable to extend the functionality of the portable terminal, and to provide services on receipt of a transaction authorization communicated from a portable electronic device to the terminal. 
     The docking terminal may require the portable device to be physically coupled thereto. Alternatively, the docking device may require the portable device to be in wireless communication thereto. 
     It will now be appreciated that the above aspects of the invention have the advantage that a terminal does not transmit a transaction for authorization: the user&#39;s portable device obtains authorization from a remote center and the terminal validates the authorization locally. This greatly reduces the cost of owning and maintaining a terminal such as an ATM, particularly as the user interface on a terminal can be very simple because a user enters a transaction on his/her own user interface (on the portable electronic device). The cost of maintaining such a terminal is also reduced because there are no telecommunications costs associated with each transaction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specific description, given by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a self-service terminal system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic front view of a terminal of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the portable device of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a controller in the device of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a memory in the device of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a pictorial representation of the display of the device of  FIG. 3  during preparation of a transaction; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram illustrating a user operating the portable device of  FIG. 3  in the vicinity of the terminal of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating the steps involved in obtaining a transaction authorization. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , which is a block diagram of a self-service terminal system  10  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the system  10  comprises an authorization center  12  and a plurality of SSTs  14  (only two of which are shown) which are ATMs. 
     The center  12  includes an authorization facility  16  for authorizing an authorization request, a back-office facility  18  for recording transactions and other administrative functions, and a telecommunication link  20  for receiving and transmitting authorization information. The ATMs  14  are not connected to the authorization center  12 , and do not include any telecommunications facility. 
       FIG. 1  also shows one type of portable electronic device  24  in the form of a GSM cellular radiotelephone (hereinafter referred to as a cellphone; GSM is an industry acronym for “Global System for Mobile Communication”) in the vicinity of one of the ATMs  14 . Suitable GSM cellphones include the Nokia (trade mark) 7110 cellphone. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of one of the ATMs  14  of  FIG. 1 . The ATM  14  has a safe  28  housing a processing module  30  (shown in broken line) coupled to a dispenser  32  (shown in broken line) and an approval facility  34  (also shown in broken line). The processing module  30  includes volatile and non-volatile memory (not shown). The dispenser  32  is a cash dispenser. The approval facility  34  is in the form of a cryptographic device that includes a cryptographic processor  36  and a secure memory  38 . 
     The ATM  14  has a simple user interface  40  comprising a communications port  42  coupled to the processor  30 , and a dispense area  44  in the form of a tray for receiving bank notes. The port  42  is a wireless IR port in the form of an IrDA-compliant module for receiving and transmitting information in infra-red format. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the architecture of cellphone  24 . Cellphone  24  comprises a controller  52 , a loudspeaker  54 , a microphone  56 , a graphical display  58 , a wireless communication port  60  in the form of an IrDA-compliant infra-red port, a keypad  62 , a coder/decoder (codec)  64 , an RF transmitter circuit  66 , an RF receiver circuit  68 , and an external antenna  70 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the cellphone  24 , which has a body  80  housing the loudspeaker  54  (shown in  FIG. 3 ), the microphone  56  (shown in  FIG. 3 ), keypad  62 , the graphics display  58 , the antenna  70 , and the IrDA port  60 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the controller  52 , which is responsible for the operation of the device  24  (shown in  FIG. 3 ), comprises a microprocessor  90 , a volatile memory  92 , a non-volatile memory  94 , and an interface, I/F,  94 A for outputting and for receiving control signals. 
     As is known to those of skill in the art, the non-volatile memory  94 , which may be EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), stores the control programs  96  ( FIG. 6 ) required for radio communication and for controlling the port  60 . When a user of the cellphone  24  activates a control switch (not shown), the cellphone  24  executes a routine in the control programs  96  for transmitting and receiving signals via the port  60 . 
     As is also known to those of skill in the art, the volatile memory  92 , which may be RAM (Random Access Memory), records transmission and reception control information required for radio communication, including dial information. 
     The microprocessor  90  of  FIG. 5  uses the stored control programs  96  of  FIG. 6  to execute control processes relating to radio communication. 
     In use, the microprocessor  90  of  FIG. 5  loads the required control programs  96  of  FIG. 6  from the EEPROM 94 of  FIG. 5  into the RAM  92 . The microprocessor  90  also loads an authorization request facility in the form of an ATM transaction program  98  from the EEPROM  94  into the RAM  92 . 
     The transaction program  98  provides a user of the cellphone  24  with a user interface for preparing transactions for executing on the ATM  14  and also provides an encryption/decryption facility for encrypting any transactions to be transmitted or stored. The transaction program also includes a unique identifier. 
     When the transaction program  98  is selected by a user of the cellphone  24 , the cellphone  24  displays a series of screens in a similar way to a conventional ATM display. A typical screen  100  is shown in  FIG. 7 , which shows various cash withdrawal options, such as ten pounds  102 , twenty pounds  104 , thirty pounds  106 , and a download receipt option  108 . The sequence of screens and the content of each screen may be customized by the user. As the user carries his/her own graphical user interface, no graphical user interface is required on ATM  14 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , when a user  110  wishes to withdraw cash from ATM  14 , the user  110  executes the transaction program  98  ( FIG. 3 ) on his/her cellphone  24 , and prepares a transaction (step  120  in  FIG. 9 ). The user  110  prepares a transaction by entering his/her PIN using display  58  ( FIG. 3 ) and selecting an option representing an amount to be withdrawn, such as twenty pounds ( 104  in  FIG. 7 ). The transaction can be prepared remotely from the ATM  14  or in the vicinity of the ATM  14 . 
     The controller  52  uses transaction program  98  to prepare an authorization request (step  122 ) that includes the user&#39;s account details, the user&#39;s PIN, the unique transaction program identifier, and the prepared transaction requested (withdraw twenty pounds). 
     The controller  52  then encrypts the authorization request (step  124 ) using the encryption facility in the transaction program  98 . The encryption facility uses a public key issued by the authorization center  12  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     The cellphone  24  then transmits the request (step  126 ) by dialing a telephone number associated with the telecommunications link  20  in the authorization center  16  ( FIG. 1 ). This telephone number may be stored in the cellphone&#39;s electronic address book, in the ATM transaction program  98 , or may be entered into the keypad  62  manually by the user  110 . 
     Once the cellphone  24  has established a link with the authorization center  12 , the cellphone  24  conveys the authorization request to the center  12 . 
     On receiving the authorization request, the authorization facility  16  decrypts (step  128 ) the request (using the authorization center&#39;s private key) and examines (step  130 ) the decrypted request to determine (step  132 ) whether: 
     (1) the user&#39;s PIN matches the users claimed identity (based on the account details), and 
     (2) the user  110  has sufficient funds to cover the requested transaction. 
     If these conditions (1 and 2 above) are met, then the authorization facility prepares (step  134 ) a transaction authorization message. 
     If these conditions (1 and 2 above) are not met, then the authorization facility prepares (step  136 ) a transaction denied message. 
     The transaction authorization is a digitally signed authorization for the user  110  to withdraw twenty pounds from the account number contained in the authorization request. The transaction authorization also includes the unique transaction program identifier. The use of digital signatures to authenticate data is well known to those of skill in the art. 
     The telecommunications link  20  then transmits (step  138 ) the appropriate message (transaction authorization or transaction denied) to the cellphone  24 . 
     If the cellphone  24  receives a transaction denied message then this is displayed to the user  10  on the display  58 . 
     If the cellphone  24  receives a transaction authorization, then the user  110  may execute this at ATM  14 . 
     To execute this transaction, the user  110  approaches ATM  14  and aligns the port  60  ( FIG. 3 ), which may take the form of an IR port, with the communications port  42  in  FIG. 2 and 8 , also called an IRDA port, in the user interface  40  in  FIG. 2  of the ATM  14  of  FIG. 2 . 
     The user  110  transmits the received transaction authorization and the unique transaction program identifier to the ATM  14  using the IR port/communication port  60  and communications port/IRDA port  42 , as illustrated by broken line  112 . 
     On receiving the transmitted data (transaction authorization and unique identifier), the IrDA port  42  conveys the transmitted data to the cryptographic device  34  via the processor  30 . The cryptographic device  34  examines the transaction authorization and decrypts the signature using the authorization center&#39;s public key to ensure that the transaction authorization meets a predetermined acceptance criterion, in this embodiment, the acceptance criterion is twofold: 
     (1) that the authorization has not been modified, and 
     (2) that the unique identifier contained in the transaction authorization matches the unique identifier transmitted with the transaction authorization. 
     If the transmitted data meets this acceptance criterion then the transaction is fulfilled by the ATM  14  dispensing twenty pounds to the dispense tray  40  for collection by the user  110 . 
     The ATM  14  stores the transaction authorization in non-volatile memory (not shown) in the processor  30  (or the cryptographic device  34 ) for reconciliation and audit purposes. The ATM  14  also transmits confirmation of the transaction to the cellphone  24  via ports  42  and  60 . 
     If the transaction authorization is not validated, for example because the authorization has been modified, then the processor  30  transmits a message to the cellphone  24  to inform the user  110  that the transaction cannot be fulfilled. This provides the user  110  with feedback relating to the status of the transaction. 
     Various modifications may be made to the above described embodiment within the scope of the invention, for example, in other embodiments, the electronic device may be a PDA, an Internet access device, or such like. In other embodiments, each electronic device may have a unique identifier that is used to stop a third party intercepting the transaction authorization from the authorization center and executing the transaction using a different electronic device to that used by the user. In other embodiments, different authorization and security techniques (for example, different encryption techniques) may be used than those described above. In other embodiments, the portable device may physically couple to the ATM and data may be transmitted through a physical connector. In other embodiments, items other than banknotes may be dispensed. In other embodiments, the self-service terminal may include a storage area for receiving items from a user; such a storage area may be used in addition to or instead of the dispenser. In other embodiments, the terminal may include a display and/or an encrypting keypad. In other embodiments, the terminal may be a conventional terminal having been retrofitted with a communications port and a program to allow the terminal to receive a transaction authorization from a portable device. In other embodiments, the portable device may store a series of transactions that have transaction authorizations associated with them. In other embodiments, fulfilling a transaction may involve allowing a user to use one or more of the facilities provided by the terminal, for example, a printing facility, a display, or such like. The terminal may also provide some form of identity validation for the user.