Abstract:
A self-service terminal (SST) and a method of operating the SST are described. The SST comprises a control application arranged to control operation of the SST. The control application is operable to play a first musical sequence on execution of an initial event at the terminal. The first musical sequence may comprise an arrangement of musical notes that serves as an audible indicator associated with a manufacturer of that terminal. A method of identifying a manufacturer of an SST by means of an audible indicator during a transaction at the SST is also described.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a self-service terminal (SST). 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    An SST is generally defined as a machine that is suitable for allowing a user to conduct a transaction or to access information in an unassisted manner (that is, without requiring help from a human) and/or in an unattended environment (that is, an area that may not be constantly supervised by someone to ensure that the SSTs are not being misused). An SST deployer may decide to provide human assistance and/or supervision for users of the SST; however, SSTs are typically designed so that such assistance and/or supervision is not essential. 
         [0003]    There are many different manufacturers of SSTs. Some manufactures produce terminals that are robust, reliable, and resilient to misuse; other manufacturers produce terminals that fail during transactions and have to go out-of-service at regular intervals. 
         [0004]    SSTs are typically branded in the corporate color scheme of a customer of the SST manufacturer, so there is limited scope for a manufacturer of high-quality SSTs to distinguish its SSTs from those of other manufacturers. This means that end-users of the SSTs cannot easily differentiate between potentially high quality and low quality SSTs. 
         [0005]    It would be advantageous to be able to mitigate or overcome this problem. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, the invention generally provides methods, systems, apparatus, and software for creating brand loyalty and/or trust at an SST. 
         [0007]    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 of the invention 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. 
         [0008]    According to a first aspect there is provided a self-service terminal comprising a control application arranged to control operation of the terminal, the control application being operable to play a first musical sequence on execution of an initial event at the terminal. 
         [0009]    As used herein the word “musical” refers to audible sounds, which may be tones, beeps, or the like, but “musical” does not include spoken words. The word “musical” includes, but is not limited to, a harmonious non-speech sound, such as a tune. 
         [0010]    The initial event may be (i) insertion by a customer of a card into a card reader of the terminal, (ii) presentation of a token (such as a card) to a token reader of the terminal, where the token reader may implement wireless communication (such as near field communication, Bluetooth (trade mark), one of the 802.11 series of communication protocols, inductive coupling, capaticive coupling, or the like), (iii) a customer pressing a selectable area (such as a key, button, or touch-sensitive area) on the terminal, (iv) a customer entering a monitored zone (which may be detected by, for example, a pressure sensitive pad, detecting someone standing or sitting, or a proximity sensor) in front of, or adjacent to, the terminal, (v) detection of a contactless token entering a monitored zone, (vi) detection of wireless signals transmitted to the self-service terminal, (vii) a customer presenting a part of his/her body to a biometrics reader, or (viii) any other convenient initial event. 
         [0011]    The initial event, however, does not include the terminal booting up or loading an operating system. Similarly, configurable operating system sounds corresponding to actions taken, or events detected, by an operating system (such as closing a program, a new mail notification, or the like) do not constitute an initial event. An initial event requires some action to be taken by an end user (customer) of the terminal to initiate a transaction (which may be the customer, or a token carried by the customer, entering a monitored zone in the vicinity of the terminal). An initial event does not occur automatically. Therefore, playing of a musical sequence when the terminal boots up or when operating system software is loaded does not constitute playing a first musical sequence on execution of an initial event at the terminal. 
         [0012]    The first musical sequence may be any arrangement of musical notes that serves as an audible indicator unique to a manufacturer of that terminal. The first musical sequence may be stored and played as a digital file, such as a .WAV file, an MP3 file, a .WMA file, an AVI file, or the like. 
         [0013]    The first musical sequence may be resident on the terminal. For example, the first musical sequence may be stored as a file on a storage device (disk drive, NVRAM, removable media, or the like). Alternatively, the first musical sequence may be downloaded to the terminal. This may be implemented when the first musical sequence is associated with software downloaded from a remote host, rather than hardware on which the downloaded software will execute. 
         [0014]    The first musical sequence may be accompanied by a graphic component, so that the first musical sequence is part of a first video sequence. The first video sequence may be presented on a small portion of a screen. 
         [0015]    The term “screen” is used herein to denote software-generated, visual information, namely the graphics, text, controls (such as menu options), and such like, that are presented on an SST display; the term “screen” as used herein does not refer to the hardware (that is, the display) that presents the graphics, text, controls, and such like. 
         [0016]    The control application may be operable to play a second musical sequence on execution of a closing event at the terminal. 
         [0017]    The closing event may be (i) removal by a customer of a card from a card reader of the terminal, (ii) removal of a token from a token reader of the terminal, (iii) a customer pressing a selectable area (such as a key, button, or touch-sensitive area) on the terminal, (iv) absence of the customer from a monitored zone (for example, by moving off a pressure sensitive pad, or out of range of a proximity sensor) in front of, or adjacent to, the terminal, (v) detection of a contactless token leaving a monitored zone, (vi) detection of wireless signals transmitted to the self-service terminal indicative of a session closing, or (vii) any other convenient closing event. 
         [0018]    The self-service terminal may be a public self-service terminal, such as an automated teller machine (ATM), an information kiosk, a financial services center, a ticketing kiosk, a merchandising kiosk, 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, rail, sea, and airline industries, or the like. In some embodiments, the self-service terminal may be a private self-service terminal, such as a home computer, a cellular radio-frequency telephone, a personal digital assistant or the like. A private self-service terminal is typically owned and used by a single person (a private individual); whereas a public self-service terminal is typically owned by a company and used by many different members of the public. 
         [0019]    According to a second aspect there is provided a method of identifying a manufacturer of a self-service terminal during a transaction at the self-service terminal, where the self-service terminal is owned, operated, and branded by a third party, the method comprising: detecting an initial event at the terminal, and playing a first musical sequence in response to detecting the initial event. 
         [0020]    The first musical sequence may comprise a sequence of notes, the middle note corresponding to middle C (C4 in scientific pitch notation) on the chromatic scale (corresponding approximately to 261.626 Hertz). 
         [0021]    The method may further comprise: detecting a secure transaction selection, and playing a musical sequence in response to detection of the secure transaction. The secure transaction selection may be one of a plurality of transactions, some of which require a high level of security (for example, making purchases, effecting payment, transferring funds, withdrawing funds, entering personal information, and the like) and others may not require a high level of security (such as browsing the Web, accessing travel timetables, or the like). The secure transaction selection may be similar to a musical equivalent of a padlock icon that appears on a Web page when a secure server is being accessed. However, the musical sequence informs the end-user (through the end-user associating that musical sequence with secure and trustworthy transactions) that the secure transaction selection is being executed on apparatus or software supplied by a manufacturer that can be trusted. 
         [0022]    The method may further comprise: detecting a closing event at the terminal, and playing a second musical sequence in response to detecting the closing event. 
         [0023]    According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program comprising instructions for implementing all of the steps of the second aspect of the invention. 
         [0024]    According to a fourth aspect there is provided a computer program downloadable to a self-service terminal in response to a request from the self-service terminal, the computer program comprising instructions for playing a first musical sequence when the computer program is executed by the self-service terminal. 
         [0025]    This has the advantage that a user of a self-service terminal is assured by the first musical sequence that the downloaded computer program can be trusted. 
         [0026]    The computer program may include a digital file containing the first musical sequence. 
         [0027]    By virtue of these aspects of the invention, an audible sequence of notes is provided that enables an end-user of a terminal or software to recognize that the terminal or software was manufactured by a trustworthy manufacturer. 
         [0028]    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 
         [0029]      FIG. 1  is a simplified schematic diagram of a self-service terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a part (the controller) of the terminal of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an application executing on the controller of  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  is a simplified schematic diagram of a self-service terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0033]    Reference is first made to  FIG. 1 , which is a side schematic view of a self-service terminal  10  (in the form of an ATM) being used by a customer  12  according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the ATM  10  is manufactured by the assignee of this application (NCR Corporation (trade mark)). 
         [0034]    The ATM  10  includes a user interface  14  for receiving input (information and media) from, and providing output (information and media) to, the customer  12 . 
         [0035]    The user interface  14  comprises: a molded fascia  16  defining slots (not shown in detail) for accessing devices located within the ATM  10  and in registration with the slots; a loudspeaker  18  (located behind a grille  19  defined by the fascia  16 ); a display  20  aligned with opposing columns of function defined keys (FDKs); an encrypting keypad  22 ; a token reader  24 , in the form of a motorized card reader/writer (MCRW) device; a receipt printer  26 ; and a media dispenser  28  in the form of a cash dispenser. 
         [0036]    The ATM  10  also includes an internal journal printer  30  for creating a record of all transactions executed by the ATM  10 , a network connection  32  (in the form of a network card) for communicating with a remote transaction host (not shown) for authorizing transactions, and an ATM controller  34  for controlling the operation of the various devices ( 18  to  32 ). 
         [0037]    The ATM controller  34  is shown in more detail in  FIG. 2 . The controller  34  comprises a BIOS  40  stored in non-volatile memory, a microprocessor  42 , associated main memory  44 , and storage space  46  in the form of a disk drive. The disk drive  46  stores digital files  48  including a first musical sequence  48   a , a second musical sequence  48   b , a third musical sequence  48   c , and the like. The digital files  48  are in the form of individual WAV files. 
         [0038]    In use, the ATM  10  loads an operating system kernel  50  and an ATM application program  52  into the main memory  44 . The ATM application program  52  includes conventional routines and objects for controlling the operation of the ATM  10 , such as providing the sequence of screens used in each transaction (referred to as the application flow) and monitoring the condition of each device within the ATM  10  (state of health monitoring), as is known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0039]    In addition to routines for implementing conventional ATM functions, the ATM application program  52  includes a musical sequence routine  54 , the operation of which will now be described with reference to  FIG. 3 , which is a flowchart illustrating steps performed by the ATM  10  during a transaction (the musical sequence flow  100 ). 
         [0040]    Initially, the customer  12  inserts an ATM card into the card reader slot on the user interface  14 , and the card is received by the MCRW  24  (step  102 ). The card insertion is detected by the ATM  10  (step  104 ) (via the MCRW  24 ), and the ATM application program  52  informs the musical sequence routine  54  that an initial event has occurred (step  106 ). 
         [0041]    The musical sequence routine  54  then identifies a first musical sequence which is associated with the initial event (step  108 ), which corresponds to the first musical WAV file  48   a.    
         [0042]    The musical sequence routine  54  plays the first musical WAV file  48   a  through the loudspeaker  18  (step  110 ). In this embodiment, the first musical sequence is simply three consecutive notes comprising the middle C chord played consecutively (in arpeggio) from lowest to highest note. In this embodiment, the instrument used to play the middle C chord is a piano because the manufacturer of the ATM  10  has chosen to use a piano sound as the first musical sequence on all of its ATMs. 
         [0043]    The manufacturer may use a different musical instrument as the musical sequence on each type of self-service terminal it manufactures. For example, a guitar may be used for the musical sequences on a retail self-checkout terminal. This enables a customer to associate a musical sequence with the manufacturer, and to identify different types of self-service terminals based on the instrument used to play the musical sequences on that terminal. 
         [0044]    The customer  12  hears this first musical sequence, which the customer  12  may recognize from a marketing campaign implemented by the ATM manufacturer. Hearing this first musical sequence should create confidence in the customer  12  that the manufacturer of the ATM  10  is reputable and the ATM  10  is trustworthy. 
         [0045]    The transaction then proceeds as normal, with the customer  12  selecting whichever banking transaction is desired (step  112 ), which may involve dispensing cash to the customer  12 . 
         [0046]    Once the transaction has been completed, the ATM  10  ejects the customer&#39;s card (step  114 ). Removal of the card by the customer is detected by the ATM  10  (via the MCRW  24 ), and the ATM application program  52  informs the musical sequence routine  54  that a closing event has occurred (step  116 ). 
         [0047]    The musical sequence routine  54  then identifies a second musical sequence which is associated with the closing event (step  118 ), which is the second WAV file  48   b.    
         [0048]    The musical sequence routine  54  then plays the identified second musical sequence through the loudspeaker  18  (step  120 ). In this embodiment, the second musical sequence is simply three notes comprising the middle C chord played simultaneously (as a chord). 
         [0049]    This embodiment has the advantage that the customer  12  is able to conduct a transaction knowing that the ATM  10  has been provided by the manufacturer that provides those musical sequences, in this embodiment, NCR Corporation (trade mark). 
         [0050]    Another embodiment will now be described with reference to  FIG. 4 , which is a schematic diagram of a self-service terminal  200  in the form of a conventional cellular handheld device, which combines the functions of a cellular radio-frequency telephone and a personal digital assistant. 
         [0051]    In this embodiment, the musical sequences are associated with software downloaded to the handheld device  200 , not the handheld device  200  itself. 
         [0052]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the handheld device  200  comprises a body  202  housing a loudspeaker  204 , a microphone  206 , a keypad  208 , a graphical display  210 , an antenna  212 , a controller  214  (shown in broken line), and a local communication port  216  (such as a Bluetooth port, an IrDA port, an NFC port, or the like). 
         [0053]    A user of the handheld device  200  can access online content from a wireless content server  250  using a micro-browser executing on the controller  214 . As part of a secure transaction (for example a financial transaction), the user can download software (illustrated by ellipse  252  in  FIG. 4 ). The downloaded software  252  may be, for example, in the form of applets or COM objects. The user can then use the downloaded software  252  to enter transaction details. 
         [0054]    The server  250  transmits the software  252  in response to a request from the micro-browser. When the software  252  is downloaded to the handheld device  200 , the software automatically plays a first musical sequence (from a digital file incorporated in the software  252 ) through the loudspeaker  204  so that the user of the handheld device  200  will know that the software can be trusted. As in the previous example, the musical sequence may be a simple sequence of notes, or a more complicated arrangement (including chords). 
         [0055]    It should now be appreciated that these embodiments have the advantage of being able to inform a user of a terminal that the terminal itself or software downloaded to the terminal is from a known, and trustworthy, source. 
         [0056]    Various modifications may be made to the above described embodiment within the scope of the invention, for example, in other embodiments different self-service terminals may be used to those described. In other embodiments, the musical sequences may be different to those described. For example, individual musical notes may be used, different chords may be used to those described above, a combination of notes and chords may be used, or any other convenient arrangement may be used. 
         [0057]    The sequences may be recorded as a digital file or may be generated on-the-fly by the terminal. Where a digital file is used, any convenient file format, or a variety of file formats, may be employed. 
         [0058]    The customer identification process described above for the first embodiment is based on a customer inserting a card into a card reader. In other embodiments, any convenient customer identification process may be used, including: biometrics, a proximity token, or the like. 
         [0059]    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. 
         [0060]    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.