Automatic cash transaction apparatus

Abstract: On the basis of instruction information from the user, an apparatus main body (10) executes processes regarding a cash transaction while communicating with a high-order apparatus. An input/output apparatus (12) having a telephone is provided as an additional unit for the apparatus main body. The input/output apparatus synthesizes (32) audio data on the basis of an instruction from the apparatus main body and outputs an audio message signal to a telephone (14). The user operates dial buttons of the telephone in accordance with the audio message. Since the telephone has the same dial button arrangement as that of the telephone which is daily used, even a visually handicapped person can easily execute a necessary inputting operation.

Description: The present invention relates to an automatic cash transaction apparatus. The use of touch panels in automatic cash transaction apparatus is known. Touch panels facilitate the user input operation and user guidance. The touch panel can be arranged so as to be overlaid on a display used to display guidance information to the user so that when an inputting operation is requested of the user, only the keys necessary for performing the requested operation need be displayed on the display. Although the above described combination of display and touch panel is convenient to use for persons who are normally sighted, persons who are visually handicapped (partially sighted or blind) have difficulty in seeing, or cannot see, the locations of input pads represented on the display, thereby making unaided operation difficult. To allow use by visually handicapped persons, there is provided in the automatic cash transaction apparatus disclosed in JP-A-61-893, in addition to the display with touch panel, a special receiver for delivering an audio message informing the user regarding inputting operations. The inputting operations can then be responded to by the user pushing key buttons of numerals 0 to 9 and special function key buttons for calling, inquiry, cash, cancel and the like which are provided on the receiver. However, the visually handicapped person cannot see the arrangement of the key buttons on the receiver and there is thus the problem that it is difficult for a visually handicapped person to respond to the audio message inputting request, since selection of the appropriate function key button is difficult. It is thus desirable to provide an improved automatic cash transaction apparatus for use by visually handicapped persons. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an automatic cash transaction apparatus having a main body comprising: cash transaction means for executing processes regarding a cash transaction on the basis of instruction information from a user while communicating with a high-order apparatus; and first input/output means for displaying messages for user guidance for the cash transaction, for executing user input of information and for informing said cash transaction means; characterised by an additional unit arranged alongside the main body and comprising: telephone means having buttons arranged in the same way as dial buttons on a telephone and for providing an audio sound to the user and for inputting information by a user via the dial buttons; and second input/output means for synthesizing guidance audio data on the basis of an instruction from said cash transaction means, for generating an audio signal to said telephone means, for detecting information input by the user via said dial buttons, and for notifying the cash transaction means of the detected information. The second input/output means may comprise: an audio data storing section in which audio data is stored; an audio synthesizing section for synthesizing the audio data stored in the audio data storing section on the basis of an instruction from the apparatus main body, thereby generating an audio message signal; a touch-tone kind detecting section to recognize the kind of dial button operated by the telephone; and a receiver status detecting section to detect an on-hook state of the receiver of the telephone and generating a detection signal, wherein an interface function of inputting/outputting processes between the apparatus main body and the telephone is realised. According to another embodiment of the invention, in addition to the telephone, a speaker section is also provided. Desirably, if the telephone is returned during the operation using the telephone, an outputting mode is switched to a mode to generate an audio message from the speaker section. Furthermore, the speaker section and an input operating section such as a display with a touch panel which is used in the ordinary display operation may be provided for the apparatus main body. Even an ordinary person can easily operate the apparatus by the audio messages which are generated from the speaker section. According to such an automatic cash transaction apparatus of the invention as mentioned above, audio data is synthesized by an audio synthesizing section in the input/output apparatus in accordance with the instruction from the apparatus main body, an audio message signal is produced, and the audio message signal is outputted to the telephone. Therefore, even a visually handicapped person can easily listen to the instruction about the inputting operation. Since the button arrangement is substantially the same as the arrangement of the dial buttons of telephones in daily use, a visually handicapped person will be familiar with the button operation and, even if he cannot see the buttons, the necessary inputting operation can be easily performed. Further, since even a person who is not visually handicapped is familiar to the button operation of the telephone, the inputting operation can be easily performed by using the telephone in place of the display with the touch panel. It is convenient for a person who is not familiar to the operation. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an automatic cash transaction apparatus having a main body comprising: cash transaction means for executing processes regarding a cash transaction on the basis of instruction information from a user while communicating with a high-order apparatus; and first input/output means for displaying messages for user guidance for cash transaction, for executing user output of information and for informing said cash transaction means; characterised by an additional unit arranged alongside the main body and comprising: external speaker means for providing an audio sound to the user; and second input/output means for synthesizing guidance audio data on the basis of an instruction from said cash transaction means and generating an audio signal to said external speaker means. Reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is an external view of an automatic cash transaction apparatus embodying the invention; Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a hand-holdable unit in the form of a telephone hand set in Fig. 2; Figs. 5A and 5B are flowcharts showing a cash dispensing process (paying process) for use in apparatus embodying the invention; Fig. 6 is a table showing the cash dispensing process (paying process) of Fig. 5 in more detail; Figs. 7A and 7B are flowcharts showing a cash deposit and bank book writing process (money inputting process) for use in apparatus embodying the invention; Fig. 8 is a table showing the cash deposit and bank book writing process (money inputting process) of Fig. 7 in more detail; Figs. 9A and 9B are flowcharts showing a balance checking process for use in apparatus embodying the invention; Fig. 10 is a table showing the balance checking process of Fig. 9 in more detail; Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing a bank book writing process for use in apparatus embodying the invention; Fig. 12 is a table showing the bank book writing process of Fig. 11 in more detail; Fig. 13 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 14 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 15 is a block diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the invention. Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. An apparatus main body unit 10 of an automatic cash transaction apparatus is connected to a host computer by a communication line. An input/output (I/O) apparatus 12 is provided for the apparatus main body unit 10. A telephone 14 and an external speaker 16 are connected to the apparatus main body unit 10 through the I/O apparatus 12. A CPU 20 is provided in the I/O apparatus 12. A RAM 24, a ROM 26, a line driver 28, an audio synthesizing section 32, a receiver state detecting section 38 and a touch tone detecting section 40 are connected to a CPU bus 22 of the CPU 20. The line driver 28 controls the transmission of commands and data between the apparatus main body unit 10 and the CPU 20. An audio data storing section 30 is provided for the audio synthesizing section 32. The audio synthesizing section 32 receives instructions from the CPU 20 and in response thereto synthesizes necessary audio message data and supplies it as an audio signal to an audio amplifier 34. The CPU 20 decodes instruction commands of the operation input for the user generated from the apparatus main body unit 10. In accordance with the result of the decoding process, the audio synthesizing section 32 retrieves the necessary audio data from the audio data storing section 30 and forms audio message data. As the telephone 14, a commercially available telephone having a transmitter, a receiver and dial buttons can be directly used. A multi-frequency signal is generated in response to the operation of the dial buttons. For the telephone 14, the receiver state detecting section 38 and the touch tone detecting section 40 are provided in the I/O apparatus 12. The receiver state detecting section 38 detects an off-hook state when the user picks up the telephone 14 and an on-hook state when the user returns the telephone 14 to the position shown in Fig. 2. The result of the detection is notified to the CPU 20. The touch tone detecting section 40 detects the multi-frequency signal, namely a tone signal generated by the operation of the dial buttons in the telephone 14, and discriminates the operated dial buttons and notifies the result of the discrimination to the CPU 20. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the external speaker 16 is provided in addition to the telephone 14, with its internal speaker 54. The audio message signal generated from the audio synthesizing section 32 is transmitted to a switching section 36 through the audio amplifier 34. In the switching section 36, the audio message signal is switched and sent either to the telephone 14 or to the external speaker 16. The operation of the switching section 36 is switched by the control from the CPU 20. When the on-hook state (present when the user has returned the telephone 14 to the hook) is detected by the receiver state detecting section 38, the switching section 36 is switched to the external speaker 16, thereby allowing audio messages to be issued by the external speaker 16. When the off-hook state (present when the user has picked up the telephone) is detected by the receiver state detecting section 38, the switching section 36 is switched to the telephone 14, thereby allowing audio messages to be issued by the receiver of the telephone 14. Fig. 2 is an external view of an automatic cash transaction apparatus embodying the invention. The apparatus main body unit 10 is of the standing type and an operation panel 42 is provided in the front portion. A display 44 with a touch panel and an inlet/outlet 45 for bills or notes are provided for the operation panel 42. A card inserting port 46 and a bank book inserting port 48 are provided in the upper portion of the operation panel 42. An additional body unit 56 is provided on the left side of the apparatus main body unit 10. A telephone 14 is attached to the additional body unit 56. The I/O apparatus 12 shown in Fig. 1 is built in it. An automatic cash transaction apparatus embodying the present invention can therefore be realized by arranging an additional unit 56, having the I/O apparatus 12, telephone 14, and further speaker 16 shown in Fig. 1, next to an existing apparatus main body 10. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2 showing that the apparatus main body 10 is attached so as to penetrate a partition wall 60, the additional unit 56 being arranged on the outside of the partition wall 60. Fig. 4 shows the hand set of the telephone 14 provided on the additional unit 56 shown in Fig. 2. A commercially available telephone can be used as the telephone 14. The telephone 14 has a transmitter 52, receiver 54 and push buttons 50, which are used as guide buttons and are disposed between the transmitter 52 and the receiver 54. The push buttons 50 comprise in total twelve buttons such as number buttons "0 to 9", a symbol button "*" and a symbol button "#", these buttons being arranged in a matrix of 4 rows and 3 columns. As the button arrangement is similar to that of an ordinary telephone, visually handicapped persons are familiar with the arrangement and its operation because of regular use of such push buttons. Figs. 5A and 5B are flowcharts showing a cash dispensing process (paying process) which will now be explained. In step S1, an input instruction is displayed on the display 44 that has the touch panel thereover. In step S2, a "customer waiting" process for a visually handicapped person is executed by an audio message, for example "Welcome, please push a desired number. No. 1 for a withdrawal, No. 2 for a deposit, No. 3 for a balance check and No. 4 for writing on a bank book." In step S3, the presence or absence of a touch panel input is discriminated. When there is a touch panel input, a conventional cash dispensing process is executed using an ordinary mode, in which output and input is performed via display 44 and its touch panel respectively. In step S4, the presence or absence of an input from the telephone 14 is judged. When the user picks up the telephone 14 and pushes the dial button No. 1 for the cash dispensing process, in response to the audio message generated during step S2, telephone input is discriminated. The processing routine will then advance to step S5 and a flag for the visually-handicapped-person mode (audio mode) is set. Subsequent input from the touch panel is ignored in this mode, in consideration of a situation in which the visually handicapped person unintentionally touches the touch panel. In step S6, an audio output for confirmation of the transaction selection is performed. In step S7, a card inserting instruction is generated. In step S8, an instruction to wait for the insertion of the card is generated to a card reader/writer unit (not shown). In step S9, the apparatus waits for card insertion for a time. When there is a card insertion before time-out in step S10, step S11 follows and a processing request for the input of a personal identification number (hereinafter referred to as an ID No. ) by an audio output is executed. In step S12, the apparatus waits until the ID No. is inputted. When there is an input of an ID No. from the telephone, an audio message is generated to prompt the input of a sum of money to be paid out, this sum being input in step S13. In step S14, the apparatus waits until the sum of money has been inputted. When there is an input of the sum before time out is discriminated in step S15, the processing routine advances to step S16. A request for confirmation of the inputted monetary amount is generated by an audio message and the user is prompted to push button "#" to input the confirmation. When the confirmation input is obtained in step S17 before time out in step S18, a communication is made to the host computer in step 19, thereby transmitting the customer information and, in return, receiving the balance information. In step S20, the balance is notified by an audio output. In step S21, the operation of counting the number of notes (bills) to fulfil the payment request is started. After completion of the note counting operation in step S22, step S23 follows in which the user is prompted by an audio output regarding the return of the card. In step S24, an instruction to return the card for the card reader/writer unit (not shown) is displayed. In step S25, the end of the return of the card is judged before time out in step S26, step S27 follows and the dispensing of the notes is guided by an audio output, prompting the user to remove the dispensed notes. In step S27, an instruction to dispense the notes (bills) is similarly displayed for a note dispensing unit (not shown). When the operation to take out the notes is finished in step S29 before the time out in step S40, the processing routine advances to step S30 and a guidance of the end of the transaction is generated by an audio output and the series of processes are finished. On the other hand, when the time out occurs during the monetary amount inputting process in step S15 or during the user confirmation process after the input of the monetary amount in step S18, step S41 follows and the process is interrupted and a prompt that the card is about to be returned is generated by an audio output. In step S42, an instruction to return the card is displayed for the card reader/writer (not shown). In step S43, the return of the card is confirmed and the series of processes is finished. When time out occurs in step S26 after the return of the card was instructed, or in step S40 after pay out of the notes was instructed, the processing routine advances to step S45 and it is regarded that the user forgot to take out the card or the notes, the medium, i.e. the users bank card, is taken into the apparatus main body unit and the series of processes is finished. The above procedure is also similarly executed with respect to time out after the return of the card was instructed in step S44. The table of Fig. 6 shows in columns 1 and 2 the control of the apparatus main body and each unit thereof, in column 3 the contents of the audio guidance given via the telephone and in column 4 the operations performed by the customer with respect to processing steps 1 to 18 shown on the left side of the table and with respect to the steps of the paying process of Figs. 5A and 5B on the right side of the table. Figs. 7A and 7B show a cash deposit and bank book printing process. In step S1, an input instruction is displayed on the display 44 that has the touch panel thereover. In step S2, a customer waiting process by an audio message for a visually handicapped person is executed, for example "Welcome, please push a desired number. No. 1 for a withdrawal, No. 2 for a deposit, No. 3 for a balance check and No. 4 for writing on a bank book." In step S3, the presence or absence of a touch panel input is judged. When there is a touch panel input for initiating a cash depositing process, the apparatus enters an ordinary mode in which display and input is performed via display 44 and its touch panel respectively. In step S4, the presence or absence of an input from the telephone 14 is discriminated. When the user picks up the telephone 14 and pushes dial button No. 2 for a cash depositing process, in response to the audio message generated during step S2, telephone input is judged. In step S5, the flag for a visually-handicapped-person mode (audio mode) is set. In step S6, a confirmation of the transaction selection is generated by the audio output. In step S7, an instruction to insert the bank book is generated by an audio output, for example "Please open the bank book and insert the bank book into the leftward front side". The user can then insert a bank book into the bank book inserting port 48 provided on the left side in the upper portion of the operation panel 42 shown in Fig. 2. In step S8, an instruction to wait for the insertion of the bank book is generated to a bank book printer unit provided on the inside of the bank book inserting port 48. In step S9, the apparatus waits for the insertion of the bank book. When the bank book is inserted before time out in step S10, the processing routine advances to step S11 and prompts deposit of the notes (bills) with an audio output such as "Please insert the notes into the inlet/outlet on the rightward front side." In response to the instruction, the user puts the notes into the inlet/outlet 45 on the right side of the operation panel 42 in Fig. 2. In step S12, waiting for the deposit of the notes is instructed to a note inputting unit of which the note inlet/outlet 45 forms a part. The apparatus waits for the note deposit in step S13. When the notes are inserted before time out in step S14, step S15 follows and an operation to count the notes is instructed to the note inputting unit. In response to such an instruction, the note inputting unit counts the inserted notes. When the counting operation is finished in step S16, the number is sent to a counter unit. In step S17, an audio output requesting user confirmation of the sum of money deposited is generated. The user is instructed to push the button "#" to confirm. When a confirmation input is received in step S18 before time out in step S19, step S20 follows and communication with the host computer is executed transmitting the customer information to the host and receiving the balance information from the host. In step S21, the new balance after the cash deposit is generated by an audio output. In step S22, a printing process is executed by a bank book printer. After completion of the printing process in step S23, guidance to the user to remove the bank book is generated by an audio output in step S24, for example "Please take out your bank book on the leftward front side. Thank you for use." In step S25, an instruction to pass the bank book back to the bank book printer is generated. After completion of the printing process, the bank book is sent to the bank book inserting port 48 in Fig. 2. In step S26, a check is made to see if the user has taken out the bank book or not. When the bank book is taken out before time out in step S27, step S28 follows and a guidance to finish the transaction is generated by an audio output and the money inputting process is finished. On the other hand, when a time out occurs in step S14 after waiting for the insertion of notes, step S29 follows. A guidance to return the bank book is generated by an audio output. In step S30, an instruction to the bank book printer to pass the bank book back into the apparatus is generated. When the bank book is returned in step S31 before the time out in step S33, guidance to the user that the transaction is finished is given by an audio output in step S32. When time out in step S33 occurs whilst waiting for the bank book to be removed by the user in step S31, step S34 follows in which it is assumed that the user forgot to take out the bank book and the bank book is passed into the apparatus main body and is held. When time out occurs in step S19 whilst waiting for confirmation of the money input after the notes (bills) have been counted, step S35 follows and a guidance to the user to remove the notes is generated by an audio output. In step S36, an instruction to return the notes is generated to the note inputting unit. When the end of the note returning process is confirmed in step S37 before time out in step S33, the processing routine is returned to step S32 and the series of processes for return of the bank book are executed and the processing routine is finished. When time out occurs in step S38, step S34 follows and it is determined that the user forgot to take out the notes and they are passed into the apparatus main body and are held. The table of Fig. 8 shows in columns 1 and 2 control of the apparatus main body and each unit thereof, in column 3 the audio guidance given via the telephone and in column 4 the operations performed by the customer, with respect to processing steps 1 to 18 shown on the left side of the table and with respect to the steps of the money inputting process of Figs. 7A and 7B on the right side of the table. Figs. 9A and 9B show a balance checking process. In step S1, an input instruction is displayed on the display with the touch panel. In step S2, a "customer waiting" process for a visually handicapped person is executed by an audio message, for example, "Welcome, please push a desired number. No. 1 for a withdrawal, No. 2 for a deposit, No. 3 for a balance check and No. 4 for writing on a bank book." In step S3, the presence or absence of an input of the display 44 with the touch panel is judged. When there is an input, the conventional balance checking process in the ordinary mode is executed. In step S4, the presence or absence of an input from the telephone 14 is discriminated. When the user picks up the telephone 14 and pushes the dial button No. 2 for the balance checking process in accordance with the audio message generated in the customer waiting process in step S2, telephone input is judged and step S5 follows in which the flag for visually handicapped mode (audio mode) is set. In step S6, a transaction selection confirmation of "Is balance to be checked?" is generated by an audio output. In step S7, an instruction to insert the card such as "Please insert a card to the rightward front side" is generated by an audio output. In step S8, an instruction to wait for the insertion of the card is generated to the card reader/writer unit. When a card is inserted before time out in step S10, the processing routine advances from step S9 to step S11 and a process to input the ID No. is requested by an audio output such as "Please input ID No ..". In step S12, the apparatus waits until an ID No. is inputted via the telephone. In step S13, communication with the host computer is performed, transmitting the customer information to the host and receiving the balance information from the host. In step S14, the user is informed of his balance by an audio output. In step S15, a guidance to the user that the card is to be returned is given by an audio output. In step S16, an instruction to return the card is generated for the card reader/writer. When the user takes out the returned card before time out in step S18, the processing routine advances from step S17 to step S19 and guidance to the user is given by an audio output that the transaction of the balance checking process is finished. When time out occurs in step S18, it is assumed that the user forgot to take out his card and the card is passed into the apparatus main body and is held. The table of Fig. 10 shows the balance checking process of Figs. 9A and 9B in more detail in terms of the audio guidance via the telephone and the operation of the customer with respect to the processing steps 1 to 11 shown on the left side. The corresponding relation with the flow steps in Fig. 9 are also shown in the right edge portion in Fig. 10. Fig. 11 shows a bank book writing process. In step S1, an input instruction is displayed on the display 44 with the touch panel. In step S2, a "customer waiting" process for a visually handicapped person is executed by an audio message, for example "Welcome, please push a desired number. No. 1 for a withdrawal, No. 2 for a deposit, No. 3 for a balance check and No. 4 for a writing on a bank book." In step S3, the presence or absence of an input from the display 44 with the touch panel is judged. When there is an input, the conventional bank book writing process in the ordinary mode is executed. In step S4, the presence or absence of input from the telephone 14 is discriminated. When the user picks up the telephone 14 and pushes the dial button No. 4 for writing on the bank book in accordance with the audio message generated in the customer waiting process in step S2, telephone input is judged and step S5 follows in which the flag for visually handicapped person mode (audio mode) is set. In step S6, a confirmation of the transaction selection such as "Proceed to write on bank book?" is generated by an audio output. In step S7, an instruction to insert the bank book such as "Please open a bank book and insert into the leftward front side." is generated by an audio output. In step S8, an instruction to wait for the insertion of the bank book is generated for the bank book printer. When the bank book is inserted in step S9 before time out in step S10, step S11 follows. In step S11, a communication with the higher-order host computer is executed, thereby transmitting the customer information and receiving the bank writing information including the balance information. In step S12, the present balance is informed to the user by an audio output. The printing process is instructed to the bank book printer in step S13. In step S14, after completion of the printing process by the bank book printer, step S15 follows and a guidance to the user to remove the bank book such as "Please take out bank book on the leftward front side" is generated by an audio output. An instruction to the bank book printer to return the bank book is generated in step S16. When the bank book is returned in step S17 before time out in step S18, step S19 follows and a guidance of the end of the transaction is generated. If time out occurs in step S18, it is assumed that the user forgot to take out his bank book and the bank book is taken into the apparatus main body and is held in step S20. The table of Fig. 12 shows the bank book writing process of Fig. 11 in more detail in terms of the audio guidance via the telephone and the operation of the customer with respect to processing steps 1 to 12 shown on the left side. The corresponding relations with the flow steps in Fig. 11 are shown in the right edge portion. Fig. 13 shows a second embodiment of the invention. According to the second embodiment, only the telephone 14 is connected to the apparatus main body 10 through the I/O apparatus 12, the external speaker 16 provided in the first embodiment in Fig. 1 being omitted. Since the external speaker 16 is not used, the switching section 36 provided for the I/O apparatus 12 is also omitted. The audio message signal from the audio amplifier 34 is directly supplied to the telephone 14. In other respects, the construction is substantially the same as that of the embodiment of Fig. 1. In the second embodiment, in a state in which the user picks up the telephone 14, each of the processes such as deposit, withdrawal, balance check and writing on a bank book is executed via the telephone 14 using audio messages. Fig. 14 shows a third embodiment of the invention. In the third embodiment, only the external speaker 16 is connected to the apparatus main body 10 through the I/O apparatus 12. Therefore, the telephone 14, the switching section 36, receiver state detecting section 38, and touch tone detecting section 40 provided in the I/O apparatus 12 in the first embodiment of Fig. 1 are omitted. The third embodiment need not only be used by visually-handicapped persons, but can also facilitate use of the apparatus by non-visually-handicapped persons. In particular, since a display 44 with a touch panel is provided for the apparatus main body 10 as shown in Fig. 2, the user executes the necessary inputting operation by using the display 44 with the touch panel in response to the audio message from the external speaker 16 by the I/O apparatus 12. In this case, unlike the first embodiment, even in case of the transaction from the telephone 14, a desired operation can be inputted from the display 44 with the touch panel. In this instance, in each of the processes for the payment, deposit, balance check, and writing on a bankbook in Figs. 5, 7, 9, and 11, the same instruction is displayed on the display 44 with the touch panel subsequent to the output of the audio message. Therefore, the user can selectively operate a desired operation button displayed while looking at the display content on the display 44 with the touch panel together with the audio message. As compared with the inputting/outputting operation of only the display with the touch panel, since the audio message is generated by the external speaker 16, the operation can be more easily executed. Fig. 15 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention in which the receiver state detecting section 38 and the touch tone detecting section 40 in the I/O apparatus 12 in the second embodiment of Fig. 13 are omitted, the telephone 14 is used only for generating an audio message, and an inputting operation is executed by the display with the touch panel provided for the apparatus main body 10. According to the fourth embodiment, at the same time as listening to the audio message through the telephone 14, the user operates a desired button on the display with the touch panel while looking at a guidance display content on the display. Therefore, since the user is guided both by the audio message and the display execution of the operation is facilitated. In particular, by picking up the telephone, guidance is provided by the audio message through the telephone. In response to an input instruction by the audio message (in some embodiments using dial buttons having substantially the same arrangement as that of an ordinary telephone) a desired operation can be inputted. Operation by a visually-handicapped person is facilitated by embodiments in which input operations can be executed using telephone dial buttons with which he is familiar in daily life. In addition, even in case of a person who is not visually-handicapped, by listening to the audio message, the inputting operation can be further facilitated. The audio messages and display contents in automatic cash transaction apparatus embodying the invention can be expressed in any desired language, such as English, Spanish, Japanese or the like, which is likely to be understood by the users in the country or district in which the apparatus is to be installed. A plurality of languages can also be expressed as necessary.

Claims: An automatic cash transaction apparatus having a main body (10) comprising: cash transaction means for executing processes regarding a cash transaction on the basis of instruction information from a user while communicating with a high-order apparatus; and first input/output means (44) for displaying messages for user guidance for the cash transaction, for executing user input of information and for informing said cash transaction means; characterised by an additional unit (56) arranged alongside the main body (10) and comprising: telephone means (14) having buttons arranged in the same way as dial buttons on a telephone and for providing an audio sound to the user and for inputting information by a user via the dial buttons; and second input/output means (12) for synthesizing guidance audio data on the basis of an instruction from said cash transaction means, for generating an audio signal to said telephone means (14), for detecting information input by the user via said dial buttons, and for notifying the cash transaction means of the detected information. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second input/output means (12) comprises: audio data storing means (30) for storing audio data; audio synthesizing means (32) for synthesizing the audio data in said audio data storing means (30) on the basis of the instruction from said cash transaction means and for generating an audio guidance signal; touch tone kind detecting means (40) for recognizing the kind of dial button (50) operated by said telephone means (14); and receiver state detecting means (38) for detecting an on-hook state of a receiver of the telephone means (14). An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: in the case where a first input by the user is executed from said first input/output means (44), the cash transaction means set an ordinary mode and executes an inputting/outputting process; and in the case where a first input by the user is executed from said telephone means (14), the cash transaction means set an audio mode and executes an inputting/outputting process by the audio guidance and the dial buttons via the second input/output means (12) is executed. An automatic cash transaction apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising external speaker means (16) for providing an audio sound to the user, wherein said second input/output means (12) is operable to generate an audio signal to said telephone means (14) or said external speaker means (16). An apparatus according to claim 4, when read as appended to claim 2, wherein said second input/output means (12) further comprises switching means (36) for switching the audio guidance signal from said audio synthesizing means (32) and for outputting the switched audio guidance signal to the external speaker means (16) or the telephone means (14). An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein in the case where said receiver state detecting means (38) detects that the telephone receiver has been returned in a waiting state of an inputting operation by the dial buttons (50) of said telephone means (14), said switching means (36) switches an output destination of the audio guidance signal output by the audio synthesizing means (32) from the telephone means (14) to the external speaker means (16). An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said telephone means (14) is a handset (14) and has a speaker (54) for providing audio sound to the user of the handset (14) and a total of twelve dial buttons (50) indicative of numerals 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and symbols # and *, which buttons (50) are arranged in the form of a matrix having four rows and three columns. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the said second input/output means (12) are operable to synthesize the contents of the cash transaction and guidance audio data instructing an operation of any one of said dial buttons representing the numerals 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 and the symbols # and * among said dial buttons of said telephone means (14), which forms a response input to said transaction contents on the basis of an instruction from said cash transaction means, and to output the audio signal of said audio data to said speaker (54) of said telephone means (14), to detect information of said dial button (50) pressed by the user in accordance with said audio guidance, and to notify said cash transaction means of the detected information. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, when read as appended to claim 4, wherein the second input/output means (12) is operable to synthesize the contents of the cash transaction and guidance audio data instructing an operation of any one of said dial buttons (50) representing the numerals 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and the symbols # and * among said dial buttons (50) of said telephone means (14), which forms a response input to said transaction contents on the basis of an instruction from said cash transaction means, and to output the audio signal of said audio data to said telephone means (14) or said external speaker means (16) of said telephone means (14), to detect information of said dial button (50) pressed by the user in accordance with said audio guidance, and to notify said cash transaction means of the detected information. An automatic cash transaction apparatus having a main body (10) comprising: cash transaction means for executing processes regarding a cash transaction on the basis of instruction information from a user while communicating with a high-order apparatus; and first input/output means (44) for displaying messages for user guidance for cash transaction, for executing user output of information and for informing said cash transaction means; characterised by an additional unit (56) arranged alongside the main body (10) and comprising: external speaker means (16) for providing an audio sound to the user; and second input/output means (30, 32, 34) for synthesizing guidance audio data on the basis of an instruction from said cash transaction means and generating an audio signal to said external speaker means (16). An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said second input/output means (30, 32, 34) comprises: audio data storing means (30) for storing audio data; and audio synthesizing means (32) for synthesizing the audio data in said audio data storing means (30) on the basis of the instruction from said cash transaction means and for generating an audio guidance signal. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said cash transaction means is operable to execute a paying process, a money inputting process, a balance checking process, or a bankbook writing process.

Inventors: YAMAMOTO HIDEHIKO, YAMAMOTO, HIDEHIKO, Yamamoto, Hidehiko, c/o Fujitsu Limited
Applicants: FUJITSU LTD, FUJITSU LIMITED
Application year: 1993
Main classification: G07F7
IPC codes: G06Q40, G06F3, G07F19, G07D9