Abstract:
A method of operating a self service terminal (SST) ( 12 ) is described, in which the SST ( 12 ) detects characteristics of a mobile computing device held by a user ( 16 ), and configures the user interface dependent on the detected characteristics. The characteristics may include features of the mobile device, such as communication facilities, or may include user identification information. Where the user is identified, a user profile may be retrieved from a remote SST operator ( 14 ). Certain embodiments of the invention may detect devices held by a second or subsequent user ( 18 ), and retrieve the relevant user profile prior to the second user ( 18 ) interacting with the SST ( 12 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a self service terminal (SST), such as an automated teller machine (ATM), and to a method of operating such an SST. More specifically, the invention relates to a method of operating an SST which makes use of mobile computing devices. 
   Self service terminals are widely used to conduct many different types of transaction; for example, accessing and managing bank accounts, purchase of goods or services such as travel tickets, and similar transactions. To provide a more efficient and personalised service, SST operators may wish to present specific transaction options to a user dependent on the identity and known preferences of the user. As a typical transaction requires that the user identify themselves to the SST (for example, by means of an identification token such as a smart card in combination with a personal identification number (PIN)), this is not difficult to achieve. However, to offer an appropriate personalised user interface, the SST must first determine the identity of the user; then communicate this identity to a remote server operated by the SST operator, whereupon a user profile specific to that user may be retrieved from the remote server and transferred to the SST; and finally determine which interface options are to be presented to a user with that particular profile. This process can thus take a significant amount of time, so slowing transactions and perhaps frustrating the user. 
   Furthermore, there is a growing tendency for individuals now to be in possession of at least one personal mobile computing device (for example, a mobile telephone; a personal digital assistant (PDA); or a palmtop computer), which may be capable of interacting with an SST. However, if the SST were to offer the option of interacting with each of these devices and any additional possible mobile devices to a user, the user may find it difficult to manage the possible choices, or to find the options relevant to themselves. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is among the objects of embodiments of the present invention to obviate or alleviate these and other disadvantages of known SSTs. This is achieved, in part at least, in certain embodiments of the invention by the application of wireless mobile computing device technology to user interaction with an SST. 
   According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a self service terminal (SST), the method comprising the steps of: 
   detecting one or more characteristics of a mobile computing device in the vicinity of an SST; and 
   configuring an SST user interface dependent on the detected characteristics. 
   Thus, the present invention allows an SST user interface to be presented which reflects some characteristic of the detected mobile device. In this way, the user may be presented only with those interaction options which reflect the capabilities of their particular mobile device, if any. Thus, the user&#39;s time will be saved as it will not be necessary for them to search for the appropriate options to select. 
   The detection step may make use of any appropriate technology. It is intended that broadcast wireless communications technology will be used in the present invention (for example, that known by the trade mark ‘Bluetooth’); such technologies allow for communication between devices to be established non-specifically. That is, a mobile device may broadcast some signal generally to all devices in the vicinity; this signal can be detected by all suitable devices in the vicinity. No specific point-to-point communication is necessary. Thus, such broadcast wireless technology is particularly suited to use in the present invention. Of course, other forms of communication may be used, provided that some characteristic of a mobile device may be detected by an SST. The ‘vicinity’ of an SST, as used herein, will obviously depend on the type of communications technology used; it is however intended that devices within a radius of around 3 meters of an SST may be detected. The precise FIGURE used will also be dependent on the application to which the method is to be put. 
   The characteristic detected may reflect the type of device detected, or the capabilities thereof. For example, the SST may detect that a particular model of mobile telephone is in the vicinity (and hence will be able to infer the particular capabilities of that device); or the SST may detect more directly the device capabilities. For example, a PDA may broadcast that it has the ability to communicate in secure point-to-point infra-red transmission; the SST on detecting this broadcast will then be able to present the option of interacting directly with the PDA to the user. If no such capability is detected, then the option will not be presented to the user. 
   Alternatively, or in addition, the characteristic detected may reflect the identity of the user. For example, a PDA may be programmed to broadcast a user&#39;s ‘digital signature’, that is, a unique code identifying the individual to suitably-equipped devices. Thus, the SST will be able to offer services and options targeted to the specific individual using the SST. Where the identity of a user is detected, the method may comprise the further step of retrieving a user profile for that identity from a remote location. For example, the SST operator may maintain a database of user profiles reflecting the known preferences of each user; such as which services they make use of most frequently. On detection of a user&#39;s identity, the SST may retrieve this profile from the remote database, and reconfigure the user interface accordingly, for example to present the more frequently-used options before the less frequently-used options. A digital signature broadcast by a particular device may include information relating not only to the identity of the user, but also to the particular type or capabilities of the device. 
   Configuration of the user interface will typically comprise a software reconfiguration; for example, the particular list of available options to be presented to the user may be selected from a stored master list; or the order and manner of presentation may be modified. The configuration step does not necessarily imply a hardware reconfiguration; although such a configuration may nonetheless be performed. For example, a particular form of plug-in interface may be presented to interact with a detected type of mobile device. 
   The detection step may also include the step of detecting those devices which do not belong to the user currently interacting with the SST. For example, if the SST is being used, and a second individual approaches the SST, the individual will join a queue. While queuing, the SST will nonetheless detect the characteristics of that individual&#39;s mobile devices. The SST may therefore retrieve the relevant user profile from a remote location before the relevant user begins to interact with the SST. Thus when the previous user has finished, the SST may reconfigure the user interface appropriately without a delay while the user profile is retrieved. This can therefore reduce the time taken to conduct a transaction. Where a number of differently-owned devices are detected, the method may further comprise the step of ordering each user profile in accordance with the time that the detected device has been in the vicinity of the SST. This time will reflect the time spent queuing, and so should also reflect the order in which the individuals will use the SST. The relevant user profiles may thus be made available in an appropriate sequence. 
   The method may still further comprise the step of displaying advertisements or other information selected according to the detected characteristics of a mobile device. For example, advertisements may be displayed based on the interests of a user as recorded in their user profile. The advertisements may be displayed to individuals either when using the SST, or to individuals waiting in a queue. Where a number of individuals are queuing, the advertisements may be selected to interest all or only some of the individuals; or different directed advertisements may be displayed to each queuing individual. 
   Users may also register their mobile devices with the SST operator; in this case, the SST will first detect all mobile devices but will only respond to those which are registered. This may allow the SST operator to further personalise the SST options being offered, as the operator will have information regarding the devices likely to be held by users; in addition, advertisements or information may be sent to users&#39; devices even when the user is not making use of an SST, if the operator is aware of the devices owned by the user. 
   According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a self service terminal (SST), the method comprising the steps of: 
   detecting selected capabilities of a mobile computing device in the vicinity of an SST; and 
   selecting features of a user interface to be presented to a user dependent on the detected capabilities of the mobile computing device. 
   According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a self service terminal (SST), the method comprising the steps of: 
   detecting a mobile computing device and the identity of a user thereof in the vicinity of an SST; 
   retrieving a user profile associated with said identity; and 
   selecting features of a user interface to be presented to a user dependent on said user profile. 
   According to a yet further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a self service terminal (SST), the method comprising the steps of: 
   detecting a characteristic of a mobile computing device in the vicinity of an SST while the SST is interacting with a third party; 
   selecting features of a user interface to be presented to a user dependent on said characteristic; and 
   presenting a selected user interface to a user once the third party has ceased interacting with the SST. 
   According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a self service terminal (SST) comprising a configurable user interface; means for detecting a characteristic of a mobile computing device in the vicinity of the SST; and means for determining the configuration of the user interface to be presented in response to detected characteristics. 
   The detecting means may be a radio or other electromagnetic receiver. 
   The determining means may be a computing device. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other aspects of the present invention will now be illustrated by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows a sketch of an implementation of one embodiment of a method according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to the FIGURE, this shows a self service terminal (SST)  12  which is in communication with a remote server  14 , operated by the SST operator. Two users  16 ,  18  are adjacent the SST  12 , with each user  16 ,  18  carrying at least one mobile computing device with a wireless communication facility. The first user  16  is currently at the SST  12  and is about to commence a transaction, while the second user  18  is waiting to use the SST  12  after the first user  16  has completed their transaction. 
   Each mobile device held by the users  16 ,  18  periodically broadcasts a signal to suitable receivers in the local vicinity. The mobile devices may include a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a palmtop computer, or even a ‘tag’ which uses wireless technology attached to items such as clothing, wallets, keys and the like. The signal broadcast by each device includes information regarding the type of device and the functionalities possessed by that device; and information regarding the identity of the device&#39;s owner (a ‘digital signature’). The SST  12  is provided with a receiver for detecting these broadcast signals. 
   As the first user  16  approaches the SST  12 , the signals broadcast from the user&#39;s mobile devices are detected by the SST  12 . The SST  12  determines from the information given which devices the user  16  has in their possession, and the capabilities of each device. For example, the SST  12  may detect that the user  16  has a mobile telephone which can receive SMS (short message service) messages. 
   In addition to determination of the device capabilities, the SST  12  also detects the digital signature of the user  16 . This digital signature is transferred from the SST  12  to the remote server  14 , where the signature is compared against a database of users maintained by the SST operator. The database contains details of users&#39; digital signatures, their identities as known to the SST operator, and details of their interests and most frequently-used services accessed from SSTs. The relevant information from the database is then passed from the remote server  14  to the SST  12 . 
   When the user  16  is ready to begin their transaction with the SST  12 , the user  16  conducts a separate identification step; typically by means of presenting a smart card together with a personal identification number (PIN). This separate step is conducted for security purposes, and to ensure that the user  16  is not in possession of another person&#39;s mobile devices. Of course, this additional identification step need not be conducted in all embodiments of the invention. 
   The identification of the user  16  may be rapidly confirmed by the SST  12 , since the relevant details of the user  16  have already been retrieved from the remote server  14 . Thus confirmation is an entirely local process, and does not require communication with a remote server once the user has asserted an identity. 
   After the identity of the user  16  has been confirmed, the SST  12  displays a series of possible transaction options to the user  16 , the available options and their presentation having been selected based on the details of the user  16  retrieved from the remote server  14 . For example, if the user  16  frequently withdraws a certain amount of cash from SSTs, then this option will be immediately accessible to the user  16 . Similarly, if the SST  12  has detected that the user  16  is carrying a mobile telephone, the SST  12  may present the user  16  with the option to transmit details of the user&#39;s balance or most recent transactions to their telephone via the SMS facility. If the user  16  is not carrying a mobile telephone at the time of the transaction, this option will not be displayed. 
   Similarly, the user interface of the SST  12  may be configured to display advertisements to the user  16  during the transaction; these advertisements may be targeted to the user  16  based on their known interests, or based on the devices which the user  16  is currently carrying. 
   While the first user  16  is conducting a transaction at the SST  12 , the second user  18  is waiting in a queue. The SST  12  also detects signals from this second user&#39;s mobile devices, and so is aware of their identity and available mobile devices. While the first user  16  is conducting a transaction, the SST  12  may simultaneously be in communication with the remote server  14  to retrieve relevant details of the second user  18 ; thus, once the first user  16  has left the SST  12 , the SST  12  will be immediately prepared and configured to interact with the second user  18 . This assists in reducing the delay time between users, as the necessary data has already been retrieved by the SST  12 . The processing of this data may occur during the ‘idle’ time of the transaction being performed between the current user and the SST. When the transaction between the current user finishes and the user in the queue begins their transaction with the SST, the user profiling information will be in a ready local store and thus the configured user interface may be provided more rapidly. 
   Furthermore, advertisements and other information may be displayed to the second waiting user  18  while queuing; again these advertisements may be targeted to the second user  18  based on the details obtained by the SST  12 . The advertisements to the queue may be displayed on a VDU or electronic billboard or the like, directed toward the queue. 
   If a number of additional users join the queue, the SST  12  can detect the devices of all of the waiting users. The various user details may be retrieved by the SST  12  and stored in an internal queue reflecting the time which each user has spent in the vicinity of the SST  12 ; thus each user profile may be acted upon by the SST  12  in the correct order, so reducing delay between users. If desired, the queuing information may also be used by the SST  12  to ensure that the waiting users do not ‘jump’ the queue. 
   In addition, where a number of users are queuing to use the SST  12 , the SST operator may choose to send messages or otherwise interact with each user&#39;s available devices; for example, messages may be sent to users&#39; mobile telephones indicating that a telephone-based banking service is available and that the user would thus not need to queue. Alternatively, the users may be notified that they may use certain mobile devices to commence their transactions with the SST  12  whilst queuing. For example, those users in the queue with PDAs may be notified that they may enter a desired transaction on their PDA and transfer details of that transaction to the SST  12 . Once the relevant user reaches the front of the queue and begins their transaction with the SST  12 , completion of this requested transaction may be offered to the user as an initial option on the SST user interface. In this way, the delay caused by queuing may be reduced. 
   Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides a method whereby mobile devices in communication with a self service terminal may be used to assist the SST operator in preparing for a user&#39;s transactions with the SST, and in personalising and configuring the user interface of the SST. This not only reduces the time taken for the user to complete their transactions, but also makes the experience more user-friendly and appropriate to the user&#39;s particular needs.