Patent Abstract:
An apparatus and a method for providing remote supervisory override of a lockout at a workstation is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first workstation an override response module which is configured to receive an override request message. The override response module provides an override response message that includes an indicator of an action authorized by the user of the apparatus.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to U.S. patent application entitled “REMOTE SYSTEM OVERRIDE,” filed on 27 Dec. 2005 having Ser. No. 11/319,030 and is related to U.S. Pat. No. 7,648,064 entitled “REMOTE SYSTEM OVERRIDE,” which issued on Jan. 19, 2010. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention is generally related to providing customer service and, more particularly, is related to overriding lockouts. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Today, a teller at a financial institution, e.g., banks, credit unions, savings and loans, etc., frequently uses a computer system or smart teller machine when providing services to a customer. (Hereinafter, teller computer systems and smart teller machines are referred to as workstations.) The teller uses the workstation to access financial records and to conduct transactions. Teller workstations normally include a rules engine, which verifies that the transactions being engaged in follow rules established by the financial institution. In the event that a transaction violates a rule, the rules engine detects the violation and signals a lock to engage. Once the lock is engaged, the lock prevents the workstation from completing the transaction. 
     To unlock the workstation, the teller must request an override from a supervisor. Normally, the teller determines which supervisor or supervisors are present to authorize an override, and may also have to decide which supervisor is not so busy that he or she cannot be interrupted. Then the teller requests the override. Normally, the supervisor must interrupt his or her work and come over to the workstation, at which point, the supervisor enters a code to unlock the workstation. While at the workstation, the supervisor might decide to authorize the transaction or deny the transaction. 
     Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and a method for remote lockout override. 
     Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the apparatus, among others, can be implemented as follows. The apparatus includes a communication module that is configured to communicate with a server via a first communication path and a workstation via a second communication path. The apparatus also includes an override response module. The override response module is configured to receive an override request message from a workstation and provide an override response message to the workstation that sent the override request. The override response message includes an indicator of an action authorized by the user of the first workstation. 
     Embodiments of the present invention can also be viewed as providing methods of remote supervisory control of a workstation. In this regard, one embodiment of such a method, among others, can be broadly summarized by the following steps: providing a teller with a menu of active supervisors; receiving user input that selects one supervisor from the menu of active supervisors; sending from a first workstation an override request message to a second workstation, wherein the second workstation is associated with the selected supervisor; receiving an override response message; and analyzing the override response message to determine whether the override response message includes override authorization; and responsive to determining that the override response message includes override authorization, unlocking at least a portion of the first workstation. 
     Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a financial institution having a server and a plurality of workstations. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the server of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a teller&#39;s workstation. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a supervisor&#39;s workstation. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of an override request interface. 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of an override response message. 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram of an override response interface. 
         FIG. 8  is a flow chart of steps performed at the teller&#39;s workstation. 
         FIG. 9  is a flow chart of steps performed at the supervisor&#39;s workstation. 
         FIG. 10  is a flow chart of steps performed at the server. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Any process descriptions or blocks in flow charts should be understood as representing modules, segments, or portions of code which include one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process, and alternate implementations are included within the scope of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in which functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as would be understood by those reasonably skilled in the art of the present invention. 
     It should be noted that embodiments of the invention are described in relation to a financial institution such as a bank, credit union, or a savings and loan. However, that is done merely for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art recognize that there a many environments in which a smart machine includes a lock for preventing transactions that violate predetermined rules. For example, a smart cash register might not allow a sales clerk to accept a check that is over the purchase price or that exceeds a predetermined amount or that exceeds the sales amount by a predetermined amount without an override from a supervisor. Those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the invention can be implemented in many environments including environments beyond financial institutions. 
     Furthermore, although embodiments of the invention have been described in terms of “workstations” it is intended that workstations be construed in its broadest sense, beyond that of a mere computer. In a financial institution environment, a teller&#39;s workstation might be a smart teller machine, and in a retail sales environment, a workstation might be a smart register. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a financial institution  100  includes a plurality of offices  102 ,  104 , and  106 . Typically, financial institutions include more offices than the three illustrated here. The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  is for exemplary purposes only. In some situations, the offices may be distributed over a wide geographic region such as over one or more countries, or over one or more of the several states of the United States of America, or over a city. The offices  102 ,  104 , and  106 , are connected by a Wide Area Network (WAN)  108 . 
     The financial institution  100  includes a server  110 , workstation  112 ,  114 , and  116 . Typically, the workstation  114  is used by a teller or customer service provider, and the workstations  114  and  116  are used by supervisors. The workstation  112  and the workstation  114  are connected by a local area network (LAN)  118  and are in communication with the WAN  108 . It should be noted that in addition to the workstation  112  and the supervisor workstation  114 , the office  106  typically includes other workstations and other devices (not shown) such as, but not limited to, servers, coupled to the LAN  118 . Furthermore, the other workstations and other devices are also normally in communication with the WAN  108 . Thus, workstations  112  and  114  may communicate with each other via the LAN  118 , and they may communicate both with each other and with the server  110  via the WAN  108 . 
     It should also be noted that although the offices have been described as being distributed over a geographic region, in another embodiment, the offices might be virtual offices. For example, the financial institution  100  might define virtual offices by functions. Thus, a first virtual office such as office  104  might perform one function such as, but not limited to, processing credit card applications, and a second virtual office such as office  106  might perform another different function such as, but not limited to, loan processing. In a virtual office environment, employees who sit adjacent to each other might be in different virtual offices. 
     Among other things, the server  110  provides log-in capability to, among others, employees, agents, and contractors, which are hereinafter referred to as users, of the financial institution. When a user attempts to access a workstation of the financial institution, the user must provide a username and password. The server  110  receives the usernames and passwords and verifies the provided usernames and passwords against authentic usernames and passwords, which it maintains. If the user has provided a correct username and password the server allows the user to log-in. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the server  110  includes a messaging service module  202 , a log-in module  204 , and a user-registry module  206 . The messaging service module  202  provides communication capabilities. Among other things, the messaging service module  202  may be configured to provide Light Messaging Service (LMS). 
     In one embodiment, the log-in module  204  may be configured to, among other things, provide log-in capability and provide information to the user-registry module  206 . Typically, the log-in module  204  receives log-in requests from the workstations when users attempt to log-in at the workstations. The log-in module  204  checks the username and password, which are included in the log-in request, against a list of authentic usernames and corresponding passwords. If a log-in request has a username and password that can be validated against the authentic usernames and corresponding passwords, the log-in module  204  allows the user at the workstation that transmitted the log-in request to log-in, thereby enabling the user to access the server  110 . It should be noted that log-in capability could be, in other embodiments, provided by a separate server and/or by other modules such as the user-registry module  206 . Furthermore, the financial institution  100  normally includes other servers (not shown), and a user is normally required to log-in so as to access the other servers. In some embodiments, the workstations are configured to provide only a “log-in” screen until a user has successfully logged-in. Thus, in some embodiments, users are denied access to the functionality of the workstations until after the user has logged-in. 
     Among other things, the user-registry module  206 , receives information from the log-in module  204 , maintains a user-registry table  208 , and provides information to the workstations. The user-registry table  208  associates users that are currently logged-in with the workstation that the user used to access the server  110  and/or the functionality of the workstation. In one embodiment, the user-registry table  208  includes a column of active users  210 , a column of workstation addresses  212 , and a user-classification column  214 . When a user logs-in, the user-registry module  206  updates the user-registry table  208  by adding the user&#39;s name to the active users column  210 , adding to the workstation addresses column  212  the address of the workstation from which the user is logging-in, and associating a user classification with the user in the user classification column  214 . Exemplary classifications of users include, but are not limited to, supervisor, teller, manager, etc. Typically, the server  110  includes, for each user of the financial institution a user profile (not shown) that has the classification of the user. When the user logs-in, the log-in module  204  finds the user profile associated with the username and provides the user-registry module  206  with the user&#39;s name and/or username and/or with an indicator that is associated with the current user and the user&#39;s classification. Typically, the log-in request includes the address of the workstation from which the request came and the log-in module  204  may also provide the address of the workstation to the user-registry  206 . 
     As will be explained in detail hereinbelow, the user-registry table  208  is used for, among other things, providing tellers with a list of active supervisors, i.e., supervisors that are currently logged-in. In some embodiments, the user-registry module  206  is configured to receive active-supervisor request messages. Upon receiving an active-supervisor request message, the user-registry module  206  provides the workstation that sent the request with an active supervisors table which includes the names of the active supervisors and the addresses of the workstations for those supervisors. 
     An exemplary workstation  112  is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The workstation  112  typically includes a computer or a device having computer functionality. Computers and computing devices are well known in the art, and consequently, the workstation is not discussed in detail. Instead, selected components of the workstation are described. 
     The workstation  112  includes a display device  302 , an input device  304 , a processor  306  and a memory  308  that has applications  310  stored therein. The display device  302  is used for, among other things, displaying textual and graphical information to a teller (not shown). The input device  304  is typically a keyboard or a keyboard and mouse or other input device such as, but not limited to, a touch screen, through which the teller inputs information. 
     The processor  306  executes the applications  310 . Included in the applications  310  are a communication module  312 , an unlockable lock  314 , an override request module  316 , and a transaction module  318 . Among other things, the transaction module  318  is configured to provide functionality that enables a teller to conduct transactions such as, but not limited to, deposits, withdrawals, transfers, balance inquiries, etc. 
     The communication module  312  is configured to communicate with the server  110  and other devices such as the supervisor workstations  114  and  116  via the WAN  108  using a communication protocol such as, but not limited to, LMS. The communication module may also be configured to communicate with devices such as, but not limited to, supervisor workstation  114  via the LAN  118  using a communication protocol such as, but not limited to, Peer-to-Peer Messaging System (P2PMS). 
     The unlockable lock module  314  is configured to lock the transaction module  318  during a transaction when predetermined conditions are met. The unlockable lock  314  includes a rules engine that determines whether the current transaction violates a predetermined rule, and if so, the rules engine causes the unlockable lock  314  to lock or freeze the transaction module  318 . For example, a rule can be that when a customer of the financial institution  100  deposits a check and requests cash back, the maximum amount of cash back that the user can receive is the amount available in the customer&#39;s account, i.e., the current value of customer&#39;s account excluding the amount of the deposited check until the check has cleared, at which time the amount of the check also becomes available. Thus, the rules engine will cause the unlockable lock  314  to lock the transaction module  318  if the teller attempts to provide the customer with more cash than the amount available in the customer&#39;s account. 
     It should be noted that, in one embodiment, the unlockable lock  314  locks the transaction module  318  in such a way the teller cannot complete the current transaction, but the unlockable lock module  314  does so without stopping all functionality of the workstation  112 . In this embodiment, the override request module  316  is implementable even when the transaction module  318  of the workstation  112  is in the locked state. 
     Among other things, the override request module  316  provides an interface that allows a teller to request a supervisor to provide unlock authorization. When the override request module  316  is invoked, the override request module  316  attempts to contact the server  110  via the WAN  108 . The override request module  316  sends an active-supervisor request to the server  110 , which is a request of a table of active supervisors. In one embodiment, the server  110  generates the active-supervisor table from the user-registry table  208 . In another embodiment, the server  110  may send the user registry table  208 , and the override request module  316  then determines which supervisors are active and from which workstations the supervisors are logged-in. 
     In one embodiment, if the server  110  does not respond to the active-supervisor request, then the workstation  112  determines, among other things, which supervisors are logged-in to workstations that are coupled to the LAN  118 . Typically, the workstation  112  uses the communication module  312  to invoke a protocol such as P2PMS. The communication module  312  contacts active workstations that are coupled to the LAN  118  and queries the workstations as to the identity of the logged-in user. The active workstations respond with a message identifying the logged-in user and the classification of the logged-in user such as teller or supervisor. The override request module  316  is configured to generate a list of logged-in supervisors based upon responses from workstations coupled to the LAN. 
     It should be noted that the override request module  316  may also be configured to respond to queries. Thus, if the workstation  112  receives an active user query, i.e., a query regarding the identity of the current active user of the workstation  112 , the override request module  316  may respond to the active user query by providing a reply that includes the name of the current user, or the username of the current user, or an indicator that is associated with the current user, and the classification associated with the current user. In some embodiments, the workstation  112  includes a user-profile having the classification of the current active user, and the override request module  316  uses the user-profile when responding to an active user query. In other embodiments, the workstation  112  receives the user&#39;s classification from the server  110 . Normally, the workstation  112  receives the user&#39;s classification when the user logs-in to the server  110  and then stores the user&#39;s classification in memory  308 . 
     Among other things, the override request module  316  may be configured to provide the teller with a menu of active supervisors. In some embodiments, the menu of active supervisors may include all active supervisors currently logged-in, i.e., those supervisors listed in the user-registry table  208 . In some embodiments, the menu of active supervisors may include a subset of all active supervisors. By way of example, the menu of active supervisors may include only those supervisors who are currently active at a given office, which may or may not necessarily be the same office as the teller. The teller uses the menu of active supervisors to select a specific supervisor. 
     The override request module  316  may also be configured to generate an override request message and address the message to the workstation associated with the supervisor selected by the teller. The override request module  316  provides the override request message to the communications module  312  which transmits the override request message to the selected supervisor&#39;s workstation. 
     The override request module may also be configured to receive an override response message and to analyze the override response message. Among other things, the override response message may indicate authorization for overriding the rules engine, denial for overriding the rules engine, or maintaining the lock on the transaction module. The override request module determines the type of action indicated by the override response message. If the override response message authorizes overriding the rules engine, the override request module signals the unlockable lock module to unlock the transaction module  318 . The override request module may also be configured to display on the display device the override response message to the teller. 
     In some embodiments, the override request module may be configured to capture transactional information and include the captured information in the override request message. For example, the override request module may capture the screen image of the display device  302  and may attach the screen image to the override request message. The supervisor may then open the attached image and use information contained therein in making the decision on whether to, among other things, grant or deny authorization or to request further information. It should be noted that attaching the image of the screen to the override request message is only one way of providing the content of the screen to the supervisor and is provided as a non-limiting example. In other embodiments, the image of the screen may be provided within the override request message, or may be provided with a separate message, or a link, such as a hyperlink, so the image may be provided to the supervisor. 
     In some embodiments, the override request module may be further configured to allow the teller to cancel an override request. In some situations, the customer of the financial institution  100  may decide to cancel the transaction. In other situations, the teller may decide that the supervisor selected by the teller may not respond promptly, and consequently, the teller may decide to cancel the requested override and request an override request from a different supervisor. In yet another embodiment, the override request module may cancel an override request after a predetermined time span, which normally starts when the override request message is sent to workstation of the selected supervisor. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates selected components of the supervisor&#39;s workstation  114 . The workstation  114  typically includes a computer or a device having computer functionality. Computers and computing devices are well known in the art, and consequently, the workstation is not discussed in detail. Instead, selected components of the workstation are described. 
     The workstation  114  includes a display device  402 , an input device  404 , a processor  406  and a memory  408  that has applications  410  stored therein. The display device  402  is used for, among other things, displaying textual and graphical information to a supervisor (not shown). The input device  404  is typically a keyboard or a keyboard and mouse or other input device such as, but not limited to, a touch screen, through which the supervisor inputs information. 
     The processor  406  executes the applications  410 . Included in the applications  410  are a communication module  412  and an override response module  414 . The communication module  412  is configured to communicate with the server  110  and other devices such as the workstations  112  and  116  via the WAN  108  using a communication protocol such as, but not limited to, LMS. The communication module may also be configured to communicate with devices such as, but not limited to, workstation  112  via the LAN  118  using a communication protocol such as, but not limited to, P2PMS. 
     Among other things, the override response module  414  provides an interface that allows a supervisor to view an override request message and to provide an override response message. The override response module  414  may also be configured to respond to active user queries. If the workstation  114  receives an active user query, i.e., a query regarding the identity of the current active user of the workstation  114 , the override response module  414  may respond to the active user query by providing a reply that includes the name of the current user, or the username of the current user, or an indicator that is associated with the current user, and the classification associated with the current user. In some embodiments, the workstation  114  includes a user-profile having the user&#39;s classification of the current active user, and the override response module  414  uses the user-profile when responding to an active user query. In other embodiments, the workstation  114  receives the user&#39;s classification from the server  110 . Normally, the workstation  114  receives the user&#39;s classification when the user logs-in to the server  110  and then stores the user&#39;s classification in memory  408 . 
     Among other things, the override response module  414  may be configured to provide the supervisor with a prompt when an override request message is received. The prompt might be an icon flashing on the display device  402 , an audible prompt, or other type of prompt. The override response module  414  might also be configured to display indicators of pending override request messages. The override response module  414  may be configured to remove an indicator of an override request message when one of the override request messages is cancelled. 
     In some embodiments, the override response module  414  displays a window of pending override requests messages. The window can be automatically popped open on the display device  402  when an override request message is received. To respond to an override request message, the supervisor might select one of the override request messages being displayed in the window. 
     In some embodiments, the override response module may be configured to view captured transactional information, which may be included in the override request message, or attached to the override request message, or received in a separate message. 
       FIG. 5  is an illustration of an override request interface  500  that is provided to the display device  302  by the override request module. The override request interface  500  includes a supervisor field  502  in which the name of the selected supervisor is displayed and a pull down tab  504 . The teller uses the pull down tab  504  to see the menu of active supervisors. When the teller selects one of the supervisors, the selected supervisor&#39;s name is displayed in the supervisor field  502 . The override request interface  500  also includes a note field  506  in which the teller may enter an explanation on why the override is requested. 
     In addition, the override request interface  500  may also include an office selector  508 . When the office selector is checked, the menu of active supervisors includes all active supervisors and not just those supervisors in the same office as the teller, and when the office selector is unchecked, the menu of active supervisors may be limited to a subset of active supervisors. It should be noted that the subset of active supervisors can be chosen in many ways. As a non-limiting example, the subset of active supervisors might be those active supervisors who are in the same office as the teller. 
     The override request interface  500  also includes an “OK” button  510  and a “CANCEL” button  512 . If the teller clicks on the “OK” button  510 , an override request message is generated and sent to the workstation of the supervisor that was listed in the supervisor field  502 . If the teller clicks on the “CANCEL” button  512 , then no override request message is transmitted. Instead, in one embodiment, the override request interface  500  disappears from the display device  302 . 
       FIG. 6  is an illustration of a window  600  having an override response message  602 . 
     The window  600  is displayed on the display device  302 . The override response message  602  includes a decision field  604  and a note field  606 . The decision field  602  carries the decision of the supervisor. The override request module may be configured to read the decision field  602  and determine what action, if any, the supervisor has authorized. The note field  606  may carry a message from the supervisor to the teller. In some situations, the teller might decide to respond to the supervisor&#39;s note before proceeding with the transaction. In that case, the teller may use the override request module to transmit another message that will contain the teller&#39;s response to the supervisor&#39;s note. The window  600  may also include a “CLOSE” button  608 . The teller may use the “CLOSE” button  608  to close the window  600 . 
       FIG. 7  is an illustration of an override response interface  700  that is provided to the display device  402  by the override response module. The override response interface  700  includes an override request window  702  in which one or more message indicators  704  of pending override request messages are displayed. The supervisor can respond to a pending override request message by clicking on the message indicator  704 . The supervisor may also use a “VIEW CONTENT” button  706  to view transactional information related to the selected override response message. 
     The override response interface  700  may also include a plurality of action buttons  708 , which designate what action, if any, the teller should take. For example, the supervisor may click on a “GRANT” button for signifying approval of the override request, or click on a “DENY” button for signifying denial of the override request, or click on a “HOLD” button, which may signify that further information may be needed before the supervisor can grant or deny the override request, or click on a “BUSY” button, which may signify that the teller should send an override request to another supervisor. 
     The override response interface  700  may also include a “RESPONSE” button  710 , a note field  712 , and a “CLOSE” button  714 . When the “RESPONSE” button  710  is clicked, an override response message is sent to the workstation that sent the selected override request message. The note field  712  may be used by the supervisor to send a note in the override response message to the teller. The “CLOSE” button  714  is used to close the override response interface  700 . 
       FIG. 8  is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps  800  that may be performed at the financial institution. In step  802 , a teller initiates a transaction with a user of the financial institution. In step  804 , a rules engine monitors the transaction to determine whether, among other things, the steps violate any predetermined rule. If the no rules are being violated, then the process continues at step  806  and the transaction is continued. In some situations, a single transaction might involve multiple procedures by the teller, and in that case, the process loops back to step  804 . If there has been no attempted violation of the rules, then the transaction is completed and ends at step  808 . 
     On the other hand, when the rules engine determines that there has been a rule violation, then the process continues at step  810 , where the state of the transaction module  318  of the workstation  112  is changed to “locked.” In step  812 , the teller selects an active supervisor from a list of active supervisors. As previously described, the list of active supervisors can be from information provided by the server  110  or by workstations coupled to the LAN  118 . In step  814 , the teller sends the override request message to the selected supervisor. 
     In step  816 , the override response message from the supervisor is received and analyzed. Among other things, the override response message can authorize unlocking transaction module  318  and authorizing the transaction, thereby overriding the rules engine, unlocking transaction module  318  and denying the transaction, keeping the transaction on hold, which may be done so that the supervisor may request and receive more information. If the response denied the transaction, then the lock on the transaction module is unlocked and the process goes to step  808  and ends. On the other hand, if the response authorized the transaction, then the lock on the transaction module is unlocked and the process continues at step  806 . At step  806 , the transaction is normally conducted to completion, but in some situations, the process might loop back to step  804 . If the override response message indicated keeping a hold on the transaction, the lock on the transaction module remains in place and the process continues at step  818 . 
     In step  818 , the teller generally provides the supervisor with further information, which may be provided by the customer of the financial institution. For example, the teller might ask to see identification and then inform the supervisor that the user&#39;s identification is correct. The process then continues at step  816 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates steps  900  that may be performed at the supervisor workstation  114 . In step  902 , the workstation  114  receives the override request message. In step  904 , a prompt is provided to the supervisor. The prompt might be a window that opens up on the display device of the workstation  114 . The prompt might be an icon that appears on the display device, and the icon might flash. The prompt might be an indication displayed within a window that a message has been received. 
     In step  906 , the supervisor reviews the request, and in step  908 , the supervisor provides input. Among other things, the input of the supervisor might be to authorize the transaction, to deny the transaction, to keep a hold on the transaction, to request further information, etc. In step  908 , the supervisor transmits a response back to the teller. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates steps that may be performed at the server  110  or by the server  110  and other components such as one or more other servers (not shown) of the financial institution. In step  1002 , a log-in request is received, and in step  1004 , the log-in request, which includes a username and password, is compared to a list of authentic usernames and passwords. The log-in request is granted if the received username and password are verified against the list of authentic usernames and passwords. If the log-in request is denied, then the process ends at step  1006 , otherwise the process continues at step  1008 . 
     In step  1008 , a user profile is retrieved and the user-registry is updated. The user profile includes a classification for the user such as supervisor, teller, etc. The user-registry is updated to include the user, the address of the user&#39;s workstation, and, in some embodiments, the classification of the user. 
     In step  1010 , an active-user request is received from a workstation, and in step  1012 , a table of active users is provided to the workstation. In some embodiments, the table that is provided is the user-registry. In other embodiments, the table includes only users who are authorized to override lockouts. 
     It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, particularly, any “preferred” embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and protected by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6