Abstract:
A method of monitoring a network kiosk which sends errors to a reporting computer to facilitate quicker repairs. The method includes the steps of determining kiosk components to monitor by the kiosk, determining operating errors for a number of the kiosk components by the kiosk, storing the operating errors in a log, sending the log to a reporting computer by the kiosk, and generating an error report for service personnel from the log by the reporting computer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to self-service kiosks and more specifically to a method of monitoring a network kiosk.  
           [0002]    Retailers have a desire to sell their products over networks, such as global networks which are a part of the World Wide Web (WWW or “web”) and which use the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP protocol). These retailers wish to provide Internet server web sites which offer the same features as Internet server web sites available to home shoppers who use their computers to connect to the Internet server web sites.  
           [0003]    Kiosks provide a publicly-accessible computing platform for displaying web pages from retailer web sites. Kiosks may be located within a retailer&#39;s transaction establishment or elsewhere, such as in shopping malls. Kiosks may be easily networked to retailer web sites using the TCP/IP protocol. Web pages from web sites may be displayed using known and available web software, such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer software.  
           [0004]    Monitoring kiosks for operational readiness can be expensive and require much overhead. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method of monitoring a network kiosk which is low in cost and which can operate on a standard network infrastructure.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method of monitoring a network kiosk is provided.  
           [0006]    The method includes the steps of determining kiosk components to monitor by the kiosk, determining operating errors for a number of the kiosk components by the kiosk, storing the operating errors in a log, sending the log to a reporting computer by the kiosk, and generating an error report for service personnel from the log by the reporting computer.  
           [0007]    It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a method of monitoring a network kiosk.  
           [0008]    It is another object of the present invention to monitor kiosk components for operating errors and log the errors.  
           [0009]    It is another object of the present invention to schedule monitoring of kiosk components for operating errors.  
           [0010]    It is another object of the present invention to send kiosk operating errors to a reporting computer to facilitate faster repairs by service personnel.  
           [0011]    It is another object of the present invention to send kiosk operating errors via email, such as when a firewall exists at the site of the reporting computer and blocks direct transfer of operating errors to the reporting computer. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a transaction processing system including a network kiosk;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a depiction of a monitored component file;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a depiction of a kiosk information file;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a depiction of a host information file; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating the monitoring method of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]    Turning now to FIG. 1, transaction system  10  includes kiosk  12 , network  14 , and reporting computer  46 . Kiosk  12  is preferably located within a transaction establishment, such as a retail store, or transaction environment, such as a shopping mall. Kiosk  12  may include an NCR  7401  computer.  
         [0019]    Kiosk  12  primarily includes processor  16 , touch screen  18 , memory  20 , and storage medium  22 . Kiosk  12  may additionally include a number of peripherals, including magnetic strip reader (MSR)  24 , printer  26 , and scanner  28 .  
         [0020]    To assist with execution of certain tasks performed by kiosk  12 , kiosk  12  includes a built-in time keeping device, commonly referred to as a system clock, which is synchronized with current time, in order to automatically execute the tasks at their scheduled times.  
         [0021]    Processor  16  controls operation of kiosk  12  and executes web browser software  32  and web wrapper software  36 .  
         [0022]    Web browser software  32  allows an operator to access information and purchase products from retailers through network  14 , which preferably includes World Wide Web (WWW or “web”) servers. Web browser software  32  may include commercially-available web browser software, such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer web browser software. Microsoft® Internet Explorer web browser software is configured into a kiosk operation using a “-k” command line option. This option hides toolbars and menubars to prevent operator access to those functions.  
         [0023]    Web browser software  32  retrieves and displays web pages  44  from network  14 , which includes a plurality of interconnected servers. Web pages  44  include web pages which display information about products and services offered by the kiosk owner as well as other web pages. Web pages  44  assist operators to find information about products sold by the kiosk owner and to complete purchases of such products. For this purpose, web pages  34  may include a start or “home” page which operates as a default page from which operation begins and to which operation returns when an operator is finished using kiosk  12 . Web pages  44  may be written using hypertext markup language (HTML) or other suitable web page language.  
         [0024]    Web wrapper software  36  provides security functions. During operation, web wrapper software  36  prevents an operator from accessing kiosk files, other applications, the operating system software, or basic input-output system (BIOS) firmware, and prevents the operator from causing kiosk  12  to reboot.  
         [0025]    Under the present invention, web wrapper software  36  additionally monitors named components, such as peripherals MSR  24 , printer  26 , and bar code reader  28 , for operational problems. Web wrapper software  36  stores component status information in log file  34  and reports the component status information to reporting computer  46 , either on a scheduled basis or when requested by reporting computer  46 . Components to be monitored may be coded into web wrapper software  36  or listed in monitored component file  38  to allow a kiosk owner to control operation.  
         [0026]    Reporting computer  46  may be located at a company which services kiosk  12 . Reporting computer  46  executes monitoring and reporting software  48 . Monitoring and reporting software  48  may monitor a number of kiosks  12 . Kiosk information, including kiosk addresses, may be listed in kiosk information file  50  to allow a service provider to control monitoring. Kiosk addresses may include Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.  
         [0027]    Network communication between kiosk  12  and reporting computer  46  may be through any known communication method. Reporting computer information, including a host address, may be listed in host information file  35 . In addition, web wrapper software  36  may send log file  34  to reporting computer  46  via electronic mail in order to pass through a corporate firewall, if the service provider is running one to protect its internal network. Reporting computer  46  may also disseminate monitored component files  38  to kiosks  12 .  
         [0028]    Monitoring and reporting software  48  generates report file  56  from the operational status information in log file  34  from kiosk  12 . Report file  56  may be formatted in any standard document type, such as ASCII text format or hypertext markup language (HTML). Report delivery device  52  delivers report file  56  to service personnel and may include a display device or printer.  
         [0029]    Reporting computer  46  stores monitored component files  38  and kiosk information file  50  in storage medium  54 .  
         [0030]    Touch screen  18  includes display  40  and input device  42 . Display  40  and input device  42  may also be separate units. Input device  42  may record personal information from an operator.  
         [0031]    Memory  20  is used by processor  16  to store executed program information, including web wrapper software information.  
         [0032]    Storage medium  22  stores software including web wrapper software  36 .  
         [0033]    MSR  24  reads loyalty, credit, debit, SMART, and/or other types of cards carried by an operator. MSR  24  may record personal information from an operator.  
         [0034]    Printer  26  prints information from web wrapper software  32 , including information on web pages  44  from network  14 . For example, printer  26  may print information relevant to a transaction completed by an operator using kiosk  12 .  
         [0035]    Scanner  28  reads bar codes on products to obtain product identification numbers. Kiosk  12  queries a transaction server with the identification numbers to obtain information about the product and displays the information.  
         [0036]    Turning now to FIG. 2, monitored component file  38  includes entries COMPONENT, DATE, and TIME.  
         [0037]    Entry COMPONENT identifies a particular component within kiosk  12 .  
         [0038]    Entry DATE identifies a particular date for monitoring a component within kiosk  12 .  
         [0039]    Entry TIME identifies a particular time period for monitoring a component within kiosk  12 .  
         [0040]    Monitored components may include touch screen  18 , storage medium  20 , memory  22 , MSR  24 , printer  26 , scanner  28 , and subcomponents of some of these elements.  
         [0041]    For example, a component may include all monitorable components of scanner  28  or specified subcomponents of scanner  28 . Monitored scanner subcomponents may include a motor, laser, photodetector, or bar code decoding circuit within scanner  28 .  
         [0042]    Turning now to FIG. 3, kiosk information file  50  includes entries KIOSK, ADDRESS, and LOCATION.  
         [0043]    Entry KIOSK identifies a particular kiosk  12 .  
         [0044]    Entry ADDRESS identifies a network address of the kiosk, such as an IP address.  
         [0045]    Entry LOCATION identifies a particular location of kiosk  12 .  
         [0046]    Web wrapper software  36  reads monitored component file  38  and initiates monitoring of listed components at the scheduled dates and times or upon receipt of a command to begin monitoring one or more components from reporting computer  46 . Web wrapper software  36  stores status data in log file  34 . Web wrapper software  36  sends log file  34  to reporting computer  46  either on a scheduled basis or when requested by reporting computer  46 . Reporting computer  46  generates report file  56 , which it sends to report delivery device  52 , for display or printing. Service personnel may then use report file  56  to troubleshoot operating errors in monitored components.  
         [0047]    Turning now to FIG. 4, host information file  35  includes entries HOST, ADDRESS, and LOCATION.  
         [0048]    Entry HOST identifies a particular monitoring and reporting computer  46 .  
         [0049]    Entry ADDRESS identifies a network address of reporting computer  46 , such as an IP address.  
         [0050]    Entry LOCATION identifies a particular location of reporting computer  46 .  
         [0051]    Web wrapper software  36  reads host information file  35  to obtain address information for sending log file  34  to reporting computer  46 . One type of address may include an electronic mail address, which web wrapper software  36  may use to pass through a corporate firewall, if the service provider is running one to protect its internal network.  
         [0052]    Turning now to FIG. 5, the method of the present invention is illustrated beginning with START  60 .  
         [0053]    In step  62 , web wrapper software  36  reads component monitoring file  38  to obtain a list of components to be monitored. Web wrapper software  36  may be configured to automatically read component monitoring file  38  upon execution or manually after a change in component monitoring file  38 .  
         [0054]    In step  64 , web wrapper software  36  monitors the status of components listed in component monitoring file  38 . Monitoring may begin at scheduled times in component monitoring file  38  or upon command from reporting computer  46 . Monitoring and reporting software  48  contacts kiosk  12  using address information in kiosk information file  50 .  
         [0055]    In step  66 , web wrapper software  36  logs detected errors in log file  34 .  
         [0056]    In step  68 , web wrapper software  36  sends log file  34  to reporting computer  46 . Log file  34  may be sent at scheduled times or upon command from reporting computer  46 . Log file  34  may be sent through conventional network communication methods or if necessary emailed to reporting computer  46 . Web wrapper software  36  obtains address information for reporting computer  46  from host information file  35 . Reporting computer  46  generates report file  56 , which it sends to report delivery device  52 , for display or printing. Service personnel may then use report file  56  to begin troubleshooting operating errors in monitored components.  
         [0057]    Operation ends in step  70 .  
         [0058]    Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, variations and modifications of the present invention can be effected within the spirit and scope of the following claims.