Patent ID: 7779160

Claim:
A method of operating a transaction processing system that comprises: at least one computer in operative connection with a plurality of external devices adapted to carry out financial transactions, wherein the plurality of external devices includes at least one cash dispensing automated teller machine (ATM) and at least one authorization system; at least one message processing program (MPP) operative in the at least one computer; at least one timer software component operative in the at least one computer; wherein responsive to receiving a transaction message from one of the plurality of external devices, the at least one MPP is operative to send a first message to the at least one timer software component, which first message includes data corresponding to the transaction message; wherein responsive to receiving the first message from the at least one MPP, the at least one timer software component is operative to send a second message to a selected one of the plurality of external devices, which second message includes data corresponding to the transaction message; wherein responsive to receiving a response message from the selected one of the plurality of external devices, the at least one MPP is operative to send to the external device from which the transaction message was received, a message that includes data corresponding to the response message; wherein the at least one timer software component is operative to send a third message notifying the at least one MPP if the response message is not received within a predetermined amount of time after initiating timing responsive to receiving the first message from the at least one MPP; wherein the at least one MPP is operative to cause a message indicative of a problem to be sent to the external device from which the transaction message was received, responsive to the third message notifying the at least one MPP that the response message was not received within the predetermined amount of time; wherein the method comprises: (a) operating the at least one MPP in the at least one computer to cause the first message to be sent to the at least one timer software component, which causes the at least one timer software component to cause the second message to be sent to the selected one of the plurality of external devices; (b) initiating timing with the at least one timer software component responsive to (a); (c) monitoring for receipt by the at least one computer of the response message sent by the selected one of the plurality of external devices responsive to the second message sent in (a) to the selected one of the plurality of external devices; (d) operating the at least one timer software component to send the third message notifying the at least one MPP that the response message was not received within the predetermined amount of time after initiating timing in (b).