Patent ID: 7392936

Claim:
A system comprising: a building, wherein the building comprises an interior area, a service provider (SP) station located inside of the building, wherein the SP station is enabled to be operated by a human service provider at the SP station to provide a transaction, wherein the SP station includes at least one SP station communication device, a plurality of customer stations located within the interior area of the building, wherein the plurality of customer stations include a first customer station, wherein each customer station is enabled to be operated by a customer requesting a transaction, wherein a customer at each customer station is able to exchange transaction items with the human service provider at the SP station, wherein each customer station includes at least one customer station communication device in operative connection with at least one SP station communication device enabling video and audio conferencing between a customer at each customer station and the human service provider at the SP station, wherein a customer at the first customer station is able to carry out a transaction involving the human service provider at the SP station while another customer at another customer station is carrying out another transaction involving the human service provider at the SP station, a carrier, wherein the carrier is configured to hold at least one customer item received at the first customer station from a customer involved in a first transaction, wherein the carrier is configured to hold at least one SP item involved in the first transaction and placable therein at the SP station by the human service provider, a transport device including a pneumatic tube, wherein the transport device is in operative connection with the SP station, wherein the transport device is operative to selectively transport the carrier in the pneumatic tube toward and away from the SP station, wherein the SP station is configured to receive the carrier, wherein the transport device is operative to selectively transport the carrier in the pneumatic tube in a direction toward and away from the first customer station, wherein the first customer station is configured to receive the at least one SP item.