Patent ID: 7677447

Claim:
A method of operating an automated teller machine (ATM), wherein the ATM comprises one or more hardware modules and one or more software modules, the method comprising: a) maintaining within the ATM a first diagnostic routine which at timed intervals tests a hardware module operated by the ATM; b) transmitting to software in a remote computer a state message which indicates results of the first diagnostic routine; c) receiving, from the remote computer, a message which i) resulted from analysis of the state message by the software in the remote computer and is produced by said software, and ii) includes a second diagnostic routine; and d) at the ATM, causing software to run the second diagnostic routine on the suspect hardware module upon receipt and send a second state message to the remote computer; e) causing the ATM to run one or more additional diagnostic routines on the suspect hardware module until either i) the diagnostic routines modify the suspect hardware module into an operative condition, or ii) the additional diagnostic routines A) produce an outcome which indicates that no further diagnostic routines should be run, and B) cause the suspect hardware module to be taken out of service.