Sensor system for detection of a partial retrieval of dispensed currency at an automated teller machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9368002-B2
Application number	US-201313890458-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2013
Priority date	May 9, 2013
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for a sensor system are provided. The system may be configured to detect a dispensing of cash from an automated teller machine (“ATM”). The system may be configured to orient one or more sensors to capture a first information stream that includes the dispensing of cash. The system may be configured to detect a retraction of cash by the ATM. The system may orient one or more sensors to capture a second information stream that includes the retraction. The system may be configured to determine an estimate of cash collected by an ATM customer. The estimate may be based on a comparison of the first information stream and the second information stream.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for detecting a partial retrieval of currency dispensed from an automated teller machine (“ATM”), the apparatus comprising:
a track comprising three track segments, wherein
a first track segment is positioned substantially parallel to a second track segment; and
a third track segment is positioned substantially perpendicular to the first segment and substantially perpendicular to the second segment;

a first heat-sensitive sensor moveable along each of the three segments of the track such that the first heat-sensitive sensor is focused on a portion of a dispenser of the ATM that is visible to an ATM customer and configured to capture first data showing:
cash dispensed from the dispenser and awaiting retrieval by the ATM customer;
the ATM customer retrieving a first portion of the dispensed cash; and
a second portion of the dispensed cash being retracted into the ATM by the dispenser;

a second sensor oriented toward an identifying characteristic of an ATM customer and configured to capture second data comprising the identifying characteristic of the ATM customer during a time the first sensor is capturing the first data; and
a computer system comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein; and
a processor configured to execute the computer readable program code; and
the computer readable program code in said computer system when executed by the processor causes the computer system to:
to determine if the first data corresponds to a partial withdrawal of cash from the ATM;
produce a fraud record when the first data corresponds to the partial withdrawal, the fraud record comprising:
at least a portion of:
 the first data captured by the first sensor; and
 the second data captured by the second sensor; and
a transaction identifier associated with the partial withdrawal;

wherein the first heat-sensitive sensor is configured to move along the track to be positioned a pre-determined distance away from heat associated with the ATM customer to avoid the ATM customer obstructing the first heat-sensitive sensor from capturing the first data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first heat-sensitive sensor comprises an image capturing device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second sensor is an image capturing device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the computer readable program code in said computer system when executed by the processor causes the computer system to identify:
a first segment of the first data corresponding to a withdrawal of cash from a dispenser of the ATM; and
a second segment of the first data corresponding to cash remaining in the dispenser after the withdrawal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the fraud record comprises the first segment and the second segment.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , the computer readable program code in said computer system when executed by the processor causes the computer system to:
determine a time window associated with the first segment and the second segment; and
identify a segment of the second data captured during the time window.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the fraud record comprises the segment of the second data.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the computer readable program code in said computer system when executed by the processor causes the computer system to identify the transaction identifier based on the time window.

9. A method for reducing fraud at an automated teller machine (“ATM”), the method comprising:
moving a heat-sensitive sensor along a segment of a track, the segment being one of:
a first track segment positioned substantially parallel to a second track segment;
the second track segment; and
a third track segment positioned substantially perpendicular to the first segment and substantially perpendicular to the second segment;

focusing the heat-sensitive sensor on a portion of an ATM dispenser that is visible to an ATM customer;
capturing an information stream using the heat-sensitive sensor focused on the portion of the ATM dispenser visible to the ATM customer, the information stream showing:
the ATM customer collecting a first portion of the cash presented by the dispenser;
before the ATM dispenser retracts a second portion of the cash, the second portion of the cash remaining available for collection by the customer; and
the ATM dispenser retracting the second portion of the presented cash; and

in response to the ATM dispenser retracting the second portion of the cash, using a computer system to:
generate a fraud record, the fraud record comprising:
a transaction identifier associated with the retraction;
a time window associated with the transaction identifier; and
the information stream;

wherein, the heat-sensitive sensor is configured to move along the track in response to detecting a threshold level of heat emitted from the ATM customer to prevent the ATM customer from obstructing the heat-sensitive sensor from capturing the information stream.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising using the computer system to identify the information stream based on the time window.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein, when the heat-sensitive sensor is a first sensor and the information stream is a first information stream, the method further comprises, in response to the retracting, capturing a second information stream using a second sensor.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:
the second information stream comprises a characteristic of the ATM customer captured by the second sensor; and
the fraud record comprises at least a portion of the second information stream.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising using the computer system to:
based on the time window, identify a withdrawal request associated with the retracting; and
based on the withdrawal request, identify the ATM customer; and
associate the ATM customer with the retracting.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising using the computer system to:
receive a mis-dispense claim; and
identify a claimant associated with the mis-dispense claim;
determine if the claimant is associated with the fraud record; and
score the claim based on the fraud record.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising using the computer system to:
determine a monetary value based on the scoring of the fraud record; and
associate the monetary value with the mis-dispense claim.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the fraud record further comprises:
a transaction record comprising:
a name of the ATM customer;
a first time corresponding to a request for a withdrawal from the ATM;
a second time corresponding to a dispensing of the cash from the ATM in response to the request; and
a third time corresponding to the retracting of the second portion of the cash.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the information stream comprises:
a video recording of a withdrawal of cash from a dispenser of the ATM; and
an image of cash remaining in the dispenser after the withdrawal.

18. An apparatus for detecting a partial retrieval of cash from an automated teller machine (“ATM”), the apparatus comprising:
a track comprising:
a first track segment;
a second track segment; and
a third track segment positioned substantially perpendicular to the first segment and substantially perpendicular to the second segment;

a heat-sensitive sensor moveable along the track such that the heat-sensitive sensor is oriented to capture:
a portion of

Assignees

• Bank Of America

Inventors

• Crist Kristy M
• Carswell Jr Terrelle
• Mcconnell Eric
• Puri Rahul
• Rhodes Devin D
• Goodwin James D

Classifications

• G07D11/16

  Handling of valuable papers (within containers G07D11/13) · CPC title

• G07F19/206

  Software aspects at ATMs · CPC title

• G07F19/207

  Surveillance aspects at ATMs · CPC title

• G07F19/209 Primary

  Monitoring, auditing or diagnose of functioning of ATMs · CPC title

• G06Q20/1085

  involving automatic teller machines [ATMs] · CPC title