Ncr Corporation

Kenneth J Peters

Steven A Carnegie

John A Peebles

Gordon Burke

John Gardner

Joshua Bruce

Gordon Hanna

Robin John Slater

Joanna Phillips

Bryan D Sturrock

A device includes a pocket having an opening to receive media. A filament assembly is coupled such that filaments protrude from a gap between the opening of the pocket and a self-service terminal (SST) in which the pocket is mountable to inhibit media from entering the gap.

Media escape prevention for self-service terminal

The present invention provides apparatus for stacking media items, comprising a base member for supporting a stack of media items, at least one first registration member extending generally upwardly with respect to the base member, and at least one further registration member extending generally upwardly with respect to the base member and spaced apart from the first registration member, wherein at least a one of the first and further registration members is selectively moveable towards or away from a remainder one of the first and further registration members in an input direction of the media items. A method of stacking media items is also provided.

Media presenter

A storage device () for storing valuable media is described. The device has a rotary storage compartment () for storing media items () in a fixed order. The items are held in place by one or two tapes (and/or) wound around the rotary storage compartment. The device includes a memory (and/or) for storing the order in which the items are stored and details of transactions associated with the stored items, so that each stored item can be linked to a transaction. In a preferred embodiment, one of the tapes (or) serves as the memory so that transaction details for a stored media item () can be read as the stored media item () is dispensed from the storage device ().

Media storage device

The present invention relates to determining the validity of a transaction of a data processing system such as the validity of a financial transaction carried out at an automatic teller machine () which has a magnetic card reader. In addition to the entry of a PIN, a user of the system is requested to enter personal information that has been nominated by the user and may consist of a date of birth and a telephone number. A keypad () allows the user to enter the PIN. The user is also requested to enter digits from the personal information to be checked against stored security data so that the level of security can be enhanced. A data processing unit of the system is programmed to cause further requests for digits from the personal information in the event that errors are made in the data entry.

Method and apparatus for determining the validity of a data processing transaction

This invention relates to an electrically powered machine , for example, a card operated self service terminal (SST) and an automated teller machine (ATM). Such machines, in addition to necessary electronic circuitry and computer process controls, include means to receive a card ( ), a reader ( ) for reading data stored on the card, a display screen ( ), a keyboard pad ( ) and, in the case of an ATM a cash delivery slot ( ). In the event of power failure during a customer transaction, the customer's card, for example, a bank card is captured by the machine when power is subsequently restored. Capture of a card is inconvenient to a customer. In order to overcome such inconvenience, it has been proposed to equip such a machine with a battery back-up system operable on power failure to return the card to the customer. A battery back-up system is expensive and accordingly a machine according to the present invention uses a device for mechanically stored energy during normal operation of the machine and means for using the stored energy in the event of power failure to discharge the card ( ) from the machine.

Machine operable by a card carrying data

During a transaction using a magnetic card (,), test data is written to the card (,) at a constantly increasing frequency rate. The test data is then read from the card (,) and the high frequency cut-off point f,of the card (,) (i.e. the maximum write frequency above which it is no longer possible to read the test data from the card (,)), is determined. The high frequency cut-off point f,of a magnetic card (,) will gradually decrease over the lifetime of the card as the quality of the magnetic stripe (,) of the card (,) deteriorates. The high frequency cut-off point f,of the card (,) is compared with the high frequency cutoff point f,&prime; of the card (,) in the previous transaction using the card (,). If the difference between the cut-off frequencies f,and f,&prime; lies within a predetermined acceptable range, the card (,) is regarded as authentic and the transaction is allowed to proceed. If the difference in the cut-off frequencies f,and f,&prime; lies outside this predetermined acceptable range, there is a substantial risk that the card (,) is a counterfeit card and hence the card is retained and the transaction terminated.

Method of authenticating a magnetic card

An automated teller machine (ATM) 10 is provided with a reader/writer 28 for a flex disc 34. The ATM can be operated to download a receipt or a ministatement to a flex disc inserted by a cardholder, and the information can be encrypted or compressed. The flex disc can be preloaded with an instruction by a home PC, and the instruction can be encrypted.

Self service terminal

The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting the presence of a record medium (31) in a feed path (22) and for sensing the speed of the record medium (31) as it passes along the feed path (22). The invention includes roller means (28) movable between a first position when the record medium (31) is not present in the feed path (22) and a second position when the record medium (31) is passing along the feed path (22). The roller means (28) are arranged to be rotated by virtue of engagement with the record medium (31) when in the second position. Sensing means (24) operative to provide an indication of the absence of the record medium (31) when the roller means (28) is in the first position are also provided along with pulse generating means (40,45) arranged to generate a series of pulses in response to rotation of the roller means (28). The invention further includes an electronic control means (48) responsive to the pulses generated by the pulse generating means (40,45) and arranged to make a determination of the speed of the record medium (31) as it passes along the feed path (22).

Apparatus for detecting the presence and speed of a record medium

A cash dispensing unit includes first and second cooperating endless belts (72, 74) for feeding a stack (76) of the currency notes to an exit port (54). End portions of the first and second belts (72, 74) respectively pass around first and second pulleys (52, 66), the first pulleys (52) having a fixed axis of rotation The second pulleys pivotally (66) are rotatably mounted on one end of pivotally mounted arms (56), and third pulleys (64) are rotatably mounted on the opposite ends of the arms (56), the third pulleys (64) being in engagement with part of the second endless belts (74) which are in cooperative engagement with the first belt (72). The first and second belts (72, 74) are resiliently stretchable and tensioned whereby the first and second pulleys (52, 66) are urged together so that when the stack (76) is positioned at the exit port (54), it is resiliently gripped between the first and second belts (72, 74).

Growing community of inventors

Dundee, United Kingdom

Kenneth J Peters