JPH07234958A - Method and apparatus for discrimination of customer at automatic window machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a countermeasure against a fraud by photographing and recording the picture of a man executing a transaction through the use of a transaction card in an automatic customer conversation device, namely, an automatic transaction machine(ATM machine). CONSTITUTION: A digital camera 11 under the control of a program in the automatic customer conversation device such as the automatic transaction machine(ATM) 10 supplies the visual recordign of the transaction by recording the picture of the face of a client executing the transaction. The digital visual picture is compressed and it is recorded at a previously selected time period. When a doubt on the transaction occurs, the compressed picture is retrieved and reproduced. The reproduced picture is used for deciding the person who executes the behavior of the doubt.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to misuse of a general transaction card, and more particularly to photographing and recording an image using a transaction card in an automatic customer interaction device, that is, an automatic teller machine (ATM machine).

[0002]

The increase in the number of transactions is handled by an automated customer interaction system. These devices typically use transaction cards as a mechanism to access authorized services. Examples of such devices are automatic teller machines, automatic petrol dispensers, vending machines, automatic retail billing machines. In the following description, an automatic teller machine (or ATM) is used as an example of application of the present invention.

ATM is a popular and convenient means for checking bank accounts and making deposits. The number of ATM transactions in 1992 is estimated to be 7.2 billion. While ease of access is a great benefit to many of our customers, there is an increasing number of frauds on this service. Since the transaction does not require direct intervention of bank staff, and the transaction occurs at any time of the day, the method of recording the image of the person making the transaction provides a countermeasure against fraud.

A common security device is a personal identification number (PI).
N). However, as recent events have shown, great reliance on PINs does not provide an adequate level of security in the use of transaction cards. PIN numbers are easily obtained through a myriad of tricks. A more proactive system is needed for the continued approval of ATMs as an integral part of personal financial transactions. Any new system must be required to have minimal customer intervention and perceived increase in minimal processing delay. Furthermore, errors within the revocation of transactions or potential transactions must be minimized.

While many ATMs have come equipped with cameras for taking images of people involved in transactions, these systems are limited in some respects. When the camera captures images in a photographic manner, the camera is limited by the amount of film loaded and the transaction and image matching. The local storage of videotaped images with a video camera has similar problems. Capturing and transferring images via a closed circuit television is very expensive and storing and maintaining image data files is a major system constraint.

There has been a demand to capture an image of the person involved in the transaction and ensure that the image information is collected and maintained by an efficient and cost-effective system.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention addresses one of the above problems.
The purpose is to overcome the above.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the invention, an ATM machine has a digital camera associated with it. When a transaction is requested, the digital camera under program control records a visible image of the customer who requested the transaction. The digital visible image is compressed and stored. When in doubt about a transaction, the digital image can be retrieved and played back to identify the customer / transactor.

The ATM machine of the present invention is preferably provided such that a customer image for each transaction is maintained. Many problems can be solved by using the images of the person who made the transaction.
When a fraudulent transaction is identified, the image of the transacting person can be used for identification. The compression technique has adequate image quality and processing speed with little customer impact. Security improves over systems that rely only on PINs.

[0010]

These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the detailed description of the embodiments, the claims and the drawings. The convenience and availability of ATMs and the potential value they offer make them attractive targets for theft and fraud. It is near impossible to prevent in advance all possible tricks for these machines to be involved in crime, while improving the analysis of complaints of customers who are victims of ATM fraud. The increased likelihood of construction provides a significant increase in the reliability of these machines.

ATM comprises telecommunication links with financial institutions for pending transactions to be processed. All information regarding bank accounts and types and volumes of transactions is handled on this digital communication link. The bank maintains a current record of transactions and the status of the customer's bank account through a dynamic financial database. Much of the security of ATM transactions is achieved by using a personal identification number (PIN).
This is typically a multi-digit cipher known by customers and banks. However, this means of security is very fragile and susceptible to many technologies, including customer carelessness. The telecommunications link may use other security measures besides the PIN procedure. For example, the link is A
It can be used to transfer recorded images between TM machines and financial institutions.

In fact, images have long been a security measure within financial institutions. Almost all banks have surveillance camera systems that record activity within the bank. These cameras are very useful for arresting and confirming bank thieves. However, this technique is useful because banks have limited business hours, physical space is restricted and a regulated environment is guarded. The state of operation of ATMs differs from those found in banks. The number of ATMs is also much higher than the number of banks, and ATMs can be located where surveillance cameras are impractical or ineffective. Furthermore, there is immediate knowledge that when a bank theft occurred, it happened. This may be because customers and banks are unaware that fraud has occurred until after some time A
Unlike the case of TM fraud. In addition, the location of fraud cannot be immediately determined, and the reproduction of images collected during the transaction in which the situation occurred poses transportation problems.

A problem with all current surveillance systems is that images are collected in analog form, such as with a video camera. Since ATM financial transaction information is digitally stored and processed, problems arise with maintaining and maintaining analog storage in digital transactions. Retrieving the desired image from videotape is a tedious, time-consuming and inaccurate process.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a digital camera is installed in the ATM. Digital cameras record customer images. The image may be compressed and stored either at or near the ATM itself. Digital camera images can be accessed by financial institutions across the ATM network if desired. A database management system can be included as part of the software running on the ATM used to manage the acquisition of images.

As an example, an image taken by an NTSC digital camera having a resolution of 768 × 512 pixels can be compressed at a ratio of 30: 1. Such compression ratios can be achieved using one of many possible compression algorithms such as those included in the Concatenated Image Expert Group (JPEG) standard. About 130 compressed images
00 bytes of data are required. Application specialized integrated circuits (ASICs) have come to exert image compression capabilities approaching 10 million pixels / second. The preferred size of the image is small enough so that the compression time is unobtrusive compared to the average ATM transaction time. A typical ATM processes about 7,000 transactions per month. These images are stored locally on a disk or tape drive that has the ability to store a sufficiently large number of compressed images. Storage of these images on ATM minimizes the impact on digital image archives in telecommunications where images are not required to be transferred to a central archive. A typical ATM transaction records and transfers time, place and transaction identification number. A specific ATM and transaction identifier can be used to access the data if image information is absolutely required. The image information is retrieved from the storage resources associated with the ATM and communicated in remote form in compressed form to the requesting terminal.

The storage mechanism is ATM, image size,
It can be selected after the expected use of the preferred length of time the image is archived has been determined. Obviously, the longer the archiving period, the larger the required capacity of the image storage device. The same requirement for large memory capacity is these A
It can be inferred from the high availability of TM. Many devices are commercially available with sufficient capacity to provide a three month archive record of ATM transaction images and still have sufficient capacity to hold a database management system for image storage.

Once the image stays beyond its archival period, one of several actions may be selected. The images are purged from the system and the archive space is reused for other images. Information can be archived offline for a selected period of time. Design requirements and storage requirements for archive storage must be appropriately below capacity to prevent image overflow in storage resources.

From the customer's point of view, the ATM is the current ATM
It should work exactly like the system. In Figure 1, A
The TM device 10 responds to the function request by the customer, and in response to the function request of the customer, information and goods (for example, transaction receipt,
It has a customer interface device 19 for serving cash, etc.). ATM device 10 is ATM control software 15
Still image digital camera 11 that records images during the interaction between the transaction card carrier and the ATM machine under control of the
(Replacement of a typical analog video device). The digital image recorded by the digital camera 11 is compressed by the image compression procedure 12. The compressed image resulting from the compression procedure 12 is stored in the image data 14 under the control of the database manager 13. The database manager is cataloged in the image database 14 and inserted therein. ATM control software 15
Engages in normal financial dialogue with financial institution 17 via remote access link 16. The database manager maintains the image database 14 and has the additional responsibility of purging any images that remain in the image database 14 beyond the maintenance period.

If the inquiry is required by the financial institution, the inquiry is sent via remote access link 16.
It is transferred to the ATM control software 15 of TM10.
The ATM control software 15 accesses the database manager to find the desired inventory information and to retrieve the desired image. The desired image is transferred to the financial institution 17 under the control of the ATM control software 15. At financial institution 17, the image is decompressed and the reconstructed image is used for its intended purpose. It is clear that some parts of the ATM machine are or are concerned with data throughput. For example, the compression resource 12 can be a software program or a dedicated microprocessor chip. In both configurations, the compression resource operates under the control of ATM control software. Similarly, the database manager is typically a software program that operates under the control of ATM control software. The image database is typically housed in a hardware device.

Referring to FIG. 2, the procedure using the described ATM machine according to the present invention is shown. At step 201, the customer performs a logon procedure to request a selected function, such as withdrawing cash from a machine. Stage 2
At 02, ATM control software 15 determines whether the requested function is one for which a transaction record should be created.
Logon procedures now typically require the required security. However, when security procedures are not required, the required functionality is performed by the system. If the security procedures of the present invention are required, a digital image of the customer is recorded at step 204. In step 205 it is determined whether the recorded digital image is acceptable. If the digital image is unacceptable, an alternative procedure is implemented. An alternative procedure may include attempting a second image recording, or may be terminating the ATM's interaction with the current customer. If it is determined in step 207 that the image is acceptable, the image is compressed and the ATM
Stored within and the requested mechanism is implemented.

What is important is the collection of acceptable images. To achieve this, the customer must be in the imaging plane of the camera. This positioning of the customer can be accomplished by one of several methods, such as weight activated sensors that do not allow images to be recorded until sufficient weight is applied. It knows the system well,
Although it can be overcome by fraudsters, this feature is not done by real customers as well. Furthermore, taking the action necessary to deceive the system is more likely to be noticed by the criminal, reducing the likelihood of the action. However, the actual implementation of such a mechanism is outside the scope of the present invention.

Since the image is taken digitally, many actions can be taken on the image to further reduce the avoidance that the image of the individual taken has. These include, but are not limited to, comparing the distribution of image values and the result to the distribution of pixels against a background image; or applying pattern recognition methods to determine if a human-like object appears in the image. Not done. If the processed image is not within the boundaries that can be considered nominal, the transaction is aborted and the ATM card is returned.

By now it should be appreciated that the described devices and techniques for reducing fraud in ATM devices. The technique involves recording a digital image of a customer. Digital images may be compressed and stored within the ATM machine at predetermined time intervals. If the transaction is subject to review, the digital images stored in the ATM machine can be retrieved and transferred to a central location. Since the image is compressed, the transfer of the selected (compressed) image across the communication link is not as significant as adding to the traffic. In addition, digital images can be compressed so that on-site storage requirements for stored and recorded images can be adapted to commercially available equipment.

Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to ATM machines, the present invention is also readily applicable to other automated devices that provide a controlled interaction between a customer or client and the automated device itself. It is obvious that The digitized and compressed visual record of the transaction allows the storage of the transaction record otherwise unavailable. The present invention is intended to add to established, or future configured security procedures (eg, use of PIN numbers, etc.) rather than replacing them. Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to the preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, with equivalents being the elements of the preferred embodiment without departing from the invention. is there. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a disclosure of the invention to a particular situation and material without departing from the essence of the disclosure.

As will be apparent from the above description, certain features of the invention are not limited to the particular details of the example described, and applications can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the claims extend to all such modifications and applications that do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of components for an ATM machine.

FIG. 2 illustrates a procedure for providing a visual record of transactions according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ATM device 11 Digital camera 12 Image compression procedure 13 Database manager 15 ATM control software 16 Remote access link 17 Financial mechanism 19 Customer interface

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location G06T 7/00 9194-5L G06F 15/40 370 H 15/62 465 A (72) Inventor Richard Nathan Elson United States New York 14618 Rochester Irving Road 144

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A processing resource including control software and a database manager; a digital camera for recording a digital image corresponding to a signal activated by the control software; a compression resource for compressing the digital image; a database system. And the database system includes a database manager and a database storage device, the database manager operating under the control of the control software to control storage of the compressed image in the database storage device. Automatic customer interaction device. 2. A digital facial image is recorded when a customer interacts with an automated customer interaction device; the digital facial image is compressed; and a database manager is used to capture the digital facial image. A method of providing a transaction record within an automated customer interaction device that comprises searchably memorized steps.