Banking system controlled responsive to data bearing records

Abstract

An automated banking machine operates to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. The automated banking machine includes a card reader operative to read card data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts. The automated banking machine also includes a display and a printer to produce records of financial transactions carried out with the machine. The card reader is operative to read and return card information read from the user card responsive to communications received from components executing in a virtual machine.

1 . Apparatus comprising:
 an automated banking machine, wherein the automated banking machine is operative responsive to data read from data bearing records to cause financial transfers, wherein the automated banking machine includes:
 a card reader, wherein the card reader is operative to read card information from user cards; and 
 a cash dispenser, 
   at least one computer,   a virtual machine operative in the at least one computer, wherein the virtual machine includes software components that are operative to execute in the virtual machine, wherein at least one of the software components executing in the virtual machine is operative to cause the at least one computer to communicate with the card reader to cause the card reader to operate to return card information read from a user card to the at least one software component, wherein the at least one software component executing in the virtual machine is operative to receive communications from the card reader that include card information read from the user card.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the software components include at least one terminal application software component that executes in the virtual machine. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the software components include eXtensions for Financial Services (XFS) software components that execute in the virtual machine. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one terminal application software component is operative in the virtual machine to communicate commands to at least one of the XFS software components, to cause the at least one XFS software component to communicate with the card reader. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the software components include device services software components that execute in the virtual machine. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the device services software components corresponds to a card reader device driver. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one XFS software component is operative in the virtual machine responsive to commands received from the at least one terminal application software component to cause the card reader device driver to communicate with the card reader. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the software components include at least one Open Device Services (ODS) software component that executes in the virtual machine. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one ODS software component is operative responsive to commands received from the at least one terminal application software component to communicate commands to the at least one XFS software component, which commands cause the card reader device driver to communicate with the card reader. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the software components include a plurality of card reader ODS software components that are operative to execute in the virtual machine, wherein the plurality of card reader ODS components are responsive to the same commands from the at least one terminal application software component to communicate respective different commands to the at least one XFS software component, which different commands are operative to control respective different types of card readers. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the virtual machine includes a Java virtual machine operative in the at least one computer. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one terminal application software component includes a Java software component that is operative to execute in the Java virtual machine. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the Java software component includes a Java Applet. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the software components include a J/XFS Kernel. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a Windows Open Services Architecture/eXtensions for Financial Services (WOSA/XFS) manager software component operative in the at least one computer. 
     
     
         16 . A method carried out in connection with an automated banking machine that operates responsive to data read from data bearing records to cause financial transfers, comprising:
 through operation of the at least one software component executing in a virtual machine that is operating in at least one computer, causing the at least one computer to communicate with a card reader included in an automated banking machine to cause the card reader to operate to return card information read from a user card to the at least one software component, wherein the automated banking machine further includes a cash dispenser; and   through operation of the at least one software component executing in the virtual machine that is operating in at least one computer, receiving with the at least one software component communications from the card reader that include card information read from the user card.