GB2484484A

GB2484484A - Protection of automated teller machines

Info

Publication number: GB2484484A
Application number: GB1017151.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tudor Gwyn Jones; Simon Nicholas Thelwell
Original assignee: S & T Systems Ltd
Current assignee: S & T Systems Ltd
Priority date: 2010-10-12
Filing date: 2010-10-12
Publication date: 2012-04-18
Also published as: GB201017151D0

Abstract

A mechanism for protection of an ATM comprises an attack detection system 54 for detecting an attack on an ATM, and a dispensing system operative, upon detection of an attack on the ATM, to deploy material to render banknotes in the ATM valueless. The deployed material includes a glue 38 that adheres to banknotes within the ATM and it optionally further includes a dye 36. The deployed material preferably contains an identifier such as synthetic DNA which may be incorporated into the dye 36. The deployed material may be permanently housed in the ATM within a container that includes a gas generator 44 that propels the deployed material through feed lines 40 and into cash cassettes 10 in which the banknotes are stored within the ATM. The cash cassettes may have a dispensing manifold (24, Fig 5) within their lids 12 which is automatically connected to a feed line 40 as the cash cassette 10 is installed within the ATM. The ATM may also have a signalling device 58 to communicate with a central location and a GPS receiver 60 so the geographical location of the ATM may be monitored. The dispensing system may be triggered by a signal received from the central location.

Description

Protection of automated teller machines

S

This invention relates to the protection of automated teller machines (ATM5).

ATMs have sufficient strength that even with concerted effort it takes a significant amount of time to break open. This means that an attack of an ATM in situ is likely to fail, because the time taken to break into the machine is likely to be more than the time taken for police to respond to an alarm when the machine is attacked. For this reason, there has been an increasing trend for thieves to attack the structure of a building in which the ATM is installed. This allows the ATM to be loaded intact into a vehicle, whereupon it can be removed, and subsequently broken into at a remote location that might be difficult to find. Preventing this type of attack would require substantial reinforcement of a large number of buildings, which if practicable at all, would be unpractically costly.

To deter such thefts, an alternative approach has been adopted, in which upon detection of an attempted theft of an ATM, an internal mechanism is activated to cause sufficient damage to banknotes within the machine as to render them beyond use. Advertising the presence of such apparatus can act as a strong deterrent to thieves who might be considering launching an attack on an ATM.

For example, in US-A-S 589 793 and WO-A-99/60502 a mechanism is disclosed that will cover banknotes in ink so as to deface them. However, it has been found that the effectiveness of such arrangements is limited. Within an ATM, banknotes are typically stored in stacks, and it can be difficult to ensure that the ink will penetrate into the stack to a sufficient depth to mark the notes clearly. Moreover, banknote paper is sufficiently robust that it can be washed, and it is possible for even the most permanent of ink to be removed from banknotes with time and care.

An aim of this invention is to provide a mechanism that can be incorporated into an ATM that can provide better protection to an ATM by ensuring that irreversible damage and/or marking of banknotes will take place in the event that the machine is attacked.

To this end, from a first aspect, this invention provides a mechanism for protection of an ATM comprising: attack detection means for detecting an attack on an ATM, and dispensing system operative, upon detection of an attack on the ATM, to deploy material to render banknotes in the ATM valueless; in which the deployed material includes a glue that adheres to banknotes within the ATM.

Once set, the glue presents a physical encumbrance to the banknotes. They become a solid block that cannot be separated into individual banknotes without damaging them to such an extent that they are valueless.

In addition to the glue, the deployed material may include a dye. The dye acts in cooperation with the glue providing a combined effect that inflicts greater damage to the banknotes than either component alone. In addition, the deployed material may include a unique identification agent. An advantage of such embodiments is that banknotes that have been marked can be analysed to extract the identification agent and thereby determine which individual ATM was the origin of the banknotes. For example, the identification agent may include synthetic DNA. The identification agent may be incorporated into a dye or it may be a separate component.

The dispensing system may include one or more containers, each containing a component of the deployed material. The or each container is typically installed permanently in an ATM. A gas generator may be located within the or each container that operates, on activation, to propel material from the container into a feed line.

The dispensing system preferably includes a dispensing manifold within a banknote cassette for use with an ATM. Advantageously, the manifold is located within a lid of the S cassette. The manifold most typically has a plurality of outlets from which material can be deployed onto banknotes within the cassette. For use, the manifold is connected to a feed line when the cassette is installed in an ATM, such connection preferably happening automatically on installation of the cassette in an ATM.

The mechanism may further include a signalling device that, on activation, can receive signals from and send signals to a central location. The signalling device may allow a signal from the central location to activate the dispensing system. Alternatively or additionally, it may send signals back to the central location to indicate the geographical location of the ATM.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures la to lc are top, side and front views of a banknote cassette for an ATM embodying the invention; Figure 2 shows a lid of a banknote cassette for an ATM modified for use in an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows an insert for the banknote cassette of Figure 2; Figure 4 shows a spacer being a part of the insert of Figure 3; Figures Sa and Sb are plan and side views of dispensing pipes within the insert of Figure 3; Figure 6 shows cassettes of Figures la to ic installed in an ATM; Figure 7 is an inverted plan view of a cassette insert for use in a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 is a section through the lid of Figure 7; and Figures 9 and 10 show the cassette of Figure 7 installed in an ATM.

S As is well known, an ATM includes one or more cassettes for containing banknotes.

These cassettes allow banknotes to be loaded into the ATM quickly and securely. An example of such a cassette is shown in Figure 1.

The cassette includes a box 10 shaped as a cuboid within which banknotes to be dispensed from an ATM can be placed. The box 10 has an upper opening that can be closed by a lid 12 that is hinged to the box 10. Once closed, the lid can be locked in place so that personnel delivering the cassette to an ATM have no access to the banknotes within the cassette. The cassette can be installed in an ATM by simply sliding it forwards into place on a supporting rack. As shown in Figure 6, the rack may have space for several cassettes to allow the ATM to dispense notes of several denominations.

Embodiments of this invention can be constructed by making a modification to an existing ATM and its cassettes. This is done, in this embodiment, in a manner that allows modified cassettes to be used in unmodified ATMs, so simplifying the process of converting a large ATM network to use the invention.

The box 10 in the present embodiment is conventional, and will not therefore be described further.

Two dispensing inserts 20 are located within the lid 12. The dispensing inserts 20 include a spacer 22 and a manifold 24. The manifold 24 includes a glue distribution pipe 26 and a dye distribution pipe 28. Each distribution pipe 26, 28 has a feed section that extends lengthways of the lid 12 and several transverse dispensing pipes, with open ends, that extend from the feed pipe. In this embodiment, the two feed pipes lie one above the other when the cassette is positioned for normal use. The distribution pipes 26, 28 are carried on a supporting frame 30. Each spacer 22 is installed to clamp the associated manifold 24 to the inner surface of the lid 12. The manifolds 24 are positioned such that the open ends of the dispensing pipes are directly above edges portions of notes contained within the cassette when the lid 12 is closed on the box 10.

The arrangement of the manifold can be varied -the key feature is that it can disperse material onto banknotes at several positions such that a stack of banknotes within the cassette becomes covered in the material.

A small aperture 34 is formed in a front-facing wall of the lid 12. End portions of the distribution pipes 26, 28 extend through the aperture 34 to project a small distance from the front of the lid 12.

An ATM adapted for use with a cassette as described above includes a dispensing system. The dispensing system includes reservoirs for dye and glue 36, 38. Feed lines 40, 42 extend from the reservoirs 36, 38 to the front of the cassette-supporting rack.

When the cassette is loaded into the rack, end portions of the feed lines 40, 42 are driven towards and become coupled to the end portions of the distribution pipes 26, 28 that project from the aperture 34 in the lid 12 of the cassette. Within each reservoir 36, 38 there is a gas generator 44. Upon activation by an electrical signal, the gas generator 44 produces high-pressure gas within the reservoir, to drive its contents out of the reservoir along the corresponding feed line 40, 42.

In addition (or as an alternative) to dye, one reservoir 38 may include a unique marking agent, such as water containing synthetic DNA. The marking agent has encoded within it a unique sequence, and a record is kept as to the particular sequence that is used in any individual ATM.

The dispensing system further includes a control unit 50. An activation key 52 and an attack sensor 54 are included in the dispensing system, each of which can send a signal to the control unit 50. The activation key 52 may be a conventional keyswitch operated by a metal key, it may be an electronic switch activated by proximity of an electronic key, or other types of switch. The attack sensor 54 may be sensitive to a range of events, including (but not limited to) one or more of movement (for example, bodily movement, vibration and/or tilting) of the ATM, heat and gas (as might be produced by metal cutting).

An alternative arrangement of a banknote cassette for use in embodiments of the invention is shown in Figures 7 to 10. This embodiment sacrifices simplicity of use for convenience in conversion of ATMs to use the system. Only the significant differences present will be described. In this embodiment, a small aperture 134 is formed in a rear-facing wall of the lid 112. End portions of the distribution pipes 126, 128 extend through the aperture 134 to project a small distance from the rear of the lid 112.

The feed lines have terminal portions 140, 142 that are carried on a pivotable flap 150 that is carried on the chassis of the ATM. The flap 150 can pivot about a vertical axis from an open position, in which it is generally parallel to a side wall of a cassette within the ATM to a closed position in which it is generally parallel to and extends partly across a rear wall of a cassette within the ATM. The flap 150 is spring-biased to the closed position.

When the cassette is to be loaded into the rack, the flap 150 must first be moved manually to the open position. The cassette is then pushed fully home into the rack, and the flap 150 is allowed to move to the closed position. The end portions of the feed lines 140, 142 are driven towards and become coupled to the end portions of the distribution pipes 126, 128 that project from the aperture in the rear wall of the lid 112 of the cassette. Removal of the cassette requires the flap 150 to be moved to the open position before the cassette is drawn out.

Operation of the ATM embodying the invention will now be described. (This applies to both of the above embodiments as well as to others not specifically descriebed.) Banknotes are loaded into the cassette, and the cassettes are sent out for distribution in the conventional manner. Before the ATM is opened, the activation key 54 is triggered to disarm the dispensing system. The ATM can then be opened, and previously loaded cassettes removed, and full ones inserted. If required, and manual action needed to connect the cassettes to the dispensing system is also performed. The activation key 54 is then deactivated to arm the protection system. The ATM can then operate in an entirely conventional manner, unless it is subject to attack.

Once the system has been armed, the control unit 50 monitors the attack sensor 54. In the event that it indicates the ATM is under attack, the control unit 50 triggers the gas generator 44 in the glue reservoir 38, and then triggers the gas generator 44 in the dye reservoir 36. This drives glue and dye along the feed lines 40, 42 into the manifolds 24.

The dye and glue are sprayed from the free ends of the dispensing pipes to land on and to cover the banknotes below. The signals from the attack sensor 54 will be processed to ensure that false alarms are unlikely, such processing being well understood by those

skilled in the technical field.

Even with the greatest of effort, such an attack takes time to complete. By the time an attack has succeeded in removing the ATM from the scene of its installation, the glue will have set and the dye will have dried, so rendering the banknotes worthless to the attackers.

Further enhancement to the security of the ATM may be provided by including wide-area communication devices. In this embodiment, a radio interface 58 (for example that may use cellular telephony technology) for example, using cellular telephone technology. This can serve several purposes.

First, it can receive an incoming control signal to trigger the dispensing system. This can be used to avoid any risk that the dispensing system does not react to the attack sensor 54. Second, on activation of the dispensing system, the control unit 50 can also activate a geographical locator 60, such as a global satellite navigation system (e.g., GPS) receiver. Signals from the locator 60 are transmitted by the radio interface 58 to a base station, to allow the location of the ATM to be determined if it has been removed from the location of its original installation.

Claims

Claims 1. A mechanism for protection of an ATM comprising: attack detection means for detecting an attack on an ATM, and dispensing system operative, upon detection of an attack on the ATM, to deploy material to render banknotes in the ATM valueless; in which the deployed material includes a glue that adheres to banknotes within the ATM.
2. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to claim 1 in which the deployed material further includes a dye.
3. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the deployed material includes a unique identification agent.
4. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to claim 3 in which the identification agent includes synthetic DNA.
5. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to claim 3 in which the identification agent may is incorporated into a dye.
6. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to claim 3 in which the identification agent a separate component.
7. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to any preceding claim in which the dispensing system includes one or more containers, each containing a component of the deployed material.
8. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to claim 7 in which the or each container is installed permanently in an ATM.
9. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to claim 7 or claim 8 in which a gas generator is located within the or each container that operates, on activation, to propel material from the container into a feed line.
10. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to any preceding claim in which dispensing system includes at least one dispensing manifold within a banknote cassette for use with an ATM.
11.A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to claim 10 in which the manifold is located within a lid of the cassette.
12.A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to claim 10 or claim 11 in which the manifold has a plurality of outlets from which material can be deployed onto banknotes within the cassette.
13. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to any one of claims 10 to 12 in which, for use, the manifold is connected to a feed line when the cassette is installed in an ATM.
14.A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to claim 13 in which connection of the manifold to the feed line happens automatically on installation of the cassette in an ATM.
15. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to any preceding claim further includes a signalling device that, on activation, can receive signals from and send signals to a central location.
16. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to claim 15 in which the signalling device allows a signal from the central location to activate the dispensing system.
17. A mechanism for protection of an ATM according to claim 15 or claim 16 in which the signalling device may send signals back to the central location to indicate the geographical location of the ATM.
18. A mechanism for protection of an ATM substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.