ATM Audible Interface Merging Visual and Audio Prompts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Automated banking machines (ATMs) are not easily operable by consumers who are visually impaired due to their reliance on visual user interfaces, which hinder their ability to perform transactions independently.
Innovation Solution
The development of an ATM system that includes both visual and audible user interfaces, with terminal control software providing verbal instructions and tactile feedback, allowing users to navigate and perform transactions through a combination of display screens, touch screens, card readers, and audio outputs, enabling operation by both visually normal and impaired individuals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an ATM uses a visual user interface with display screens and menus, then users with normal vision can easily operate the machine, but users with visual impairment cannot operate the machine independently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines visual and audible interfaces into a unified system. The audible interface is integrated with the existing visual display system, where the same terminal control software generates both visual prompts on the display screen and corresponding audible prompts through a speaker system. This merging allows visually impaired users to access the same functionality through audio while maintaining the visual interface for users with normal vision, thereby improving ease of operation without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ATM interface is designed to serve multiple user groups simultaneously. The terminal control software provides a universal interface that adapts to different user needs: it displays visual prompts for users with normal vision and generates audible prompts for visually impaired users. The same hardware components (display screen, speaker, processor) serve dual purposes, making the system multi-functional and accessible to diverse users without requiring separate dedicated systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an ATM provides only visual prompts and instructions, then the interface remains simple and cost-effective, but visually impaired consumers cannot use the machine
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines visual and audible interfaces into a unified system. The audible interface is integrated with the existing visual display system, where the same terminal control software generates both visual prompts on the display screen and corresponding audible prompts through a speaker system. This merging allows visually impaired users to access the same functionality through audio while maintaining the visual interface for users with normal vision, thereby improving ease of operation without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ATM interface is designed to serve multiple user groups simultaneously. The terminal control software provides a universal interface that adapts to different user needs: it displays visual prompts for users with normal vision and generates audible prompts for visually impaired users. The same hardware components (display screen, speaker, processor) serve dual purposes, making the system multi-functional and accessible to diverse users without requiring separate dedicated systems.
3Ease of operation
If an ATM includes both visual and audible user interfaces, then visually impaired users can operate the machine independently, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines visual and audible interfaces into a unified system. The audible interface is integrated with the existing visual display system, where the same terminal control software generates both visual prompts on the display screen and corresponding audible prompts through a speaker system. This merging allows visually impaired users to access the same functionality through audio while maintaining the visual interface for users with normal vision, thereby improving ease of operation without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ATM interface is designed to serve multiple user groups simultaneously. The terminal control software provides a universal interface that adapts to different user needs: it displays visual prompts for users with normal vision and generates audible prompts for visually impaired users. The same hardware components (display screen, speaker, processor) serve dual purposes, making the system multi-functional and accessible to diverse users without requiring separate dedicated systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An automated banking machine is operative to output a visual and audible user interface which enables a consumer to operate the machine. The visual user interface includes a plurality of hierarchically organized visual screens. For each visual screen, the exemplary machine includes corresponding verbal instructions which are output through external loudspeakers or a headphone placed in operative connection with an external port of the machine. Upon insertion of the headphone into the port, the machine is operative to mute the output to any external loudspeakers and set the audio output through the headphone to a minimum or medium volume level. The automated banking machine is responsive to operating at least one volume control key to cycle the audible output through a plurality of different volume levels. For each input, the machine is operative to output verbal description of the function associated with the input.