ATM Environmental Sensing Unit for Predictive Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and similar terminals lack the ability to measure environmental characteristics, leading to inadequate fault diagnosis and maintenance prediction, resulting in increased downtime and underutilization of available data.
Innovation Solution
Integration of an environmental sensing unit with various sensors (light, UV, particulate, gas, audio, temperature, humidity, pressure, and motion sensors) into ATMs and other terminals to collect and transmit data for remote monitoring, enabling predictive maintenance and operational adjustments based on environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If environmental sensing units are integrated into ATMs, then fault diagnosis capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple environmental sensors (temperature, humidity, light, UV, particulate, gas, audio, pressure, motion) into a single environmental sensing unit that is integrated into the ATM. This merging approach improves fault diagnosis capability by collecting comprehensive environmental data while managing device complexity through modular integration of the sensing unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The environmental sensing unit serves multiple functions: it monitors various environmental parameters, enables predictive maintenance, provides contextual information for fault diagnosis, and contributes to global environmental data collection. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single integrated system.
2Loss of information
If multiple environmental sensors are deployed globally, then environmental insight granularity is improved, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where sensor data from ATMs globally is collected, analyzed, and used to generate insights about environmental conditions. This feedback loop enables granular environmental monitoring across different locations while managing data complexity through centralized processing and analysis frameworks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary systems and processing layers that mediate between the distributed sensor networks and the final analysis outputs. These intermediaries manage the complexity of global data collection by providing structured data aggregation, filtering, and preliminary analysis before insights are generated.
3Reliability
If environmental monitoring is implemented continuously, then predictive maintenance accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The environmental sensing unit implements periodic monitoring of environmental parameters rather than continuous monitoring. Sensors take measurements at scheduled intervals, which maintains predictive maintenance accuracy by capturing environmental trends over time while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts monitoring based on environmental conditions and operational context. Monitoring intensity and frequency are optimized based on detected environmental thresholds and operational states, allowing the system to maintain accuracy when needed while conserving energy during stable conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus has a first computing device having an environmental sensing unit with a plurality of environmental sensors, each sensor of the plurality of environmental sensors configured to obtain sensor data associated with a respective environmental characteristic in an environment external to the first computing device, wherein the first computing device is an Automated Teller Machine, a Point of Sale Terminal or a Self Service Terminal.