Self-service terminal advertisement display via network database
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of ATM applications makes it difficult and time-consuming to modify screen displays for advertisements, limiting frequent updates and making it inconvenient for vendors with changing offers or small businesses to advertise effectively, and advertisements are not location or time-specific.
Innovation Solution
A self-service terminal with a network connection that accesses an advertisement database to retrieve and display advertisements, allowing vendors to update ads centrally and schedule displays based on location, time, and user, using a Web browser component embedded in the terminal program to allocate screen space during 'dead times' in transactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the ATM application is modified to include advertisements in screens, then vendors can advertise their goods and services to ATM users, but the complexity of the ATM application increases making it difficult and time-consuming to modify
Solution Approach 1:
The advertisement display system is segmented into independent components: a database layer for storing advertisement data, a presentation layer for displaying ads, and a control layer for managing the flow. This segmentation allows the advertisement functionality to be added without increasing the complexity of the core ATM application, as each component operates independently.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary database layer is introduced between the ATM application and the advertisement content. The database acts as a mediator that stores advertisement data and provides it to the display system without requiring modifications to the ATM application's core logic. This intermediary layer isolates the complexity of advertisement management from the ATM application.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the ATM application is modified to include vendor advertisements, then vendors can reach ATM users, but it becomes time-consuming to update advertisements frequently
Solution Approach 1:
Advertisement data is prepared and stored in the database in advance, with all necessary formatting and structure already in place. When it's time to display an advertisement, the pre-prepared data is simply retrieved and presented, eliminating the need for time-consuming modifications to the ATM application. The system performs the necessary preparation work beforehand.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses template-based advertisement displays where standardized formats and layouts are pre-defined. When new advertisements need to be displayed, the system copies the existing template structure and simply replaces the content data, rather than creating new display logic from scratch. This copying approach dramatically reduces the time required to update advertisements.
3Ease of operation
If the same advertisement is used for every user regardless of location or time, then the system is simple to operate, but the advertisement relevance to users decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The advertisement database is organized with local quality attributes, where different advertisements or different versions of advertisements are associated with specific ATM locations, time periods, and user demographics. The system retrieves and displays the locally appropriate advertisement based on the specific context, ensuring that each user receives relevant information while the overall system remains simple to operate through automated selection.
Data Source
AI summary
A self-service terminal (20) for displaying advertisements is described. The terminal comprises a display (52) and a network connection (32). The terminal further comprises means for accessing an advertisement database (18) to retrieve an advertisement associated with the terminal (20), and means for incorporating the retrieved advertisement in a screen (130) for displaying on the display (52). The terminal (20) may be an ATM. A method of supplying an advertisement for displaying on a self-service terminal, and a system for controlling presentation of advertisements on a self-service terminal are also described.