System for processing financial transactions in a self-service library terminal

Abstract

A library terminal permits a user to execute a loan transaction without assistance. The library terminal (i) provides a visible scan line from a bar code reader indicating the correct positioning of the bar code on a circulating item, (ii) leads a user through a loan transaction, (iii) provides an explicit feedback to a user when an article has an improper position on the article receiving area, (iv) both checks out and checks in circulating items, (v) stores fonts in bit maps of screen displays instead of in a separate font memory, (vi) integrates a security marker reader, a printer, and a controller in the same housing, (vii) processes financial transactions related to the borrowing of circulating items, and/or (viii) displays actions for helping the user to correct errors in use of the terminal.

1 - 131 . (canceled)  
     
     
         132 . A self-service library terminal comprising: 
 a reader arranged to read identifications on books involved in library loan transactions;    a payment apparatus arranged to receive payment from a borrower; and,    a controller, wherein the controller is arranged to process signals from the reader corresponding to the identifications read by the reader, wherein the controller is arranged to interact with the payment apparatus in order to process financial transactions related to the library loan transactions, and wherein the controller is arranged to remind the borrower of the borrower's account status.    
     
     
         133 - 137 . (canceled)  
     
     
         138 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 132  further comprising a display, wherein the controller is arranged to control the display in order to remind the borrower of an overdue book chargeable to the borrower.  
     
     
         139 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 138  wherein the controller is arranged to control the display in order to remind the borrower to pay immediately for the overdue book.  
     
     
         140 - 142 . (canceled)  
     
     
         143 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 132  further comprising a display, wherein the controller is arranged to control the display in order to remind the borrower of a fine owed by the borrower.  
     
     
         144 . (canceled)  
     
     
         145 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 132  wherein the payment apparatus comprises a credit card reader.  
     
     
         146 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 132  wherein the payment apparatus comprises a debit card reader.  
     
     
         147 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 132  wherein the payment apparatus comprises a smart card reader.  
     
     
         148 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 132  wherein the payment apparatus comprises a cash receiver.  
     
     
         149 . (canceled)  
     
     
         150 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 132  further comprising a display, wherein the controller is arranged to control the display in order to remind the borrower of a new charge.  
     
     
         151 - 182 . (canceled)  
     
     
         183 . A self-service library terminal comprising: 
 a reader that reads identifications on books involved in library loan transactions;    a payment receiver that receives payments associated with the loan transactions; and,    a controller that processes the identifications read by the reader and the payments received by the payment receiver.    
     
     
         184 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 183  wherein the payment receiver comprises a cash receiver.  
     
     
         185 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 183  wherein the payment receiver comprises a credit card receiver.  
     
     
         186 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 183  wherein the payment receiver comprises a debit card receiver.  
     
     
         187 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 183  wherein the payment receiver comprises a smart card receiver.  
     
     
         188 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 183  further comprising a display, wherein the controller controls the display to remind the borrower of an overdue book chargeable to the borrower.  
     
     
         189 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 188  wherein the controller controls the display to remind the borrower to pay immediately for the overdue book.  
     
     
         190 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 183  further comprising a display, wherein the controller controls the display to remind the borrower of a fine owed by the borrower.  
     
     
         191 . A method implemented by a self-service library terminal comprising: 
 reading an identification on a book involved in a library loan transaction;    reading a payment from a payment card;    processing the identification to determine an identification of the book involved in the loan transaction; and,    processing the payment in relation to the loan transaction.    
     
     
         192 . The method of  claim 191  wherein the reading of a payment from a payment card comprises reading a payment from a credit card.  
     
     
         193 . The method of  claim 191  wherein the reading of a payment from a payment card comprises reading a payment from a debit card.  
     
     
         194 . The method of  claim 191  wherein the reading of a payment from a payment card comprises reading a payment from a smart card.  
     
     
         195 . The method of  claim 191  displaying a reminder to a patron that an overdue fine is associated with the loan transaction.  
     
     
         196 . The method of  claim 191  further comprising: 
 storing loan transactions during periods when a link between the self-service library terminal and a circulation system is down; and,  
 communicating the stored loan transactions to the circulation system when the link is back up.  
 
     
     
         197 . A self-service library terminal comprising: 
 a reader arranged to read identifications on articles involved in library loan transactions;    a payment apparatus arranged to receive payment from a borrower for fines related to overdue articles; and,    a controller, wherein the controller is arranged to process signals from the reader corresponding to the identifications read by the reader, and wherein the controller is arranged to interact with the payment apparatus in order to process the fines related to the library loan transactions.    
     
     
         198 . The self-service library terminal of  claim 197  wherein the articles comprise books, and wherein the fines relate to overdue books.