1. A method of remote supervisory control of a workstation, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving at a first workstation an override request message, wherein a supervisor operates the first workstation;
receiving supervisory input at the first workstation via an override response interface that includes one or more indicators of pending override request messages, wherein the supervisory input is responsive to a select override request message and presentation of the one or more indicators of pending override request messages, the supervisory input including entering a supervisor note to the requestor and selecting a supervisor response input in the override response interface;
sending an override response message from the first workstation to a second workstation, wherein the second workstation sent the override request message, and wherein the override response message includes an indication of an action authorized by the supervisor.
2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:
providing a prompt to the supervisor that the override request message has been received.
3. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:
receiving at the first workstation transactional information, wherein the transactional information is related to a suspended transaction; and
providing the transactional information to the supervisor.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transactional information is provided to the supervisor in response to the supervisor selecting a pushbutton in the override response interface.
5. The method of claim 3, further including the steps of:
receiving at the first workstation an active user query; and
responding to the active user query, wherein the response includes an indicator associated with the supervisor.
6. The method of claim 3, wherein the response includes a user-classification associated with the supervisor.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications between the first and second workstations include Peer-to-Peer communications.
8. A first workstation in a distributed institution, the first workstation comprising:
a processor coupled to a memory, the memory having stored therein executable instructions that when executed by the processor implement specified functions, the executable instructions arranged as a communication module configured to communicate with a server via a first communication path; and
an override response module, wherein the override response module is configured to receive an override request message from a third workstation and provide an override response message responsive to the third workstation, wherein the override response message includes an indicator of an action authorized by the user of the first workstation and is responsive to both a select override request message and an action button selected from within an override response interface, the override response module further configured to provide the override response interface, the override response interface including one or more indicators of pending override request messages, a note field used to send a note to a requestor, and a response button.
9. The first workstation of claim 8, wherein the override response module is further configured to provide a prompt to the user in response to receiving the override request message.
10. The first workstation of claim 8, wherein the interface includes a plurality of action buttons, wherein responsive to the user selecting one of the action buttons, the override response message includes the indicator of the authorized action.
11. The first workstation of claim 10, wherein the plurality of action buttons includes at least one of a deny button and a grant button, wherein the deny button indicates a denial of the override request and the grant button indicates granting authorization for the override request.
12. The first workstation of claim 8, wherein the interface provides a message field in which the user may input a message to the sender of the override request message.
13. The first workstation of claim 12, wherein the override response module is configured to display transactional information to the user, wherein the transactional information is related to a suspended transaction.
14. The first workstation of claim 13, wherein the transactional information is displayed to the user in response to the user selecting a pushbutton.
15. The first workstation of claim 8, wherein the override response module is configured to respond to an active user query, which is received via the second communication path, wherein the response is sent to the second workstation.
16. The first workstation of claim 15, wherein the response includes an indicator associated with the user of the first workstation.
17. The first workstation of claim 8, wherein the second and third workstations are the same and communications between the first and second workstations include Peer-to-Peer communications.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
Claimed is:
1. A locking device comprising:
a slotted cylinder having a first end, a second end and a first slot, the first slot having a distal end and a proximate end, the first slot’s proximate end coinciding with the cylinder’s first end, the first slot extending from the first cylinder end longitudinally and partially toward the second cylinder end, the cylinder having a second slot extending from and open to the first slot distal end at an angle to the first slot, the cylinder having a resistance component contained in the cylinder at its second end;
a key having a shaft, a head at a first end of the shaft, and a flange extending from and at an angle to a second end of the shaft, the key head having a cavity wherein the key locks into the cylinder by inserting it into the cylinder with the flange aligned with the first slot, moving the key toward the distal end of the first slot until it encounters and compresses the resistance component and is aligned with the second slot, and rotating the key so that the flange enters the second slot; and
a key tool mateable with the key head cavity to rotate the key for locking and unlocking.
2. The locking device of claim 1 further comprising a cylindrical sleeve, the sleeve having a first end, second end, first inner diameter, second inner diameter, and third inner diameter, the first inner diameter being larger than the outer diameter of the slotted cylinder so that the slotted cylinder may fit in the sleeve, the first inner diameter extending from the first sleeve end to a length corresponding at least to the length of the slotted portion of the slotted cylinder, the sleeve second diameter being larger than the key head so that the key head may fit at least partially within the sleeve, the second inner diameter extending from the second sleeve end to a length of at least about the key head length, the third inner diameter positioned between the first inner diameter and the second inner diameter, the third inner diameter larger than the key shaft diameter and smaller than the key head so that the sleeve cannot be passed over the key head, a slot extending the length of the third inner diameter section partially into the cylinder wall to accommodate the key flange when the key is placed in the sleeve.
3. The locking device of claim 2 wherein the sleeve further comprises a collar at one or more ends.
4. The locking device of claim 1 wherein the slotted cylinder has a collar at the slotted cylinder second end.
5. The locking device of claim 1 wherein one or more parts of the locking device comprise plastic.
6. The locking device of claim 1 wherein the resistance component comprises a material selected from the group consisting of pliable plastic, elastomeric polymer, rubber and coiled metal.
7. The locking device of claim 1 wherein the second slot of the slotted cylinder is arc shaped.
8. The locking device of claim 1 wherein the key head cavity has a shape selected from the group consisting of a triangle, square, H, pentagon, T, cross and plus.