CEN/XFS

Extension for Financial Services ( XFS) is a programming interface for controlling peripheral devices in a self-service systems, such as ATM or bank transfer terminals.

The original specification of XFS is a Microsoft ( WOSA / XFS). Today XFS is specified by the CEN (CEN / XFS).

In newer devices also defined in the Java programming interface called J / XFS is used.

• 2.1 XFS application and API
• 2.2 The XFS Manager
• 2.3 SPI and service providers

The XFS architecture

XFS is mainly composed of three main parts namely from the XFS API ( Application Programming Interface), a corresponding XFS SPI (Service Provider Interface - the counterpart of the XFS API ), an XFS Manager and the so-called service providers. Hereinafter, these components will be explained in detail.

The API provides an XFS based application for service, or services, which may use them. The SPI is turn those applications available, offer a service, ie, the SPI talks by the manufacturer of the machines developed service provider directly. These service providers represent the peripheral devices. The vendor- neutral application interface of the API is released from the device-specific implementations, so that the same application, the variety of machines from different manufacturers such as Wincor Nixdorf, IBM, etc. can control where these offer a SPI interface to control the peripheral device.

The connection and communications between the API of the XFS application and the manufacturer-specific SPI via the so-called XFS manager. This is not only responsible for the mapping of the API to the SPI, but also for a call to a specific service provider which must be implemented for each device to be controlled. It translates to a certain extent the API calls in SPI calls and is also responsible for the control in the network. So he allows that application and peripheral control can be run on different machines and processes the synchronous or asynchronous communication history.

Together with the API and the SPI includes the definition of the XFS interface also provides a definition of configuration parameters for each individual unit of the peripheral devices. In a Notenauszahler the configuration parameter could tell for example whether it is a 4-way or 8-button payer. The configuration parameters are therefore needed to route the call to the API by the XFS manager to the appropriate service provider, which in turn addresses the specific device or the specific service. They share the application with and to which device features an automaton.

XFS is a protocol, which is either an asynchronous, synchronous, or a direct connection to the communication builds to a server. The expiry of these compounds differs significantly from each other. The roles of the individual modules (XFS manager, service providers ) are as varied as the messages that are used for example for controlling a device.

Advantage is that the application and the XFS Manager to know anything about the communication between the service providers and the services or devices. Therefore, can be done with their devices individual development from different manufacturers, the SPI interfaces for communication. These interfaces are available then the application as a service via the API and can be used by you. That is, a bank that is for example, the SPI and the service provider of their respective companies implement in their application and address the different devices. From the standpoint of XFS from the manufacturer of the machine is responsible for the corresponding modules must be delivered to the control of these devices. The manufacturer must contain the classes of service or the service provider to control the peripheral devices design and develop. Accordingly, it is secondary whether it is an ATM machine, a kiosk system or a cash machine in the authority area in the map machine. It is important that the device classes are implemented so that they meet the criteria of XFS, so that any XFS compliant application can control and monitor the device.

Machine controlled by an XFS application

XFS interfaces so on can be developed to ensure control of the instruments, regardless of the proprietary application of the machine. These interfaces can now access any application from the XFS XFS Manager to the service provider and thus use their services. The logic of Existing machines computer application could now ' XFS control ' look like Figure.

Architecture of an XFS application

Here we will explain what in the development of an XFS application or in the development of service providers for the components interface (Figure ' XFS control ': the interplay of API, XFS Manager, SPI).

XFS application and API

An XFS application may consist of a graphical user interface for the customer side of the machine (usually HTML), a GUI for information and control purposes of the application ( administration tool ) and a kernel exist, which captures the main features of the interaction of services during a transaction. How the application looks in detail, but by the XFS framework independent, provided that the functions of the XFS components can be reliably performed. The application does not know anything accurate about the devices and will therefore turn only send commands via the API, which is to encourage, for example, the paying out a certain amount on the payment device or printing a receipt. The actual payment order or printing is for the service provider.

The XFS Manager

The XFS Manager consists of three different DLLs, which have the following task is performed (Figure ' XFS Manager perspective ').

SPI and service providers

The SPI is the counterpart to the API. It defines standardized and portable interfaces to the service providers. The SPI is - just like the API also - from a set of methods or functions. These panels are also needed, for example, to receive a service by the service provider. The SPI interface is used for the XFS Manager to invoke a required by the application via the API services.

The service providers are services that are each housed in a DLL for either - Notenauszahler in a Dispenser.dll, receipt printer in a Printer.dll, etc. - or is all the modules in a DLL.

The service providers are now not only simple modules which are only addressed when a specific service to be performed. You also have to ensure that so-called multiple devices - such as a printer protocol and a receipt printer in a physical printer - can be controlled and addressed accordingly. From service providers also managing requirements of different applications have to be adopted, for example, all of which want to access a specific device at the same time.

Swell

• Thesis analysis and comparison of bidirectional communication protocols banks, Author: Alexander Jammer

• Programming