Method and apparatus for facilitating transactions at an automatic teller machine

• US 20020152169A1
• Filed: 04/12/2001
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath, Banerjee, Dwip N.
• Application Number:
  US09/833,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20020152169A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/211 Software architecture within ATMs or in relation to the ATM network
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/04 by paper currency

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer implemented instructions for processing checks in a data processing system. A customer check issued by a customer is received at the automatic teller machine. An amount for the customer check is identified. A new check for the amount is created in which the funds for the amount are guaranteed by a financial institution.

Claims

1. A method in an automatic teller machine for processing checks, the method comprising:

receiving a customer check issued by a customer at the automatic teller machine;

identifying an amount for the customer check; and

creating a new check for the amount, wherein the funds for the amount are guaranteed by a financial institution.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

verifying funds are available in an account for the customer prior to creating the new check.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

dispensing the new check to the customer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the new check is a cashiers check.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending the new check to a third party designated by the customer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the new check is sent to the third party as an electronic check.

7. A method in an automatic teller machine for processing checks, the method comprising:

receiving a check from a customer at the automatic teller machine;

scanning the check to create an image of the check;

searching the image of the check for a digital watermark;

responsive to identifying the digital watermark in the image, determining whether the digital watermark is authentic; and

responsive to the digital watermark being authentic, providing financial services to the customer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining step comprises:

identifying a financial institution for an account on which the check is issued; and

comparing the digital watermark identified in the image to a watermark associated with the financial institution to see if a match occurs, wherein the watermark is authentic if the match occurs.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of providing financial services comprises:

determining whether funds are available in an account from which the check was issued to cover an amount of the check.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of providing financial services further comprises:

initiating a funds transfer for the amount of the check in response to a determination that funds are available to cover the amount of the check.

11. A method in an automatic teller machine for issuing an identification card, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a user at the automatic teller machine to issue the identification card;

verifying an identification of the user;

responsive to the identification of the user being verified, capturing an image of the user;

retrieving user information associated with the user for use in generating the identification card; and

generating the identification card using the image and the user information.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

dispensing the identification card to the user.

14. The data processing system of claim 13 further comprising:

verifying means for verifying funds are available in an account for the customer prior to creating the new check.

15. The data processing system of claim 13 further comprising:

dispensing means for dispensing the new check to the customer.

16. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the new check is a cashiers check.

17. The data processing system of claim 13 further comprising:

sending means for sending the new check to a third party designated by the customer.

18. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the new check is sent to the third party as an electronic check.

20. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the determining step comprises:

identifying means for identifying a financial institution for an account on which the check is issued; and

comparing means for comparing the digital watermark identified in the image to a watermark associated with the financial institution to see if a match occurs, wherein the watermark is authentic if the match occurs.

21. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the step of providing financial services comprises:

determining means for determining whether funds are available in an account from which the check was issued to cover an amount of the check.

22. The data processing system of claim 21, wherein the step of providing financial services further comprises:

initiating means for initiating a funds transfer for the amount of the check in response to a determination that funds are available to cover the amount of the check.

24. The data processing system of claim 23 further comprising:

dispensing means for dispensing the identification card to the user.

26. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the processing unit further executes the set of instructions to verify funds are available in an account for the customer prior to creating the new check.

27. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the processing unit further executes the set of instructions to dispense the new check to the customer.

28. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the new check is a cashiers check.

29. The data processing system of claim 25 wherein the processing unit further executes the set of instructions to send the new check to a third party designated by the customer.

30. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein the new check is sent to the third party as an electronic check.

13. A data processing system in an automatic teller machine for processing checks, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for receiving a customer check issued by a customer at the automatic teller machine;

identifying means for identifying an amount for the customer check; and

creating means for creating a new check for the amount, wherein the funds for the amount are guaranteed by a financial institution.

19. A data processing system in an automatic teller machine for processing checks, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for receiving a check from a customer at the automatic teller machine;

scanning means for scanning the check to create an image of the check;

searching means for searching the image of the check for a digital watermark;

identifying means, responsive to identifying the digital watermark in the image, for determining whether the digital watermark is authentic; and

providing means, responsive to the digital watermark being authentic, for providing financial services to the customer.

23. A data processing system in an automatic teller machine for issuing an identification card, the method comprising:

receiving means for receiving a request from a user at the automatic teller machine to issue the identification card;

verifying means for verifying an identification of the user;

capturing means, responsive to the identification of the user being verified, for capturing an image of the user; and

retrieving means for retrieving user information associated with the user for use in generating the identification card;

generating means for generating the identification card using the image and the user information.

25. A data processing system in an automatic teller machine for processing checks, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes as set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive a customer check issued by a customer at the automatic teller machine, identify an amount for the customer check, and create a new check for the amount, wherein the funds for the amount are guaranteed by a financial institution.

31. A data processing system in an automatic teller machine for processing checks, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes as set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive a check from a customer at the automatic teller machine;

scan the image of the check for a digital watermark;

determine whether the digital watermark is authentic in response to identifying the digital watermark in the image; and

provide financial services to the customer in response to the digital watermark being authentic.

32. The data processing system of claim 31, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to determine by:

identifying a financial institution for an account on which the check is issued; and

comparing the digital watermark identified in the image to a watermark associated with the financial institution to see if a match occurs, wherein the watermark is authentic if the match occurs.

33. The data processing system of claim 31, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to provide by determining whether funds are available in an account from which the check was issued to cover an amount of the check.

34. The data processing system of claim 33, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to provide by initiating a funds transfer for the amount of the check in response to a determination that funds are available to cover the amount of the check.

36. The data processing system of claim 35, wherein the processing unit further executes the set of instructions to dispense the identification card to the user.

38. The computer program product of claim 37 further comprising:

fourth instructions for verifying funds are available in an account for the customer prior to creating the new check.

39. The computer program product of claim 37 further comprising:

fourth instructions for dispensing the new check to the customer.

40. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the new check is a cashiers check.

41. The computer program product of claim 37 further comprising:

fourth instructions for sending the new check to a third party designated by the customer.

42. The computer program product of claim 41, wherein the new check is sent to the third party as an electronic check.

35. A data processing system in an automatic teller machine for issuing an identification card, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes as set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive a request from a user at the automatic teller machine to issue the identification card;

verify an identification of the user;

capture an image of the user in response to the identification of the user being verified;

retrieve user information associated with the user for use in generating the identification card; and

generate the identification card using the image and the user information.

37. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for processing checks, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving a customer check issued by a customer at the automatic teller machine;

second instructions for identifying an amount for the customer check; and

third instructions for creating a new check for the amount, wherein the funds for the amount are guaranteed by a financial institution.

43. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for processing checks, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving a check from a customer at the automatic teller machine;

second instructions for scanning the check to create an image of the check;

third instructions for searching the image of the check for a digital watermark;

fourth instructions, responsive to identifying the digital watermark in the image, for determining whether the digital watermark is authentic; and

fifth instructions, responsive to the digital watermark being authentic, for providing financial services to the customer.

44. The computer program product of claim 43, wherein the fourth instructions comprises:

first sub-instructions for identifying a financial institution for an account on which the check is issued;

second sub-instructions for comparing the digital watermark identified in the image to a watermark associated with the financial institution to see if a match occurs, wherein the watermark is authentic if the match occurs.

45. The computer program product of claim 43, wherein the fifth instructions comprises:

first sub-instructions for determining whether funds are available in an account from which the check was issued to cover an amount of the check.

46. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the fifth instructions comprises:

second sub-instructions for initiating a funds transfer for the amount of the check in response to a determination that funds are available to cover the amount of the check.

48. The computer program product of claim 47 further comprising:

fifth instructions for dispensing the identification card to the user.

47. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for issuing an identification card, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving a request from a user at the automatic teller machine to issue the identification card;

second instructions for verifying an identification of the user;

third instructions, responsive to the identification of the user being verified, capturing an image of the user;

fourth instructions for retrieving user information associated with the user for use in generating the identification card;

fifth instructions for generating the identification card using the image and the user information.