Automated banking machine system and method

• US 20070235521A1
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Mark D., Blackson, Dale H., Ramachandran, Natarajan, Mateen, Atta, Kolinski-Schultz, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,959,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]

Abstract

An automated banking machine (152) includes a plurality of transaction function devices. The transaction function devices include a card reader (170), a keypad (172), a printer (174), a bill dispenser (176), a coin dispenser (178), a code reading device (180), a display (182), a cash acceptor (184), a check acceptor (186) and a biometric reader (188). The banking machine operates responsive to indica read from user cards. The banking machine operates responsive to instructions executed by at least one processor (190) in the machine. The banking machine is operative responsive to reading gaming tickets or other items through operation of the code reading device, and/or a biometric feature reading device, to dispense cash or provide other value to users. The banking machine is also operative to cause value to be transferred by users for the purchase of gaming items. Other transactions may be conducted, including redeeming or changing forms of value including forms of value that can be used within a gaming establishment (154).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) reading indicia on a user card through operation of the card reader of a cash dispensing automated banking machine, wherein the indicia corresponds to a financial account;

(b) operating the automated banking machine to dispense cash to a user and to cause a charge corresponding to the dispensed cash to be assessed to the financial account;

(c) reading a code bearing item corresponding to gaming value through operation of a code reading device of the automated banking machine;

(d) operating the automated banking machine to dispense cash corresponding to at least a portion of the gaming value.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the automated banking machine includes at least one communication device, and further comprising:

(e) communicating through operation of the at least one communication device, with at least one computer of a credit card network or a debit card network;

(f) communicating through operation of the at least one communication device, with at least one computer of an accrued value network, wherein the accrued value network is in operative connection with at least one gaming machine;

wherein cash is dispensed from the automated banking machine in (b) responsive to (e), and wherein cash is dispensed from the automated banking machine in (d) responsive to (f).

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the code bearing item includes first data corresponding to a gaming account, and wherein in (f) the first data is communicated to the at least one computer in the accrued value network.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein in (c) the code bearing item comprises an item that is usable to cause a gaming machine to play at least one game.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the code bearing item includes a bar code, and wherein in (c) the bar code is read through operation of the code reading device of the automated banking machine.

6. The method according to claim 5 and further comprising:

(g) prior to (c), providing the code bearing item through operation of a gaming machine.

7. The method according to claim 6 and further comprising:

(h) prior to (c), storing gaming value data in at least one computer of the accrued value network, wherein the gaming value data corresponds to the gaming value associated with the code bearing item provided in (g).

8. The method according to claim 7 and further comprising:

(i) prior to (g), playing at least one game through operation of the gaming machine, wherein the at least one game has an outcome with a corresponding value loss or value increase, and wherein the value loss or value increase is included in the gaming value data.

9. The method according to claim 8 and further comprising:

(j) issuing a further code bearing item through operation of the automated banking machine.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein in (j) the further code bearing item is printed through operation of a printer of the automated banking machine.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein in (j) the further code bearing item includes a bar code.

12. The method according to claim 9 wherein the further code bearing item includes at least one further code thereon and has a further value associated therewith, and further comprising:

(k) prior to (j), operating the automated banking machine to cause data corresponding to the further value and the further code to be stored in at least one computer of the accrued value network.

13. The method according to claim 12 and further comprising:

(l) causing a further financial account to be assessed the further value through operation of the automated banking machine.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein (l) includes reading further indicia from a further card through operation of the card reader of the automated banking machine, wherein the further indicia corresponds to the further financial account, and operating the automated banking machine to communicate through operation of the at least one communications device through at least one of a credit card network and a debit card network.

15. The method according to claim 14 and further comprising:

(m) receiving the further code bearing item with a further gaming machine in operative connection with the accrued value network, wherein the further gaming machine is operative to enable playing at least one game through operation of the further gaming machine responsive to the further code bearing item.

16. The method according to claim 15 and further comprising:

(n) operating the further gaming machine which receives the further code bearing item in (m) to play at least one game, wherein the at least one game has an outcome, wherein the outcome corresponds to a value loss or a value increase;

(o) issuing through operation of the further gaming machine a third code bearing item, wherein the third code bearing item includes at least one third code and has an associated third value;

(p) operating the further gaming machine to cause data corresponding to the at least one third code and the associated third value to be stored in at least one computer of the accrued value network.

17. The method according to claim 16 and further comprising:

(q) reading the third code bearing item through operation of the code reading device of the automated banking machine;

(r) determining through operation of the automated banking machine responsive to communication with at least one computer in an accrued value network, the third value associated with the third code bearing item.

18. The method according to claim 17 and further comprising:

responsive to the determination in (r), operating the automated banking machine to dispense cash corresponding to the third value.

19. The method according to claim 17 and further comprising:

(s) responsive to the determination in (r), operating the automated banking machine to cause a deposit corresponding to the third value to be made in a bank account.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein (s) includes reading indicia from a card through operation of the card reader of the automated banking machine, wherein the indicia corresponds to the bank account, and operating the at least one communication device of the automated banking machine to communicate in a debit card network.

21. The method according to claim 20 and further comprising:

(t) prior to (d), reading at least one biometric feature through operation of a biometric reader of the automated banking machine;

(u) prior to (d), communicating data read through operation of the biometric reading device in (t), through the at least one communication device of the automated banking machine to at least one computer of the accrued value network;

(v) prior to (d) determining through operation of the at least one computer of the accrued value network receiving the data in (u), that the data received in (u) has at least one relationship to the code bearing item read in (c);

wherein the automated banking machine operates to dispense cash in (d) responsive to the determination in (v).

22. The method according to claim 1 wherein the code bearing item in (c) is usable to cause a gaming machine to play at least one game.

23. The method according to claim 1 wherein the code bearing item is usable to cause a gaming machine to play at least one game, and wherein the gaming item includes a bar code, and wherein in (c) the bar code is read through operation of the code reading device of the automated banking machine.

24. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:

(e) prior to (c), providing the code bearing item through operation of a gaming machine.

25. The method according to claim 24 wherein the code bearing item has at least one associated code thereon, and further comprising:

(f) prior to (c), causing responsive to operation of the gaming machine, the at least one code and gaming value to be stored in at least one computer of the accrued value network.

26. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:

(e) issuing through operation of the automated banking machine a further code bearing item, wherein the further code bearing item is usable to operate at least one gaming machine.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the further code bearing item includes a further bar code, and wherein (e) includes printing the further bar code through operation of a printer in the automated banking machine.

28. The method according to claim 26 wherein the further code bearing item includes a further bar code thereon and has a further value, and further comprising:

(f) prior to (e), operating the automated banking machine to,

(i) cause the further bar code and the further value to be stored in at least one computer of the accrued value network, and

(ii) cause the further value to be assessed to a financial account corresponding to further indicia read from a further user card through operation of the card reader of the automated banking machine.

29. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:

(e) reading at least one biometric feature through operation of a biometric reading device of the automated banking machine, wherein the biometric data corresponds to the code bearing item read in (c);

wherein the automated banking machine operates to dispense cash in (d) responsive to both (c) and (e).

30. At least one article of computer readable media bearing computer executable instructions operative to cause at least one processor of a cash dispensing automated banking machine to cause the automated banking machine to carry out a method, wherein the method comprises:

(a) reading indicia on a user card through operation of a card reader of the cash dispensing automated banking machine, wherein the indicia corresponds to a financial account;

(b) operating the automated banking machine to dispense cash to a user and to cause a charge corresponding to the dispensed cash to be assessed to the financial account;

(c) reading a code bearing item corresponding to gaming value through operation of a code reading device of the automated banking machine;

(d) operating the automated banking machine to dispense cash corresponding to at least a portion of the gaming value.

31. At least one article of computer readable media bearing computer executable instructions operative to cause at least one processor of a cash dispensing automated banking machine to carry out a method, wherein the method comprises:

(a) reading indicia on a user card through operation of the card reader of the cash dispensing automated banking machine, wherein the indicia corresponds to a financial account;

(b) operating the automated banking machine to dispense cash to a user and to cause a charge corresponding to the dispensed cash to be assessed to the financial account;

(c) reading a code bearing item corresponding to gaming value through operation of a code reading device of the automated banking machine;

(d) operating the automated banking machine to dispense cash corresponding to at least a portion of the gaming value;

(e) issuing through operation of the automated banking machine a further code bearing item, wherein the further code bearing item is usable to operate at least one gaming machine.