ATM DISPENSABLE NON-CASH MEDIA SHEET WITH SEPARABLE FOLDING CARD AND PROCESS OF DISPENSING FROM AUTOMATED TELLER

• US 20080179386A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Better ATM Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Better ATM Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Vaughn, Aaron G., Cook, Derek B., Oberan, Stephen Lloyd, Oberan, Daniel, Nuttall, Todd L., Henretty, Murdoch, Honey, Thomas E.
• Application Number:
  US11/776,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20080179386A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 1/005 having plural perforation lines, e.g. for detaching parts of the sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/042 Foldable cards or sheets B42D15/045 and B42D15/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/20 characterised by a particular use or purpose
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/285 Gift cards
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/305 Associated digital information record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B42P 2241/22 Sheets or cards with additional means allowing easy feeding through printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/347 Passive cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/351 Virtual cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered

Abstract

The invention is a non-cash media sheet for use in an automatic teller machine or like device, from which one or more cards can be separated from the sheet. Two of the cards are joined along a fold line, and fold into a transaction card with a thickness similar to standard transaction cards and readable by readers of standard thickness transaction cards.

Claims

1. A non-cash media sheet for use in an automated teller machine configured for use with a selected currency, comprising:

a non-cash media sheet configured for dispensing from a cassette of any ATM, with said sheet comprising of a plurality of separable cards, with at least two or more of said cards being attached by a foldable edge seam (to a backing card), with said foldable cards being separable from said sheet and with said card or cards-comprising an identification code for tracking said card or cards when used as transaction cards, with said foldable cards being a transaction card meeting the specifications of reading devices for reading transaction cards.

2. The non-cash media sheet of claim 1 in which said sheet comprises two or more cards, with each card attached at a foldable seam, with each card being separable to form a transaction card of standard transaction card thickness.

3. The non-cash media sheet of claim 2 in which said one or more separable cards comprise at least one stored value which is depletable when used with used in commerce.

4. The non-cash media sheet of claim 1 in which said-card or cards include an adhesive portion for affixing said foldable card together in a back-to-back fashion.

5. The non-cash media sheet of claim 2 in which said non-cash media sheet is configured for storage in a cassette of an automated teller machine, for delivery by said automated teller machine, and comprised to meet dimensional tolerances of the currency dispensed by the automated teller machine, and which has value to the user and is used in commerce for the exchange of goods and services.

6. The non-cash media sheet of claim 5 which is comprised of the same side edge characteristics as the selected undamaged currency.

7. The non-cash media sheet of claim 5 which further comprises the same flex and stiffness tolerances as the selected undamaged currency.

8. The non-cash media sheet of claim 5 which further comprises the same roughness tolerances as the selected undamaged currency.

9. The non-cash media sheet of claim 5 which further comprises the same thickness tolerances as the selected undamaged currency.

10. The non-cash media sheet of claim 5 which further comprises the same weight tolerances as the selected undamaged currency.

11. The non-cash media sheet of claim 5 which further comprises the same tear tolerances as the selected undamaged currency.

12. The non-cash media sheet of claim 5 which further comprises the same length and width tolerances as the selected undamaged currency.

13. The non-cash media sheet of claim 5 which further comprises the same porosity tolerances as the selected undamaged currency.

14. The non-cash media sheet of claim 5 which further comprises the same contrast ratio opacity tolerances as the selected undamaged currency.

15. The non-cash media sheet of claim 5 in which said sheet comprises one or more tickets allowing entry to an event or location, or public transportation.

16. A process for dispensing a non-cash media sheet from a conventional ATM machine from cassettes of the ATM machine, comprising the steps of:

loading in said ATM a management software program comprising menu options for non-cash media sheets, to allow a customer to select a non-cash media product;

loading into a cassette of said ATM a quantity of non-cash media sheets;

identifying and validating the customer at an ATM customer interface;

offering said customer one or more menu options for selection, comprising the option of receiving a non-cash media sheet;

selecting an option of receiving a non-cash media sheet from the ATM customer interface;

routing said non-cash media sheet through the currency disbursement mechanisms of the ATM;

confirming said disbursement of said non-cash media sheet;

updating an inventory count of non-cash media sheets;

reporting transaction data to a card issuer; and

reporting transaction data to said customer'"'"'s financial institution.

17. The process for dispensing a non-cash media sheet from a conventional ATM machine from cassettes of the ATM machine of claim 16, in which said step of loading a quantity of non-cash media sheets further comprises loading non-cash media sheets comprising one or more separable cards, with said cards separable from said sheet.

18. The process for dispensing a non-cash media sheet from a conventional ATM machine from cassettes of the ATM machine of claim 17, in which said step of loading a quantity of non-cash media sheets further comprises loading a quantity of non-cash media sheets with each sheet comprising two or more separable cards, and with at least two of said cards being joined by a fold line and configured for folding along said fold line to form a thicker and more rigid card.

19. The process for dispensing a non-cash media sheet from a conventional ATM machine from cassettes of the ATM machine of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

providing one or more cards on said media sheet with an identification code, and providing said ATM with an identification code writer/reader, with said customer selecting an amount of value to be assigned to one or more cards, and with said ATM identification code writer/reader enabling an assignment of a selected amount to said card.

20. The process for dispensing a non-cash media sheet from a conventional ATM machine from cassettes of the ATM machine of claim 18, which further comprises the step of:

providing one or more cards on said media sheets with an identification code, and providing said ATM with an identification code media writer/reader, with said customer selecting an amount of value to be assigned to one or more cards, and with said ATM identification code writer/reader enabling an assignment of a selected amount to said card.

21. The process for dispensing a folding non-cash media card from a conventional ATM machine from the cassettes of the ATM machine of claim 17, which further comprises the steps of:

providing said card on said media sheet with a unique identification code, and providing said ATM with an identification code writer/reader, with said code writer/reader reading said code of said card;

enabling tracking of the use of said card in future transactions by the customer.

22. The process for dispensing a folding non-cash media card from a conventional ATM machine from the cassettes of the ATM machine of claim 18, which further comprises the steps of:

providing one or more cards on said media sheet with a unique identification code, and providing said ATM with an identification code writer/reader, with said code writer/reader reading said code of one or more cards;

enabling tracking of the use of said card in future transactions by the customer.