Portable automated teller machine

• US 5,050,207 A
• Filed: 11/03/1989
• Issued: 09/17/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Transaction Network, Inc.
• Original Assignee: National Transaction Network, Inc.
• Inventors: Hitchcock, Roger C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US07/431,524
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382, 235/379, 902/8, 902/22, 902/24, 902/28, 902/1, 364/401, 364/406, 364/408, 379/90, 379/91, 379/95-99, 379/110, 379/144, 379/185, 379/442-444
• US Class Current: 379/93.19
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2155 Acoustic coupling

Abstract

The portable automated teller machine disclosed by the present invention is a low-cost, pocket-size data terminal which can securely exchange information with a host bank computer. It is battery powered, operates without the need for direct connection to a telephone line and couples to the host bank computer via the telephone handset of any public or private telephone station. It allows its user to securely access bank and bank accounts and to securely effect either inter-account transfers or bill payments. Security is assured by assigning a PIN to each individual user and prestoring it therein, by assigning a machine identity number to each machine and storing it therein, and by providing encrypted data communication. It has prestored therein the individuals account numbers and the phone numbers and other parameters needed for communication to the corresponding host computer bank. It features foldable telephone receiving ears pivotally mounted to a housing member, and an overlayed touch screen mounted flush with the housing member. A calculator function is also provided.

Claims

1. A portable, ultra-compact, and secure, automated teller machine, for transacting business with a bank via a bank host computer over the public telephone network, comprising:

a housing defining an extension in space and having a top face;

first and second transducers associated with said housing;

screen means mounted in the housing for displaying any one of a plurality of predetermined screen-forms at the top face of the housing;

selectively configurable means overlaying the screen means for enabling data and command entry to preselected different portions of the screen means in dependance on which one of the predetermined plurality of the screen-forms is being displayed on the screen means;

a single-chip integrated circuit mounted within said housing, said single-chip integrated circuit including;

a processor;

a first memory operatively connected to the processor as a ROM memory, the first memory having memory locations at which an on-line mode and an off-line mode are specified, at which the plurality of predetermined screen-forms are specified, and at which the selectively configurable means is specified in plural formats that respectively conform to the plurality of predetermined screen-forms to enable data and command entry to preselected different portions of the screen means;

a second memory operatively connected to the processor as an EEPROM memory, the second memory having memory locations at which a personal identification number is prestored, at which a machine identity number is prestored, at which at least one telephone number of a specific bank host computer is prestored, and at which at least one bank account number is prestored;

a third memory operatively coupled to the processor as a RAM memory, the third memory having memory locations at which set-up data is temporarily stored during operation in the off-line mode and from which the set-up data is transferred blockwise to the bank host computer during operation in the on-line mode, and having memory locations at which data supplied back by the bank host computer is temporarily stored for display on the screen means;

means including a tone generator coupled to the processor and to the first and second transducers for calling the bank host computer and for linking up over a telephone communication link with the same over the handset of any telephone station; and

means including a data modem coupled to the processor and to the first and second transducers for transmitting the set-up data stored blockwise in said third memory means to the bank host computer over the telephone communication link in the on-line mode and for receiving data supplied back by the bank host computer in the on-line mode;

said processor is coupled to said screen means and to said selectively configurable means and is operative in the off-line mode to display a preselected screen-form selected to request entry of the personal identification number of the user and to correspondingly configure the selectively configurable means at the same time to enable entry directly on the screen means of a personal identification number, and is operative in the off-line mode to allow data set-up if and only if the entered personal identification number matches the personal identification number prestored in the second memory means, and upon the correct entry to the screen means of the personal identification number prestored in the second memory means, the processor is operative in the off-line mode to display at least one predetermined screen-form in a preselected sequence on said screen means, the at least one predetermined screen-form in a preselected display sequence being determined and selected to enable the user to set-up a block of set-up data in said third memory means representative of a transaction to be transacted with the bank host computer and representative of the machine identity number;

said processor is operative in the on-line mode upon having set-up the set-up data in the off-line mode representative of a transaction to be transacted with the bank host computer and representative of the machine identity number to call the bank host computer via the tone generator to link up over a telephone communication link with the same and to transfer the set-up data stored blockwise in the third memory means to the bank host computer via the data modem, said processor is operative in the on-line mode to receive data back from the host bank computer if and only if the machine identity number prestored in the second memory means and transferred as part of the set-up data matches a valid machine identity number at the bank host computer, and upon a correct match of machine identity numbers at the bank host computer, the processor is operative in the on-line mode once the transaction that'"'"'s represented by that block of set-up data has been processed by the host bank computer to receive via the data modem data supplied back by the bank host computer representative of the status of the transaction and to store the same in the third memory means;

said processor is operative in response to having received via the data modem the data supplied by the bank host computer representative of the status of the transaction and stored in the third memory to disconnect from the telephone communication link, and to display the data supplied by the bank host computer and stored in the third memory means on said screen means in the off-line mode.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said single-chip integrated circuit further includes a fourth memory coupled to the processor as ROM memory, the fourth memory having memory locations at which a calculator function is specified, and wherein said processor is further operative in the off-line mode to provide a calculator screen-form via said screen means and to enable command and data entry to said calculator screen-form via said selectively configurable means.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said transaction is an account balance inquiry.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein said account is a saving account.

5. The invention of claim 3, wherein said account is a checking account.

6. The invention of claim 1, wherein said transaction is an electronic funds transfer.

7. The invention of claim 1, wherein said single-chip integrated circuit further includes a fifth memory coupled to said processor as masked ROM, the fifth memory having memory locations at which a plurality of security encryption algorithms are specified, wherein said second memory further having memory locations at which a plurality of encryption keys are prestored, and wherein said processor is further operative in the on-line mode to transmit the set-up data blockwise using a selected encryption algorithm and key.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said encryption keys are DES encryption keys.

9. The invention of claim 1, further including a flap to which a checkbook can be affixed that is fastened to said housing.

10. The invention of claim 1, wherein said first and second transducers are first and second transducer ears, and further including means for mounting the transducer ears to the housing for movement between a folded condition and an unfolded condition, where the ears in their folded condition extend no more than the physical extension of the housing, and where the ears in their unfolded condition define a preselected physical extension selected to be larger than the extension of the housing and define a span between the ears in their unfolded condition that accepts the handset of any telephone set.

11. The invention of claim 10, wherein said ears are so angled as to correspond to the angles of the transducers of a telephone handset of any public telephone station.

12. The invention of claim 11, further including means mounted to said transducer ears to provide acoustical coupling with the telephone handset.

13. The invention of claim 10, wherein the housing has diagonal axes, and said transducer ears are pivotably mounted at respective diagonal axes.

14. The invention of claim 1, wherein said screen means includes a liquid crystal dot matrix display.

15. The invention of claim 1, wherein said selectively configurable means includes a touch sensitive matrix.

16. A machine for transacting business with a remote host computer, said machine being coupled to the remote host computer via a handset of any telephone station and is secured against unauthorized usage, comprising:

a housing;

I/O means mounted to said housing for enabling data and command entry and for displaying data and possible command selections;

memory means mounted to said housing for storing a predetermined personal identification number and a predetermined machine identity number at different memory locations; and

bi-modal means mounted to said housing and cooperative with said I/O means and responsive only to the predetermined personal identification number (PIN) entered via said I/O means for both allowing a block of data representative of a transaction to be transacted with the remote host computer to be set-up in the memory means via the I/O means in an off-line mode and for transmitting that block of data and including the predetermined machine identity number to the remote host computer via the handset of any telephone station in an on-line mode after the block of data has been set-up substantially completely in the off-line mode, and responsive only to the predetermined machine identity number (MIN) having been matched at the remote host computer for receiving data back from the remote host computer representative of the status of the transaction via the handset of any telephone station in the on-line mode and for displaying the data received back from the remote host computer representative of the status of the transaction via the I/O means again in an off-line mode.

17. The invention of claim 16, wherein said housing includes means for receiving the handset of any telephone station.

18. The invention of claim 17, wherein said receiving means includes first and second transducers, and means for mounting said first and second transducers to said housing.

19. The invention of claim 18, wherein said first and second transducers mounting means includes means for allowing said first and second transducers to pivotally move relative to said housing.

20. The invention of claim 16, wherein said bi-modal means is a single-chip integrated circuit.

21. The invention of claim 20, wherein said single-chip integrated circuit bi-modal means includes a processor, a tone generator and data modem coupled to said processor.

22. The invention of claim 21, wherein said I/O means includes a display screen and an overlayed touchscreen both coupled to said processor.