ATM/POS based electronic mail system
DCFirst Claim
1. An electronic mail system that is accessible by a user thereof, said electronic mail system comprising:
- a. An Automated Teller Machine or Point of Sale ("ATM/POS") system that includes a plurality of terminals through which the user may request access to said electronic mail system and at which the user may receive a message that has been stored or generate a message for storage in said electronic mail system, said ATM/POS system also including an ATM/POS institution processor which is remote from the plurality of terminals that intercommunicates with the plurality of terminals through an ATM/POS data communication network that is also included in said ATM/POS system; and
b. a store and forward message switch which is remote from the plurality of terminals for storing the message and for transmitting the stored message to one of the plurality of terminals of said ATM/POS system upon receiving authorization to do so.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The technical field of the invention generally concerns electronic mail systems. The present invention provides an ATM or POS system having a terminal (22, 24, 26, 28 or 34) and processor (18 or 36) which are connected to an ATM or POS data communications network. The network also includes a store and forward message switch (52) which stores user messages for remote retrieval and use as an electronic mail system (10) on a data communications network (42). Messages can be stored or retrieved through standard ATM or POS terminals, through a service bureau, through touch tone telephones (84) or via modems (76). Messages can be retrieved remotely and sent to a facsimile machine (82), a remote paging device, computer (72) or the like. Message information may include payment of user bills, completion of user financial transactions and transmission of information from a variety of databases. Such message information may be generated and transmitted by the system at times predetermined by the user.
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Citations
80 Claims
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1. An electronic mail system that is accessible by a user thereof, said electronic mail system comprising:
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a. An Automated Teller Machine or Point of Sale ("ATM/POS") system that includes a plurality of terminals through which the user may request access to said electronic mail system and at which the user may receive a message that has been stored or generate a message for storage in said electronic mail system, said ATM/POS system also including an ATM/POS institution processor which is remote from the plurality of terminals that intercommunicates with the plurality of terminals through an ATM/POS data communication network that is also included in said ATM/POS system; and b. a store and forward message switch which is remote from the plurality of terminals for storing the message and for transmitting the stored message to one of the plurality of terminals of said ATM/POS system upon receiving authorization to do so. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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24. A method for exchanging electronic mail messages with a plurality of accessible terminals included in an ATM/POS system that also includes an ATM/POS institution processor remote from the plurality of terminals, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. storing a message for a user on a store and forward message switch remote from the plurality of terminals; b. authorizing transmission of the stored message from the store and forward message switch to one of the plurality of terminals of the ATM/POS system in response to the user'"'"'s entry of a request therefore into said one terminal of the ATM/POS system. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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Specification