ATM phone card system

• US 5,673,309 A
• Filed: 08/01/1996
• Issued: 09/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation, GWJ Company, WABK Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation, GWJ Company, WABK Corporation
• Inventors: Jensen, George W., Caldwell, Carol A., Woynoski, Eugene A., Beeder, Wayne A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOOMIS, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US08/690,932
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 379/91, 379/112, 379/114, 379/115, 379/121, 379/130, 379/131, 379/144, 379/143, 379/155, 395/214, 395/243, 395/240, 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 235/381.5, 902/8, 902/13-15, 902/26, 283/75, 283/100, 283/101, 283/107, 283/109, 283/57, 283/58, 283/117, 283/901, 283/909
• US Class Current: 379/114.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• 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 19/202 Depositing operations within ATMs depositing in general G07D11/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675

Abstract

There is provided a method of dispensing telephone cards from automatic teller machines (ATM) and card constructions used therewith. Telephone time is apportioned to a number of sheetlets printed with random numbers which serve as a personal identification number (PIN). They are packaged in bricks and activated when installed in an ATM or when dispensed. The sheetlets are capable of being dispensed like currency and may contain the PIN on a removable zone.

Claims

1. A method of providing telephone time from automatic teller machines, which comprises in combination:

(a) ordering a predetermined amount of phone time for a telephone service;

(b) apportioning the ordered phone time into a designated number of currency sized automatic teller machines dispensable sheetlets forming a group;

(c) printing on each sheetlet of the group a random generated personal identification numbers correlated with a predetermined amount of telephone time;

(d) assigning a batch number to the group;

(e) packaging the PIN containing sheetlets of the group of sheetlets for installation in an automatic teller machine;

(f) supplying the group of sheetlets and listed PINS of sheetlets and batch number for such sheetlets to an installer of sheetlets in the automatic teller machine and supplier of telephone services;

(g) activating and installing the sheetlets in an automatic teller machine (ATM),

(h) dispensing a sheetlet from the ATM upon entry of machine acceptable command of a sheetlet purchaser;

(i) initiating the consumption of purchased telephone time with identity of the PIN to the supplier of telephone service; and

(j) terminating the use of the dispense card with the consumption of the purchased telephone time.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which a personal identification number at the time of activation is correlated with an arbitrary user code by a telephone, said correlation remaining active for the period of use of the phone card.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, in which the user code is entered at the time of purchase of the sheetlet.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the sheetlet has a coefficient of frictional difference between the top and the bottom surface thereof of at least 25%.

5. A process as claimed in claim 2 in which the sheetlet has a coefficient of friction difference between the top and the bottom surface thereof of at least 25%.

6. A method as claimed in claim 3 in which the sheetlet has a coefficient of friction difference between the top and the bottom surface thereof of at least 25%.

7. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which each sheetlet is a laminate of a self-supporting first layer printed on one surface as coated on an opposed surface with a release material, a removable pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on the release coating and a second self-supporting layer on the removable pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, said second layer containing in a zone thereon the PIN.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 in which the zone of the second layer containing the PIN is cut to the release to allow separation of the zone containing the PIN from the sheetlet.

9. A method as claimed in claim 2 in which each sheetlet is a laminate of a self-supporting first layer printed on one surface as coated on an opposed surface with a release material, a removable pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on the release coating and a second self-supporting layer on the removable pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, said second layer containing in a zone thereon the PIN.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 in which the zone of the second layer containing the PIN is cut to the release to allow separation of the zone containing the PIN from the sheetlet.

11. A method as claimed in claim 3 in which each sheetlet is a laminate of a self-supporting first layer printed on one surface as coated on an opposed surface with a release material, a removable pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on the release coating and a second self-supporting layer on the removable pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, said second layer containing in a zone thereon the PIN.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 in which the zone of the second layer containing the PIN is cut to the release to allow separation of the zone containing the PIN from the sheetlet.