Apparatus and method for allowing a money order purchase via an ATM

• US 5,686,713 A
• Filed: 02/22/1996
• Issued: 11/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rivera, Antonio
• Original Assignee: Rivera, Antonio
• Inventors: Rivera, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): PITTS, HAROLD I
• Application Number:
  US08/604,768
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 902/10
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/203 Dispensing operations within ATMs dispensing in general G07D11/00

Abstract

An apparatus and method for allowing a money order purchase via an ATM including a money acceptor and dispenser for receiving and generating money, respectively. Also included is an ATM card reader for receiving a card with a magnetic strip having an account number stored thereon wherein the reader is further adapted to retrieve the account number therefrom. A control mechanism operates in combination with a plurality of function keys to allow a user to withdraw cash, deposit cash, and purchase a money order by means of an ATM.

Claims

1. A new and improved method for allowing a deposit, withdraw, and money order purchase via an automatic teller machine comprising the steps of:

providing a housing unit having an interaction face disposed thereon;

providing an automatic teller machine card reader situated on the interaction face of the housing unit, the automatic teller machine card reader adapted to receive a card with a magnetic strip having an account number stored thereon and further adapted to retrieve the account number therefrom;

providing a numeric keypad situated on the interaction face and adapted to allow a user to input a pin number and an amount of money;

providing a display situated on the interaction face of the housing unit for prompting a user to respond to an instruction or enter necessary information;

providing a paper money and coin acceptor situated on the interaction face of the housing unit for accepting and accounting for paper money and coin, the paper money and coin acceptor adapted to differentiate between all denominations of paper money and coin and further reject counterfeit bills;

providing a money order printer situated within the housing and adapted to print a money order on one of a plurality of money orders present on a continuous strip, the strip being perforated between each contiguous money order;

providing a paper money and coin dispenser situated on the interaction face of the housing unit for dispensing paper money and coin therefrom;

providing a receipt printer situated within the housing for generating a unique receipt corresponding to a type of transaction undergone;

providing control means connected to the automatic teller machine card reader, numeric keypad, paper money and coin acceptor, display, money order printer, receipt printer, memory and money dispenser, the control means adapted to generate a money order in exchange for money and further adapted to allow money to be deposited in or withdrawn from a predetermined account;

providing interface control mechanism connected to the control means for communicating with a transaction center a record of the transaction;

providing transaction selection unit situated on the interaction face of the housing unit having plurality of selection keys including a withdraw key for withdrawing money and coin from a designated account, a money order key for obtaining a money order, and a deposit key for depositing money and coin to a designated account;

determining whether the transaction comprises a withdrawal, deposit, or money order purchase with the selection keys;

initiating a plurality of sequenced steps upon the depression of the withdrawn key including the steps of;

accepting a card with a magnetic strip thereon and further retrieving an account number therefrom,

prompting a user to input a personal identification number,

prompting the user to select an amount of money for withdrawing,

dispensing the money,

generating a receipt depicting the amount of withdrawal and current balance, and

returning the card to the user;

initiating a plurality of sequenced steps upon the depression of the deposit key including the steps of;

accepting a card with a magnetic strip thereon and further retrieving an account number therefrom,

displaying on the display the name of the account owner,

prompting the user to enter an amount of money into the paper money and coin acceptor,

accounting for the money accepted,

generating a receipt depicting the amount of deposit, new balance, and account number, and

returning the card to the user;

initiating a plurality of sequenced steps upon the depression of the money order key including the steps of;

prompting a user to enter an amount of a requested money order,

displaying the money required including a fee,

prompting a user to enter a method payment,

entering the required money in the paper money and coin acceptor upon the method payment being a deposit and subsequently generating change with the paper money and coin dispenser upon an excess amount of paper money and coin being entered,

entering a card with a magnetic strip thereon and further retrieving an account number therefrom upon the method of payment being a withdrawal and subsequently prompting a user to input a personal identification number, prompting the user to select an amount of money for withdrawing, generating a receipt depicting the amount of withdrawal and current balance, prompting the user to enter paper money and coin upon there not being sufficient funds in an account represented by the account number, and returning the card to the user; and

dispensing a money order from the money order dispenser upon the receipt of the required money including the fee.