Cardless automated teller transactions

• US 6,045,039 A
• Filed: 10/16/1997
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ATC Realty Fifteen Incorporated (Wells Fargo & Company)
• Original Assignee: Mr. Payroll Corp. (FirstCash Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clower, Dyron, Templer, John W. Jr., Stinson, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien Minh
• Application Number:
  US08/951,540
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/492, 235/381
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• 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 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data

Abstract

A cardless automated financial transaction apparatus includes an input device configured to generate an input signal corresponding to a customer identifier in response to actuation of the input device by a customer, a biometric device configured to receive biometric information about the customer, a storage device including a database of customer information, the customer information including stored biometric information, a connection to a banking network provider, and an electronic processor. The processor is configured to receive the input signals from the input device, receive biometric information from the biometric device, and access the database of customer information in response to the input signals to obtain data about the customer identified by the customer identifier, the data including stored biometric information for the customer. The processor then compares the received biometric information to the stored biometric information, and provides a message to the banking network provider confirming the customer'"'"'s identity when the received biometric information matches the stored biometric information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing automated financial transactions without requiring the use of a card, comprising:

an input device configured to generate an input signal corresponding to a customer identifier in response to actuation of the input device by a customer;

a biometric device configured to receive biometric information about the customer;

a storage device including a database of customer information, the customer information including stored biometric information; and

an electronic processor configured to;

receive the input signals from the input device,

receive biometric information from the biometric device,

access the database of customer information to obtain data about the customer, the data including stored biometric information for the customer,

compare the received biometric information to the stored biometric information,

provide a message to a banking network provider confirming a customer'"'"'s identity when the received biometric information matches the stored biometric information, and

when the received biometric information does not match the stored biometric information, transmit the received biometric information to a remotely-located service center for comparison with biometric information stored at the remotely-located service center.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cash dispenser, wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive messages from the banking network provider through the connection and to signal the cash dispenser to dispense cash to the customer in response to a message from the banking network provider.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the biometric device comprises a camera configured to obtain an image of the customer'"'"'s face, the biometric information comprises the image of the customer'"'"'s face, and the stored biometric information comprises images of customers'"'"' faces.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the camera is configured to obtain the image of the customer'"'"'s face in response to actuation of the input device by the customer.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the camera comprises a digital video camera.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a second camera configured to obtain a second image of the customer'"'"'s face, wherein the processor is configured to compare the first and second images when confirming the identity of the customer.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising lights positioned to illuminate the customer'"'"'s face to improve an image obtained by the camera.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the biometric information comprises the customer'"'"'s fingerprint.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customer identifier comprises an identification number.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an output device for providing information to the customer.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the input device and the output device comprise a touch screen display.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the output device comprises a speaker, the apparatus further comprising a voice synthesizer connected to the speaker and configured to provide spoken information to the customer through the speaker.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a numeric keypad.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a card reader, wherein the electronic processor is configured to perform card-based automated financial transactions by contacting the connection to the banking network provider in response to insertion of a card into the card reader and entry of a personal identification number using the input device.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a check reader configured to receive and read a check to be processed, and a cash dispenser, wherein the electronic processor is configured to perform check-cashing transactions by:

receiving the input signals from the input device,

receiving information about the check to be processed from the check reader,

accessing the database of customer information to obtain data about the customer,

determining automatically whether to accept or reject the check based on the input signals, the received information about the check, and the data about the customer, and

upon accepting the check, signalling the cash dispenser to dispense cash to the customer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, after confirming the identity of the customer, the processor is configured to determine automatically whether to accept or reject the check by applying a set of rules.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the rules are defined generally to permit the processor to accept the check if the customer has used the apparatus previously to cash a previous check for a similar amount from a payor associated with the check to be processed.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to accept the check when the database of customer information includes a record for the customer and other criteria are met.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to accept the check when criteria stored in the record for the customer are met.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to reject the check when a criterion stored in the record for the customer is not met.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the storage device also includes a database of payor information, wherein the processor is configured to accept the check when the database of customer information includes a record for the customer, criteria stored in the record for the customer are met, the database of payor information includes a record for a payor of the check, and criteria stored in the record for the payor are met.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to reject the check when a criterion stored in the record for the payor is not met.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to confirm the identity of the customer based on biometric information about the customer, and to accept the check when the database of customer information includes a record for the customer, criteria stored in the record for the customer are met, the database of payor information includes a record for a payor of the check, criteria stored in the record for the payor are met, and the identity of the customer is confirmed.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a card reader, wherein the electronic processor is configured to perform card-based automated financial transactions by contacting the connection to the banking network provider in response to insertion of a card into the card reader and entry of a personal identification number using the input device.

25. An apparatus for providing automated payroll distribution without the requirement of a card, comprising:

an input device, the input device being configured to generate an input signal corresponding to a customer identifier in response to actuation of the input device by a customer;

a biometric device configured to receive biometric information about the customer;

a storage device including a database of customer information, the customer information including stored biometric information and a stored payroll amount for the customer;

a cash dispenser, and

an electronic processor configured to;

receive the input signals from the input device,

receive biometric information from the biometric device,

access the database of customer information in response to the input signals to obtain data about the customer identified by the customer identifier, the data including stored biometric information for the customer,

compare the received biometric information to the stored biometric information,

cause the cash dispenser to dispense an amount of cash that equals or is less than the payroll amount when the received biometric information matches the stored biometric information, and

when the received biometric information does not match the stored biometric information, transmit the received biometric information to a remotely-located service center for comparison with biometric information stored at the remotely-located service center.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the biometric device comprises a camera configured to obtain an image of the customer'"'"'s face, and the biometric information comprises the image of the customer'"'"'s face.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a first communications device connected to the processor,

a second communications device co-located with the remotely-located service center and configured to communicate with the first communications device,

a storage device including a central database of customer information co-located with the remotely-located service center, the customer information including stored biometric information and a stored payroll amount for a customer; and

an electronic processor connected to the second communications device and the storage device, and configured to;

receive information about the customer from the second communications device, the information including received biometric information for the customer,

access the central database of customer information to obtain data about the customer identified by the customer identifier, the data including biometric information stored in the central database for the customer,

compare the received biometric information to the biometric information stored in the central database for the customer, and

transmit from the second communications device to the first communications device an indication of whether the received biometric information matches the biometric information stored in the central database for the customer,

wherein the electronic processor of the service center is further configured to enter the payroll amount into the central database of customer information and to transmit the payroll amount to the database of customer information using the second communications device.

28. A retrofit module for configuring an automated teller machine having an input device, a card reader, and a cash dispenser to provide automated transactions without requiring the use of a card, the retrofit module being configured to be connected to the automated teller machine and comprising:

an input/output port configured to receive an input signal from the input device of the automated teller machine, the input signal corresponding to a customer identifier and being generated in response to actuation of the input device by the customer;

a biometric device configured to receive biometric information about the customer;

a storage device including a database of customer information, the customer information including stored biometric information for the customer; and

an electronic processor connected to the input/output port, the biometric device, and the storage device, the processor being configured to;

receive the input signal from the input/output port,

receive biometric information from the biometric device,

access the database of customer information in response to the input signal to obtain data about the customer identified by the customer identifier, the data including stored biometric information for the customer,

compare the received biometric information to the stored biometric information, and

transmit a notification message to the input/output port, the notification message indicating that the customer'"'"'s identity has been established when the received biometric information matches the stored biometric information,

when the received biometric information does not match the stored biometric information, transmit the received biometric information to a remotely-located service center via the input/output port for comparison with biometric information stored at the remotely-located service center.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the biometric device comprises a camera configured to obtain an image of the customer'"'"'s face, and the biometric information comprises the image of the customer'"'"'s face.

30. A method for providing automated financial transactions without requiring the use of a card, comprising the steps of:

in response to user-entered identification information, collecting biometric data about the user,

comparing the biometric data to data in a local database to verify an identity of the user,

if the comparison succeeds, connecting to a banking network provider for completion of the financial transaction,

if the comparison fails, connecting to a remote service center,

transmitting the biometric data to the remote service center for comparison with data in a larger, remote database, and

if the comparison with data in the larger, remote database fails, contacting a human operator for a determination of whether the financial transaction may be completed.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of, during connection to the remote service center, transmitting information regarding past financial transactions to the larger, remote database.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

if the comparison with the data in the larger, remote database fails, transmitting a request for a second collection of biometric data from the remote service center,

in response to the request, collecting second biometric data,

comparing the second biometric data with data in the local database, and

if the comparison with data in the local database fails, transmitting the second biometric data to the remote service center for comparison with data in a larger, remote database.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of, if the comparison with data in the larger, remote database fails, issuing a rejection message to the user.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the biometric information is an image of the user'"'"'s face.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the biometric information is a user'"'"'s fingerprint.

36. A method for performing an automatic cardless financial transaction without requiring the use of a card, comprising the steps of:

receiving user-entered identification information,

in response to the identification information, searching a local database for local information about a user associated with the identification information, including biometric information,

causing biometric data about the user to be collected,

comparing the collected biometric information with the local information about the user,

if the collected biometric information matches the local information, completing a financial transaction requested by the user, wherein completing the financial transaction includes making a connection to a banking network provider,

else, making a connection to a remote service center and transmitting the user-entered identification information and the received biometric information to the remote servicing center for comparison with information in a larger, remote database, and

if the transmitted information matches the information stored in the larger, remote database, receiving a transaction authorization from the remote servicing center authorizing completion of the financial transaction.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of, during the connection to the remote service center, transmitting data regarding previous transactions to the remote service center for storage in the remote data base.

38. A system for providing automated financial transactions without requiring the use of a card, comprising:

input means for receiving a user-entered user identifier;

biometric means for collecting biometric data about a user;

local storage means for storing information about users;

local processing means for;

receiving the user-entered identifier;

accessing information about the user in the storage means using the user identifier;

comparing the collected biometric data with the stored information about the user to attempt to determine a user identity;

if the attempt to determine the user identity is not successful, connecting to a remoter server means; and

transmitting the collected biometric data and the user identifier to the remote server means; and

a remote server means connectable to the local processor means, the remote server means comprising a remote storage means for storing information about users, the remote storage means being larger than the local storage means, the remote server means for;

receiving the transmitted collected biometric data and user identifier;

accessing information about the user in the remote storage means using the user identifier;

comparing the collected biometric data with the stored information about the user to attempt to determine a user identity; and

if the attempt to determine the user identity is successful, transmitting a transaction authorization to the local processing means.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the biometric means includes a camera means for capturing an image of the user and means for converting the image to a storable format.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the stored information about the user comprises an amount of funds available to the user.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the local processing means is further for, during connection to the remote server, transmitting data regarding past transactions involving a plurality of users to the remote storage means.