ATM customer marketing system

• US 7,039,600 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1999
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Singer, Irek, Symonds, Robert D., Jiang, Changning, DiFrango, Ron, Hemlick, William, Koran, Ken, Lee, Tony, Shimek, Gregory, Gill, Robert Bradley, McCoy, Donald, St. George, Peter, MEEK, JAMES
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister, Steven B.
• Application Number:
  US09/449,426
• Time in Patent Office: 2,351 Days
• Field of Search: 705/43, 705/14, 235/379
• US Class Current: 705/14.36
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/211 Software architecture within ATMs or in relation to the ATM network

Abstract

A marketing system includes a plurality of automated transaction machines (74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 86). The automated transaction machines operate to carry out financial transactions with associated host computers (90, 94, 100, 104). Marketing presentations are stored on and output from the transaction machines responsive to messages exchanged with a market message server (110) which is connected to the automated transaction machines through a network (108). The connection to the automated transaction machines which provides delivery of the market presentation materials and which causes the output of presentations, is generally independent of the messages associated with authorizing financial transactions. Some described embodiments of the invention enable presenting marketing campaigns to users of the transaction machines. The marketing campaigns may include sequences of presentations that are output on a targeted basis to particular users.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at least one identifying input from a user at an automated transaction machine;

(b) receiving at least one transaction request input corresponding to a request to conduct a financial transaction from the user at the transaction machine;

(c) sending from the transaction machine to a first computer, a marketing request message including user data corresponding to an identifying input from the user;

(d) sending from the transaction machine to a second computer, a transaction request message including transaction request data corresponding to an identifying input from the user and the transaction request input;

(e) selecting through operation of the first computer responsive to the user data, data corresponding to a presentation to be made to the user;

(f) sending from the first computer to the transaction machine a marketing response message including presentation data corresponding to the presentation;

(g) determining through operation of the second computer responsive to the transaction request data, a transaction response;

(h) sending from the second computer to the transaction machine a transaction response message including transaction response data corresponding to the transaction response;

(i) presenting responsive to the presentation data at least one output through at least one output device in connection with the transaction machine;

(j) carrying out the financial transaction through operation of at least one transaction function device in connection with the transaction machine responsive to the transaction response data.

2. The method according to claim 1 and prior to step (a) further comprising the step of:

operating a software agent on a computer in the automated transaction machine, wherein the agent is operative to cause the transaction machine to present the output in step (i).

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the software agent is also operative to cause the first marketing request message to be sent to the first computer in step (c).

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the automated transaction machine executes a transaction sequence including a plurality of states, and prior to step (a) further comprising the step of:

including in the transaction sequence a presentation state, wherein step (i) is executed responsive to the transaction machine reaching the presentation state in the transaction sequence.

5. The method according to claim 4 and further comprising the step of including in the transaction sequence a sending state, wherein step (c) is executed responsive to the transaction machine reaching the sending state in the transaction sequence.

6. The method according to claim 1 and prior to step (a) further comprising the step of installing a software agent on a computer in the transaction machine, wherein the agent is operative to cause step (i) to be performed.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (d) is executed prior to step (i).

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein step (j) is carried out subsequent to step (i).

9. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising the steps of:

(k) receiving at least one responsive input from the user responsive to at least one output presented in step (i);

(l) sending from the transaction machine to the first computer a marketing acknowledgment message including responsive data representative of a responsive input.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein step (j) is carried out prior to step (l).

11. The method according to claim 9 and prior to step (a) further comprising the step of installing a software agent on a computer in the transaction machine, wherein step (l) is carried out responsive to operation of the software agent.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the presentation data includes data corresponding to a plurality of instructions, and wherein in step (i) a plurality of outputs are provided through at least one output device on the transaction machine responsive to the instructions.

13. The method according to claim 1 wherein in step (f) the presentation data includes a plurality of presentation instructions, and wherein in step (i) a question output requesting an input from the user is presented, and further comprising the step of receiving an answer input from the user responsive to the question output, through an input device on the automated transaction machine.

14. The method according to claim 13 and further comprising the step of:

(k) presenting to the user a further output through an output device on the transaction machine response to the answer input and at least one of the presentation instructions.

15. The method according to claim 13 and further comprising the step of sending a marketing acknowledgment message from the transaction machine to the first computer, the marketing acknowledgment message including responsive data representative of the answer input.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein in step (k) a first further output is presented at the machine responsive to at least one of the presentation instructions when the user inputs a first answer input, and a second further output is presented at the machine responsive to at least one of the presentation instructions when the user inputs a second answer input.

17. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (i) includes presenting a coupon to the user.

18. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising the steps of:

storing at least one sequence comprising data representative of a plurality of presentations in a data store in operative connection with the first computer;

storing in the data store, data representative of presentations in the sequence that have been previously been made to the user;

wherein in step (e) the computer is operative to select a presentation in the sequence not previously made to the user.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the sequence has an associated order in which presentations included in the sequence are presented, and wherein in step (e) the computer is operative to select a first presentation that has not been previously made to the user and which is next in the order.

20. The method according to claim 19 and further comprising the step of storing in the data store in correlated relation with data representative of the user, data representative of a second presentation, wherein the second presentation is next in the order of the sequence after the first presentation.

21. The method according to claim 20 and further comprising repeating steps (a) through (e) wherein in step (e) the second presentation is selected.

22. The method according to claim 1 wherein in step (a) the identifying input includes an account number read by the transaction machine from a card presented by the user.

23. The method according to claim 1 wherein in step (c) the marketing request message includes data representative of a message type and an account number associated with the user.

24. The method according to claim 1 wherein in step (f) the marketing response message includes data representative of a name associated with the user.

25. The method according to claim 1 wherein in step (f) the marketing response message includes data corresponding to a display screen, and prior to step (i) further comprising the step of operating a computer in the transaction machine responsive to the data corresponding to the display screen to recover from a data store in operative connection with the computer in the transaction machine data usable to graphically produce the display screen, wherein in step (i) the display screen is output.

26. The method according to claim 1 wherein in step (f) the marketing response message further includes data representative of a time-out value, and wherein in step (i) the output is presented for a period corresponding to the time-out value.

27. The method according to claim 1 wherein in step (f) the marketing response message further includes data representative of a first screen, and a first input key and a second input key on the transaction machine and wherein the marketing response message further includes data representative of a second screen corresponding to selection of the first input key, and wherein in step (i) the first screen is output, and further comprising the steps of:

providing an input through the first input key of the transaction machine;

presenting the second screen through an output device of the transaction machine responsive to the input through the first input key.

28. The method according to claim 1 wherein in step (f) the marketing response message includes data corresponding to a coupon, and prior to step (i) further comprising the steps of operating a computer in the transaction machine responsive to the data corresponding to a coupon to recover from a data store in operative connection with the computer in the transaction machine, data usable to print a coupon wherein in step (i) a coupon is output from the machine.

29. The method according to claim 1 wherein in step (f) the presentation data includes script data, wherein the script data includes data corresponding to at least one of a display, a question and a prompt, and wherein in step (i) the output is presented responsive to the script data.

30. The method according to claim 1 wherein in step (f) the marketing response message includes a portion having an ISO 8583 message format.

31. The method according to claim 9 wherein in step (l) the marketing to acknowledgment message includes data representative of an account number associated with the user.

32. The method according to claim 9 wherein the responsive input is a response to a yes/no query, and further comprising the step of communicating data representative of the user and the response from the first computer to a workstation.

33. The method according to claim 9 wherein the responsive input is a numeric input, and further comprising the step of communicating data representative of the user and the numeric input from the first computer to a workstation.

34. The method according to claim 33 wherein the numeric input corresponds to a user phone number, and further comprising the step of contacting the user at the phone number.

35. The method according to claim 9 wherein the marketing acknowledgment message in step (l) includes a portion having an ISO 8583 message format.

36. The method according to claim 1 and prior to step (i) further comprising the steps of:

loading in a data store in the automated transaction machine, output data corresponding to a plurality of outputs;

recovering from the data store through operation of a computer in the transaction machine, an output corresponding to the presentation data in the marketing response message, wherein the output is presented in step (i).

37. The method according to claim 36 wherein the output data includes a plurality of display screens, wherein a display screen is output in step (i).

38. The method according to claim 36 wherein the output data includes plurality of coupons, and wherein a coupon is output in step (i).

39. The method according to claim 1 and prior to step (e) further comprising the step of:

storing in a data store in operative connection with the first computer, data representative of a plurality of users and a plurality of segments, wherein the user is associated in the data store with at least one first segment, and wherein in step (e) the presentation is selected responsive to the user being associated with the first segment.

40. The method according to claim 39 and prior to step (e) further comprising the step of:

storing in the data store in operative connection with the first computer, a plurality of campaigns, wherein each campaign includes at least one presentation, and wherein the first segment is associated in the data store with at least one campaign, and wherein in step (e) the presentation is selected from a campaign associated with the first segment.

41. The method according to claim 1 and prior to step (c) further comprising the steps of:

(k) storing in a data store in operative connection with the first computer, data representative of at least one attribute of a plurality of automated transaction machines including the automated transaction machine receiving the identifying input from the user in step (a);

(l) determining at least one attribute associated with the transaction machine sending the message in step (c) responsive to the operation of the first computer;

wherein in step (c) the presentation is selected responsive to the at least one attribute of the transaction machine receiving the identifying input from the user in step (a).

42. The method according to claim 41 wherein the attributes stored in step (k) include data corresponding to presentation data stored in data stores in the respective automated transaction machines.

43. The method according to claim 41 wherein the attributes stored in step (k) include data corresponding to a configuration of input devices in the respective automated transaction machines.

44. The method according to claim 1 and prior to step (b) further comprising the step of storing in a data store in operative connection with the first computer, data representative of a plurality of target audience users, a plurality of presentations to be presented to the target audience users and at least one general presentation, wherein in step (e) the first computer is operative to select the general presentation responsive to the user not being among the target audience users.

45. The method according to claim 2 and prior to step (i) further comprising the step of storing data corresponding to a default presentation in a data store in operative connection with the computer operating in the transaction machine, and wherein in step (i) the agent is operative to cause the presentation corresponding to the presentation data in the marketing response message to be output when the message sent in step (f) has been received by the machine when step (i) is ready to be performed, and further comprising repeating steps (a) through (c), and wherein if no presentation data has been received by the transaction machine when step (i) is next ready to be performed, the default presentation is output.

46. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) carrying out a financial transaction for a user through operation of an automated transaction machine by communicating at least one financial transaction message between the transaction machine and a first computer, wherein the machine is operative to receive user identifying data; and

(b) marketing at least one product to the user through operation of the transaction machine by communicating at least one marketing message between the transaction machine and a second computer responsive to the user identifying data.

53. The method according to claim 46 and prior to step (b) installing software on the machine, wherein the software is operative to enable communication between the machine and the second computer.

47. A method comprising:

(a) carrying out a financial transaction for a user through operation of an automated transaction machine by communicating at least one financial transaction message between the transaction machine and a first computer; and

concurrently during at least a portion of the financial transaction

(b) marketing at least one product to the user through operation of the transaction machine by communicating at least one marketing message between the transaction machine and a second computer.

54. The method according to claim 47 and prior to step (b) installing software on the machine, wherein the software is operative to enable communication between the machine and the second computer.

48. A method comprising:

(a) operating an automated banking machine to receive at least one unique user identifying input from a user of the automated banking machine, wherein the automated banking machine is operative to carry out at least one financial transaction for the user via at least one transaction communication path;

(b) subsequent to (a), operating the automated banking machine to obtain remote marketing data corresponding to the unique user identifying input via at least one marketing communication path, wherein the at least one marketing communication path is in operative connection with at least one computer not in the at least one transaction communication path;

(c) subsequent to (b), operating the automated banking machine to market at least one product to the user at the automated banking machine responsive to the marketing data.

49. A method comprising:

(a) communicating marketing data between at least one remote marketing computer and an automated banking machine, wherein the marketing data includes data corresponding to user identifying input from a user of the automated banking machine;

(b) communicating financial transaction data between the automated banking machine and at least one remote host computer, wherein the financial transaction data includes data corresponding to the user identifying input, and wherein the at least one remote host computer and the at least one remote marketing computer operate generally independently of each other; and

(c) marketing at least one product to the user at the automated banking machine responsive to (a).

50. A method comprising:

(a) providing an automated banking machine in operative connection with at least one host computer and at least one marketing computer, wherein the at least one host computer is associated with carrying out a financial transaction for a user of the automated banking machine, wherein the at least one marketing computer is associated with marketing at least one product to the user, and wherein the at least one host computer operates generally independently of the at least one marketing computer;

(b) storing at least one sequence comprising data representative of a plurality of marketing presentations associated with the at least one product in at least one data store in operative connection with the at least one marketing computer, wherein the at least one sequence has an associated order in which marketing presentations represented in the at least one sequence are presented to the user;

(c) selecting data representative of a next marketing presentation that has not been previously made to the user and which is next in the order; and

(d) presenting the next marketing presentation to the user at the automated banking machine.

51. A method comprising:

(a) operating an automated banking machine to conduct a financial transaction for a user, wherein the banking machine communicates with a first computer remote from the banking machine in carrying out the transaction;

(b) operating the automated banking machine to market at least one product to the user, wherein the banking machine markets the at least one product responsive to communication with a second computer remote from the banking machine and separate from the first computer, and wherein the banking machine communicates with the second computer during at least a portion of the financial transaction.

52. The method according to claim 51

wherein step (a) includes receiving at least one user identifying input from the user and operating the banking machine to send data corresponding to the at least one user identifying input to the first computer, and

wherein step (b) includes operating the banking machine to send data corresponding to the at least one user identifying input to the second computer.

55. The method according to claim 51 and prior to step (b) installing software on the machine, wherein the software is operative to enable communication between the machine and the second computer.