Fax check/money order automatically from ATM

• US 7,388,683 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2003
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Spinac, Clifford Jay, Rodriguez, Herman, Smith, Newton James Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour; Houshang
• Application Number:
  US10/718,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20050111048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 358/474, 358/1.15, 358/442, 358/402, 358/443, 235/379, 235/385, 705/43
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00392 Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

An automatic teller machine capable of sending a facsimile of a check, money order, or other payment instrument to a payee designated by a user. The user inserts cash or allows an account to be debited to pay for the payment instrument, and the automatic teller machine faxes the payment instrument to the payee.

Claims

1. An automatic teller machine, comprising:

a first input receiver in the automatic teller machine, wherein the first input receiver receives input from a user, wherein the first input receiver receives the input selected from a group consisting of;

a magnetic strip card of the user, a wireless communication capable card, and cash;

a second input receiver in the automatic teller machine, wherein the second input receiver receives input from the user to form a request to fax a payment instrument;

a communication system capable of sending a facsimile to a first remote location, wherein the user designates a facsimile number and causes the payment instrument to be sent by facsimile to the first remote location; and

a network connection, wherein the automatic teller machine forwards the request to fax the payment instrument to a second remote location via the network connection when the automatic teller machine is incapable of sending the facsimile, wherein a machine that is fax capable at the second remote location causes the facsimile to be transmitted to the first remote location.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the second input receiver comprises an alpha-numeric keypad.

3. The machine of claim 1, wherein the payment instrument is selected from the group consisting of:

a personal check, a cashier'"'"'s check, and a money order.

4. The machine of claim 1, wherein the first remote location is a payee.

5. The machine of claim 1, wherein an account of the user is charged for the payment instrument.

6. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user can obtain a receipt of the payment instrument from any automatic teller machine.

7. The machine of claim 1, wherein a receipt of the payment instrument is printed.

8. A method of making a payment, comprising the steps of:

requesting a payment instrument to be created by an automatic teller machine, wherein the automatic teller machine receives input for creating the payment instrument from a group consisting of a magnetic strip card, a wireless communication capable card, and cash;

designating a payee for the payment instrument;

designating a facsimile number to form a request for a facsimile;

sending the payment instrument, by the automatic teller machine, to the payee via facsimile, wherein the facsimile is sent from the automatic teller machine located at a first location to the payee located at a second remote location; and

responsive to the automatic teller machine being incapable of sending the facsimile, forwarding the request for the facsimile, by the automatic teller machine, via a network connection to a machine at a third remote location that is fax capable, wherein the machine at the third remote location causes the facsimile to be transmitted.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of charging a user account for the payment instrument.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein a user pays for the payment instrument using a means selected from the group consisting of:

cash, a cash card, a credit card, or a banking account.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the payment instrument is selected from the group consisting of:

a personal check, a cashier'"'"'s check, and a money order.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the user can obtain a receipt of the payment instrument from any automatic teller machine.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of printing a receipt of the payment instrument.

14. A business method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a user at an automatic teller machine to send a facsimile of a payment instrument from the automatic teller machine located at a first location to a designated payee at a second location, wherein the second location is remote from the first location;

sending the facsimile of the payment instrument to the designated payee;

responsive to the automatic teller machine being incapable of sending the facsimile, forwarding the request to send the facsimile of the payment instrument to a machine at a third remote location that is fax capable, wherein the machine at the third remote location causes the facsimile to be transmitted; and

receiving payment for the payment instrument, wherein an account of the user is charged for the payment instrument to form the payment, and wherein the user can obtain a receipt of the payment instrument from any automatic teller machine.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of receiving payment for the payment instrument comprises debiting an account of the user.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of receiving payment for the payment instrument comprises receiving cash input by the user into the automatic teller machine.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

presenting to the user at least one of a payment instrument and a proof of the transaction.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of sending the facsimile further comprises receiving a designation of a facsimile number from the user.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the payment instrument is selected from the group consisting of:

a cashier'"'"'s check, a money order and a personal check.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of printing a receipt of the payment instrument.

21. An automatic teller machine, comprising:

a first input receiver for receiving input from a user, wherein the first input receiver receives input for a transaction selected from the group consisting of a magnetic strip card, a wireless communication capable card, and cash;

a second input receiver for receiving input from the user, wherein the second input receiver comprises an alpha-numeric keypad and wherein a user designates a facsimile number and causes a payment instrument to be sent in a facsimile to a first remote location;

a communication system capable of sending the facsimile to the first remote location;

a sending means for forwarding a facsimile request to send the facsimile from a second remote location when the automatic teller machine is incapable of sending the facsimile, wherein the facsimile request to send the facsimile is sent from the automatic teller machine to a remote machine at the second remote location, and wherein the remote machine causes the facsimile to be sent;

a charging means, responsive to the sending of the facsimile, for charging a user account for the payment instrument; and

an output means for presenting to the user at least one of a payment instrument and a proof of the transaction.