ATM customer marketing system

• US 7,516,087 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lee, Anthony, Gill, Robert Bradley, McCoy, Donald, Singer, Irek, Jiang, Changning, Koran, Ken, Shimek, Gregory, Symonds, Robert D., DiFrango, Ron, Hemlick, William, St. George, Peter, MEEK, JAMES
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEENDER, FLORIAN M
• Application Number:
  US11/789,608
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16, 705/14, 705/43
• US Class Current: 705/16
• 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:

(a) operating an automated transaction machine to receive at least one identifying data from a machine user, wherein the machine includes at least one computer, wherein the machine includes at least one cash dispenser operative to dispense cash, wherein the machine includes at least one output device operative to present at least one output;

(b) communicating a first request message from the machine to a first computer, wherein the first request message includes identifying information corresponding to identifying data received from a user card in step (a), wherein the first computer is remotely located from the machine;

(c) operating the first computer in a verification process using the identifying information in the first request message communicated in step (b);

(d) communicating from the first computer to the machine, a response message based on a result of the verification process;

(e) operating the machine to conduct at least a portion of a transaction, responsive to the machine receiving the response message communicated in step (d);

(f) communicating from the machine to a second computer, a second request message including identifying information corresponding to identifying data received in step (a), wherein the communication is independent of the communication in step (b), wherein the second computer is remotely located from the machine, wherein the second computer differs from the first computer;

(g) operating the second computer in determining a response to the second request message, wherein a response is determined based on the identifying information in the second request message communicated in step (f);

(h) communicating from the second computer to the machine, a response message corresponding to the response determined in step (g); and

(i) operating the machine to present at least one output with the at least one output device, responsive to the machine receiving the response message communicated in step (h).

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the machine includes at least one card reader, wherein step (a) includes reading the at least one identifying data from a user card.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein step (a) includes operating the at least one card reader to read the at least one identifying data from a magnetic stripe.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the identifying information in step (b) and the identifying information in step (f) both correspond to the same identifying data read from the magnetic stripe.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the machine comprises an automated teller machine (ATM), wherein the ATM includes a card reader device, wherein step (a) includes operating the card reader device to read magnetic stripe data from a user card.

6. The method according to claim 1

wherein in step (a) the identifying information comprises an account number, wherein step (a) includes reading an account number from a user card;

wherein the first computer comprises a transaction host, wherein step (b) includes sending the account number to the transaction host;

wherein step (c) includes using the account number in the verification process to determine a user authorization status;

wherein step (d) includes notifying the machine of the status;

wherein step (e) includes operating the machine responsive to the status;

wherein the second computer comprises a marketing computer, wherein step (f) includes sending the account number to the marketing computer;

wherein step (g) includes operating the marketing computer to determine a next marketing presentation based on the account number;

wherein step (g) includes notifying the machine of the marketing presentation to be displayed to the user;

wherein step (h) includes operating the machine to display the marketing presentation.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the marketing computer comprises a marketing server, wherein the machine comprises an automated teller machine (ATM), wherein the marketing server is operative to communicate with a plurality of ATMs.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the is marketing server and the transaction host are operative to communicate with common ATMs.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) includes operating the machine to communicate with the first computer independent of communication with the second computer;

wherein step (f) includes operating the machine to communicate with the second computer independent of communication with the first computer.

10. Computer readable media bearing computer executable instructions which are operative to cause at least one computer to carry out the method steps recited in claim 1.

11. A method comprising:

in a system including an automated transaction machine, a first computer, and a second computer, wherein the machine is operative to communicate with the first computer independently of the second computer, wherein the machine is operative to communicate with the second computer independently of the first computer, wherein the first computer is remotely located from the machine, wherein the second computer is remotely located from the machine, wherein the second computer differs from the first computer, wherein the machine includes at least one computer, wherein the machine includes at least one cash dispenser operative to dispense cash, wherein the machine includes at least one input device, wherein at least one input device comprises a card reader, wherein the machine includes at least one output device operative to present at least one output;

(a) conducting at least a portion of a transaction through operation of the machine, wherein the transaction includes presenting at least one output with the at least one output device;

(b) receiving with the at least one input device at least one input from a user of the machine, wherein the receiving occurs during at least a portion of step (a);

(c) communicating information corresponding to data received from a user card in step (b) from the machine to the first computer, wherein the communication occurs during at least a portion of step (a);

(d) operating the first computer to cause a user authorization process to be carried out with the information communicated in step (c);

(e) communicating a message from the first computer to the machine, wherein the communication occurs during at least a portion of step (a), wherein the message is based on a result of the user authorization process;

(f) communicating information corresponding to data received in step (b) from the machine to the second computer, wherein the communication occurs during at least a portion of step (a);

(g) communicating a response message from the second computer to the machine, wherein the communication occurs during at least a portion of step (a), wherein the response message is based on the information communicated in step (f); and

(h) presenting at least one output with the at least one output device during at least a portion of step (a) responsive to the response message communicated in step (g).

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein step (b) includes receiving an input of magnetic stripe data, wherein step (b) further includes operating a reader device to read the magnetic stripe data,

wherein the first computer comprises a financial transaction computer, wherein step (c) includes sending magnetic stripe data read in step (b) to the financial transaction computer;

wherein the second computer comprises a marketing computer, wherein step (f) includes sending magnetic stripe data read in step (b) to the marketing computer.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the machine comprises an automated teller machine (ATM), wherein the ATM includes a card reader device, wherein step (b) includes operating the card reader device to read the magnetic stripe data.

14. Computer readable media bearing computer executable instructions which are operative to cause at least one computer to carry out the method steps recited in claim 11.

15. A system including:

an automated transaction machine,

wherein the machine includes at least one computer,

wherein the machine includes at least one cash dispenser operative to dispense cash,

wherein the machine includes at least one input device,

wherein at least one input device comprises at least one card reader,

wherein the machine includes at least one output device operative to present at least one output,

a first computer remotely located from the machine,

a second computer remotely located from the machine,

wherein the second computer differs from the first computer,

wherein the machine is operative to communicate with the first computer and the second computer,

wherein the machine is operative to communicate with the first computer independent of the second computer,

wherein the machine is operative to communicate with the second computer independent of the first computer,

wherein the machine is operative during a transaction to cause;

operation of the at least one output device to present at least one output,

operation of the at least one card reader to read data from a user card,

communication of first information corresponding to data read with the at least one card reader, to the first computer,

communication of second information corresponding to data received with the at least one input device, to the second computer;

wherein the first computer is operative during the transaction to cause;

carrying out of a user authorization process with the first information,

communication of a message based on a result of the user authorization process, to the machine;

wherein the second computer is operative during the transaction to cause;

communication of a response message based on the second information, to the machine;

wherein during the transaction, the machine is further operative to present at least one output with the at least one output device responsive to receiving the response message.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the first computer comprises a financial transaction computer, wherein the second computer comprises a marketing computer, wherein the at least one output device includes a display device, wherein the marketing computer determines at least one marketing presentation output to be presented with the display device.

17. The system according to claim 15 wherein the at least one card reader includes at least one magnetic stripe card reader, wherein the first information corresponds to data read from a magnetic stripe of a user card.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein the second information corresponds to data read from the magnetic stripe of the user card.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the first information and the second information both correspond to the same data read from the magnetic stripe.

20. The system according to claim 17 wherein the machine comprises an automated teller machine (ATM), wherein the ATM includes a magnetic stripe card reader, wherein the magnetic stripe card reader is operative to read magnetic stripe data from a user card.