Cash dispensing automated banking machine system and method

• US 7,883,007 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Crews, Tim, Enright, Jeffery M., Ramachandran, Natarajan
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US12/384,479
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/381, 705 39- 45
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• 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 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• 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

Automated transaction machines operate responsive to data read from data bearing records to carry out financial transfers, which can include the dispense of currency notes and the conduct of transactions. In some cases a user is enabled to dispense merchandise from a self-service dispensing machine and is also enabled to selectively receive cash value by charging the amount of such value to a source of monetary value associated with data read from a machine readable article such as a card (80, 82). Alternatively, a user may receive cash value by presenting a printed voucher or other item to a service provider located at a facility (14) at which the service provider exchanges the voucher or other item for cash. Alternatively, cash may be dispensed to the user directly from the self-service dispensing machine. Alternatively the user may pick up merchandise ordered through the machine at a delivery station disposed from the machine.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

an automated transaction machine that operates to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records, including;

a housing;

at least one output device,

wherein the at least one output device includes a display and an audio output device;

at least one input device in operatively supported connection with the housing,

wherein the at least one input device includes a card reader and an audio input device;

at least one computer in operative connection with the at least one output device and the at least one input device,

wherein the at least one computer includes computer executable instructions including at least a portion of each of speech recognition software, speech generation software and software operative to cause an image of a simulated person to be output through the display,

wherein the at least one computer is operative to receive a request for a transaction having an associated monetary amount through receipt of at least one verbal input received from a machine user through operation of the audio input device,

wherein the at least one verbal input is received responsive to at least one simulated speech output caused to be output through the audio output device responsive to operation of the at least one computer,

wherein the machine is configured such that the at least one simulated speech output appears to the machine user to come from the visual image of the simulated person output through the display, and

wherein the at least one computer is further operative to cause the amount to be assessed to a source of monetary value associated with a card read through operation of the card reader.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the request for the transaction includes a request for at least one merchandise item, wherein the at least one merchandise item has an associated cost, and wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause an amount corresponding to the associated cost to be assessed to the source of monetary value.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the at least one merchandise item includes at least one food item, wherein the cost is associated with the at least one food item.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the machine further comprises a cash dispenser, wherein the cash dispenser is in operative connection with the at least one computer, and wherein responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device, the at least one computer is operative to cause the cash dispenser to dispense cash from the machine having an associated dispensed cash value, wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the dispensed cash value to be assessed to the source of monetary value.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 and further comprising:

a cash acceptor in operatively supported connection with the housing, wherein the cash acceptor is operative to evaluate notes and accept valid notes in the machine;

a cash recycler in operatively supported connection with the housing and in operative connection with the cash acceptor;

wherein the cash acceptor and the cash recycler are in operative connection with the at least one computer, wherein the cash recycler includes the cash dispenser, and wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the cost associated with the at least one merchandise item to be assessed against a received cash value associated with valid notes received through the cash acceptor.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the at least one computer is operative to calculate a difference between the received cash value associated with valid notes received through the cash acceptor and the cost associated with the at least one merchandise item, and wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the cash recycler to dispense from the machine dispensed notes having a further dispensed cash value corresponding to at least a portion of the difference.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 and further comprising at least one camera, wherein the at least one camera is in operative connection with the at least one computer, and wherein the computer executable instructions operative in the at least one computer include at least a portion of face recognition software.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the card reader is operative to read card data from user cards, wherein the card data corresponds to a machine user financial account, and wherein the source of monetary value corresponds to the user financial account.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the machine further comprises a cash dispenser, and wherein the cash dispenser is in operative connection with the at least one computer, and wherein responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device, the at least one computer is operative to cause the cash dispenser to dispense cash from the machine having an associated dispensed cash value, and wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the dispensed cash value to be assessed to the source of monetary value.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein the machine further includes:

a cash acceptor in operatively supported connection with the housing, wherein the cash acceptor is operative to evaluate notes and accept valid notes in the machine, wherein the cash acceptor is in operative connection with the at least one computer,

wherein valid notes accepted through operation of the cash acceptor have an associated received cash value, and wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the received cash value to be credited toward the monetary amount.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the automated transaction machine further includes:

a cash recycler in operatively supported connection with the housing, wherein the cash recycler includes the cash acceptor.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the cash recycler further includes a cash dispenser, wherein the cash dispenser is operative to dispense valid notes previously received in the machine, to machine users,

and wherein responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device, the at least one computer is operative to cause cash to be dispensed from the machine, wherein the cash dispensed has an associated dispensed cash value, and wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the dispensed cash value to be assessed against at least one of the received cash value and the source of monetary value.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the transaction includes a request for at least one merchandise item, wherein the at least one merchandise item has an associated cost, and wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause an amount corresponding to the associated cost to be assessed to at least one of the received cash value and the source of monetary value.

14. Apparatus comprising:

an automated transaction machine that operates to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records, including;

a housing;

at least one output device, wherein the at least one output device includes a display and an audio output device;

at least one input device in operatively supported connection with the housing, wherein the at least one input device includes a card reader and at least one of a manual input device and an audio input device;

at least one computer in operative connection with the at least one output device and the at least one input device,

wherein the at least one computer includes computer executable instructions including at least a portion of speech generation software and software operative to cause an image of a simulated person to be output through the display,

wherein the at least one computer is operative to receive a request for a transaction having an associated monetary amount, through receipt of at least one input received from a machine user through the at least one input device, and

wherein the at least one input is received responsive to at least one simulated speech output caused to be output through the audio output device responsive to operation of the at least one computer,

wherein the at least one simulated speech output appears to the machine user to come from the visual image of the simulated person output through the display, and

wherein the at least one computer is further operative to cause the amount to be assessed to a source of monetary value associated with a card read through operation of the card reader.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the at least one computer further includes computer executable instructions including at least a portion of speech recognition software, and wherein the at least one input received from the machine user includes at least one verbal input received through the audio input device.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the request for the transaction includes a request for at least one merchandise item, wherein the at least one merchandise item has an associated cost, and wherein the at least computer is operative to cause an amount corresponding to the associated cost to be assessed to the source of monetary value.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the at least one merchandise item includes at least one food item, wherein the cost is associated with the at least one food item.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the machine further comprises a cash dispenser, wherein the cash dispenser is in operative connection with the at least one computer, and wherein responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device, the at least one computer is operative to cause the cash dispenser to dispense cash from the machine having an associated dispensed cash value, and wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the dispensed cash value to be assessed to the source of monetary value.

19. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the request for the transaction includes a request for at least one purchasable thing, and wherein the at least one purchasable thing has an associated cost, and wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause an amount corresponding to the associated cost to be assessed to the source of monetary value.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14 and wherein the machine further comprises a cash dispenser, wherein the cash dispenser is in operative connection with the at least one computer, and wherein responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device, the at least one computer is operative to cause the cash dispenser to dispense cash from the machine having an associated dispensed cash value, and wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause an amount corresponding to the dispensed cash value to be assessed to the source of monetary value.