Automated transaction machine

• US 8,118,222 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Transaction Holdings Ltd LLC
• Original Assignee: Transaction Holdings Ltd LLC
• Inventors: Barcelou, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US12/951,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20110065498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/375, 235/380, 235/382, 235/382.5, 235/492, 235/493, 235/486, 463/1, 463/20, 463/25, 463/42, 463/10, 463/11, 463/48
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/206 Software aspects at ATMs

Abstract

An automated retail terminal in which a plurality of goods and/or services are provided in an integrated system. The integrated system generally avoids duplicating hardware or functions in the course of delivering the goods or services offered, so for example in a combination ATM and Internet kiosk the same credit card or smart card reader is used for both the ATM and the Internet kiosk functions, the same control screen activates the ATM functions and the Internet functions, and etc.

Claims

1. A device for purchasing a game of skill service from a bank, a financial institution, a retail goods and services provider, or a league or tournament provider, the device comprising:

a play station;

a play control for providing computerized functions in communication with the play station;

one or more video displays in electronic connection with the play station;

one or more audio speakers in electronic connection with the play station or the video displays;

one or more digital video disks or hard disks in electronic connection with the play station;

one or more network connections in communication with the play station or the video displays;

one or more Internet connections to data banks in communication with the play station;

one or more currency acceptors or disbursers in electronic connection with the play station;

a play control for use by a player to access, solicit, and initiate play of a game of skill for a cash prize against at least one opponent, after payment of an entry fee to an administrator of a league or tournament provider, a bank, financial institution, or a retail goods and services provider; and

a computerized control in communication with the play station to automatically determine a winner of the game of skill and to immediately communicate a cash prize to the winner, the computerized control configured to disburse the cash prize to the winner through the currency acceptors or disbursers;

wherein the play station is configured to automatically accept payment of an entry fee, govern play of the game of skill, and direct the cash prize to the winner.

2. The device of claim 1, the currency acceptors or disbursers accepting as the entry fee a payment via currency, cash, bills, encodable currency, digital cash, digital coins, electronic cash, electronic coins, encodable credit, removable media encoded currency, a smart card, a credit card, a debit card, a stored value card, a phone card, a telephone service, a wireless phone card, a wireless phone service, an identification card, a radio identification card, an electronic check, an online financial service, an online payment service, an online brokerage service, an online credit service, an online loan service, an online subscription service, an online coupon service, or an online advertising service.

3. The device of claim 1, the currency acceptors or disbursers accepting a payment via an online subscription service as the entry fee.

4. The device of claim 1, the computerized control directing a winnings disbursement to the winner through use of currency, cash, bills, encodable currency, digital cash, digital coins, electronic cash, electronic coins, encodable credit, removable media encoded currency, a smart card, a credit card, a debit card, a stored value card, a phone card, a telephone service, a wireless phone card, a wireless phone service, an identification card, a radio identification card, an electronic check service, an online financial service, an online brokerage service, an online credit service, a remote credit location service, an online loan service, an online subscription service, an online coupon service, an online advertising service, or an online banking service.

5. The device of claim 1, the computerized control directing a winnings disbursement to the winner through use of an online payment service.

6. The device of claim 1, the play control being configured both to receive game commands and, independent of the game of skill, to facilitate the purchase of a retail good or service.

7. The device of claim 6, the currency acceptors or disbursers comprising a magnetic stripe card reader and encoder, a smart card reader and encoder, a combined magnetic stripe and smart card reader and encoder, a combined debit card or credit card reader and encoder, a bill acceptor and dispenser, a bar code reader, a radio identification card reader and encoder, or a sensor.

8. The device of claim 6, the currency acceptors or disbursers comprising a magnetic stripe card reader and encoder in electronic connection with the play station, and the device further comprising a computerized and mechanized device to steer a car ride in combination with a real time video broadcasting connection between or among players in communication with each other over a network in electronic connection with the play station.

9. The device of claim 1, providing via the play station a direct or remote retail purchase of a video game of skill service, an electro-mechanical game of skill service, playing a computerized opponent game of skill service, a user service, a user identification service, a geographic identification service, a systems settings service, a photographic service, a music service, a jukebox service, a video service, a motion picture service, a chat service, a print service, a security service, a remote play service, a television service, a rental service, a user identification service, a search service, a wireless audio service, a sports service, an entertainment service, a ticket service, a telephone service, a smart phone service, a wireless telephone service, an Internet service, an Intranet service, a network service, an electronic mail service, a credit card or debit card service, a stored value card service, a gift card service, a smart card service, a banking service, an automotive service, a wireless service, a financial service, a credit service, an encryption service, a payment service, an online video game access service, a computer service, a subscription service, or a software service.

10. The device of claim 1, providing a direct or remote retail purchase via the play station of introduction services, audio services, news services, transportation services, utility services, physician services, school services, building services, directory services, home services, military services, personal services, employment services, recreational services, travelers/check services, kids services, brokerage services, government services, library services, catalog services, diagnostic services, database services, barter services, engineering services, pharmacy services, detective services, church services, loan services, training services, buying services, recruitment services, accounting services, food services, radio services, insurance services, health care services, remote access services, advertising services, programming services, beverage services, freight services, beauty services, tax services, leasing services, medical services, emergency services, publishing services, counseling services, satellite services, screening services, real estate services, information services, lottery services, reservation services, adult services, referral services, repair services, legal services, consulting services, maintenance services, moving services, trade show services, design services, lodging services, fast food services, automated services, recording services, clothing services, or human services.

11. The device of claim 1, the computerized control being connected by a network to a second play station playable by the opponent in the game of skill, wherein the network is a local area network using TCP/IP support protocol, a wide area network using TCP/IP support protocol, an Intranet using TCP/IP support protocol, the Internet using TCP/IP support protocol.

12. The device of claim 1, the computerized control being networked, using TCP/IP support protocol, to one or more BANKS or client/server networks.

13. The device of claim 1, the computerized control being networked using the Remote Procedure Call model enabling multi-vendor interoperable distributed applications, the play station network being coordinated according to the RPC service using TCP/IP support protocol.

14. The device of claim 1, the computerized control using TCP/IP support protocol, smart card encoding and decoding, database, directory, currency transfer, alternative error recovery, and security systems.

15. The device of claim 1, the computerized control being in proximity to and in electronic connection with an automated teller machine, and being connected via a network to a second play station playable by the opponent in the game of skill, wherein the network is an automated teller machine network using TCP/IP support protocol via an Internet interface to the play station.