Banking apparatus controlled responsive to data bearing records

• US 8,336,767 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2011
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Graef, H. Thomas, Blackford, Damon J., Ryan, Mike R., Beskitt, William D., VanKirk, Thomas A., Stone, Stephen, Peters, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US13/135,663
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 705 39- 45
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/235 for monitoring or indicating operating conditions; for detecting malfunctions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs

Abstract

A banking system is controlled responsive to data read from data bearing records. The banking system includes an automated banking machine. The machine is operable to carry out a financial transaction for a person responsive to a determination that the person is an authorized user of the machine based on correspondence between identifying data read by a reader of the machine and data store information. The machine includes a check acceptor that is operative to receive checks from authorized machine users. The check acceptor is operable to continuously move a received check along its transport path while simultaneously rotationally orienting the check into alignment with the transport path. A check determined not to have at least one property of an acceptable check is returned to the machine user. Acceptable checks are processed and stored in the machine.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a banking system operable to cause financial transfers responsive at least in part to data read from data bearing records,

wherein the banking system includes an automated banking machine,

wherein the machine includes at least one input device comprising at least one reader,

wherein the at least one reader is operable to read user data,

 

wherein the machine is operable to carry out a transaction on a financial account for a machine user, based at least in part on

 

user data read by the at least one reader corresponding to the financial account, and

 

the machine user being recognized as an authorized user of the machine,

wherein the machine includes at least one output device comprising at least one display,

wherein the machine includes a document acceptor,

wherein the document acceptor includes an inlet opening, a transport path, and a document storage area,

 

wherein the inlet opening is sized to receive documents therethrough,

 

wherein the document storage area is sized to store documents therein,

 

wherein the transport path extends in the document acceptor along a first direction between the inlet opening and the document storage area,

 

wherein the transport path includes a document alignment area,

 

wherein the document alignment area includes at least one alignment member operable to align respective documents,

 

wherein the at least one alignment member is operable to engage and move a document in the document alignment area,

 

wherein the at least one alignment member is operable to simultaneously move the entire document both in the first direction and in a second direction which is transverse to the first direction,

 

wherein the document alignment area includes at least one sensor,

 

wherein the at least one sensor is operable to sense the document in the document alignment area,

 

wherein the at least one sensor is operable to sense the document while the document is being moved by the at least one alignment member,

 

wherein the at least one sensor is operable to emit signals corresponding to sensed positions of the document in the document alignment area,

wherein the banking system includes at least one computer associated with the machine,

wherein the at least one computer is in operative connection with the at least one input device, the at least one output device, the at least one sensor, and the at least one alignment member,

wherein the at least one computer is operable responsive at least in part to signals emitted by the at least one sensor, to cause the at least one alignment member to simultaneously move the document in both the first direction and the second direction.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1

wherein the machine includes a cash dispenser,

wherein the at least one reader includes at least one of a card reader and a biometric reader,

wherein the at least one computer is operative during a user transaction session with the machine to

cause user data read by the at least one of a card reader and a biometric reader, to be compared with account information stored in at least one data store,

wherein the at least one computer is operative to authorize the machine user to carry out a financial transaction involving the cash dispenser responsive at least in part to computer-determined correspondence between the read user data and the account information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2

wherein the at least one reader includes both a card reader and a biometric reader,

wherein the at least one computer is operative during a user transaction session with the machine to

cause card data to be read from a card through operation of the card reader, and

cause biometric data to be read through operation of the biometric reader,

wherein the at least one computer is operable to cause the read card data to be compared to the read biometric data,

wherein the at least one computer is operable to authorize the machine user to carry out a cash withdrawal transaction responsive at least in part to the read card data corresponding to the read biometric data.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1

wherein the at least one alignment member includes a first rotatable drive ball that is operative to engagingly move a document responsive at least in part to at least one sensing of the document by the at least one sensor,

wherein the first rotatable drive ball is operative to impart to the document, different drives in an angular range which extends from parallel to the first direction to perpendicular to the first direction,

wherein the at least one alignment member includes a first rotatable idler ball,

wherein the first rotatable drive ball and the first rotatable idler ball are adjacently positioned in an opposed relation along a first common axis, which allows a document to be moved there between while being engaged by both the first rotatable drive ball and the first rotatable idler ball,

wherein the at least one alignment member includes a second rotatable drive ball that is operative to engagingly move a document responsive at least in part to at least one sensing of the document by the at least one sensor,

wherein the second rotatable drive ball is operative to impart to the document, different drives in an angular range which extends from parallel to the first direction to perpendicular to the first direction,

wherein the at least one alignment member includes a second rotatable idler ball,

wherein the second rotatable drive ball and the second rotatable idler ball are adjacently positioned in an opposed relation along a second common axis, which allows a document to be moved there between while being engaged by both the second rotatable drive ball and the second rotatable idler ball.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4

wherein the at least one computer is operable to simultaneously operate the first rotatable drive ball and the second rotatable drive ball to cause the document to be simultaneously moved in both the first and second directions.

6. Apparatus comprising:

an automated banking machine document acceptor usable in an automated banking machine that is operable to carry out a transaction involving a financial account responsive at least in part to computer-determined correspondence between the financial account and machine user data read by at least one reader of the machine,

wherein the document acceptor is configured to operate in the machine to accept documents provided to the machine,

wherein the document acceptor includes a document inlet opening, a document transport path, and a document storage area,

wherein the document transport path extends in a transport path direction between the document inlet opening and the document storage area,

wherein the transport path includes a document alignment area,

wherein the document alignment area includes a plurality of document alignment sensors,

 

wherein the document alignment sensors are operable to sense positions of a document in the document alignment area,

wherein the document alignment area includes a first document alignment member,

 

wherein the first document alignment member is operative to impart movement to a document, responsive at least in part to at least one sensing of the document by the document alignment sensors,

 

wherein the first document alignment member includes a first drive ball and a first idler ball,

 

wherein the first drive ball and the first idler ball are aligned together on a first common axis,

 

wherein the first drive ball and the first idler ball are adjacently positioned in an opposed relation along the first common axis, which allows a document to be moved there between while being engaged by both the first drive ball and the first idler ball,

wherein the document alignment area includes a second document alignment member,

 

wherein the second document alignment member is operative to impart movement to the document, responsive at least in part to at least one sensing of the document by the document alignment sensors,

 

wherein the second document alignment member includes a second drive ball and a second idler ball,

 

wherein the second drive ball and the second idler ball are aligned together on a second common axis,

 

wherein the second drive ball and the second idler ball are adjacently positioned in an opposed relation along the second common axis, which allows the document to be moved there between while being engaged by both the second drive ball and the second idler ball,

wherein the first document alignment member and the second document alignment member are simultaneously operable during aligning of the document, to cause the document to be moved in a dual direction which is angular relative to the transport path direction,

 

wherein movement of the document in the dual direction causes the document to be simultaneously moved both

 

along the transport path, and

 

away from the transport path.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 and further comprising an automated banking machine, wherein the automated banking machine includes the document acceptor,

wherein the machine is associated with at least one computer,

wherein the machine includes a cash dispenser,

wherein the machine includes at least one reader which comprises both

a card reader, and

a biometric reader,

wherein the at least one computer is operative during a user transaction session with the machine to

cause card data to be read from a card through operation of the card reader, and then cause the read card data to be compared with card information stored in at least one data store, and

cause biometric data to be read through operation of the biometric reader, and then cause the read biometric data to be compared with biometric information in the at least one data store,

wherein the machine is operable to allow a user of the machine to carry out a financial transaction involving the cash dispenser responsive at least in part to both

computer-determined correspondence between the read card data and stored card information, and

computer-determined correspondence between the read biometric data and stored biometric information,

wherein the machine is operative to cause at least one message including read card data and read biometric data, to be sent to a transaction host remotely located from the machine,

wherein the machine is operable to allow a user of the machine to carry out a financial transaction involving the cash dispenser responsive at least in part on receiving a transaction authorization from the transaction host,

wherein the transaction authorization is based at least in part on computer-determined correspondence between the sent card data and the sent biometric data.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6

wherein at least one of the first drive ball and the first idler ball comprises an outer surface that includes resilient material,

wherein at least one of the second drive ball and the second idler ball comprises an outer surface that includes resilient material.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6

wherein the document acceptor includes a first motor,

wherein the first motor is operative to simultaneously drive both the first drive ball and the second drive ball.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9

wherein the first motor is operative to simultaneously drive both the first drive ball and the second drive ball in a same direction,

wherein the document acceptor includes a second motor and a third motor,

wherein the second motor is operative to separately drive the first drive ball in a perpendicular direction that is perpendicular to the same direction,

wherein the third motor is operative to separately drive the second drive ball in a direction that is reverse to the perpendicular direction.

11. Apparatus comprising:

an automated banking machine document acceptor,

wherein the document acceptor includes a document inlet opening,

wherein the document inlet opening is sized to receive documents therethrough,

wherein the document acceptor includes a document transport path,

wherein the document transport path extends away from the document inlet opening in a first direction,

wherein the document transport path includes a document alignment area,

wherein the document alignment area includes at least one sensor,

 

wherein the at least one sensor is operable to sense a document in the document alignment area,

wherein the document alignment area includes at least one document aligner,

 

wherein the at least one document aligner is operable to move the document responsive at least in part to at least one sensing of the document by the at least one sensor,

 

wherein the at least one document aligner is operable to move the document along the document transport path,

 

wherein the at least one document aligner is operable to move the document parallel to the first direction,

 

wherein the at least one document aligner is operable to move the document into alignment with the document transport path,

 

wherein the at least one document aligner is operable to move the document perpendicular to the first direction,

 

wherein the at least one document aligner is operable to simultaneously both move the document along the document transport path and move the document into alignment with the document transport path,

 

wherein the at least one document aligner is operable while simultaneously both moving the document along the document transport path and moving the document into alignment with the document transport path, to cause the document to be moved in a direction that is simultaneously moved both non parallel to the first direction and non perpendicular to the first direction.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 and further comprising an automated banking machine, wherein the automated banking machine includes the document acceptor,

wherein the machine is associated with at least one computer,

wherein the machine includes a cash dispenser,

wherein the machine includes at least one reader which comprises both

a card reader, and

a biometric reader,

wherein the at least one computer is operative during a user transaction session with the machine to

cause card data to be read from a card through operation of the card reader, and then cause the read card data to be compared with card information stored in at least one data store, and

cause biometric data to be read through operation of the biometric reader, and then cause the read biometric data to be compared with biometric information in the at least one data store,

wherein the machine is operable to allow a user of the machine to carry out a financial transaction involving the cash dispenser responsive at least in part to both

computer-determined correspondence between the read card data and stored card information, and

computer-determined correspondence between the read biometric data and stored biometric information.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12

wherein the machine is operative to cause at least one message including read card data and read biometric data, to be sent to a transaction host remotely located from the machine,

wherein the machine is operable to allow a user of the machine to carry out a financial transaction involving the cash dispenser responsive at least in part on receiving a transaction authorization from the transaction host,

wherein the transaction authorization is based at least in part on computer-determined correspondence between the sent card data and the sent biometric data.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the document acceptor comprises a check acceptor, and wherein the at least one document aligner is operable to simultaneously align a check relative to the document transport path while the check is being moved along the document transport path in the first direction.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11

wherein the at least one document aligner includes a first document aligner,

wherein the first document aligner includes a first rotatable drive ball that is operative to engagingly move a document responsive at least in part to at least one sensing of the document by the at least one sensor,

wherein the first rotatable drive ball is operative to impart to the document, different drives in an angular range which extends from parallel to the first direction to perpendicular to the first direction,

wherein the at least one document aligner includes a second document aligner,

wherein the second document aligner includes a second rotatable drive ball that is operative to engagingly move a document responsive at least in part to at least one sensing of the document by the at least one sensor,

wherein the second rotatable drive ball is operative to impart to the document, different drives in an angular range which extends from parallel to the first direction to perpendicular to the first direction.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15

wherein the first document aligner includes a first rotatable idler ball,

wherein the first rotatable drive ball and the first rotatable idler ball are aligned together on a first common axis,

wherein the first rotatable drive ball and the first rotatable idler ball are adjacently positioned in an opposed relation along the first common axis, which allows the document to be moved there between while being engaged by both the first rotatable drive ball and the first rotatable idler ball,

wherein the second document aligner includes a second rotatable idler ball,

wherein the second rotatable drive ball and the second rotatable idler ball are aligned together on a second common axis,

wherein the second rotatable drive ball and the second rotatable idler ball are adjacently positioned in an opposed relation along the second common axis, which allows the document to be moved there between while being engaged by both the second rotatable drive ball and the second rotatable idler ball.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the first rotatable drive ball and the second rotatable drive ball are both operable to simultaneously impart drive to the document at a same angle in the angular range, wherein the simultaneously imparting of the drive causes the document to be moved without rotation.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17

wherein the first rotatable drive ball is operable to simultaneously impart drive to the document at a first angle in the angular range while the second rotatable drive ball is operable to impart drive to the document at a second angle in the angular range, and wherein the simultaneously imparting of drives at different angles causes the document to be rotated.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the first rotatable drive ball is operable to simultaneously impart drive to the document at a first angle in the angular range while the second rotatable drive ball is operable to impart drive to the document at a second angle in the angular range, and wherein the simultaneously imparting of drives at different angles causes the document to be rotated.

20. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the document acceptor includes a document storage area, wherein the document storage area is sized to store documents therein, and wherein the document transport path extends in the first direction between the document inlet opening and the document storage area.