METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR EXCHANGING AND/OR TRANSFERRING VARIOUS FORMS OF VALUE

• US 20100100481A1
• Filed: 12/28/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coinstar Asset Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Coinstar Incorporated (Outerwall Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Kerry, Martin, Douglas A., Doran, Michael, Dean, Scott A., Jacobson, Jessaca, Hanson, Kim P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,586 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 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 20/381 Currency conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 1/02 giving change coin-actuated mechanisms in general G07F
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/0087 Banknote changing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 5/00 Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of coins, e.g. for segregating coins which are unacceptable or alien to a currency
• 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 19/202 Depositing operations within ATMs depositing in general G07D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/203 Dispensing operations within ATMs dispensing in general G07D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/204 Loading of a stored value token using an ATM
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/24 with change-giving
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/08 Counting total of coins inserted

Abstract

Methods and systems for exchanging various forms of value, including coins, currency, credit, debit, and/or bank account funds, for prepaid cash cards, credit cards, phone cards, and the like. In one embodiment, a value exchange machine includes a coin input region, a coin sorting/counting apparatus, a card reader, and a communications facility configured to communicate with a remote computer network. In another embodiment, a value exchange system includes one or more of the value exchange machines connected to one or more remote computers via a communications link. A user wishing to purchase, for example, a prepaid cash card can visit one of the value exchange machines, select the desired transaction, and pay for the card with coins, currency, a credit card, a debit card, and/or bank account funds. After confirming payment, the value exchange machine dispenses the card to the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing a prepaid card to a user, the method comprising:

providing a value exchange machine having a card reader, a communications facility, and a card dispenser;

displaying at least first and second transaction options to the user with the value exchange machine, wherein the first transaction option corresponds to purchasing the prepaid card with a card, and wherein the second transaction option corresponds to purchasing the prepaid card with at least one of cash, coins, and bank account funds;

receiving at least a first transaction selection from the user corresponding to the first transaction option;

reading information from a card submitted to the card reader by the user, the card being submitted for at least partial payment for the prepaid card;

communicating with at least one remote computer via the communications facility to receive authorization to charge an account associated with the card submitted by the user to at least partially pay for the prepaid card; and

issuing the prepaid card to the user from the card dispenser upon receiving the authorization from the remote computer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating with at least one remote computer to receive authorization includes receiving a first portion of payment for the prepaid card, and wherein the method further comprises receiving a second portion of payment from the user for the prepaid card, the second portion of payment including a plurality of coins.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating with at least one remote computer to receive authorization includes receiving a first portion of payment for the prepaid card, and wherein the method further comprises receiving a second portion of payment from the user for the prepaid card, the second portion of payment including a plurality of nonsequentially received randomly oriented coins of at least two different denominations.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating with at least one remote computer to receive authorization includes receiving a first portion of payment for the prepaid card, and wherein the method further comprises receiving a second portion of payment from the user for the prepaid card, the second portion of payment including one or more pieces of paper currency.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an input from the user defining a value for the prepaid card.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first input from the user defining a value debited or charged to the account of the user for at least partial payment for the prepaid card, wherein the prepaid card issued to the user has a card value related to the value debited or charged to the account of the user; and

receiving a second input from the user, the second input being related to at least one of identification of the account and access to the account of the user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein reading information from the card submitted by the user includes reading information from at least one of a wallet-sized credit card, debit card, phone card, and smart card.

8. A method for adding value to a first card, the method comprising:

providing a value exchange machine having a card reader, a communications facility, and a card writer, wherein the card reader is configured to read information from cards submitted by the user, wherein the communications facility is configured to communicate with one or more remote computers to receive authorization to debit accounts to pay for values added to cards, and wherein the card writer is configured to write information to cards submitted by the user;

displaying at least first and second transaction options to the user with the value exchange machine, wherein the first transaction option corresponds to adding value to the first card with a second card, and wherein the second transaction option corresponds to adding value to the first card with at least one of cash, coins, and bank account funds;

receiving at least a first transaction selection from the user corresponding to the first transaction option;

reading information from the second card when the second card is submitted to the card reader by the user to add value to the first card;

communicating with at least one remote computer via the communications facility to receive authorization to debit an account associated the second card to pay for the value added to the first card; and

writing value information to the first card with the card writer when the first card is submitted to the card writer by the user, the value information being at least partially related to the value debited from the account.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first card includes an integrated circuit chip having a memory, and wherein writing value information to the first card with the card writer includes storing information in the memory of the integrated circuit chip.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the first card is a prepaid credit card having an initial value prior to being submitted to the card writer by the user, and wherein writing value information to the first card with the card writer includes increasing the value of the prepaid credit card.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the first card is a prepaid phone card having an initial value prior to being submitted to the card writer by the user, and wherein writing value information to the first card with the card writer includes increasing the value of the prepaid phone card.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying at least a portion of the information read from the second card to the user with the value exchange machine.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an input from the user defining a value to be transferred to the first card, wherein writing value information to the first card includes transferring the defined value to the first card.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein reading information from the second card and writing value information to the first card at least partially defines a transaction, and wherein the method further comprises issuing a record of the transaction to the user with the value exchange machine.