Automated banking system for dispensing money orders, wire transfer and bill payment

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for conducting transactions through a financial network using a document such as a check or money order at an unattended automated machine. For security purposes a signature detector detects the signature and the user uses a card to operate the machine. A reader reads the amount on the document; and, for a check, the LAR and CAR amounts are compared. If the document is a money order, the user may be prompted to endorse the money order if the signature detector fails to detect a signature. A card writer writes an amount on the card related to the amount of the transaction being done and a calculator calculates the amount to be written on the card and subtracts a user's service charge. A bill may be paid and a receipt generator will provide a receipt preferably showing payment of the bill and the service charge. If the check or money order is for an amount greater than the bill and service charge amounts, the card writer may write the difference on the card. A portion of the check or money order may also be deposited in the user's account. A cash acceptor in the machine accepts cash and a cash dispenser may dispense cash.

1 . An unattended banking machine for performing a number of banking and other transactions by a user, the unattended banking machine comprising:
 a cash acceptor for accepting cash from a user and for totaling an amount of cash received;   a cash dispenser for dispensing cash to a user;   a user interface and display operable by the user to select transactions, enter commands, and to receive information from the unattended banking machine;   a card acceptor for receiving and verifying a qualified user's card;   a receipt generator for generating receipts for the user including a total of the amount of cash received;   a document cashing apparatus including a document receiver in the unattended banking machine;   a reader for reading the cash amount for a document; and   a signature verifier for examining a signature of the user on a document and for confirming if the signature is valid prior to dispensing cash to the user from the cash dispenser.   
   
   
       2 . The unattended banking machine in accordance with  claim 1  wherein a dispenser is provided in the unattended banking machine for dispensing end user items after payment by the user. 
   
   
       3 . The unattended banking machine in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the user interface and display comprise:
 a keypad operable by the user;   a display screen to display transactions to the user; and   a selector operable by the user to choose at least one transaction among several transactions available to the user.   
   
   
       4 . The unattended banking machine in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the document is a check, and the unattended banking machine further comprises:
 a reader for reading magnetic ink character recognition data of a bank on the check; and   a communication network for connection through a network to the bank identified on the check.   
   
   
       5 . The unattended machine in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the document is a money order, and the signature verifier includes a reader for reading a cursive signature on a back of a money order. 
   
   
       6 . The unattended banking machine in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the unattended banking machine is configured to pay a bill by the user, the unattended banking machine further comprising:
 a communication network for communicating to a bill issuer's bank account that a payment is being made by the user; and   a receipt generator for generating a receipt of a paid bill to the user.   
   
   
       7 . The unattended banking machine in accordance with  claim 1  wherein
 money order blanks are stored in the attended banking machine;   signals are generated by the user at the user's interface and display to cause a printer to print an amount on a money order blank to form a money order; and   the unattended banking machine further comprises a dispenser for dispensing the money order to the user.   
   
   
       8 . An automated banking system for receiving payment from a user and for transfer of funds to a transferee in a network, the automated banking system comprising:
 an automated machine having a card reader for a card having an intelligence associated therewith and which identifies the user as being qualified to use the network;   a payment acceptor for accepting payment by the user for a transfer;   a verifier to verify the transferee in the network;   a document receiver for accepting at least one document and for permitting the user to execute at least one transaction; and   a communication system for transfer through the network to at least one of a verified transferee's identification, a transferee's account or any combination thereof.   
   
   
       9 . The automated banking system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein the payment acceptor is a cash acceptor, the at least one document is a bill document and the transaction is a bill payment. 
   
   
       10 . The automated banking system in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the cash acceptor comprises a cash receiver for receiving and totaling cash received. 
   
   
       11 . The automated banking system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein the card reader comprises a card receiver for receiving a card for payment for a transfer and a device for reading the card and for causing a debit to the card related to funds being transferred. 
   
   
       12 . An automated banking system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein the card reader comprises a credit card receiver which reads a credit card and performs a charge transaction over a credit card network for an amount related to funds being transferred. 
   
   
       13 . The automated banking system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein the card reader comprises a smart card receiver and a debit system that reads the card to ascertain if an amount on the card is sufficient for payment of the funds being transferred, and writes to the card a new amount related to an amount of funds being transferred, the new amount having a new value after at least one deduction being made. 
   
   
       14 . The automated banking system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein the card is at least one of, a credit card, a debit card, a smart card or any combination thereof. 
   
   
       15 . The automated banking system in accordance with  claim 8  further comprising:
 a printer for printing a receipt for a sender of the transfer; and   a transactional record system for making and keeping a record of the transfer.   
   
   
       16 . The banking system in accordance with  claim 8  further comprising:
 an input device operable by a sender for connecting to a withdrawal account of the sender to withdraw therefrom an amount sufficient to pay the transfer.   
   
   
       17 . The banking system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein a display displays to the user a method of payment from at least one of, cash, credit card, smart card, account withdrawal or any combination thereof; and further comprising:
 a selector operable by the user to select one of the methods of payment for the transfer.   
   
   
       18 . A method of providing an automated banking system having an unattended banking machine with capability of transfer of funds from a user to a transferee by a network, the method comprising:
 providing a card reader for a card having intelligence associated therewith and which identifies the user as being qualified to use the unattended banking machine and network;   inputting at least one of (a) an identification of a bank through which the transfer is to be made, (b) an account number of the transferee or any combination thereof;   entering an amount to be transferred to the transferee;   permitting the user to execute at least one transaction by accepting at least one document in a document receiver;   providing the unattended banking machine with a method of payment from at least one of, cash, credit card, smart card, account withdrawal or any combination thereof, for the transfer;   communicating for transfer through the network to at least one of, a verified transferee's identification, a transferee's account or any combination thereof; and   verifying the funds as being sufficient to cover a transferred amount and a transaction fee therefor.   
   
   
       19 . The method in accordance with  claim 18  wherein the at least one document is a bill document, the transaction is a bill payment and the method further comprises:
 depositing funds for the transfer; and   counting the funds received in the unattended banking machine.   
   
   
       20 . The method in accordance with  claim 18  further comprising:
 selecting payment for the transfer from a card; and   reading the card and causing a debit to the card related to the amount of funds being transferred to the transferee.   
   
   
       21 . A method in accordance with  claim 18  wherein the card comprises a credit card, and the method further comprising:
 communicating, over a credit card network, an amount of the funds being transferred and a transactional fee which are to be charged to the user's credit card.   
   
   
       22 . The method in accordance with  claim 20  wherein the transaction is being made with a smart card, and the method further comprising:
 reading the smart card to ascertain if an amount on the smart card is sufficient for the transaction including the funds being transferred;   writing to the smart card a new balance after the transfer; and   returning the smart card to the user.   
   
   
       23 . A method in accordance with  claim 18  further comprising:
 printing a receipt for a transactional cost of the transfer;   providing the receipt to the user; and   recording a transaction record of the transfer.   
   
   
       24 . The method in accordance with  claim 18  further comprising:
 selecting payment from an account of the user; and   connecting via a communication network to a bank of the user, to withdraw from the user's account an amount sufficient to pay for the transfer transaction.   
   
   
       25 . The method in accordance with  claim 18  further comprising:
 providing a display to the user requesting a selection for a method of payment from at least one of, cash, a credit card, a smart card, a debit card, withdrawal from the user's account or any combination thereof; and   the user selects one of the methods of payment for the transfer.   
   
   
       26 . The automated banking system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an input device to enter an amount to be transferred to another; and   a keypad to enter an identity of the transferee's account.   
   
   
       27 . The automated banking system in accordance with  claim 8  wherein the network is a banking network. 
   
   
       28 . The method in accordance with  claim 18  wherein the network is a banking network.