Granted Patent B1

US 7,641,113 · App. 10/966,497 · Granted Jan 5, 2010

Abstract

Claims (65)

1. A method of operating a kiosk that generates revenue from financial services, the method comprising:

determining an identity of a user at a kiosk;

transmitting identity information from the kiosk, the identity information associated with a personal identification record for the user;

receiving a validation of a the personal identification record of the user by the kiosk based on a government database; and

if the personal identification record of the user of the kiosk is valid, then, determining a stored-value account related to a stored-value card for a user of the kiosk,

remotely accessing a stored cash value associated with the stored-value account by the kiosk,

performing a banking transaction using the stored-value account;

determining a service fee for the banking transaction; and

deducting the service fee from the stored-value account or a value of the banking transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the service fee comprises a flat fee.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the service fee is based on a calculation.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving personal information from a user at the kiosk; and

creating a stored-value account for the user in response to receiving the personal information, the stored value card not containing financial balance data for the stored value account.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the calculation is based on an exchange rate for a foreign currency conversion.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising dispensing the stored-value card from the kiosk.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving user instructions for the banking transaction and wherein performing the banking transaction is based on the user instructions.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising assigning the stored-value account to the stored-value card in the kiosk.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the stored-value account related to the stored-value card further comprises:

receiving the stored-value card into the kiosk; and

processing the stored-value card.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the stored-value card is compatible with a bank card association network.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the banking transaction comprises depositing a monetary amount into the stored-value account.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the banking transaction comprises withdrawing a monetary amount from the stored-value account.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the banking transaction comprises transferring a monetary amount from the stored-value account to another account.

14. A kiosk for performing financial services that generates revenue, the kiosk comprising:

a dispenser system configured to dispense a stored-value card from the kiosk;

a processor configured to:

determine an identity of a user at a kiosk;

transmit identity information from the kiosk, the identity information associated with a personal identification record for the user;

receive a validation of the personal identification record of a user of the kiosk based on a government database, and

if the personal identification record of the user of the kiosk is valid, then:

create a stored-value account for a user of the kiosk, associate the stored value card with the stored value account, perform a banking transaction using the stored-value account, determine a service fee for the banking transaction, and deduct the service fee form the stored-value account or a value of the banking transaction; and

a storage system configured to store data.

15. The kiosk of claim 14 wherein the service fee comprises a flat fee.

16. The kiosk of claim 14 wherein the service fee is based on a calculation.

17. The kiosk of claim 16 wherein the calculation comprises a percentage of the value of the banking transaction.

18. The kiosk of claim 16 wherein the calculation is based on an exchange rate for a foreign currency conversion.

19. The kiosk of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to receive user instructions for the banking transaction and perform the banking transaction based on the user instructions.

20. The kiosk of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to assign the stored-value account to the stored-value card in the kiosk.

21. The kiosk of claim 14 further comprising a card reader configured to receive the stored-value card into the kiosk and process the stored-value card.

22. The kiosk of claim 14 wherein the stored-value card is compatible with a bank card association network.

23. The kiosk of claim 14 wherein the banking transaction comprises depositing a monetary amount into the stored-value account.

24. The kiosk of claim 14 wherein the banking transaction comprises withdrawing a monetary amount from the stored-value account.

25. The kiosk of claim 14 wherein the banking transaction comprises transferring a monetary amount from the stored-value account to another account.

26. A computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon executable instructions for a processor performing a method for operating a kiosk to perform financial services, the method comprising:

receiving a stored value card and user data at the kiosk;

determining an identity of a user from the a stored value card and user data;

transmitting identity information from the kiosk, the identity information associated with a personal identification record for the user;

receiving a validation of the personal identification record of the user by the kiosk based on a government database;

determining a stored-value account related to the stored-value card for the user of the kiosk;

performing a banking transaction using the stored-value account;

determining a service fee for the banking transaction; and

deducting the service fee from the stored-value account or a value of the banking transaction.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 , wherein the service fee comprises a flat fee.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 , wherein the service fee is based on a calculation.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28 , wherein the calculation comprises a percentage of the value of the banking transaction.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28 , wherein the method further includes validating a personal identification record of a user of the kiosk based on a government database storing law enforcement data.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 , further comprising dispensing the stored-value card from the kiosk.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 , further comprising receiving user instructions for the banking transaction and perform the banking transaction based on the user instructions.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 , further comprising assigning the stored-value account to the stored-value card in the kiosk.

34. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 , further comprising determining whether the stored-value card is compatible with a bank card association network.

35. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 , further comprising depositing a monetary amount into the stored-value account.

36. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 , further comprising withdrawing a monetary amount from the stored-value account.

37. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26 , further comprising transferring a monetary amount from the stored-value account to another account.

Assignments (7)