Check accepting and cash dispensing automated banking machine system and method
View Patent ↗An automated banking machine system and methods includes ATMs which accepts checks and dispense cash to users. The ATMs are operated to acquire image and magnetic data from deposited checks to determine the genuineness of checks and the authority of a user to receive cash for such checks. Cash may dispensed to the user from the ATM in exchange for the deposited check. The ATMs dispense cash responsive to communications with a transaction host.
1. A method comprising:
(a) inputting during authorized servicing of an automated banking machine including a deposit accepting device adapted to interpret visual indicia and magnetic indicia of documents input to the automated banking machine, a non-negotiable test document into the automated banking machine, wherein the test document includes both visual indicia and magnetic indicia;
(b) reading during the servicing, at least one output provided by the automated banking machine indicative of how the machine interpreted at least one of the visual indicia and the magnetic indicia of the test document.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one output provided by the machine includes a visual image of the test document, and wherein (b) includes reviewing the visual image of the test document output by the machine.
3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the machine includes character recognition software operating in the machine, and wherein the machine is operative to provide at least one output corresponding to at least one character on the test document determined through operation of the character recognition software, and wherein (b) includes reviewing the at least one output corresponding to the at least one character.
4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the character recognition software is operative to determine at least one numerical value on the test document and to include the at least one numerical value in the at least one output from the machine, and wherein (b) includes reviewing the at least one numerical value in the at least one output.
5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the character recognition software is operative to determine at least one micr character on the test document and to include data corresponding to the at least one micr character in the at least one output from the machine, and wherein (b) includes reviewing in the at least one output the data corresponding to the at least one micr character.
6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the machine further includes at least one magnetic sensor, and wherein the machine is operative to read magnetic indicia on the test document through operation of the at least one magnetic sensor and to include data corresponding to magnetic indicia read from the test document by the at least one magnetic sensor in the at least one output, and wherein (b) includes reviewing in the at least one output a representation of magnetic indicia sensed by the at least one magnetic sensor.
7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the at least one magnetic sensor is operative to read at least one micr character on the test document, and wherein the machine is operative to include in the at least one output, a representation of the at least one micr character, and wherein (b) includes reviewing the representation of the at least one micr character in the at least one output.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the test document further includes at least one RFID tag including tag data, and wherein the machine includes at least one RFID sensor, and wherein the machine is operative to determine tag data and to include in the at least one output data corresponding to the tag data, and wherein (b) includes reviewing in the at least one output the data corresponding to the tag data.
9. The method according to claim I and further comprising:
(c) operating the machine to dispense cash through operation of a cash dispenser in the machine.
10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the automated banking machine is operative to provide at least one output indicative of how the machine interpreted both visual and magnetic indicia on the test document, and wherein (b) includes reading at least one output provided by the machine indicative of how the machine interpreted both the visual and magnetic indicia on the test document.
11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the machine includes character recognition software operating in the machine, and wherein the machine is operative to provide at least one output corresponding to at least one character on the test document determined through operation of the character recognition software, and wherein (b) includes reading data corresponding to at least one character in the at least one output.
12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the machine is operative to calculate at least one level of assurance associated with interpretation of at least one of the visual and magnetic indicia on the test document, and to include in the at least one output, data corresponding to the at least one level of assurance, and wherein (b) includes reading the data in the at least one output corresponding to the at least one level of assurance.
13. The method according to claim I wherein the machine includes an RFID sensor and wherein the test document includes at least one RFID tag including tag data, and wherein the machine is operative to determine the tag data, and includes data corresponding to the tag data in the at least one output, and wherein (b) includes reading the data corresponding to the tag data in the at least one output.
14. The method according to claim I and further comprising:
(c) subsequent to (b) receiving at least one negotiable check in to the machine, whereby the machine is operative to determine visual and magnetic indicia on the cheek.
15. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:
(c) subsequent to (b), retrieving the test document from within the machine.
16. The method according to claim 1 wherein (b) includes reading at least one output indicative of how the machine interpreted both the visual indicia and the magnetic indicia of the test document.
17. The method according to claim 1 wherein the test document is a reusable servicing tool, wherein prior to (a) the test document was used in testing at least one automated banking machine, and wherein (a) includes reusing the test document.
18. A method comprising:
(a) causing an automated banking machine to be removed from normal operation of permitting customer transactions, wherein the machine includes a deposit accepting device adapted to interpret visual indicia and magnetic indicia of documents input to the machine;
(b) subsequent to (a) and while the machine is still removed from normal operation, inputting a non-negotiable test document into the machine during authorized servicing of the machine, wherein the test document includes both visual indicia and magnetic indicia;
(c) subsequent to (b) and while the machine is still removed from normal operation, reading at least one output provided by the automated banking machine during the authorized servicing of the machine, wherein the at least one output is indicative of how the machine interpreted at least one of the visual indicia and the magnetic indicia of the test document; and
(d) subsequent to (c), causing the machine to be returned to normal operation.
19. A method comprising:
(a) inputting a machine-testing document into an automated banking machine while the machine is being serviced by an authorized servicer, wherein the machine-testing document includes both visual indicia and magnetic indicia,
wherein the machine is operative to read both the visual indicia and the magnetic indicia from the machine-testing document,
wherein the machine is operative to calculate at least one level of assurance associated with interpretation of at least one of the visual indicia and the magnetic indicia read from the machine-testing document,
wherein the machine is operative to provide at least one output indicative of the at least one level of assurance; and
(b) while the machine is still being serviced, reading at least one output provided by the machine indicative of the at least one level of assurance.
20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the machine is operative to calculate a first level of assurance associated with interpretation of the visual indicia read from the machine-testing document, wherein the machine is operative to calculate a second level of assurance associated with interpretation of the magnetic indicia read from the machine-testing document, wherein the machine is operative to provide at least one output indicative of the first and second levels of assurance, and wherein (b) includes reading at least one output provided by the machine indicative of the first and second levels of assurance.