Check accepting and cash dispensing automated banking machine system and method

1. Apparatus comprising:

an automated banking machine that operates responsive at least in part to data bearing records, including:

a user interface,

wherein the user interface includes a card reader,

wherein the card reader is operative to read from a user card, card data useable in determining whether a user of the machine is authorized to carry out a transaction involving a financial account associated with the user,

a check acceptor device,

a cash dispenser,

a check imaging device,

at least one computer in operative connection with the user interface, check acceptor device, cash dispenser, and check imaging device,

wherein the machine is operative to:

(a) receive a check from a user of the machine through operation of the check acceptor device;

(b) dispense cash through operation of the cash dispenser;

(c) generate imaged check data through operation of the check imaging device, wherein the imaged check data corresponds to a visual image of at least one side of a received check;

(d) determine from imaged check data, check feature data corresponding to visual indicia included on the check, wherein the check feature data includes check amount data;

(e) send at least one first message from the machine toward a transaction host, wherein the at least one first message includes the check feature data;

(f) receive at least one transaction host-sent return message responsive at least in part to the first message, wherein the at least one transaction host-sent return message includes machine instruction data and check transaction identifying data,

wherein the instruction data is operative to cause at least one of:

a credit indication to be output through the user interface, and

a cash dispense through operation of the cash dispenser,

wherein the check transaction identifying data

includes a transaction host-assigned transaction number;

(g) send at least one second message from the machine toward the transaction host, wherein the at least one second message includes

data indicative of whether the at least one of credit output and cash dispense was accomplished; and

(h) send imaged check data with received check transaction identifying data from the machine toward at least one remote computer remotely located from both the machine and the transaction host.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1

wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause read card data to be compared with card information stored in at least one data store,

wherein the machine further includes a biometric reader, wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause user biometric data read by the biometric reader to be compared with biometric information in the at least one data store,

wherein a machine user is authorized to carry out a transaction responsive at least in part to both

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

computer-determined correspondence between the user biometric data and the biometric information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the machine is operative to associate the imaged check data with the transaction number, and wherein in (h) the machine is operative to cause both the imaged check data and the transaction number while in associated relation to be sent to the at least one remote computer.

4. Apparatus comprising:

an automated banking machine that operates responsive at least in part to data bearing records, including:

a cash dispenser,

a check imaging device,

a user interface,

wherein the user interface includes a card reader,

at least one computer in operative connection with the cash dispenser, the check imaging device, and the user interface, wherein the at least one computer includes software comprising computer instructions executable by the at least one computer,

wherein the at least one computer is operative to receive from a user through operation of the card reader reading card data from a user card, at least some user data usable in authorizing the user to carry out a transaction involving a financial account associated with the user,

wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause through operation of the check imaging device, generation of image data corresponding to a visual image of at least a portion of a check input to the machine during a transaction,

wherein the at least one computer is operative to determine check data corresponding to visual indicia represented in the image data,

wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause at least one transaction request message including the check data, to be sent from the machine toward a remote transaction authorizing computer,

wherein the at least one computer is operative to receive from the transaction authorizing computer subsequent to the at least one transaction request message being sent, at least one transaction authorization message that includes both

machine instruction data, and

a transaction identifier generated by and assigned to the transaction by the transaction authorizing computer,

 wherein the transaction identifier is usable to uniquely identify the transaction,

wherein the at least one computer is operative responsive at least in part to receiving the machine instruction data, to cause at least one of

an output through the user interface, and

a cash dispense from the machine through operation of the cash dispenser,

wherein the at least one computer is operative responsive at least in part to receiving the transaction identifier, to associate the image data with the transaction identifier,

wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause at least one image message to be sent from the machine toward at least one remote computer,

wherein the at least one image message includes in associated relation, both the transaction identifier and the image data.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4

wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the card data to be compared with card information stored in at least one data store,

wherein the machine includes a biometric reader, wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause biometric data read by the biometric reader to be compared with biometric information in the at least one data store,

wherein the user is authorized to carry out a transaction responsive at least in part to both

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

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

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the at least one image message to be sent by the machine to a remote computer different from the transaction authorizing computer.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the at least one image message includes image data corresponding to a visual image of at least one side of the check.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the check imaging device to image at least a portion of the check to generate imaged check data, and wherein the at least one computer is operative to determine the check data from the imaged check data.

9. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the at least one transaction request message includes user data corresponding to at least one of the user and a financial account associated with the user.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the check data includes data corresponding to at least one character included in a micr line on the check.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the check data includes data corresponding to an amount on the check.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the machine further comprises a magnetic sensing device, wherein the at least one computer is operative responsive at least in part to the magnetic sensing device, to determine if the check has magnetic properties.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9

wherein the at least one computer is operative to cause the cash dispenser to dispense cash to an authorized machine user without the authorized machine user providing a check to the machine, responsive at least in part to at least one user input to the user interface,

wherein the at least one computer is operative to assess a value associated with the cash dispensed to at least one of the user and a financial account associated with the user.

14. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the transaction identifier includes a transaction number assigned to the transaction through operation of the transaction authorizing computer.

15. The apparatus according to claim 4

wherein the at least one transaction request message includes data corresponding to a terminal identifier, wherein the terminal identifier corresponds to the machine,

wherein the transaction identifier includes data corresponding to the terminal identifier included in the at least one transaction request message.

16. The apparatus according to claim 4

and further comprising the at least one remote computer, wherein the at least one remote computer is operative to receive the at least one image message from the machine, and wherein the at least one remote computer is operative to process the image data included in the at least one image message,

and further comprising at least one output device in operative connection with the at least one remote computer, wherein the at least one remote computer is operative to cause to be produced through the at least one output device, at least one output including at least some of the transaction identifier.

17. The apparatus according to claim 4 and further comprising the at least one remote computer,

wherein the at least one remote computer is operative to receive the at least one image message from the machine,

wherein the at least one remote computer is operative to process the image data included in the at least one image message,

wherein the at least one remote computer comprises a server in operative connection with at least one server data store including image data associated with respective transaction identifiers,

wherein responsive at least in part to input of identifying data to the server, the server is operative to determine, responsive at least in part to data in the at least one server data store, if the identifying data corresponds to an authorized user of the server,

wherein responsive at least in part to a positive determination by the server that the identifying data corresponds to an authorized user of the server, the server enables the authorized user to selectively access image data from the at least one server data store.

18. Apparatus comprising:

an automated banking machine operable responsive at least in part to data bearing records, including:

a cash dispenser,

a check imaging device,

at least one user input device,

wherein the at least one user input device is operative to receive at least one user input corresponding to user data usable to identify at least one of a user and a user account,

at least one output device,

at least one machine computer,

wherein the machine is operative to:

generate image data corresponding to a visual image of a check input to the machine, responsive at least in part to operation of the check imaging device,

determine responsive at least in part to the image data, check data corresponding to visual indicia included on the check,

dispense cash through operation of the cash dispenser, responsive at least in part to input of the check,

receive transaction identifying data from at least one remote computer, and send at least one image message including data corresponding to both at least a portion of the transaction identifying data and the image data to the at least one remote computer.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the at least one remote computer includes a transaction host,

wherein the machine is operative to send to the transaction host, at least one first message including user data and the check data,

wherein responsive at least in part to sending of the at least one first message, the machine is operative to receive from the transaction host at least one second message including the transaction identifying data.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the at least one remote computer includes a server, wherein the server differs from the transaction host,

wherein the at least one machine computer is operative to cause the cash dispenser to dispense cash responsive at least in part to receipt of a message from the transaction host,

wherein the server is operative to receive and process image data and transaction identifying data sent by the machine,

wherein the server is operative to make the image data and the transaction identifying data available to authorized users of the server.