Granted Patent B2

US 8,141,776 · App. 13/014,040 · Granted Mar 27, 2012

Abstract

Claims (37)

1. A virtual automated teller machine (“VATM”) system comprising:

a VATM host connectable to each of a plurality of disbursement entities (“DEs”) via a respective first secure connection; and

an accessing computer connectable to the VATM host via a second secure connection, the accessing computer comprising a device for acquiring account information of a user and having installed thereon VATM client software executable by the accessing computer to interact with the VATM host to validate the acquired user account information and an associated PIN provided by the user and, responsive to the validation:

present the user with a list of DEs, and

prompt the user to select one DE from the list of DEs from which funds are to be disbursed to the user, and specify an amount of funds to be disbursed;

wherein the VATM host sends a disbursement order to the selected DE indicating the specified amount of funds to be disbursed.

2. The VATM system of claim 1 wherein the accessing computer further comprises a GPS system for identifying a location of the accessing computer and wherein the list of DEs comprises a subset of the DEs located within a predetermined distance from the identified location of the accessing computer.

3. The VATM system of claim 1 wherein an interface between at least one of the DEs and the VATM host is a fat client.

4. The VATM system of claim 1 wherein an interface between at least one of the DEs and the VATM host is a web portal.

5. The VATM system of claim 1 wherein the device for acquiring user account information comprises a card reader.

6. The VATM system of claim 5 wherein the user account information is stored on an ATM card readable by the card reader.

7. The VATM system of claim 1 wherein the selected DE validates an identity of the user prior to disbursing the specified amount of funds to the user by requiring the user to present a preselected form of identifying information.

8. The VATM system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first secure connections and the second connection comprises an SSL connection.

9. A method of implementing a virtual automated teller machine (“VATM”) system, the method comprising:

acquiring account information of a user;

verifying the acquired user account information and a PIN provided by the user;

providing the user with a list of disbursement entities (“DEs”);

prompting the user to select one of the DEs and indicate an amount of funds to be disbursed; and

transmitting a disbursement order from a VATM host to the selected one of the DEs directing the selected one of the DEs to disburse the indicated amount of funds to the user upon presentation of preapproved identification information.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the preapproved identification information is selected from a group of identification information consisting of driver's license information, passport information, and employee badge information.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the acquiring is performed by a card reader associated with an accessing computer having installed thereon VATM client software.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the user account information is stored on a card readable by the card reader.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the verifying is performed by the accessing computer interacting with the VATM host via a secure connection.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein each of the DEs is pre-registered with the VATM host, the VATM host providing each of the registered DEs with an interface selected from a group consisting of a fat client and a web portal.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the user is pre-registered with the VATM host, the VATM host providing the registered user with VATM client software for installation on the computer.

16. A computer program product for implementing a virtual automated teller machine (“VATM”) system, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a computer for causing the computer to:

acquire account information of a user;

interact with a VATM host to verify the acquired user account information and a PIN entered by the user;

interact with the VATM host to display to the user a list of disbursement entities (“DEs”) available for disbursing funds to the user;

prompt the user to select one of the DEs and indicate an amount of funds to be disbursed; and

transmit an indication of the selected one of the DEs and the indicated amount of funds to be disbursed to the VATM host;

wherein the VATM host transmits a disbursement order to the selected one of the DEs directing the selected one of the DEs to disburse the indicated amount of funds to the user upon presentation of preapproved identification information.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the preapproved identification information is selected from a group of identification information consisting of driver's license information, passport information, and employee badge information.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the user account information is stored on a card and the user account information is acquired using a card reader for reading the card.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the connection between the VATM host and each of the DEs is an SSL connection.

20. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein a connection between the computer and the VATM host is an SSL connection.

Assignments (9)