Banking machine controlled responsive to data read from data bearing records
View Patent ↗A banking system comprises automated banking machines which include a card reader, check imaging device, and cash dispenser. Each system machine can cash a code-correlated check in exchange for receiving both the check and the code assigned to the check, without requiring any user identifying input through the machine's user input devices as a condition for cashing the check. The system allows a potential recipient of a personal check to call in a given code to a system computer, which can verify whether the check is backed by funds reserved for the check amount and whether the check can be anonymously cashed. From the call the system computer can obtain the mobile phone's GPS location to determine the system machine nearest to the phone. When informing the phone user that a check is as good as cash, the system computer can also provide directions to that nearest system machine.
1. A method comprising:
(a) operating a computer system affiliated with a financial entity, to receive a code sent from a mobile phone,
wherein the computer system is associated with at least one data store,
wherein the at least one data store is configured to respectively associate check cashing codes with financial checks,
wherein each respective check is associated with a respective check amount,
wherein each respective check can be anonymously cashed by a person at least one cash dispensing automated banking machine which includes a check imager and a currency dispenser, without the person being required to input any machine user identification data as a condition for cashing the respective check,
wherein the at least one data store is configured to respectively associate machine location data with each of the at least one cash dispensing automated banking machine;
(b) operating the computer system to determine through use of the at least one data store, that the code received in (a) corresponds to a check cashing code;
(c) operating the computer system to determine through use of the at least one data store, which of the at least one cash dispensing automated banking machine is nearest to the mobile phone; and
(d) operating the computer system to send to the mobile phone, at least one message that includes
(i) responsive at least in part to (b), verification that the code received in (a) corresponds to a check that can be anonymously cashed;
(ii) an amount associated with the check in (i); and
(iii) responsive at least in part to (c), machine location data associated with the nearest machine.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein (a) includes receiving the code in a request for directions to an automated banking machine which includes each of:
at least one reader,
a check imager,
a currency dispenser operative to dispense currency from the machine,
at least one machine computer,
wherein the at least one machine computer is operative to cause user data read by the at least one reader to be compared with user information stored in at least one data store,
wherein the at least one machine computer is operative to authorize the user to use the machine carry out the check cashing transaction responsive to
computer-determined correspondence between user data read by the at least one reader and stored user information, and
wherein the at least one machine computer is operative to cause a funds transfer involving a financial account which corresponds to user data read by the at least one reader.
3. The method according to claim 2 wherein (a) includes receiving the request for directions to an automated banking machine which is part of a banking system,
wherein the at least one reader includes both a card reader and a biometric reader,
wherein the at least one machine computer is operative during the check cashing transaction to
cause card data to be read through operation of the card reader, and
cause biometric data to be read through operation of the biometric reader, and
cause authorization of the user to carry out the check cashing transaction, responsive at least in part to both
computer-determined correspondence between card data read by the card reader and stored card information, and
computer-determined correspondence between biometric data read by the biometric reader and stored biometric information,
wherein the at least one machine computer is operative during the check cashing transaction to apply different check format templates to an electronic image of a financial check to read check data therefrom,
wherein each of the templates corresponds to at least one area of a check where at least one visible character is located,
where the at least one visible character includes micr characters.
4. A method comprising:
(a) operating a computer system associated with at least one data store, to receive at least one message including a code sent from a mobile communication device;
(b) operating the computer system to determine that the code received in (a) is associated with financial check data in the at least one data store; and
(c) subsequent to (b), operating the computer system to send to the mobile communication device, at least one message that includes
(i) verification data usable by the mobile communication device to provide to a user of the mobile communication device, information indicating that the code corresponds to a check that can be cashed at least one automated banking machine without requiring any input of machine user identification data as a condition for cashing the check, and
(ii) location data usable by the mobile communication device to provide to the user of the mobile communication device, information associated with location of a particular machine of the at least one automated banking machine that is nearest to the mobile communication device.
5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the mobile communication device comprises a mobile phone that includes a display,
wherein in (c) both the verification data and the location data are displayable by the display.
6. The method according to claim 4 wherein in (c) the location data includes the information, wherein the information includes a geographical address of the particular machine.
7. The method according to claim 4 wherein in (c) the location data includes the information, wherein the information includes a GPS location of the particular machine.
8. The method according to claim 4 wherein in (c) the information in (ii) comprises directions from the mobile communication device to the particular machine.
9. The method according to claim 8 and further comprising
(d) prior to (c), operating the computer system to produce the directions;
wherein in (c) the location data includes the directions produced in (d).
10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the at least one message received in (a) includes device location data associated with location of the mobile communication device, and wherein (d) includes using the device location data to produce the directions.
11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the device location data received in (a) corresponds to a GPS location of the mobile communication device, and further comprising
(e) prior to (d), operating the computer system to determine that the particular machine is nearest to the mobile communication device based at least in part on the GPS location received in (a).
12. The method according to claim 4 wherein in (c) the verification data comprises information that confirms that the code corresponds to a pre-certified check that is backed by funds previously reserved for a particular check amount.
13. The method according to claim 12 wherein in (c) the verification data comprises information that confirms that the code is valid for an electronic check having the particular check amount.
14. The method according to claim 13 wherein in (c) the information in (ii) is associated with location of the nearest machine that can exchange the electronic check for cash without requiring any input of machine user identification data as a condition for exchanging the electronic check.
15. A method comprising:
(a) operating at least one computer associated with a service provider system to receive communication data sent through a personal communication device,
wherein the communication data includes location data associated with a current location of the personal communication device;
(b) operating the at least one computer to determine relative to the current location of the personal communication device, the nearest automated banking machine configured to cash a check without requiring any input of machine user identification data as a condition for cashing the check; and
(c) operating the at least one computer to cause machine location data corresponding to location of the nearest automated banking machine determined in (b), to be sent to the personal communication device.
16. The method according to claim 15 wherein in (c) the machine location data includes directions from the current location of the personal communication device to the location of the nearest automated banking machine.
17. The method according to claim 16 and further comprising
(d) prior to (c), operating the at least one computer to produce the directions.
18. The method according to claim 15
wherein the at least one computer is associated with at least one data store,
wherein the at least one data store includes check cashing codes for each of a plurality of financial checks,
wherein the at least one data store includes machine location information for each of a plurality of automated banking machines,
wherein in (a) the communication data includes a code, and further comprising
(d) operating the at least one computer to determine that the code received in (a) corresponds to a check cashing code in the at least one data store;
wherein (c) includes operating the at least one computer to cause to be sent to the personal communication device, verification data indicating that the code corresponds to a check that can be cashed at least one automated banking machine without requiring any input of machine user identification data as a condition for cashing the check.
19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the personal communication device comprises a mobile phone,
wherein in (c) both the machine location data and the verification data are sent to the mobile phone.
20. The method according to claim 15 wherein in (a) the location data includes a GPS location data corresponding to the current location of the personal communication device.