Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Banking systems
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-25
2001-07-17
Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Banking systems
C235S380000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260758
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to promotional financial transaction machine methods wherein a patron's executed transaction at a financial transaction machine is evaluated to determine whether it qualifies to result in a promotional receipt being generated to the patron.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
FIG. 1
is a schematic block diagram of a conventional financial services distribution system utilizing a financial transaction machine (“FTM”). Common examples of financial transaction machines are automated teller machines (“ATM's”) and point of sale terminals.
FIG. 1
shows a plurality of FTM machines
10
, each coupled to a central FTM host terminal driver system
20
. The host terminal driver system
20
includes a terminal handler portion
21
for interfacing with the respective FTM machines as well a processor interface portion
22
for interfacing with electronic finds transfer authorizing network
30
(hereinafter EFT authorizing network). The EFT authorizing network
30
includes a network switch
31
, an issuer host terminal
32
and an issuer data base
33
. The host terminal driver system
20
is programmed to perform a number of financial services distribution functions such as analyzing and processing transaction requests input by a patron at one of the financial transaction machines
10
. The host terminal driver system
20
stores information about these transaction requests locally and generates further requests which are communicated with, for example, the patron's bank through the network switch
31
. Such a financial services distribution system can be used for standard ATM network functions such as withdrawal, deposit, and inquiry of account funds. This distribution system can also be used for point-of-sale transaction handling.
The use of such financial transaction machines has increased dramatically over the last decade. Patrons enjoy the 24-hour, seven days a week convenience of such machines. Despite the immense popularity and widespread use of such machines, there has been little if any interactive targeted promotional activity developed by financial service providers and/or merchants to entice patrons to perform particular transaction types at these machines. Such interactive targeted promotions for financial transaction machines can increase transaction volume for a given machine, add consumer value to offset a surcharge fee, strengthen a business partnership between a service provider and a merchant, and also create consumer and merchant excitement.
The distribution arrangement described by the foregoing discussion is a mature system and supports well defined processing and performance standards. Any attempt to add interactive targeted promotion components within this existing transaction processing flow would require re-certification of EFT network participation. As a result, network deployer's and financial service providers are reluctant to disturb this processing under any circumstances. Moreover, organizations that deploy such financial transaction machine arrangements have limited resources to devote to non-core application development. As a result, these organizations are reluctant to commit their qualified technical personnel experienced in EFT systems to non-core, non-priority projects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an improved promotional financial transaction machine method that substantially obviates any problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a promotional financial transaction machine method which occurs outside the existent EFT transaction processing flow.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a promotional financial transaction machine method which results in an increased transaction volume.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a promotional financial transaction machine method which adds consumer value to their financial transaction.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a promotional financial transaction machine method which strengthens the partnership between a financial service provider and a merchant.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, an improved promotional financial transaction machine method includes the steps of determining whether a patron's transaction at the financial transaction machine qualifies for a promotional offer; performing transaction-specific promotional processing if the patron's transaction qualifies for a promotional offer; selectively printing a promotional receipt from the financial transaction machine by a variable print-on-demand process if the patron's transaction qualifies for a promotional offer, wherein the promotional receipt includes a patron-interactive promotional section; and providing the promotional receipt to the patron.
In another aspect of the instant invention, an improved promotional financial transaction machine method includes the steps of coupling a promotion controller processor between a financial transaction machine and a central financial transaction machine terminal driver host system; determining by qualification process software resident in said promotion controller processor whether a patron's transaction at the financial transaction machine qualifies for a promotional offer; obtaining a promotion result by performing transaction-specific promotional processing within the promotion controller processor if the patron's transaction qualifies for a promotional offer; obtaining a financial transaction result by passing financial transaction data from the patron's transaction through the central financial transaction machine host terminal driver system to an electronic funds transfer authorizing network for electronic fuinds transfer authorization and processing; returning the financial transaction result to the promotion controller processor from the electronic finds transfer authorizing network; formatting the promotion result and the financial transaction result within a terminal handler portion of the central financial transaction machine host terminal driver system and transferring the formatted result to the financial transaction machine for printing of a receipt within the financial transaction machine; and providing the printed receipt to the patron from the financial transaction machine by a variable print process including the promotion result if the patron's transaction qualified for a promotional offer.
In another aspect of the instant invention, an improved promotional financial transaction machine method includes the steps of coupling a plurality of financial transaction machines to a terminal handler portion of a central financial transaction machine terminal driver host system; coupling a promotion controller processor to the terminal handler portion of the central financial transaction machine host terminal driver system; determining by qualification process software resident in the promotion controller processor whether a patron's transaction at one of the plurality of financial transaction machines qualifies for a promotional offer; obtaining a promotion result by performing transaction-specific promotional processing within the promotion controller processor if the patron's transaction qualifies for a promotional offer; obtaining a financial transaction result by passing financial transaction data from the patron's transaction through the central finan
Compuscan Technologies Inc.
Frech Karl D.
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
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