FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of automated teller machines, and more particularly to methods and systems for pre-staging transactions before interaction with automated teller machines (ATMs) using any mobile device, such as a smart phone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

While there have been few major innovations in ATM technology in recent years, on-demand digital experiences such as on-line shopping and transportation services have conditioned consumers to expect seamless, intuitive technology experiences, such as cardless-solutions-aided mobile innovations. Today's consumers often need cash without the requirement of having a card present. For example, when consumers experience a lost, stolen, or breached card, they may need a solution that allows them to access funds without a card. In addition, there are instances in which consumers simply do not want to carry cards, purses or wallets, such as a night out or a trip to the beach, as a matter of convenience and/or security that cardless solutions may accommodate.

There is a present need for methods and systems that bring together currently available ATM and mobile device channels to provide increased convenience and greater security in performing ATM transactions, such as cash withdrawals, for example, by enabling a user to pre-stage an ATM withdrawal on the user's mobile device to be executed at an ATM by the user or by a surrogate of the user. The problem that is solved by embodiments of the invention is rooted in technological limitations of legacy approaches, and improved techniques and, in particular, improved applications of technology are needed to address the problems of currently employed mechanisms. More specifically, the technologies applied in the aforementioned legacy approaches fail to achieve the sought-after capabilities of the herein-disclosed techniques for pre-staging transactions with an ATM using a mobile device.

These and other aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. It is intended that all such aspects are to be included within this description, are to be within the scope of the present invention, and are to be protected by the accompanying claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention advance the technical fields for addressing problems associated with the above described currently employed mechanisms for performing transactions with an ATM, as well as advancing peripheral technical fields. Such embodiments are directed to technological solutions that may involve systems that include, for example, a host server processor communicably coupled to an ATM network and programmed to receive pre-staged ATM transaction data via a first communication channel from a user's mobile communication device processor and to send a first unique authentication token via a second communication channel to the user's mobile communication device processor. It is to be understood that all references to “communication channel” herein shall be deemed to include any suitable media through which a message may be transmitted to its intended recipient.

Such systems for embodiments of the invention may also include, for example, an ATM processor communicably coupled to the ATM network and programmed to receive entry of a pre-staged ATM transaction request and the first unique authentication token and to send the entered pre-staged ATM transaction request and first unique authentication token to the host server for validation. In such systems for embodiments of the invention, the host server processor may be further programmed, for example, to validate the pre-staged ATM transaction request based at least in part on the received pre-staged ATM transaction data and the entered first unique authentication token.

In embodiments of the invention, the host server processor may be further programmed, for example, to receive the pre-staged ATM transaction data for a user surrogate via the first communication channel from the user's mobile communication device processor. The host server processor may be further programmed, for example, to send a second unique authentication token with the first unique authentication token via the second communication channel to the user's mobile communication device processor. It is to be understood that all references herein to “second unique authentication token” or “second authentication token” shall be deemed to include any second and/or additional active and/or passive authentication mechanism or mechanisms.

In other embodiments of the invention, the ATM processor may be further programmed to receive entry by the user surrogate of the pre-staged ATM transaction request and the first unique authentication token and to send the entered pre-staged ATM transaction request and said first unique authentication token to the host processor for validation. In such embodiments, the host server processor may be further programmed, for example, to associate said first unique authentication token with the pre-staged ATM transaction data for the user surrogate and send a confirmation request via the second communication channel to the user's mobile communication device processor

In additional embodiments of the invention, the host processor may be further programmed, for example, to receive a confirmation message and the second unique authentication token via the second communication channel from the user's mobile communication device processor and to send an authorization message to the ATM, responsive to receiving the confirmation message.

In still other embodiments of the invention, the host server processor may be further programmed, for example, to receive the pre-staged ATM transaction data consisting at least in part of a withdrawal amount and account and a user ID and password via the first communication channel from the user's mobile communication device processor. In additional embodiments, the host server processor may be further programmed, for example, to receive the pre-staged ATM transaction data consisting at least in part of a withdrawal location via the first communication channel from the user's mobile communication device processor.

In other embodiments of the invention, the host server processor may be further programmed, for example, to receive the pre-staged ATM transaction data via the first communication channel comprising a secure gateway from the user's mobile communication device processor. In additional embodiments, the host server processor may be further programmed, for example, to send the first unique authentication token via the second communication channel comprising an SMS, email, voicemail, or push notification channel or other communication channel to the user's mobile communication device processor. In still other embodiments, the host server processor may be further programmed, for example, to send the second unique authentication token with the first unique authentication token via the second communication channel comprising an SMS, email, voicemail, or push notification channel to the user's mobile communication device processor.

In other embodiments of the invention, the ATM processor may be further programmed, for example, to receive entry of the pre-staged ATM transaction request via a contactless interface with the mobile communication device processor and the first unique authentication token via entry on a touch screen interface of the ATM processor. In still other embodiments, the ATM processor may be further programmed, for example, to receive the pre-staged ATM transaction request and the first unique authentication token within a user-defined time-out period.

Embodiments of the invention employ computer hardware and software, including, without limitation, one or more processors coupled to memory and non-transitory computer-readable storage media with one or more executable programs stored thereon which instruct the processors to perform methods involving, for example, receiving, by a host server processor communicably coupled to an ATM network, pre-staged ATM transaction data via a first communication channel from a user's mobile communication device processor; sending, by the host server processor, a first unique authentication token via a second communication channel to the user's mobile communication device processor; receiving, by an ATM processor communicably coupled to the ATM network, entry of a pre-staged ATM transaction request and the first unique authentication token; sending, by the ATM processor, the entered pre-staged ATM transaction request and first unique authentication token to the host server for validation; and validating, by the host server processor, the entered pre-staged ATM transaction request based at least in part on the received pre-staged ATM transaction data and the entered first unique authentication token.

In embodiments of the invention, receiving the pre-staged ATM transaction data via the first communication channel from the user's mobile communication device processor may involve, for example, receiving, by the host server processor, pre-staged ATM transaction data for a user surrogate via the first communication channel from the user's mobile communication device processor and sending a second unique authentication token with the first unique authentication token via the second communication channel to the user's mobile communication device processor. Other embodiments may involve, for example, receiving, by the ATM processor communicably coupled to the ATM network, entry by the user surrogate of the pre-staged transaction request and the first unique authentication token and sending the entered pre-staged transaction request and said first unique authentication token to the host processor for validation.

Additional embodiments of the invention may involve, for example, associating, by the host processor, said first unique authentication token with the pre-staged ATM transaction data for the user surrogate and sending a confirmation request via the second communication channel to the user's mobile communication device processor. Further embodiments may involve, for example, receiving, by the host processor, a confirmation message and the second unique authentication token via the second communication channel from the user's mobile communication device processor and sending an authorization message to the ATM responsive to receiving the confirmation message.

In other embodiments of the invention, receiving the pre-staged ATM transaction data via the first communication channel from the user's mobile communication device processor may involve, for example, receiving, by the host server processor, the pre-staged ATM transaction data consisting at least in part of a withdrawal amount and account and a user ID and password via the first communication channel from the user's mobile communication device processor. In still other embodiments, receiving the pre-staged ATM transaction data via the first communication channel from the user's mobile communication device processor may involve, for example, receiving, by the host server processor, the pre-staged ATM transaction data consisting at least in part of a withdrawal location via the first communication channel from the user's mobile communication device processor.

In additional embodiments of the invention, receiving the pre-staged ATM transaction data via the first communication channel from the user's mobile communication device processor may involve, for example, receiving, by the host server processor, the pre-staged ATM transaction data via the first communication channel comprising a secure gateway from the user's mobile communication device processor. In further embodiments, sending the first unique authentication token via the second communication channel to the user's mobile communication device processor may involve, for example, sending, by the host server processor, the first unique authentication token via a second communication channel comprising an SMS, email, voicemail, or push notification channel to the user's mobile communication device processor.

These and other aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. It is intended that all such aspects are to be included within this description, are to be within the scope of the present invention, and are to be protected by the accompanying claims.

