Method and system for delivering documents

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for delivering a document to a user can include obtaining first identification data of the user via an automated teller machine (ATM), wherein the first identification data of the user includes a card number and a password associated with the card number; determining a notification status of the user based on the first identification data; obtaining second identification data via the ATM based on the notification status of the user; determining a delivery status of the user based on the first identification data and the second identification data; and delivering the document to the user via the ATM based on the delivery status of the user.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference of related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Nonprovisional Patent Application No. 16,681,174, filed November 12, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] Various embodiments of this disclosure generally relate to the delivery of documents, and more specifically to the delivery of documents to a user via an automated teller machine (ATM). Background Technology

[0004] Traditional methods of delivering certain documents (such as certified documents) may include manual delivery, email, or certified mail. However, these traditional methods may not be able to verify that the recipient received such documents in a manner sufficient to satisfy one or more notification, reporting, compliance, or other requirements.

[0005] This disclosure aims to overcome the aforementioned challenges. The background description provided herein is for the purpose of presenting the general background of this disclosure. Unless otherwise stated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims of this application and are not, by virtue of their inclusion in this section, admitted to being prior art or implied prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to certain aspects of this disclosure, methods and systems for delivering documents to users via automated teller machines (ATMs) are disclosed. These methods and systems can provide mechanisms to verify that a recipient has received a document as requested by any applicant.

[0007] In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for delivering a document to a user may include: obtaining first identification data of the user via an automated teller machine (ATM), wherein the first identification data of the user includes a card number and a PIN associated with the card number; determining a notification status of the user based on the first identification data; obtaining second identification data via the ATM based on the notification status of the user; determining a delivery status of the user based on the first identification data and the second identification data; and delivering the document to the user via the ATM based on the delivery status of the user.

[0008] In another aspect, a computer-implemented method for delivering a document to a user can include obtaining first identification data of the user via an automated teller machine (ATM); obtaining a first user identification based on the first identification data of the user, wherein the first user identification comprises a user name; determining a notification status of the user based on the first user identification; obtaining second identification data of the user based on the notification status of the user via the ATM, wherein the second identification data comprises at least biometric data of the user; obtaining a second user identification based on the second identification data of the user, wherein the second user identification comprises demographic information of the user; determining a delivery status of the user based on the first user identification and the second user identification; and delivering the document to the user via the ATM based on the delivery status of the user.

[0009] In yet another aspect, a computer system for delivering a document to a user can include a memory that stores instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to perform operations. The operations can include obtaining first identification data of the user via an automated teller machine (ATM); determining a notification status of the user based on the first identification data; obtaining second identification data of the user based on the notification status of the user via the ATM; determining a delivery status of the user based on the first identification data and the second identification data; and delivering the document to the user via the ATM based on the delivery status of the user.

[0010] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosed embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various example embodiments and together with the description, explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments.

[0012] Figure 1 An example system infrastructure is depicted in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0013] Figure 2 A flow diagram of an example method of delivering a document to a user is depicted in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0014] Figure 3 A flow diagram of another example method of delivering a document to a user is depicted in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0015] Figure 4 An example of a computing device is depicted in accordance with one or more embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The terms used below are to be construed in their broadest reasonable manner, even if it that term is used in connection with a detailed description of certain specific examples of the disclosure. Indeed, certain terms can even be highlighted below; however, any term intended to be construed in any limited manner is expressly so disclosed and defined in the detailed description section of this disclosure. Both the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the claimed features.

[0017] In this disclosure, the term "based on" means "based, at least in part, on." The singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural objects unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term "exemplary" is used in the sense of "example" rather than "ideal." The terms "comprise," "comprising," "include," "including," or other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but can include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Relative terms (e.g., "substantially" and "approximately") are used to indicate a possible variation of ±10% of a stated or understood value.

[0018] In the following description, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. As will be discussed in greater detail below, in various embodiments, data such as first identification data and second identification data can be used to determine a delivery status of a user.

[0019] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting an example of a system environment 100 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The system environment 100 can include a computer system 110, a network 130, one or more resources (or third party entities) 140 for collecting data (e.g., notification data or delivery data), a user device (or device associated with a user) 150, and an ATM 160. The one or more resources (or third party entities) 140 for collecting data can include a financial services provider 141, a healthcare provider 142, a government and justice system 143, or other third party entities 144. These components can be connected to each other via the network 130.

[0020] The computer system 110 can have one or more processors configured to perform the methods described in this disclosure. The computer system 110 can include one or more modules, models, or engines. The one or more modules, models, or engines can include an algorithmic model 112, a notification engine 114, a data tracker module 116, a document delivery engine 118, a user identification module 120, and / or an interface / API module 122, which can each be software components stored in / on the computer system 110. The computer system 110 can be configured to utilize the one or more modules, models, or engines in performing the various methods described in this disclosure. In some examples, the computer system 110 can be a cloud computing platform having scalable resources for computing and / or data storage, and one or more applications can be run on the cloud computing platform to perform the various computer-implemented methods described in this disclosure. In some embodiments, some of the one or more modules, models, or engines can be combined to form fewer modules, models, or engines. In some embodiments, some of the one or more modules, models, or engines can be separated into individual, more modules, models, or engines. In some embodiments, some of the one or more modules, models, or engines can be removed, while other modules, models, or engines can be added.

[0021] The algorithmic model 112 can be a plurality of algorithmic models. The algorithmic model 112 can include a trained machine learning model. Details of the algorithmic model 112 are described elsewhere herein. The notification engine 114 can be configured to generate and transmit (e.g., send) one or more notifications (e.g., confirmations) to the user device 150 or the one or more resources 140 via the network 130. The data tracker module 116 can be configured to retrieve, store, or otherwise aggregate or manage current or historical data (e.g., notification data or delivery data) from the one or more resources 140. The document delivery engine 118 can be configured to transmit a document to a user through the ATM 160. The delivery of the document can occur in a variety of ways, such as through paper, email, or other services. The user identification module 120 can manage the first identification data, the second identification data, the first user identification, or the second user identification for each user accessing the computer system 110. In one implementation, the first identification data, the second identification data, the first user identification, or the second user identification associated with each user can be stored to and retrieved from one or more components of a data store associated with the computer system 110 or the one or more resources 140. Details of the first identification data, the second identification data, the first user identification, and the second user identification are described elsewhere herein. The interface / API module 122 can allow a user to interact with the one or more modules, models, or engines of the computer system 110.

[0022] The computer system 110 can be configured to receive data from other components of the system environment 100 (e.g., one or more resources 140, user devices 150, and / or ATMs 160) via the network 130. The computer system 110 can also be configured to utilize the received data by inputting the received data into the algorithmic model 112 to produce a result (e.g., a delivery status). Information indicative of the result can be transmitted to the user devices 150 or one or more resources 140 over the network 130. In some examples, the computer system 110 can be referred to as a server system that provides a service including providing information indicative of the received data and / or the result to one or more resources 140 or user devices 150.

[0023] The network 130 can be any suitable network or combination of networks and can support any appropriate protocol suitable for communication of data to and from the computer system 110 and among the various other components in the system environment 100. The network 130 can include a public network (e.g., the Internet), a private network (e.g., an intranet), or a combination of public and / or private networks. The network 130 can be configured to provide communication between the various components depicted in Figure 1 The network 130 can include one or more networks connecting devices and / or components in a network layout to allow for communication between the devices and / or components. For example, the network can be implemented as the Internet, a wireless network, a wired network (e.g., Ethernet), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), Bluetooth, near-field communication (NFC), or any other type of network that provides communication between one or more components of a network layout. In some embodiments, the network 130 can be implemented using a cellular and / or paging network, satellite, licensed radio, or a combination of licensed and unlicensed radio.

[0024] The financial service provider 141 can be an entity such as a bank, a credit card issuer, a merchant service provider, or other type of financial service entity. In some examples, the financial service provider 141 can include one or more merchant service providers that provide merchants with the ability to accept electronic payments, such as payments using credit and debit cards. Thus, the financial service provider 141 can collect and store data related to transactions that occur at merchants. In some embodiments, the financial service provider 141 can provide documents to be delivered to users (e.g., bank statements, credit score reports). The financial service provider 141 can include one or more databases to store any information related to the documents to be delivered.

[0025] A healthcare provider 142 can be an entity such as a hospital, a clinic, a research institution, or other type of healthcare entity. In some examples, a healthcare provider can collect and store data related to transactions that occur at the healthcare entity. In some embodiments, a healthcare provider 142 can provide documents (e.g., medical test reports) to be delivered to a user. A healthcare provider 142 can include one or more databases to store any information related to the documents to be delivered.

[0026] A government and judicial system 143 can be an entity such as the IRS, a court, a police department, or other type of government or judicial entity. In some examples, a government and judicial system can collect and store data related to matters that occur at the government and judicial entity. In some embodiments, a government and judicial system 143 can provide documents (e.g., tax documents, subpoenas) to be delivered to a user. A government and judicial system 143 can include one or more databases to store any information related to the documents to be delivered.

[0027] Other third-party entities 144 can be non-financial providers, non-healthcare providers, or non-government or judicial systems that provide documents to be delivered to a user. Other third-party entities 144 can include merchants or individuals (e.g., family members). Other third-party entities 144 can include online resources such as web pages, emails, applications ("apps"), or social networking sites. Online resources can be provided by manufacturers, retailers, consumer promotion agencies, and other entities. Online resources can include other computer systems that are accessible by computer system 110, such as web servers.

[0028] A financial services provider 141, a healthcare provider 142, a government or judicial system 143, or any other type of third-party entity 144 can each include one or more computer systems configured to collect, process, send, and / or receive data. In general, whenever any of a financial services provider 141, a healthcare provider 142, a government or judicial system 143, or any other type of third-party entity 144 is described as performing an operation to collect, process, send, or receive data, it should be understood that such an operation can be performed by its computer system(s). In general, a computer system can include one or more computing devices, as described below. Figure 4

[0029] ​The user device 150 can be operable for a client program that communicates with the computer system 110, also referred to as a user application or third-party application. The user application can be used to provide information to the computer system 110 (e.g., delivery status or confirmation) and receive information from the computer system 110. In some examples, the user application can be a mobile application running on the user device 150. The user device 150 can be a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, a pager, a personal digital assistant (PDA)), a computer (e.g., a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a server), or a wearable device (e.g., a smartwatch). The user device 150 can also include any other media content player, such as a set-top box, a television, a video game system, or any electronic device capable of providing or presenting data. The user device 150 can optionally be portable. The user device 150 can be handheld. The user device 150 can be a network device capable of connecting to a network, such as the network 130 or other networks, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, a telecommunication network, a data network, or any other type of network. The user device 150 can be capable of sending information indicating a current location of the user device 150. For example, the user device 150 can have an application configured to send data indicating a current location of the user device 150 to the computer system 110. The user device 150 can determine its location based on data obtained by GPS and / or other location estimation techniques included in the user device 150. The computer system 110 can send information to or receive information from the user device 150 based on the location of the user device 150.

[0030] An automated teller machine (ATM) 160 can be an electronic telecommunication device that enables a customer or user of a financial service provider (e.g., the financial service provider 141) to conduct a financial transaction, such as withdrawing cash, depositing cash, transferring funds, or obtaining account information. The ATM 160 can collect data of a user through one or more components associated with the ATM 160. The ATM 160 can also perform one or more operations (e.g., deliver a document to a user). Details of the ATM 160 and the one or more components thereof are described elsewhere herein.

[0031] Computer system 110 and ATM 160 may be part of entity 105, which may be any type of company, organization, or institution. In some examples, entity 105 may be a financial service provider. In such examples, computer system 110 may access transaction-related data through a dedicated network within entity 105. For example, if entity 105 is a card issuer, then entity 105 may collect and store identification data (e.g., a first identifier) ​​relating to credit or debit cards issued by entity 105. In such examples, computer system 110 may still receive identification data from other financial service providers 141. In some cases, computer system 110 may access data collected by ATM 160. In some embodiments, computer system 110 may be associated with or located within ATM 160.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for delivering a document to a user according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The method can be executed by a computer system 110.

[0033] Step 201 may include obtaining the user's first identification data via an automated teller machine (ATM). The user's first identification data may include a card number (or identification / account carrier number) and a PIN associated with the card number (or the identification / account carrier number). In this disclosure, the term "card" should be interpreted broadly to include not only cards but also any non-card identification / account carrier document (e.g., a passport). The first identification data may also include the user's fingerprint. The card may be a financial transaction card, such as a credit or debit card, a membership card, a rewards card, or an identification card, such as a driver's license. The user's first identification may include their real name, username, PIN, contact information (e.g., address, telephone number, email address, etc.), social security number, biometric data, and additional information about the user. Additional information may include user preference information, demographic information (e.g., age, gender, marital status, income level, educational background, number of children in the household, etc.), employment, and other data related to the user. The device associated with the user (or user device 150) may include an electronic mobile device, as described elsewhere herein.

[0034] Obtaining the first identification data can include obtaining the first identification data through one or more components associated with the ATM 160. The one or more components associated with the ATM 160 can include a card reader (or identification / account carrier reader), one or more ATM processors, a keyboard, a display screen, a speaker, a printer, one or more sensors, and / or a biometric capture device. The reader can read account information stored on a magnetic strip or chip on a card (or identification / account carrier). The one or more ATM processors can be configured to interpret information from the card (or identification / account carrier). The keyboard can allow the user to input the first identification data (e.g., a password), select what type of transaction they want to conduct, and communicate with the one or more ATM processors. The display screen can allow the user to see each step of the process or transaction. The speaker can capture the user’s voice or allow the user to hear additional voice features of the ATM. The printer can be configured to print a receipt, confirmation, or document. The one or more sensors can include a proximity sensor, a radio frequency identification tag, or a magnet to capture a signal from the card, a device associated with the user (e.g., a user device), or the user. The card can communicate with the one or more sensors through near field communication (NFC), radio frequency identification (RFID), or Bluetooth. The biometric capture device can be configured to capture any biometric information from the user (e.g., a fingerprint, a facial image).

[0035] Step 202 can include determining a notification status of the user based on the first identification data. The notification status of the user can include whether the user should be notified regarding a delivered document. The document can include any certified document that requires the user to confirm receipt. The document can include a medical record, a tax document, a service terms document, a receipt for a mortgage, a summons, or any document that requires the user to confirm receipt.

[0036] Determining the notification status of the user can include analyzing the first identification data of the user. Analyzing the first identification of the user can be performed by the user identification module 120 of the computer system 110. The user identification module 120 can analyze the first identification data for each user accessing the computer system 110. The first identification data can be stored to or retrieved from one or more components of a data storage component or memory system of the computer system 110. Analyzing the first identification of the user can include obtaining notification data from a database associated with one or more resources 140 or third party entities and / or comparing the notification data to the identification data. The third party entities can be any entity that can deliver a document to the user, including for example, a financial services provider 141, a healthcare provider 142, a government and judicial system 143, or other third party entities 144.

[0037] The notification data can include any information provided by the user to the third party entity, including actual name, user name, password, contact information (e.g., address, phone number, email address, etc.), social security number, biometric identification data, and additional information about the user. The additional information can include user preference information, demographic information (e.g., age, gender, marital status, income level, educational background, number of children in the household, etc.), employment, and other data related to the user. Comparing the notification data to the first identification data can include matching the notification data to the first identification data. If the notification data matches the first identification data, then the user can be the recipient of the document to be delivered. For example, a fingerprint of the first identification data obtained via the ATM can be compared to a fingerprint of the notification data obtained by the third party entity to see if there is a match (e.g., a perfect match or a match that is equal to or exceeds a predetermined similarity threshold). In this case, if there is a match between the two fingerprints, then the user can be the recipient of the document to be delivered.

[0038] Prior to step 202, or at any stage of delivering the document to the user, there can be a step of authenticating the user based on the user's first identification. The authentication of the user can be initiated when the user's first identification is obtained through the ATM 160. This first identification of the user can be obtained from the user, the card (or identification / account carrier), and / or a device associated with the user. If the user's first identification is obtained from the user, the user can interact with one or more components associated with the ATM 160 (e.g., a keypad, a speaker, or a biometric capture device) to provide the first identification (e.g., a password, a voice, or a fingerprint of the user). If the user's first identification is obtained from the card (or identification / account carrier), one or more components of the ATM 160 (e.g., one or more sensors) can interact with a chip or any component of the card to obtain data from the card and initiate contactless communication between the card and the ATM 160. In this case, the user can place the card within a predetermined distance of the ATM 160 to initiate the authentication process or other transaction. If the user's first identification is obtained from a device associated with the user, one or more components of the ATM 160 (e.g., one or more sensors) can interact with any component of the device to obtain data from the device and initiate contactless communication between the device and the ATM 160. In this case, the user can open a third-party application on the device and place the device within a predetermined distance of the ATM 160 to initiate the authentication process or other transaction. In some embodiments, the first identification of the user can be obtained from multiple channels (e.g., a combination of two or more of the user, the card, and the device associated with the user) for a single authentication. For example, the user can first enter a password through a keypad associated with the ATM 160 and then place a device associated with the user next to the ATM 160 to initiate the authentication process or other transaction.

[0039] Authenticating the user can include comparing the first identification of the user to a pre-stored identification. During the authentication process, one or more algorithms can be used to compare the identification of the user to the pre-stored identification and determine whether there is a match (e.g., a perfect match or a match that is equal to or exceeds a predetermined similarity threshold) between the first identification of the user and the pre-stored identification. Based on whether there is a match between the first identification of the user and the pre-stored identification, the delivery of the document can be allowed to complete, the delivery of the document can be stopped, or additional verification processes can be required.

[0040] The pre-stored identification can be generated when the user device (e.g., user device 150) registers with a transaction system, an authentication system, or a transaction entity. In other embodiments, the pre-stored identification can be generated when the user device 150 first connects with a transaction system, an authentication system, or a transaction entity (e.g., a financial service provider, a merchant). If the user device 150 is an electronic mobile device, the pre-stored identification can be generated when a mobile application for authenticating the identification is first downloaded, installed on the user device 150, or run on the user device 150. The pre-stored identification can be generated when a user account registers with a transaction system, an authentication system, or a transaction entity, and the pre-stored identification can correspond to a user device (e.g., user device 150) that is used for the registration of the user account. Once the pre-stored identification has been generated, it can be stored with other user account information and / or authentication information. The pre-stored identification can be stored in one or more memory units, information recording programs, caches, browsing histories, and / or browser fingerprints. The pre-stored identification can be stored in a memory on-board the user device (e.g., user device 150). The pre-stored identification can be distributed across multiple devices or systems (e.g., a peer-to-peer network, a cloud computing-based infrastructure, between a reader and an external device).

[0041] Step 203 can include obtaining second identification data based on the notification status of the user via the ATM 160. The second identification data can include any biometric data of the user. The biometric data of the user can include any information related to the human characteristics of the user. The biometric data can include physiological information such as a fingerprint, palm vein, facial recognition, DNA, palm print, hand geometry, iris recognition, retina, or body odor / smell. The biometric data can also include behavioral characteristics related to the behavioral patterns of the user including, but not limited to, typing rhythm, gait, or voice. The second identification data of the user can include a real name, a user name, a password, contact information (e.g., address, phone number, email address, etc.), a social security number, and additional information about the user. The additional information can include user preference information, demographic information (e.g., age, gender, marital status, income level, educational background, number of children in the family, etc.), employment, and other data related to the user.

[0042] Obtaining the second identification data can include obtaining the second identification data via an image capture device associated with the ATM 160. In this case, the second identification data can include a facial picture of the user. The image capture device can be installed next to or as one or more components (e.g., a keypad) of the ATM. The image capture device can be configured to capture one or more facial pictures of the user. The image capture device can include hardware and / or software elements. In some embodiments, the image capture device can be a camera operably coupled to the user device. The image capture device can be controlled by an application / software configured to capture a facial picture of the user. In some embodiments, the software and / or application can be configured to activate the camera to capture a facial image of the user. Obtaining the second identification data can include obtaining the second identification data via one or more sensors associated with the ATM 160. The one or more sensors can include a body odor sensor, a motion sensor, a touch screen, or a scanner. In this case, the second identification data can be any information related to the human characteristics of the user. In some embodiments, obtaining the second identification data can include obtaining the second identification data via one or more components associated with the ATM 160.

[0043] Step 204 can include a step of determining a delivery status of the user based on the first identification data and the second identification data. The delivery status of the user can include any information related to the delivery of the document. The delivery status of the user can include whether the user is a recipient of the document to be delivered. The delivery status of the user can include whether the document has been delivered, if the user is a recipient of the document to be delivered. Determining the delivery status of the user can include analyzing the first identification data and the second identification data of the user. In some other embodiments, determining the delivery status of the user can include analyzing the first identification data and not the second identification data. In this case, the first identification data (e.g., a fingerprint) can be sufficient to determine the delivery status of the user.

[0044] Analyzing the first and second identification data of the user can be performed by the user identification module 120 of the computer system 110. The user identification module 120 can analyze the first identification data and the second identification data for each user accessing the computer system 110. The first identification data and / or the second identification data can be stored to or retrieved from one or more components of a data storage component or a memory system of the computer system 110. Analyzing the first identification data and the second identification data of the user can include analyzing the first identification data first and then analyzing the second identification data. Details of analyzing the first identification data are described elsewhere herein.

[0045] Analyzing the second identification data can include obtaining delivery data from a database associated with a third party entity and / or comparing the delivery data to the second identification data. The third party entity can be any entity that can deliver (e.g., request delivery of) a document to the user, as described elsewhere herein. For example, the delivery data can be any type of information similar to the second identification data. The delivery data can include any information provided by the user to the third party entity, including a real name, a username, a password, contact information (e.g., an address, a phone number, an email address, etc.), a social security number, and additional information about the user. The additional information can include user preference information, demographic information (e.g., age, gender, marital status, income level, educational background, number of children in the family, etc.), employment, and other data related to the user. The delivery data can include any biometric data of the user. Details of the biometric data of the user are described elsewhere herein. The biometric data can include one or more facial pictures of the user. The one or more facial pictures of the user can include one or more facial pictures taken from different angles of the user’s face. Comparing the delivery data to the second identification data can include matching the delivery data to the second identification data. If the delivery data matches (e.g., matches exactly or matches equal to or exceeds a predetermined similarity threshold) the second identification data, then the user can be the recipient of the document to be delivered. For example, a facial picture obtained via the ATM 160 can be compared to a facial picture of the delivery data obtained by the third party entity to see if there is a match. In this case, if there is a match between the two facial pictures, then the user can be the recipient of the document to be delivered.

[0046] Step 205 can include a step of delivering the document to the user via the ATM based on the delivery status of the user. Delivering the document can include printing the document. One or more components of the ATM 160 (e.g., a printer) can be used to print the document. In some embodiments, delivering the document can include delivering the document to the user in a paperless manner. The paperless manner can include email delivery, web delivery, or phone delivery. The user can be first notified about the delivery of the document on a display screen associated with the ATM. The user can then be able to select a method of delivering the document (e.g., print or paperless) by interacting with a keyboard or display screen associated with the ATM. The delivered document can include instructions for the user to provide additional information about the delivery. The additional information can include an updated address, an updated email address, an updated password, or an updated username. In some settings, the additional information can be input via one or more components of the ATM 160 or the user device 150 (e.g., a touchscreen, a keyboard).

[0047] There can be a step of obtaining instructions from the user through the ATM prior to delivering the document to the user. The instructions can include information related to the user's interaction with the document to be delivered, including, for example, whether the user can accept the document to be delivered, the user's preferred way of accepting the document to be delivered (e.g., print a copy, email), or a reminder set by the user to accept the document at a future time if the user does not accept the document to be delivered. The instructions can also include any information related to the document to be delivered. Obtaining instructions from the user can include obtaining instructions as input via one or more components of the ATM 160 or the user device 150 (e.g., a touchscreen, a keyboard).

[0048] There can be a step of obtaining confirmation of delivering the document through the ATM after delivering the document to the user. The confirmation of delivering the document can include any information about delivering the document, including, but not limited to, the time of delivering the document, the location of delivering the document, or the document delivered during the process of delivering the document. The confirmation of delivering the document can include a photo of the user holding the document in hand. In this case, the photo of the user holding the document in hand can be obtained by an image capturing device associated with the ATM 160. After obtaining the confirmation of delivering the document, there can be a step of sending the confirmation of delivering the document to a third-party entity. After receiving the confirmation of delivering the document, the third-party entity can be able to update its database with the information provided in the confirmation of delivering the document.

[0049] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating another exemplary method for delivering a document to a user, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The method can be performed by the computer system 110.

[0050] Step 301 is similar to step 201 of Figure 2 Step 301 can include obtaining first identification data of the user via an ATM (e.g., the ATM 160). The first identification data of the user can include a card number and a password associated with the card number. In some embodiments, the first identification data of the user can include a card number and a password associated with the card number, and can not include other information. Details of the ATM 160 and the first identification data are described elsewhere herein.

[0051] Step 302 can include obtaining a first user identification based on the first identification data of the user, where the first user identification includes a user name. The user name can be the actual name of the user or can not be the actual name of the user but an alias created by the user to identify himself or herself. The first user identification can also include at least one of an address or a social security number of the user. The first user identification can include the actual name, the user name, a password, a card number, a password associated with the card number, contact information (e.g., address, phone number, email address, etc.), a social security number, biometric identification data, and additional information about the user. The additional information can include user preference information, demographic information (e.g., age, gender, marital status, income level, educational background, number of children in the family, etc.), employment, and other data related to the user.

[0052] The obtaining of the first user identification can be initiated when the first identification data of the user is obtained. The obtaining of the first user identification can include comparing the first identification data to the first user identification. During the process of obtaining the first user identification, one or more algorithms can be used to compare the first identification data to the first user identification and determine whether there is a match between the first identification data and the first user identification. If there is a match (e.g., a perfect match or a match that is equal to or exceeds a predetermined similarity threshold), the first user identification can be obtained and the first user identification can include more information about the user than the information related to the first identification data. For example, the first identification data of the user can include a card number and a password associated with the card number, and the first user identification can include the card number, the password associated with the card number, and a social security number.

[0053] The first user identification can be a pre-stored identification. The pre-stored identification can be generated when the user device (e.g., the user device 150) is registered with a transaction system, an authentication system, or a transaction entity. In other embodiments, the pre-stored identification can be generated when the user device 150 first connects with a transaction system, an authentication system, or a transaction entity. If the user device 150 is an electronic mobile device, the pre-stored identification can be generated when a mobile application for authenticating an identification is first downloaded, installed, or run on the user device 150. For example, the first identification data can include a card number and a password associated with the card number, and the first identification data can be compared to the first user identification, which includes a pre-stored card number and a pre-stored password associated with the card number. If the card number matches the pre-stored card number and / or the password associated with the card number matches the pre-stored password associated with the card number, the first user identification can be obtained and the first user identification can include additional information, such as a user name, an address, or a social security number.

[0054] Step 303 can include determining a notification status of the user based on the first user identification. The notification status of the user can include whether the user should be notified regarding delivery of a document. The document can include any certified document that requires the user to confirm receipt. The document can include a medical record, a tax document, a service terms document, a receipt for a mortgage, a summons, or any document that requires the user to confirm receipt.

[0055] Determining the notification status of the user can include analyzing the first user identification. Analyzing the first identification of the user can be performed by the user identification module 120 of the computer system 110. The user identification module can analyze the first user identification for each user accessing the computer system 110. The first user identification can be stored to and retrieved from one or more components of a data storage component or memory system of the computer system 110. Analyzing the first user identification can include obtaining notification data from a database associated with a third party entity and / or comparing the notification data to the first user identification. The third party entity can be any entity that can deliver a document to the user (or request that a document be delivered to the user), as described elsewhere herein. The notification data can include any information provided by the user to the third party entity, including a real name, a user name, a password, contact information (e.g., an address, a phone number, an email address, etc.), a social security number, biometric data, and additional information about the user. The additional information can include user preference information, demographic information (e.g., age, gender, marital status, income level, educational background, number of children in the family, etc.), employment, and other data related to the user. Comparing the notification data to the first user identification can include matching the notification data to the first user identification. If the notification data matches (e.g., exactly matches or matches equal to or above a predetermined similarity threshold) the first user identification, then the user can be a recipient of a document to be delivered. For example, a social security number of the first user identification can be compared to a social security number of the notification data obtained by the third party entity to see if there is a match. In this case, if there is a match between the two social security numbers, then the user can be a recipient of a document to be delivered or be notified regarding delivery of the document.

[0056] Step 304 can include obtaining second identification data based on the notification status of the user via the ATM (e.g., ATM 160). The second identification data can include any biometric data of the user. The biometric data of the user can include any information related to the human characteristics of the user. The biometric data can include physiological information such as, for example, fingerprints, palm veins, facial recognition, DNA, palmprints, hand geometry, iris recognition, retinal, and body odor / scent. The biometric data can also include behavioral characteristics related to the behavioral patterns of the user including, but not limited to, typing rhythm, gait, and voice. The second identification of the user can include a real name, a user name, a password, contact information (e.g., address, phone number, email address, etc.), a social security number, and additional information about the user. The additional information can include user preference information, demographic information (e.g., age, gender, marital status, income level, educational background, number of children in the family, etc.), employment, and other data related to the user. In some embodiments, the second identification data of the user can include a facial picture of the user and can not include other information.

[0057] Obtaining the second identification data can include obtaining the second identification data via an image capture device associated with the ATM 160. In this case, the second identification data can include a facial picture of the user. The image capture device can be installed next to or as a part of one or more components (e.g., a keyboard) of the ATM 160. Details of the image capture device are described elsewhere herein. Obtaining the second identification data can include obtaining the second identification data via one or more sensors associated with the ATM 160. The one or more sensors can include a body odor sensor, a motion sensor, a touch screen, or a scanner. In this case, the second identification data can be any information related to the human characteristics of the user. In some embodiments, obtaining the second identification data can include obtaining the second identification data via one or more components associated with the ATM 160.

[0058] Step 305 can include obtaining a second user identification based on the second identification data of the user. The second user identification can include demographic information of the user. The demographic information can include at least one of an age, a gender, an eye color, or a race of the user. In some embodiments, the second user identification can include any biometric data of the user. The second user identification of the user can include a real name, a user name, a password, contact information (e.g., address, phone number, email address, etc.), a social security number, and additional information about the user. The additional information can include user preference information, demographic information (e.g., age, gender, marital status, income level, educational background, number of children in the family, etc.), employment, and other data related to the user.

[0059] When the second identification data of the user is obtained, obtaining the second user identification can be initiated. In some embodiments, the second identification data can be a facial picture of the user, and one or more algorithms can be utilized to analyze the facial picture of the user and generate demographic information of the user based on the facial picture. In this case, the demographic information generated based on the facial picture can include the age, eye color, gender, or race of the user. The one or more algorithms can include trained machine learning algorithms. Details of the algorithms or trained machine learning algorithms are described elsewhere herein.

[0060] Step 306 can include determining a delivery status of the user based on the first user identification and the second user identification. The delivery status of the user can include whether the user is a recipient of a document to be delivered. The delivery status of the user can include whether the document has been delivered, if the user is a recipient of the document to be delivered. Determining the delivery status of the user can include analyzing the first user identification and the second user identification of the user. Analyzing the first user identification and the second user identification of the user can be performed by the user identification module 120 of the computer system 110. The user identification module 120 can analyze the first user identification and the second user identification for each user accessing the computer system 110. The first user identification and / or the second user identification can be stored to or retrieved from one or more components of a data storage component or memory system of the computer system 110.

[0061] Analyzing the first user identification and the second user identification can include comparing the first user identification to the second user identification. For example, demographic information of the first user identification can be compared to demographic information of the second user identification. If there is a match (e.g., a perfect match or a match that is equal to or exceeds a predetermined similarity threshold) between the demographic information of the first user identification and the demographic information of the second user identification, the delivery status of the user can be determined. In some embodiments, all of the demographic information of the first user identification can be matched to all of the demographic information of the second user identification, such that the delivery status of the user can be determined. In some embodiments, some of the demographic information of the first user identification can be matched to some of the demographic information of the second user identification, such that the delivery status of the user can be determined.

[0062] Determining the delivery status can include obtaining the delivery data from a database associated with the third-party entity and / or comparing the delivery data to the second user identification. The third-party entity can be any entity that can deliver the document to the user (or request that the document be delivered to the user), as described elsewhere herein. The delivery data can be any type of information similar to the second user identification. For example, the delivery data can include any information provided by the user to the third-party entity, including a real name, a username, a password, contact information (e.g., an address, a phone number, an email address, etc.), a social security number, and additional information about the user. The additional information can include user preference information, demographic information (e.g., age, gender, marital status, income level, educational background, number of children in the family, etc.), employment, and other data related to the user. The delivery data can include any biometric data of the user. The biometric data can include one or more facial pictures of the user. The one or more facial pictures of the user can include one or more facial pictures taken from different angles of the user’s face. Comparing the delivery data to the second user identification can include matching the delivery data to the second user identification. If the delivery data matches (e.g., exactly matches or matches equal to or above a predetermined similarity threshold) the second user identification, then the user can be the recipient of the document to be delivered. For example, demographic information of the delivery data can be compared to demographic information of the second user identification. If there is a match between the demographic information of the delivery data and the demographic information of the second user identification, then the delivery status of the user can be determined. In some embodiments, all of the demographic information of the delivery data can be matched to all of the demographic information of the second user identification such that the delivery status of the user can be determined. In some embodiments, some of the demographic information of the delivery data can be matched to some of the demographic information of the second user identification such that the delivery status of the user can be determined.

[0063] Obtaining the second user identification can include obtaining the second user identification via a trained machine learning algorithm. The trained machine learning algorithm can be configured to obtain at least a portion of the second user identification based on the second identification data. For example, if the second identification data is a facial picture of the user, the trained machine learning algorithm can be configured to obtain the age and gender of the user based on the facial picture, as the age and gender can be factors that define the second user identification of the user. At any stage of delivering the document to the user, the method can further include retrieving identification data of one or more clients other than the user, a user identification, a notification status, or a delivery status; and determining the second user identification, the delivery status, or the notification status of the user via the trained machine learning algorithm. The identification data of the one or more clients other than the user, the user identification, the notification status, or the delivery status can be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium or one or more databases.

[0064] The trained machine learning algorithm can include a regression-based model that accepts, as input data, the identification data of the user or one or more customers other than the user, the user identification, the notification status, or the delivery status. The trained machine learning algorithm can be part of the algorithmic model 112. The trained machine learning algorithm can be in any suitable form and can include, for example, a neural network. A neural network can be software that represents the human nervous system (e.g., cognitive system). The neural network can include a series of layers referred to as “neurons” or “nodes.” The neural network can include an input layer to which data is presented, one or more inner layers, and an output layer. The number of neurons in each layer can be related to the complexity of the problem to be solved. The input neurons can receive the presented data and then send the data through connected weights to the first inner layer. The neural network can include a convolutional neural network, a deep neural network, or a recurrent neural network. The machine learning algorithm can be trained using a training set that includes data of a similar type to the type of data used as input to the model through supervised, unsupervised, or semi-supervised learning. For example, the training set used to train the model can include any combination of the following: identification data of the user or one or more customers other than the user, the user identification, the notification status, or the delivery status; or identification data of the user, the user identification, the notification status, or the delivery status.

[0065] After the document is delivered to the user, there can be a step of obtaining confirmation of the delivered document by the ATM. The confirmation of the delivered document can include any information about the delivered document, including but not limited to the time of the delivered document, the location of the delivered document, or the document delivered during the process of the delivered document. The confirmation of the delivered document can include a photo of the user holding the document in their hand. In this case, the photo of the user holding the document in their hand can be obtained by an image capture device associated with the ATM 160. After the confirmation of the delivered document is obtained, there can be a step of sending the confirmation of the delivered document to a third-party entity. After receiving the confirmation of the delivered document, the third party can be able to update its database with the information provided in the confirmation of the delivered document.

[0066] In any case, there may be a step to recapture the document if the user rejects it. Recapturing the document may include returning it to the ATM 160 in response to the user's failure / rejection of document collection. Recapturing the document may also include destroying (e.g., shredding) the document. After recapturing the document, there may be a step to obtain a failure message from the ATM 160 indicating that document delivery failed. The failure message may include any information about the failed document delivery, including but not limited to the time of the failed delivery attempt, the location of the failed delivery attempt, or the document that failed to be delivered. After obtaining the failure message, there may be a step to send the failure message to a third-party entity. After receiving the failure message, the third party may be able to use the information provided in the failure message to update its database.

[0067] Generally, the processes discussed in this disclosure are understood to be any computer-implementable process (e.g. Figures 2-3 The process shown can be executed by one or more processors of a computer system, such as computer system 110, as described above. A process or process step executed by one or more processors may also be referred to as an operation. One or more processors may be configured to execute such a process by accessing instructions (e.g., software or computer-readable code) that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform these processes. The instructions may be stored in the memory of the computer system. The processor may be a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or any suitable type of processing unit.

[0068] For example, computer systems such as computer system 110, ATM 160, and / or user equipment 150 may include one or more computing devices. If one or more processors of computer system 110, ATM 160, and / or user equipment 150 are implemented as multiple processors, the multiple processors may be included in a single computing device or distributed among multiple computing devices. If computer system 110, ATM 160, and / or user equipment 150 includes multiple computing devices, the memory of computer system 110, ATM 160, and / or user equipment 150 may include the corresponding memory of each of the multiple computing devices.

[0069] Figure 4An example of a computing device 400 of a computer system, such as computer system 110 and / or user device 150, is shown. Computing device 400 can include a processor(s) 410 (e.g., CPU, GPU, or other such processing unit(s)), a memory 420, and a communication interface(s) 440 (e.g., network interface) for communicating with other devices. Memory 420 can include volatile memory (e.g., RAM) and / or non-volatile memory (e.g., ROM and storage media). Examples of storage media include solid-state storage media (e.g., solid-state drives and / or removable flash memory), optical storage media (e.g., optical discs), and / or magnetic storage media (e.g., hard disk drives). The above instructions (e.g., software or computer-readable code) can be stored in any of the volatile and / or non-volatile memory components of memory 420. In some embodiments, computing device 400 can also include input device(s) 450 (e.g., keyboard, mouse, or touchscreen) and output device(s) 460 (e.g., display, printer). The above elements of computing device 400 can be connected to one another by a bus 430 representing one or more busses. In some embodiments, processor(s) 410 of computing device 400 include both a CPU and a GPU.

[0070] Instructions that are executable by one or more processors can be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Thus, whenever a computer-implemented method is described in this disclosure, the disclosure should also be understood to describe a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the computer-implemented method. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include RAM, ROM, solid-state storage media (e.g., solid-state drives), optical storage media (e.g., optical discs), and magnetic storage media (e.g., hard disk drives). A non-transitory computer-readable medium can be a portion of a memory that is part of a computer system or separate from any computer system.

[0071] It should be understood that, in the above description of exemplary embodiments, for the purpose of making the disclosure flow smoothly and helping to understand one or more of the various inventive aspects, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure or description thereof. However, this approach should not be interpreted to reflect an intention that the claims require more features than are explicitly recited in each claim. On the contrary, as is reflected in the appended claims, the inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this disclosure.

[0072] Furthermore, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the combination of features of different embodiments means that combinations of features of different embodiments are within the scope of the present disclosure and form different embodiments. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0073] Thus, although certain embodiments have been described, it is understood that others, and that further modifications and improvements thereto, can occur to persons skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, functions can be added or deleted from the block diagrams, and operations can be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps described in the methods within the scope of the present disclosure can be added or deleted.

[0074] The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present disclosure is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited to the foregoing detailed description. While various implementations of the present disclosure have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for delivering a document to a user, the method comprising: obtaining first identification data of the user via an interaction between the user and an automated teller machine (ATM) unrelated to delivering the document, wherein the first identification data of the user comprises a card number and a pin associated with the card number; determining a notification status of the user based on the first identification data; obtaining second identification data of the user via the ATM based on the notification status of the user; determining a delivery status of the user based on the first identification data and the second identification data, wherein the delivery status comprises determining one or more of: (i) whether the user is a recipient of the document to be delivered, and (ii) whether the document has been previously delivered; and delivering the document to the user via the ATM based on the delivery status of the user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: obtaining a confirmation of delivering the document via the ATM, wherein: the confirmation comprises a photograph of the user at a time and location at which the document was delivered; and the photograph of the user comprises a photograph of the user holding the document.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising: sending the confirmation of delivering the document to a third party entity.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein, delivering the document comprises printing the document.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein, the document comprises a case, a tax document, or any document that needs to be confirmed received by the user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein, the first identification data further comprises a fingerprint of the user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein, obtaining the second identification data comprises obtaining the second identification data via an image capture device associated with the ATM.

8. A computer-implemented method for delivering a document to a user, the method comprising: obtaining first identification data of the user via an interaction between the user and an automated teller machine (ATM) related to a financial transaction of the user; obtaining a first user identification based on the first identification data of the user, wherein the first user identification comprises a user name; determining a notification status of the user based on the first user identification; obtaining second identification data of the user via the ATM based on the notification status of the user, wherein the second identification data comprises at least biometric data of the user; obtaining a second user identification based on the second identification data of the user, wherein the second user identification comprises demographic information of the user; determining a delivery status of the user based on the first user identification and the second user identification, wherein the delivery status comprises determining one or more of: (i) whether the user is a recipient of the document to be delivered, and (ii) whether the document has been previously delivered; and delivering the document to the user via the ATM based on the delivery status of the user.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein, the demographic information comprises at least one of an age, a gender, an eye color, or a race of the user.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising: If the user rejects the document, recapturing the document.

Images