ATM Passcode Payment Interface for Secure Third-Party Cash Transfers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Individuals without access to the Internet or averse to online transactions face challenges in making payments to third parties, necessitating a secure and convenient alternative.

Innovation Solution

Transaction machines, such as ATMs, are configured to facilitate person-to-person payments by allowing users to input a passcode unique to the transaction, followed by an amount, and then accept various payment modes including cash, credit cards, or cryptocurrency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If online transactions are used for payments, then convenience and speed are improved, but security concerns and Internet access requirements worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of paymentVSAvoidsecurity of transaction

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an ATM as an intermediary device between the payer and the third-party recipient. The ATM serves as a physical mediator that processes payments without requiring Internet access or online connectivity. The system uses an account number and payment code as intermediaries to facilitate secure fund transfers through the ATM's offline processing capability, thereby resolving the contradiction between convenience and security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If ATM interface includes third-party payment options, then versatility is improved, but device complexity worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepayment optionsVSAvoidinterface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the payment interface into distinct functional modules: a standard ATM interface for traditional operations, and a separate third-party payment interface for alternative payment methods. This segmentation allows the ATM to maintain its core functionality while adding versatility through modular interface design, preventing overall system complexity from becoming unmanageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The ATM is designed with multi-functionality to handle both traditional banking operations and third-party payments through a unified device. By integrating multiple payment options (cash, check, transfer) into a single machine with a standardized interface, the system achieves versatility without proportionally increasing complexity, as the underlying hardware and basic software architecture remain shared across all functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250342470A1Third party products and services via ATM

Publication Date: 2025.11.06 WELLS FARGO BANK NA

AI summary

A computer system and a transaction machine, such as an automated teller machine (ATM), can provide for any payor to make a payment to a payee at the transaction machine. The transaction machine provides the payor a user interface to enter a passcode that uniquely identifies the payment transaction. The passcode can be generated by a provider computing system associated with the transaction machine and provided directly to the payee or through the payor prior to the transaction. The transaction machine provides the payor a user interface to enter an amount. The transaction machine receives a cash deposit and provides a deposit user interface that displays deposit information based on at least one bill of the cash deposit.