Abstract:
A flow-through transaction is effectuated with regard to a deposit account at a financial institution by an intermediary between a customer and the financial institution. The customer is received at a site of the intermediary and a type of the flow-through transaction is determined therefrom. An identification of the financial institution, the account thereat, and an amount of funds involved are received, and a request to a clearinghouse is initiated for the transaction. The clearinghouse establishes that the request is satisfactory and returns an approval of same to guarantee that the transaction is to be performed. A confirmation is provided to the customer upon receiving the approval. Thus, the customer need not visit a site of the financial institution to perform thereat a transaction equivalent to the flow-through transaction.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     The present application is filed concurrently with and shares a common title and disclosure with the following applications, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety:
         U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/273,025; and   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/273,029.       

     FIELD 
     The present disclosure is directed to allowing a customer of a bank or other financial institution to perform transactions therewith by way of a third-party. In particular, the present disclosure relates to such transactions that flow through the third-party between the customer and the bank or other financial institution. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A bank or other financial institution (hereinafter, ‘bank’) typically has customers that maintain accounts with such bank for the purpose of performing financial transactions including deposits, withdrawals, and the like. For example, a customer of the bank may have a checking account and a savings account with the bank, and may from time to time deposit a check or cash in the savings account, withdraw cash from the checking account, obtain a certified check based on funds in the savings account, etc. 
     As may be appreciated, the customer may remotely perform many transactions with the bank in connection with the accounts of such customer. For example, and is generally known, the customer may employ a telephone connection or computing connection with the bank in a generally automated manner to inquire regarding an account balance, transfer funds between accounts, direct that the bank pay an amount of funds to a particular recipient, and the like. Nevertheless, the customer may at times prefer to transact business with the bank in person at a branch office or other site of the bank (hereinafter, ‘in person’), or may be required to transact business with the bank in person. For example, the customer if withdrawing cash from an account thereof at the bank may at times be required to do so in person at such bank. Likewise, the customer if depositing instruments such as checks may at times also be required to do so in person at such bank. 
     It is to be appreciated that many banks now provide automated services that may obviate or at least reduce the need to perform in person transactions such as those set forth above. Most notably, many banks now provide automated teller machines (ATMs) that can perform at least some of the in person transactions on behalf of the bank. Nevertheless, some bank transactions still require that the customer be present at the bank, such as for example obtaining a certified check, or withdrawing a relatively large amount of funds in cash form. 
     Moreover, at least some customers of the bank prefer to perform banking transactions in person. For example, some of the customers do not like to use ATMs or are not able to use ATMS, while some of the customers do not have access to necessary telephone or computing technology to perform remote transactions with the bank in a generally automated manner. 
     For the customer of the bank that wishes to perform a transaction with the bank in person, either by choice or by necessity, it is oftentimes a relatively simple matter of the customer traveling to a local branch of the bank and performing the transaction thereat. However, if the customer is not near a local branch of the bank, traveling thereto is of course a more complicated matter. As should be understood, for such a remote customer, traveling to a local branch of the bank may require a long trip by automobile or bus or the like or even a trip by airplane, which in many circumstances requires an inordinate amount of effort that is likely not worthwhile. Moreover, if it happens that the bank wishes to attract such an in person transaction customer who is not near a local branch of such bank, the bank is of course severely limited in being able to do so because of the lack of a local branch for such customer. 
     Accordingly, a need exists for a method and mechanism by which a customer of a bank may perform an in person transaction with such bank without the need to travel to a local branch of the bank. 
     SUMMARY 
     The aforementioned needs are satisfied at least in part by systems and methods performed with regard to a deposit account at a financial institution to effectuate a flow-through transaction for a customer with regard to the account as an intermediary between the customer and financial institution. The customer is received at a site of the intermediary and a type of the flow-through transaction is determined from the received customer. In various embodiments, the type of transaction may be a deposit of funds to the account or a withdrawal of funds from the account, among other things. 
     An identification of the financial institution, an identification of the account at the financial institution, and an identification of an amount of funds involved are received from the customer, and a request to a clearinghouse is initiated for the type of flow-through transaction in the identified amount with regard to the identified account at the identified financial institution. The clearinghouse receives the request from the intermediary, establishes that the request is satisfactory, and returns an approval of same to guarantee that the requested type of flow-through transaction for the identified amount of funds is to be performed by the clearinghouse with regard to the identified account at the identified financial institution. A confirmation of the flow-through transaction is provided to the customer upon receiving the approval from the clearinghouse. Thus, the customer need not visit a site of the financial institution to perform thereat a transaction equivalent to the flow-through transaction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of various embodiments of the present innovation, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the embodiments, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently envisioned. As should be understood, however, the embodiments of the present innovation are not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an example of a computing environment within which various embodiments of the present innovation may be implemented; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a system for performing flow-through banking in accordance with various embodiments of the present innovation; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram showing key actions performed in connection with the flow-through system of  FIG. 2  in the course of withdrawing funds in accordance with various embodiments of the present innovation; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram showing key actions performed in connection with the flow-through system of  FIG. 2  in the course of depositing funds in accordance with various embodiments of the present innovation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Example Computing Environment 
       FIG. 1  is set forth herein as an exemplary computing environment in which various embodiments of the present innovation may be implemented. The computing system environment is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality. Numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations may be used. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use include, but are not limited to, personal computers (PCs), server computers, handheld or laptop devices, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based systems, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, embedded systems, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. 
     Computer-executable instructions such as program modules executed by a computer may be used. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Distributed computing environments may be used where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network or other data transmission medium. In a distributed computing environment, program modules and other data may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary system for implementing aspects described herein includes a computing device, such as computing device  100 . In its most basic configuration, computing device  100  typically includes at least one processing unit  102  and memory  104 . Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device, memory  104  may be volatile (such as random access memory (RAM)), non-volatile (such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, etc.), or some combination of the two. This most basic configuration is illustrated in  FIG. 1  by dashed line  106 . Computing device  100  may have additional features/functionality. For example, computing device  100  may include additional storage (removable and/or non-removable) including, but not limited to, magnetic or optical disks or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated in  FIG. 1  by removable storage  108  and non-removable storage  110 . 
     Computing device  100  typically includes or is provided with a variety of computer-readable media. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by computing device  100  and includes both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. 
     Computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Memory  104 , removable storage  108 , and non-removable storage  110  are all examples of computer storage media. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by computing device  100 . Any such computer storage media may be part of computing device  100 . 
     Computing device  100  may also contain communications connection(s)  112  that allow the device to communicate with other devices. Each such communications connection  112  is an example of communication media. Communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared and other wireless media. The term computer-readable media as used herein includes both storage media and communication media. 
     Computing device  100  may also have input device(s)  114  such as keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, etc. Output device(s)  116  such as a display, speakers, printer, etc. may also be included. All these devices are generally known to the relevant public and therefore need not be discussed in any detail herein except as provided. 
     Notably, computing device  100  may be one of a plurality of computing devices  100  inter-connected by a network  118 , as is shown in  FIG. 1 . As may be appreciated, the network  118  may be any appropriate network, each computing device  100  may be connected thereto by way of a connection  112  in any appropriate manner, and each computing device  100  may communicate with one or more of the other computing devices  100  in the network  118  in any appropriate manner. For example, the network  118  may be a wired or wireless network within an organization or home or the like, and may include a direct or indirect coupling to an external network such as the Internet or the like. 
     It should be understood that the various techniques described herein may be implemented in connection with hardware or software or, where appropriate, with a combination of both. Thus, the methods and apparatus of the presently disclosed subject matter, or certain aspects or portions thereof, may take the form of program code (i.e., instructions) embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other machine-readable storage medium wherein, when the program code is loaded into and executed by a machine, such as a computer, the machine becomes an apparatus for practicing the presently disclosed subject matter. 
     In the case of program code execution on programmable computers, the computing device generally includes a processor, a storage medium readable by the processor (including volatile and non-volatile memory and/or storage elements), at least one input device, and at least one output device. One or more programs may implement or utilize the processes described in connection with the presently disclosed subject matter, e.g., through the use of an application-program interface (API), reusable controls, or the like. Such programs may be implemented in a high-level procedural or object-oriented programming language to communicate with a computer system. However, the program(s) can be implemented in assembly or machine language, if desired. In any case, the language may be a compiled or interpreted language, and combined with hardware implementations. 
     Although exemplary embodiments may refer to utilizing aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter in the context of one or more stand-alone computer systems, the subject matter is not so limited, but rather may be implemented in connection with any computing environment, such as a network  118  or a distributed computing environment. Still further, aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter may be implemented in or across a plurality of processing chips or devices, and storage may similarly be effected across a plurality of devices in a network  118 . Such devices might include personal computers, network servers, and handheld devices, for example. 
     Flow-Through Banking 
     In various embodiments of the present innovation, and turning now to  FIG. 2 , it is seen that a bank or other financial institution (hereinafter, ‘bank  10 ’) has a customer  12  that maintains one or more deposit accounts  14  with such bank for the purpose of performing financial transactions including deposits, withdrawals, and the like. As should be appreciated, the bank  10  may be most any bank or other financial institution, such as for example a large bank with many local branches, a small bank with only one or a few branches, a financial brokerage without banking branches per se, a credit union with a single branch, etc. Moreover, the accounts  14  may be most any accounts, including checking accounts, savings accounts, certificate of deposit accounts, lines of credit, loan accounts, and the like. Thus, and as was set forth above, the customer  12  may from time to time perform transactions with regard to the accounts  14  of such customer  12  at such bank, most notably including depositing and/or withdrawing funds from such accounts  14 . 
     As was alluded to above, the customer  12  may at times perform such transactions without the need to visit a local branch of the bank, (i.e. ‘in person’). For example, and again, the customer  12  may remotely perform many transactions with the bank  10  by way of a telephone connection or computing connection with the bank in a generally automated manner, or by visiting an automated teller machine (ATM). Nevertheless, the customer  12  may at times desire to perform transactions with the bank  10  in person, or may be required to perform such transactions with the bank  10  in person, or may be incapable of not performing transactions with the bank  10  in person, or the like. 
     If the customer  12  is physically located near a local branch of the bank  10 , the customer  12  may visit same with relative ease to perform a transaction. However, and again, if not near such a local branch, traveling thereto may be more difficult, and increasingly so as the distance grows larger. Moreover, if the bank  10  wishes to attract and/or retain the customer  12  or a similar individual, the bank  10  is severely limited in being able to do so when the [remote] customer  12  is physically located a relatively large distance from the closest local branch of such bank  10 . 
     The bank  10  may decide to build or otherwise acquire a local branch that is nearer to such a remote customer  12 . However, it should be apparent that the cost to the bank  10  to do so is prohibitive, especially for a single remote customer  12 , and even for only a few remote customers  12  in a particular area. 
     Instead, and in various embodiments of the present innovation, the bank  12  can arrange to employ a local branch or office of another entity acting as an intermediary  16  that performs flow-through banking transaction on behalf of the bank  10 , such that the another intermediary  16  would perform transactions for a remote customer  12  or any other customer  12  of the bank  10 , and the performed transactions would flow-through from the another intermediary  16  to the bank  10 . 
     The intermediary  16  may of course be another bank that is not the bank  10 , especially inasmuch as another bank as the entity would likely already be equipped with and/or capable of performing all necessary functionality so as to perform transactions for customers  12  of the bank  10  that would flow-through to the bank  10 . Additionally, and in various embodiments of the present innovation, the intermediary  16  may be a non-bank, especially if provided with the requisite equipment and capabilities needed to perform transactions for customers  12  of the bank  10  that would flow-through to the bank  10 . For example, the non-bank entity could be a merchant dedicated to performing flow-through transactions for the bank, or could be a department in a merchant having several different functions, such as at a supermarket, a department store, a supercenter, or any other appropriate entity. 
     Presumably, the intermediary  16  would perform flow-through transactions for a customer  12  of the bank  10  in return for some form of compensation such as a service fee or the like. While it is reasonable to consider that the compensation would be monetary in form, such as a payment either from the bank  10  or the customer  12 , it could also be the case that the compensation would be non-monetary in form, such as for example the ability to increase traffic at the intermediary  16  or the ability to market goods and/or services of the intermediary  16  to customers  12  of the bank  10 . If the compensation is in fact monetary, it is to be appreciated that the compensation could be based on each flow-through transaction performed by the intermediary  16  for a customer  12  of the bank  10 , could be based on a fixed fee per period (i.e., month, year, etc.), or could be based on a more complex formula, among other things. 
     While the compensation for the intermediary  16  could be obtained directly from each customer  12  of the bank  10 , it is likely the case that the bank  10  pays such compensation to the entity itself, as a cost of doing business. For one thing, the customer  12  if made to pay the compensation directly would view the payment as a disincentive to patronizing the bank  10 , especially if other banks  10  are available to the customer  12  locally. For another, the bank  10  is likely in a better position than the customer  12  to negotiate such compensation with the intermediary  16 . At any rate, the cost of the compensation to the bank  10  is likely far less than the cost to the bank  10  to open a local branch near the intermediary  16 , and for that reason alone the cost of the compensation should be borne by the bank  10  willingly if not eagerly. 
     In various embodiments of the present innovation, the bank  10  would negotiate special or preferred relationships with at least some merchants to act as intermediaries  16  for the bank  10 . Presumably, such special or preferred intermediaries  16  would be intermediaries  16  deemed especially beneficial to the bank  10 . For example, the special or preferred intermediaries  16  may be compensated by the bank  10  at rates especially attractive to the bank  10 , or may have local branches in locations especially desired by the bank  10 , or could be deemed to be not a competitive threat to the bank  10 , among other things. 
     For reasons that should be apparent, the bank  10  likely does not wish to give the intermediary  16  direct access to the accounts  14  of the customer  12 . Fortunately, such direct access is not believed to be needed. In particular, and in various embodiments of the present innovation, the intermediary  16  performs transactions for the customers  12  of the bank  10  by way of available indirect debiting and crediting protocols that are known or should be apparent to the relevant public and therefore need not be set forth herein in any detail. For example, the indirect debiting and crediting protocols may be ACH (Automated Clearing House) debiting and crediting protocols that are available to most merchants and banks  10  from NACHA—The Electronic Payments Association, formerly the National Automated Clearing House Association, of Herndon, Va. 
     As should be understood, in such ACH protocols or in other similar protocols, a customer  12  of the bank  10  identifies to the intermediary  16  a particular account  14  thereof at the bank  10  by way of an account number for the account  14  and a routing number for the bank  10 . For example, the customer  12  may present to the intermediary  16  a pre-printed deposit or withdrawal slip from the bank  10  with such account and routing numbers. With such information, then, the intermediary  16  can access such account  14  at such bank  10  on behalf of the customer  12  to perform the transaction, where such access is indirect by way of a clearinghouse  18  or the like that is trusted by both the bank  10  and the intermediary  16  to accurately and faithfully perform transactions. 
     Typically, in an ACH transaction or similar transaction, the clearinghouse  18  guarantees the transaction in real-time or near-real time, particularly to the party that is to receive funds based on the transaction, and presumably upon satisfying itself that the party that is to supply the funds in fact has such funds. However, the actual transfer of funds may take place later, perhaps as part of a batch of transactions that are processed through the clearinghouse  18 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , it is seen that a customer  12  having an account  14  at a bank  10  withdraws funds from such account  14  by way of an intermediary  16 . Preliminarily, it is presumed that the customer  12  has presented himself or herself in person to a clerk, teller, customer service representative, associate or other agent (hereinafter, ‘clerk’) of the intermediary  16  ( 301 ). It is expected that the customer  12  identifies himself or herself to the clerk of the intermediary  16 , at least insofar as such identification is required by the protocols of the clearinghouse  18  ( 303 ). As may be expected, such identification would typically be accomplished by showing the clerk a photo identification or the like from a governmental source, such as a driver&#39;s license, although the bank  10  may itself issue such photo identification to the customer  12 . 
     Additionally, the customer  12  identifies the account  14  from which the funds are to withdrawn, and perhaps also the bank  10  having the account  14  if need be ( 305 ). Such an identification may be direct, by way of supplying the aforementioned account number and routing number, or may be indirect, by way of supplying a token representative of the aforementioned account number and routing number. Such token as may be appreciated may be a withdrawal slip with the identification encoded thereon, a magnetic strip card with the identification encoded thereon, a smart card with the identification stored in a memory thereon, an RFID tag or the like with the identification included therein, or any other reliable form that both provides the identification and also some level of assurance that the provided identification is legitimate and rightful. Note here that in the aforementioned case where the bank  10  issues a photo identification to the customer  12 , such photo identification may incorporate the aforementioned magnetic strip card, smart card, RFID tag, or the like. 
     In at least some circumstances, the customer  12  in the course of identifying the account  14  may be required to provide a personal identification value or number, a secret code, a nonce, or some other form of information that only the customer  12  would know. As should be understood, such information that only the customer  12  would know shows that the customer  12  in fact has rights to withdraw funds from the identified account  14 . As should be also understood, such information may be omitted in situations where it can be established that the customer  12  has rights to withdraw funds from the identified account  14  based on other indicia, or where the clearinghouse  18  does not require such information, among other things. 
     The customer  12  also identifies an amount of funds to be withdrawn from the identified account  14  ( 307 ). Note that such amount may be any appropriate amount, although limitations on such amount may be set by the bank  10 , the intermediary  16 , and/or the clearinghouse  18 . Of course, if multiple parties set limitations on the amount withdrawn, the most restrictive limitation would be applied. Note too that the limitations on the amount may vary depending on the form in which the funds are received. For example, it may be that cash funds are limited to a few hundred dollars, while funds received as a certified check are limited to a few thousand dollars and funds received as a bank check are not limited except by the amount of funds in the identified account. 
     Once the customer  12 , account  14 , bank  10 , an amount of funds to be withdrawn have been satisfactorily identified to the clerk of the intermediary  16 , such clerk may then initiate a request for withdrawal in the identified amount from the identified account  14  of the identified customer  12  at the identified bank  10  by way of the clearinghouse  18  ( 309 ). Note here that such withdrawal is performed according to the established protocols of the clearinghouse  18 , and thus may require that the clerk at the intermediary  16  enter the withdrawal by way of a particular device, a particular request screen, a particular access method, a particular user interface, or the like as specified by the clearinghouse  18 . Of course, such a particular device, request screen, access method, user interface, or the like is generally known or should be apparent, may be any appropriate interfacing mechanism as specified by the clearinghouse  18 , and thus need not be set forth herein in any detail other than that which is provided. 
     That said, in various envisioned scenarios, the particular device is a user interface  20  programmed into a computing device  22  at the intermediary  16 , where the computing device  22  is a transaction register typically employed at the intermediary  16 . For example, if the intermediary  16  is a retailer that has check-out registers, then the user interface  20  may be built into such check-out registers. Similarly, if the intermediary  16  is another bank that typically employs general ledger accounting terminals, then the user interface  20  may likewise be built into such terminals. Notably, if the account  14  is identified by the customer  12  by way of an identifying device  24  such as a magnetic strip card, smart card, RFID tag, or the like with identifying information, such identifying device  24  can be appropriately interfaced to the register or terminal or other computing device  22  to deliver such identifying information thereto. 
     Upon the clearinghouse  18  receiving the request for withdrawal from the clerk at the intermediary  16 , the clearinghouse  18  performs whatever operations are necessary to establish in a satisfactory manner (1) that the identified customer  12  is entitled to withdraw the identified amount of funds from the identified account  14  at the identified bank  10 , perhaps based on the customer  12  having presented a particular device  24  and/or a secret code, a personal identification number, a nonce, or the like; (2) that the identified account  14  at the identified bank  10  indeed contains at least the identified amount of funds, perhaps by querying the bank  10  for such information and then having the bank  10  place a hold on such amount; and (3) that the bank  10  will allow the withdrawal of the identified amount, among other things, perhaps by querying the bank  10  for whether the withdrawal is permitted according to a policy of the bank  10 . 
     Generally, the clearinghouse  18  if satisfied approves the withdrawal, and in doing so guarantees that the identified amount of funds will be debited from the identified account  14  and credited to an account  26  of the intermediary  16 , at least at some set point in the near future. As should be understood, the operations performed at the clearinghouse  18  are generally known or should be apparent to the relevant public and therefore need not be set forth herein in any detail other than that which is provided. Accordingly, the clearinghouse  18  may perform any appropriate operations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present innovation. 
     Presuming the request for withdrawal is approved by the clearinghouse  18 , such approval is communicated to the requesting clerk at the intermediary  16  and upon receiving such approval ( 311 ), the clerk at the intermediary  16  provides the identified amount of funds to the identified customer  12  in an appropriate form as requested by the customer  12  and as available from the intermediary  16  ( 313 ). In this regard, it may be that the customer  12  wishes to receive the funds in cash and the intermediary  16  is amenable as long as the amount of cash is below a predetermined limit, over which the funds are in the form of a certified check. Alternately, it may be that the customer  12  wishes to receive all of the funds as an official check made out to a third party, or as a credit to a bill of the customer  12 , perhaps with the intermediary  16  or with a third party, or as a deposit to another account  14  of the customer  12  at the identified bank  10  or at another bank  10 , among other things. 
     Note here that the provided funds as at  313  or the identified amount of funds as at  307  may be adjusted slightly if the customer  12  is to pay a service fee or the like to the intermediary  16  such as that which was set forth above, where the adjustment is to cover the service fee. Such adjustment is generally known and therefore may be performed in any appropriate manner. 
     Note too that from an accounting point of view, the transaction of  FIG. 3  includes a debit of funds from the identified account  14  of the customer  12  and a corresponding credit to the account  26  of the intermediary  16 , and a debit of funds from the intermediary  16  and a corresponding credit according to the directions of the customer  12 . Presumably, and omitting any service fees or the like, the credit to the account  26  of the intermediary  16  should match the debit of funds from the intermediary  16  so as to render such credit and debit a wash, with the result being that the debit of funds from the identified account  14  of the customer  12  effectively flows through to the customer  12  by way of the credit thereto. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , it is seen that a customer  12  having an account  14  at a bank  10  deposits funds into such account  14  by way of an intermediary  16  in a manner similar to that set forth in connection with  FIG. 3 . Here, and again, the customer  12  presents himself or herself in person to the clerk of the intermediary  16  ( 401 ), identifies himself or herself to the clerk of the intermediary  16 , at least insofar as such identification is required by the protocols of the clearinghouse  18  ( 403 ), identifies the account  14  into which the funds are to be deposited, and perhaps also the bank  10  having the account  14  if need be ( 405 ), and identifies an amount of funds to be deposited into the identified account  14  ( 407 ). Note here that inasmuch as a deposit involves the bank  10  receiving funds and not paying out such funds as with a withdrawal, such bank  10  and/or the clearinghouse  18  may employ standards for identifying the customer  12  as at  403  that are more relaxed as compared to the standards employed with regard to a withdrawal. In fact, no identification of the customer  12  may be required, and in fact anyone may be permitted to deposit funds into the account  14  of the customer  12 . 
     Once the customer  12 , account  14 , bank  10 , an amount of funds to be withdrawn have been satisfactorily identified to the clerk of the intermediary  16 , such clerk may then initiate a request to deposit the identified amount into the identified account  14  of the customer  12  at the identified bank  10  by way of the clearinghouse  18  ( 411 ). However, and significantly, before doing so the clerk at the intermediary  16  should ensure that the funds to be deposited are collected from the depositor, be it the customer  12  or another person ( 409 ). 
     Generally, the funds to be deposited may take the form of cash or a non-cash instrument such as a check. In the case of cash, the transaction is relatively straightforward inasmuch as the cash upon being collected represents funds that are immediately in the possession of the intermediary  16 . However, in the case of a non-cash instrument such as a check, the transaction is not as straightforward inasmuch as the instrument upon being collected represents funds that are not in the possession of the intermediary  16  until the instrument is itself cleared by way of an appropriate clearinghouse. Thus, the intermediary  16  may decide to wait to deposit the funds into the account  14  of the customer  12  until the instrument clears. However, such clearing may take a few days of performed in a traditional manner, which as should be understood is not feasible. 
     Accordingly, in various embodiments, if funds to be deposited are embodied as an instrument, the intermediary  16  electronically presents the instrument for clearing by way of a clearinghouse which may be the clearinghouse  18  or another clearinghouse. As is known, such electronic presentment is performed by the intermediary  16  by way of information already present on the instrument and presumably results in an approval from the clearinghouse is a matter of seconds. Here, similar to before, the approval is a guarantee that the amount of funds represented by the instrument will be debited from a corresponding bank account and credited to an account  26  of the intermediary  16 , at least at some set point in the near future. 
     Presuming that the funds to be deposited are collected as at  409 , the deposit of the funds to the account  14  of the customer  12  as at  411  is performed according to the established protocols of the clearinghouse  18 , and thus may require that the clerk at the intermediary  16  enter the deposit by way of a particular device, a particular request screen, a particular access method, a particular user interface, or the like as specified by the clearinghouse  18 . Again, the particular device may be a user interface  20  programmed into the computing device  22  at the intermediary  16 , and if the account  14  is identified by the customer  12  by way of a device  24  such as a magnetic strip card, smart card, RFID tag, or the like with identifying information, such identifying device  24  can be appropriately interfaced to the computing device  22  to deliver such identifying information thereto. 
     Upon the clearinghouse  18  receiving the request to deposit from the clerk at the intermediary  16 , the clearinghouse  18  performs whatever operations are necessary to establish in a satisfactory manner that an account  26  of the intermediary  16  contains sufficient funds to effectuate the deposit, among other things. As before, the clearinghouse  18  if satisfied approves the deposit, and in doing so guarantees that the identified amount of funds will be debited from the account  26  of the intermediary  16  and credited to the identified account  14  of the customer  12 , at least at some set point in the near future. As should be understood, the operations performed at the clearinghouse  18  are generally known or should be apparent to the relevant public and therefore need not be set forth herein in any detail other than that which is provided. Accordingly, the clearinghouse  18  may perform any appropriate operations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present innovation. 
     Presuming the request to deposit is approved by the clearinghouse  18 , such approval is communicated to the requesting clerk at the intermediary  16  and upon receiving such approval ( 413 ), the clerk at the intermediary  16  may provide a receipt or other confirmation to the customer  12  or other person for the transaction so as to memorialize the transaction. As before, the deposited funds may be adjusted slightly if the customer  12  or another person is to pay a service fee or the like to the intermediary  16  such as that which was set forth above, where the adjustment is to cover the service fee. 
     From an accounting point of view, the transaction of  FIG. 4  includes a credit of funds to the identified account  14  of the customer  12  and a corresponding debit to the account  26  of the intermediary  16 , and a credit of funds to the intermediary  16 , either from cash or a non-cash instrument and a corresponding debit to the customer  12 . Presumably, and omitting any service fees or the like, the debit to the account  26  of the intermediary  16  should match the credit of funds to the intermediary  16  so as to render such debit and credit a wash, with the result being that the credit of funds to the identified account  14  of the customer  12  effectively flows through to the customer  12  by way of the debit thereto. 
     CONCLUSION 
     The programming believed necessary to effectuate the processes performed in connection with the various embodiments of the present innovation is relatively straight-forward and should be apparent to the relevant programming public. Accordingly, such programming is not attached hereto. Any particular programming, then, may be employed to effectuate the various embodiments of the present innovation without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. 
     In the present innovation, a method and mechanism are provided by which a customer  12  of a bank  10  may perform an flow-through transaction with such bank  10  without the need to travel to a local branch of the bank  10  to perform a transaction equivalent to such flow-through transaction. Instead, the customer  12  travels to an intermediary  16  that acts as an agent for the bank  10  and performs a deposit or withdrawal into an account  14  of the customer  12  at the bank  10  by way of an electronic clearinghouse  18 . Thus, the bank  10  need not have a local branch established for the customer  12 . It should be appreciated that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the innovative concepts thereof. For example, although the present innovation is set forth primarily in terms of performing deposits and withdrawals, other transactions may also be performed at the intermediary  16  and flow through to an account  14  of the client  12  at the bank  10 . Likewise, although the present innovation is set forth primarily in terms of a clerk at the intermediary  16  performing certain functionality, such clerk may instead be replaced by an automated kiosk or the like in at least some circumstances. It should be understood, therefore, that this innovation is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present innovation as defined by the appended claims.