Patent ID: 8162207

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving, at a currency dispense and control system, a currency dispense request from a user, wherein the currency dispense request (a) includes a desired withdrawal amount and (b) is input by the user via an input device; determining whether the currency dispense request requires approval using an electronic fund transfer network based on reading, via a card reader, magnetically embedded data stored on a user card, the magnetically embedded data bearing instructions that cause the currency dispense and control system not to use any electronic fund transfer network; if the currency dispense request is determined not to require approval using an electronic fund transfer network, determining independently of any electronic fund transfer network whether the user is authorized to receive the desired withdrawal amount; and if it is determined independently of any electronic fund transfer network that the user is authorized to receive the desired withdrawal amount, causing a currency dispenser to dispense an amount of currency corresponding to the desired withdrawal amount.