Document handler system and method with timed operation

• US 10,643,194 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jcm American Corporation (Japan Cash Machine Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jcm American Corporation (Japan Cash Machine Company Limited)
• Inventors: Henderson, Mark, Wilcutt, Bryan Allen, Adams, Mark, Kubajak, David Christopher, Johnson, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel A
• Application Number:
  US15/665,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20170352016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 235379, 235380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/00 Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/202 Depositing operations within ATMs depositing in general G07D11/00

Abstract

A document handler system and method includes timed operation functionality in which the manufacturer of the document handler may input coded information in the document handler to establish a timed operation of the document handler which may be contingent on continued payments for use of the document handler. Alternatively, or in addition, the timed operation may be used to establish an appropriate warranty period during which the manufacturer is obligated to provide repairs, modification and/or support for the document handler.

Claims

1. A document handling system for a gaming device, comprising:

an inlet for receiving documents;

a validation passageway for guiding a document inserted into the inlet;

a validation conveyor for transporting the document along the validation passageway;

a validation sensor for detecting optical or magnetic features of the document transported along the validation passageway to produce detection signals;

a network communication port configured to communicate with an external system;

a control device in communication with the network communication port and the validation sensor; and

a clock in electronic communication with the control device for tracking a license time period of a license to use the document handling system;

wherein the control device is configured to;

determine whether the license time period has elapsed in response to the inlet receiving the document;

report a disabled condition for the document handling system in response to determining that the license time period has elapsed;

determine whether the document handling system is being used in compliance with the license to use the document handling system in response to determining that the license time period has not elapsed; and

in response to determining that the document handling system is;

not in compliance with the license, report the disabled condition for the document handling system; and

in compliance with the license, process the document.

2. The document handling system of claim 1, wherein the control device is further configured to transmit the disabled condition to the external system in response to reporting the disabled condition.

3. The document handling system of claim 2, wherein the control device is further configured to:

receive an enable command from the external system; and

extend the license time period in response to the enable command.

4. The document handling system of claim 1, wherein in response to reporting the disabled condition the control device is further configured to:

determine whether the received document is a timing ticket; and

in response to determining that the received document is the timing ticket, receive an activation code corresponding to the timing ticket from the validation sensor.

5. The document handling system of claim 4, wherein the control device is further configured to:

validate the activation code; and

extend the license time period in response to the activation code being validated.

6. The document handling system of claim 4, further comprising a memory in electronic communication with the control device for storing a set of unique time codes.

7. The document handling system of claim 6, wherein the control device is further configured to enable the document handling system in accordance with:

(a) the activation code matching one of the set of unique time codes in the memory;

(b) the activation code including a specified time period within the activation code;

or

(c) a separate time value being detected on or corresponding to the timing ticket.

8. The document handling system of claim 1, wherein the determination whether the document handling system is in compliance with the license comprises determining at least one of:

(a) a change of country;

(b) a change of protocol;

(c) a change of host machine;

(d) a change of game maker detected by protocol behavior;

(e) a change of bill validator serial number;

(f) a number of transactions has crossed a threshold;

(g) an acceptance rate;

(h) a jam rate;

(i) a stall or a slow motor;

(j) an encoder problem;

(k) a service call;

(l) a condition of LEDs;

(m) a preventative maintenance failure;

or (n) a CRC error.

9. The document handling system of claim 1, wherein the license time period tracked by the clock corresponds to a predefined financial payment.

10. A method for operating a document handler comprising the steps of:

receiving a document at an inlet in a document validator of the document handler, the document validator comprising at least one of;

a validation passageway for guiding the document inserted into the inlet, a validation conveyor for transporting the document along the validation passageway, and a validation sensor for detecting optical or magnetic features of the document to produce detection signals;

in response to the inlet receiving the document, determining whether a predefined license time period associated with a license to use the document handler has elapsed;

in response to determining that the predefined license time period has elapsed, reporting a disabled condition for the document handler; and

in response to determining that the predefined license time period has not elapsed;

determining whether the document handler is in compliance with the license;

in response to determining that the document handler is not in compliance with the license, reporting the disabled condition for the document handler; and

in response to determining that the document handler is in compliance with the license, processing the document.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the disabled condition to an external system in response to reporting the disabled condition.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving an enable command from the external system; and

extending the predefined license time period in response to the enable command.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting the disabled condition and the receiving the enable command occur via wireless transmission.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein in response to reporting the disabled condition, the method further comprises:

determining whether the received document is a timing ticket; and

in response to determining that the received document is the timing ticket, receiving an activation code corresponding to the timing ticket from the validation sensor.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

validating the activation code with a stored activation code; and

extending the predefined license time period in response to the activation code being validated.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising storing a set of unique time codes in a memory.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising enabling the document handler in accordance with:

(a) the activation code matching one of the set of unique time codes in the memory;

(b) the activation code including a specified time period within the activation code;

or

(c) a separate time value being detected on or corresponding to the timing ticket.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein enabling the document handler comprises:

activating the document handler for operation for a predefined period of time; and

initiating a countdown representing the predefined license time period in a clock to track the predefined license time period for activation of the document handler.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining whether the document handler is in compliance with the license comprises determining at least one of:

(a) a change of country;

(b) a change of protocol;

(c) a change of host machine;

(d) a change of game maker detected by protocol behavior;

(e) a change of bill validator serial number;

(f) a number of transactions has crossed a threshold;

(g) an acceptance rate;

(h) a jam rate;

(i) a stall or slow motor;

(j) an encoder problem;

(k) a service call;

(l) a condition of LEDs;

(m) a preventative maintenance failure;

or (n) CRC error.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the predefined license time period corresponds to a predefined financial payment.