Depositing items of value

• US 20050086140A1
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Talaris Holdings Limited (Glory Limited)
• Original Assignee: De La Rue International Limited (De La Rue PLC)
• Inventors: Cunningham, Karen Joan, Armanini, Pietro, James, Alexander Charles Harold, Calverley, Simon George, Ireland, Phillip Michael William
• Granted Patent: US 7,347,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/005 Portable strong boxes, e.g. which may be fixed to a wall or the like E05G1/08, E05G1/14 take precedence; devices to prevent theft or loss of bags, trunks, baskets, or the like A45C13/18; coin boxes for coin freed apparatus G07F9/06
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/10 with alarm, signal or indicator E05G1/14 takes precedence; burglar, theft or intruder alarm per se G08B13/00; fire or explosion alarm per se G08B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 7/001 Bank depositories automatic safe-deposit box systems E05G1/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/0096 Accepting paper currency or other valuables in containers, e.g. in code-marked envelopes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/12 Containers for valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/125 Secure containers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/225 for detecting or indicating tampering
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/30 Tracking or tracing valuable papers or cassettes

Abstract

A method of depositing items of value, the method comprising 1) receiving (30) a tamperevident and coded container holding the items of value, the code relating to the content of the container; 2) verifying (32) that the package has been received in an acceptable manner, and, if it has (36), 3) either incrementing (38) an account with the value of the items of value in the container by reference to the code and without opening the container, or, if the account has previously been incremented, leaving the account unchanged.

Claims

1. A method of depositing items of value, the method comprising receiving a tamper evident and coded container holding the items of value, the code relating to the content of the container;

2) verifying that the package has been received in an acceptable manner, and, if it has,

3) either incrementing an account with the value of the items of value in the container by reference to the code and without opening the container, or, if the account has previously been incremented, leaving the account unchanged.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the code defines the total value of the items of value in the container.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the code comprises a reference to a store in which the value of the items of value is held.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the items comprise one or more of coins, documents of value, such as banknotes, casino chips, vouchers, cheques, debit/credit card receipts, and other near money documents and tokens.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to step 1, supplying the items of value to an item counter and verifier adapted to count and verify the items and to insert the items into, and to seal, a container.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising providing the code on the container relating to the value of the items in the container, prior to insertion of the items.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the code is printed on the container.

8. A method according to claim 5, further comprising holding the items of value in an escrow location following the counting and verifying step.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the escrow enables a user to remove the items before they are inserted into a container.

10. A method according to claim 5, further comprising supplying the sealed container to the user for handling in a non-secure manner prior to carrying out step 1.

11. A method according to claim 5, further comprising inserting one or more indicator cards into the container.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the indicator cards comprise one or more of separator cards, header cards, and footer cards.

13. A method according to claim 5, further comprising producing a receipt to the user defining the value of the items loaded into the container.

14. A method according to claim 5, further comprising securing the items together within a band prior to insertion into the container.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the code is a bar code.

16. A method according to claim 1, further comprising incrementing an account with the value of the items of value in the container prior to step (1).

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the container is a package made of paper or flexible plastics.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the container is secure.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein if the container has not been received in an acceptable manner and an account has previously been incremented, the account is decremented or flagged.

20. Deposit apparatus for receiving a sealed, tamper evident container including items of value, the container carrying a code related to the content of the container, the apparatus comprising a tamper detection system for determining if the container has been tampered with;

a code reader for reading the code on the container; and

a receptacle for storing accepted containers.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the receptacle is secure, for example a safe.

22. Apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a memory for storing details relating to the expected content of the container.

23. Apparatus according to claim 20, the tamper detection system including a radiation source and detector adapted to monitor the luminescent response of a container to radiation from the source, and a processor responsive to the luminescent response of the container to determine if the container has been tampered with.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the processor monitors radiation sensed by the detector to determine if all the received radiation relates to radiation expected from a non-tampered container.

25. Apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting the code to a host processor.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit the code only if the tamper detection system indicates that the package has not been tampered with.

27. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the host processor is located remote from the rest of the deposit apparatus.

28. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the host processor is located on the premises of a financial institution, such as a bank.

29. Apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising an escrow store in which containers can be temporarily stored prior to being inspected by the tamper detection system.

30. Apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a reject outlet to which containers are supplied if the tamper detection system determines that a container has been tampered with.

31. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the reject outlet is inaccessible to the container depositor.

32. Container loading apparatus comprising an inlet for receiving items of value;

a transport system for feeding the items of value from the inlet;

a monitoring system for monitoring items of value fed to it by the transport system;

a container loading system for loading acceptable items, as determined by the monitoring system, into a container;

means for providing an overt or covert indication of the content of the container; and

a container closing mechanism for closing the container such that the indication is detectable from outside the container.

33. Apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the container closing mechanism comprises a sealer for sealing plastic containers.

34. Apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising a banding mechanism for placing a band around the items of value prior to loading them into a container.

35. Apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising a container supply system for supplying containers from a store to the container loading system.

36. Apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the monitoring system comprises a counting and verifying system for counting and verifying the items of value.

37. Apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the monitoring system further comprises an item identifying device.

38. Apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the monitoring system is adapted to monitor banknotes.

39. Apparatus according to claim 32, wherein all the components of the apparatus are mounted in or on a common housing.

40. Apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the housing is portable, for example being mounted on wheels or rollers.

41. Apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the indication providing means comprises a printer located downstream of the container closure mechanism.

42. Apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the printer is adapted to print the indication on the outside of the container.

43. Apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the indication providing means comprises a printer adapted to print the indication on an insert, the container loading system being adapted to load the insert into the container such that the visual indication is detectable through a window of the container.

44. Apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising an escrow location downstream of the monitoring system and upstream of the container loading system, for example to allow a user to retrieve the items of value before they are loaded into the container.

45. Apparatus according to claim 32 the apparatus being coupled with a retail till or cash point at least for electronic communication with the till or cash point.

46. Apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the inlet of the apparatus is connected to the till or cash point to receive items of value therefrom.

47. Apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the transport system is adapted to transport items of value to one of a plurality of locations in accordance with the determination by the monitoring system, a container loading system being provided at each location.

48. Apparatus according to claim 32 the apparatus further comprising an item of value outlet, the transport system being adapted to dispense items of value, on request, to the outlet.

49. Apparatus according to claim 32 further comprising an indicator card store for storing indicator cards which can be transported to the container loading system for loading with the items of value.

50. Apparatus according to claim 32 further comprising a control system for controlling operation of the apparatus.

51. Apparatus according to claim 50, wherein the control system can only be activated by an operator inputting a pass code.

52. Apparatus according to claim 51, further comprising an input device to enable the pass code to be entered, the input device comprising one or more of a keypad, magnetic stripe reader, smart card reader, biometric reader and the like.

53. A method of loading items of value into a container, the method comprising feeding the items along a transport path;

monitoring the items for acceptability;

loading acceptable items into a container;

providing an overt or covert indication on or in the container relating to its content; and

closing the container such that the indication is detectable from outside the container.

54. A method according to claim 53, further comprising placing a band around the items of value prior to loading them into a container.

55. A method according to claim 53, wherein the monitoring step comprises counting, verifying, and/or identifying the items of value.

56. A method according to claim 53, wherein the indication is printed on the outside of the container.

57. A method according to claim 53, wherein the indication is provided before the items have been loaded into the container.

58. A method according to claim 53, wherein the indication is provided after the items have been loaded into the container.

59. A method according to claim 53, wherein the items of value are fed to an escrow location prior to being loaded into the container.

60. Apparatus for depositing items of value, the apparatus comprising container loading apparatus at a source location for loading items of value into a coded, tamper evident container, the code providing an indication of the container content;

and deposit apparatus at a destination location for receiving the sealed, tamper evident container including items of value, the apparatus comprising a tamper detection system for determining if the container has been tampered with, a code reader for reading the code on the container, and a secure receptacle for storing accepted containers, the deposit apparatus being adapted to cause an account to be incremented with the value of the items of value in the container by reference to the code and without opening the container, or, if the account has previously been incremented, leaving the account unchanged.

61. Apparatus according to claim 60, wherein the container loading apparatus comprises an inlet for receiving items of value;

a transport system for feeding the items of value from the inlet;

a monitoring system for monitoring items of value fed to it by the transport system;

a container loading system for loading acceptable items, as determined by the monitoring system, into a container, means for providing an overt or covert indication of the content of the container; and

a container closing mechanism for closing the container such that the indication is detectable from outside the container.

62. Apparatus according to claim 60, wherein the deposit apparatus is a deposit apparatus for receiving a sealed, tamper evident container including items of value, the container carrying a code related to the content of the container, the apparatus comprising a tamper detection system for determining if the container has been tampered with;

a code reader for reading the code on the container; and

a receptacle for storing accepted containers.