Apparatus, system, and method for point of sale currency verification

• US 20060010041A1
• Filed: 05/25/2004
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Blair, Brian Edward, Vorhees, Kevin Hunter
• Granted Patent: US 7,451,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00

Abstract

The apparatus for point of sale currency verification includes a point of sale check printer having a printing device configured to print information on first and second opposing faces of a document, a scanning device configured to scan the first and second faces of the document, a verification module configured to verify the authenticity of the document, and a retention area that is secure, coupled to the apparatus, and configured to retain the document until removed by an authorized person. The document may be a check or currency. The method includes printing information on first and second opposing faces of a document, scanning the first face of the document, verifying the authenticity of the document, and retaining the document until removed by an authorized person.

Claims

1. A point of sale check printing apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a printing device configured to print information on first and second opposing faces of a document;

a scanning device configured to scan the first face of the document;

a verification module configured to verify the authenticity of the document; and

a retention area that is secure, coupled to the apparatus, and configured to retain the document until removed by an authorized person.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control module configured to selectively route the document within the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scanning device is further configured to scan the second face of the document.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a document flipper assembly configured to reverse the orientation of the document with respect to the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a document transport apparatus configured to respond to the control module and selectively bi-directionally transport the document along a first path.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the document flipper assembly further comprises a plurality of gates configured to respond to the control module and route the document to one of a plurality of paths.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scanning device is configured to scan the first face of the document, send the document to the document flipper assembly, receive the reversed document from the document flipper assembly, and scan the second face of the document.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scanning device is configured to send a digital representation of the document to the verification module.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the verification module is configured to receive the digital representation of the document and verify the authenticity of the document.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the document comprises a paper currency.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the document comprises a check.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a retention path configured to route the document to the retention area.

13. A system for currency verification, the system comprising:

a communications network;

a point of sale check printer coupled to the network and having a printing device, a scanning device, a verification module, and a retention area; and

a change delivery device coupled to the network and configured to return change to a customer.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the change delivery device further comprises a cash register.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the point of sale check printer further comprises a control module configured to selectively route the document within the apparatus.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the point of sale check printer further comprises a document flipper assembly configured to respond to the control module and reverse the orientation of the document with respect to the apparatus.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the point of sale check printer further comprises a document transport apparatus configured to respond to the control module and selectively bi-directionally transport the document along a first path.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the document flipper assembly further comprises a plurality of gates configured to respond to the control module and route the document to one of a plurality of paths.

19. A point of sale check printing apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a printing device configured to print information on first and second opposing faces of a document;

a scanning device configured to scan the first face of the document;

a verification module configured to verify the authenticity of the document;

a retention area coupled to the apparatus and configured to retain the document;

a control module configured to selectively route the document within the apparatus;

a document flipper assembly configured to reverse the orientation of the document with respect to the apparatus; and

a document transport apparatus configured to respond to the control module and selectively bi-directionally transport the document along a first path.

20. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable code configured to carry out a method for currency verification, the method comprising:

printing information on first and second opposing faces of a document;

scanning the first face of the document;

verifying the authenticity of the document; and

retaining the document.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises selectively routing the document.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises scanning the second face of the document.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises reversing the orientation of the document.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises selectively bi-directionally transporting the document along a first path.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises scanning the first face of the document, sending the document to a document flipper assembly, receiving the reversed document from the document flipper assembly, and scanning the second face of the document.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises sending a digital representation of the document to a verification module.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises receiving the digital representation of the document and verifying the authenticity of the document.

28. An apparatus for currency verification, the apparatus comprising:

means for printing information on first and second opposing faces of a document;

means for scanning the first face of the document;

means for verifying the authenticity of the document; and

means for retaining the document.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising means for scanning the second face of the document.

30. A method for currency verification, the method comprising:

inputting a document;

initiating a verification sequence;

verifying the authenticity of the document; and

retaining the document