Coin counter/sorter and coupon/voucher dispensing machine and method
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A coin sorting and counting machine and a method for operating it to automatically dispense cash vouchers based on the value of the counted coins, manufacturers'"'"' coupons and store coupons. Coins are placed in a hopper tray. When the hinged tray is lifted, the coins travel through a waste management system and into the coin sorting and counting apparatus. The value of the coins and the number of coins within each denomination are displayed as the coins are counted. After sorting, the coins fall into a temporary holding area. At this point the transaction can either be canceled or accepted. If the transaction is canceled, the coins are returned. If the transaction is accepted, the coins fall into a storage area and the user is issued a cash voucher and a series of store coupons. Manufacturers'"'"' coupons are dispensed regardless of whether or not the transaction is accepted.
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Citations
73 Claims
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1-34. -34. (canceled)
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35. A consumer coin counting machine, the coin counting machine comprising:
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an input region configured to receive a plurality of randomly oriented coins from a user;
a coin discriminator configured to receive the coins from the input region and count the coins to determine a total;
an intermediate holding area for at least temporarily holding the coins counted by the coin discriminator;
a display device operably connected to the coin discriminator and configured to display at least one of the total and a value related to the total; and
a user selection device, wherein the coins held in the intermediate holding area are returned to the user in response to receiving a first user input via the user selection device rejecting at least one of the total and the value related to the total, and wherein a redeemable voucher is dispensed from the coin counting machine in response to receiving a second user input via the user selection device accepting at least one of the total and the value related to the total. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A consumer coin counting machine, the coin counting machine comprising:
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an input region configured to receive a plurality of randomly oriented coins from a user;
at least one debris removal feature for separating foreign objects from the coins received from the user;
a coin discriminator configured to receive the coins from the input region and count the coins to determine a total;
an intermediate holding area for at least temporarily holding the coins counted by the coin discriminator; and
a display device operably connected to the coin discriminator and configured to display at least one of the total and a value related to the total, wherein the coins held in the intermediate holding area are returned to the user in response to a first user input rejecting at least one of the total and the value related to the total, and wherein a redeemable voucher is dispensed from the coin counting machine in response to a second user input accepting at least one of the total and the value related to the total. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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51. A consumer coin counting machine, the coin counting machine comprising:
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an input area configured to receive multiple randomly oriented coins from a user;
a coin discriminator configured to receive the coins from the input area and count the coins to determine a total;
an intermediate holding area for at least temporarily holding the coins counted by the coin discriminator;
a display device operably connected to the coin discriminator and configured to display at least one of the total and a value related to the total; and
a voucher dispenser, wherein the coins held in the intermediate holding area are returned to the user in response to one user input rejecting at least one of the total and the value related to the total, and wherein a redeemable voucher is dispensed by the voucher dispenser in response to another user input accepting at least one of the total and the value related to the total. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method for counting coins, the method comprising:
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providing a coin counting machine, the coin counting machine having a coin input area, a coin discriminator that receives coins from the coin input area, and a coin holding area that receives coins from the coin discriminator;
receiving from a user, in the coin input area, a plurality of randomly oriented coins of multiple denominations;
transferring the plurality of coins from the coin input area to the coin discriminator, and discriminating the coins to determine a total;
transferring the plurality of coins from the coin discriminator to the coin holding area, and temporarily holding the coins in the coin holding area;
displaying at least one of the total and a value related to the total to the user;
dispensing a redeemable voucher to the user when the user accepts at least one of the total and the value related to the total; and
returning the coins held in the coin holding area to the user when the user rejects at least one of the total and the value related to the total. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A system for counting coins, the system comprising:
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means for receiving a plurality of randomly oriented coins from a user;
means for discriminating the plurality of coins to determine a total;
means for temporarily holding the plurality of discriminated coins;
means for displaying at least one of the total and a value related to the total;
means for dispensing a redeemable voucher to the user in response to a first user selection accepting of at least one of the total and the value related to the total; and
means for returning the plurality of held coins to the user in response to a second user selection rejecting at least one of the total and the value related to the total. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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Specification