Automatic money dispenser

• US 3,914,579 A
• Filed: 12/18/1973
• Issued: 10/21/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Akio Ueba, Hideto Shigemori, Hisashi Kitakami, Motoaki Fukunaga, Takayoshi Yamashita
• Original Assignee: Akio Ueba, Hideto Shigemori, Hisashi Kitakami, Motoaki Fukunaga, Takayoshi Yamashita
• Inventors: Shigemori, Hideto, Ueba, Akio, Fukunaga, Motoaki, Kitakami, Hisashi, Yamashita, Takayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cook, Daryl W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kilgore, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US05/425,828
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 221/6 194/DIG.9B 235/61.11R,61.7B,61.6R,61.8R 340/149A
• US Class Current: 705/43
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/202 Depositing operations within ATMs depositing in general G07D11/00

Abstract

An automatic money dispenser controlled by a central processing unit comprises a memory register for storing money dispensing data including an amount of money to be dispensed, a memory check circuit for determining monetary denominations necessary for the dispensation of the amount of money from the money dispensing data stored in the memory register, a control circuit for setting a money container at a money transferring position according to the monetary denominations determined by the memory check circuit, a dispensed money counting circuit for counting money dispensed out of the money container, and a comparison circuit for comparing the data stored in the memory register with that produced by the dispensed money counting circuit, whereby the amount of money is correctly dispensed from the automatic money dispenser. The money container is provided with a detector which detects the fact that the number of pieces of money left in the money container is a predetermined maximum number of pieces necessary for one money dispensing operation and produces a detection signal. On the basis of this detection signal thus produced and a coincidence signal produced when the amount of money to be dispensed coincides with that dispensed, the money dispensing operation is suspended.

Claims

1. An automatic money dispenser adapted to be utilized in combination with a central processing unit, which comprises:

a transfer-flag circuit means operatively coupled to said central processing unit for forming a transfer-flag signal rersponsive to a data transmission starting signal and a data transmission ending signal which are applied to said automatic money dispenser respectively before and after money dispensing data arrives from said central processing unit;

a memory register operatively coupled for storing said money dispensing data based on said transfer-flag signal provided by said transfer-flag circuit means;

a strobe circuit means operatively coupled to said transfer-flag circuit means and to said central processing unit for receiving said transfer-flag signal and data pulses applied in synchronization with said money dispensing data to produce strobe signals at predetermined times based on the data shift pulses;

a memory check circuit means operatively coupled for discriminating, on the basis of said money dispensing data and said strobe signals, digits of said money dispensing data stored in said memory register, to detect monetary denominations necessary for the dispensation of a designated amount of money;

a moNey container setting means operatively coupled to said memory check circuit means and to a group of money containers which respectively contain money of different denominations for moving a selected one of said group of money containers to a money transferring position, said selected money container corresponding to the monetary denomination thus detected;

a money transferring means located adjacent said money container positioned at the money transferring position and to a money dispensing outlet;

a money counting circuit means operatively coupled for counting the amount of money transferred to the money dispensing outlet from said money container by said money transferring means; and

a comparison circuit means operatively coupled to said money counting circuit means and said memory register for comparing contents of said memory register with the contents of said money counting circuit means and producing an output indicative of coincidence, the money dispensing operation being thereby continuously carried out until the contents of said money counting circuit means coincides with the contents of said memory register, and the amount of money designated being automatically dispensed in accordance with command signals from the central processing unit.

2. An automatic money dispenser as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises a parity check circuit means operatively coupled for performing a parity check on the data introduced to said memory register with the aid of said strobe signals produced by said strobe circuit means, whereby whenever said strobe signal is obtained, a monetary denomination detecting operation and a parity check operation are simultaneously carried out by said memory check circuit means and said parity check circuit means, respectively, with respect to a digit corresponding to the strobe signal.

3. An automatic money dispenser as claimed in claim 2, further comprising detecting means operatively associated with said group of money containers for detecting when tha number of pieces of money remaining in said selected money container are below a predetermined value, said predetermined value being at least as large as the maximum number of pieces of money which can be dispensed at any one request, said detecting means producing an output indicative thereof, and comparison means coupled to said detecting means and said comparison circuit means for suspending operation of the automatic money dispenser in response to the simultaneous occurence of output from said comparison circuit means and said detecting means, whereby said money container may be resupplied so that a user will always receive the entire amount of money requested in one operation.

4. An automatic money dispenser as claimed in claim 3, further comprising manual operating switches operatively coupled for producing manual money dispensing signals corresponding to associated ones of said group of money containers, and lock circuit means operatively coupled to said manual operating switches for suppressing signals generated by said switches during an auotmatic dispensing operation.

5. A method for ensuring that a user of an automatic money dispenser associated with a central processing unit will have his request completely fulfilled in one operation of said automatic money dispenser, comprising the steps of;

generating a coincidence signal when the amount of money dispensed coincides with an amount of money designated to be dispensed;

producing a detection signal when the number of pieces of money remaining in a money container of said automatic dispenser reaches a valve chosen to be at least as large as the maximum number of pieces of money which can be dispensed from said money container at any one request;

generating a warning signal upon the simultaneous occurance of said detection signal and said coincidence signal, said warning signal indicating that money left in the money container is insufficient for a next money dispensing request; and

suspEnding operation of said automatic money dispenser in response to said warning signal until said money container is resupplied, whereby a user will always receive all of the money requested in one operation.