Arrangement for dispensing bank notes and goods

• US 5,047,613 A
• Filed: 03/23/1989
• Issued: 09/10/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inter Innovation AB A Swedish Joint Stock Company
• Original Assignee: Inter Innovation AB (Glory Limited)
• Inventors: Westlund, Jan, Swegen, Hans B. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PITTS, HAROLD I
• Application Number:
  US07/327,612
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 902/10
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/203 Dispensing operations within ATMs dispensing in general G07D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/205 Housing aspects of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus

Abstract

An arrangement for dispensing bank notes includes card reader (15), first keyboard (11) and second keyboard (12). The card reader, the two keyboards and the requisite electronics are incorporated in a control panel (10) which is common to a cash dispenser (1) and to a goods vending machine (19) and which is intended for the initiation of a process for dispensing bank notes from the cash dispenser and/or a process for the purchase of goods from the vending machine.

A third keyboard (13) having at least two buttons (131,-132) is provided for the initiation of the bank-note dispensing process or the goods vending process, wherein depression of a first button (131) of the two buttons will cause the first keyboard (11) to show different numbers of bank notes or bank-note values on the buttons of the keyboard, whereas depression of a second button (132) will cause the keyboard (11) to show on the buttons thereof different qualities of goods.

Claims

1. An arrangement for dispensing bank notes form a store of bank notes to a customer-accessible receipt opening, comprising:

a card reader (15);

a first keyboard (11) intended for insertion of the number of bank notes or the sum required; and

a second keyboard (12) for the insertion of an individual code;

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the card reader (15), the first keyboard (11), the second keyboard (12) and the requisite control electronics are incorporated in a customer-operated panel (10) which is common to a cash dispenser (1) and to a goods vending machine (19), and in that the control panel includes a third keyboard (13) having at least two buttons (131,

     132), a first button (131) being intended for activating the process for dispensing bank notes and the other button (132) being intended for initiating the process for the purchase of goods;

the control panel being intended for activating a process for the dispensing of bank notes and/or a process for the purchase of goods in response to the manner of manipulation of the control panel (10) by the customer.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the second keyboard (12) is placed close to the first keyboard (11) and the third keyboard (13), whereas a further keyboard (12'"'"') is positioned adjacent a dispensing location at the goods vending machine (19) of said goods;

whereby upon customer identification via the card reader (15) and activation of said first button (131), the first keyboard (11) and the second keyboard (12), a bundle of bank notes is dispensed to a receipt opening of the cash dispenser (1);

whereas upon customer identification via the card reader (15) and activation of the second button (132), the first keyboard (11) and the second keyboard (12'"'"') the goods required can be removed from the dispensing location at the goods vending machine.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2, in which the cash dispenser (1) is free-standing and connected to a location via a tube despatch system (80), characterized in that the control panel is placed in the cash dispenser (1) the store of bank notes and the bank-note outfeed means are placed in the location (81) and arranged for the automatic discharge of bank notes through the tube system (80) in response to signals from the control panel (10) upon activation of said panel by a customer.

4. An arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that a goods vending machine (59) is located in the immediate vicinity of the cash dispenser (1) and in that a store of goods and goods feed means are arranged in the location (81) for automatic discharge of goods through the tube system (80) in response to signals from the control panel (10) upon manipulation of said panel by the customer.

5. An arrangement according to claim 2, in which the cash dispenser (1) is free-standing and connected to a location via a tube despatch system (80), characterized in that the control panel is placed in the cash dispenser (1) the store of bank notes and the bank-note outfeed means are placed in the location (81) and arranged for the automatic discharge of bank notes through the tube system (80) in response to signals from the control panel (10) upon activation of said panel by a customer.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that a goods vending machine (59) is located in the immediate vicinity of the cash dispenser (1) and in that a store of goods and goods feed means are arranged in the location (81) for automatic discharge of goods through the tube system (80) in response to signals from the control panel (10) upon manipulation of said panel by the customer.

7. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the goods vending machine (491) includes a card reader (4911) which is intended to read and therewith make possible the process for the dispensing of goods previously initiated by customer manipulation of the control panel (10).

8. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that upon depression of the first button (131) of the third keyboard (13), the first keyboard (11) is intended to show on the buttons thereof different numbers of bank notes or different bank-note values;

and in that upon depression of the second button (132) of the third keyboard (13), the first keyboard (11) is intended to show on the buttons thereof different types of goods or different qualities of goods.

9. A transaction arrangement comprising:

a customer transaction unit including a customer-operatable panel unit, the panel unit including a card reader, first, second and third keyboards, said first keyboard including a plurality of selection keys for insertion of the number of bank notes or the sum required, the second keyboard being a numerical keyboard for entering the customer'"'"'s personal code, the third keyboard including first and second selection keys for alternatively selecting one of first and second transaction functions, and a cash dispenser operable in response to a customer selecting said first transaction function via the third keyboard and entering customer and credit identification via the card reader and said second keyboard; and

at least one goods vending apparatus coupled to said customer transaction unit and to said coupling and control means, said goods vending apparatus becoming operable in response to a customer selecting said second transaction function via the third keyboard and entering customer and credit identification via the card reader and said second keyboard.

10. A transaction arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the at least one goods vending apparatus is at least one gasoline pump.

11. A transaction arrangement according to claim 10, said at least one gasoline pump including a keyboard of the type of the second keyboard for entering the customer'"'"'s personal code, and a card reader for verifying the customer'"'"'s position at said pump and for activating said pump in response to the customer'"'"'s selection of receiving gasoline from said at least one gasoline pump.

12. A transaction arrangement according to claim 10, wherein said at least one gasoline pump is a plurality of gasoline pumps.

13. A transaction arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the at least one goods vending apparatus is a foodstuff vending machine.

14. A transaction arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the foodstuff vending machine is disposed adjacent the transaction unit.

15. A transaction arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the first keyboard further comprises selectively activatable first indicia associated with designated ones of the keys of said first keyboard for selecting denominations of bank notes to be received from the cash dispenser upon completion of the first transaction function, and selectively activatable second indicia associated with designated ones of the keys of said first keyboard for selecting type of goods to be received from the goods vending apparatus upon completion of the second transaction function.