Auxillary coin dispenser with transaction data recording and transfer mechanisms

• US 5,366,404 A
• Filed: 10/09/1992
• Issued: 11/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telequip Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Telequip Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Jones, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bartuska, F. J.
• Application Number:
  US07/902,691
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 453/2, 364/405, 364/479, 902/4, 902/5
• US Class Current: 453/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/206 comprising security or operator identification provisions, e.g. password entry
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/34 Monitoring the contents of devices, e.g. the number of stored valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/24 with change-giving
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/08 Counting total of coins inserted
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0027 Details of drawer or money-box
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/01 Details for indicating displaying information in general G09F, G09G
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00

Abstract

A coin dispenser adapted for use with an electronic cash register or point-of-sale terminal which includes a key sensor for accepting a coded identification key which identifies a particular sales clerk and which maintains a record of the number of coins dispensed during that clerk'"'"'s job shift. At the end of an appropriate accounting period, the stored information may be transferred to a host computer, either by a conventional data channel through a connected point-of-sale terminal, or by using a "manager'"'"'s key" which serves as a data carrier between the dispenser and the host computer. The accounting functions in the automated dispenser provide the data needed to successfully employ "cash drawer accounting" procedures preferred by many retailers.

Claims

1. An automatic coin dispenser for use with a point-of-sale data entry device for handling a sequence of sales transactions, said device including a keyboard for accepting, for each transaction, a purchase-price value and an amount-tendered value and further including means for calculating and displaying a change-due value based upon said purchase-price and said amount-tendered values, said coin dispenser comprising, in combination,

a coin storage bin for storing a plurality of coins of different denominations,

processing means responsive to said change-due value for calculating the number of coins to be dispensed for each of said denominations,

coin vending means for vending the number of coins for each of said denominations as calculated by said processing means,

data entry means for accepting an identification code for each of a sequence of non-overlapping time periods during each of which a sub-sequence of said transactions may occur,

means including a memory for storing a data record for each of said time periods, said data record including values specifying the identification code for that period and the value of coins dispensed during that period, and

and data collection means for communicating the accumulated data records for said time periods to a utilization device.

2. An automatic coin dispenser as set forth in claim 1 wherein said data entry means comprises a key interface adapted to engage with a code-carrying key which provides said identification code when said key is brought into active communication with said key interface.

3. An automatic coin dispenser as set forth in claim 2 wherein said data collection means includes a storage key unit adapted to receive said accumulated data records via said key interface.

4. An auxiliary coin dispenser for use with a cash register having data entry means for accepting from an operator price amounts and tendered amounts and for calculating change-due values based on said amounts, said coin dispenser comprising, in combination,

interface means connected to said cash register for generating coin vending commands in response to said change due values,

a coin ejector responsive to said vending commands for dispensing coins of different denominations,

an accumulator responsive to said vending commands for accumulating total values indicative of the total amount of coins dispensed during an accounting period,

input means for accepting a sequence of identification codes each of which identifies the beginning of a new accounting period,

a data storage unit for storing data records in a plurality of storage locations,

means responsive to the receipt of each given one of said codes for storing the total values in said accumulator at a storage location associated with the previously received identification code, and for thereafter initializing said total values in said accumulator to zero to begin the new accounting period identified by said given code, and

data transfer means for periodically communicating the contents of said data storage unit to an external utilization device.

5. An auxiliary coin dispenser as set forth in claim 4 wherein said input means for accepting a sequence of identification codes comprises a connector adapted to engage with a coded key which manifests a unique one of said identification codes.

6. An auxiliary coin dispenser as set forth in claim 5 wherein said data transfer means comprises a self-contained portable memory unit adapted to engage with said connector and means coupling said connector and said data storage unit for transferring the contents of said data storage unit to said portable memory unit via said connector.

7. An auxiliary coin dispenser as set forth in claim 4 wherein said interface means is bidirectional and wherein said data transfer means comprises means for communicating the contents of said data storage unit to said external utilization device via said interface means.