Coin sorting system with touch screen device

• US 5,564,974 A
• Filed: 09/06/1994
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Jones, John E., Mazur, Richard A., Watts, Gary P.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARTUSKA, FRANCIS JOHN
• Application Number:
  US08/301,343
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 453/2, 453/3, 453/4, 453/6, 453/10, 453/32, 453/31, 377/7
• US Class Current: 453/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/128 Rotary devices

Abstract

A coin sorting system comprises a coin sorter for sorting a plurality of coins, an operator interface panel, and a control unit coupling the operator interface panel to the coin sorter. The coin sorter includes a coin-driving member having a resilient surface and a stationary coin-guiding member having a coin-guiding surface opposing the resilient surface of the coin-driving member. The coin-guiding surface is positioned generally parallel to the resilient surface. The resilient surface of the coin-driving member is constructed and arranged to move the coins along the coin-guiding surface of the coin-guiding member. The coin-guiding surface forms a plurality of exit stations for selectively allowing exiting of the coins based upon their respective diameters. The operator interface panel includes a display unit and a touch screen mounted over the display unit. The display unit includes a plurality of display fields for displaying keys, coin sorter status, and sorted coin total. The touch screen forms a plurality of switches positioned over respective ones of the displayed keys, and the control unit operably couples the switches to their respective displayed keys. The displayed keys include key legends indicating sorted coin information provided by the displayed keys. Actuating the switches causes the control unit to generate on the display unit the sorted coin information provided by the displayed keys associated with the respective switches.

Claims

1. A coin sorting system, comprising:

a coin sorter for sorting a plurality of coins of mixed denominations, the coin sorter including a coin-driving member having a resilient surface and a stationary coin-guiding member having a coin-guiding surface opposing the resilient surface of the coin-driving member, the coin-guiding surface being positioned generally parallel to the resilient surface, the resilient surface of the coin-driving member constructed and arranged to move the coins along the coin-guiding surface of the coin-guiding member, the coin-guiding surface forming a plurality of exit stations for selectively allowing exiting of the coins based upon their respective diameters;

coin sensors constructed and arranged to detect the coins being sorted;

a control unit, coupled to the coin sensors, for counting the coins detected by the coin sensors so as to generate coin data; and

an operator interface panel coupled to the control unit and including a display unit and a touch screen mounted over the display unit, the control unit causing the display unit to display keys associated with the coin data, the control unit operably coupling the touch screen to the displayed keys such that actuation of the touch screen at a position above one of the displayed keys causes the control unit to generate on the display unit the coin data associated with the one of the displayed keys.

2. The coin sorting system of claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a display field for displaying coin sorter status, and the control unit is configured to display the coin sorter status in the display field for displaying coin sorter status.

3. The coin sorting system of claim 1, wherein the coin sensors are constructed and arranged to permit the control unit to separately count the coins of each denomination.

4. The coin sorting system of claim 3, wherein the coin sensors are mounted in the exit stations formed by the coin-guiding surface of the coin sorter.

5. The coin sorting system of claim 1, wherein the coin data associated with the displayed keys is selected from the group consisting of (1) a coin total of the plurality of coins sorted with the coin sorter and (2) a coin total of the coins of each denomination.

6. The coin sorting system of claim 1, wherein the control unit represents the coin data on the display unit in terms of monetary value.

7. The coin sorting system of claim 1, wherein the control unit represents the coin data on the display unit in terms of unit counts.

8. The coin sorting system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is operable, via the touch screen, in a plurality of modes including a diagnostic mode, a setup mode, and an operating mode, the control unit causing the display unit to display keys associated with a selected one of the modes.

9. A method for operating a coin sorting system including a coin sorter, coin sensors mounted in proximity to the coin sorter, and a control unit coupled to the coin sensors, the operator interface panel being coupled to the control unit and including a display unit and a touch screen mounted over the display unit, the method comprising the steps of:

sorting a plurality of coins of mixed denominations with the coin sorter;

detecting the coins being sorted using the coin sensors;

counting the coins detected by the coin sensors using the control unit so as to generate coin dam;

displaying, under control of the control unit, on the display unit keys associated with the coin data, the control unit operably coupling the touch screen to the displayed keys;

actuating the touch screen at a position above one of the displayed keys; and

displaying, under control of the control unit, on the display unit the coin data associated with the one of the displayed keys.

10. The method of claim 9, further including the step of displaying, under control of the control unit, on the display unit coin sorter status.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of counting the coins detected by the coin sensors includes separately counting the coins of each denomination.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the coin data associated with the displayed keys is selected from the group consisting of (1) a coin total of the plurality of coins sorted with the coin sorter and (2) a coin total of the coins of each denomination.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of displaying on the display unit the coin data includes displaying the coin data in terms of monetary value.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of displaying on the display unit the coin data includes displaying the coin data in terms of unit counts.

15. A method for operating a coin sorting system in a setup mode and an operating mode, the coin sorting system including a coin sorter for sorting a plurality of coins, coin sensors mounted in proximity to the coin sorter for detecting the coins being sorted, and a control unit coupled to the coin sensors for counting the coins detected by the coin sensors so as to generate coin data, the operator interface panel being coupled to the control unit and including a display unit and a touch screen mounted over the display unit, the control unit operably coupling the touch screen to the display unit, the control unit causing the display unit to display the coin data and a label indicating a source for the coin data while the coin sorting system is in the operating mode, the method comprising the steps of:

entering the setup mode via the operator interface panel, the control unit causing the display unit to display a setup option for customizing labels after entering the setup mode;

selecting, via the touch screen, the setup option for customizing labels, the control unit causing the display unit to display a plurality of keys for generating custom labels after selecting the setup option for customizing labels;

entering, via the touch screen, a custom label by actuating the touch screen at positions above one or more of the keys for generating custom labels, the control unit displaying the custom label on the display unit during the operating mode; and

exiting, via the touch screen, the setup option for customizing labels.

16. A method for operating a coin sorting system in a setup mode and an operating mode, the coin sorting system including a coin sorter for sorting a plurality of coins, coin sensors mounted in proximity to the coin sorter for detecting the coins being sorted, and a control unit coupled to the coin sensors for counting the coins detected by the coin sensors so as to generate coin data, the operator interface panel being coupled to the control unit and including a display unit and a touch screen mounted over the display unit, the control unit causing the display unit to display keys having customizable key legends while the coin sorting system is in the operating mode, the control unit operably coupling the touch screen to the displayed keys, the method comprising the steps of:

entering the setup mode via the operator interface panel, the control unit causing the display unit to display a setup option for customizing key legends after entering the setup mode;

selecting, via the touch screen, the setup option for customizing key legends, the control unit causing the display unit to display the keys having customizable key legends after selecting the setup option for customizing key legends;

selecting, via the touch screen, one of the keys having customizable key legends, the control unit causing the display unit to display a plurality of keys for generating custom key legends after selecting one of the keys having customizable key legends;

entering, via the touch screen, a custom key legend by actuating the touch screen at positions above one or more of the keys for generating custom key legends, the control unit displaying the selected one of the keys with the custom key legend on the display unit during the operating mode; and

exiting, via the touch screen, the setup option for customizing key legends.

17. A method for operating a coin sorting system in a setup mode and an operating mode, the coin sorting system including a coin sorter for sorting a plurality of coins, coin sensors mounted in proximity to the coin sorter for detecting the coins being sorted, and a control unit coupled to the coin sensors for counting the coins detected by the coin sensors so as to generate coin data, the operator interface panel being coupled to the control unit and including a display unit and a touch screen mounted over the display unit, the control unit operably coupling the touch screen to the display unit, the method comprising the steps of:

entering the setup mode via the operator interface panel, the control unit causing the display unit to display a setup option for enabling and disabling keys after entering the setup mode;

selecting, via the touch screen, the setup option for enabling and disabling keys, the control unit causing the display unit to display a plurality of keys after selecting the setup option for enabling and disabling keys;

designating, via the touch screen, an enable/disable status for a specific key of the plurality of keys, the control unit displaying the specific key on the display unit during the operating mode in response to enabling the specific key during the setup mode, the control unit not displaying the specific key on the display unit during the operating mode in response to disabling specific key during the setup mode; and

exiting, via the touch screen, the setup option for enabling and disabling keys.

18. A method for operating a coin sorting system in a setup mode and an operating mode, the coin sorting system including a coin sorter for sorting a plurality of coins, coin sensors mounted in proximity to the coin sorter for detecting the coins being sorted, and a control unit coupled to the coin sensors for counting the coins detected by the coin sensors so as to generate coin dam, the operator interface panel being coupled to the control unit and including a display unit and a touch screen mounted over the display unit, the control unit operably coupling the touch screen to the display unit, the method comprising the steps of:

entering the setup mode via the operator interface panel, the control unit causing the display unit to display a setup option for enabling and disabling control unit functions after entering the setup mode;

selecting, via the touch screen, the setup option for enabling and disabling control unit functions, the control unit causing the display unit to display a plurality of control unit functions after selecting the setup option for enabling and disabling control unit functions;

designating, via the touch screen, an enable/disable status for a specific function of the plurality of control unit functions, the control unit displaying a key associated with the specific function on the display unit during the operating mode in response to enabling the specific function during the setup mode, the control unit not displaying the key associated with the specific function on the display unit during the operating mode in response to disabling the specific function during the setup mode; and

exiting, via the touch screen, the setup option for enabling and disabling control unit functions.

19. A method for operating a coin sorting system in a setup mode and an operating mode, the coin sorting system including a coin sorter for sorting a plurality of coins, coin sensors mounted in proximity to the coin sorter for detecting the coins being sorted, and a control unit coupled to the coin sensors for counting the coins detected by the coin sensors so as to generate coin data, the operator interface panel being coupled to the control unit and including a display unit and a touch screen mounted over the display unit, the control unit causing the display unit to display keys while the coin sorting system is in the operating mode, the control unit operably coupling the touch screen to the displayed keys, the method comprising the steps of:

entering the setup mode via the operator interface panel, the control unit causing the display unit to display a setup option for repositioning keys after entering the setup mode;

selecting, via the touch screen, the setup option for repositioning keys, the control unit causing the display unit to display the keys after selecting the setup option for repositioning keys;

repositioning, via the touch screen, a specific one of the keys from a first position to a second position on the display unit by actuating the touch screen at locations above the first and second positions, the control unit displaying the specific one of the keys on the display unit at the second position during the operating mode; and

exiting, via the touch screen, the setup option for repositioning keys.

20. A method for operating a coin sorting system in a setup mode and an operating mode, the coin sorting system including a coin sorter for sorting a plurality of coins, coin sensors mounted in proximity to the coin sorter for detecting the coins being sorted, and a control unit coupled to the coin sensors for counting the coins detected by the coin sensors so as to generate coin data, the operator interface panel being coupled to the control unit and including a display unit and a touch screen mounted over the display unit, the control unit causing the display unit to display arrays of keys while the coin sorting system is in the operating mode, the control unit operably coupling the touch screen to the displayed keys, the method comprising the steps of:

entering the setup mode via the operator interface panel, the control unit causing the display unit to display a setup option for key array complexity after entering the setup mode;

selecting, via the touch screen, the setup option for key array complexity, the control unit causing the display unit to display array complexity options for relatively complex key arrays and relatively simple keys arrays after selecting the setup option for key array complexity;

selecting, via the touch screen, one of the array complexity options, the control unit displaying on the display unit key arrays with a relatively large number of keys during the operating mode in response to selecting the option for relatively complex key arrays during the setup mode, the control unit displaying on the display unit key arrays with a relatively small number of keys during the operating mode in response to selecting the option for relatively simple key arrays during the setup mode; and

exiting, via the touch screen, the setup option for screen complexity.