Electronic cash dispenser

• US 6,179,457 B1
• Filed: 09/11/1998
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SIAB Italia SPA
• Original Assignee: SIAB Italia SPA
• Inventors: Follis, Carlo, Simonotti, Lucio
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US09/142,596
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 364/408, 235/379
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

This invention refers to an electronic cash dispenser (10) by means of which a user possessing a bank card (43 or 44) may withdraw cash after keying in a personal identification number and the amount to be withdrawn on a keyboard (31). The electronic cash dispenser (10) comprises a portable console (30) and allows the user both to withdraw cash by means of the banknote (14) dispensing unit (13) and also to credit the cash on a bank card (44) by means of a bank card (44) read/write device (34). The electronic cash dispenser (10) also allows banknotes (14) to be withdrawn, deducting the amount dispensed by the dispensing unit (13) from the amount credited on the user'"'"'s bank card (44).

Claims

1. An electronic cash dispenser (10) for dispensing cash, in particular banknotes (14), comprising

a banknote dispensing unit (13);

and

a portable keyboard (31) connected to said banknote dispensing unit (13) for entering data and commands, and for determining the amount to be dispensed in cash;

characterized by

a portable reading/writing device (33, 34) for reading and/or writing bank cards (43, 44); and

by

a control unit (12, 37) connected to said banknote dispensing unit (13), to said portable keyboard (31) and to said portable reading/writing device (32, 34), and suitable for controlling operation thereof.

2. An electronic cash dispenser (10) according to claim 1 characterized in that said control unit (12, 37) is suitable for selectively commanding said dispensing unit (13) to dispense said amount in banknotes (14) and said portable reading/writing device (33, 34) to store said amount on said bank cards (43, 44).

3. An electronic cash dispenser (10) according to claim 1 characterized in that said control unit (12, 37) is suitable for commanding said dispensing unit (13) to dispense said amount in banknotes (14) and said portable reading/writing device (33, 34) to deduct the corresponding amount from said bank cards (43, 44).

4. An electronic cash dispenser (10) according to any one of the claims 1, 2 or 3 characterized in that said control unit (37) is associated to said portable keyboard (31) and to said portable reading/writing device (33, 34) in a portable console (30).

5. An electronic cash dispenser (10) according to any one of the claims 1, 2 or 3 characterized in that a display device (32) is associated to said portable keyboard (31) and to said portable reading/writing device (33, 34) in a portable console (30).

6. An electronic cash dispenser (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said portable reading/writing device (33) is suitable for reading magnetic cards (43).

7. An electronic cash dispenser (10) according to any one of the claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said portable reading/writing device (34) is suitable for reading/writing smart cards (44).

8. An electronic cash dispenser (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that a further reading/writing device (33) for reading and/or writing bank cards (43) is fitted on said portable console (30) and is suitable for reading magnetic cards (43).

9. An electronic cash dispenser (10) for dispensing cash, in particular banknotes (14), comprising

a banknote dispensing unit (13), and

a portable console (30) having a keyboard (31) for entering data and commands and determining the amount of cash to be dispensed;

characterized in that said portable console (30) further comprises

a reading/writing device (33, 34) for reading and/or writing bank cards (43, 44); and

a control unit (37) connected to said banknote dispensing unit (13), to said keyboard (31) and to said reading/writing device (33, 34) for commanding said banknote dispensing unit (13) to dispense said amount in banknotes (14).

10. An electronic cash dispenser according to claim 9, characterized in that said portable console (30) further comprises a display device (32).

11. An electronic cash dispenser according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that said control unit (37) is suitable for commanding said reading/writing device (33, 34) to deduct the corresponding amount from said bank cards (43, 44).