Automatic cashier machine

• US 6,260,757 B1
• Filed: 10/31/1997
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John Strisower
• Original Assignee: Precision Resource Company, LLC
• Inventors: Strisower, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANS, FANNIE L
• Application Number:
  US08/962,025
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/375, 235/381, 235/383, 348/150, 340/825.35, 364/479.01, 364/479.02, 364/479.06, 382/136, 194/205, 194/210, 194/211, 194/212, 273/138.1
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 1/04 dispensing change equal to a sum deposited
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs

Abstract

An apparatus for receiving tokens and dispensing cash. A recognition device recognizes a denomination of a token and a source of a token, wherein the token is not government-issued legal tender. A controller device is coupled to the recognition device. The controller device comprises a calculating device that calculates the monetary value of the token. A dispensing device is coupled to the recognition device. The dispensing device dispenses cash equal in value to the monetary value of the token.

Claims

1. An apparatus to receive tokens and dispense cash, comprising:

a separator device to separate items that are within a predetermined range of sizes from items that are not within a predetermined range of sizes;

a recognition device coupled to the separator device to receive the items that are within a predetermined range of sizes from the separator device, the recognition device to recognize a denomination of a token and a source of a token among the items that are within a predetermined range of sizes, wherein the token is not government-issued legal tender;

a controller device coupled to the recognition device, the controller device comprising a calculating device that calculates the monetary value of the token;

a dispensing device coupled to the recognition device that dispenses cash equal in value to the monetary value of the token; and

a closed circuit television camera coupled to the controller device and positioned to record an image of a user during a transaction, to associate the image with the transaction, and to store the image of the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an input bin that receives items; and

a return bin coupled to the input bin and the separator device, the return bin to receive the items that are not within a predetermined range of sizes from the separator device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the token comprises a radio frequency fiber that emits radiation of a particular frequency and wherein the recognition device comprises an transceiver that receives the particular frequency.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller device comprises a database of recognizable tokens and wherein the recognition device comprises a second closed circuit television (CCTV) camera that transmits an image of the token to the controller for comparison with the database.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display that displays a current transaction amount.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a receipt mechanism coupled to the controller device that prints a report of the transaction and dispenses the report.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the token is a gambling chip.

8. An apparatus to receive tokens and dispense cash, comprising:

an input apparatus that receives acceptable tokens and items that are not acceptable tokens;

a separator device coupled to the input apparatus, the separator device to separate the acceptable tokens and the items that are not acceptable tokens according to a predetermined range of sizes;

a comparator coupled to the separator device comprising;

a token comparator that recognizes a source and a denomination of an acceptable token;

a transaction hold area that stores acceptable tokens associated with a single transaction until the transaction is complete;

a token reservoir coupled to the transaction hold area that stores acceptable tokens released from the transaction hold area; and

a return bin coupled to the separator device and to the token comparator, the return bin to receive the items that are not acceptable tokens;

a bill dispenser coupled to the comparator;

a controller processor coupled to the comparator and to the bill dispenser, comprising;

control circuitry that controls operation of the comparator;

calculation circuitry that calculates transaction amounts, transaction amounts being totals of acceptable token values for a transaction expressed as an amount of legal currency;

a storage medium that stores data used in operating the controller processor and the bill dispenser, the data comprising programs executed by the controller processor; and

a closed circuit television camera coupled to the controller processor and positioned to record an image of a user during a transaction, to associate the image with the transaction, and to store the image of the user.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a receipt mechanism coupled to the controller processor that prints and dispenses a record of the transaction.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the token comparator comprises a second closed circuit television (CCTV) camera that transmits an image of an item to the controller processor and wherein the data stored on the storage medium further comprises a database comprising images of acceptable tokens.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the token comparator comprises a radio frequency (RF) transceiver that receives an encoded RF transmission of a token and transmits the RF transmission to the controller processor for comparison with a database of encoded RF transmissions.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a user interface mechanism coupled to the controller processor, the user interface comprising:

a display device that communicates to the user the status of the transaction including a current, total transaction amount;

an approval input that transmits the user'"'"'s approval of the transaction status to the controller processor; and

a cancellation input that transmits the user'"'"'s cancellation of the transaction to the controller processor.

13. A method to automatically exchange a user'"'"'s item for a predetermined amount of money, comprising:

receiving an item inserted by a user during a transaction;

accepting the item if its size is within a predetermined range of sizes, otherwise, returning the item to the user;

identifying the item to determine if it is of a predetermined type;

retaining the item if it is of the predetermined type, otherwise, returning the item to the user;

identifying a monetary value of the item;

incrementing a transaction value by the monetary value;

displaying a current total transaction value;

taking a photograph of the user during the transaction;

associating the photograph with the transaction;

storing the photograph;

accepting approval of a completed transaction from the user and dispensing money having the current total transaction value; and

accepting cancellation of the completed transaction from the user and returning items inserted by the user during the transaction.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising dispensing a printed transaction record when the transaction is complete.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying the item to determine if it is of the predetermined type comprises

identifying a source of the item and determining the item as of the predetermined type if it has a predetermined source.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising recognizing a radio frequency (RF) transmission of the item to determine the source of the item and the monetary value of the item.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising comparing a closed circuit television (CCTV) image of the item to a database of images of items of the predetermined type to determine the source of the item and the monetary value of the item.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the item of the predetermined type is a gambling chip having a predetermined source.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the predetermined source is a particular gambling establishment.

20. An apparatus to receive a token and dispense an amount of money, comprising:

an input device configured to receive a token input by a user;

a separator device coupled to the input device and configured only to accept the token if the token is within a predetermined range of sizes, the separator device to return the token to a return bin if the token is not within a predetermined range of sizes;

an identification device configured to generate an identification of the user during a transaction;

a recognition device configured to recognize the token that are accepted by the separator device;

a reservoir configured to collect tokens that are input to the apparatus and accepted by the separator device; and

a computer controller configured to control operation of the apparatus, to store information regarding the transaction, and to associate the transaction with the identification of the user;

the identification device including a closed circuit television camera coupled to the computer controller and positioned to record an image of the user during the transaction, to associate the image with the transaction, and to store the image of the user.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the identification device comprises a card reading device configured to read a user card.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the reservoir is further configured to segregate a group of tokens input by the user during the transaction.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a return mechanism configured to return the segregated group of tokens, wherein the segregated group of tokens is associated with the transaction and with the identification of the user.

24. An apparatus to receive tokens and dispense cash, comprising:

an image comparator to compare an image of a token with a database to recognize a denomination of the token and a source of the token, wherein the token is not government-issued legal tender;

a controller device coupled to the image comparator, the controller device comprising a calculating device that calculates the monetary value of the token; and

a dispensing device coupled to the image comparator that dispenses cash equal in value to the monetary value of the token.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

an input bin that receives items;

a return bin coupled to the input bin; and

a separator device coupled to the return bin and to the image comparator that directs items that are not within a predetermined range of sizes to the return bin and directs items that are within a predetermined range of sizes to the image comparator.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the controller device comprises a database of recognizable tokens and wherein the image comparator comprises a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera that transmits the image of the token to the controller for comparison with the database.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a display that displays a current transaction amount.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a receipt mechanism coupled to the controller device that prints a report of a transaction and dispenses the report.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a CCTV camera coupled to the controller device and positioned to record a film of a user during a transaction.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the token is a gambling chip.

31. An apparatus to receive tokens and dispense cash, comprising:

an input apparatus that receives acceptable tokens and items that are not acceptable tokens;

a comparator coupled to the input apparatus comprising;

an image comparator to compare an image of an acceptable token with a database to recognize a source and a denomination of the acceptable token;

a transaction hold area that stores acceptable tokens associated with a single transaction until the transaction is complete;

a token reservoir coupled to the transaction hold area that stores acceptable tokens released from the transaction hold area; and

a return bin coupled to the input apparatus and to the image comparator that receives the items that are not acceptable tokens;

a bill dispenser coupled to the comparator; and

a controller processor coupled to the comparator and to the bill dispenser, comprising;

control circuitry that controls operation of the comparator;

calculation circuitry that calculates transaction amounts, transaction amounts being totals of acceptable token values for a transaction expressed as an amount of legal currency; and

a storage medium that stores data used in operating the controller processor and the bill dispenser, the data comprising programs executed by the controller processor.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a receipt mechanism coupled to the controller processor that prints and dispenses a record of a transaction.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the image comparator comprises a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera that transmits the image of an item to the controller processor and wherein the data stored on the storage medium further comprises a database comprising images of acceptable tokens.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a user interface mechanism coupled to the controller processor, the user interface comprising:

a display device that communicates to a user the status of a transaction including a current, total transaction amount;

an approval input that transmits the user'"'"'s approval of the transaction status to the controller processor; and

a cancellation input that transmits the user'"'"'s cancellation of the transaction to the controller processor.

35. A method to automatically exchange a user'"'"'s item for a predetermined amount of money, comprising:

receiving an item inserted by a user during a transaction;

comparing an image of the item with a database to identify the item and to determine if it is of a predetermined type;

retaining the item if it is of the predetermined type, otherwise, returning the item to the user;

identifying a monetary value of the item;

incrementing a transaction value by the monetary value;

displaying a current total transaction value;

accepting approval of a completed transaction from the user and dispensing money having the current total transaction value; and

accepting cancellation of the completed transaction from the user and returning items inserted by the user during the transaction.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising dispensing a printed transaction record when the transaction is complete.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the comparing an image of the item with a database includes comparing a closed circuit television (CCTV) image of the item to a database of images of items of the predetermined type to determine the source of the item and the monetary value of the item.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the item of the predetermined type is a gambling chip of a predetermined source.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the predetermined source is a particular gambling establishment.

40. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

taking a photograph of the user during the transaction;

associating the photograph with the transaction; and

storing the photograph.

41. An apparatus to receive a token and dispense an amount of money equal to the monetary value of the token, comprising:

an input device configured to receive a token input by a user;

an identification device configured to generate an identification of the user during a transaction;

an image comparator to compare an image of the token with a database and to recognize the token;

a reservoir configured to collect tokens that are input to the apparatus; and

a computer controller configured to control operation of the apparatus, to store information regarding the transaction, and to associate the transaction with the identification of the user.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the identification device comprises a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the identification device comprises a card reading device configured to read a user card.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the reservoir is further configured to segregate a group of tokens input by the user during the transaction.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising a return mechanism configured to return the segregated group of tokens, wherein the segregated group of tokens is associated with the transaction and with the identification of the user.

46. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the image comparator comprises a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera that transmits the image of an item to the controller processor and wherein the data stored on the storage medium further comprises a database comprising images of acceptable tokens.