Device, method, and system for extracting deposited items from an ATM/CAT safe

• US 6,502,746 B1
• Filed: 08/19/1999
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Citicorp Credit Services Incorporated (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Citicorp Development Center Incorporated (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sears, Michael L., Do, Cuong D., Bui, Xuan S., Dudasik, Edward M. R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US09/377,510
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/382, 235/381, 235/380, 235/375, 902/8, 902/9, 902/13, 902/14, 902/16, 902/17, 705/43
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/0096 Accepting paper currency or other valuables in containers, e.g. in code-marked envelopes

Abstract

A device, system and method for extracting deposited items from a secure enclosure, such as the envelope bin of an ATM/CAT safe, makes use, for example, of computer hardware and software applications, as well as one or more secure access devices, card devices, transponder devices, input devices, control mechanisms, transport bins, and transport devices, to modify or field retrofit an existing ATM/CAT to enable removal of items without opening the safe door. The modified ATM/CAT enables a service person, for example, to enter a retrieval request, which is received by a control device, and the control device automatically opens an access port of shutter of the ATM/CAT safe and automatically activates a transport mechanism to transport items out of the safe to be received by the service person or a secured access bin docked, for example, with the access port.

Claims

1. A method for extracting at least one deposited item from a secure enclosure, comprising:

receiving a plurality of deposited items consisting at least in part of items enclosed in envelopes from a plurality of customers through a deposit entry slot associated with a depository mechanism of the secure enclosure;

receiving a retrieval request from an authorized service person by a control device for the secure enclosure operable only by the authorized service person;

automatically opening an access port of the secure enclosure by the control device in response to the retrieval request; and

automatically transporting at least one deposited item from the secure enclosure through the opened access port to the authorized service person.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises a safe of an automated teller machine.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises an envelope bin of the automated teller machine safe.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the retrieval request further comprises verifying a retrieval access authorization for the service person by a secure access device associated with the secure enclosure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein verifying the retrieval access authorization by the secure access device further comprises verifying the authorization with a card in a card device associated with the secure enclosure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein verifying the authorization with the card in the card device further comprises automatically verifying the authorization with identification data stored on a magnetic stripe of the card.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein verifying the retrieval access authorization by the secure access device further comprises automatically verifying the authorization with a transponder device associated with the secure enclosure.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein verifying the authorization with the transponder device further comprises automatically verifying the authorization with the transponder device of a transponder tag.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein verifying the authorization with the transponder device further comprises automatically verifying the authorization with the transponder device of a secured transfer bin.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the retrieval request further comprises receiving the retrieval request at an input device associated with the secure enclosure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the retrieval request further comprises automatically sending the request by the input device to the control device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the input device further comprises one of a keypad and a touch screen.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein automatically opening the access port further comprises automatically activating a control mechanism associated with the access port by the control device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein automatically activating the control mechanism further comprises automatically opening a shutter associated with the access port by the control mechanism.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises a safe of an automated teller machine.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises an envelope bin of the automated teller machine safe.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically transporting the deposited item through the access port further comprises automatically transporting the deposited item through one of a front access port of the secure enclosure and a rear access port of the secure enclosure.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically transporting the deposited item through the access port further comprises automatically transporting the deposited item by a transport mechanism.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein automatically transporting the deposited item by the transport mechanism further comprises automatically activating the transport mechanism by the control device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein automatically activating the transport mechanism further comprises automatically activating a motor driven belt transport mechanism by the control device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises a safe of an automated teller machine.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises an envelope bin of the automated teller machine safe.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically transporting the deposited item from the secure enclosure further comprises automatically transporting the deposited item from a stack of deposited items in the secure enclosure.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein automatically transporting the deposited item from the stack of deposited items further comprises automatically forming the stack of deposited items.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein automatically forming the stack of deposited items further comprises receiving a plurality of deposited items in the secure enclosure.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein automatically forming the stack of deposited items further comprises guiding the plurality of deposited items to a stacking location in the secure enclosure.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises a safe of an automated teller machine.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises an envelope bin of the automated teller machine safe.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the plurality of deposited items further comprises receiving the plurality of deposited items through one of a front deposit entry slot associated with the depository mechanism and a rear deposit entry slot associated with the depository mechanism.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises a safe of an automated teller machine.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises an envelope bin of the automated teller machine safe.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically transporting the deposited item from the secure enclosure further comprises automatically transporting the deposited item through the opened access port to a service person.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically transporting the deposited item from the secure enclosure further comprises automatically transporting the deposited item through the opened access port into a container in the possession of the authorized service person.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein, automatically transporting the deposited item through the access port into the container further comprises docking a protruding section of the container with the access port.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein automatically transporting the deposited item through the access port into the container further comprises automatically guiding the deposited item through the protruding section into the container.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein automatically guiding the deposited item further comprises automatically guiding the deposited item to a stacking position within the container.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the container further comprises a secured transfer bin.

38. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically closing the access port.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein automatically closing the access port further comprises automatically closing the access port by a control mechanism associated with the access port.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein automatically closing the access port by the control mechanism further comprises automatically closing a shutter associated with the access port by the control mechanism.

41. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically tracking the deposited item.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein automatically tracking the deposited item further comprises automatically comparing data related to receipt of the deposited item in the secure enclosure with data relating to transporting the deposited from the secure enclosure.

43. A system for extracting at least one deposited item from a secure enclosure, comprising:

a deposit entry slot associated with a depository mechanism of the secure enclosure for receiving a plurality of deposited items consisting at least in part of items enclosed in envelopes from a plurality of customers;

a control device for the secure enclosure for receiving a retrieval request from an authorized service person;

wherein the control device is adapted for automatically opening an access port of the secure enclosure in response to the retrieval request; and

a transport mechanism for automatically transporting at least one deposited item from the secure enclosure through the opened access port to the authorized service person.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the control device further comprises a secure access device associated with the secure enclosure for verifying a retrieval access authorization.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the secure access device further comprises a card device associated with the secure enclosure.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the secure access device further comprises a transponder device associated with the secure enclosure.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises a safe of an automated teller machine.

48. The system of claim 43, wherein the control device further comprises an input device associated with the secure enclosure.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the input device further comprises one of a keypad and a touch screen.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein the control device further comprises a control mechanism of the access port coupled to the control device.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises a safe of an automated teller machine.

52. The system of claim 48, wherein the transport mechanism further comprises a motor driven belt transport mechanism.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the secure enclosure further comprises a safe of an automated teller machine.

54. The system of claim 48, wherein the transport mechanism further comprises means for receiving the transported item.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the means for receiving the transported item further comprises a secured transfer bin.

56. A system for extracting at least one deposited item from a secure enclosure, comprising:

a depository mechanism for receiving a plurality of deposited items from a plurality of customers through a deposit entry slot of the secure enclosure associated with the depository mechanism;

a control device for the secure enclosure for receiving a retrieval request from a service person, the control device being inoperable by the customers;

an access port of the secure enclosure spaced apart from the deposit entry slot, and the control device being adapted for automatically opening the access port in response to the retrieval request; and

a transport mechanism for automatically transporting at least one deposited item from the secure enclosure through the opened access port to the service person.