Apparatus with two or more pockets for document processing

• US 6,955,253 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2000
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Mennie, Douglas U., Jones, William J., Munro, Mark C., Mazur, Richard A., Graves, Bradford T., Stromme, Lars R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAPIRO, JEFFREY ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/607,019
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 194/206, 194/207, 377/8, 209/534, 382/135
• US Class Current: 194/207
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/165 Picking
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/24 Managing the stock of valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/40 Device architecture, e.g. modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/50 Sorting or counting valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/60 User-interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/04 Testing magnetic properties of the materials thereof, e.g. by detection of magnetic imprint G07D7/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation

Abstract

A currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly evaluating all the bills in the stack. The device comprises an input receptacle for receiving a stack of bills to be evaluated and a plurality of output receptacles for receiving the bills after they have been evaluated. A transport mechanism transports the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of the output receptacles along a transport path. A discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacle evaluates the bills. The discriminating unit counts and determines the denomination of the bills. A means for flagging bills meeting or failing to meet a certain criteria causes the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet the criteria.

Claims

1. A currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly evaluating all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of bills to be evaluated;

two or more output receptacles adapted to receive the bills after the bills have been evaluated;

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacles along a transport path;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

a processor programmed to determine whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion, the processor being programmed to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill, the processor being adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a flagged bill being positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles; and

wherein bills whose denomination are determined by the discriminating unit are delivered to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and wherein bills whose denomination are not determined by the discriminating unit are directed to a second set of one or more of the output receptacles, bills whose denomination are not determined by the discriminating unit being termed no call bills, the output receptacles of the second set being different from the output receptacles of the first set.

2. The currency evaluation device of claim 1 wherein the second set of output receptacles includes a receptacle designated as a no call output receptacle.

3. The currency evaluation device of claim 2 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt after a no call bill has been delivered to the no call output receptacle.

4. The currency evaluation device of claim 3 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the no call bill being positioned at an identifiable location in the no call output receptacle.

5. The currency evaluation device of claim 4 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the no call bill being the last bill transported to the no call output receptacle, wherein the criterion is the discriminating unit determining the denomination of a bill and wherein a bill failing to meet the criterion of having its denomination determined by the discriminating unit is a flagged bill.

6. The currency evaluation device of claim 2 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt before a no call bill has been delivered to the no call output receptacle.

7. The currency evaluation device of claim 6 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the no call bill being located at an identifiable location within the transport mechanism.

8. The currency evaluation device of claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt after the no call bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

9. The currency evaluation device of claim 7 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the no call bill being positioned at an identifiable location in an output receptacle of the second set.

10. A currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly evaluating all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of bills to be evaluated;

two or more output receptacles adapted to receive the bills after the bills have been evaluated;

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacles along a transport path;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

a processor programmed to determine whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion, the processor being programmed to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill, the processor being adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a flagged bill being positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles; and

wherein a bill failing to have its denomination determined by the discriminating unit is termed a no call bill, wherein the discriminating unit is further adapted to determine whether a bill has a denomination other than a target denomination, a bill having a denomination other than the target denomination being termed a stranger bill, and wherein the device is adapted to deliver stranger bills to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and deliver no call bills to a second set of one or more of the output receptacles, the output receptacles of the second set being different from the output receptacles of the first set.

11. A currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly evaluating all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of bills to be evaluated;

two or more output receptacles adapted to receive the bills after the bills have been evaluated;

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacles along a transport path;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

a processor programmed to determine whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion, the processor being programmed to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill, the processor being adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a flagged bill being positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles; and

wherein the discrimination unit is further adapted to determine whether a bill has a denomination other than a target denomination, a bill having a denomination other than the target denomination being termed a stranger bill and wherein the non-piece count related criterion is the discriminating unit determining that a bill is a stranger bill.

12. A currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly evaluating all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of bills to be evaluated;

two or more output receptacles adapted to receive the bills after the bills have been evaluated;

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacles along a transport path;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

a processor programmed to determine whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion, the processor being programmed to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill, the processor being adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a flagged bill being positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles; and

wherein the discrimination unit is further adapted to determine whether a bill is suspect, a bill determined to be suspect being termed a suspect bill.

13. The currency evaluation device of claim 12 wherein bills whose denomination have been determined by the discriminating unit are delivered to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and wherein suspect bills are directed to a second set of one or more of the output receptacles, the output receptacles of the second set being different from the output receptacles of the first set.

14. The currency evaluation device of claim 13 wherein the second set of output receptacles includes a receptacle designated as a suspect output receptacle.

15. The currency evaluation device of claim 14 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt before a suspect bill has been delivered to the suspect output receptacle.

16. The currency evaluation device of claim 15 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the suspect bill being located at an identifiable location within the transport mechanism.

17. The currency evaluation device of claim 13 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt after a suspect bill has been delivered to the suspect output receptacle.

18. The currency evaluation device of claim 17 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the suspect bill being positioned at an identifiable location in the suspect output receptacle.

19. The currency evaluation device of claim 18 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the suspect bill being the last bill transported to the suspect output receptacle, wherein the non-piece count criterion is a bill being suspect.

20. A currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly evaluating all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of bills to be evaluated;

two or more output receptacles adapted to receive the bills after the bills have been evaluated;

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacles along a transport path;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

a processor programmed to determine whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion, the processor being programmed to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill, the processor being adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a flagged bill being positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles; and

wherein the discrimination unit is further adapted to determine whether a bill has a denomination other than a target denomination, a bill having a denomination other than the target denomination being termed a stranger bill and wherein the criterion is a bill being a stranger bill, and wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a stranger bill as the last bill in a second set of one or more of the output receptacles.

21. A currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly evaluating all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of bills to be evaluated;

two or more output receptacles adapted to receive the bills after the bills have been evaluated;

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacles along a transport path;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles; and

a processor programmed to determine whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion, the processor being programmed to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill, the processor being adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a flagged bill being positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles; and

wherein the criterion is a bill being suspect, and wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a suspect bill as the last bill in a second set of one or more of the output receptacles.

22. A currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly evaluating all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of bills to be evaluated;

two or more output receptacles adapted to receive the bills after the bills have been evaluated;

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacles along a transport path;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

a processor programmed to determine whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion, the processor being programmed to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill, the processor being adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a flagged bill being positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles; and

wherein a bill failing to have its denomination determined by the discriminating unit being termed a no call bill, and wherein the discriminating unit is further adapted to determine whether a bill is suspect.

23. The currency evaluation device of claim 22 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt when a bill is determined to be suspect by the discriminating unit, a bill determined to be suspect by the discriminating unit being termed a suspect bill.

24. The currency evaluation device of claim 23 wherein bills whose denomination have been determined by the discriminating unit and suspect bills are delivered to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and wherein no call bills are delivered to a second set of one or more of the output receptacles, the output receptacles of the second set being different from the output receptacles of the first set.

25. The currency evaluation device of claim 24 wherein the second set of output receptacles consists of a single output receptacle.

26. The currency evaluation device of claim 24 wherein the discrimination unit is further adapted to determine whether a bill has a denomination other than a target denomination, a bill having a denomination other than the target denomination being termed a stranger bill and wherein the discriminating unit further is adapted to determine whether bills are stranger bills, and wherein stranger bills are delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

27. The currency evaluation device of claim 26 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt after a no call bill or a stranger bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

28. The currency evaluation device of claim 27 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the no call bill or the stranger bill being the last bill transported to an output receptacle of the second set.

29. The currency evaluation device of claim 26 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism not to halt after a no call bill or a stranger bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

30. The currency evaluation device of claim 29 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt after a suspect bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the first set.

31. The currency evaluation device of claim 22 wherein bills whose denomination have been determined by the discriminating unit are delivered to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and wherein no call bills are delivered to a second set of one or more of the output receptacles, the output receptacles of the second set being different from the output receptacles of the first set.