Method and apparatus for document processing

• US 6,957,733 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• 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, Graves, Bradford T, Jones, William J, Munro, Mark C, Stromme, Lars R, Mazur, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beauchaine, Mark J.
• Application Number:
  US10/027,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20020056605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 382/135, 209/534, 194/207, 194/215, 194/229, 194/230, 194/240, 194/317, 271/3.15
• US Class Current: 194/215
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/37 involving peptidase or proteinase
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2500/00 Screening for compounds of potential therapeutic value
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/573 for enzymes or isoenzymes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/00 Devices accepting coins; Devices accepting, dispensing, sorting or counting valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/10 Mechanical details
• 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 7/00 Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/121 Apparatus characterised by sensor details

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 compact, high-speed United States currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly processing all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations to be processed;

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

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, along a transport path from the input receptacle to the output receptacles at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills including United States bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles; and

a processor programmed to flag bills meeting or failing to meet any of certain non-piece count related criteria, a bill meeting or failing to meet any of the criteria being termed a flagged bill, the processor being adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet at least one of the criteria;

wherein the certain criteria include a criterion of the discriminating unit determining the denomination of a bill, a bill failing to meet the criterion of having its denomination determined by the discriminating unit being termed a no call bill, the processor being programmed to flag no call bills,

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 certain criteria include the discriminating unit determining whether a bill is a stranger bill and wherein the processor is programmed to flag stranger bills,

wherein the discriminating unit is further adapted to determine whether a bill is a suspect bill and wherein the certain criteria include the discriminating unit determining whether a bill is a suspect bill and wherein the processor is programmed to flag suspect bills,

wherein stranger bills and no call bills are directed to a first set of one or more output receptacles and suspect bills are directed to a second set of at least one or more output receptacles, 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 first set of output receptacles includes at least two output receptacles.

3. The currency evaluation device of claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt when a no call bill or a stranger bill is delivered to an output receptacle of the first set.

4. The currency evaluation device of claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism not to halt when a no call bill or a stranger bill is delivered to an output receptacle of the first set.

5. A compact, high-speed United States currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly processing all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations to be processed;

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

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, along a transport path from the input receptacle to the output receptacles at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills including United States bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

a processor programmed to flag bills meeting or failing to meet any of certain non-piece count related criteria, a bill meeting or failing to meet any of the criteria being termed a flagged bill, the processor being adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet at least one of the criteria, and

wherein the certain criteria include the discriminating unit determining the denomination of a bill and wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt when a bill fails to meet a criterion of having its denomination determined by the discriminating unit, a bill failing to meet the criterion of having its denomination determined by the discriminating unit being termed a no call bill,

wherein bills meeting the certain criteria of having their denomination determined by the discriminating unit are delivered to a first set of at least one or more of the output receptacles and wherein no call bills are directed to a second set of at least one or more of the output receptacles, the output receptacles of the second set being different from the output receptacles of the first set.

6. The currency evaluation device of claim 5 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt before a no call bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

7. The currency evaluation device of claim 5 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt after a no call bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

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

9. The currency evaluation device of claim 8 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a no call bill being the last bill transported to an output receptacle of the second set.

10. A compact, high-speed United States currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly processing all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations to be processed;

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

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, along a transport path from the input receptacle to the output receptacles at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills including United States bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles; and

a processor programmed to flag bills meeting or failing to meet any of certain non-piece count related criteria, a bill meeting or failing to meet any of the criteria being termed a flagged bill, the processor being adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet at least one of the criteria,

wherein the discriminating unit is further adapted to determine whether bills are suspect and wherein the certain criteria include the discriminating unit determining whether a bill is suspect and wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt when a bill meets a criterion of being determined to be suspect by the discriminating unit, a bill being determined to be suspect being termed a suspect bill.

11. The currency evaluation device of claim 10 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.

12. The currency evaluation device of claim 11 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 second set.

13. The currency evaluation device of claim 12 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the suspect bill being positioned at an identifiable location in an output receptacle of the second set.

14. The currency evaluation device of claim 13 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the suspect bill being the last bill transported to an output receptacle of the second set.

15. The currency evaluation device of claim 11 wherein bills whose denomination have not been determined by the discriminating unit are also delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

16. The currency evaluation device of claim 15 wherein bills whose denomination have not been determined by the discriminating unit and the suspect bills are directed to different output receptacles of the second set.

17. The currency evaluation device of claim 15 wherein the processor is adapted not to halt the transport mechanism in response to the denomination of a bill not being determined.

18. The currency evaluation device of claim 11 wherein bills whose denomination have not been determined by the discriminating unit are directed to an output receptacle of the first set.

19. The currency evaluation device of claim 11 wherein the bills whose denomination have been determined and the bills whose denomination have not been determined by the discriminating unit are directed to different output receptacles of the first set.

20. A compact, high-speed United States currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly processing all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations to be processed;

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

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, along a transport path from the input receptacle to the output receptacles at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills including United States bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles; and

a processor programmed to flag bills meeting or failing to meet any of certain non-piece count related criteria, a bill meeting or failing to meet any of the criteria being termed a flagged bill, the processor being adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet at least one of the criteria,

wherein the certain criteria include the discriminating unit determining the denomination of a bill and wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt when a bill fails to meet a criterion of having its denomination determined by the discriminating unit, a bill failing to meet a criterion of having its denomination determined by the discriminating unit being termed a no call bill, and wherein the discriminating unit further determines whether bills are suspect,

wherein the processor is also adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt when a bill meets a second criterion of being determined to be suspect by the discriminating unit.

21. The currency evaluation device of claim 20 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 bills determined by the discriminating unit to be suspect and bills whose denomination have not been determined by the discriminating unit 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.

22. The currency evaluation device of claim 21 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt after a no call bill or a suspect bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

23. The currency evaluation device of claim 22 wherein the no call bills and suspect bills are delivered to different output receptacles of the second set.

24. The currency evaluation device of claim 22 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the no call bill or the suspect bill being the last bill transported to an output receptacle of the second set.

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

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

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

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

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills including bills of a plurality of denominations, the discriminating unit including at least one detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles; and

means for flagging a bill when the denomination of the bill is not determined by the discriminating unit, wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt when a bill whose denomination has not been determined is encountered,

wherein the device is adapted to transport bills that have been denominated including bills of a plurality of denominations to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles

wherein the device is adapted to transport bills that have not been denominated to a second set of one or more of the output receptacles, the second set of the output receptacles being different than the first set of the output receptacles receiving bills that have been denominated.

26. The currency evaluation device of claim 25 wherein the first set and second set of the output receptacles have a stacking mechanism associated therewith and adapted to re-stack denominated bills in one of the first set of the output receptacle and re-stack bills that have not been denominated in one of the second set of the output receptacle.

27. The currency evaluation device of claim 25 wherein the device is adapted to deliver and only one output receptacle is adapted to receive denominated bills of more than one denomination.

28. The currency evaluation device of claim 25 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 means for flagging stranger bills.

29. The currency evaluation device of claim 28 wherein the discriminating unit is further adapted to determine whether a bill is a suspect bill, and means for flagging suspect bills.

30. The currency evaluation device of claim 29 wherein stranger bills and bills whose denomination have not been determined are directed to a first set of one or more output receptacles and suspect bills are directed to a second set of at least one or more output receptacles, the output receptacles of the second set being different from the output receptacles of the first set.

31. The currency evaluation device of claim 30 wherein the first set of output receptacles includes at least two output receptacles.

32. The currency evaluation device of claim 30 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt when a stranger bill is delivered to an output receptacle of the first set.

33. The currency evaluation device of claim 30 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism not to halt when a stranger bill is delivered to an output receptacle of the first set.

34. The currency evaluation device of claim 25 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a bill not being determined by the discriminating unit being positioned at an identifiable location in one of the output receptacles.

35. The currency evaluation device of claim 25 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a bill not being determined by the discriminating unit being located at an identifiable location within the transport mechanism.

36. The currency evaluation device of claim 25 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a bill not being determined by the discriminating unit being located at a predetermined position.

37. The currency evaluation device of claim 25 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt after a bill not being determined by the discriminating unit has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

38. The currency evaluation device of claim 25 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a bill not being determined by the discriminating unit being the last bill transported to an output receptacle of the second set.

39. The currency evaluation device of claim 25 wherein the discriminating unit is further adapted to determine whether a bill is suspect and a bill determined to be suspect being termed a suspect bill and wherein the means for flagging is programmed to flag suspect bills.

40. The currency evaluation device of claim 39 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.

41. The currency evaluation device of claim 40 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt after a suspect bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

42. The currency evaluation device of claim 41 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the suspect bill being positioned at an identifiable location in an output receptacle of the second set.

43. The currency evaluation device of claim 42 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with the suspect bill being the last bill transported to an output receptacle of the second set.

44. The currency evaluation device of claim 43 wherein bills whose denomination have not been determined by the discriminating unit and the suspect bills are directed to different output receptacles of the second set.

45. The currency evaluation device of claim 25 wherein the transport mechanism is adapted to transport bills at a rate of at least 1,000 bills per minute.

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

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

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

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

a discriminating unit including at least one detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and output receptacle, the discriminating unit being adapted to count and determine the denomination of the bills and determine whether the bills are suspect; and

means for flagging a bill when the bill is determined to be suspect by the discriminating unit;

wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt when the discriminating unit determines that a bill is suspect.

47. The currency evaluation device of claim 46 wherein the currency bills comprise United States currency and the discriminating unit is adapted to denominate United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations.

48. The currency evaluation device of claim 46 wherein the discriminating unit is adapted to denominate the bills independent of the size of the bills.

49. The currency evaluation device of claim 46 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt when the discriminating unit determines that a bill is suspect with the bill that is determined to be suspect being the last bill transported to one of the output receptacles.

50. The currency evaluation device of claim 46 wherein the detector of the discriminating unit includes a stationary optical scanning head adapted to scan at least a preselected segment of each bill transported between the input and output receptacles by the transport mechanism and produce an output signal representing the scanned image, and wherein the discriminating unit includes a processor adapted to receive the output signal and determine the denomination of each scanned bill.

51. The currency evaluation device of claim 46 wherein the device is adapted to deliver and at least one output receptacle is adapted to receive denominated bills of more than one denomination.

52. The currency evaluation device of claim 46 wherein the device is adapted to deliver and only one output receptacle is adapted to receive denominated bills of more than one denomination.

53. The currency evaluation device of claim 46 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 means for flagging is programmed to flag stranger bills.

54. The currency evaluation device of claim 53 wherein stranger bills are directed to a first set of one or more output receptacles and suspect bills are directed to a second set of one or more output receptacles, the output receptacles of the second set being different from the output receptacles of the first set.

55. The currency evaluation device of claim 54 wherein the first set of output receptacles includes at least two output receptacles.

56. The currency evaluation device of claim 46 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a suspect bill being positioned at an identifiable location in one of the output receptacles.

57. The currency evaluation device of claim 46 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a suspect bill being located at an identifiable location within the transport mechanism.

58. The currency evaluation device of claim 46 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a suspect bill being located at a predetermined position.

59. The currency evaluation device of claim 46 wherein the device is adapted to transport suspect bills to a second set of one or more of the output receptacles, the second set of the output receptacles being different than the first set of the output receptacles receiving bills that have been denominated.

60. The currency evaluation device of claim 59 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt after a suspect bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

61. The currency evaluation device of claim 59 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a suspect bill positioned at an identifiable location in an output receptacle of the second set.

62. The currency evaluation device of claim 59 wherein the means for flagging is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a suspect bill being the last bill transported to an output receptacle of the second set.

63. The currency evaluation device of claim 46 wherein the transport mechanism is adapted to transport bills at a rate of at least 1,000 bills per minute.

64. A high-speed, United States currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly processing all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

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

two or more output receptacles adapted to receive the bills after the bills have been processed, at least one of the output receptacles being adapted to receive more than one denomination of bills;

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, along a transport path from the input receptacle to the output receptacles at a rate in excess of 800 bills per minute;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills including United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate in excess of 800 bills per minute, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles; and

a processor programmed to flag bills meeting or failing to meet any of certain non-piece count criteria, a bill meeting or failing to meet any of the criteria being termed a flagged bill;

wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet a given one or ones of the criteria,

wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a flagged bill meeting or failing to meet at least a given set of the criteria being positioned in one of the output receptacles,

wherein the certain criteria include the discriminating unit determining the denomination of a bill, a bill failing to meet a criterion of having its denomination determined by the discriminating unit being 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 certain criteria include the discriminating unit determining whether a bill is a stranger bill.

65. The currency evaluation device of claim 64 wherein no call bills are delivered to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles, and wherein stranger 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.

66. The currency evaluation device of claim 64 wherein the discriminating unit is further adapted to determine whether a bill is suspect and wherein the certain criteria include the discriminating unit determining a bill is suspect, a bill determined to be suspect being termed a suspect bill.

67. The currency evaluation device of claim 66 wherein no calls bills are delivered to a first output receptacle, wherein stranger bills are delivered to a second output receptacle, and wherein the suspect bills are delivered to a third output receptacle.

68. The currency evaluation device of claim 66 wherein the output receptacles include a third output receptacle, wherein no call bills and stranger bills are directed to the third receptacle, and suspect bills are directed to a second output receptacle.

69. The currency evaluation device of claim 68 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt when a bill is directed to the third receptacle.

70. The currency evaluation device of claim 68 wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism not to halt when a bill is directed to the third receptacle.

71. A high-speed, United States currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly processing all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

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

two or more output receptacles adapted to receive the bills after the bills have been processed, at least one of the output receptacles being adapted to receive more than one denomination of bills;

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, along a transport path from the input receptacle to the output receptacles at a rate in excess of 800 bills per minute;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills including United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate in excess of 800 bills per minute, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles; and

a processor programmed to flag bills meeting or failing to meet any of certain non-piece count criteria, a bill meeting or failing to meet any of the criteria being termed a flagged bill;

wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet a given one or ones of the criteria,

wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a flagged bill meeting or failing to meet at least a given set of the criteria being positioned in one of the output receptacles,

wherein the output receptacles include a third receptacle, and wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to deliver flagged bills to the third receptacle.

72. A high-speed, United States currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly processing all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

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

two or more output receptacles adapted to receive the bills after the bills have been processed, at least one of the output receptacles being adapted to receive more than one denomination of bills;

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, along a transport path from the input receptacle to the output receptacles at a rate in excess of 800 bills per minute;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills including United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate in excess of 800 bills per minute, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles; and

a processor programmed to flag bills meeting or failing to meet any of certain non-piece count criteria, a bill meeting or failing to meet any of the criteria being termed a flagged bill;

wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet a given one or ones of the criteria,

wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a flagged bill meeting or failing to meet at least a given set of the criteria being positioned in one of the output receptacles,

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 certain criteria include the discriminating unit determining whether a bill is a stranger bill.

73. A high-speed, United States currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly processing all the bills in the stack, the device comprising:

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

two or more output receptacles adapted to receive the bills after the bills have been processed, at least one of the output receptacles being adapted to receive more than one denomination of bills;

a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, along a transport path from the input receptacle to the output receptacles at a rate in excess of 800 bills per minute;

a discriminating unit adapted to count and denominate the bills including United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate in excess of 800 bills per minute, the discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles; and

a processor programmed to flag bills meeting or failing to meet any of certain non-piece count criteria, a bill meeting or failing to meet any of the criteria being termed a flagged bill;

wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet a given one or ones of the criteria,

wherein the processor is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to halt with a flagged bill meeting or failing to meet at least a given set of the criteria being positioned in one of the output receptacles,

wherein the discriminating unit is further adapted to determine whether a bill is suspect and wherein the certain criteria include, the discriminating unit determining whether a bill is suspect, a bill determined to be suspect being termed a suspect bill.

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

an input receptacle positioned to receive a stack of bills to be processed;

two or more output receptacles positioned to receive the bills after the bills have been processed;

a transport mechanism comprising a transport drive motor and transport rollers, the transport mechanism located between the input receptacle and the output receptacles to transport the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacles along a transport path;

a discriminating unit comprising a processor and at least one detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles, the detector being adapted to generate a characteristic information output signal in response to detected characteristic information, the characteristic information output signal being electrically coupled to the processor, the processor being adapted to receive the characteristic information output signal and generate a denomination signal in response thereto; and

a flagging device comprising a processor and an encoder linked to the transport mechanism, the encoder being adapted to produce tracking signals in response to the physical movement of the bills, the processor being adapted to generate a no call signal when the denomination of a bill is not determined by the processor, the flagging device being adapted to generate a stopping signal in response to the no call signal and wherein the transport drive motor is adapted to stop in response to the stopping signal,

wherein the device is adapted to transport bills that have been denominated to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles, and

wherein the flagging device is adapted to cause the transport mechanism to stop with the bill whose denomination has not been determined being the last bill transported 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.

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

an input receptacle positioned to receive a stack of bills to be processed;

two or more output receptacles positioned to receive, the bills after the bills have been processed;

a transport mechanism comprising a transport drive motor and transport rollers, the transport mechanism located between the input receptacle and the output receptacles to transport the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacles along a transport path;

a discriminating unit comprising a processor and at least one detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles, the detector being adapted to generate a characteristic information output signal in response to detected characteristic information, the characteristic information output signal being electrically coupled to the processor, the processor being adapted to receive the characteristic information output signal and generate a denomination signal in response thereto; and

a flagging device comprising a processor and an encoder linked to the transport mechanism, the encoder being adapted to produce tracking signals in response to the physical movement of the bills, the processor being adapted to generate a no call signal when the denomination of a bill is not determined by the processor, the flagging device being adapted to generate a stopping signal in response to the no call signal and wherein the transport drive motor is adapted to stop in response to the stopping signal,

wherein the device is adapted to transport bills that have been denominated to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles,

wherein the device is adapted to transport bills that have not been denominated 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.

76. The currency evaluation device of claim 75 wherein the first set and second set of the output receptacles have a stacking mechanism associated therewith and which is adapted to re-stack denominated bills in one of the first set of the output receptacle and re-stack bills that have not been denominated in one of the second set of the output receptacle.

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

an input receptacle positioned to receive a stack of bills to be processed;

two or more output receptacles positioned to receive the bills after the bills have been processed;

a transport mechanism comprising a transport drive motor and transport rollers, the transport mechanism located between the input receptacle and the output receptacle to transport the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacles along a transport path;

a discriminating unit comprising a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacle and comprising a processor, the detector generating a characteristic information output signal in response to detected characteristic information, the characteristic information output signal being electrically coupled to the processor, the processor being adapted to receive the characteristic information output signal and generate a denomination signal in response thereto;

the processor also being adapted to generate a suspect signal when a bill is determined to be suspect by the processor; and

a flagging device comprising a processor and an encoder linked to the transport mechanism, the encoder producing tracking signals in response to the physical movement of the bills, wherein the flagging device is adapted to generate a stopping signal in response to the suspect signal and wherein the transport drive motor is adapted to stop in response to the stopping signal.

78. The currency evaluation device of claim 77 wherein the input receptacle is adapted to receive and the processor is adapted to denominate bills of a plurality of United States denominations.

79. The currency evaluation device of claim 77 wherein the processor is adapted to denominate currency bills independently of the size of the bills.

80. The currency evaluation device of claim 77 wherein the processor is adapted to denominate currency bills of a plurality of denominations, bills of at least two of the denominations having the same dimensions.

81. The currency evaluation device of claim 77 wherein the processor is adapted to denominate currency bills of a plurality of denominations, genuine bills of the plurality of denominations having a plurality of images associated therewith, the plurality of images defining the plurality of denominations and wherein the processor is adapted to distinguish among the plurality of denominations by scanning the image associated with each of the bills.

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

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

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

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

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 cause the transport mechanism to halt in a predetermined manner in response to a determination that a bill meets a stranger bill criterion and in response to a determination that a bill meets a no call bill criterion, and wherein a bill that meets the stranger bill criterion is termed a stranger bill, and wherein a bill that meets the no call bill criterion is termed a no call bill,

wherein the device is adapted to permit manual removal of a no call or a stranger bill after the transport mechanism has halted.

83. The currency evaluation device of claim 82 further comprising a key adapted to restart the operation of the device after the transport mechanism has halted.