Method for document processing

• US 6,959,800 B1
• Filed: 01/17/2001
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• 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: Stromme, Lars R., Mennie, Douglas U., Jones, William J., Munro, Mark C., Mazur, Richard A., Graves, Bradford T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAPIRO, JEFFREY ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/611,279
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• Field of Search: 194/206, 194/207, 377/8, 209/534, 382/135
• US Class Current: 194/207
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/50 Sorting or counting valuable papers
• 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 method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

determining whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion;

halting the transporting when a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill;

wherein the halting is performed such that the flagged bill is positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles; and

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

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

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the halting occurs after a no call bill has been delivered to the no call output receptacle.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the halting occurs with the no call bill being positioned at an identifiable location in the no call output receptacle.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the halting occurs with the no call bill being the last bill transported to the no call output receptacle, wherein the criteria is the denomination of a bill and wherein a bill failing to meet the criterion of having its denomination determined is a flagged bill.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the halting occurs before a no call bill has been delivered to the no call output receptacle.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the halting occurs with the no call bill being located at an identifiable location within the transport path.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the halting occurs after the no call bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the halting occurs with the no call bill being positioned at an identifiable location in an output receptacle of the second set.

10. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

determining whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion;

halting the transporting when a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill;

wherein the halting is performed such that the flagged bill is positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles; and

further including determining whether a bill is a stranger bill, wherein a bill failing to have its denomination determined is termed a no call bill, and further including delivering stranger bills to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and delivering no call bills 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.

11. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

determining whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion;

halting the transporting when a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill;

wherein the halting is performed such that the flagged bill is positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles; and

further including determining whether a bill is a stranger bill and wherein the non-piece count related criterion is a bill being a stranger bill.

12. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

determining whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion;

halting the transporting when a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill;

wherein the halting is performed such that the flagged bill is positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles; and

further including determining whether a bill is suspect, a bill determined to be suspect being termed a suspect bill.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein bills whose denomination have been determined 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 method of claim 13 wherein the second set of output receptacles includes a receptacle designated as a suspect output receptacle.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the halting occurs before a suspect bill has been delivered to the suspect output receptacle.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the halting occurs with the suspect bill being located at an identifiable location within the transport path.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the halting occurs after a suspect bill has been delivered to the suspect output receptacle.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the halting occurs with the suspect bill being positioned at an identifiable location in the suspect output receptacle.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the halting occurs with the suspect bill being the last bill transported to the suspect output receptacle, and wherein the non-piece count criterion is a bill being suspect.

20. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

determining whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion;

halting the transporting when a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill;

wherein the halting is performed such that the flagged bill is positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles;

wherein the criterion is a bill being a stranger bill, and wherein the halting occurs with a stranger bill as the last bill in a second set of one or more of the output receptacles; and

wherein bills whose denomination are determined are delivered to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles, the output receptacles of the first set being different from the output receptacles of the second set.

21. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

determining whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion;

halting the transporting when a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill;

wherein the halting is performed such that the flagged bill is positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles;

wherein the criterion is a bill being a suspect bill, and wherein the halting occurs with a suspect bill as the last bill in a second set of one or more of the output receptacles; and

wherein bills whose denomination are determined are delivered to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles, the output receptacles of the first set being different from the output receptacles of the second set.

22. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

determining whether the bills meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion;

halting the transporting when a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion, a bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion being termed a flagged bill;

wherein the halting is performed such that the flagged bill is positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles;

wherein a bill failing to have its denomination determined being termed a no call bill, and further determining whether a bill is a suspect bill; and

wherein the halting occurs when a bill is determined to be a suspect bill.

23. The method of claim 22 further including delivering bills whose denomination have been determined and suspect bills to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and delivering 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.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the second set of output receptacles consists of a single output receptacle.

25. The method of claim 23 further including determining whether bills are stranger bills, and delivering stranger bills to an output receptacle of the second set.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the halting occurs after a no call bill or a stranger bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the halting occurs with the no call bill or the stranger bill being the last bill transported to an output receptacle of the second set.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the halting does not occur after a no call bill or a stranger bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the halting occurs after a suspect bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the first set.

30. The method of claim 22 further including delivering bills whose denomination have been determined to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and delivering 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.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the halting occurs after a no call bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

32. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a compact, high-speed United States currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations in an input receptacle of the currency evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills including United States bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

flagging bills that meet or fail 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;

wherein the flagging comprises halting the transporting when a bill meets or fails to meet at least one of the criteria;

wherein one of the certain criteria is the denomination of a bill, a bill failing to meet the criterion of having its denomination determined being termed a no call bill, and wherein no call bills are flagged;

further including determining whether a bill is a stranger bill, wherein one of the certain criteria is a bill being a stranger bill and wherein stranger bills are flagged;

further including determining whether a bill is a suspect bill, wherein one of the certain criteria is a bill being a suspect bill and wherein suspect bills are flagged; and

further directing stranger bills and no call bills to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and directing suspect 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.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the first set of output receptacles includes at least two output receptacles.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein halting occurs when a no call bill or a stranger bill is delivered to an output receptacle of the first set.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein halting does not occur when a no call bill or a stranger bill is delivered to an output receptacle of the first set.

36. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a compact, high-speed United States currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations in an input receptacle of the currency evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills including United States bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

flagging bills that meet or fail 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;

wherein the flagging comprises halting the transporting when a bill meets or fails to meet at least one of the criteria;

wherein one of the certain criteria include the denomination of a bill and wherein the halting occurs when a bill fails to meet a criterion of having its denomination determined, a bill failing to meet the criterion of having its denomination determined being termed a no call bill;

wherein the halting occurs with a no call bill being located at a predetermined position; and

further including delivering bills meeting the certain criteria of having their denomination determined to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and directing 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.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the halting occurs before a no call bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the halting occurs after a no call bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the halting occurs with a no call bill being positioned at an identifiable location in an output receptacle of the second set.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the halting occurs with a no call bill being the last bill transported to an output receptacle of the second set.

41. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a compact, high-speed United States currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations in an input receptacle of the currency evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills including United States bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

flagging bills that meet or fail 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;

wherein the flagging comprises halting the transporting when a bill meets or fails to meet at least one of the criteria; and

further including determining whether bills are suspect bills and wherein the halting occurs when a bill meets a criterion of being determined to be a suspect bill.

42. The method of claim 41 further including delivering bills whose denominations have been determined to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and delivering suspect 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.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the halting occurs after a suspect bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the halting occurs with a suspect bill being positioned at an identifiable location in an output receptacle of the second set.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the halting occurs with the suspect bill being the last bill transported to an output receptacle of the second set.

46. The method of claim 42 further including delivering bills whose denomination have not been determined to an output receptacle of the second set.

47. The method of claim 46 further including directing bills whose denomination have not been determined by the discriminating unit and the suspect bills to different output receptacles of the second set.

48. The method of claim 46 wherein the halting occurs in response to the denomination of a bill not being determined.

49. The method of claim 42 further including delivering bills whose denomination have not been determined to an output receptacle of the first set.

50. The method of claim 42 further including directing the bills whose denomination have been determined and the bills whose denomination have not been determined by the discriminating unit to different output receptacles of the first set.

51. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a compact, high-speed United States currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations in an input receptacle of the currency evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills including United States bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

flagging bills that meet or fail 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;

wherein the flagging comprises halting the transporting when a bill meets or fails to meet at least one of the criteria;

wherein the certain criteria include the denomination of a bill and wherein the halting occurs when a bill fails to meet a criterion of having its denomination determined, a bill failing to meet a criterion of having its denomination determination being termed a no call bill, and further including determining whether bills are suspect; and

wherein the halting occurs when a bill meets a second criterion of being determined to be suspect.

52. The method of claim 51 further including delivering bills whose denomination have been determined to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and directing bills determined to be suspect and bills whose denomination have not been determined 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.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the halting occurs after a no call bill or a suspect bill has been delivered to an output receptacle of the second set.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein the no call bills and suspect bills are delivered to different output receptacles of the second set.

55. The method of claim 53 wherein the halting occurs with the no call bill or the suspect bill being the last bill transported to an output receptacle of the second set.

56. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a compact, high-speed United States currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations in an input receptacle of the currency evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills including United States bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

flagging bills that meet or fail 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;

wherein the flagging comprises halting the transporting when a bill meets or fails to meet at least one of the criteria;

wherein the certain criteria include the denomination of a bill and wherein the halting occurs when a bill fails to meet a criterion of having its denomination determined, a bill failing to meet a criterion of having its denomination determination being termed a no call bill, and further including determining whether bills are suspect; and

further including delivering bills whose denomination have been determined to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and directing bills whose denomination have not been determined 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.

57. The method of claim 56 further including delivering suspect bills to an output receptacle of the second set.

58. The method of claim 56 further including delivering suspect bills to an output receptacle of the first set.

59. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles; and

determining whether the bills are suspect;

flagging a bill that has been determined to be suspect; and

wherein the flagging comprises halting the transport mechanism when a bill is determined to be suspect.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the counting and determining the denominations of the bills comprising counting and denominating United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations.

61. The method of claim 59 wherein the counting and determining of the currency bills is performed independent of the size of the bills.

62. The method of claim 59 wherein the halting occurs with the suspect bill being the last bill transported to one of the output receptacles.

63. The method of claim 59 wherein the detector includes a stationary optical scanning head and further including scanning at least a preselected segment of each bill transported between the input and output receptacles, producing an output signal representing the scanned image, and wherein the determining of the denomination of each scanned bill utilizes the output signal.

64. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a high-speed United States currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the currency evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute, at least one of the output receptacles being adapted to receive more than one denomination of bills;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills including United States bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute, utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

flagging bills that meet or fail 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;

wherein the flagging comprises halting the transporting with a flagged bill that meets or fails to meet at least a given set of the criteria positioned in one of the output receptacles;

wherein the certain criteria include the denomination of a bill, a bill failing to meet a criterion of having its denomination determined being termed a no call bill; and

further including determining whether a bill is a stranger bill and wherein the certain criteria include a bill being a stranger bill.

65. The method of claim 64 further including delivering no call bills to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles and delivering stranger 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.

66. The method of claim 64 further including determining whether a bill is a suspect bill and wherein the certain criteria include a bill being a suspect bill.

67. The method 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 method of claim 66 wherein the output receptacles include a third output receptacle and further including directing no call bills and stranger bills to the third output receptacle and directing suspect bills to a second output receptacle.

69. The method of claim 68 wherein the halting occurs when a bill is directed to the third output receptacle.

70. The method of claim 68 wherein the halting does not occur when a bill is directed to the third output receptacle.

71. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a high-speed United States currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the currency evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute, at least one of the output receptacles being adapted to receive more than one denomination of bills;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills including United States bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute, utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

flagging bills that meet or fail 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;

wherein the flagging comprises halting the transporting with a flagged bill that meets or fails to meet at least a given set of the criteria positioned in one of the output receptacles; and

wherein the output receptacles include a third output receptacle and further including delivering flagged bills to the second output receptacle.

72. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a high-speed United States currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the currency evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute, at least one of the output receptacles being adapted to receive more than one denomination of bills;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills including United States bills of a plurality of denominations at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute, utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

flagging bills that meet or fail 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;

wherein the flagging comprises halting the transporting with a flagged bill that meets or fails to meet at least a given set of the criteria positioned in one of the output receptacles; and

further including determining whether a bill is a stranger bill and wherein the certain criteria include a bill being a stranger bill.

73. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

generating a characteristic information output signal in response to detected characteristic information via the detector;

generating a denomination signal in response to the information output signal;

generating a suspect signal when a bill is determined to be suspect;

producing tracking signals in response to the physical movement of the bills;

generating a stopping signal in response to the suspect signal; and

stopping a transport drive motor in response to the stopping signal.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein the counting and determining the denomination of the bills comprises counting and determining United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations.

75. The method of claim 73 wherein the counting and determining of the currency bills is performed independent of the size of the bills.

76. The method of claim 73 wherein the determining of the denomination of bills includes denominating currency bills of a plurality of denominations, bills of at least two of the denominations having the same dimensions.

77. The method of claim 73 wherein the determining of the denomination of bills includes denominating 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 further including scanning the image associated with each of the bills and distinguishing among the plurality of denominations using the scanned image.

78. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

halting the transporting 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;

wherein a bill which meets the stranger bill criterion is termed a stranger bill, and wherein a bill which meets the no call bill criterion is termed a no call bill; and

wherein the halting occurs with the bill meeting the stranger bill or non call bill criterion being positioned in one of the output receptacles.

79. The method of claim 78 wherein the halting occurs with the bill meeting the stranger bill or no call bill criterion being positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles.

85. The method of claim 79 wherein the counting and determining the denominations of the bills comprising counting and denominating United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations.

86. The method of claim 79 wherein the counting and determining of the currency bills is performed independent of the size of the bills.

87. The method of claim 79 wherein the determining of the denomination of bills includes denominating 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 further including scanning the image associated with each of the bills and distinguishing among the plurality of denominations using the scanned image.

80. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

halting the transporting 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;

wherein a bill which meets the stranger bill criterion is termed a stranger bill, and wherein a bill which meets the no call bill criterion is termed a no call bill; and

wherein the halting occurs with the bill meeting the stranger bill or no call bill criterion being located at a predetermined position.

81. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

halting the transporting 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;

wherein a bill which meets the stranger bill criterion is termed a stranger bill, and wherein a bill which meets the no call bill criterion is termed a no call bill; and

further including determining whether bills are suspect and wherein one of a criterion is a bill being a suspect bill.

82. The method of claim 81 wherein the output receptacles include second and third output receptacles, and further including delivering stranger and no call bills to the second output receptacle and wherein suspect bills are delivered to the third output receptacle.

83. The method of claim 82 wherein the halting occurs when a bill meeting the no call criterion or the stranger criterion is delivered to the second output receptacle.

84. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills including bills of a plurality of denominations utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

routing bills having a target denomination to one of the first output receptacles,

routing bills having any other of the plurality of denominations to a second one of the output receptacles; and

presenting no call bills in a third one of the output receptacles.

88. A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;

transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device;

counting and determining the denomination of the bills including bills of a plurality of denominations utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;

determining the face orientation of the bills;

routing bills having a target denomination and a target face orientation to one of the first output receptacles,

routing bills having the target denomination and a face orientation opposite the target face to a second one of the output receptacles; and

presenting bills not having the target denomination in a third one of the output receptacles.

89. The method of claim 88 wherein the counting and determining the denominations of the bills comprising counting and denominating United States currency bills of a plurality of denominations.

90. The method of claim 88 wherein the counting and determining of the currency bills is performed independent of the size of the bills.

91. The method of claim 88 wherein the determining of the denomination of bills includes denominating 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 further including scanning the image associated with each of the bills and distinguishing among the plurality of denominations using the scanned image.