Combined card reader and bill acceptor
First Claim
1. A combined bill acceptor and data unit reader, comprising:
- a bill acceptor for receiving and validating currency, controlling a mechanical cash input mechanism, and generating digital cash transaction data according to a bill validator protocol;
a host interface; and
a data unit reader electronically interposed between said bill acceptor and said host interface, said data unit reader comprising a digital electronic bill acceptor interface for receiving digital cash transaction data from said bill acceptor according to the bill validator protocol, said data unit reader passing through cash transaction data from said bill acceptor to said host interface according to the bill validator protocol when currency is accepted by said bill acceptor, and transmitting cashless transaction data to said host interface according to a different protocol when a data unit is read by said data unit reader.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A combined bill acceptor and smart card reader (or other data unit reader) comprises a bill acceptor, a host interface, and a smart card reader interposed between the bill acceptor and the host interface. The smart card reader preferably permits unimpeded pass-through of cash transaction data from the bill acceptor to the host interface when currency is accepted by the bill acceptor, and transmits cashless transaction data to the host interface when a smart card is read by the card reader. The smart card reader may route the cash transaction data using a hardware connection, such as a relay, or a soft connection, such as by serial interface devices in communication with the bill acceptor and the host device. The smart card reader may provide secure storage of transaction history data, as well as advanced authentication and verification functions. The combined bill acceptor and card reader may interface with a central computer, either directly or indirectly, allowing multiple on-line machines to be connected in a network configuration.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A combined bill acceptor and data unit reader, comprising:
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a bill acceptor for receiving and validating currency, controlling a mechanical cash input mechanism, and generating digital cash transaction data according to a bill validator protocol; a host interface; and a data unit reader electronically interposed between said bill acceptor and said host interface, said data unit reader comprising a digital electronic bill acceptor interface for receiving digital cash transaction data from said bill acceptor according to the bill validator protocol, said data unit reader passing through cash transaction data from said bill acceptor to said host interface according to the bill validator protocol when currency is accepted by said bill acceptor, and transmitting cashless transaction data to said host interface according to a different protocol when a data unit is read by said data unit reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A combined bill acceptor and data unit reader, comprising:
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a bill acceptor for receiving and validating currency, controlling a mechanical cash input mechanism, and generating digital cash transaction data according to a bill validator protocol; a host interface; and a data unit reader electronically interposed between said bill acceptor and said host interface, said data unit reader passing through cash transaction data from said bill acceptor to said host interface when currency is accepted by said bill acceptor, and transmitting cashless transaction data to said host interface when a data unit is read by said data unit reader; wherein said data unit reader comprises a relay across which electrical signals comprising cash transaction data are transmitted from the bill acceptor to said host interface according to the bill validator protocol, and wherein said data unit reader passes through cash transaction data from said bill acceptor to said host interface when said relay is in a first position, and prevents cash transaction data from passing through from said bill acceptor to said host interface when said relay is in a second position.
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14. A multi-mode card reader, comprising:
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a card reader interface; a bill acceptor interface for communicating with a bill acceptor, the bill acceptor configured to receive and validate currency, to control a mechanical cash input mechanism, and to generate cash transaction data according to a bill validator protocol; and a card reader controller connected to said card reader interface and electronically interposed between said bill acceptor interface and a host interface, said card reader controller allowing transfer of cash transaction data from said bill acceptor interface to said host interface when said cash transaction data is received from said bill acceptor interface and said card reader controller is in a first mode, said first mode associated with cash transaction processing, and allowing transfer of cashless transaction data from said card reader interface to said host interface when said cashless transaction data is received from said card reader interface and said card reader controller is in a second mode, said second mode associated with cashless transaction processing; wherein said card reader controller is programmed to block cashless transaction data from being electronically conveyed via said card reader interface when in said first mode. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for controlling cash and cashless transactions at a combined bill acceptor and card reader, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a card at a card reader; processing data on said card and generating cashless transaction data thereby; receiving cash at a bill acceptor; generating cash transaction data in response to the receipt of cash at the bill acceptor; transmitting said cash transaction data to said card reader; selecting between at least a cash mode and cashless mode; when in said cash mode, relaying said cash transaction data to a host device interface; and when in said cashless mode, transmitting said cashless transaction data to said host device interface. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A combined bill acceptor and smart card reader, comprising:
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a bill acceptor configured to receive and validate currency, to control a mechanical cash input mechanism, and to generate cash transaction data according to a bill validator protocol; a host interface; and a smart card reader electronically interposed between said bill acceptor and said host interface, said smart card reader comprising a digital bill acceptor interface for receiving digital cash transaction data from said bill acceptor according to the bill validator protocol, said smart card reader passing through cash transaction data from said bill acceptor to a separate host device microprocessor via said host interface when currency is accepted by said bill acceptor and said smart card reader is in a cash mode, and transmitting cashless transaction data to said host device microprocessor via said host interface according to a cashless protocol when a smart card is read by said smart card reader and said smart card reader is in a cashless mode. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification