Currency bill and coin processing system

• US 7,158,662 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2003
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Chiles, Mark G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Jingge
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tabatabai; Abolfazl
• Application Number:
  US10/368,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20030182217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 382/135, 382/136, 382/137, 382/138, 382/125, 235/375, 235/462.1, 235/46.2, 194/206, 194/207, 194/215, 194/216, 194/217, 702/33, 702/34, 705/35, 705/40
• US Class Current: 382/135
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/50 Sorting or counting valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/04 Hand- or motor-driven devices for counting coins counting mechanisms in general G06M

Abstract

A compact system for processing currency bills and coins comprises a compact currency bill processing device, a coin scale, and a processor communicatively linked to the currency bill processing device and the coin scale. The compact currency bill processing device counts currency bills of a plurality of denominations. The compact currency bill processing includes an evaluation unit being that is adapted to determine the denomination of each of the currency bills. The coin scale is adapted to receive at least one group of coins of a single denomination and to determine a coin total for the at least one received group corresponding to the value of the coins in the received group. The processor is adapted to receive a currency bill total from the currency bill processing device and the coin total from the coin scale and to determine an aggregate total corresponding to the sum of the received currency bill total and the coin total.

Claims

1. A compact system for processing currency bills and coins, the system comprising:

a compact currency bill processing device for counting currency bills of a plurality of denominations, the currency bill processing device having an input receptacle for receiving a stack of currency bills and a transport mechanism adapted to transport the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle past an evaluation unit to at least one output receptacle, the evaluation unit being adapted to determine the denomination of each of the currency bills;

a coin scale adapted to receive at least one group of coins of a single denomination and to determine a coin total for the at least one received group corresponding to the value of the coins in the received group; and

a processor communicatively linked to the currency bill processing device and the coin scale, the processor being adapted to receive a currency bill total from the currency bill processing device and the coin total from the coin scale, the processor being adapted to determine an aggregate total corresponding to the sum of the received currency bill total and the coin total.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the currency bill processing device has a width of about 11 inches, a depth of about 12 inches and a height of about 9.5 inches.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the currency bill processing device has a width ranging from about 10 inches to about 15 inches, a depth ranging from about 15 inches to about 25 inches and a height ranging between about 20 inches and 25 inches.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the coin scale is moveable between a storage position and an operating position, the coin scale being disposed below the currency bill processing device when in the storage position, the coin scale extending out from underneath the currency bill processing device when in the operating position.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the coin scale is disposed substantially beneath the currency bill processing device when in the storage position.

6. The system of claim 4 where a footprint of the currency bill processing device is substantially equivalent to a footprint of the compact system for processing currency bills and coins when the coin scale is in the storage position.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the least one output receptacle is a single output receptacle.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the least one output receptacle comprises two output receptacles.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one group of coins comprises a plurality of groups of coin, each group consisting of coins from a single denomination.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising an operator interface communicatively linked to the processor adapted to display information to an operator and to receive input from an operator indicative of the denomination of the coins in the at least one received group of coins.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the at least one group of coins comprises a first group of coins of a first coin denomination and a second group of coins of a second denomination, the operator interface being adapted to received input from an operator indicative of the first coin denomination, the coin scale being adapted to calculate a first total corresponding to the value of the first group of coins upon receipt of the first group of coins and upon receipt by the operator interface of input indicative of the second coin denomination, the coin scale being adapted to calculate a second total corresponding to the value of the second group of coin upon receipt of the second group of coins and upon receipt by the operator interface of input indicative of the fist coin denomination, the aggregate total corresponding to the sum of the received currency bill total and the first and second coin totals.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to prompt an operator to place a group of coins of a specific denomination on the coin scale.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising an interface communicatively linked to the processor, the interface having a plurality of keys for manually receiving input from an operator indicative of processing related information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of keys is selected from a group consisting of physical keys and touch-screen keys.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface is a keyboard.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface is a keypad.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface is a touch-screen.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface is located separate from at least one of the currency bill processing device and the coin scale.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface is integrated with at least one of the currency bill processing device and the coin scale.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising a printer communicatively linked to the processor adapted to receive currency bills and coin information from the processor and to provide a hardcopy of the currency bills and coin information.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the printer is located separate from at least one of the currency bill processing device and the coin scale.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface communicatively linked to the processor, the interface having a plurality of keys for manually receiving input from an operator indicative of currency bills and coin information; and

a printer communicatively linked to the processor adapted to provide a hardcopy of currency bills and coin information.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of keys is selected from a group consisting of physical keys and touch-screen keys.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the interface is a keyboard.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the interface is a keypad.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the interface is a touch-screen.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the interface and the printer is located separate from at least one of the currency bill processing device and the coin scale.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the interface and the printer is integrated with at least one of the currency bill processing device and the coin scale.

29. The system of claim 1, further comprising a personal computer communicatively linked to the processor adapted to receive currency bills and coin information from the processor.

30. A method for processing currency bills and coins using a compact currency bill and coin processing system, the method comprising:

receiving a stack of currency bills in an input receptacle of a compact currency bill processing device;

transporting each of the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle past an evaluation unit to at least one output receptacle of the currency bill processing device;

determining a currency bill total corresponding to the value of the currency bills;

receiving a group of coins of a single denomination with a coin scale;

determining a coin total corresponding to the value of the coins in the group with the coin scale after receiving input from the operator; and

summing the coin total and the currency bill total.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the compact currency bill processing device has a width of about 11 inches, a depth of about 12 inches and a height of about 9.5 inches.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the compact currency bill processing device has a width ranging from about 10 inches to about 15 inches, a depth ranging from about 15 inches to about 25 inches and a height ranging between about 20 inches and 25 inches.

33. The method of claim 30 further comprising moving the coin scale from a storage position to a operating position before receiving a group of coins, wherein the coin scale is in the storage position is disposed substantially beneath the currency bill processing device, the coin scale is extending out from beneath the currency bill processing device in the operating position.

34. The method of claim 30 further comprising receiving input from an operator via an operator interface indicative of the denomination of coins in the group.

35. The method of claim 30 further comprising prompting an operator to place a group of coins of a specific denomination on the coin scale.

36. A method for processing currency bills and coins using a compact currency bill and coin processing system, the method comprising:

receiving a stack of currency bills in an input receptacle of a compact currency bill processing device;

transporting each of the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle past an evaluation unit to at least one output receptacle of the currency bill processing device;

determining a currency bill total corresponding to the value of the currency bills;

receiving a group of coins of a single denomination with a coin scale;

determining a first coin total corresponding to the value of the coins in the a group with the coin scale;

receiving another group of coins of a single denomination with a coin scale;

determining a second coin total corresponding to the value of the coins in the another group with the coin scale; and

summing the currency bill total, the first coin total and the second coin total.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the compact currency bill processing device has a width of about 11 inches, a depth of about 12 inches and a height of about 9.5 inches.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the compact currency bill processing device has a width ranging from about 10 inches to about 15 inches, a depth ranging from about 15 inches to about 25 inches and a height ranging between about 20 inches and 25 inches.

39. The method of claim 36 further comprising moving the coin scale from a storage position to a operating position before receiving a group of coins, wherein the coin scale is in the storage position is disposed substantially beneath the currency bill processing device, the coin scale is extending out from beneath the currency bill processing device in the operating position.

40. The method of claim 36 further comprising receiving input from an operator via an operator interface indicative of the denomination of coin in the group of coins.

41. The method of claim 36 further comprising prompting an operator to place a group of coins of a specific denomination on the coin scale prior to receiving coins.

42. A compact system for processing currency bills and coins adapted to rest on a tabletop, the system comprising:

a compact currency bill processing device for counting currency bills of a plurality of denominations, the currency bill processing device having an input receptacle for receiving a stack of currency bills and a transport mechanism adapted to transport the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle past an evaluation unit to at least one output receptacle, the evaluation unit being adapted to determine the denomination of each of the currency bills and to determine a currency bill total corresponding to the value of the currency bills;

a coin scale adapted to receive one or more groups of coins, one group at a time, and to determine a coin total for each received group corresponding to the value of the coins in the received group, wherein each group consists of coins of a single denomination, the coin scale being disposed generally between the currency bill processing device and the tabletop, the coin scale being moveable between a storage position and an operating position, the coin scale being disposed beneath the currency bill processing device in the storage position, the coin scale extending out from underneath the currency bill processing device in the operating position; and

a processor communicatively linked to the currency bill processing device and the coin scale, the processor being adapted to receive a currency bill total from the currency bill processing device and one or more coin totals from the coin scale, the processor being adapted to determine an aggregate total corresponding to the sum of the received currency bill total and one or more coin totals.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein the currency bill processing device has a width of about 11 inches, a depth of about 12 inches and a height of about 9.5 inches.

44. The system of claim 42 wherein the currency bill processing device has a width ranging from about 10 inches to about 15 inches, a depth ranging from about 15 inches to about 25 inches and a height ranging between about 20 inches and 25 inches.

45. The system of claim 42 wherein the coin scale is coin scale being disposed substantially beneath the currency bill processing device when in the storage position.

46. The system of claim 45 where a footprint of the currency bill processing device is substantially equivalent to a footprint of the compact system for processing currency bills and coins when the coin scale is in the storage position.

47. The system of claim 42 wherein the least one output receptacle is a single output receptacle.

48. The system of claim 42 wherein the least one output receptacle comprises two output receptacles.

49. The system of claim 48 further comprising an operator interface communicatively linked to the processor adapted to display information to an operator, the operator interface being adapted to receive input from an operator indicative of the denomination of the coins in the at least one received group of coins, the operator interface being adapted to receive input from an operator indicative of the denomination of the currency bills in the at least one received group of currency bills.

50. The system of claim 42 further comprising an operator interface communicatively linked to the processor adapted to display information to an operator and to receive input from an operator indicative of the denomination of the coins in a group of coins received by the coin scale.

51. The system of claim 50 wherein the one or more groups of coins comprises a first group of coins of a first coin denomination and a second group of coins of a second denomination, the operator interface being adapted to received input from an operator indicative of the first coin denomination, the coin scale being adapted to calculate a first total corresponding to the value of the first group of coins upon receipt of the first group of coins and upon receipt by the operator interface of input indicative of the fist coin denomination, the coin scale being adapted to calculate a second total corresponding to the value of the second group of coin upon receipt of the second group of coins and upon receipt by the operator interface of input indicative of the fist coin denomination, the aggregate total corresponding to the sum of the received currency bill total and the first and second coin total.

52. The system of claim 42 wherein the processor is adapted to prompt an operator to place coins of a specific denomination on the coin scale.

53. A compact system for processing currency bills and coins, the system comprising:

a compact currency bill processing device for counting currency bills, the currency bill processing device being adapted to receive at least one stack of currency bills of a single denomination, the currency bill processing device having an input receptacle for receiving the at least one stack of currency bills and a transport mechanism adapted to transport the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle past an evaluation unit to at least one output receptacle, the evaluation unit being adapted to count of the currency bills and to determine a currency bill total for the at least one received stack corresponding to the value of the currency bills in the received group;

a coin scale adapted to receive at least one group of coins of a single denomination and to determine a coin total for the at least one received group corresponding to the value of the coins in the received group; and

a processor communicatively linked to the currency bill processing device and the coin scale, the processor being adapted to receive the currency bill total from the currency bill processing device and the coin total from the coin scale, the processor being adapted to determine an aggregate total corresponding to the sum of the received currency bill total and the coin total.

54. The system of claim 53 wherein the currency bill processing device has a width of about 11 inches, a depth of about 12 inches and a height of about 9.5 inches.

55. The system of claim 53 wherein the currency bill processing device has a width ranging from about 10 inches to about 15 inches, a depth ranging from about 15 inches to about 25 inches and a height ranging between about 20 inches and 25 inches.

56. The system of claim 53 wherein the coin scale is movable between a storage position and an operating position, the coin scale being disposed below the currency bill processing device when in the storage position, the coin scale extending out from underneath the currency bill processing device when in the operating position.

57. The system of claim 53 wherein the coin scale is disposed substantially beneath the currency bill processing device when in the storage position.

58. The system of claim 56 where a footprint of the currency bill processing device is substantially equivalent to a footprint of the compact system for processing currency bills and coins when the coin scale is in the storage position.

59. The system of claim 53 wherein the least one output receptacle is a single output receptacle.

60. The system of claim 53 wherein the least one output receptacle comprises two output receptacles.

61. The system of claim 53 wherein the at least one groups of coins comprises a plurality of groups of coins, each group consisting of coins of a single denomination.

62. The system of claim 53 further comprising an operator interface communicatively coupled to the processor for receiving input from an operator indicative of the of the denomination of the group of coins received by the coin scale.

63. The system of claim 53 further comprising an operator interface communicatively coupled to the processor for receiving input from an operator indicative of the of the denomination of the stack of currency bills received from the currency bill processing device.

64. The system of claim 53 wherein the processor is adapted to prompt an operator to place a stack of bills of a specific denomination in the input receptacles of the currency bill processing device.

65. The system of claim 53 wherein the processor is adapted to prompt an operator to place a group of coins of a specific denomination on the coin scale.

66. The system of claim 53, wherein the at least one stack of currency bills comprises a plurality of stacks of currency bills, each stack consisting of currency bills of a single denomination.

67. A compact system for processing currency bills and coins, the system comprising:

a compact currency bill processing device for counting currency bills of a plurality of denominations, the currency bill processing device having an input receptacle for receiving a stack of currency bills and a transport mechanism adapted to transport the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle past an evaluation unit to at least one output receptacle, the evaluation unit being adapted to determine the denomination of each of the currency bills;

a coin scale adapted to receive at least one group of coins of a single denomination and to determine a coin total for the at least one received group corresponding to the value of the coins in the received group;

a processor communicatively linked to the currency bill processing device and the coin scale, the processor being adapted to receive a currency bill total from the currency bill processing device and the coin total from the coin scale, the processor being adapted to determine an aggregate total corresponding to the sum of the received currency bill total and the coin total;

an interface communicatively linked to the processor, the interface having a plurality of keys for manually receiving input from an operator indicative of processing related information;

a printer communicatively linked to the processor adapted to provide a hardcopy of currency bills and coin information; and

a personal computer communicatively linked to the processor adapted to receive currency bills and coin information from the processor.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein the plurality of keys is selected from a group consisting of physical keys and touch-screen keys.

69. The system of claim 67, wherein the interface is a keyboard.

70. The system of claim 67, wherein the interface is a keypad.

71. The system of claim 67, wherein the interface is a touch-screen.

72. The system of claim 67, wherein the interface is located separate from at least one of the currency bill processing device and the coin scale.

73. The system of claim 67, wherein the interface is integrated with at least one of the currency bill processing device and the coin scale.