Multiple pocket currency bill processing device and method
First Claim
1. A method of sorting currency bills, each having an associated denomination, using a currency bill evaluating device, the currency evaluating device comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, the method comprising the acts of:
- (A) transporting bills from the input receptacle past a bill denominating sensor;
(B) determining the denomination of the transported bills;
(C) for each bill, determining whether the denomination of the bill has been assigned to a non-full output receptacle and(i) if so, transporting the bill to the assigned non-full output receptacle;
(ii) if not, determining whether there is an open output receptacle and(a) if so, assigning the denomination of the bill to an open output receptacle and transporting the bill to the assigned output receptacle;
(b) if not, stopping the operation of the device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and devices for dynamically assigning document parameters to output receptacles of multiple output receptacle document evaluating devices. Documents are directed into individual output receptacles based upon their document parameter or parameters. For example, according to one embodiment a currency evaluating device comprises an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of currency bills, a plurality of output receptacles, a transport mechanism, and a processor adapted to control the operation of the device. The processor is programmed to determine the denomination of a bill and determine if an output receptacle is associated with the denomination of the bill. If an output receptacle is not associated with the denomination of the bill, the processor is programmed to associate an output receptacle with the denomination of the bill and cause the bill to be transported to an output receptacle associated with the denomination of the bill.
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Citations
74 Claims
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1. A method of sorting currency bills, each having an associated denomination, using a currency bill evaluating device, the currency evaluating device comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, the method comprising the acts of:
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(A) transporting bills from the input receptacle past a bill denominating sensor; (B) determining the denomination of the transported bills; (C) for each bill, determining whether the denomination of the bill has been assigned to a non-full output receptacle and (i) if so, transporting the bill to the assigned non-full output receptacle; (ii) if not, determining whether there is an open output receptacle and (a) if so, assigning the denomination of the bill to an open output receptacle and transporting the bill to the assigned output receptacle; (b) if not, stopping the operation of the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of sorting currency bills, each having an associated denomination, using a currency bill evaluating device, the currency evaluating device comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, the method comprising the acts of:
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(A) transporting a bill from the input receptacle past a bill denominating sensor; (B) determining the denomination of the transported bill; (C) determining whether the denomination of the bill has been assigned to a non-full output receptacle and (i) if so, transporting the bill to the assigned non-full output receptacle; (ii) if not, determining whether there is an open output receptacle and (a) if so, assigning the denomination of the bill to an open output receptacle and transporting the bill to the assigned output receptacle; (b) if not, stopping the operation of the device; (D) repeating steps (A)–
(C). - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of sorting currency bills, each having an associated denomination, using a currency bill evaluating device, the currency evaluating device comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, the method comprising the acts of:
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(A) determining the denomination of a bill; (B) determining whether the denomination of the bill has been assigned to a non-full output receptacle and (i) if so, transporting the bill to the assigned non-full output receptacle; (ii) if not, determining whether there is an open output receptacle and (a) if so, assigning the denomination of the bill to an open output receptacle and transporting the bill to the assigned output receptacle; (b) if not, stopping the operation of the device; (c) repeating steps (A)–
(B).
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10. A method of operating a multi-output receptacle currency evaluator comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, each bill having a denomination associated therewith, the method comprising the acts of:
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(a) determining the denomination of a bill; (b) determining if an output receptacle is associated with the denomination of the bill; (c) if an output receptacle is not associated with the denomination of the bill, associating an output receptacle with the denomination of the bill; and (d) causing the bill to be transported to an output receptacle associated with the denomination of the bill. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method of operating a multi-output receptacle currency evaluating device in a manner employing both one or more fixed output receptacles and one or more dynamic output receptacles wherein the currency evaluation device comprises an input receptacle configured to receive currency bills and a plurality of output receptacles, the currency bills each having an associated denomination, each of the one or more fixed output receptacles having a denomination assigned thereto and each of the dynamic output receptacles being capable of being dynamically assigned to a denomination, the method comprising the acts of:
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(a) determining the denomination of a bill; (b) determining if the denomination of the bill has been assigned to one of the output receptacles and, if so, transporting the bill to the assigned output receptacle; (c) if the denomination of the bill has not been assigned to an output receptacle, dynamically assigning the denomination to an output receptacle and transporting the bill to the assigned output receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method of operating a multi-output receptacle currency evaluating device in a manner employing both one or more fixed output receptacles and one or more dynamic output receptacles wherein the currency evaluation device comprises an input receptacle configured to receive currency bills and a plurality of output receptacles, the currency bills each having an associated denomination, , each of the one or more fixed output receptacles having one or more denominations assigned thereto and each of the dynamic output receptacles being capable of being dynamically assigned to a denomination, the method comprising the acts of:
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(a) determining the denomination of a bill; (b) determining if the denomination of the bill has been assigned to one of the output receptacles and, if so, transporting the bill to the assigned output receptacle; (c) if the denomination of the bill has not been assigned to an output receptacle, dynamically assigning the denomination to an output receptacle and transporting the bill to the assigned output receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of assigning a denomination to an output receptacle of a multi-output receptacle currency denominating device, the method comprising an operator of the device setting an output receptacle to be either a dynamic pocket, subject to dynamic assignment of a bill denomination during normal operation of the device, or assigning a particular denomination to the output receptacle thereby making the output receptacle a fixed pocket such that during normal operation of the device only bills having the particular denomination may be transported into the output receptacle.
- 22. A method of assigning a denomination to an output receptacle of a multi-output receptacle currency denominating device, the method comprising an operator of the device setting an output receptacle to be either a dynamic pocket, subject to dynamic assignment of a bill denomination during normal operation of the device, or assigning one or more particular denominations to the output receptacle thereby making the output receptacle a fixed pocket such that during normal operation of the device only bills having the one or more particular denominations may be transported into the output receptacle.
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24. A method of assigning denominations to output receptacles of a currency denominating device comprising a plurality of output receptacles, the method comprising setting each one of the output receptacles to be either a dynamic pocket, subject to dynamic assignment of a bill denomination during normal operation of the denominating device, or a fixed pocket, the setting of an output receptacle to be a fixed pocket comprising assigning one or more particular denominations to the output receptacle such that during normal operation only bills of the one or more particular denominations may be transported to the fixed output receptacle.
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25. A currency evaluating device comprising:
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an input receptacle configured to receive a stack of currency bills, each bill having a denomination associated therewith, a plurality of output receptacles, a transport mechanism configured to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles; and a processor programmed to; determine the denomination of a bill; determine if an output receptacle is associated with the denomination of the bill; if an output receptacle is not associated with the denomination of the bill, associate an output receptacle with the denomination of the bill; and cause the bill to be transported to an output receptacle associated with the denomination of the bill.
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26. A currency bill denominating device configured to denominate currency bills of a plurality of denominations comprising:
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(a) a plurality of currency bill output receptacles; and (b) an operator interface adapted to permit the operator of the device to change the designation of at least one of the output receptacles among a plurality of fixed denomination designations and a dynamic denomination designation; and (c) an evaluating unit configured to determine the denomination of currency bills delivered to the output receptacles.
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27. A currency bill denominating device comprising:
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(a) a plurality of currecny bill output receptacles; and (b) an operator interface configured to permit the operator of the device to change the designation of at least one of the output receptacles between being a fixed pocket and being a dynamic pocket, wherein a fixed pocket is a pocket assigned to a particular denomination such that during normal operation only bills of the particular denomination may be transported to the fixed output receptacle and wherein a dynamic pocket is a pocket subject to dynamic assignment of a bill denomination during normal operation of the denominating device; and (c) an evaluating unit configured to determine the denomination of currency bills delivered to the output receptacles. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A currency denominating device comprising:
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(a) a plurality of output receptacles; and (b) an operator interface configured to permit the operator of the device to change the designation of at least one of the output receptacles between being a fixed pocket and being a dynamic pocket, wherein a fixed pocket is a pocket assigned to one or more particular denominations such that during normal operation only bills of the one or more particular denominations may be transported to the fixed output receptacle and wherein a dynamic pocket is a pocket subject to dynamic assignment of a bill denomination during normal operation of the denominating device. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of sorting currency bill each currency bill having an associated denomination, using a currency bill evaluating device comprising a plurality of output receptacles, the method comprising the acts of:
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(a) setting each one of the output receptacles to be either a dynamic pocket, subject to dynamic assignment of a bill denomination, or a fixed pocket, subject to fixed assignment of a bill denomination; (b) receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle; (c) evaluating a bill to determine the denomination of the bill; (d) transporting the bill from the input receptacle to a fixed pocket, based on the denomination of the bill, if the determined bill denomination is associated with the fixed pocket; (e) transporting the bill from the input receptacle to a dynamic pocket, based on the denomination of the bill, if the determined bill denomination is associated with the dynamic pocket; and (f) stopping if a predetermined condition occurs. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of sorting currency bill, each currency bill having an associated denomination, using a currency bill evaluating device comprising a plurality of output receptacles, the method comprising the acts of:
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(a) receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle; (b) evaluating each bill, one at a time, to determine the denomination of each bill; (c) if the denomination of a bill has been assigned to a dynamic pocket, transporting the bill to the dynamic pocket to which the denomination of the bill has been assigned; and (d) if the denomination of a bill has not been assigned to a dynamic pocket, assigning automatically the determined denomination of the bill to an available dynamic pocket and transporting the bill to the dynamic pocket to which the denomination of the bill has been assigned. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A currency evaluating device for receiving a stack of currency bills, each bill having a respective denomination, the device comprising:
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(a) an input receptacle for receiving the stack of bills to be evaluated; (b) a plurality of output receptacles for receiving the evaluated bills; (c) a transport mechanism configured to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles; (d) an evaluating unit for determining the denomination of each bill; and (e) a processor programmed to dynamically assign a bill denomination to at least one of the output receptacles.
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42. A currency evaluating device for receiving a stack of currency bills, each bill having a respective denomination, the device comprising:
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(a) an input receptacle for receiving the stack of bills to be evaluated; (b) a plurality of output receptacles for receiving the evaluated bills; (c) a transport mechanism configured to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles; (d) an evaluating unit for determining the denomination of each bill; and (e) means for designating at least one of the output receptacles to be a dynamic pocket.
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43. A computer readable medium for use in a currency evaluator comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, the medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
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(a) determining a denomination associated with a bill; (b) determining if an output receptacle is associated with the bill denomination; (c) if an output receptacle is not associated with the bill denomination, assigning an output receptacle to the bill denomination; and (d) causing the bill to be transported to an output receptacle assigned to the bill denomination. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A computer readable medium for use in a currency evaluator comprising a plurality of output pockets, the medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
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(a) selecting one or more output pockets to be dynamic pockets; and (b) assigning at least one bill denomination to at least one of the dynamic pockets, wherein the assignment of the bill denomination is based on a denomination evaluation of a bill.
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46. A computer readable medium for use in a currency evaluator comprising a plurality of output pockets, the medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising :
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(a) permitting an operator of the currency evaluator to designate one or more output pockets to be dynamic pockets; and (b) assigning at least one bill denomination to at least one of the dynamic pockets, wherein the assignment of the bill denomination is based on a denomination evaluation of a bill.
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47. A computer readable medium for use in a currency evaluator comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, the medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
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(a) choosing a full dynamic mode, a dynamic-fixed mode, or a fixed mode; (b) if choosing a dynamic-fixed mode or a fixed mode, then assigning at least one of the output receptacles as a fixed output receptacle and assigning a bill parameter to the fixed output receptacle, wherein in normal operation an evaluated bill satisfying the bill parameter is transported to the fixed output receptacle; (c) evaluating a currency bill according to the bill parameter; (d) if the bill parameter of the currency bill has been assigned to an output receptacle, then transporting the currency bill to the assigned output receptacle; (e) if the bill parameter of the currency bill has not been assigned to an output receptacle, assigning the bill parameter of the currency bill to an output receptacle and transporting the currency bill to the assigned output receptacle; and (f) repeating steps (c)–
(e) until a stopping condition exists. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A computer readable medium for use in a currency evaluator comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to individually transport currency bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, each currency bill having a denomination associated therewith, the medium having computer-executable instruction for performing a method comprising:
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(a) choosing a full dynamic mode of operation; (b) evaluating a currency bill to determine the denomination of the currency bill; (c) transporting the currency bill to an offsort pocket if the bill denomination is not identified; (d) transporting the currency bill to an assigned pocket if a non-full pocket has already been assigned for the denomination of the currency bill; (e) assigning the denomination of the currency bill to an open pocket and transporting the currency bill to the assigned pocket if a non-full pocket has not already been assigned for the denomination of the currency bill and if there is an open pocket; (f) stopping if a non-full pocket has not already been assigned for the denomination of the currency bill and if there is no open pocket; (g) setting a pocket full flag if a pocket limit has been reached; (h) stopping if there are no more currency bills to process; and (i) if stopping has not occurred, repeating steps (b) through (h).
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58. A computer readable medium for use in a currency evaluator comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to individually transport currency bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, each currency bill having a denomination associated therewith, the medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
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(a) evaluating a currency bill to determine the denomination of the currency bill; (b) transporting the currency bill to an offsort pocket if the bill denomination is not determined; (c) transporting the currency bill to an assigned pocket if a non-full pocket has already been assigned for the denomination of the currency bill; (d) assigning the denomination of the currency bill to an open pocket and transporting the currency bill to the assigned pocket if a non-full pocket has not already been assigned for the denomination of the currency bill and if there is an open pocket; (e) stopping if a non-full pocket has not already been assigned for the denomination of the currency bill and if there is no open pocket; (f) setting a pocket full flag if a pocket limit has been reached; (g) stopping if there are no more currency bills to process; and (h) if stopping has not occurred, repeating steps (a) through (g).
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59. A computer readable medium for use in a currency evaluator comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to individually transport currency bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, individual currency bills having one or more parameters associated therewith, the medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
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(a) choosing a full dynamic mode of operation; (b) evaluating a currency bill to determine a parameter of the currency bill; (c) transporting the currency bill to an offsort pocket if the bill parameter is not determined; (d) transporting the currency bill to an assigned pocket if a non-full pocket has already been assigned for the parameter of the currency bill; (e) assigning the parameter of the currency bill to an open pocket and transporting the currency bill to the assigned pocket if a non-full pocket has not already been assigned for the parameter of the currency bill and if there is an open pocket; (i) stopping if a non-full pocket has not already been assigned for the parameter of the currency bill and if there is no open pocket; (f) setting a pocket full flag if a pocket limit has been reached; (g) stopping if there are no more currency bills to process; and (h) if stopping has not occurred, repeating steps (b) through (g). - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A computer readable medium for use in a currency evaluator comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to individually transport currency bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, individual currency bills having one or more parameters associated therewith, the medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
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(a) evaluating a currency bill to determine a parameter of the currency bill; (b) transporting the currency bill to an offsort pocket if the bill parameter is not determined; (c) transporting the currency bill to an assigned pocket if a non-full pocket has already been assigned for the parameter of the currency bill; (d) assigning the parameter of the currency bill to an open pocket and transporting the currency bill to the assigned pocket if a non-full pocket has not already been assigned for the parameter of the currency bill and if there is an open pocket; (e) stopping if a non-full pocket has not already been assigned for the parameter of the currency bill and if there is no open pocket; (f) setting a pocket full flag if a pocket limit has been reached; (g) stopping if there are no more currency bills to process; and (h) if stopping has not occurred, repeating steps (a) through (f). - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A currency bill processing device comprising:
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(a) a plurality of currency bill output receptacles; and (b) an operator interface configured to permit the operator of the device to change the designation of at least one of the output receptacles between being a fixed output receptacle and being a dynamic output receptacle, wherein a fixed output receptacle is an output receptacle assigned to a particular currency bill parameter such that during normal operation only bills having the particular parameter may be transported to the fixed output receptacle and wherein a dynamic output receptacle is an output receptacle subject to dynamic assignment of a bill parameter during normal operation of the device; and
(c) and evaluating unit configured to determined to denomination of currency bills delivered to the output receptacles. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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Specification