Automatic currency processing system having ticket redemption module

• US 7,778,456 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Mennie, Douglas U., Jones, William J., Munro, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Phuoc
• Application Number:
  US11/434,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20070071302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,555 Days
• Field of Search: 382/135, 382/136, 382/137, 382/138, 705/14, 705/43, 705/45, 235/462.01, 235/379, 902/8, 902/11, 902/13, 902/14
• US Class Current: 382/135
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/10 Mechanical details
• 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 7/06 using wave or particle radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/1205 Testing spectral properties
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/128 Viewing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/16 Testing the dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/162 Length or width
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/20 Testing patterns thereon G07D7/004, G07D7/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/202 Depositing operations within ATMs depositing in general G07D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/04 by paper currency

Abstract

An apparatus for currency discrimination comprises first and second stationary scanheads, disposed on opposite sides of a bill transport path, for scanning respective first and second opposing surfaces of a bill traveling along the bill transport path and for producing respective output signals. The bill travels along the transport path in the direction of a predetermined dimension of the bill. A memory stores master characteristic patterns corresponding to associated predetermined surfaces of a plurality of denominations of genuine bills. Sampling circuitry samples the output signals associated with the respective first and second opposing surfaces of the scanned bill. A signal processor is programmed to determine which one of the first and second opposing surfaces corresponds to the associated predetermined surfaces of the plurality of denominations of genuine bills. The processor then correlates the output signal associated with the one of the first and second opposing surfaces corresponding to the associated predetermined surfaces with the master characteristic patterns to identify the denomination of the scanned bill.

Claims

1. A method for redeeming items of value from a customer, comprising:

receiving, at a self-service redemption machine, one or more tickets encoded with a monetary ticket value or containing information related, in a database, to a monetary ticket value;

determining a total inputted value of valued received tickets; and

instructing coin and bill dispensers within the self-service redemption machine to dispense coins, bills, or coins and bills having a total redeemed value that is related to said total inputted value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said redeemed value is equal to said total inputted value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said redeemed value is equal to said total inputted value.

3. A machine for redeeming items of value from a customer, comprising:

a ticket verifier for receiving a ticket encoded with a monetary ticket value or containing information related, in a database, to a monetary ticket value;

a bill dispenser configured to dispense bills to said customer;

a coin dispenser configured to dispense coins to said customer; and

a controller coupled to the ticket verifier, the coin dispenser, and the bill dispenser, the controller determining a total inputted value of one or more tickets input into the ticket verifier in association with a transaction, the controller instructing the coin and bill dispensers to dispense, coins, bills, or coins and bills having a redeemed value that is related to said total inputted value.

5. A ticket redemption machine for redeeming tickets input by a customer, comprising:

a ticket verifier for receiving, in a redemption transaction, one or more tickets, each ticket containing a code indicative of a monetary ticket value;

a currency dispenser configured to dispense currency to said customer; and

a controller coupled to said currency dispenser and said ticket verifier, said controller determining a total value of said one or more tickets, said controller instructing said currency dispenser to dispense currency having a value related to said total value.

6. The ticket redemption machine of claim 5, wherein said currency dispenser comprises a bill dispenser configured to dispense one or more bills to said customer.

7. The ticket redemption machine of claim 5, wherein said currency dispenser comprises a coin dispenser configured to dispense one or more coins to said customer.

8. The ticket redemption machine of claim 5, wherein said value of dispensed currency is equal to said total value.

9. The ticket redemption machine of claim 5, wherein said value of dispensed currency is less than said total value.

10. The ticket redemption machine of claim 5, further comprising:

a coin module for receiving bulk mixed coins input by said customer, said coin module being configured to discriminate between valid and invalid coins of said bulk mixed coins and counting said valid coins, said total inputted value determined by said controller including a value of said valid coins.

11. The ticket redemption machine of claim 10, wherein said coin module is configured to receive tokens.

12. The ticket redemption machine of claim 5, further comprising a card module configured to receive a card having data stored thereon.

13. The ticket redemption machine of claim 12, wherein said ticket redemption machine comprises a communication device configured to connect the ticket redemption machine to a central accounting system, and wherein the controller is configured to transmit transaction data for said customer to said central accounting system.

14. The ticket redemption machine of claim 5, further comprising:

a currency bill module for receiving currency bills input by said customer, said currency bill module being configured to discriminate between valid and invalid currency bills and to count valid currency bills, said total inputted value determined by said controller including a value of said valid currency bills.

15. The ticket redemption machine of claim 10, further comprising:

a currency bill module for receiving currency bills input by said customer, said currency bill module being configured to discriminate between valid and invalid currency bills and to count valid currency bills, said total inputted value determined by said controller including a value of said valid currency bills.

16. A method for redeeming items of value from a customer, comprising:

receiving, at a self-service redemption machine, a bar-coded ticket;

verifying a bar-coded ticket;

accepting the bar-coded ticket upon satisfactory verification;

adding an amount of the accepted bar-coded ticket to a total deposit amount; and

instructing coin and bill dispensers within the self-service redemption machine to dispense coins, bills, or coins and bills having a total redeemed value that is related to the total deposit amount.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, at a self-service redemption machine, a plurality of bar-coded tickets;

verifying the plurality of bar-coded tickets;

accepting the plurality of bar-coded tickets bar-coded ticket upon satisfactory verification;

adding an amount of the accepted plurality of bar-coded tickets to a total deposit amount; and

instructing coin and bill dispensers within the self-service redemption machine to dispense coins, bills, or coins and bills having a total redeemed value that is related to the total deposit amount.

18. A machine for redeeming items of value from a customer, comprising:

a ticket module configured to read a bar-coded ticket to determine a value of the bar-coded ticket;

a bill module configured to dispense bills to said customer;

a coin module configured to dispense coins to said customer; and

a controller coupled to the ticket module, the coin module, and the bill module, the controller verifying the bar-coded tickets, accepting valid bar-coded tickets, and adding a value of valid bar-coded tickets to a total inputted value, the controller instructing the coin and bill dispensers to dispense, coins, bills, or coins and bills in an amount related to the total inputted value.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said redeemed value is equal to said total inputted value.

20. A ticket redemption machine for redeeming tickets input by a customer, comprising:

a ticket module configured to read bar-coded tickets, the bar-code of each of the bar-coded tickets being associated with a monetary ticket value;

a currency dispenser configured to dispense currency to the customer; and

a controller coupled to said currency dispenser and the ticket module, the controller determining a total value of the bar-coded tickets, the controller instructing the currency dispenser to dispense currency in an amount related to the total value.

21. The ticket redemption machine of claim 20, wherein the currency dispenser comprises a bill dispenser configured to dispense one or more bills to the customer.

22. The ticket redemption machine of claim 20, wherein the currency dispenser comprises a coin dispenser configured to dispense one or more coins to the customer.

23. The ticket redemption machine of claim 20, wherein the value of dispensed currency is equal to the total value.

24. The ticket redemption machine of claim 20, wherein the value of dispensed currency is less than the total value.

25. The ticket redemption machine of claim 20, further comprising:

a coin module for receiving bulk mixed coins input by the customer, the coin module being configured to discriminate between valid and invalid coins of the bulk mixed coins and counting the valid coins, the total inputted value determined by the controller including a value of the valid coins.

26. The ticket redemption machine of claim 25, wherein the coin module is configured to receive tokens.

27. The ticket redemption machine of claim 20, further comprising a card module configured to receive a card having data stored thereon.

28. The ticket redemption machine of claim 27, wherein the ticket redemption machine comprises a communication device configured to connect the ticket redemption machine to a central accounting system, and wherein the controller is configured to transmit transaction data for the customer to the central accounting system.