Coin processing device having a moveable coin receptacle station

• US 7,946,406 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Krbec, Marianne, Blake, John R., Mecklenburg, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shapiro; Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beauchaine; Mark J
• Application Number:
  US11/598,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20070119681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• Field of Search: 194/317, 194/200, 194/204, 902/38
• US Class Current: 194/200
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/08 Counting total of coins inserted

Abstract

A coin processing system includes a coin processing machine configured to receive a plurality of randomly oriented coins in a coin input region thereof, process the coins, and determine a total amount of the coins. The coin processing system also includes a sensor configured to measure a pre-determined property associated with a component of the coin processing machine and/or an operational state of the coin processing machine and to output to a controller a signal related thereto. The coin processing system also includes an actuating device disposed to influence the pre-determined property. A controller is configured to monitor the signal output by the sensor and, responsive to a deviation of a value of the signal from an acceptable value for the signal, to execute an error recovery instruction set at least once. Execution of the error recovery instruction set by the controller causes an actuation of the actuating device to influence the pre-determined property to attempt to restore the operational parameter to a condition wherein the signal output by the sensor is within an acceptable value for the pre-determined property.

Claims

1. A coin processing system comprising:

a coin processing machine comprising a coin input region, a coin module configured to receive coins input into the coin input region, to process the coins, and to determine a total amount of the coins, and to output the coins to at least one coin receptacle;

a sensor configured to measure a parameter associated with the coin processing system and output to a controller a signal relating to the measured parameter;

an actuating device operatively associated with the sensor;

a communication interface;

a controller configured to process the signal relating to the measured parameter and to output data relating to the parameter to a memory, the controller being further configured to retrieve the data from the memory and to trend the data relating to the parameter, the controller being further configured to execute an error avoidance instruction set responsive to the trended data exceeding a predetermined setpoint to prevent an error from occurring; and

at least one of another controller and another memory located remotely from the coin processing machine, wherein at least one of the signal relating to the measured parameter output by the sensor or the data relating to the parameter output by the controller is output to at least one of the another controller or the another memory through the communication interface,

wherein execution of the error avoidance instruction set by the controller causes the actuating device to actuate to influence the parameter associated with the coin processing system to prevent said error from occurring.

2. The coin processing system according to claim 1, wherein the data transmitted to the at least one of the another controller or the another memory is processed to yield statistical data.

3. The coin processing system according to claim 2, wherein the statistical data comprises trending data.

4. The coin processing system according to claim 2, wherein the statistical data comprises trending data for a process variable.

5. The coin processing system according to claim 2, wherein the statistical data comprises trending data for a component.

6. The coin processing system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to regularly output to at least one of said another controller and said another memory data relating to the parameter.

7. The coin processing system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to regularly output said data relating to the parameter at a predetermined time interval.

8. The coin processing system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to regularly output said data relating to the parameter at predetermined coin processing milestones.

9. The coin processing system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of another controller and another memory located remotely from the coin processing machine are disposed off-site relative to the coin processing machine.

10. The coin processing system according to claim 1, wherein a controller instruction set is configured to be updated through said communication interface.

11. The coin processing system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said coin processing machines, each coin processing machine comprising a coin input region, a coin module configured to receive coins input into the coin input region, to process the coins, and to determine a total amount of the coins, and to output the coins to at least one coin receptacle, a sensor configured to measure a parameter associated with the coin processing system and output to a controller a signal relating to the measured parameter, an actuating device operatively associated with the sensor, a communication interface configured to permit remote communication, and a controller configured to process the signal relating to the measured parameter and to output data relating to the parameter to a memory, the controller being further configured to retrieve the data from the memory and to trend the data relating to the parameter, the controller being further configured to execute an error avoidance instruction set responsive to the trended data exceeding a predetermined setpoint to prevent an error from occurring, wherein execution of the error avoidance instruction set by the controller causes the actuating device to actuate to influence the parameter associated with the coin processing system to prevent said error from occurring,

wherein each of the plurality of coin processing machines is configured to communicate with said at least one of another controller and another memory located off-site relative to at least a plurality of said coin processing machines, and

wherein at least one of the signal relating to the measured parameter output by the sensor of one of said plurality of coin processing machines or the data relating to the parameter output by the controller of one of said plurality of coin processing machines is output to at least one of the another controller or the another memory through the communication interface.

12. The coin processing system according to claim 11, wherein said at least one of another controller and another memory are configured to execute management instructions utilizing a web browser.

13. The coin processing system according to claim 12, wherein said at least one of another controller and another memory are associated with a server including an active server page.

14. The coin processing system according to claim 12, wherein at least a plurality of the plurality of coin processing machines comprises an active server page.

15. The coin processing system according to claim 13, wherein a user, through the management instructions, is permitted to direct the web browser to the server'"'"'s active server page.

16. The coin processing system according to claim 14, wherein a user, through the management instructions, is permitted to direct the web browser to a coin processing machine'"'"'s active server page.

17. The coin processing system according to claim 11, wherein said at least one of another controller and another memory are configured to execute management instructions utilizing a wide area network connection point using a web browser.