Machine and method for redeeming currency to dispense a value card
First Claim
1. A self-service exchange machine configured to receive currency from a customer and dispense to the customer a card associated with a value relating to the value of the received currency, comprising:
- a coin module for receiving bulk mixed coins input by said customer in a coin hopper in association with the exchange transaction, said coin module being configured to substantially simultaneously receive the bulk mixed coins in the coin hopper, to separate the bulk mixed coins into a single-file stream of coins using a motor-driven rotary sorting device and, following the separation of the bulk mixed coins into a single-file stream of coins, to discriminate between valid and invalid coins using at least one discrimination sensor disposed along the coin path of the single-file stream of coins;
a bill module for receiving bills input by said customer, said bill module discriminating between valid and invalid bills;
a touch screen display device;
a card dispenser for dispensing a card having a storage medium for storing a monetary value; and
a controller coupled to said touch screen display device, said coin module, said bill module, and said card dispenser, said controller determining a total value of valid coins and valid bills input into said coin module and said bill module and causing the display of at least the total value on the touch screen display device, said controller instructing said card dispenser to dispense said card with a monetary value that is related to said total value to complete the exchange transaction wherein the card is exchanged for the input currency, wherein said monetary value stored on the dispensed card can be for any monetary value input by the customer and is not constrained to a predetermined value or values.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past a full image scanner and a discrimination unit. An output receptacle receives the documents from the transport mechanism after being transported past the full image scanner and the discrimination unit. The full image scanner includes means for obtaining a full video image of said documents, means for obtaining a image of a selected area of said documents, and means for obtaining information contained in said selected area of said document. The discrimination unit includes means for determining the authenticity of said document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism.
384 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A self-service exchange machine configured to receive currency from a customer and dispense to the customer a card associated with a value relating to the value of the received currency, comprising:
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a coin module for receiving bulk mixed coins input by said customer in a coin hopper in association with the exchange transaction, said coin module being configured to substantially simultaneously receive the bulk mixed coins in the coin hopper, to separate the bulk mixed coins into a single-file stream of coins using a motor-driven rotary sorting device and, following the separation of the bulk mixed coins into a single-file stream of coins, to discriminate between valid and invalid coins using at least one discrimination sensor disposed along the coin path of the single-file stream of coins; a bill module for receiving bills input by said customer, said bill module discriminating between valid and invalid bills; a touch screen display device; a card dispenser for dispensing a card having a storage medium for storing a monetary value; and a controller coupled to said touch screen display device, said coin module, said bill module, and said card dispenser, said controller determining a total value of valid coins and valid bills input into said coin module and said bill module and causing the display of at least the total value on the touch screen display device, said controller instructing said card dispenser to dispense said card with a monetary value that is related to said total value to complete the exchange transaction wherein the card is exchanged for the input currency, wherein said monetary value stored on the dispensed card can be for any monetary value input by the customer and is not constrained to a predetermined value or values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of exchanging currency input by a customer at a self-service exchange machine for a card associated with a value relating to the value of the received currency, comprising:
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receiving bulk mixed coins input from said customer into a coin hopper of the self-service exchange machine; separating the bulk mixed coins into a single-file stream of coins in the self-service exchange machine; discriminating between valid coins and invalid coins of said bulk mixed coins using at least one discrimination sensor, a processor, and a physical memory having a database of acceptable sensor readings for valid coins; receiving at least one bill input from said customer in a bill processing module of the self-service exchange machine; discriminating between valid bills and invalid bills from said at least one bill input by said customer using at least one discrimination sensor, the processor or another processor, and the physical memory or another physical memory having a database of acceptable sensor readings for valid bills; determining a total input value of the input currency consisting of said valid bills, said valid coins, or both said valid bills and said valid coins, using the processor or the another processor; and dispensing a card from a card dispenser of the self-service exchange machine in exchange for the input currency having said total input value, the dispensed card having a storage medium for storing a monetary value, the storage medium having stored thereon a monetary value that is related to said total input value of currency, wherein said monetary value stored on the dispensed card can be for any monetary value input by the customer and is not constrained to a predetermined value or values. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification