Coin counter/sorter and coupon/voucher dispensing machine and method

• US 7,971,699 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coinstar, LLC
• Original Assignee: Coinstar Incorporated (Outerwall Inc.)
• Inventors: Molbak, Jens H., Sun, Vae E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karmis; Stefanos
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beauchaine; Mark J
• Application Number:
  US11/336,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20060219519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,992 Days
• Field of Search: 194/215
• US Class Current: 194/215
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 1/04 Coin chutes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/08 Counting total of coins inserted

Abstract

A coin sorting and counting machine and a method for operating it to automatically dispense cash vouchers based on the value of the counted coins, manufacturers'"'"' coupons and store coupons. Coins are placed in a hopper tray. When the hinged tray is lifted, the coins travel through a waste management system and into the coin sorting and counting apparatus. The value of the coins and the number of coins within each denomination are displayed as the coins are counted. After sorting, the coins fall into a temporary holding area. At this point the transaction can either be canceled or accepted. If the transaction is canceled, the coins are returned. If the transaction is accepted, the coins fall into a storage area and the user is issued a cash voucher and a series of store coupons. Manufacturers'"'"' coupons are dispensed regardless of whether or not the transaction is accepted.

Claims

1. A consumer coin counting machine, the coin counting machine comprising:

an input region configured to receive a plurality of randomly oriented coins from a user;

a coin discriminator configured to receive the coins from the input region and count the coins to determine a total;

an intermediate holding area for at least temporarily holding the coins counted by the coin discriminator;

a display device operably connected to the coin discriminator and configured to display at least one of the total and a value related to the total; and

a user selection device, wherein the coins held in the intermediate holding area are returned to the user in response to receiving a first user input via the user selection device rejecting at least one of the total and the value related to the total, and wherein a redeemable voucher is dispensed from the coin counting machine in response to receiving a second user input via the user selection device accepting at least one of the total and the value related to the total.

2. The coin counting machine of claim 1 wherein the user selection device includes first and second buttons, wherein the coins held in the intermediate holding area are returned to the user in response to the user depressing the first button, and wherein the redeemable voucher is dispensed from the coin counting machine in response to the user depressing the second button.

3. The coin counting machine of claim 1 wherein the voucher is redeemable for at least one of cash and merchandize in a non-bank retail location in which the coin counting machine is located.

4. The coin counting machine of claim 1 wherein the voucher is redeemable for at least one of cash and merchandize for the value related to the total.

5. The coin counting machine of claim 1 wherein the display device is configured to display the total and the value related to the total, and wherein the value is less than the total.

6. The coin counting machine of claim 1 wherein the display device is configured to display the total and the value related to the total, and wherein the value is a set percentage less than the total.

7. The coin counting machine of claim 1 wherein the display device is configured to display the total and the value related to the total, wherein the redeemable voucher includes an indication of the total and the value related to the total, and wherein the value is less than the total.

8. The coin counting machine of claim 1 wherein the input region is configured to receive a plurality of randomly oriented coins of multiple denominations from a user, and wherein the display device is configured to display sub-totals for each of the individual coin denominations.

9. The coin counting machine of claim 1 wherein the redeemable voucher includes anticounterfeiting information.

10. The coin counting machine of claim 1 wherein the redeemable voucher includes a substrate, and wherein the coin counting machine further comprises a voucher printer configured to print at least one of the total and the value related to the total on the substrate in machine-readable form.

11. The coin counting machine of claim 1 wherein the redeemable voucher includes a substrate, and wherein the coin counting machine further comprises a voucher printer configured to print at least one of the total and the value related to the total on the substrate in bar code.

12. The coin counting machine of claim 1 wherein the input region includes a coin cleaning facility configured to separate non-coin items from the plurality of randomly oriented coin received from the user.

13. The coin counting machine of claim 1 wherein the input region includes at least one hole configured to separate non-coin material from the plurality of randomly oriented coin received from the user.

14. A consumer coin counting machine, the coin counting machine comprising:

an input region configured to receive a plurality of randomly oriented coins from a user;

a user input device

at least one debris removal feature for separating foreign objects from the coins received from the user;

a coin discriminator configured to receive the coins from the input region and count the coins to determine a total;

an intermediate holding area for at least temporarily holding the coins counted by the coin discriminator; and

a display device operably connected to the coin discriminator and configured to display at least one of the total and a value related to the total, wherein the coins held in the intermediate holding area are returned to the user in response to a first user input via the input device rejecting at least one of the total and the value related to the total, and wherein a redeemable voucher is dispensed from the coin counting machine in response to a second user input via the input device accepting at least one of the total and the value related to the total.

15. The coin counting machine of claim 14 wherein the debris removal feature includes a fan configured to blow light weight debris, such as lint and dust, away from the coins.

16. The coin counting machine of claim 14 wherein the debris removal feature includes at least one hole through which liquid can be flowed away from the coins.

17. A consumer coin counting machine, the coin counting machine comprising:

an input area configured to receive multiple randomly oriented coins from a user;

a user input device

a coin discriminator configured to receive the coins from the input area and count the coins to determine a total;

an intermediate holding area for at least temporarily holding the coins counted by the coin discriminator;

a display device operably connected to the coin discriminator and configured to display at least one of the total and a value related to the total; and

a voucher dispenser, wherein the coins held in the intermediate holding area are returned to the user in response to one user input via the user input device rejecting at least one of the total and the value related to the total, and wherein a redeemable voucher is dispensed by the voucher dispenser in response to another user input via the input device accepting at least one of the total and the value related to the total.

18. The coin counting machine of claim 17 wherein the voucher is redeemable for at least one of cash and merchandize in a non-bank retail location in which the coin counting machine is located.

19. The coin counting machine of claim 17 wherein the voucher is redeemable for at least one of cash and merchandize for the value related to the total, and wherein the value is less than the total.

20. The coin counting machine of claim 17 wherein the display device is configured to display the total and the value related to the total, and wherein the redeemable voucher includes an indication of the total and the value related to the total.

21. The coin counting machine of claim 17 wherein the input region is configured to receive a plurality of randomly oriented coins of multiple denominations from a user, and wherein the display device is configured to display sub-totals associated with each of the individual coin denominations.

22. The coin counting machine of claim 17 wherein the redeemable voucher includes anticounterfeiting information.

23. The coin counting machine of claim 17 wherein the redeemable voucher includes a transaction number.

24. The coin counting machine of claim 17 wherein the redeemable voucher includes a substrate, and wherein the coin counting machine further comprises a voucher printer configured to print at least one of the total and the value related to the total on the substrate in machine-readable form.

25. The coin counting machine of claim 17 wherein the redeemable voucher includes a substrate, and wherein the coin counting machine further comprises a voucher printer configured to print at least one of the total, the value related to the total, and a transaction number on the substrate in bar code.

26. A method for counting coins, the method comprising:

providing a coin counting machine, the coin counting machine having a coin input area, user selection device, a coin discriminator that receives coins from the coin input area, and a coin holding area that receives coins from the coin discriminator;

receiving from a user, in the coin input area, a plurality of randomly oriented coins of multiple denominations;

transferring the plurality of coins from the coin input area to the coin discriminator, and discriminating the coins to determine a total;

transferring the plurality of coins from the coin discriminator to the coin holding area, and temporarily holding the coins in the coin holding area;

displaying at least one of the total and a value related to the total to the user;

dispensing a redeemable voucher to the user when the user accepts at least one of the total and the value related to the total via the user selection device; and

returning the coins held in the coin holding area to the user when the user rejects at least one of the total and the value related to the total via the user selection device.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein discriminating the coins to determine a total includes sequentially rolling the coins past a coin sensor.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the user selection device includes first and second buttons, wherein dispensing a redeemable voucher to the user includes dispensing the redeemable voucher when the user accepts at least one of the total and the value related to the total by pressing the first button, and wherein returning the coins held in the coin holding area to the user includes returning the coins when the user rejects at least one of the total and the value related to the total by pressing the second button.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein providing a coin counting machine includes providing a coin counting machine in a non-bank retail location, and wherein dispensing a redeemable voucher includes dispensing a voucher that is redeemable for at least one of cash and merchandize in the non-bank retail location.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein displaying at least one of the total and a value related to the total includes displaying the total and the value related to the total, wherein dispensing a redeemable voucher includes dispensing a redeemable voucher that includes an indication of the total and the value related to the total, and wherein the value is less than the total.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein dispensing a redeemable voucher includes dispensing a redeemable voucher that includes anticounterfeiting information.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein displaying at least one of the total and a value related to the total includes displaying the total and the value related to the total, wherein dispensing a redeemable voucher includes dispensing a redeemable voucher that includes at least one of the total and the value related to the total in bar code.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising cleaning the plurality of coins received from the user before transferring the plurality of coins from the coin input area to the coin discriminator.

34. A system for counting coins, the system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of randomly oriented coins from a user;

means for discriminating the plurality of coins to determine a total;

means for temporarily holding the plurality of discriminated coins;

means for displaying at least one of the total and a value related to the total;

means for dispensing a redeemable voucher to the user in response to a first user selection via the means for receiving user input, wherein the first user selection accepts at least one of the total and the value related to the total; and

means for returning the plurality of held coins to the user in response to a second user selection via the means for receiving user input, wherein the second user selection rejects at least one of the total and the value related to the total.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the means for receiving user input include button means for receiving at least one of the first user selection and the second user selection from the user.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the means for dispensing a redeemable voucher include means for dispensing a voucher that is redeemable for at least one of cash and merchandize in a non-bank retail location.

37. The system of claim 34 wherein the means for receiving a plurality of randomly oriented coins from a user include means for at least substantially simultaneously receiving a plurality of randomly oriented coins of multiple denominations.

38. The system of claim 34, further comprising means for removing debris from the plurality of coins before discriminating the coins to determine a total.

39. The system of claim 34 wherein the means for dispensing a redeemable voucher include means for dispensing a redeemable voucher that includes anticounterfeiting information.