Apparatus and system for processing currency bills and financial documents and method for using the same

• US 9,141,876 B1
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Jones, William J., Jones, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Krasnic, Bernard
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, PINALBEN V
• Application Number:
  US13/774,974
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/12 Containers for valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/125 Secure containers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/30 Tracking or tracing valuable papers or cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/32 Record keeping transaction aspects G07F19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/36 Auditing of activities
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/50 Sorting or counting valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00588 to the scanning position H04N1/00572, H04N1/00594 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00631 Ejecting or stacking H04N1/00641 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

A document processing device convertible between a first configuration and a second configuration includes an input receptacle, a transport mechanism, a scanner, and a convertible output area. The input receptacle is configured to receive documents including currency bills therein. The transport mechanism is configured to transport the documents along a transport path from the input receptacle. The scanner is positioned along the transport path and is configured to scan at least a portion of each of the documents transported to generate data associated therewith. The convertible output area is configured to be selectively coupled with a first output assembly and a second output assembly.

Claims

1. A method of processing documents in a document processing device, the method comprising:

receiving a first container within a first input port of the document processing device such that the first container is coupled to the first input port, the first container is a mini-safe configured to be locked, thereby securely storing a plurality of documents therein, a housing of the first container extending from the document processing device such that a portion of the housing of the first container protrudes outside of a housing of the document processing device;

transporting, using a transport mechanism of the document processing device, at least a portion of the plurality of documents from the first container along a transport path past a sensor;

scanning at least a portion of each of the documents transported past the sensor to produce data; and

delivering a first portion of scanned ones of the plurality of documents to a second container coupled to a first output port of the document processing device, the second container is a mini-safe configured to be locked, thereby securely storing the first portion of the scanned ones of the plurality of documents therein, a housing of the second container extending from the document processing device such that a portion of the housing of the second container protrudes outside of the housing of the document processing device,

wherein the portion of the housing of the first container and the portion of the housing of the second container protrude outside of the housing of the document processing device during the transporting and during the scanning.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first container and the second container are substantially identical automated document containers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first container and the second container are each configured to store at least one thousand documents therein.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first container and the second container are each smart containers such that each includes a memory device configured to store information associated with documents stored therein.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of documents included in the first container includes U.S. currency bills.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of documents included in the first container includes currency bills associated with multiple countries including two or more of the following currencies:

U.S. dollar, euro, Australian dollar, Canadian dollar, Japanese yen, and pound sterling.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of documents included in the first container includes U.S. currency bills of a plurality of denominations.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the delivering the first portion of scanned ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering U.S. currency bills of a plurality of denominations to the second container.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of documents included in the first container includes U.S. currency bills and checks.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the delivering the first portion of scanned ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering U.S. currency bills and checks to the second container.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of documents included in the first container includes U.S. currency bills, checks, and one or more deposit slips.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the delivering the first portion of scanned ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering U.S. currency bills, checks, and one or more deposit slips to the second container.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an image sensor and wherein the scanning includes imaging at least a portion of each of the documents transported past the image sensor to produce image data.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a second portion of scanned ones of the plurality of documents to an output receptacle of the document processing device, the output receptacle being configured to contain the second portion of the scanned ones of the plurality of documents therein in an unsecure manner.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the delivering the second portion of scanned ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering exception documents to the output receptacle.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the delivering the second portion of scanned ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering deposit slips to the output receptacle.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the delivering the second portion of scanned ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering checks to the output receptacle.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a third portion of scanned ones of the plurality of documents to a third container coupled to a second output port of the document processing device, the third container is a mini-safe configured to be locked, thereby securely storing the third portion of the scanned ones of the plurality of documents therein, a housing of the third container extending from the document processing device such that a portion of the housing of the third container protrudes outside of the housing of the document processing device during the transporting and during the scanning.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the delivering the first portion of scanned ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering only U.S. currency bills to the second container, and wherein the delivering the third portion of scanned ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering only checks to the third container.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising subsequent to all of the plurality of documents included in the first container being transported along the transport path and delivered to the second container, decoupling the first container from the first input port.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to all of the plurality of documents included in the first container being transported along the transport path and delivered to the second container, decoupling the first container from the first input port and decoupling the second container from the first output port;

receiving a third container within the first input port of the document processing device such that the third container is coupled to the first input port, the third container is a mini-safe configured to be locked, thereby securely storing a second plurality of documents therein, a housing of the third container extending from the document processing device such that a portion of the housing of the third container protrudes outside of the housing of the document processing device;

receiving the first container within the first output port of the document processing device;

transporting, using the transport mechanism of the document processing device, at least a portion of the second plurality of documents from the third container along the transport path past the sensor; and

delivering a first portion of the second plurality of documents to the first container, the first container being configured to be locked, thereby securely storing the first portion of the second plurality of documents therein.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the document processing device has a footprint of less than about two square feet and a weight of less than about thirty pounds.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of documents has a wide edge, and wherein the act of transporting comprises transporting the at least a portion of the plurality of documents in a wide-edge leading manner.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein at least about twenty percent of the housing of the first container protrudes outside of the housing of the document processing device.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein a majority of the housing of the first container protrudes outside of the housing of the document processing device.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein at least about eighty percent of the housing of the first container protrudes outside of the housing of the document processing device.

27. A method of processing documents in a document processing device, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of documents in an input receptacle of the document processing device in an unsecure manner;

transporting, using a transport mechanism of the document processing device, the plurality of documents, one at a time in a serial fashion, from the input receptacle past an image scanner;

imaging, using the image scanner, at least a portion of each of the plurality of documents transported past the image scanner to generate image data that is reproducible as a visually readable image of at least a portion of each of the plurality of documents; and

delivering a first portion of imaged ones of the plurality of documents to an automated document container coupled to an output port of the document processing device, the automated document container is a mini-safe configured to be locked, thereby securely storing the first portion of the scanned ones of the plurality of documents therein, a housing of the automated document container extending from the document processing device such that a portion of the housing of the automated document container protrudes outside of a housing of the document processing device during the transporting and during the imaging.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the automated document container is a smart container such that the automated document container includes a memory device configured to store information associated with the image data generated by the act of imaging.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising storing data in the memory device of the automated document container.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the stored data includes image data that is reproducible as a visually readable image of at least a portion of each of the documents contained within the automated document container.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the stored data is associated with a total value of the documents contained within the automated document container.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the delivering the first portion of imaged ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering U.S. currency bills of a plurality of denominations to the automated document container.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the delivering the first portion of imaged ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering U.S. currency bills of four or more denominations to the automated document container.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein the delivering the first portion of imaged ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering U.S. currency bills, checks, and one or more deposit slips to the automated document container.

35. The method of claim 27, further comprising delivering a second portion of imaged ones of the plurality of documents to an output receptacle of the document processing device, the output receptacle being configured to contain the second portion of the imaged ones of the plurality of documents therein in an unsecure manner.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the delivering the second portion of imaged ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering exception documents to the output receptacle.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the delivering the second portion of scanned ones of the plurality of documents includes delivering checks to the output receptacle.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein the output port is the only output port of the document processing device.

39. The method of claim 27, wherein the automated document container is coupled to the output port of the document processing device in a removable fashion.

40. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

determining that one of the plurality of documents is an exception document based on the act of imaging; and

delivering the exception document to an escrow area of the document processing device.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the escrow area is included in a first portion of the automated document container coupled to the output port of the document processing device.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the escrow area is included in the output port of the document processing device.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the escrow area is included in the housing of the document processing device.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the escrow area includes a door for providing operator access to exception documents such that the operator can remove, inspect, or both, the exception documents stored within the escrow area.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising automatically opening the door in response to an exception document being delivered to the escrow area.

46. The method of claim 27, wherein a majority of the housing of the automated document container protrudes outside of the housing of the document processing device.

47. A method of processing documents in a document processing system, the method comprising:

receiving a first plurality of documents in an input receptacle of a first document processing device in an unsecure manner;

transporting the first plurality of documents, one at a time in a serial fashion, from the input receptacle past a scanner;

scanning each of the first plurality of documents transported past the scanner to generate a first set of data;

determining a value associated with each of the first plurality of documents transported past the scanner based on the generated first set of data;

delivering the first plurality of documents to an automated document container coupled to an output port of the first document processing device, the automated document container is a mini-safe configured to be locked, thereby securely storing the scanned ones of the plurality of documents therein, a housing of the automated document container extending from the first document processing device such that a portion of the housing of the automated document container protrudes outside of a housing of the first document processing device during the transporting of the first plurality of documents and during the scanning of each of the first plurality of documents;

storing the determined values of the delivered ones of the plurality of documents in a memory device of the automated document container;

decoupling the automated document container from the output port of the first document processing device;

physically transporting the automated document container to a new location including a second document processing device;

receiving the automated document container within an input port of the second document processing device such that the automated document container is coupled to the input port of the second document processing device, the automated document container being configured to be locked, thereby securely storing a second plurality of documents therein, the housing of the automated document container extending from the second document processing device such that a portion of the housing of the automated document container protrudes outside of a housing of the second document processing device;

transporting the second plurality of documents, one at a time in a serial fashion, from the automated document container past a scanner of the second document processing device;

scanning each of the second plurality of documents transported past the scanner of the second document processing device to generate a second set of data;

determining a value associated with each of the second plurality of documents transported past the scanner of the second document processing device based on the generated second set of data; and

comparing the determined values of the second plurality of documents with the determined values of the first plurality of documents stored on the memory device of the automated document container,

wherein the portion of the housing of the automated document container protrudes outside of the housing of the second document processing device during the transporting of the second plurality of documents and during the scanning of each of the second plurality of documents.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the receiving the first plurality of documents includes receiving U.S. currency bills of four or more denominations in the input receptacle.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the receiving the first plurality of documents includes receiving U.S. currency bills, checks, and one or more deposit slips in the input receptacle.