Document handler system and method with timed operation

• US 9,721,241 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2013
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jcm American Corporation (Japan Cash Machine Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jcm American Corporation (Japan Cash Machine Company Limited)
• Inventors: Adams, Mark, Kubajak, David Christopher, Wilcutt, Bryan Allen, Johnson, Steven, Henderson, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chedekel, Tabitha
• Application Number:
  US14/033,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20150083802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,410 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/00 Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/202 Depositing operations within ATMs depositing in general G07D11/00

Abstract

A document handler system and method includes timed operation functionality in which the manufacturer of the document handler may input coded information in the document handler to establish a timed operation of the document handler which may be contingent on continued payments for use of the document handler. Alternatively, or in addition, the timed operation may be used to establish an appropriate warranty period during which the manufacturer is obligated to provide repairs, modification and/or support for the document handler.

Claims

1. A system for activating a document handler having a document validator comprising:

an inlet for receiving documents;

a validation passageway for guiding a document inserted into the inlet;

a validation conveyor for transporting the document along the validation passageway;

a validation sensor for detecting optical or magnetic features of the document transported along the validation passageway to produce detection signals;

a control device for receiving detection signals from the validation sensor to decide whether the document is genuine or not;

a clock in electronic communication with the control device for tracking a time period; and

a memory in electronic communication with the control device for storing a set of unique time codes;

wherein a timing ticket that provides an activation code is inserted into the inlet and transported along the passageway to detect the activation code on the timing ticket by the validation sensor that forwards the activation code to the control device;

the control device activates to operate the document handler for a predefined time period tracked by the clock in accordance with;

(a) the activation code matching one of the unique time codes in the memory;

(b) the activation code including a specified time period within the activation code;

or

(c) a separate time value being detected on or corresponding to the timing ticket.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the predefined time period tracked by the clock corresponding to the activation code corresponds to a predefined financial payment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control device detects and evaluates a compliance value on the ticket to determine compliance with terms of use,

the terms of use evaluated are from the group comprising at least one of:

(a) downloading new firmware, (b) power-up, (c) detected swap of parts in the document handler, (d) bill insertion, (e) bill stacking, (f) cashbox swap, or (g) passage of a predetermined time period.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control device performs a compliance check to determine whether the document handler is in compliance for a set comprising at least one of:

(a) change of country;

(b) change of protocol;

(c) change of host machine;

(d) change of game maker detected by protocol behavior such as poll rate, sequence of initialization commands during power up or bill transactions;

(e) change of bill validator serial number;

(f) threshold number of transactions;

(g) acceptance rate;

(h) jam rate;

(i) stall or slow motor;

(j) encoder problem;

(k) service calls or specific service done;

(l) condition of LEDs;

(m) preventative maintenance failure;

or (n) CRC error.

5. A system for activating a document handler having a document validator comprising:

an inlet for receiving documents;

a validation passageway for guiding the document inserted into the inlet;

a validation conveyor for transporting the document along the validation passageway;

a validation sensor for detecting optical or magnetic features of the document to produce detection signals;

a control device for receiving detection signals from the validation sensor to decide whether the document is genuine or not;

a clock in electronic communication with the control device for tracking a time period; and

a memory in electronic communication with the control device for storing a set of unique time codes;

an electronic transmitter for transmitting an electronic signal of a timing ticket with an activation code;

a port provided in the control device for receiving the electronic signal from the electronic transmitter;

wherein the control device activates to operate the document handler for a predefined time period tracked by the clock in accordance with at least one of;

(a) the activation code matching one of the unique time codes in the memory;

(b) the activation code including a specified time period within the activation code;

or

(c) a separate time value being detected on or corresponding to the timing ticket.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the predefined time period tracked by the clock corresponding to the activation code corresponds to a predefined financial payment.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the control device detects and evaluates a compliance value on the ticket to determine compliance with terms of use,

the terms of use evaluated are from the group comprising at least one of:

(a) downloading new firmware, (b) power-up, (c) detected swap of parts in the document handler, (d) bill insertion, (e) bill stacking, (f) cashbox swap, or (g) passage of a predetermined time period.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the control device performs a compliance check to determine whether the document handler is in compliance for a set comprising at least one of:

(a) change of country;

(b) change of protocol;

(c) change of host machine;

(d) change of game maker detected by protocol behavior such as poll rate, sequence of initialization commands during power up or bill transactions;

(e) change of bill validator serial number;

(f) threshold number of transactions;

(g) acceptance rate;

(h) jam rate;

(i) stall or slow motor;

(j) encoder problem;

(k) service calls or specific service done;

(l) condition of LEDs;

(m) preventative maintenance failure;

or (n) CRC error.

9. A method for activating a document handler comprising the steps of:

receiving a timing ticket at an inlet in a document validator of the document handler, the ticket providing an activation code, the document validator comprising at least one of;

a validation passageway for guiding the document inserted into the inlet, a validation conveyor for transporting the document along the validation passageway, and a validation sensor for detecting optical or magnetic features of the document to produce detection signals;

reading the activation code from the timing ticket by the validation sensor;

transmitting an electronic signal of the activation code from the validation sensor to a control device of the document handler, the control device receiving detection signals from the validation sensor to decide whether the document is genuine or not;

determining a time period for operation of the document handler based on one of the group comprising at least one of;

(a) a match of the activation code to a unique time code in a set of time codes accessed by the control device from a memory associated with the control device;

(b) a value provided in the activation code;

or

(c) a value provided separately on the ticket;

activating the document handler for operation for a predefined period of time corresponding to the activation code in the event that the activation code matches one of the unique time codes; and

initiating a countdown representing the predefined time period in a clock to track the predefined time period for activation of the document handler.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the timing ticket is a document comprising readable information in a form from a group comprising:

a printed code;

a bar code, a magnetic strip;

an electronic transmitter or transponder;

or other machine or human readable value representing the activation code printed on the timing ticket.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the control device performs a compliance check to determine whether the document handler is in compliance for a set comprising at least one of:

(a) change of country;

(b) change of protocol;

(c) change of host machine;

(d) change of game maker detected by protocol behavior such as poll rate, sequence of initialization commands during power up or bill transactions;

(e) change of bill validator serial number;

(f) threshold number of transactions;

(g) acceptance rate;

(h) jam rate;

(i) stall or slow motor;

(j) encoder problem;

(k) service calls or specific service done;

(l) condition of LEDs;

(m) preventative maintenance failure;

or (n) CRC error.

12. A method for activating a document handler comprising the steps of:

transmitting an electronic signal of a timing ticket with an activation code from an electronic transmitter;

receiving the electronic signal from the transmitter at a port provided in a control device of a document validator of the document handler that comprises an inlet for receiving documents, a validation passageway for guiding the document inserted into the inlet, a validation conveyor for transporting the document along the validation passageway, and a validation sensor for detecting optical or magnetic features of the document transported along the validation passageway to produce detection signals, the control device receiving detection signals from the validation sensor to decide whether the document is genuine or not;

determining a time period for operation of the document handler based on one of the group comprising at least one of;

(a) a match of the activation code to a unique time code in a set of time codes accessed by the control device from a memory associated with the control device;

(b) a value provided in the activation code;

or

(c) a value provided separately on the ticket;

activating the document handler for operation for a predefined period of time corresponding to the activation code in the event that the activation code matches one of the unique time codes; and

initiating a countdown representing the predefined time period in a clock to track the predefined time period for activation of the document handler.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising electronically transmitting the timing ticket stored in and from the electronic transmitter.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the predefined time period tracked by the clock corresponding to the activation code corresponds to a predefined financial payment.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the control device checks to determine compliance with terms of use,

the terms of use checked by the processor are from the group comprising at least one of:

(a) downloading new firmware, (b) power-up, (c) detected swap of parts in the document handler, (d) bill insertion, (e) bill stacking, (f) cashbox swap, or (g) passage of a predetermined time period.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the control device performs a compliance check to determine whether the document handler is in compliance for a set comprising at least one of:

(a) change of country;

(b) change of protocol;

(c) change of host machine;

(d) change of game maker detected by protocol behavior such as poll rate, sequence of initialization commands during power up or bill transactions;

(e) change of bill validator serial number;

(f) threshold number of transactions;

(g) acceptance rate;

(h) jam rate;

(i) stall or slow motor;

(j) encoder problem;

(k) service calls or specific service done;

(l) condition of LEDs;

(m) preventative maintenance failure;

or (n) CRC error.