Coin redemption system

• US RE44,252 E1
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Jones, William J., Mennie, Douglas U., Knoll, Jeffrey G.
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAUCHAINE, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US11/805,863
• Time in Patent Office: 2,204 Days
• Field of Search: 194/217, 194/215, 194/216, 209/534, 235/378, 235/379, 235/380, 186/35, 186/37, 705/64, 705/72, 705/77, 705/79, 902/1, 902/4, 902/5, 902/22, 902/23, 902/25
• US Class Current: 194/217
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/16 in combination with coin-counting
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/008 Feeding coins from bulk
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a coin redemption system, in which a user deposits a batch of mixed coins of a plurality of denominations, comprises a coin input area for receiving a batch of mixed coins from a user of the coin redemption system, a coin processing unit coupled to the coin input area for determining the aggregate value of the coins received from the user, a controller for assigning a transaction number corresponding to the batch of received coins, a first printer for printing a receipt indicative of the determined value and the assigned transaction number, an output device disposed in a redemption area for displaying the assigned transaction number and the determined value.

Claims

1. A coin redemption system in which a user deposits a batch of mixed coins of a plurality of denominations, the system comprising:

a coin input area for receiving a batch of mixed coins from a user of the coin redemption system;

a coin processing unit coupled to the coin input area for determining the aggregate value of the coins received from the user;

a controller for assigning a transaction number corresponding to the batch of received coins;

a first printer for printing a receipt indicative of the determined value and the assigned transaction number; and

an output device disposed in a redemption area for displaying the assigned transaction number and the determined value.

2. The coin processing system of claim 1 wherein the output device is a printer.

3. The coin processing system of claim 1 wherein the output device is a display.

4. A method for redeeming coins for currency bills with a coin redemption system, the method comprising:

receiving a batch of mixed coins of a plurality of denominations in a coin receiving area of the coin redemption system;

determining the aggregate value of the received coins with a coin processing unit of the coin redemption system;

assigning a transaction number corresponding to the batch of received coins;

printing a first receipt indicative of the determined aggregate value and the assigned transaction number with a first printer of the coin redemption system;

displaying the determined aggregate value and the assigned transaction number separate from printing the first receipt;

comparing the printed receipt to the displayed determined aggregate value and assigned transaction number; and

redeeming the receipt for currency bills and coins when the printed receipt favorably compares to the displayed determined aggregate value and assigned transaction number.

5. The method of claim 4 where redeeming further comprises redeeming the receipt for currency bills and coins in an amount equal to the determined aggregate value.

6. The method of claim 4 where redeeming further comprises redeeming the receipt for currency bills and coins in an amount equal to the determined aggregate value less a commission.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein displaying further comprises printing a second receipt indicative of the determined aggregate value and the assigned transaction number with a second printer at a second location where redemption is to occur.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein displaying further comprises displaying on a screen at a second location where redemption is to occur.

9. A coin redemption system for receiving a batch of mixed coins of a plurality of denominations from a user and securely providing the user with a receipt that is redeemable for cash, the system comprising:

at least one coin redemption machine comprising,

a first user interface for receiving a security code from a user of the coin redemption system,

a coin input area for receiving the batch of mixed coins,

a controller for assigning a transaction number corresponding to the batch of received coins,

a coin processing unit coupled to the coin input area for determining the aggregate value of the received coins, and

a printer for printing a receipt indicative of the determined aggregate value and the assigned transaction number; and

at least one redemption station communicatively linked to the at least one coin redemption machine comprising,

a second user interface adapted comprising a user-input device to receive input from the user including input indicative of the security code and the assigned transaction number, the second user interface being adapted comprising a display to display the determined aggregate value upon receipt of the security code and the assigned transaction number, wherein the controller is adapted associated with executable instructions to verify that the received security code favorably compares to the received transaction number, and

meansa currency dispenser for providing the user with currency bills and coinsin an amount related to the determined aggregate value when the received security code favorably compares to the received transaction number.

10. The coin redemption system of claim 9, wherein the at least one redemption station further comprises a coin dispensing module, and wherein the currency bills and coins are provided to the user in an amount equal to the determined aggregate value.

11. The coin redemption system of claim 9, wherein the at least one redemption station further comprises a coin dispensing module, and wherein the currency bills and coins are provided to the user in an amount equal to the determined aggregate value less a commission.

12. A method for securely redeeming coins for currency bills comprising:

receiving, on a first occasion, an input from a user via a user input device of a coin redemption machine, the user input being indicative of a security code;

receiving a batch of mixed coins of a plurality of denomination in a coin receiving area of the coin redemption machine;

determining the aggregate value of the received batch of coins using a coin processing module of the coin redemption machine;

assigning, using a controller associated with the coin redemption machine, a transaction number corresponding to the received batch of coins;

issuing a receipt indicative of the determined aggregate value and the assigned batch number;

receiving, on a second occasion, an input from the user via a user input device of a terminal separate from the coin redemption machine, the user input indicative of the security code and the assigned transaction number;

comparing, using the controller or another processor, the input received on the first occasion with the input received on the second occasion;

dispensing currency comprising bills and coins to the user in an amount related to the determined aggregate value when the input received by the user input device of the coin redemption machine on the first occasion favorably compares with the input received by the user input device of the terminal on the second occasion.

13. The method of claim 12, where the act of dispensing currency further comprises dispensing currency bills and coins to the user in an amount equal to the determined aggregate value or in an amount equal to the determined aggregate value less a commission.

14. The method of claim 12, where the act of dispensing currency further comprises dispensing at least currency bills and coins to the user in an amount equal to the determined aggregate value less a commission from a currency bill dispensing machine associated with the terminal.

15. A coin processing system for receiving a batch of mixed coins of a plurality of denominations from a user and securely providing the user with a receipt that is redeemable for cash, the system comprising:

at least one coin redemption machine comprising

a media card reader adapted to read information from a media card of a user of the coin processing system,

a coin input area for receiving a batch of coins from the user,

a controller for assigning a transaction number corresponding to the received batch of coins and for associating the information from the media card of the user of the coin processing system to the transaction number,

a coin processing unit coupled to the coin input area for determining the aggregate value of the received coins, and

a printer for printing a receipt indicative of the determined aggregate value and the assigned transaction number; and

at least one self-service redemption station communicatively linked to the at least one coin redemption machine comprising

a user terminal including a media card reader adapted to read information from the media card of the user and a user interface being adapted comprising a user-input device to receive input from the user indicative of the assigned transaction number, the user terminal being adapted comprising a display to display the determined aggregate value upon reading the media card and receipt of the assigned transaction number, wherein the controller is adapted associated with executable instructions to verify that information read from the media card favorably compares to the received transaction number, and

means for providinga currency dispensing device configured to provide the user with currency comprising bills and coinsrelating to the determined aggregate value associated with the transaction number when the information read from the media card favorably compares to the received transaction number.

16. The coin processing system of claim 15, wherein the currency dispensing device further comprises a coin dispenser configured to dispense coins, wherein the currency bills and coins are provided to the user in an amount equal to the determined aggregate value.

17. The coin processing system of claim 15, wherein the currency dispensing device further comprises a coin dispenser configured to dispense coins, wherein the currency bills and coins are provided to the user in an amount equal to the determined aggregate value less a commission.

18. A method for redeeming coins for currency bills with a coin processing system including a coin redemption machine and a redemption area, the method comprising:

receiving a batch of coins of mixed denominations in a coin receiving area of the coin redemption machine;

determining the aggregate value of the received coins with a coin processing unit of the coin redemption machine;

assigning a transaction number corresponding to the batch of received coins;

printing a receipt indicative of the determined aggregate and the assigned transaction number with a printer of the coin redemption machine;

presenting an operator of the redemption area with the receipt;

displaying the determined aggregate value and the assigned transaction number separate from printing the receipt;

calculating a commission after presenting the operator of the redemption area with the receipt;

providing the user with currency bills in an amount equivalent the determined aggregate value less the calculated commission when the printed receipt favorably compares to the displayed determined aggregate value and the assigned transaction number.

19. The method of alternative embodiment 18 further comprising displaying to the user the percentage of commission to be charged.

20. The method of alternative embodiment 18 further comprising displaying to the user a chart summarizing the commission to be charged, the chart including at least one amount and a corresponding commission.

21. A method for redeeming coins for currency bills with a coin redemption system, the method comprising:

inputting a security code into a user input device of a self-service coin processing machine;

receiving a batch of mixed coins of a plurality of denominations in a coin receiving area of the self-service coin processing machine;

determining the aggregate value of the received coins with a coin processing unit of the self-service coin processing machine;

storing a redemption value related to the aggregate value in a memory in association with the security code;

inputting the security code into a user input device of a self-service currency dispensing machine;

comparing the security code input at the user input device of the self-service currency dispensing machine to the security code input into the user input device of the coin processing machine; and

dispensing currency from the self-service currency dispensing machine equal to the redemption value when the security code input at the self-service currency dispensing machine favorably compares to the security code stored in association with the redemption value.

22. A method for redeeming coins according to claim 21, wherein the act of inputting a security code into the user input device of the self-service coin processing machine comprises inputting a magnetic strip card in a first card reader associated with the self-service coin processing machine and wherein the act of inputting the security code into the user input device of the self-service currency dispensing machine comprises inputting the same magnetic strip card in a second card reader associated with the self-service currency dispensing machine.