AUTOMATED DOCUMENT PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20100092065A1
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Mennie, Douglas U., Jones, John E., Jones, William J., Jones, Paul A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,514,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/135
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/30 Tracking or tracing valuable papers or cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/50 Sorting or counting valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/14 Apparatus driven under control of coin-sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/20 Testing patterns thereon G07D7/004, G07D7/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs

Abstract

A document processing system includes an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past an 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 image scanner operates to obtain images of the documents and further operates to obtain images of selected portions of the documents, and further can obtain information contained in the selected portions. The discrimination unit operates to determine document authenticity. A system controller directs the flow of documents over the transport mechanism.

Claims

1-69. -69. (canceled)

70. A document processing device comprising:

an input receptacle configured to receive a stack of documents including currency bills;

an imaging unit including a sensor;

a transport system configured to convey each of the documents received from the input receptacle past the sensor, the imaging unit configured to generate image data reproducible as a visually readable image of at least a portion of each passing currency bill;

an output receptacle configured to receive the documents from the transport system after the documents pass the sensor;

one or more processors configured to control actuation of the transport system and further configured to control communication of the generated currency bill image data, the one or more processors further configured to extract information from the image data, the information including the serial number and denomination of the conveyed currency bills; and

a memory associated with the one or more processors for storing image data and extracted information.

71. The document processing device of claim 70, wherein the stack of documents further includes checks, the one or more processors further configured to extract a checking account number and bank identification data from generated image data of each conveyed check.

72. The document processing device of claim 71, wherein the currency bills and checks are received and conveyed as two separate stacks of documents.

73. The document processing device of claim 71, where the currency bills and checks are received and conveyed in a single stack of comingled documents.

74. The document processing device of claim 70, wherein the currency bills are conveyed, the image data are generated, and the serial number information is extracted at a rate of at least 1,000 bills per minute.

75. The document processing device of claim 70, wherein the currency bills are conveyed, the image data are generated, and the information is extracted at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute.

76. The document processing device of claim 70, including a communication port configured for transferring the extracted information to an external memory.

77. The document processing device of claim 70, including a communication port configured for transferring the extracted information to a network.

78. The document processing device of claim 70, including a communication port configured for transferring the extracted information to a print device.

79. The document processing device of claim 70, further comprising an exterior housing including the imaging unit, transport system, and one or more processors disposed therein;

and a touch-screen display disposed within the exterior housing, the touch-screen display associated with the one or more processors.

80. The document processing device of claim 70, further comprising a counterfeit detector for identifying suspect currency bills.

81. The document processing device of claim 80, wherein the counterfeit detector includes a magnetic sensor.

82. The document processing device of claim 80, wherein the counterfeit detector includes an optical sensor configured to detect light frequencies outside of the human-perceptible range.

83. The document processing device of claim 74, wherein the currency bills are U.S. currency bills.

84. The document processing device of claim 75, wherein the currency bills are U.S. currency bills.

85. The document processing device of claim 70, wherein the currency bills have a wide edge and a narrow edge, the currency bills conveyed with the wide edge generally perpendicular to the direction of conveyance by the transport system.

86. The document processing device of claim 71, wherein each of the currency bills and checks have a wide edge and a narrow edge, the currency bills and checks conveyed with the wide edge generally perpendicular to the direction of conveyance by the transport system.

87. The document processing device of claim 70, wherein the one or more processors are configured to electronically tag the extracted serial number and denomination of a currency bill with the associated currency bill image data.

88. A table-top device configured to process currency bills, the table-top device comprising:

an input receptacle configured to receive a stack of currency bills;

an image scanner including a sensor;

a transport mechanism configured to transport each of the currency bills received from the input receptacle along a transport path past the sensor, the image scanner configured to obtain an electronic image of at least a portion of each passing currency bill, the obtained electronic image configured to be reproducible on an electronic display;

an output receptacle configured to receive the currency bills from the transport mechanism after the documents pass the sensor;

one or more processors configured to control actuation of the transport mechanism and further configured to control communication of each electronic image of the currency bills, the one or more processors further configured to extract information from the electronic images, the information including the serial number and denomination of the conveyed currency bills; and

a memory associated with the one or more processors, the memory configured to the store electronic images of the currency bills and the associated extracted information.

89. The table-top device of claim 88, wherein the input receptacle is further configured to receive a stack of checks, the transport mechanism configured to receive each check from the input receptacle and transport each of the checks past the sensor, the image scanner configured to obtain an electronic image of each passing check, the obtained electronic images configured to be reproducible on an electronic display, the one or more processors configured to extract a checking account number and bank identification data from the electronic images of each transported check, the memory configured to store the electronic images of the checks and the extracted account number and identification data.

90. The table-top device of claim 89, wherein the currency bills and checks are received and transported as two separate stacks.

91. The table-top device of claim 89, where the currency bills and checks are comingled and are further received and transported in a single stack.

92. The table-top device of claim 88, wherein the currency bills are transported, the electronic images are obtained, and the serial number information is extracted at a rate of at least 1,000 bills per minute.

93. The table-top device of claim 88, wherein the currency bills are transported, the electronic images are obtained, and the serial number information is extracted at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute.

94. The table-top device of claim 88, including a communication port configured for transfer the extracted information to an external device.

95. The table-top device of claim 88, further comprising an exterior housing including the image scanner, transport mechanism, and one or more processors disposed therein;

and a touch-screen display disposed within the exterior housing.

96. The table-top device of claim 88, further comprising a counterfeit detector for identifying suspect currency bills, the counterfeit detector including a magnetic sensor or an optical sensor configured to detect light frequencies outside of the human-perceptible range.

97. The table-top device of claim 88, wherein the currency bills have a wide edge and a narrow edge, the currency bills transported with the wide edge generally perpendicular to the direction of transport.

98. The table-top device of claim 89, wherein each of the currency bills and checks have a wide edge and a narrow edge, the currency bills and checks transported with the wide edge generally perpendicular to the direction of transport.

99. The table-top device of claim 88, wherein the one or more processors are configured to electronically tag the extracted serial number and denomination for a currency bill with the associated electronic image.

100. The table-top device of claim 88, wherein the transport mechanism comprises a single transport path configured to convey the checks and currency bills

101. The table-top device of claim 88, further comprising:

a display configured to display the electronic image of the serial number portion of an imaged currency bill; and

a data entry element associated with the display, the data entry element configured for user input of information related to the currency bill.

102. A method for processing documents including currency bills using a document processing device controlled via one or more processors, the method comprising:

conveying received currency bills along a transport path;

obtaining images of the conveyed currency bills via an image scanner at least partially adjacent to the transport path, the obtained images being reproducible for electronic display;

extracting information from the obtained images, the information including the serial number and denomination of the conveyed currency bills; and

storing the obtained images and extracted information in a memory.

103. The method of claim 102, wherein the documents further include checks, and furthering comprising conveying the received checks along the transport path or another transport path, obtaining images of the conveyed checks, and extracting a checking account number and bank identification data from the obtained images of the conveyed checks.

104. The method of claim 103, wherein the currency bills and checks are received and conveyed as two separate stacks of documents.

105. The method of claim 103, where the currency bills and checks are received and conveyed in a single stack of comingled documents.

106. The method of claim 102, wherein the currency bills are conveyed, the images are obtained, and the serial number information is extracted at a rate of at least 1,000 bills per minute.

107. The method of claim 102, wherein the currency bills are conveyed, the images are obtained, and the serial number information is extracted at a rate of at least 800 bills per minute.

108. The method of claim 102, including a communication port configured for transferring the extracted information to an external memory.

109. The method of claim 102, including a communication port configured for transferring the extracted information to a network.

110. The method of claim 102, including a communication port configured for transferring the extracted information to a print device.

111. The method of claim 102, further comprising identifying suspect currency bills via a counterfeit detector.

112. The method of claim 111, wherein the counterfeit detector includes a magnetic sensor.

113. The method of claim 111, wherein the counterfeit detector includes an optical sensor configured to detect light frequencies outside of the human-perceptible range.

114. The method of claim 106, wherein the currency bills are U.S. currency bills.

115. The method of claim 107, wherein the currency bills are U.S. currency bills.

116. The method of claim 102, wherein the currency bills have a wide edge and a narrow edge, the currency bills conveyed with the wide edge generally perpendicular to the direction of conveyance along the transport path.

117. The method of claim 103, wherein each of the currency bills and checks have a wide edge and a narrow edge, the currency bills and checks conveyed with the wide edge generally perpendicular to the direction of conveyance along the transport path.

118. The method of claim 102, further comprising tagging the extracted serial number and denomination from a currency bill with the associated currency bill image.