Image processing network

• US 7,349,566 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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., Gafron, Ronald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARIAM, DANIEL G
• Application Number:
  US10/393,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20030202690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,832 Days
• Field of Search: 382135-140, 235379-380, 705 39- 43, 705/45, 902/8, 902/10, 902 13- 15, 902/12
• US Class Current: 382/139
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0425 the cheque being electronic only
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/95 structured as a network, e.g. client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/96 Management of image or video recognition tasks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/2253 Recognition of characters printed with magnetic ink G06V30/2247 takes precedence

Abstract

An image processing network for processing image files and coupled to an outside data communication network comprising a plurality of remote image capture units, the units scanning documents and creating a plurality of image files of said documents; the image processing means is coupled to said plurality of remote image capture units for processing the image files; the accounting means is coupled to the image processing means for immediately updating accounts associated with said image processing means; and the plurality of remote capture units are coupled to the outside network, the outside data communication network is connected to outside financial institutions, the image processing means transmits said image files to the outside financial institutions via the data communication network and receives image files from the outside financial institutions over the network.

Claims

1. A self-service redemption machine, comprising:

a bill processing module configured to receive input funds;

a coin processing module comprising a bulk coin hopper configured to receive funds comprising bulk coins;

a card module configured to read account data from a magnetic storage medium borne by a card, said account data being associated with an account in an outside accounting system;

a card dispenser configured to dispense to a customer a card bearing account data on a storage medium borne by the card, said account data being associated with a non-bank account in said outside accounting system;

a communication interface configured to access said outside accounting system; and

a controller configured to determine a total value of the input funds and to transfer a value relating to said total value through said communication interface to said outside accounting system.

2. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 1, wherein said card is dispensed to a customer responsive to a customer input.

3. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 1, wherein said bill processing module is configured to receive input funds from a customer or from an employee.

4. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 1, wherein said bill processing module is configured to receive input bills directly from a customer.

5. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 1, wherein said bill processing module is configured to discriminate the input bills.

6. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 1, further comprising a coin processing module.

7. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 1, wherein said account is a bank account.

8. A self-service redemption machine, comprising:

a display;

a bill processing module configured to receive input funds;

a coin processing module comprising a bulk coin hopper configured to receive funds comprising bulk coins;

a card module configured to read account data from a storage medium borne by a card, said account data being associated with a non-bank account in an outside accounting system;

a controller configured to count the input funds, determine a total value of said input funds, and transfer a value relating to said total value through a communication interface to said non-bank account in said outside accounting system; and

a card dispenser configured to dispense, responsive to a customer input, a card bearing account data on a storage medium borne by the card, said account data being associated with a non-bank account in said outside accounting system.

9. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 8, wherein said display comprises a touch screen display.

10. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 8, wherein said storage medium comprises at least one of a magnetized and a magnetizable surface.

11. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 8, wherein said storage medium comprises an optical storage medium.

12. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 8, wherein said storage medium comprises a solid-state memory device.

13. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 8, wherein said controller is configured to cause a display of information on said display, said information comprising a plurality of selectable options for a distribution destination of the deposited funds.

14. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of selectable options for allocation of the deposited funds comprises an option for associating in said outside accounting system said value relating to said total value with said account data borne by said card storage medium.

15. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 8, wherein said customer input comprises an acceptance of a fee to purchase said card.

16. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 8, wherein said bill processing module is configured to receive input bills from a customer or from an employee.

17. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 8, wherein said bill processing module is configured to receive input funds directly from a customer.

18. A method for associating currency with an account using a self-service funds processing machine, the method comprising the self-service funds processing machine:

receiving currency comprising a batch of mixed coins in a self-service funds processing machine bulk coin processing module;

discriminating between valid and invalid currency;

determining a total value of received valid currency;

associating an account number associated with an outside accounting system and a portable data storage medium comprising a magnetic storage media, an optical storage media, or a solid-state storage media;

associating a value relating to said currency with said account number associated with said outside accounting system; and

dispensing said portable data storage medium to a customer from a portable data storage medium dispenser in said self-service funds processing machine.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said portable data storage medium comprises at least one of a substrate and a device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said act of dispensing said portable data storage medium to said customer occurs following a purchasing of said portable data storage medium by the customer.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

selecting a portable data storage medium from a plurality of available portable data storage mediums.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said act of dispensing said portable data storage medium to said customer comprises returning to a customer a portable data storage medium input into the self-service funds processing machine by the customer.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein said act of receiving currency comprises receiving currency from a self-service funds processing machine bill acceptor.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein said act of receiving currency comprises receiving a solid-state storage media.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein said act of associating a value relating to said currency with said account number comprises associating a value less than a total value of received currency.

26. A method according to claim 18, wherein said act of receiving currency comprises receiving currency from a customer.

27. A method according to claim 18, wherein said act of receiving currency comprises receiving currency directly from a customer.

28. A method according to claim 18, wherein said act of receiving currency comprises receiving a customer'"'"'s currency from an employee.

29. A method according to claim 18, wherein said act of receiving currency comprises receiving one or more of coins and bills.

30. A self-service redemption machine comprising;

a display;

a bill processing module;

a bulk coin processing module configured to simultaneously process a plurality of coins;

a card module configured to read data from a storage medium borne by a card;

a card dispenser configured to dispense, responsive to a customer input, a card bearing account data on a storage medium borne by the card, said account data being associated with a non-bank account in an outside accounting system;

a communication interface configured to access said outside accounting system; and

a controller configured to process funds input to said bill processing module and said bulk coin processing module and to access said outside accounting system using said communication interface responsive to a user input.

31. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 30, wherein said user input comprises a customer request to purchase a currency media bearing a value related to a total value of said processed funds.

32. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 31, wherein currency media comprises a card bearing a data storage medium.

33. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 31, wherein said value related to a total value of said processed funds comprises said total value of said processed funds less a transaction fee.

34. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 32, wherein said card comprises a smart card.

35. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 34, wherein said card comprises a debit card.

36. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 30, wherein said display comprises a touch screen display.

37. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 30, wherein said outside accounting system is associated with a financial institution.

38. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 37, wherein said financial institution comprises at least one of a bank and a credit union.

39. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 30, wherein said outside accounting system is associated with a business.

40. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 30, wherein said outside accounting system is associated with at least one of a public institution and a private institution.

41. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 30, wherein said outside accounting system is associated with an individual.

42. A self-service redemption machine according to claim 30, wherein said user input comprises a customer input.