Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02845729 2014-03-13
Attorney Ref: 1057P021CA01
SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY
FILLING A COIN CASSETTE =
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of bulk coin handling
systems and, more particularly, to exemplary self-service systems and methods
for
bulk coin recycling or bulk coin exchange and recycling.
Background
Coin dispenser trays are widely used as cashier/check out areas and in the
self-service check out equipment typically found in places like supermarkets
(e.g.,
Jewel/Osco) and Home Depot. A variety of coin dispensing trays or coin
cassettes
are provided by a number of manufacturers, each manufacturer possibly offering
several tray models having different sizes, arrangements, volumes,
denominations,
and combinations of coin receptacles for receiving coins in various coin
positions.
One common coin dispenser is the Asahi Seiko USA, Inc.
(www.asusainc.com) HM-4 coin hopper, in which a plurality of hoppers (i.e.,
10, 50,
250, $1.00) drop the coins into a single exit chute for delivery to a common
coin
cup. The HM-4 accepts an AMP drawer plug connection to simplify wiring and the
hoppers each slide off of the main base plate to permit servicing of coin
jams. As
the hoppers are depleted, the cashiers or other designated personnel, fill the
individual hoppers with coins.
Another popular conventional coin dispenser is the Telequip Transact 2+,
which employs removable coin canister or cassette. The program software tracks
the change being issued and optimizes the use of the coin supply by attempting
to
even out the distribution of the coins to enable a longer period of time
between
refills. The Transact 2+ provides a plug and play pre-wire installation with
standard
RS232 serial port and other register interfaces. Telequip advertises that the
Transact
2+ enables vendors to save from 5 to 7 seconds on every transaction. However,
despite these benefits, the refill operation of the Telequip Transactus must
be done
manually. To facilitate loading of the Transact 2+ coin canister, Telequip
provides
the TransactcLs (Canister Loading Solution), shown in FIG. 1. To use this
manual
device, one must first remove the clear plastic canister cover by depressing
two tabs
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70 at the bottom and sliding up until the canister handle hangs toward the
back of
the canister. Then, the canister stand 10 is placed on a flat surface and the
canister
20 assembled to the stand by sliding it down onto two rails 60. The canister
loading
device 30 is then attached to the canister by lowering the device onto the
canister,
engaging the top rear of the canister, then pivoting the bottom of the loading
device
inwardly to engage the front of the canister. The canister loading device 30
is then
slid down until it engages the taps at the base of the canister stand.
If the funnel retainer 40 is not already assembled onto the loading device, it
is slid onto the two rails at the top of the loading device. The funnel 50 is
then
attached to the funnel retainer 40 by dropping the funnel onto the retainer
with the
slots aligned. The funnel 50 is then rotated 1/4 turn clockwise, positioned
with the
opening 52 in the front and the "nose" 54 in the back. To manually position
the
funnel over the appropriate denomination, the funnel must be lifted slightly
and slid
until positioned over the appropriate column at which time the funnel is
dropped in
place so that the shoulder 56 of the funnel is flush with the retainer 40. At
this point,
the person performing the filling operation must begin loading coins for that
denomination by slowly pouring coins into the funnel either by hand, cup, or
directly
from the coin bag. They must continue filling until that column is filled to
the
desired height indicated by the calibration strips on the canister. This work
is
tedious, time consuming, and must be repeated for each denomination.
Despite the advances realized by the aforementioned technology, there
remains room for additional improvements to the technology to improve the
speed
with which coin hoppers and coin canisters may be refilled and returned to
service.
Currency processing machines generally have the ability to receive bulk
currency (e.g., currency bills and/or coins) from a user of the machine. Coin
processing modules, for example, are commonly used as coin redemption machines
wherein, after the deposited coins are counted and totaled, a receipt is
issued indicating
the value of the deposited coins. The user may exchange this receipt for the
amount of
deposited coins in the form of currency bills or, optionally, for an amount of
the
deposited coins less a commission charged for use of the coin redemption
machine.
Coin redemption machines are used in banking environments (in patron
accessible areas and in employee-only areas), business environments (e.g.,
armored
transport services, telephone companies, etc.) and retail environments, such
as
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grocery stores. In operation, a user inputs a batch of coins of mixed
denominations
into a hopper of the coin redemption machine. The machine discriminates items
that
are not valid coins, determines the value of the valid deposited coins and
outputs a
receipt indicative of the determined amount. In some embodiments, the receipt
also
indicates a second, lesser amount, which reflects a commission charged for use
of
the machine. The user exchanges the receipt for paper currency for the value
of the
deposited coins less the commission. In a banking environment, a user may
exchange the receipt at a teller's window, whereas, in a retail environment,
the user
can exchange the receipt at a cashier's station or a patron-service station.
In one
example, the coin redemption machine disclosed by Molbak in U.S. Patent
6,976,570, receives a number of unsorted coins, counts the total value of the
valid
coins, and outputs a voucher related to the total amount (i.e., less a
commission
charge for the use of the machine). The user then takes this voucher to a
cashier or
clerk for redemption, following the verification of the authenticity of the
voucher by
the cashier or clerk. Other coin redemption machines, such as that disclosed
in U.S.
Patent
Coin recycling is typically performed by armored car services ("armored
carriers") and, accordingly, there are costs associated with managing retail
cash
drawers and deposits. FIG. 4 depicts a highly simplified illustration of
conventional
coin recycling wherein an armored car carrier 402 sends out an armored vehicle
403 on
a route 404 consisting of a plurality of different businesses #1-n (where n
represents
any number), some of which have disposed therein one or more self-service
machines
SSM #1-#m (where n represents any number) having coin receptacles requiring
pickup.
As shown, reference numeral 406a denotes an area where businesses #1-#4 are in
the
proximity of one another and reference numeral 406b denotes an area where
businesses
#5-#8 are in the proximity of one another. Once the armored car has picked up
all of
the coins from the self-service machines SSM and stores on the route 404, and
dropped
off wrapped or packaged coins according to the requirements of the businesses
#1-#n,
the armored car returns to the armored car carrier 402 and the coins
transported back to
the armored car carrier 402 are processed and repackaged for delivery on
subsequent
routes.
The armored carrier charges a "Deposit Pick Up Charge" for picking up the
store's deposit each day (e.g., $25), including excess notes, coin and checks
and a
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"Change Order Delivery Charge" for dropping off the cash (coin/notes) needed
by
store to fund the day (e.g., $25 per delivery). There are further fees for the
"Currency
Furnished" (e.g., $1.25 per $1000), "Rolled Coin Provided (per roll)" (e.g.,
$.10 per
roll) and a "Deposit Processing Charge" charged by the deposit processor
(armored
carrier or bank) to count and verify the deposit. A separate fee is usually
imposed for
each media type such as notes, coin and checks. Still further there can be
"Per
Deposit" fees (e.g., $1.50 for the deposit) and "Cash Processing" fees (e.g.,
per
$1000)(e.g., $1.25). Yet further, on top of these fees, there is an In-Store-
Labor to
Manage Coin (preparing starting funds, replenishing, counting end of day)
which are
approximately $37.50/day (e.g., average 1.5 hours per day at $25.00/hr).
Yet further, the armored service that comes to pick up coins from a self-
service
machine might not even be the same armored service or driver that is picking
up the
store's deposit for the day. They could be right behind each other in
different trucks,
further increasing the total coin pick-up charge and processing charges.
Likewise, costs associated with managing retail self-service machines of the
types noted above can include armored carrier fees for "Bin Pick Up" (if using
a bin
machine) for picking up the store's coin bins (e.g., $40.00 for one pickup per
week),
a "Bin Processing Charge" charged by the deposit processor (armored carrier or
bank) to count and verify the coin bin (e.g., $35.00 per bin), a "Bag Pick Up
Charge" (if using a bag machine) charged by the armored carrier for picking up
the
store's coin bags (e.g., $40.00 for one pickup per week), and a "Bag
Processing
Charge" charged by the deposit processor (armored carrier or bank) to count
and
verify the coin bags (e.g., $1.00 ¨ 4.00 per bag).
This longstanding manner of coin recycling has proven to be reliable.
Summary
Aspects of the present concepts disclosed herein are generally directed to
coin recycling and coin exchange.
The average cost per year for an average grocery store to manage coin used
in sales transactions is over about $14,000. It is estimated that the systems
and
methods disclosed herein will produce an estimated annual savings of about
$5,800,
cumulatively, in rolled coin charges, labor savings and less frequent bin/bag
pickups
and charges. Yet further, the present concepts also may permit such stores to
utilize
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the systems and methods disclosed herein to realize a profit from servicing
other
local businesses with specialized coin recycling services.
In one aspect, a method of recycling coins includes the acts of processing
mixed coins received at a first business using a coin processing device,
packaging
coins into a deliverable currency package at the first business using a
currency
packaging device and holding the deliverable currency package at the first
business
for pick-up by a requestor requesting the deliverable currency package.
In one aspect, a self-service machine includes a controller, a user interface
comprising a display device, a coin input device configured to receive a batch
of
coins from a user, a coin processing device configured to process the batch of
coins,
at least one coin receptacle disposed in a first secured area of the self-
service
machine and at least one currency recycling device configured to package coins
in a
currency package responsive to an order for a currency package comprising a
specific mix of coins and to output the currency package to a recycled
currency
retrieval area disposed in a second secured area of the self-service machine.
The
coin processing device is configured to discharge processed coins to one of
the at
least one coin receptacle or the at least one currency recycling device. The
controller is configured to generate an access code enabling one-time access
to the
recycled currency retrieval area disposed in the second secured area of the
self-
service machine. The recycled currency retrieval area comprises a lockable
controlled access panel configured to lock at least when the currency package
is
delivered to the recycled currency retrieval area and to unlock only following
receipt
of the access code via the user interface.
In yet another aspect, a self-service system includes a controller and at
least
one self-service machine comprising a user interface, a bulk coin input
device, a
coin processing device configured to process input bulk coins, a coin
receptacle, a
recycled currency retrieval area, and a currency recycling device. The
currency
recycling device is configured to package coins in a currency package
responsive to
an order for a currency package comprising a requested mix of coins and to
output
the currency package to the recycled currency retrieval area. The coin
processing
device is configured to discharge processed coins to the coin receptacle or
the
currency recycling device. The controller is configured to generate an access
code
enabling access to the recycled currency retrieval area and the recycled
currency
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retrieval area lockable controlled-access panel is configured to remain locked
until
receipt of the access code via the user interface.
In another aspect, a method for recycling currency includes an act of
inputting currency into a self-service machine comprising a currency recycler,
the
self-service machine comprising a user interface, a currency input device, a
currency
processing device configured to process the input currency, a currency
receptacle, a
recycled currency retrieval area, and a currency recycling device. The
currency
recycling device is configured to package currency in a currency package
responsive
to an order for a currency package comprising a requested mix of currency and
to
output the currency package to the recycled currency retrieval area. The
currency
processing device is configured to discharge processed currency to the
currency
receptacle or the currency recycling device and the controller is configured
to
prevent access to the recycled currency retrieval area until receipt of
payment for the
currency package.
In another aspect, a method for recycling currency includes inputting
currency into a self-service machine comprising a controller, a coin
processing
device configured to process input coins, at least one coin receptacle, and a
plurality
of secure coin recycling cassettes, each of the plurality of secure coin
recycling
cassettes being associated with a single denomination of coin and discharging
coins
from the coin processing device to a selected one of the plurality of secure
coin
recycling cassettes provided the respective one of the plurality of secure
coin
recycling cassettes has not reached a predetermined limit of coins. The method
for
recycling currency also includes the acts of discharging coins of a particular
denomination from the coin processing device to the at least one coin
receptacle if a
respective one or more of the plurality of secure coin recycling cassettes
corresponding to said particular denomination have reached a predetermined
number
of coins. The method may also include an act of outputting a signal to an
external
system providing status information as to the plurality of secure coin
recycling
cassettes if one or more of the plurality of secure coin recycling cassettes
have
reached a threshold number of coins below the predetermined number of coins or
if
one or more of the plurality of secure coin recycling cassettes have reached
the
predetermined number of coins.
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Attorney Ref: 1306P00ICA0 I
In another aspect, a self-service machine comprises a controller, a user
interface comprising a display device, and one or more removable secure coin
recycling cassettes, each of the removable secure coin recycling cassettes
being
configured to both receive and dispense coins and comprising at least one
communication device configured to transmit signals providing status
information
on the removable secure coin recycling cassette when the removable secure coin
recycling cassette is removed from the self-service machine. The self-service
machine also includes one or more coin receptacles and a coin processing
device
configured to process a batch of loose coins input into a coin input area of
the self-
service machine and to selectively output the processed coins to one or more
of one
or more coin receptacles, one or more secure coin recycling cassettes, or a
cash till
receiving area.
In another aspect, this document discloses a method of recycling coins using
a self-service machine, the method comprising the self-service machine:
receiving,
at the self-service machine comprising a coin processing device, a currency
packaging device and at least one input device, a request for a deliverable
coin
package comprising a user-defined set of currency, the user-defined set of
currency
comprising coins of a plurality of coin denominations; receiving payment for
the
user-defined set of currency requested in the deliverable coin package;
packaging
the coins defined in the user-defined set of currency into the deliverable
coin
package following the receipt of payment for the deliverable coin package;
delivering the deliverable coin package from the currency packaging device to
a
designated secure recycled currency retrieval area in the self-service
machine;
providing a unique access code to permit one-time access to only the
designated
secure recycled currency retrieval area; and holding the deliverable currency
package in the designated secure recycled currency retrieval area of the self-
service
machine for pick-up via receipt of the unique access code by the at least one
input
device.
In another aspect, this document discloses a self-service machine
comprising: a controller; a user interface comprising a display device; a
currency
recycling device configured to package coins of a plurality of denominations
in a
currency package responsive to an order for the currency package comprising a
requested mix of coins of a plurality of denominations and to output the
currency
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package containing the coins of a plurality of denominations to a secure
recycled
currency retrieval area; wherein the controller is configured to provide a
unique
access code to permit one-time access to the secure recycled currency
retrieval area,
wherein the secure recycled currency retrieval area comprises a lockable
controlled-
access panel, disposed in a second secured area of the self-service machine,
wherein
the lockable controlled-access panel of the recycled currency retrieval area
is
configured to unlock only following receipt of the unique access code via the
user
interface, wherein the self-service machine is configured to require receipt
of
payment for the order for the currency package contemporaneously with one of:
the
order of the currency package, and with retrieval of the currency package from
the
recycled currency retrieval area, and wherein the payment for the order for
the
currency package is at least as great as a value of the requested mix of coins
ordered.
In another aspect, this document discloses a self-service system comprising:
a controller; and at least one self-service machine comprising a user
interface, a coin
processing device configured to process input coins, at least one coin
receptacle, a
secure recycled currency retrieval area, and a currency recycling device,
wherein the
currency recycling device is configured to package coins of a plurality of
denominations in a currency package responsive to an order for the currency
package comprising a requested mix of coins of a plurality of denominations
and to
output the currency package to the secure recycled currency retrieval area,
wherein
the coin processing device is configured to discharge processed coins to one
of: the
at least one coin receptacle and the currency recycling device, wherein the
self-
service system is configured to require receipt of payment for the order at
least prior
to retrieval of the order from the recycled currency retrieval area, wherein
the
controller is configured to discharge the currency package to a designated
secure
recycled currency retrieval area following receipt of payment for the order,
wherein
the controller is configured to output, responsive to the receipt of payment
for the
order, a unique access code to permit one-time access to only the designated
secure
recycled currency retrieval area, wherein the designated secure recycled
currency
retrieval area comprises a lockable controlled-access panel, wherein the
lockable
controlled-access panel of the designated secure recycled currency retrieval
area is
configured to remain locked until receipt of the unique access code via the
user
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interface, wherein the payment for the order is at least as great as a value
of the
requested mix of coins ordered.
In another aspect, this document discloses a self-service machine
comprising: a controller; a user interface comprising a display device; at
least one
removable coin recycling cassette, each of the at least one removable coin
recycling
cassettes being configured to both receive and dispense coins and comprising
at least
one communication device configured to transmit signals providing status
information on the at least one removable coin recycling cassette when the at
least
one removable coin recycling cassette is removed from the self-service
machine; at
least one coin receptacle, and a coin processing device configured to process
a batch
of loose coins input into a coin input area of the self-service machine and to
selectively output the processed coins to at least one coin recycling cassette
disposed
behind a first lockable controlled-access panel, wherein, responsive to an
order for a
specified mix of coins of a plurality of denominations input via one of: the
user
interface and another user interface, and an accounting for the order of the
specified
mix of coins of a plurality of denominations in an amount equal to a value of
the
specific mix of coins of a plurality of denominations, the self-service
machine
outputs to a first removable coin recycling cassette, located in a first
secured area of
the self-service machine behind the first lockable controlled-access panel, a
number
and denomination of coins necessary to provide the ordered specific mix of
coins of
a plurality of denominations in the removable coin recycling cassette, and
wherein,
responsive to the accounting for the order of the specified mix of coins, the
self-
service machine outputs to one of: the user interface and the another user
interface, a
code to permit unlocking of the first lockable controlled-access panel and to
permit
access to the first removable coin recycling cassette.
In another aspect, this document discloses a method of recycling coins using
a self-service machine comprising a plurality of secured recycled currency
retrieval
areas, the method comprising the self-service machine: receiving, at the self-
service
machine comprising a coin processing device, a coin packaging device and at
least
one input device, a request for a deliverable coin package comprising a
specific mix
of coins; packaging the specific mix of coins into the deliverable coin
package;
storing the deliverable coin package in a locked, designated one of the
plurality of
secure recycled currency retrieval areas in the self-service machine;
providing a
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unique access code to permit one-time access to only the locked, designated
one of
the plurality of secure recycled currency retrieval areas; holding the
deliverable
currency package in the locked, designated one of the plurality of secure
recycled
currency retrieval areas of the self-service machine for pick-up via receipt
of the
unique access code by the at least one input device; and unlocking the locked,
designated one of the plurality of secure recycled currency retrieval areas of
the self-
service machine for pick-up in response to receipt of the unique access code
by the
at least one input device.
In another aspect, this document discloses a self-service machine
comprising: a controller; a user interface comprising a display device; a
currency
recycling device configured to package coins in a coin package responsive to
an
order for the coin package comprising a specific mix of coins and to store the
coin
package in a secure recycled currency retrieval area; and wherein the
controller is
configured to provide a unique access code to permit one-time access to the
secure
recycled currency retrieval area, wherein the secure recycled currency
retrieval area
comprises a lockable controlled-access panel, disposed in a second secured
area of
the self-service machine, wherein the lockable controlled-access panel is
configured
to unlock only following receipt of the unique access code via the user
interface.
In another aspect, this document discloses a self-service system comprising:
a controller; and at least one self-service machine comprising a user
interface, a coin
processing device configured to process input coins, at least one coin
receptacle, a
secure recycled currency retrieval area, and a currency recycling device;
wherein the
currency recycling device is configured to package coins in a coin package
responsive to an order for the coin package comprising a requested mix of
coins and
to store the coin package in the secure recycled currency retrieval area,
wherein the
coin processing device is configured to discharge processed coins to the
currency
recycling device; wherein the self-service system is configured to require
receipt of
a unique access code associated with the order prior to retrieval of the coin
package
from the secure recycled currency retrieval area, wherein the controller is
configured
to output the unique access code to permit one-time access to only a
designated
secure recycled currency retrieval area, wherein the designated secure
recycled
currency retrieval area comprises a lockable controlled-access panel, wherein
the
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lockable controlled-access panel is configured to remain locked until receipt
of the
unique access code via the user interface.
In another aspect this document discloses a self-service machine comprising:
a controller; a user interface comprising a display device; a currency
recycling
device configured to package coins in a currency package responsive to an
order for
the currency package comprising a requested mix of coins and to output the
currency
package to a recycled currency retrieval area; and a coin processing device
configured to process a batch of loose coins input into a coin input area of
the self-
service machine and to selectively output processed coins to at least one of:
at least
one coin receptacle in a first secured area of the self-service machine, at
least one
secure coin recycling cassette, and the currency recycling device; and wherein
the
recycled currency retrieval area comprises a lockable controlled-access panel,
disposed in a second secured area of the self-service machine, wherein the
lockable
controlled-access panel is one of: automatically locked, and locked by the
controller,
at least prior to the output of the currency package to the recycled currency
retrieval
area, wherein the controller is configured to output to one of: the display
device and
another user interface, a unique access code to permit one-time unlocking of
the
lockable controlled-access panel access to the recycled currency retrieval
area in the
second secured area of the self-service machine; and wherein the lockable
controlled-access panel is configured to unlock following receipt of the
unique
access code.
In another aspect, this document discloses a self-service system comprising:
a controller; at least one self-service machine comprising a user interface, a
coin
processing device configured to process input coins, at least one coin
receptacle, a
recycled currency retrieval area, and a currency recycling device; and wherein
the
currency recycling device is configured to package coins in a currency package
responsive to an order for the currency package comprising a requested mix of
coins
and to output the currency package to the recycled currency retrieval area,
wherein
the recycled currency retrieval area comprises a lockable controlled-access
panel,
wherein the coin processing device is configured to discharge processed coins
to one
of: the at least one coin receptacle and the currency recycling device,
wherein the
controller is configured to generate an access code enabling access to the
recycled
currency retrieval area following receipt of the order for the currency
package,
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wherein the lockable controlled-access panel is configured to remain locked
until
receipt of the access code.
In another aspect, this document discloses a self-service machine
comprising: a controller; a user interface comprising a display device; at
least one
removable coin recycling cassette, each of the at least one removable coin
recycling
cassette being configured to both receive and dispense coins and comprising at
least
one communication device configured to transmit signals providing status
information on the at least one removable coin recycling cassette when the at
least
one removable coin recycling cassette is removed from the self-service
machine;
at least one coin receptacle, a coin processing device configured to process a
batch
of loose coins input into a coin input area of the self-service machine and to
selectively output the processed coins to at least one of the at least one
coin
receptacle, at least one coin recycling cassette disposed behind a
respectively
plurality of lockable controlled-access panels in at least one of: secured
area of the
self-service machine, and a cash till receiving area; and wherein, responsive
to an
order for a requested mix of coins input via one of: the user interface and
another
user interface, the self-service machine outputs to a first removable coin
recycling
cassette, located in a first secured area of the self-service machine behind a
first
lockable controlled-access panel, a number and denomination of coins necessary
to
provide the requested mix of coins in the removable coin recycling cassette,
and
wherein the self-service machine outputs to one of: the user interface, and
the
another user interface, a code to permit unlocking of the first lockable
controlled-
access panel and to permit access to the first removable coin recycling
cassette.
In another aspect, this document discloses a self-service coin packaging
machine comprising: a controller; a coin recycling device configured to
package
coins in one of: a sealed and a secure currency package responsive to an order
for
the currency package comprising a requested mix of coins and to output the
currency
package to a recycled currency retrieval area; wherein the recycled currency
retrieval area comprises a lockable controlled-access panel, disposed in a
secured
area of the self-service machine, wherein the lockable controlled-access panel
is one
of: automatically locked and locked by the controller, at least prior to the
output of
the currency package to the recycled currency retrieval area, wherein the
controller
is configured to output a unique access code to permit one-time unlocking of
the
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lockable controlled-access panel access to the recycled currency retrieval
area in the
secured area of the self-service machine.
In another aspect, this document discloses a method of operating a self-
service machine comprising a controller, a user interface including a display
device,
a currency recycling device, a coin input area, a coin processing device, at
least one
secure coin recycling cassette and a first secured area including at least one
coin
receptacle, a recycled currency retrieval area comprising a lockable
controlled-
access panel disposed in a second secure area of the self-service machine, the
method comprising: in response to an order for a currency package comprising a
specific mix of coins, packaging coins into the currency package using the
currency
recycling device; outputting the currency package to the recycled currency
retrieval
area; processing a batch of loose coins input into the coin input area and
selectively
outputting the processed coins to at least one of: the at least one coin
receptacle in
the first secured area of the self-service machine, at least one of the secure
coin
recycling cassette, and the currency recycling device; generating an access
code
enabling access to the recycled currency retrieval area responsive to the
order for the
currency package; and unlocking the lockable controlled-access panel following
receipt of the access code via the user interface.
In another aspect, this document discloses a self-service machine
comprising: a controller; a user interface comprising a display device; a
currency
recycling device configured to package coins in a currency package responsive
to an
order for the currency package comprising a specific mix of coins and to
output the
currency package to a recycled currency retrieval area; and a coin processing
device
configured to process a batch of loose coins input into a coin input area of
the self-
service machine and to selectively output the processed coins to at least one
of: at
least one coin receptacle in a first secured area of the self-service machine,
at least
one secure coin recycling cassette, and the currency recycling device; wherein
the
recycled currency retrieval area comprises a lockable controlled-access panel,
disposed in a second secured area of the self-service machine; wherein the
controller is configured to generate an access code enabling access to the
recycled
currency retrieval area responsive to the order for the currency package;
wherein the
lockable controlled-access panel is configured to unlock only following
receipt of
the access code via the user interface.
7f
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The above summary of the present invention is not intended to represent
each embodiment, or every aspect, of the present invention. Additional
features and
benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed
description,
figures, and claims set forth below.
Additional advantages of the present concepts will become readily apparent
to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein
only
preferred aspects of the present concepts are shown and described, simply by
way of
illustration. As will be realized, the present invention is capable of other
and
different embodiments, and its details are capable of modifications in various
obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosed concepts.
Accordingly,
the drawings and description are to be regarded as merely illustrative in
nature, and
are not to be regarded as limiting or restrictive on the broad aspects of the
disclosure.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The invention will be described in conjunction with the following drawings
in which like reference numerals designate like elements and wherein:
FIG. 1 depicts a conventional coin dispenser, the Telequip Transaetcts.
FIGS. 2(a)-(d) show front, top, cross-sectional, and side views, respectively,
of one system for automated refill of a coin tray in accord with the present
disclosure.
7g
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Attorney Ref: 1057P021CA01
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram illustrates one aspect of a system for
automated refill of a coin tray in accord with the present disclosure.
FIG. 4 is a representation of a prior art system for recycling of coins from
self-service machines.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a self-service machine comprising a coin
recycler in accord with at least some aspects of the present concepts.
FIG. 6 shows an example of a coin processing device utilizable in accord
with at least some aspects of the present concepts.
FIG. 7 shows an example of a coin processing device stationary sorting head
utilizable in accord with at least some aspects of the present concepts.
FIG. 8 illustrates a self-service machine comprising a coin recycler
communicatively coupled to a plurality of remote devices or nodes in accord
with at
least some aspects of the present concepts.
FIG. 9 is a representation of a system for recycling of coins from self-
service
machines in accord with at least some aspects of the present concepts.
FIG. 10 illustrates another self-service machine in accord with at least some
aspects of the present concepts.
FIG. 11 illustrates yet another self-service machine embodiment in accord
with at least some aspects of the present concepts.
FIG. 12 illustrates yet another self-service machine embodiment in accord
with at least some aspects of the present concepts.
FIG. 13 illustrates yet another self-service machine embodiment in accord
with at least some aspects of the present concepts wherein a secure coin
recycling
cassette is removed from the self-service machine.
FIG. 14 illustrates movement of a secure coin recycling cassette from a self-
service machine and to other machines in accord with at least some aspects of
the
present concepts.
FIG. 15 illustrates yet another self-service machine embodiment in accord
with at least some aspects of the present concepts.
FIG. 16 illustrates another example of movement of a secure coin recycling
cassette from a self-service machine to another machine in accord with at
least some
aspects of the present concepts.
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FIG. 17 illustrates an example of a coin recycling machine utilizing secure
coin recycling cassettes in accord with at least some aspects of the present
concepts.
FIG. 18 illustrates another example of a coin recycling machine utilizing
secure coin recycling cassettes in accord with at least some aspects of the
present
concepts.
FIG. 19 illustrates an example of a cash till machine utilizing secure coin
recycling cassettes in accord with at least some aspects of the present
concepts.
FIGS. 20A-20B illustrate examples of cash till machines utilizing secure coin
recycling cassettes in accord with at least some aspects of the present
concepts.
FIGS. 21A-21B illustrate additional examples of cash till machines utilizing
secure coin recycling cassettes in accord with at least some aspects of the
present
concepts.
FIGS. 22A-22B illustrate an example of a self-service machine comprising a
cash till dispenser in accord with at least some aspects of the present
concepts.
FIG. 23A illustrates an example of a self-service machine utilizing secure
coin recycling cassettes in accord with at least some aspects of the present
concepts
and movement of the secure coin recycling cassettes from the self-service
machine
to another machine in accord with at least some aspects of the present
concepts.
FIG. 23B illustrates an example of a cash till machine filling secure coin
recycling cassettes in accord with at least some aspects of the present
concepts.
FIG. 23C illustrates another example of a cash till machine filling secure
coin recycling cassettes in accord with at least some aspects of the present
concepts.
FIG. 24 illustrates an example of a self-service machine utilizing a coin
recycling machine in accord with at least some aspects of the present
concepts.
FIG. 25 illustrates an example of a coin recycling machine comprising a coin
processing device in accord with at least some aspects of the present
concepts.
FIGS. 26A-26B illustrate examples of a coin recycling machine utilizing
secure coin recycling cassettes in accord with at least some aspects of the
present
concepts.
The appended drawings are not to scale are merely intended to convey a
general sense of interrelation between components and systems.
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Detailed Description
The systems and subsystems defined below explore one approach to the
development of an Automated Coin Tray Refill Device in accord with the present
concepts. They are not intended to define the variety of possible solutions,
but are
merely exemplary of one preferred implementation of the disclosed concepts.
The
systems presented herein are intended to convey, to those skilled in the art,
an
appropriate level of detail to illustrate some of the possible functions
involved and
how they relate to the machine as a whole sufficient to enable them to make
and/or
use the concepts disclosed herein without undue experimentation.
FIGS. 2(a)-2(d) shows an example of an automated coin tray refill device or
coin dispenser 100 in accord with the present concepts directed to an
automated
method of filling coin trays, cassettes, hoppers, bags, and canisters.
Although the
example of FIGS. 2(a)-2(d) depicts a coin dispenser 100 configured for use
with the
Telequip 2+ coin tray, the concepts herein are not limited to any one coin
tray,
cassette, canister, or bag.
The coin dispenser 100 generally comprises supports for individual coin
dispensers 120a-120d and reservoirs 110a-110d and defines a housing to enclose
components such as a power supply 230 and computer or processor 210. In one
aspect, the power supply 230 and computer 210 could be external to the coin
dispenser 100 and could be connected thereto using conventional electrical I/O
connectors. A coin collector system is fed by the coin dispensers 120a-120d
and
outputs the coins input therein to a interface module 160 for output into a
coin tray
inserted into the coin dispenser 100, whether directly or through a coin
interface tray
or module 170. The interface module 160 and/or the coin interface tray 170 may
be
configured to translate, move, or rotate relative to one another to facilitate
interface
therebetween.
Power supply 230 is configured to interface with an available AC power
supply and is configured to provide rated DC power to system components which
may include, but are not limited to, interface module 160 actuators, sensors
or drive
systems, coin tray 150 actuators, sensors or drive systems, coin interface
tray 170
actuators, sensors or drive systems, coin reader 180 actuators, sensors or
drive
systems, coin dispenser 120(a)-120(d) actuation devices or sensors, coin
collector
point distribution system 130 actuators, sensors or drive systems, display
190,
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computer or processor 210, and any attached memory devices (e.g., solid state
memory, disk drive, CD-ROM drive, DVD-Drive, etc.) Computer 210 also includes
a main memory, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage
device, coupled to bus for storing information and instructions to be executed
by a
processor. The main memory also may be used for storing temporary variables or
other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed
by the
processor. Computer 210 further includes a read only memory (ROM) or other
static storage device coupled to the bus for storing static information and
instructions for the processor. A storage device, such as a magnetic disk or
optical
disk, is preferably provided and coupled to bus for storing information and
instructions.
Execution of sequences of instructions contained in main memory causes the
processor or processors, if more than one is provided, to perform the actions
described herein. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry or firmware
may
be used in place of or in combination with software instructions and it is to
be
understood that no specific combination of hardware circuitry, firmware, and
software are required. Instructions may be provided in any number of forms
such as
source code, assembly code, object code, machine language, compressed or
encrypted versions of the foregoing, and any and all equivalents thereof.
"Computer-readable medium" refers to any medium that participates in providing
instructions to the processor for execution and the term computer usable
medium
may be referred to as "bearing" the instructions, which encompass all ways in
which
instructions arc associated with a computer usable medium. Computer-readable
mediums include, but are not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media,
and
transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical or
magnetic
disks,. Volatile media include dynamic memory, such as main memory.
Transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics,
including
the wires that comprise bus 102. Transmission media can also take the form of
acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio frequency (RF)
and
infrared (IR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readable media
include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic
tape, any
other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards,
paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM,
and
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EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as
described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can read.
Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one
or more sequences of one or more instructions to processor for execution. For
example, the instructions may initially be borne on a magnetic disk of a
remote
computer, which can transmit instructions to computer 210 over a telephone
line
using a modem or through a cable line or wireless signal. Computer 210 may
also
include a communication interface coupled to the bus to provide a two-way data
communication coupling to a network link connected to a local network. For
example, the communication interface may be an integrated services digital
network
(ISDN) card or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a
corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, the communication
interface may be a local area network (LAN) connection to provide a data
communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links (e.g., RF or
infrared) may also be implemented. In any such implementation, communication
interface sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals
that carry
digital data streams representing various types of information.
The network link typically provides data communication through one or
more networks to other data devices. For example, the network link may provide
a
connection through local network to a host computer or to data equipment
operated
by an Internet Service Provider (ISP), which in turn provides data
communication
services through the worldwide packet data communication network, commonly
referred to as the "Internet". The local network and Internet both use
electrical,
electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. The
signals
through the various networks and the signals on network link and through
communication interface, which carry the digital data to and from computer
210, are
exemplary forms of carrier waves transporting the information.
Reservoirs 110a-110d each provide storage for a particular coin
denomination and interior baffles may optionally be provided to reduce the
direct
weight of coins on a dispenser by supporting a portion of the load using
angled
plates. It is intended that the reservoirs 110a-110d provide an unobstructed
gravity
feed to the dispenser (e.g., dispensers 120a-120d), although a mechanical or
assisted
feed may also be provided in accord with the present concepts. Such mechanical
or
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assisted feed may include, for example, one or more transducers or vibrating
members configured to impart a vibration within the dispenser, or a movable
member. Dispensers 120a-120d are designed to dispense a specific coin count
(e.g.,
72 coins) of a specific coin denomination (e.g, 10, 50, 100, 250) for a
specified
currency (e.g., coins minted by the United States Mint) upon receipt of an
appropriate control signal from an associated controller or logic board and
power
board interface. In one aspect, the reservoirs are filled with a respective
currency
from an appropriate source such as, but not limited to Full Federal Bags, Half-
Full
Federal Bags, 19" through 12" coin bags, or coin sorter output bins. In an
optional
configuration, the reservoirs 110a-110d (or additional or fewer reservoirs, as
needed) may be connected to an output of a conventional currency processing
machine such as, but not limited to, the JetSort manufactured by Cummins-
Allison
of Mt. Prospect, IL, for direct deposit of sorted mixed coins into an
appropriate one
of the reservoirs 110a-100d, or additional reservoirs as may be the case. It
is to be
understood that the reservoirs 110a-110d, dispensers 120a-120d, collector
point
distribution 130, interface module tray 140, and all other systems and
components
herein described are applicable to all currencies and denominations of the
United
States and of other nations, states, republics and entities.
FIG. 2(d) shows a power supply 230 and conventional computer/processor
210, which power and regulate or control, respectively, the operation of
dispensers
120a-120d. The
dispensers 120a-120d are configured to dispense (e.g.,
sequentially), upon receipt of a control signal from computer 210, a
predetermined
number of coins of a respective denomination to a collection point
distribution 130
by means of a gravity and/or mechanical feed such as, but not limited to, a
computer
controlled gate (not shown) or controlled feed mechanism. The number of coins
may, for example, correspond to a difference between a measured stack height
and a
maximum stack height for a designated coin tray, cassette, hopper, or
canister, the
maximum stack height being stored in and retrieved from a conventional memory
device.
In one aspect, a rotating disk could be disposed at a bottom of the dispensers
120a-120d to singulate and move coins at the bottom of the dispensers to a
coin
transport channel having one or more coin transport belts, such as described
in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 4,058,999 and 4,949,532. In another aspect, a device to output a
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predetermined number of coins of a respective denomination to a collection
point
distribution 130 could include, for example, a rotating drum having pockets
for
receiving individual coins dispersed thereover in a helical pattern to permit
transport
of a predetermined number of coins for a specified degree of rotation. Still
other
coin moving devices could include, but are in no means limited to, a worm gear
disposed within a tube.
Although the reservoirs 110a-110d and dispensers 120a-120d are shown in a
quad or 2x2 arrangement, the reservoirs and dispensers may also be arranged in
any
order and/or manner including, but not limited to, sequentially, laterally or
vertically, staggered, stepped or in an arcuate path, in accord with the
present
concepts.
In one aspect, the dispensers 120a-120d may optionally be configured to
hold one or more boluses or predetermined numbers of coins corresponding to a
full
complement of coins (or fraction thereof) for a designated coin tray,
cassette,
hopper, bag, and canister. For example, if a coin tray typically or
exclusively used
by an end-user holds a maximum of 100 quarters, the dispenser (e.g., 120a)
could
comprise one or more sections each adapted to hold 10, 20, 50, or 100 quarters
in a
pre-measured bolus. When a new (i.e., empty) dispenser tray 150 is inserted in-
place adjacent the interface module, the dispenser could output the bolus(es)
to
cause a sequential filling of the coin channel(s) in the dispenser tray. The
interface
module 160 may optionally be configured to accept and route a parallel rather
than a
serial output from the dispensers 120a-d. In such aspect, a plurality of
boluses of
measured numbers of coins could be simultaneously directed through an
interface
module 160 have a plurality of coin paths or channels to a corresponding
plurality of
coin channels in a dispenser tray 150. Such pre-sorted during a system "down-
time"
permits faster filling. As to the fractional filling aspect, noted above, the
computer
210 regulating the filling operation can, for example, instruct release of a
predetermined combination of boluses (e.g., 3 x 20 quarters or lx10 quarters
and lx
50 quarters to get 60 quarters) once the requirements for a particular
denomination
are known (e.g., 67 quarters) and then instruct the appropriate dispenser
(e.g.,
120(d)) to output an additional small number of coins (e.g., 7 quarters) to
complete
the requirements.
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The collection point distribution 130 collects any of a variety of coins from
any of a series of coin dispensers (e.g., dispensers 120a-120d) and provides a
point
of distribution for filling a coin channel or coin channels in a dispenser
tray 150
through an associated interface module 160. The collection point distribution
130,
depicted as a chute or ramp in the illustrated example, may comprise any other
conventional means of coin conveyance including, but not limited to rails,
conveyor
belts, moving platforms, rotating screws, guides, etcetera. The collection
point
distribution 130 may also be configured to vibrate to facilitate movement of
coins
thereover or therethrough. The interface module 160 may take any shape
suitable to
pass coins to a coin channel in a dispenser tray 150. The exemplary interface
module 160 shown in FIGS 2(a)-2(d) assumes a funnel-shape, but is not limited
to
such shape or closed surfaces. As used herein, the term funnel may include any
body having one or more opposing, adjacent, and/or contiguous surfaces that
converge toward one another over at least a portion of a length thereof so as
to guide
coins passing thereover to an opening common to the surfaces. The bottom
opening
of the interface module 160 may be circular, or may advantageously be oblong
or
flattened along one axis to force coins to pass vertically or substantially
vertically
therethrough.
In at least some embodiments, the bottom opening of the interface module
160 may comprise a vectored nozzle comprising opposing curved or flat plate
portions that may be tilted toward or away from each other to regulate a
distance
between or may be pivoted substantially in unison to impart a desired exit
angle to a
coin passed thcrethrough. The geometry of the interface module 160 vectored
nozzle is advantageously controlled by the computer 210 to correspond to a
selected
coin tray, cassette, hopper, bag, and canister, a desired throughput, a
selected coin
denomination, and selected other control inputs (e.g., programmed variations
or
limitations based on historical experience). The movement of the vectored
nozzle
may be achieved by any conventional actuator, solenoid, linear variable
displacement transducer, or gear set, preferably self-locking, having a
minimal size
and cost. Output torque and speed are not significant factors, as the minimal
amount
of movement required could be effected prior to release of coins to the
interface
module 160.
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The output of the interface module 160 may also be advantageously
configured to impart a spin in a preferred direction to the coins output
thereby, such
as by passing the coin across an opening having one or more rotating rollers
biased
into contact with the coin periphery. The spin and increased angular momentum
may help coins striking a stack edgewise to deflect toward a more horizontal
position. The spin may also be achieved using a stationary member, which may
be
rigid, or may be flexible, such as a brush or bristles, to impart a bias to a
preferred
portion of a coin contacting such member. The stationary members could be
provided in the interface module 160 itself and/or in or on the collector
point
distribution member.
In another aspect, a module cover (not shown) or adapter could be attached
or removably attached to the coin tray 150 (e.g., coin tray, cassette,
canister, tube,
paper roll, etcetera) to facilitate placement of coins into the coin tray. In
one aspect
thereof, the module cover could cover the front of the coin tray and complete
the
cylinder geometry of the coin tray, if necessary, to facilitate the coin
filling
operation. The module cover could assume any configuration to guide coins from
the interface module 160 to the top part of the coin tray 150 and into the
individual
denomination stacks. In another aspect, the module cover or adapter could be
attached or removably attached to the interface module 160 to facilitate
placement of
coins into the coin tray, such as by extending the length and/or configuration
of the
funnel output. The module cover interfaces with one or more particular design
of
coin trays 150 and serves to facilitate movement of the coins to a
predetermined
location and/or serves to guide the coins in a manner which facilitates output
of the
coins in a substantially predetermined orientation.
In one aspect thereof, the physical configuration or geometry of the module
cover could direct the coin to a specific orientation by supporting the coin
at
particular point(s) to enable external forces (resiliency of a resilient
member,
gravity, air pressure, friction, rotational forces imparted by rollers, forces
of external
objects such as brushes, etc.) to direct the coin into a particular
orientation. This
could include, for example, ramps, rails or wireforms. The application of
external
forces to achieve a desired orientation of coin may include, for example,
opposing
brushes defining a gap therebetween through which coins may pass. An
additional
brush could be provided along an axis perpendicular to the opposing brushes so
as to
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constrain a coin passing therethrough to lay flat against a surface opposed to
the
additional brush (e.g., a slide or ramp). Such brushes, although noted in
regard to
the interface module 160 and the module cover (not shown), could be provided
at
any point in the system (e.g., dispenser output, collection point distribution
130, etc.)
to control or influence the orientation of the coins.
In still another aspect, at least one of the module cover (not shown), coin
tray
or dispenser tray 150, and/or coin interface tray 170, may comprise one or
more
transducers, actuators, piezoelectric elements, or the like outputting an
impulse
and/or vibration so as to avoid stacking of coins within the dispenser tray
150 and/or
to dislodge coins misaligned within the dispenser tray. Alternatively, one or
more
transducers, actuators, piezoelectric elements, or the like outputting an
impulse
and/or vibration may be provided adjacent the dispenser tray 150, module
cover,
and/or coin interface tray 170 to the same end. In yet another aspect, a
pneumatic
nozzle or pneumatic output device(s) may be coupled to a pneumatic supply and
positioned (e.g., statically or movable along one or more axes) adjacent an
opening
or openings in the dispenser tray to blow a stream or pulse of high pressure
air to
dislodge or reorient misaligned coins.
In accord with the above, interface module 160 may be configured to provide
a specific orientation of a coin during the placement of coin in the tray,
cassette,
hopper or canister.
In one aspect, the collection point distribution 130 is fixed and the
interface
module 160 translates relative thereto to dispose the output opening or spout
of the
interface module 160 in an appropriate position and/or orientation to output
the
selected denomination of coin into the proper dispenser tray 150 coin channel.
This
translation of the interface module 160 may be accomplished using any
conventional
drive mechanism including, but not limited to, a belt drive or a stepper
motor. In
this configuration, such as shown in FIGS. 2(a)-2(d), the base or top portion
of the
interface module 160 should be wide enough so that at either lateral extreme
(i.e.,
left or right limit) of the interface module travel, the opening of the
interface module
is still positioned beneath the output of the collection point distribution
130 to
receive coin therefrom. Thus, the dispensers 120a-120d collectively feed into
a
collector point distribution 130 where they are passed to interface module
160,
which is configured to interface with at least one dispensing tray canister or
cassette
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150 for a given manufacturer, brand, and model number. It is preferred that
the
discharge opening of interface module 160 be configured to interface with more
than
one dispensing tray canister or cassette 150 for a given manufacturer, brand,
and
model number or, still more preferably, a range of dispensing tray canisters
or
cassettes for a number of given manufacturers, brands, and models.
In an alternate configuration, the collection point distribution 130 may
itself
translate laterally relative to the coin dispenser structure. This translation
of the
collection point distribution 130 may be accomplished using any conventional
drive
mechanism including, but not limited to, a belt drive or a stepper motor. The
collection point distribution 130 may travel as a unit with the interface
module 160
or may translate separately therefrom. In still another configuration, the
base or rear
of the collection point distribution 130 may rotate through a predetermined
arc about
a pivot point with the interface module 160 traveling an associated chord of
the arc
under the power of an appropriate conventional rotational drive system, such
as a
motor with an optional gear system or gear set. In this aspect, the depth of
the
interface module 160 should accommodate the varying extent of the collection
point
distribution 130 within the opening to the interface module 160. In additional
configurations, the collection point distribution 130 may itself comprise a
plurality
of separate paths utilizing either conventional gravity or mechanical feed
mechanisms to output coins to the interface module 160. In any of the above
aspects, the tray 150, canister, or cassette may also be configured to
translate, rotate,
pivot, move, and/or vibrate relative to the collection point distribution 130
or
interface module 160 to speed or facilitate the filling operation.
In yet another configuration, the collection point distribution 130 may
comprise a plurality of separate paths utilizing either conventional gravity
or
mechanical feed mechanisms to output coins to an equal plurality of interface
modules 160. In this latter aspect, each denomination of coin could have a
separate
reservoir, dispenser, collection point distribution and interface module 160,
or each
of these components may be integrated into one or more units having the same
functions. The components could therefore be made stationary, which eliminates
the
need to include moving parts, motors, belts, separate actuators and the like
and
reduces system cost and maintenance. Each interface module 160 therein could
be
optionally manually movable along an x-axis, y-axis, and/or z-axis or any
other
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defined axis or axes to accommodate trays, canisters, or cassettes of
different
configurations and sizes to enable the system to flexibly adapt to any Such
tray,
canister, or cassette in the market or the majority thereof.
The coin interface tray 170 is a modular coin cassette which may be
advantageously adapted to receive a specific tray brand and model number
(e.g., a
Telequip 2+ coin tray). In many instances, an end user will use a single type
of coin
dispenser and associated canister, cassette, or tray in multiple check-out
locations
and will need coin interface tray 170 for such specific canister, cassette, or
tray.
Thus, in one embodiment, the coin dispenser 100 can be pre-configured to
correspond to a particular tray brand and model number, but could later be
mechanically adjusted or adapted to receive another tray brand and/or model
number, whether by manipulation of components in the automated coin dispenser
100 (e.g., repositioning movable rails or replacing interchangeable rails with
new
rails), alteration of the angle of the coin interface tray 170 relative to the
housing, or
by purchase of a replacement coin interface tray 170. Regarding the alteration
of the
angle of the coin interface tray 170 relative to the housing, the coin
interface tray
may be optionally arranged to assume any one angle in a predetermined range of
angles, which may be positive, neutral, or negative with respect to the
interface
module 160 output. FIGS 2(a)-2(d) show that the coin interface tray 170 is
positioned with a slight positive angle relative to the interface module 160
output.
In an embodiment wherein the coin interface tray 170 is configured to accept a
coin
tray of a predetermined make and model, coin channel information, such as the
home position (coin denomination center position), maximum coin count per
position, denomination sequence for successive coin channels, number of coin
channels, etcetera, is known.
The automated coin dispenser 100 may be configured to not only rotate
and/or pivot the coin interface tray 170 to adjust an angle thereof with
respect to the
vertical or other defined reference axis, but may also be configured to
translate the
coin interface tray laterally (e.g., along a x-axis), vertically (e.g., along
a y-axis),
and/or along any other defined axis or axes by means of a drive system 200,
which
may comprise a single drive system or a plurality of drive systems. This
translation
along one or more axes may be manual, wherein an operator inserting a coin
tray
150 to be filled adjusts the lateral and/or vertical position of the coin
interface tray
19
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170 and coin tray 150, if necessary, to an appropriate position under the
interface
module 160. This translation along one or more axes may* also be automated,
wherein a drive system 200, such as one or more actuators or a belt drive
adjusts,
under instruction from the computer or processor 210, the lateral and/or
vertical
position (and/or along any other defined axis or axes) of the coin interface
tray 170
and coin tray 150, if necessary, to a designated position under the interface
module
160. As noted above, the computer or processor 210 may be "informed" of the
particular coin tray 150 disposed for filling within the automated coin
dispenser 100
by operator data entry using a conventional data entry device. In still
another aspect,
the automated coin dispenser 100 may comprise a vibrator (not shown) or
actuator to
vibrate or shake the coin interface tray 170 at one or more pre-selected
frequencies
and/or amplitudes or to cycle the coin interface tray through a range of
selected
frequencies and/or amplitudes to facilitate jogging of coins that are
improperly
disposed within the coin tray 150 into a preferred orientation.
In another aspect, the coin interface tray 170 may comprise "N" separate
conductor surfaces, features (e.g., cavities/protrusions), or components
defining
switches. Each switch defines an information state, "on" or "off." In various
non-
limiting aspects, the coin interface tray 170 switches may comprise surface-
mounted
pressure switches, exposed physical contacts, or exposed conductors configured
to
contact exposed conductors on a coin tray, cassette, or canister to be
received by the
coin interface tray. The switches may also comprise non-contact devices, such
as a
plurality of light sources (e.g., laser diodes) arranged to output a beam
toward a
portion of a coin tray, cassette, or canister received by the coin interface
tray 170
and light sensors (e.g., CCDs) arranged to measure a reflected light or an
incident
light (e.g., light through holes in the coin tray 150), depending on the
configuration,
from a respective portion of the coin tray, cassette, or canister. In this
latter
example, the intensity of the reflected light could be correlated to an "on"
or "off'
state. Alternatively, the light sensors may be configured to sense an absence
of light
output from a continuous, intermittent, or ambient light source (e.g., which
light
source becomes partially or fully occluded or blocked by a coin in the coin
tray) and
output a signal corresponding thereto.
The switches, whatever the form, could be pre-selected in number and
location to define, in combination, a sufficient number of discrete states to
uniquely
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define a specific manufacturer and model of coin tray, cassette, canister, or
the like,
inserted adjacent thereto. In one aspect, the switch remains in a first state
(e.g., an
"off' state), such as by having opposing switch elements being electrically
disconnected from one another and assumes a second state (e.g., an "on" state)
when
the opposing elements of the switch are forced into electrical contact, or are
otherwise electrically connected, by insertion of a coin tray, cassette, or
canister
having a feature to interact with the selected switch configuration. The
switches
may be directly connected to inputs of a processor, computer, or logic circuit
or may
be routed through a conventional multiplexer, I/O device, or register. In
combination, a plurality of switches defines 2N separate information states
such that
4 switches (N = 4) yields 16 discrete states and 8 switches (N = 8) yields 256
discrete states. For a given population of coin trays or cassettes 150 desired
to be
associated with the automated coin tray refill system 100, the population will
possess a variety of physical, electrical, magnetic, or optical
characteristics, which
permit configuration of the switches to uniquely identify each of the coin
trays in the
population. These characteristic data are stored in a conventional library or
data
base addressable by an address or pointer. The library or data base may be
stored in
a conventional memory device such as, but not limited to a ROM, solid-state
memory device, hard-disk, floppy-disk, or CD-ROM drive.
Thus, for different pre-determined combinations of "N" switch states, the
system 100 may access all necessary information regarding a coin tray or
cassette
150 input into the coin interface tray 170 such as, but not limited to, coin
tray or
cassette home position, coin denomination center position, maximum coin count
per
position and/or denomination, coin tray or cassette denomination values, and
coin
tray center-coordinates relative to a predetermined reference point. In an
example
wherein the Telequip 2+ coin tray is inserted into the coin interface tray
170,
pressure switches 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7 may be "on", while pressure switches 3, 5
and 8
may be "off'. The computer or processor, upon accessing the library, matches
these
switch states with a pre-determined set of switch states uniquely assigned to
the
Telequip 2+ coin tray. Based on this unique association, the processor and
computer
code or instruction set will automatically set each system variable (e.g.,
home
position, maximum coin count per position, coordinates of each coin tray,
required
positions of interface module 160, etc.) to accommodate the identified coin
tray
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(e.g., Telequip 2+ coin tray). Thus, coin interface tray 170 may be a generic
tray
suitable to receive any one of a plurality of different coin trays 150,
cassettes,
canisters, or the like, from a variety of different manufacturers, whereupon
the
automated coin refill system is cooperatively associated with a memory device
storing state information for such plurality of coin receptacles to enable the
system
to appropriately identify the type, style, manufacturer, and configuration of
each
coin receptacle.
In another aspect, the aforementioned switches are omitted and, instead, the
user of the system is requested to input, such as through a touch screen
display 190,
the manufacturer and model number of a coin tray 150 to be filled. The
information
regarding such coin tray 150 (e.g., denominations, counts, spacing, etc.) is
then
accessed for use by the processor 210 and associated software and controls. In
still
another aspect, a single known coin tray 150 may be used and a coin interface
tray
170, as such, is not required. The switches arc merely one optional aspect of
implemented a universal, automated coin filling system, but such a universal
breadth
is not a necessary part of the present concepts.
The automated coin tray refill system 100 may comprise a display 190, as
shown in FIGS. 2(a)-2(d) and at least one data input device (e.g., display 190
may be
a touch screen display) or, alternately, may comprise one or more conventional
I/O
ports to accept such devices. Display 190 is provided to provide visual
feedback to
an operator of the refill system 100. The computer 210 may be configured to
display, upon execution of an appropriate code or instruction set, on display
190
information to notify the operator of a low count in any specific coin
dispenser
reservoir, indicate residual coin value per column, provide display for
dispensing
count and value per column, display day totals, tray totals and tray filling
transactions, or alert the operator to an error in the system, such as a coin
jam. The
data input devices (e.g., touch-screen display 190) may also be adapted to
require
entry of an employee ID or code to track activity on the system 100, to limit
access
thereto, and to regulate functions accessible to various categories of users
or
operators.
In lieu of the aforementioned means by which the automated coin tray refill
system 100 may automatically determine an exact make and model of a coin tray
150 inserted therein, a user of the automated coin tray refill system may, in
one
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aspect, be prompted by an instruction on display 190 from the computer or
processor
210 to enter the identifying information for a particular coin tray 150, such
as the
manufacturer name, model number, configuration, etc., through an appropriate
input
device such as, but not limited to, a keyboard, touch screen display, mouse,
microphone, bar code scanner, or soft key. This arrangement utilizes existing
system components, such as the processor 210 and display 190, to simplify the
system architecture and reduce cost.
A conventional coin reader 180 is provided to provide to count the coins
present in a specified stack or column of a coin tray. In one aspect, a single
coin
reader 180 is movably provided to translate or rotate between columns or trays
of
the coin tray 150 to determine a height of a coin stack therein. This
translation of
the coin reader 180 may be accomplished using any conventional drive mechanism
including, but not limited to, a belt drive or a stepper motor. Alternatively,
a
plurality of movable coin readers 180 may be provided with an associated
plurality
of drive systems. In another aspect, a plurality of stationary coin readers
180 of an
appropriate configuration may be provided. The coin reader(s) 180 is (are)
configured to sense a coin height (or conversely a remaining height to be
filled),
with or independently of a processor, using conventional sensing arrangements
including but not limited to, digital tape measures, fixed measurement tools,
encoders (e.g., linear, rotatary, optical, etc.), mechanical switches,
reflective sensors
adapted to measure a reflected light from a LED or other light source or to
measure
a reflected acoustic or sound signal, or electrical resistance, capacitance,
or hall
effect position sensors (e.g., Honeywell SS400 series Hall effect digital
position
sensors), or even scales to measure a collected mass of coins. Any
conventional
coin reader or position sensor may be used in accord with the present
concepts. The
sensor or sensors may be positively or negatively configured to sense the
presence of
a sensed characteristic or, correspondingly, the absence of a sensed
characteristic
(i.e., sensing the presence of coins, or the absence or coins; sensing the
activation of
a switch or the non-activation of a switch), as desired. In combination with
the
computer or processor 210, the signals output by the coin reader(s) 180 are
used to
determine, for example, a residual coin count, a running coin count, and a
final
count.
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In lieu of a coin reader 180 able to continuously monitor the exact number of
coins present in (or coins absent from) a stack, one or more sensors or
switches may
be disposed at a position or more than one position to regulate the filling of
the
corresponding stack. For example, a sensor could be disposed at a 25% full
point, a
50% full point, a 75% full point, a 95% full point and a 100% full point, or
any other
selected point or points, and the processor 210 in combination with associated
software and controllers regulating the dispensing of coins from dispensers
120a-
120d, could adjust the rate of flow so as not to overfill the tray or retain
excess
coinage in the interface module or other system components. In the event the
combination of the control system components and sensors are not fast enough
to
prevent discharge of too many coins from the dispensers 120a-120d, a
conventional
bypass could be provided in the interface module 160 or collector point
distribution
member 130 to route excess coins into a holding area or escrow. As another
option,
the automated coin refilling system 100 may simply be configured to discharge
a
discrete predetermined amounts of coins, such as by offering a limited
selection of
options on display 190. For example, a user of the system may be offered the
selection between $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $30, $40, $50, etc. or any other value
or
increment, of any selected coin (e.g., penny, nickel, dime, quarter, etc.).
These
variables may clearly include any conventional denomination and container
amount
(e.g., a standard 40-quarter roll would take a $10 fill). Alternately, the
user of the
system may be offered the selected to dispense a selected quantity of coins of
a
selected denomination.
When a coin tray 150 is inserted into the coin interface tray 170 and is
recognized by the automated coin tray refill system, or when such identifying
information is entered by a user using an appropriate data input device, the
computer
or processor 210 may utilize the signals output by the coin reader 180 for
each tray
or stack of the coin tray to determine an initial state of the coin tray
(e.g., full,
empty, partially filled, etc.). For example, the coin reader 180 may output
signals
for each of the Telequip 2+ coin trays to the computer 210 which, upon
accessing of
the library information regarding the Telequip 2+ coin tray, can determine
that the
signals output by the coin reader 180 correspond to a 10 tray that is 20%
full, an
empty 50 tray, a 10% full 100 tray, and an empty 250 tray. The computer 210
can
then to provide count and denomination instructions to the dispenser system.
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In one aspect, the computer or processor 210 comprises a code chip and a
library chip, which may be separate chips, partitioned portions of a single
chip, or
different logical units. The code chip comprises or is operatively associated
with an
instruction set or coding which, upon execution, interprets data output from
the coin
interface tray 170, compares that interpreted data to data stored in a library
address,
and separately stores or outputs the data of a library address found to
correspond to
the interpreted data. The code chip also interfaces with the display 190 and,
upon
execution of an appropriate code or instruction set based upon a corresponding
signal from the code chip, issues a low coin alert for a specified
denomination
reservoir 110(a)- 110(d).
The code chip further interfaces with the dispensers 120(a)-120(d) and coin
reader 180 and, upon execution of an appropriate code or instruction set based
upon
a corresponding signal from the code chip, reads an existing coin count and
value
per column in the coin tray 150 tray or reads the dispensed value and coin
count per
column. The code chip is also configured to compile information including, for
example, denomination totals and errors for individual filling sessions or for
cumulative periods, such as day totals.
In various aspects, the code chip reads output signals from the respective
drive systems and/or actuators which might employ position encoders (e.g.,
linear
encoders, rotary encoders, incremental encoders, magnetic encoders, optical
encoders, etc.) or other mechanisms or devices to provide an indication of
incremental movement or step of the associated drive system or actuator, such
as
drive systems controlling the dispensers 120(a)-120(d), interface module 160,
coin
reader 180, and/or coin interface tray 170. The output signals from the
respective
drive signals and/or actuators provide information which may be correlated to
the
position of the drive system, such as the distance of a selected drive system
component reference point from a home position. The code chip is also able to
analyze thermal signals, such as might be output by a motor thermal overload
circuit, and provide output signals with an appropriate pre-programmed
response,
such as to shut down an overheating motor and to display an error or warning
message on display 190.
The code chip is also configured, by means of appropriate instructions sets
and/or coding, to analyze electrical contact signals from the switches or
other like
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components and access a library or data base to compare the plurality of
switch
States to known switch states for specified coin trays 150. The code chip is
also
configured, by means of appropriate instructions sets and/or coding, to
analyze
output signals from coin reader 180 to provide a current coin count or to
calculate a
residual coin depth/position (defining existing coin count or remaining coin
count)
and to correspondingly output a signal to the coin dispensers 120(a)-120(d) to
output
a number of coins needed to fill the coin tray 150 denomination, as well as to
calculate sums, day totals, perform other similar types of calculations and
write them
to files for later access.
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a coin dispenser 100 in accord with the
present concepts illustrating the relationship between some of the expected
systems
in the implementation herein described. FIG. 3 illustrates one approach to the
automated method of filling coin trays, cassettes, hoppers, bags, and
canisters in
accord with the presently disclosed concepts and this depicted conceptual
framework outlines some features characteristic of one aspect of automated
coin tray
refill device 100.
FIG. 3 shows, in block diagram form, a plurality of reservoirs 110a-110d,
each reservoir feeding into a respective plurality of dispensers 120a-120d.
The
output from dispensers 120a-120d feeds into the collector point distribution
130 and
then to the interface module tray 170 through an appropriate distribution
device
(e.g., a funnel, chute, or belt). A coin tray 150 of a specific brand and
model number
is disposed in the interface module tray 170 and switches or other identifying
features (or operator input) are used to provide signals to the computer 210
to inform
the automated coin tray refill device 100 of the particular characteristics of
the coin
tray. This characteristic information data is stored in a data base or library
accessible to the computer 210. Once the coin tray 150 configuration is known,
the
computer 210 may then control, for example, a coin tray drive or coin
interface
module tray 170 drive ancUor the coin reader 180 drive to position the coin
tray 150
and/or coin reader 180 for initial inventorying or reading of the tray
position. Such
drive systems would advantageously comprise encoders adapted to provide
position
feedback signals to the computer 210. The computer 210 controls the output
from
the dispensers 120(a)-120(d) and monitors, for example, the coin fill
position, coin
count, and value fill conditions using the coin reader 180.
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It is to be noted that the processor 210 and associated software and
instructions may be configured to vary any of the above noted variables (e.g.,
position and/or rotational orientation of the coin tray; configuration of
funnel output;
rate of dispensing of coins from dispensers 120a-120d; movement, rotation,
vibration, and/or operating speed of collector point distribution member 130,
as
applicable, etc.) dynamically during any portion of the refilling process. For
example, the coin interface tray 170 angle with respect to the interface
module 160
may vary between a pre-selected range of angles and/or the output
configuration of
the interface module output may be adjusted during filling of a giving
denomination
to take into account the particular characteristics and behaviors of each type
of coin
throughout the filling process.
For example, although the disclosure discusses the example wherein the coin
tray 150 channels are sequentially filled, the coin dispenser 100 could be
configured
to fill a plurality of channels simultaneously, such as in the aspect of the
disclosure
wherein a plurality of interface modules 160 and/or a plurality of collector
point
distribution members 130 are provided. Moreover, a plurality of coin trays 150
could also be processed and filled simultaneously with appropriate
multiplication of
coin tray receiving areas and interface modules. In one aspect thereof, a
single coin
source (e.g., a coin reservoir or a coin sorting machine) may dispense coins
to a
plurality of affixed coin trays (e.g., quarters to one tray having multiple
quarter coin
channels, dimes to another tray having multiple dime coin channels, a mixture
of
quarters, nickels, dimes to yet another coin tray, etc.).
In still other potential modifications, the output of the interface module 160
could be configured, via a conventional mechanical connection device (e.g., a
threaded portion), to receive any one of a plurality of different adapters
configured
to correspond to a specified coin tray. Such adapters could be particularly
useful to
fill individual coin tubes or paper roll tubes. In still another example, the
coin
interface tray 170 and the coin tray 150 could be integrated into a single
unit.
In accord with another aspect, a method for automatic filling of a coin
receptacle comprises the steps of providing an automated coin tray refilling
system
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having at least one coin reservoir and providing at least one coin dispenser
for
regulating the dispensing of coins. The method also includes providing a
collector
point distribution member adapted to receive coins from coin dispenser(s) at
one
portion thereof and to output the coins at another portion thereof. The method
further includes the step of providing an interface module having an input end
disposed to receive coins output from the collector point distribution member
and
having an output end for dispensing coins, as well as a coin interface tray
adapted to
receive a coin tray, paper coin roll, and/or coin tube. The method further
includes
the step of providing a processor(s), wherein the interface module and/or coin
interface tray comprise a drive system configured to move a respective one of
the
interface module and coin interface tray. The method also includes the steps
of
disposing a coin tray in the coin receiving area and activating the automated
coin
dispenser.
For example, the individual coin channels in the dispenser trays 150 may be
filled sequentially or non-sequentially and may be filled single or in plural
(i.e.,
more than one coin channel (e.g., some, all) being filled substantially
simultaneously). Further, various components described herein may be combined
without departing from the concepts presented herein such as, but not limited
to, the
interface module 160 may be integrated with the collector point distribution
130 or
the collector point distribution may be integrated with the dispensers 120a-d.
FIG. 5 shows one example of a self-service machine 510 in accord with at
least one example of an aspect of the present concepts. The self-service
machine
510, as shown, comprises a coin processing module 500 and a recycling module
570, but may optionally include additional modules to perform other functions
(e.g.,
a value card dispensing module, a check processing module, a bill processing
module, etc.).
The recycling module 570 comprises a coin recycling module ("coin
recycler") in at least some aspects of the present concepts. In other aspects,
the
recycling module may comprise both a coin recycling module and currency bill
recycling module, such as is represented in FIG. 10.
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In the embodiment of the self-service machine 510 shown in FIG. 5, the self-
service machine 510 includes a touch screen 512 and/or other user interface(s)
513
to receive inputs from a user and to display information and prompts or
queries to
the user. While the touch screen 512 provides one mode of instruction entry
from the
user of the self-service machine 510, the self-service machine may
additionally
comprise other devices permitting input of instructions such as, but not
limited to, a
keypad, keyboard, and/or push-buttons (represented by reference numeral 511)
or a
microphone 517.
For typical, direct use of the self-service machine 510 by a user to process
coins, the user is permitted to input instructions by selection of presented
options
and interfaces before, during or after processing of the bulk coin, as
appropriate. For
example, following processing of a batch of coins, the user may be prompted to
confirm that the transaction is complete or to confirm that additional coins
are to be
included with the previously input batch of coins.
A data media processing device 523, such as but not limited to a card reader,
is also advantageously, but optionally, provided to enable the self-service
machine
510 to read data borne by a data media, such as the magnetic strip of a user's
credit
card, bank card, ATM card, debit card, retail card (such as Target, or Jewel,
etc.),
identification card, employee card, etc. and/or to read data borne by a card
based
data storage medium (e.g., optical card, smart card, etc.). In addition or in
the
alternative, the data media processing device 523 may be configured to accept
and
process other types of data media such as, but not limited to, electronic
purses or
wallets, fob devices, RFIDs, solid state devices, or RF or near field devices.
As noted above, the self-service machine 510 includes a coin processing
module 500, which comprises a coin input area 514 configured to receive a
batch of
coins of a single denomination or mixed denominations from a user for
processing
such as sorting, discriminating, counting, and/or recycling. Once processed,
the
value of the batch of coins may be determined and the value converted to
another
medium, as described herein.
In the example of FIG. 5, the coin processing module 500 coin input area
514 is of a "gravity-feed" type having sloped or funnel-shaped surfaces 515 to
direct
coins to a coin processing area within the coin processing module.
Alternatively, the
coin input area 514 could utilize a pivoting coin tray such as, but not
limited to, the
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pivoting coin tray shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,495 or U.S. Patent No.
6,976,570.
Such pivoting coin trays permit movement of the tray from a first position
(e.g., a
substantially horizontal position or a declined position), which retains the
coins in
the coin tray until such time as the user is ready to process the coins, to a
second
position, wherein the coin tray is inclined so as to cause the coins to slide
downwardly under the force of gravity through the opening 516 and into the
coin
processing module 500. Alternatively, any other input device employing any
alternative means of conveyance may be utilized in accord with the present
concepts
including, but not limited to a conveyance system (e.g., conveyor belt(s), a
rotating
disc, or a plurality of counter-rotating discs, etc.).
The self-service machine 510 optionally includes one or more dispensing
slot(s), port(s) or the like 524 for providing a user (e.g., a patron, an
employee, an
armored carrier, etc.) with a record of a transaction performed at the self-
service
machine or a machine-related record (e.g., transaction record, transaction
history,
service-related record, machine status information, machine sub-system status
information, etc.), as appropriate to the user. In addition thereto, or in the
alternative, one or more media read/write device(s)(not shown) are provided to
receive and/or dispense media via a media port (not shown) and/or to output an
electronic record of a transaction performed at the self-service machine or a
machine-related record. For example, the self-service machine 510 can
automatically provide a printed receipt to a patron via the paper dispensing
slot 524
or a patron may optionally request that an electronic receipt be transmitted
to the
user's personal electronic device (e.g., cell phone, electronic purse, etc.)
be given the
option to forgo receipt of a printed receipt.
FIG. 6 shows an example of a disk-type coin processing unit 600 that can be
used in the coin processing module 500 of the self-service machine(s) 510
disclosed
herein. The opening 116 of the coin input area 514, shown in FIG. 5, leads to
a
hopper 610, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 6, for receiving the mass of
coins
input into the coin input area 514 of FIG. 5. The hopper 610 channel feeds the
coins
through a central opening 630 in an annular, stationary sorting head 612. As
the
coins pass through this opening, the coins are deposited on the top surface of
a
resilient pad 618 disposed on a rotatable disk 614.
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This rotatable disk 614 is mounted for rotation on a shaft (not shown) and
driven by an electric motor 616. The rotation of the rotatable disk 614 of
FIG. 6 is
slowed and stopped by a braking mechanism 620. The disk 614 typically
comprises
a resilient pad 618, preferably made of a resilient rubber or polymeric
material,
bonded to, fastened on, or integrally formed with the top surface of a solid
disk 622.
The resilient pad 618 may be compressible such that coins laying on the top
surface
thereof are biased or otherwise pressed upwardly against the bottom surface of
the
sorting head 612 as the rotatable disk 614 rotates. The solid disk 622 is
typically
fabricated from metal, but it can also be made of other materials, such as a
rigid
polymeric material or composite material.
The underside of the inner periphery of the sorting head 612 is spaced above
the pad 618 by a distance which is approximately the same as or, in some
embodiments, just slightly less than the thickness of the thinnest coin. While
the
disk 614 rotates, coins deposited on the resilient pad 618 tend to slide
outwardly
over the top surface of the pad 618 due to centrifugal force. As the coins
continue to
move outwardly, those coins that are lying flat on the pad 618 enter the gap
between
the upper surface of the pad 618 and the lower surface of the sorting head
612. As is
described in further detail below, the sorting head 612 includes a plurality
of coin
directing channels (also referred to herein as "shaped regions" or "exit
channels")
for manipulating the movement of the coins from an entry area to a plurality
of exit
stations where the coins are discharged from the coin processing unit 600. The
coin
directing channels may sort the coins into their respective denominations and
discharge the coins from exit stations in the sorting head 612 corresponding
to their
denominations.
Referring now to FIG. 7, the underside of the sorting head 612 is shown.
The coin set for a given country can be sorted by the sorting head 612 due to
variations in the diameter of the individual coin denominations. The coins
circulate
between the stationary sorting head 612 and the rotating pad 618 on the
rotatable
disk 614, as shown in FIG. 6. Coins that are deposited on the pad 618 via a
central
opening 630 initially enter an entry channel 632 formed in the underside of
the
sorting head 612.
An outer wall 636 of the entry channel 632 divides the entry channel 632
from the lowermost surface 640 of the sorting head 612. The lowermost surface
640
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is preferably spaced from the pad 618 by a distance that is slightly less than
the
thickness of the thinnest coins. Consequently, the initial outward radial
movement
of all the coins is terminated when the coins engage the outer wall 636,
although the
coins continue to move more circumferentially along the wall 636 (e.g., in a
counterclockwise direction in FIG. 7) by the rotational movement imparted to
the
coins by the pad 618 of the rotatable disk 614.
While the pad 618 continues to rotate, those coins that were initially aligned
along the wall 636 move across the ramp 662 leading to a queuing channel 666
for
aligning the innermost edge of each coin along an inner queuing wall 670. The
coins are gripped between the queuing channel 666 and the pad 618 as the coins
are
rotated through the queuing channel 666. The coins, which were initially
aligned
with the outer wall 636 of the entry channel 632 as the coins move across the
ramp
662 and into the queuing channel 666, are rotated into engagement with inner
queuing wall 670. As the pad 618 continues to rotate, the coins which are
being
positively driven by the pad move through the queuing channel 666 along the
queuing wall 670 past a trigger sensor 634 and a discrimination sensor 638,
which is
operable for discriminating between valid and invalid coins. In some
embodiments,
the discrimination sensor 638 is also operable to determine the denomination
of the
coins. The trigger sensor 634 sends a signal to the discrimination sensor 638
that a
coin is approaching.
In the illustrated example, coins determined to be invalid are rejected by a
diverting pin 642 that is lowered into the coin path such that the pin 642
impacts the
invalid coin and thereby redirects the invalid coin to a reject channel 644.
The reject
channel 644 guides the rejected coins to a reject chute that returns the coin
to the
user (e.g., rejected coins are routed to the coin reject receptacle 522 of
FIG. 5). The
diverting pin 642 depicted in FIG. 7 remains in a retracted "nondiverting"
position
until an invalid coin is detected. Those coins not diverted into the reject
channel 644
continue along inner queuing wall 670 to a gauging region 650. The inner
queuing
wall 670 terminates just downstream of the reject channel 644; thus, the coins
no
longer abut the inner queuing wall 670 at this point and the queuing channel
666
terminates. The radial position of the coins is maintained, because the coins
remain
under pad pressure, until the coins contact an outer wall 652 of the gauging
region
650. The gauging wall 652 aligns the coins along a common outer radius as the
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coins approach a series of coin exit channels 661-668 which discharge coins of
different denominations through corresponding exit stations 681-688. The first
exit
channel 661 is dedicated to the smallest coin to be sorted (e.g., the dime in
the U.S.
coin set). Beyond the first exit channel 661, the sorting head 612 shown in
FIGS. 3-
4 forms seven more exit channels 662-668 which discharge coins of different
denominations at different circumferential locations around the periphery of
the
sorting head 612. Thus, the exit channels 661-668 are spaced circumferentially
around the outer periphery of the sorting head 612 with the innermost edges of
successive channels located progressively closer to the center of the sorting
head
612 so that coins are discharged in the order of increasing diameter. The
number of
exit channels can vary according to alternative embodiments of the present
disclosure and could advantageously utilize a single exit channel.
The innermost edges of the exit channels 661-668 are positioned so that the
inner edge of a coin of only one particular denomination can enter each
channel 661-
268. The coins of all other denominations reaching a given exit channel extend
inwardly beyond the innermost edge of that particular exit channel so that
those
coins cannot enter the channel and, therefore, continue on to the next exit
channel
under the circumferential movement imparted on them by the pad 618. To
maintain
a constant radial position of the coins, the pad 618 continues to exert
pressure on the
coins as they move between successive exit channels 661-668.
Suitable coin processing modules utilizable in accord with the present
concepts, such as the coin processing module 500 described in relation to
FIGS. 5-7,
may comprise, for example, but are not limited to, those disclosed in U.S.
Pat. Nos.
8,229,821 B2, 8,042,732 B2, 8,023,715 B2, 7,980,378 B2, 7,963,382 B2,
7,949,582
B2, 7,946,406 B2, 7,886,890 B2, 7,778,456 B2, 7,743,902 B2, 7,658,270 B2,
7,552,810 B2, 7,551,764 B2, 7,438,172, B2, 7,427,230 B2, 7,349,566 B2,
7,337,890
82, 7,269,279 B2, 7,243,773 B2, 7,188,720 82, 6,996,263 82, 6,896,118 B2,
6,892,871 B2, 6,810,137 B2, 6,755,730 B2, 6,748,101 B1, 6,731,786 B2,
6,724,926
B2, 6,678,401 B2, 6,637,576 B1, 6,603,872 B2, 6,579,165 B2, 6,318,537 Bl,
6,171,182 B I, 6,068,194, 6,039,645, 6,021,883, 5,997,395, 5,982,918,
5,943,655,
5,905,810, 5,743,373, 5,630,494, 5,564,974, and 5,542,880, or those disclosed
in
U.S. Patent Publication No, US 2012-0156976 Al, titled "Coin Processing
Systems,
Methods and Devices" or 61/695,616, titled "Disk-type Coin Processing Unit
with
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Angled Sorting Head," each of the preceding being assigned to the present
applicant.
Alternatively, the coin processing module 500 may comprise a gravity rail
sorter,
such as that disclosed by Molbak in U.S. Patent 6,976,570, a powered rail
sorter, a
multi-disc or disc-to-disc sorter, or any other type of bulk coin processing
mechanism or system without limitation.
In accord with aspects of the present concepts, such as that represented in
the
self-service machine 510 of FIG. 5 and FIG. 8, the coin processing module 500
is
functionally associated with a coin recycling module 570 ("coin recycler") and
selectively outputs coins thereto for packaging and recycling/distribution.
As shown in FIG. 8, the self-service machine 510 includes a controller 520
communicatively coupled to a memory 529 and a coin processing module 500 and
being configured to control the coin processing module as well as other
systems and
components (e.g., actuator(s) 550, coin recycler 570, etc.). The controller
520
receives input signals from, and outputs signals (e.g., control signals,
instructions,
etc.) to, the various components and systems of the self-service machine 510
(e.g.,
coin recycling module 570, actuators 550, electronically/magnetically
controlled
access panels 580 of recycled currency retrieval areas R1-R4, etc.) through
internal
buses, connections, and input/output circuits (not shown).
The controller 520 is configured to communicate with external systems via
communication device 534 and/or I/0 540 (e.g., a serial port, parallel port,
USB
port, ECP port, IEEE 1394 port, broadband device, Ethernet port, wireless
device
(e.g., Bluetooth, WLAN, IrDA, RF, IR, ZigBee, Wireless USB, and IEEE 802.11),
modem, land line (POTS) cellular phone, and/or other communication device) and
an associated communication pathway(s) appropriate to the type of
communication
needed (e.g., hardwired connection, wireless connection, etc.). The
communication
device 534 and/or I/O 540 are, via the communication pathway(s), connectable
to,
for example, a dedicated local computer or computers 551, a network 552 (LAN,
WAN, etc.), the internet 553, a server 554, a remote device 555 (e.g., cell
phone,
computer, etc.), a local device 556 (e.g., cell phone, key fob, tablet
computer, etc.),
and/or a local or remote physical computer-readable storage medium 557 (e.g.,
a
flash memory device, a hard drive, a solid-state memory device, a magnetic
memory
card, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, memory chip, memory card, USB flash
drive,
etc.). It is to be understood that the controller 520, as used herein, may
comprise
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one or more processors and any combination of associated hardware, software,
and/or firmware disposed or resident inside and/or outside of the self-service
machine 510, either non-distributed or distributed, configured to control
internal and
external processes and communications self-service machine.
A host system (e.g., a dedicated local computer 550 or remote computer 555)
is optionally communicatively coupled to a plurality of self-service machines
510a,
510b, . . . 510n to communicate with each of the self-service machines 510 for
tracking the various transactions (e.g., deposits) occurring therein and/or
monitoring
a status of the self-service machines, or sub-systems or components therein.
By way
of example, the self-service machines 510 send signals to the host system 550,
555
when a fault condition (e.g., a coin jam, coin bag is full, etc.) is
encountered.
In one example of communications between the self-service machine and
external systems, a store (e.g., Business #1 in FIG. 9) may input a threshold
condition (e.g., mixed coin receptacles B1-B3 full, mixed coin receptacle B4
75%
full) for the self-service machine 510 controller 520 to initiate
communication via
communication device 534 and/or I/0 540 and associated communication
pathway(s) to a remote computer 555 associated with the armored carrier
service
and place a request for the armored carrier service to pick up coins from the
self-
service machine 510.
In another example of communications between the self-service machine 510
and external systems, and as discussed elsewhere herein, a store (e.g.,
Business #2 in
FIG. 9) or a user (e.g., User #1 in FIG. 9) may input a request for coins
(e.g., via a
remote computer 555 or remote user interface 556) of a specific total and/or
mix.
The self-service machine 510 controller 520, during one or more subsequent
coin
processing operations, then controls the actuator(s) 550 to distribute the
specific
total and/or mix to one of the intermediate coin holding areas I1-I4 shown in
FIG. 8,
with the balance of the coins processed during the one or more subsequent coin
processing operations being deposited in one or more of the coin receptacles
BI-B4
(e.g., coin bins, coin bags, etc.), as appropriate to the receptacle (e.g.,
single
denomination, mixed denomination, etc.). As shown in FIG. 8, the coin
receptacles
BI-B4 are disposed within a secured area 585 (represented by a dashed line)
accessible by authorized personnel, such as an armored carrier service or
business
employee (e.g., where the business is a financial institution).
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Alternatively, responsive to the coin order from the business or user, the
self-
service machine 510 controller 520, during one or more subsequent coin
processing
operations, controls the actuator(s) 550 to distribute the specific total
and/or mix to
more than one of the intermediate coin holding areas 11-14 shown in FIG. 8,
with the
balance of the coins processed during the one or more subsequent coin
processing
operations being deposited in one or more of the coin receptacles BI-B4 (e.g.,
coin
bins, coin bags, etc.), as appropriate to the receptacle (e.g., single
denomination,
mixed denomination, etc.). In this latter example, a user may specify coins of
different denominations to be separately packaged and, rather than a single
intermediate coin holding area (e.g., II) being temporarily dedicated to the
order
placed by the business or user (e.g., mixed coins of the specified total
and/or mix), a
plurality of intermediate coin holding areas (e.g., I1-12) are temporarily
dedicated to
the order placed by the business or user (e.g., mixed coins of the specified
total
and/or mix), with one of the intermediate coin holding areas designated to
hold coins
of a single denomination. In yet another example, one or more of the
intermediate
coin holding areas can each be designated to receive and dispense a single
denomination (e.g., I 1 (quarters), 12 (dimes), 13 (nickels), 14 (pennies)).
In such
example, the intermediate coin holding areas 11-14 may comprise, by way of
example, a Suzo Cube Hopper MI(20, Suzo excelTM hopper, Suzo Evolution
Hopper, Asahi Seiko SH-400 Mini Coin Hopper, and/or Asahi Seiko WH-2 or WH-
3 Coin Hopper, which are single denomination hoppers configured to hold and
discharge coins of a single denomination. Of course, the intermediate coin
holding
areas I1-14 may comprise any coin storage and dispensing device, or any
combination of different coin storage and dispensing device (i.e., different
intermediate coin holding areas may comprise different coin storage and
dispensing
devices), including, by way of further example, coin hoppers described in U.S.
Pat.
Nos. 5,017,176, 6,626,752 112, 6,776,703 B2, 6,991,530 B2, 7,163,454 B2,
7,429,213 B2, and 7,771,258 B2.
Of course, the representation of the self-service machine 510 in FIG. 8 is
exemplary and more (or less) coin receptacles or intermediate coin holding
areas
may be provided within the self-service machine 510 or appurtenant structures.
For
example, five coin receptacles (e.g., BI-B5) are provided with the coin
receptacles
being configured to receive quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies and mixed
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Attorney Ref 1057P021CA01
denomination, respectively. In another configuration, ten coin receptacles
(e.g., B!-
B10) are provided with one or more coin receptacles being configured to
receive
each of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, and one or more coin
receptacles being
configured to receive mixed denominations (e.g., overflow). Such "overflow"
permits diversion of coins from a single-denomination receptacle or
intermediate
coin holding area that has reached its limit. The overflow receptacle would
contain
mixed denomination coins that would need to be sorted during a post-sorting
operation, which could include a coin-recycling operation later conducted
within the
self-service machine 510. Utilization of one or more overflow receptacles
extends
the time between coin receptacle changes (e.g., armored carrier pickup) and
reduces
the potential for machine service interruption. Likewise, additional
intermediate
coin holding areas could be provided (e.g., eight intermediate coin holding
areas I1-
I8) with one or more coin receptacles being configured to receive and output
each of
quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies.
In at least some embodiments, one or more actuators or actuated devices 550,
as represented in FIG. 8 and FIG. 10, are utilized within the stationary
sorting head
and/or outside of the stationary sorting head to control the movement of the
coins
within the coin processing module or outside of the coin processing module.
For
example, in some embodiments, coin counting sensors are disposed in each of
the
coin exit channels (e.g., exit channels 661-668 of FIG. 7) of the sorting head
612 or
are disposed just outside the periphery of the sorting head. Alternatively, a
single
counting sensor can be employed (e.g., discrimination sensor 638 can be
utilized as
a counting sensor where a valid coin signature is counted as a valid coin of a
particular identified denomination). However configured, as coins move past
the
counting sensor(s), the controller 520 receives a signal from the counting
sensor(s)
for each valid coin output from the sorting head 612 and adds one to a counter
maintained in the physical memory 529 for that particular denomination (or
maintained in a remote physical memory (e.g., reference numeral 557 in FIG.
8)).
As noted above, the self-service machine 510 comprises one or more coin
receptacles B1-B4 such as, but not limited to, a coin bin, coin bag (of any
size), coin
cassette, etcetera, to receive and store coins output from the coin processing
module
500 that are not needed for coin recycling.
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In accord with the present concepts, selected coins output from the coin
processing module 500 are output to a coin recycler 570 wherein the coins are
packaged and preferably, but optionally, sealed, in a deliverable coin package
(e.g.,
fabric bag, plastic bag(s), plastic wrap, shrink-wrap, sealed container,
plastic coin
tube, paper coin tube, etc.). The deliverable coin package may comprise, for
example, one or more sealable bags that are sealed, in the coin recycler or
external to
the coin recycler, using one or more of an adhesive seal, an ultrasonic seal,
a heat
seal, a mechanical sealing device (e.g., crimping, metal band, etc.), and/or
other
conventional sealing device.
The coin packages formed by the coin recycler 570 are output to a secured
recycling location within the self-service machine 510 (e.g., small to medium
recycled currency retrieval areas R1-R4 or large recycled currency retrieval
area S1
in accessible region 535 (represented by a dashed line)) where they are
accessible to
designated personnel or customers. As noted above, the coin receptacle(s) Bl-
B4
are configured to either receive a single denomination of coin (e.g., quarters
only) or
to receive any combination of mixed denominations of coins (e.g., quarters and
dimes in a mixed receptacle). In accord with various aspects of the present
concepts, one or more coin receptacles (e.g., BI-B4 in FIG. 8) are utilized to
store
coins deposited by users, for eventual pickup by an armored carrier, and the
coin
recycler(s) 570 is utilized to package coins deposited by one or more users of
the
self-service machine 510.
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, one or more intermediary
coin storage units (e.g., 11-14 shown in FIG. 8) are disposed between the coin
processing module 500 and the coin recycler(s) 570 to regulate flow between
the
coin processing module 500 and the coin recycler(s). When the intermediary
coin
storage units, individually or collectively, bear enough coins to satisfy an
order for a
specific coin total and/or mix, the intermediary coin storage unit(s) output
coins
corresponding to the specific coin total and/or mix to the coin recycler 570
to
package the coins in a deliverable coin package (e.g., plastic bag, plastic
wrap,
shrink-wrapped container, sealed container, plastic tray, etc.). In at least
some
aspects of the present concepts, the self-service machine 510 is configured to
discharge processed coins to the one or more intermediary coin storage units
until
the one or more intermediary coin storage units are full, at which time the
controller
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520 diverts processed coins to the one or more coin receptacles (e.g., BI-B4
in FIG.
8) designated for pickup by an armored carrier. In other aspects, the self-
service
machine 510 is configured to discharge processed coins to the one or more
intermediary coin storage units until such time as a set partially full
condition (e.g.,
50% full, 75% full, etc.) has been satisfied, at which time the controller 520
diverts
processed coins to the one or more coin receptacles (e.g., B I -B4 in FIG. 8)
designated for pickup by an armored carrier.
In at least some aspects, the deliverable coin package could comprise one or
more bags disposed within another bag. For example, one or more bags of each
of
pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters are able to be provided within one larger
bag.
As another example, the deliverable coin package comprises one bag having
disposed therein a plurality of separate, single-denomination bags that
collectively
form a pre-determined (e.g., determined by the business in which the self-
service
machine 510 is disposed, programmed, selected from a menu, input into data
entry
fields, etc.) coin mix for a cash register drawer. Thus, at the beginning of a
cashier's
shift, the cashier can retrieve a single bag from the self-service machine 510
(e.g.,
accessing a designated recycled currency retrieval area using an employee
code),
take an empty till and fill it with the provided coins. Similarly, if the self-
service
machine 510 comprises a currency bill module, currency bills may optionally be
packaged together with the coins in the deliverable coin package (e.g., a
defined
"cashier till mix" comprising a predetermined number of 20-dollar bills, 10-
dollar
bills, 5-dollar bills, one-dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and
pennies). Where
the self-service machine 510 comprises a currency bill module, a strapping
module
or other currency bill packaging module may optionally be provided to strap or
wrap
the currency bills together in a mixed-currency bundle or may strap or wrap
the
currency bills separately by denomination.
As noted above, a business in which the self-service machine 510 (or other
requestor) can control a quantity of coins, denominations of coins, and
packaging
(e.g., mixed coin or coin separated by denomination) for each deliverable coin
package or packages. In one example, a business (e.g., a store, a grocery
store, a
"big box" store, etc.) instructs the self-service machine 510 to produce
quarter bags
each having two hundred quarters for self-checkout stations of the business
because
those stations have larger coin hoppers that require greater volumes of
quarters than
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the cashier's tills. In other words, the recycling feature of the self-service
machine
510 is advantageously programmable such as by, for example, selection of
inputs
from a self-service machine GUI or by selection of inputs from a computer
(e.g., a
POS system) communicatively coupled to the self-service machine.
After formation of the deliverable coin package, the coin recycler 570 then
outputs the deliverable coin package to a recycled currency retrieval area R1-
R4 for
pickup by the business or by the user submitting the coin order or an agent
thereof,
as appropriate. The recycled currency retrieval areas R1-R4 may be of the same
size or volume or may comprise more than one different size or volume.
Moreover,
a greater number or a lesser number of recycled currency retrieval areas RI -
Rx may
be provided, where x is any integer.
In the event that a requested order has the potential to exceed a storage
capacity of a recycled currency retrieval area, the self-service machine 510
can be
configured to automatically divide the order into separate deliverable coin
packages
and dispense such separate deliverable coin packages to two recycled currency
retrieval areas.
In at least some aspects, the one or more intermediary coin storage units
(e.g., 11-14 shown in FIG. 8) are maintained with a predetermined level of
coins
(e.g., full, 90% full, 80% full, etc.) so as to be able to rapidly fill orders
for coins.
Further, the one or more intermediary coin storage units (e.g., 11-14 shown in
FIG. 8)
are configured to dispense not only to respective recycled currency retrieval
area(s),
but are optionally configured to dispense to coin receptacle(s) Bl-B4, as
represented
by the arrows in FIG. 8 from intermediary coin storage units 11-14 to the coin
receptacles Bl-B4 to provide an alternative means to discharge the
intermediary
coin storage units 11-14 if desired or needed (e.g., for coin pick up by
armored
service).
In another example, the requestor (i.e., the business submitting the coin
order
or the user submitting the coin order) could be required by the self-service
machine
510 to pre-authorize an employee of the business in which the self-service
machine
510 is disposed to pickup and hold the coin package (e.g., in a back room, at
a
service desk, etc.) on behalf of the requestor so as ensure that at least one
recycled
currency retrieval area is always available for a new order. Thus, using the
example
of FIG. 9, a designated business employee of Business #1 in FIG. 9 could be
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authorized to retrieve coin packages from one or more of recycled currency
retrieval
area(s) R1-R4, or other recycled currency retrieval area(s) of SSM #1, as
applicable,
and hold such packages in a secure area for later pickup by the requestor.
As noted above, in some aspects of the present concepts, the order may be
placed by a user or business via a remote computer 555 or remote user
interface 556
located remotely from the self-service machine 510. In other aspects of the
present
concepts, the order may be placed by a user of the self-service machine 510 to
receive back, via the coin recycler 570, a portion of the input coins in the
form of the
noted deliverable coin package. For example, a user may have a large volume of
coins to process, but the user does not want to pick through the coins to
remove all
of the quarters and the user wants to keep the quarters while depositing the
remainder of the coins (e.g., to receive cash or value card in return
therefor, to
transmit the deposited amount to an account, etc.). The user could therefore
instruct
the self-service machine 510 to package all quarters and return them to the
user
following processing. The coin package formed of all of the processed quarters
is
then discharged to a recycled currency retrieval area R1-R4, where it may be
retrieved by the user, and the user is instructed (e.g., via display 512,
lights (not
shown), etc.) as to which recycled currency retrieval area bears the package.
The
recycled currency retrieval areas R1-R4 each advantageously comprise a
controlled
access panel 580 comprising a lock (e.g., an electromagnetic lock, an
electromechanical lock, etc.) controllable by the controller 520, the
controller
enabling temporary access to a specified access panel 580 responsive to entry
of a
secure code, ID, biometric characteristic or the like into the self-service
machine 510
(e.g., an entry in the touch screen 512 and/or other user interface(s) 513,
transmission to or input to data media processing device 523, etc.). Where a
user is
requesting a coin package contemporaneously with a processing transaction,
such as
the above-noted example wherein a coin package formed of all of the user's
processed quarters is discharged to a recycled currency retrieval area (e.g.,
R1), the
controller unlocks the magnetically-controlled access panel 580 corresponding
to
that recycled currency retrieval area to permit access thereto by the user
(e.g., the
access panel could be enabled to rotate about a hinge when pressed, the access
panel
could be configured to automatically slide to an open position, the access
panel door
could be actuator-driver responsive to controller 520, etc.).
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In at least some aspects, a transaction-specific label, receipt, record,
ticket, or
device (e.g., RFID) is affixed to the package produced by the self-service
machine
510. In other aspects, such transaction-specific label, receipt, record,
ticket, or
device is incorporated into the package or deposited into the recycled
currency
retrieval area together with the package. The self-service machine 510 printer
(not
shown) may comprise, for example, a conventional laser printer, an ink-jet
printer,
impact dot matrix printer, or a thermal printer. The descriptive label,
receipt, or
record could include, but is not limited to, any combination of order date,
order
request, remote computer or remote device ID, ordering entity or person,
number of
coins for each denomination, total amount for each denomination, service fees,
date
and time of deposit to recycled currency retrieval area, code(s)(e.g.,
alphanumeric
text and/or computer-readable image such as a 2-D or 3-D bar-code for security
or
identification), or other transaction-related information.
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, the packaging could be
omitted entirely and the coins of the specified total and/or mix simply
discharged to
a recycled currency retrieval area R1-R4 for the user's removal. By way of
example, this could be a suitable option if the number of coins to be returned
to the
user does not require packaging (e.g., a small number of coins, such as 20
quarters
or 50 dimes, could be removed by hand and transferred to a pocket).
The self-service machine 510 is configurable to require advance payment for
coin packaging, whereupon the requestor pays in advance when placing the coin
packaging order (or other packaging order specific to the self-service machine
capabilities such as, but not limited to, coins and bills, coins and value
cards, bills
and cards, etcetera). The requester is then provided with a security code to
enter into
the self-service machine 510 to access the recycled currency retrieval area in
which
the coin package is held. In other aspects, a requester may be optionally
permitted
to fill an order for coins (or other currency package) and, following
identification of
the package to the self-service machine 510, at a later time, input payment to
the
self-service machine 510. In still other aspects, a requester may be
optionally
permitted to fill an order for coins (or other currency package) that is
picked up by
an authorized employee of the business in which the self-service machine 510
is
disposed and held for pickup by the requestor and payment by the requestor.
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In at least some aspects of the present concepts, the self-service machine 510
comprises a currency dispensing module (not shown) configured to dispense,
from a
currency dispenser (e.g., a cassette dispenser or multi-cassette dispenser
such as, but
not limited to, Fujitsu F53, F56, F400, or F510e multi-cassette media
dispensers),
one or more currency bills of one or more denominations. The dispensed
currency
may be selectively directly to a user singly or as a stack of currency bills,
as a
conventional ATM, or may optionally be output to a currency recycler,
functioning
similarly to the coin recycler, for packaging or, as yet another alternative,
output to
the coin recycler for packaging with a coin order.
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, the plurality of self-
service
machines 510a-51On (not shown) arc linked to a host system (e.g., remote
compute
555) that communicates with each self-service machine 510a-10n and tracks the
transactions occurring therein. The self-service machines 510a-51On are
advantageously configured to send signals to the host system to communicate
system information, such as, but not limited to, signals indicating that one
or more
coin receptacles Bl-B4 are full or past a predetermined limit, one or more
recycled
currency retrieval areas R1-R4 have currency packages ready for pickup, or a
fault
condition (e.g., a coin jam, actuator malfunction, dispenser error, etc.) of
the self-
service machine 510.
If the self-service machine 510 is, for whatever reason, not able to
immediately fill a coin order (or any combination of currency and/or value
media),
such as by one or more intermediary coin storage units (e.g., 11-14 in FIG. 8)
having
a coin quantity less than that requested, the controller 520 can inform the
requester
that the package will not be ready for immediate pickup. In such situations,
the
controller 520 can inform the requester that the controller 520 will contact
the
requester when the package is ready for pickup and/or with an estimate of when
the
package will be ready for pickup, as desired. An estimated time of order
completion
is calculated, for example, based on a processing history at the self-service
machine
510 in view of the requester's requirements and current status of the one or
more
intermediary coin storage units (e.g., I1-I4 in FIG. 8).
Businesses may also elect to place standing orders for coin packages, to be
filled on a recurring basis, with pickups arranged at either the self-service
machine
510 or at a service counter of a business in which the self-service machine is
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disposed. In fact, the business in which the self-service machine 510 is
disposed
may itself elect to place its own coin orders so that the coins brought into
the
business by the public and processed in the business can be packaged and used
by
the business in which the self-service machine is disposed to recirculate the
coins
therein with less recourse to purchase of coins from armored car services.
Thus, the
self-service machine 510 enables coin recirculation both within the business
and for
other parties.
As previously noted, recycling features of the self-service machine 510
permit the business in which the self-service machine 510 is disposed to not
only
avoid the cost of ordered coins on a routine basis from an armored service,
but also
to provide an efficient and timely means to obtain coin in a readily usable
form.
In one aspect, the self-service machine 510 is communicatively linked to the
businesses' point-of-sale (POS) system or network such that the POS system
itself
places orders with the self-service machine 510 when coins or needed, in
advance of
an anticipated need by a fixed or selectable amount, or on a schedule (e.g.,
based on
time-based historical data). By way of example, the POS, either singly or in
combination with the self-service machine 510, or the self-service machine 510
independent of the POS, could be set to predict an upcoming coin shortage and
start
packaging coins in advance of the anticipated time of need (e.g., to fill the
cash
register drawers).
Although the prior examples described situations in which the self-service
machine 510 is truly a self-service machine disposed in a publicly accessible
location, the self-service machine is semi-assisted in another optional
configuration.
Thus, a self-service machine 510 can be integrated into a businesses' self-
service
counter and an authorized attendant is required to assist a customer with the
processing andJor retrieval operations. In one aspect of this configuration,
the
recycled currency retrieval areas are advantageously disposed to be rearwardly
facing, relative to the front of the self-service machine 510, to provide
access to such
authorized attendant, but not to the public. In this manner, only an
authorized
attendant is able to retrieve a deliverable coin package (or deliverable
currency
package) and disperse such package responsive to appropriate controls (e.g.,
scanning employee badge when providing a deliverable coin and/or currency
package to a cashier at a shift's start, requiring a requestor to input an
authorization
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code into the self-service machine 510 to open a designated recycled currency
retrieval area for the authorized attendant's access, etc.). By way of
example, the
large recycled currency retrieval area S1 in accessible region 535 in FIG. 8
or FIG.
is configurable to face rearvvardly in such a semi-assisted configuration.
5 In some aspects of the present concepts, the self-service machine 510
is
configured to only process a single denomination of coin (e.g., quarters) or
configurable to process only a single denomination. For example, where coins
are
already denominated, but need to be packaged and recycled, such single
denomination can be input into the self-service machine 510 and recycled in a
more
10 convenient form defined by the user (e.g., a business).
In yet other aspects of the present concepts, a self-service machine 510 as
described herein is advantageously utilizable not in a public location for
public
access, but by businesses such as armored carriers or Cash-In-Transit (CIT)
businesses, which process currency bills and coins and which physically
transfer
currency bills and coins from one location to another. As incoming currency
bills
and coins (e.g., mixed coin bins, denominated coin, etc.) are input into the
self-
service machine 510 for processing (e.g., counting and verification), the CIT
is able
to input into the self-service machine an order for a specific deliverable
package that
is required to be delivered to a particular business, after which the self-
service
machine automatically produces and delivers the deliverable package comprising
coin(s) and/or bill(s).
FIG. 9 is a representation of a system for recycling of coins from self-
service
machines 10, in accord with at least some aspects of the present concepts,
which is
to be contrasted with the flow of the conventional practices and systems shown
in
FIG. 1. As with FIG. 1, an armored car carrier 702, armored vehicle 703, and
route
704 are represented. However, instead of the armored vehicle 703 individually
servicing each of the plurality of different businesses #1-n (where n
represents any
number) along the route, including those with one or more self-service
machines
SSM #1-#m (where n represents any number) disposed therein, FIG. 9 shows that
Business #1 and Business #2 each utilize a self-service machine 510 comprising
one
or more currency recycling modules (e.g., a coin recycler 570 and/or a bill
recycler
830, described below) in accord with the present concepts. As shown, reference
numeral 706a denotes an area where Businesses #1-#4 are in the proximity of
one
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another and reference numeral 706b denotes an area where Businesses #5-#8 are
in
the proximity of one another. In FIG. 9, the armored car 703 route includes
dropping off currency (e.g., wrapped or packaged coins and/or bills) and
picking up
currency (e.g., mixed coins) according to the requirements of Business #1,
Business
#5 and Business #9 (not shown)- Business #n (having SSM #m, where m is any
integer), before returning to the armored service carrier 702.
Instead of being serviced by the armored service carrier, Businesses #2-#4
elect to pick up packaged coins and/or currency bills from SSM#1 at Business
#1
and Businesses #6-#8 elect to pick up packaged coins and/or currency bills
from
SSM#2 at Business #5. To illustrate, a Jewel-Osco grocery store is Business
#1, a
SUBWAY restaurant is Business #2, a pizza restaurant is Business #3, and a
dry
cleaner is Business #4, all of these businesses being located within a strip
mall or the
like. The SUBWAY restaurant can place an order for coins and/or currency
bills
through the self-service machine 510 disposed in the Jewel-Osco and can pick
up the
deliverable recycled currency package at the self-service machine. Thus,
rather than
ordered coins and/or currency bills from armored service carriers, Businesses
#2-ftil
can rely instead on a local currency provider, Business #1, for currency
processing
needs. Likewise, a similar dynamic may occur as between Business #5 and
Businesses #6-#8. Of course, as noted above, non-commercial requestors of
recycled currency are represented in FIG. 10 by Users #1-#6.
As shown in FIG. 10, the self-service machine 510 may optionally include a
currency bill input region 800, a currency bill processing module 810, a bill
transport system or systems 820, a currency bill recycling module 830 ("bill
recycler"), a bill recycler bill transport 840, and a currency bill storage
850. FIG. 10
shows that the coin receptacles BI-B4 and the currency bill storage 850 are
disposed
within a secured area 585 (represented by a dashed line) accessible by
authorized
personnel, such as an armored carrier service. Although not shown in FIG. 10,
the
self-service machine 510 bill transport system or systems 820 may further
distribute
all of or a portion of the processed currency bills to one or more
intermediate
currency bill holding areas, preferably but not necessarily denomination
specific
(i.e., each intermediate currency bill holding area holding a single
denomination)
with the balance of the currency bills processed being deposited in one or
more
currency bill receptacles 850. The intermediate currency bill holding area(s)
are
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disposed upstream of the currency bill recycling module 830 so that the
controller
520 has ready access to reserve currency bills to draw upon responsive to a
request
for a currency package. As shown in FIG. 10, the currency bill receptacle(s)
850 are
disposed within the secured area 585 (represented by a dashed line) accessible
by
authorized personnel, such as an armored carrier service.
The currency bill input region or input device 800 is configured to accept
currency bills either singularly, one-at-a-time, or in bulk (e.g., mixed
denomination
in a stack, single denomination in a stack, etc.) and pass them to the
currency bill
processing module 810. Exemplary references disclosing currency bill
processing
(e.g., discrimination and/ or authentication) include, but are not limited to,
U.S. Pat.
Nos. 3,280,974 (magnetic flux), 3,870,629 (patterns of grid lines), 5,151,607
(security thread), 4,617,458 (magnetizable material), 4,593,184 (magnetic
fields),
4,356,473 (denomination scans); 4,381,447 (density), 4,490,846 or 4,992,860
(color), 4,255,651 (length and thickness), 4,179,685 (reflectance and
transmission);
5,122,754 (watermark, security thread); 3,764,899 (thickness), 3,815,021
(dielectric
properties), 5,704,491, 5,790,693, 5,960,103, 6,351,551, 6,724,927, 6,778,693,
and
7,016,767, 7,149,336, 7,191,657, 7,197,173, 7,200,255, and 7,201,320, each of
which is assigned to the present assignee. Other features and characteristics
of the
currency media (e.g., currency bill, etc.) may also be used, without
limitation, to
perform a discrimination function appropriate to such media.
As noted above, currency bills input into the self-service machine 510 that
are designated to be recycled are packaged (e.g., bound, shrink wrapped,
wrapped,
tied, strapped, etc.) and transported by the recycled currency bill transport
840 to a
designated recycled currency retrieval area (e.g., R1-R4). Optionally, if the
recycled
currency bills are to be packaged together with recycled coins, the recycled
currency
bills may be transferred by the recycled currency bill transport 840 to the
coin
recycler 570 for combination (as represented by dashed line) or,
alternatively, both
the recycled coins and the recycled currency can be output from the respective
coin
processing module and currency processing module (or any optional intermediate
coin and/or currency storage area(s), directly to a recycler configured to
process the
combination of coin and/or currency.
In accord with at least some of the aspects of the present concepts disclosed
herein both infra and supra, the currency processing device disclosed in U.S.
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Published Patent Application US 2012/0156976 Al, filed on December 16, 2011,
and entitled "Coin Processing Systems, Methods And Devices" and referred to
hereinafter as the Money Machine 2 ("MM2") is advantageously utilized in
combination with one or more the concepts presented herein (e.g., the self-
service
machine 510 of FIGS. 6 and 9-11 may comprise an MM2). For example, the MM2
coin processing device is utilizable in accord with the present concepts to
form a
deliverable coin package of a specified quantity of and denomination(s) of
coins
using the coin recycler 570 and to output the deliverable coin package (e.g.,
a sealed
plastic bag of the requested coins) to a recycled currency retrieval area
(e.g., R1) for
retrieval by an employee of the business, a user submitting the coin order, or
an
agent thereof, as appropriate.
In at least one aspect of the present concepts, further to the aforementioned
coin recycler 570, the self-service machine 510 comprises one or more secure,
removable coin recycling cassettes. An example is shown in FIG. 11, wherein
five
secure coin recycling cassettes 900, identified by reference numeral SC1-SC5,
are
disposed to receive coins output from respective ones of the intermediate coin
holding areas 11-14 (e.g., via actuators disposed in or downstream of the
intermediate coin holding areas I1-14), output by one or more actuators 550
disposed downstream of the coin processing module 500, and/or output from the
coin processing module 500 via an output path 911.
The size of the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 (e.g., SC I-SC5 in FIGS.
11-12) may vary. By way of example, the secure coin recycling cassettes 900
may
have an internal volume dimensioned to hold 1/8 of a full federal bag limit
for each
denomination of coin, or as much as 1/4 or 3/4 of a full federal bag limit for
each
denomination, or even a of a full federal bag limit for each denomination.
Likewise, in foreign countries, generally equivalent dimensions may be
utilized for
corresponding fractions of standard coin bags (e.g., a fraction of a coin bag
from
the Deutsche Bundesbank, etc.). To facilitate portability of the secure coin
recycling cassettes 900, it is presently preferred that the secure coin
recycling
cassettes 900 have an internal volume dimensioned to hold between about 1/8 to
1/4
of a full federal bag limit. Secure coin recycling cassettes 900 of varying
sizes may
be used in a single machine. For example, a self-service machine 510 may
comprise a plurality of secure coin recycling cassettes 900 that are 1/8 of a
full
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federal bag limit and a plurality of secure coin recycling cassettes 900 that
are 1/4 of
a full federal bag limit. As another example, a self-service machine 510 may
comprise a plurality of secure coin recycling cassettes 900 that are 1/2 of a
full
federal bag limit and a plurality of secure coin recycling cassettes 900 that
are 1/4 of
a full federal bag limit. As another example, a secure coin recycling cassette
900
can be configured to hold a certain number of coins (e.g., 2500 coins of a
particular
denomination) or range of coins.
In accord with any of the aspects of the secure coin recycling cassettes 900
disclosed herein, the secure coin recycling cassettes may be locked in a metal
cage,
a metal case, a room, a safe or a metal locker when not required or when a
machine
is not available to receive the secure coin recycling cassettes.
When a secure coin recycling cassette 900 reaches its limit, or reaches a pre-
defined fill level, additional coins of the denomination processed by the coin
processing module 500 (overflow) are routed to a coin storage bin 902, coin
bag
(not shown), or mixed-coin coin recycling cassette 900. For example, where a
secure coin recycling cassette 900 has a limit of 2500 coins, for example, the
2,501s1
coin and subsequent coins of that denomination are discharged to coin storage
bin
902.
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, each secure coin recycling
cassette 900 comprises a single denomination. In other aspects of the present
concepts, one or more secure coin recycling cassettes 900 can be
advantageously
used to store a plurality of coin denominations (e.g., a predetermined mix of
coins, a
cash till mix, a random mix, overflow coins, etc.) suitable for a particular
business.
By way of example, the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 can be used as a
deliverable coin package transportable between businesses. Businesses
utilizing
secure coin recycling cassette 900 as deliverable coin packages can, for
example,
return "empties" back to the business from which it was obtained and exchange
the
"empties" for "full" secure coin recycling cassettes 900.
In some aspects, the housing of the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 is
metal (e.g., 3003-H14 aluminum, 5052-H32 aluminum, 6061-16 aluminum, Grade
304 stainless steel, etc.), plastic (e.g., thermoplastics, DuPont Delrin ,
DuPont
Zytel HTN resins, Polyphthalamides, glass-fiber reinforced polymers, etc.),
and/or composite of a suitable thickness or gauge (e.g., 8-11 gauge steel or
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aluminum, etc.) appropriate to the material to both maintain dimensional
stability
over time (e.g., little to deformation of the housing dimensions over an
operational
lifetime of the secure coin recycling cassette, etc.) and to discourage and/or
hinder
access to an interior volume of the secure coin recycling cassette through the
housing.
The secure coin recycling cassettes 900 are removably disposed within a
secured area 905 of the self-service machine 510, such as within a docking
station
or docking port (not shown) having electrical connectors (e.g., power
connector,
USB connector, etc.) configured to matingly engage with electrical connectors
on
the secure coin recycling cassettes (e.g., to enable the secure coin recycling
cassettes to be externally powered, such as to charge a rechargeable battery
borne
thereby, and/or to facilitate data connection between a controller 895 of the
secure
coin recycling cassette and a controller of the machine to which the secure
coin
recycling cassette is docked) and/or having physical connectors (e.g., docking
posts, guide members, etc.) configured to physically guide and/or securely
retain
the secure coin recycling cassettes in an operable position. In at least some
aspects,
the electrical connectors are configured so as not to require any plugging in
or
unplugging of cables to the secure coin recycling cassette 900, so as to
minimize
difficulty of insertion or removal of the secure coin recycling cassette.
In at least some aspects, the docking station or docking port (e.g., 916) is
adapted to provide a "plug-and-play" type functionality wherein the device to
which
a secure coin recycling cassette 900 is attached automatically recognizes and
interacts with one or more secure coin recycling cassettes. In at least some
aspects
of the present concepts, one or more docking stations or docking ports (e.g.,
916)
are configured to accept a plurality of secure coin recycling cassette of the
same
coin type (e.g., multiple secure coin recycling cassette of a single
denomination,
multiple mixed-denomination secure coin recycling cassettes, etc.).
An authorized person (e.g., an employee of a business in which the self-
service machine 510 is disposed) is able to access one or more of the secure
coin
recycling cassettes 900 and remove them from the self-service machine 510,
such
as is represented in FIG. 13, where secure coin recycling cassette "SC1" 900
is
removed from a first position P1 (e.g., an operable position) in the self-
service
machine, following accessing of the secure coin recycling cassette "SC1"
through
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the access panel or door 912, and is moved to a position P1' outside of the
self-
service machine, as represented by the arrow. The self-service machine 510
optionally includes one or more locking doors or access panels configured to
control access to one or more of the secure coin recycling cassette 900. For
example, in one embodiment, a single locking door is provided in the front or
back
of the self-service machine 510 and all secure coin recycling cassette 900 in
the
accessible area 905 are accessible via the door 912. Where the self-service
machine 510 is disposed with a front portion accessible to the public and a
rear
portion accessible only to a business secured area, the door need not
necessarily be
locked or lockable. In another embodiment, a plurality of locking doors are
provided, in the front or back of the self-service machine 510, and one or
more
secure coin recycling cassettes 900 in the accessible area 905 are accessible
via the
plurality of locking doors 912.
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, the secure coin recycling
cassettes 900 are only unlocked when disposed in an operable position within
the
self-service machine 510 or within another device in which the secure coin
recycling cassettes 900 are used to either receive and/or dispense coins. When
removed from such machine or device, the secure coin recycling cassettes 900
advantageously lock automatically. For example, the secure coin recycling
cassettes 900 are automatically locked (e.g., via latch(es), actuator(s),
etc.) as they
are removed from the self-service machine or device or in association with
such
removal (e.g., prior to removal). Likewise, the secure coin recycling
cassettes 900
are automatically unlocked as they are inserted into the self-service machine
or in
association with the insertion into the self-service machine (e.g., during an
operability self-check, a self-service machine actuator or a coin recycling
cassette
actuator unlocks the secure coin recycling cassette before it is permitted to
be
placed into operation).
When the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 are removed from a self-
service machine 510, such as is shown in FIG. 15, the secure coin recycling
cassette
(e.g., SC I ) must be maintained in a secure state during transportation,
whether to a
local device or location (e.g., a local separate coin recycling station 915 as
represented in FIG. 14) or a remote location. The security features utilized
and/or
enabled in association with the movement of the secure coin recycling
cassettes
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900 may depend on (or be selected by) the business utilizing the secure coin
recycling cassette. For example, in an environment that is itself secure, such
as
behind the teller windows that separate the bank tellers from the public
(e.g.,
wherein a front of the self-service machine 510 is positioned in a wall for
public use
and the back of the self-service machine opens to a controller area accessible
only
by bank employees, etc.), a business may not feel it necessary to
automatically lock
the coin input opening 880 and coin discharge opening 881 of the secure coin
recycling cassettes 900 in view of the ordinary security protocols (e.g.,
restricted
access, video cameras, requirement of entry of employee codes to access
interior of
self-service machine 510, electronic monitoring of the contents of each secure
coin
recycling cassette 900 by one of, or both of, the self-service machine
controller 520
and secure coin recycling cassette controller 895, etc.).
However, in an environment that is not secure (e.g., a self-service machine
510 disposed in a public area of a grocery store), the secure coin recycling
cassettes
900 are advantageously configured to automatically lock or otherwise secure
the
coin input opening 880 on the top portion of the secure coin recycling
cassette 900
and the coin discharge opening 881 at the bottom portion of the secure coin
recycling cassette to maintain the security of the contents of the secure coin
recycling cassette during movement. By way of example, the members used to
occlude the openings 880, 881 are automatically locked in place by the secure
coin
recycling cassette 900 controller 895 or the self-service machine 510
controller 520
(or other controller of another machine or device to which the secure coin
recycling cassette is operably associated) prior to or concurrent with removal
of the
secure coin recycling cassette from the docking station in which or on which
it is
removably attached.
Accordingly, to simplify insertion and removal of the secure coin recycling
cassette 900 from machines or devices to which they are attached, the openings
880,
881 are optionally configured to automatically close prior to removal from a
device
in which or on which the secure coin recycling cassette 900 is removably
installed
and, conversely, to automatically open following installation in or on a
device in
which the secure coin recycling cassette 900 is placed in service. To
accomplish
the automatic locking of the openings 880, 881, one or more linear
actuator(s),
rotary actuator(s) and/or spring element(s) are disposed in the secure coin
recycling
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cassette 900 together with corresponding actuatable member s provided to fully
occlude the openings 880, 881. In actuator-based embodiments, when the
controller
520 of the self-service machine 510 registers the insertion of the secure coin
recycling cassette 900, controller 895 instructs the actuators to move the
actuatable
members from the openings 880, 881 to thereby place the secure coin recycling
cassette in condition for operation. Following movement of the actuatable
members
to the open or operable condition, the controller 895 registers such status
and
communicates the operability of the secure coin recycling cassette to the
controller
520 of the self-service machine. In another example, the docking ports of the
self-
service machine 510 are themselves configured with latches or members that
interact with correspondingly configured latches or members in the secure coin
recycling cassette to cause retraction or movement of members occluding the
openings 880, 881. For example, responsive to a force of pushing the secure
coin
recycling cassette into an operable position in a docking station, latches in
the
docking station engage and move sliding plates, normally biased closed, in a
direction opposite to the biasing force to thereby open the openings 880, 881.
As
the secure coin recycling cassette is withdrawn from the operable position in
the
docking station, the latches no longer engage and hold the sliding plates and
the
sliding plates then automatically close under their normal bias to thereby
close the
openings 880, 881. Using mechanical and/or electromechanical measures such as
these, the employees handling the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 are
required
to take minimal steps to effect a transfer to the secure coin recycling
cassettes 900
from one location to another location.
In yet another aspect, the opening 881 at a bottom portion of the secure
coin recycling cassette 900 comprises a coin dispensing device 883 (see FIG.
13)
configured to dispense a predetermined number of coins responsive to an
instruction from the controller 895. The outlet of the coin dispensing device,
while
permitting discharge of the coins on an interior volume of the secure coin
recycling
cassette, itself provides a barrier preventing access to the interior of the
secure coin
recycling cassette. In at least one aspect, the coin dispensing device
comprises a
conventional rotating disk, inclined at a predetermined angle, comprising
recesses
accommodating individual coins wherein rotation of the rotating disk causes
coins
to occupy the recesses and discharge of the coins to the coin outlet at a
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predetermined rotational position of the rotating disk. An optional one-way
door
or gate (not shown) is disposed at the outlet of the coin dispensing device.
In other
aspects, any conventional coin dispenser could be integrated with a secure
coin
recycling cassette.
In yet other aspects of the present concepts, it is desired that the secure
coin
recycling cassettes 900 are universal and are adapted to accept any
denomination
of coin. In at least some aspects of a universal secure coin recycling
cassette 900,
the secure coin recycling cassette does not include a coin dispensing device
disposed internally thereto and, instead, coin dispensing devices are
optionally
provided on or in other devices to which the secure coin recycling cassettes
900 are
attached. Such coin dispensing devices receive, as an input, coins discharged
(e.g.,
gravity flow) from the bottom opening 881 of the secure coin recycling
cassette
900, and singulate and discharge the coins one-at-a-time. In such aspects, any
available empty secure coin recycling cassette 900 can be inserted to any
available
docketing port in a self-service machine 510 to receive coins of any single
denomination. As previously described, the secure coin recycling cassette
controller 895 advantageously communicates with a controller of the system to
which the empty secure coin recycling cassette 900 is attached (e.g.,
controller 520
of self-service machine 510) and data relating to a position of the secure
coin
recycling cassette (e.g., denomination, etc.) is transmitted to the secure
coin
recycling cassette memory 890. Following placement in-service, data for every
coin output to the secure coin recycling cassette 900 is transmitted at least
to the
secure coin recycling cassette memory 890.
In another aspect of a universal secure coin recycling cassette 900, the
secure coin recycling cassette comprises an universal upper portion and a
detachable lower portion, the universal upper portion comprising a standard or
coin
input region adapted to accommodate any input coins of any denomination and
defining an interior coin receptacle geometry suitable for retention of coins
of any
denomination. The detachable lower portion comprises an internally disposed
coin
dispensing device adapted to discharge, from the interior volume defined by
the
universal upper portion and/or detachable lower portion, coins of a specific
denomination. The universal upper portion and detachable lower portion are
thus
able to be matched to a particular application and particular denomination as
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needed. The connection between the universal upper portion and the detachable
lower portion may comprise any mechanical connector(s) including, but not
limited to, latches, locks, mating connectors, or sliding connectors.
In some aspects of the present concepts, the secure coin recycling cassettes
900 are optionally expandable or of variable size so that the same cassette
may be
used in different machines and/or different applications. As one example, each
wall (the term "wall" being inclusive of top and bottom walls forming the
"ceiling"
and the "floor" of the secure coin recycling cassette) are formed with wide
flanges
or side members that overlap corresponding side members of adjacent panels
forming the adjacent walls. The overlaps permit variability in positioning of
the
walls relative to one another and conventional means of securing stable
connection
therebetween (e.g., special locking screws with proprietary heads, etc.) are
able to
lock the walls of the secure coin recycling cassette in a contracted position,
fully
expanded position, or a position therebetween. In another configuration, a
secure
coin recycling cassette 900 comprises two parts, each part having three side
walls,
a bottom wall (floor), and a top wall (ceiling), wherein one of the two parts
is
slightly smaller in dimension in the lateral and height dimensions so as to be
positionable inside of the other of the two parts and to telescope inwardly
and
outwardly therefrom in sliding engagement. One or more latches, locks, or
fixing
members (e.g., screws or fasteners) are provided on one or both of the parts
to
maintain a set spatial relationship between the two parts (e.g., a plurality
of locks,
one for each set of walls). Thus, the depth-wise dimension can be changed, as
needed (e.g., to permit a greater coin capacity, to accommodate a smaller
machine,
etc.), by movement of the first part relative to the second part and fixing or
locking
the parts together in the desired configuration. As another example, a secure
coin
recycling cassette 900 may have an accordion-style wall configuration. As yet
another example, the top and bottom walls of the secure coin recycling
cassettes
900 may be exchangeable so that different tops and bottom walls may be mated
with preexisting lateral walls from another container so that a secure coin
recycling
cassette of a first set of lateral dimensions (e.g., width, depth) may be
readily
converted to a secure coin recycling cassette having one or more different
lateral
dimensions.
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Optionally, an on-board battery of the secure coin recycling cassette 900
can be used to power an LED display or individual LEDs to provide a visual
indication of a denomination of coin retained within the secure coin recycling
cassette, which is communicated to the secure coin recycling cassette
controller
895, for example, the controller 520 of self-service machine 510. For example,
a
=
front or forward surface of the secure coin recycling cassette includes a
first green
LED by a label of $0.01, a second green LED by a label of $0.05, a third green
LED by a label of $0.10, a fourth green LED by a label of $0.25, and so on,
with a
light illuminating the relevant denomination. Of course, any color of LED
could
be utilized without limitation. Such LEDs could optionally only be illuminated
from the time at which the secure coin recycling cassette is taken out-of-
service to
the time at which the secure coin recycling cassette is placed back in-service
on
another machine. In yet other aspects, a label pouch may be provided to accept
an
informational label printed by the machine from which the secure coin
recycling
cassette is removed (e.g., controller 520 of self-service machine 510) or to
accept
an externally-generated label.
In at least some aspects of the present concepts, the secure coin recycling
cassettes 900 are color-coded for visibility and/or to conform to Federal
Reserve/American Banking Association ("ABA") Standards for coin
denominations (e.g., blue for nickels, light green for dimes, red for pennies,
orange
for quarters, etc.). In yet other aspects, instead of the entire cassette 900
or portion
thereof having color-coding, a universal secure coin recycling cassette 900,
such as
that noted above, may have an array of LED lights (e.g., an array of single
lights or
an array of clusters of lights for enhanced visibility) of different colors
corresponding to the color-coded conforming to Federal Reserve/ABA Standards
for coin denominations (e.g., blue LEDs are illuminated when a secure coin
recycling cassette 900 contains nickels, green LEDs are illuminated when the
secure coin recycling cassette contains dimes, etc.).
Tamper evident features may optionally be incorporated into the secure
coin recycling cassettes 900 and/or the devices which fill them with coins
(e.g.,
self-service machine 510). As described herein, some tamper evident features
are
electronic in nature and generally rely upon tracking or other analysis of
data (e.g.,
known coin counts, access by known personnel, etc.) relating to the handling
of the
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secure coin recycling cassettes 900. In other aspects, the tamper evident
features
are physical in nature. By way of example, the device that fills the secure
coin
recycling cassette 900 with coins comprises one or more devices configured to
apply, to a secure coin recycling cassette that is to be removed therefrom, a
variable length plastic seal (e.g., "pull tight seal"), a fixed length seal
(the ends of
which are clicked into place to lock), a metal seal (e.g., a wire U-ring used
in
combination with a polyester label affixed to ends of the metal seal), and/or
labels
affixed to the members closing the openings 880, 881 (e.g., polyester or vinyl
labels, holographic labels, Tamperco Label LockTM Non-residue tamper proof
label, etc.). To facilitate application of an optional tamper evident seal,
members
used to occlude the openings 880, 881 may comprise features (e.g., rings,
bars,
etc.) and the housing may comprise features (e.g., rings, bars, etc.)
adjacently
situated relative to the features of such members so that, in combination, the
features facilitate the application of a tamper evident seal (e.g., a plastic
seal may
be inserted through the features and then the ends of the plastic seal are
bonded
together.
Alternatively, one or more secure coin recycling cassettes 900 are
optionally denomination-specific so as to permit optimization of each secure
coin
recycling cassette to a particular denomination.
In accord with at least some aspects of the present concepts, one or, or both
of, the secure coin recycling cassette(s) 900 and/or docking station(s) (e.g.,
916;
FIG. 14) to which the secure coin recycling cassettes are operatively
associated
comprise a locking mechanism to cause the secure coin recycling cassettes to
be
locked to the docking stations until such time as an authorized personnel is
authorized to unlock and remove the secure coin recycling cassettes. By way of
example, the docking station 916 for the secure coin recycling cassette 900
may
comprise one or more locking members that engage portions of the secure coin
recycling cassette housing and lock to thereby prevent unauthorized removal of
the
secure coin recycling cassette from the machine (e.g., self-service machine
510) to
which the secure coin recycling cassette is attached.
Optionally, it is further advantageous to render the locked or secured
openings tamper evident. According to at least some embodiments, the secure
coin
recycling cassette 900 controller 895 monitors a position of the members
occluding
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(and optionally locking) the openings 880, 881 (and any other occluded
openings).
If a position of any of such members occluding the openings is changed while
the
secure coin recycling cassette is in transport from a first location to a
second
location, the controller 895 logs the deviation. In some aspects, if the
deviation
exceeds a threshold minimum level, the controller 895 transmits an alert to
one or
more other devices, addresses or parties using the communication device 885.
As
another alternative, or in addition to the previously described aspect, the
controller
895 advantageously times the transit from the first location to the second
location
and the controller 895 is configured to transmits a status update or an alert
to one
or more other devices, addresses or parties using the communication device 885
if
a transit time exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold (which could
constitute
an indication of an attempt to tamper with the secure coin recycling cassette
or
possibly of an unattended secure coin recycling cassette). By way of example,
if
employees of a grocery store routinely move a secure coin recycling cassette
900
from a self-service machine 510 in a front portion of a grocery store to a
service
desk room in which a coin recycling machine (e.g., 915; FIG. 15) is located,
and
such transport and docking with the coin recycling machine ordinarily lasts 3
minutes, with a standard deviation of 1 minute, an alert may be issued by the
controller 895 once 5 minutes has lapsed from the removal of the secure coin
recycling cassette from the self-service machine 510 without a docking of the
secure coin recycling cassette with the coin recycling machine. In at least
some
aspects, prior to removal of the secure coin recycling cassette 900, an
authorized
person removing a secure coin recycling cassette is required to input to the
device
from which the secure coin recycling cassette is removed (e.g., coin recycling
machine 915 in FIG. 15) the location to which the secure coin recycling
cassette is
to be moved (e.g., self-service machine 510) and such information is used to
set a
timer appropriate for such transfer.
The secure coin recycling cassette 900 may, in lieu of or in additional to
communication of status and/or alerts using the communication device 885 as
noted above, use controller 895 to communicate data (e.g., status, alerts,
etc.) to a
system to which the secure coin recycling cassette is operatively associated
(e.g.,
coin recycling machine 915 in FIG. 15).
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FIG. 14 illustrates an example where the secure coin recycling cassette 900,
denoted as SC1, comprises an optional RFID 886 (active or passive) that
uniquely
identifies the secure coin recycling cassette. Separate and apart from, or
optionally
used in conjunction with, any tracking that may be effected utilizing an
optional
onboard controller 895 and optional communication device 885 (e.g., GPS,
trilateralization, etc.), RFID 886 transmits a unique ID to a local and/or
remote
tracking system, such as by reading RFID information using a reader 887. The
reader 887 may comprise a mobile (e.g., handheld) RFID reader (e.g., Motorola
MC9190-Z Handheld RFID Reader) and/or using one or more fixed area RFID
readers (e.g., Motorola FX9500 fixed reader). Fixed RFID readers (e.g.,
Receiver
887 in FIGS. 14, 16) may be used to identify a location of a secure coin
recycling
cassette 900 within a known space (e.g., a grocery store, a bank, etc.) at a
specific
time and/or over a range of time. Although the reader 887 is depicted as being
disposed remotely from the self-service machine 510 and coin recycling machine
915 in FIG. 14, one or more readers 887 may be optionally disposed in such
machines or in any other machine or device to which a secure coin recycling
cassette 900 is to be removably attached so as to identify the secure coin
recycling
cassette to the system controller (e.g., controller 520 in self-service
machine 510).
FIG. 14 shows the secure coin recycling cassette 900 ("SC!") in dashed
lines in an initial position in the self-service machine 510. FIG. 14 further
represents removal of the secure coin recycling cassette 900 ("SC1") from the
self-
service machine 510 and movement of the secure coin recycling cassette by the
arrow Al and the use of dashed lines. Upon removal and/or during this
movement,
intermittently or continuously, the secure coin recycling cassette 900
transmits its
location and/or other data via one or more signals 888a to reader 887, the
signals
888a originating from the RFID 886 and/or the communication device 885.
Signals 888a are represented by dashed lines to indicate the transitory
movement
of the secure coin recycling cassette 900. The movement of the secure coin
recycling cassette 900 represented in FIG. 14 may be to a local site (e.g.,
within the
same room or same building) or a remote site (e.g., to a different building, a
different part of a town, a different business, etc.). FIG. 14 further shows
that,
following the movement of the secure coin recycling cassette 900, it is then
attached, as indicated by arrow A2, to a coin recycling machine 915. In
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association with the attachment of the secure coin recycling cassette 900 to
the
coin recycling machine 915, the secure coin recycling cassette 900 transmits
its
location, status and/or other data via one or more signals 888b to reader 887,
the
signals 888a originating from the RFID 886 and/or the communication device 885
and/or the coin recycling machine 915. The signals 888a, 888b transmitted to
the
receiver 887 are routed, via wireless or hardwired communication pathways, to
external systems (not shown). In at least some aspects, the external systems
synchronize the location of the secure coin recycling cassette 900 at a
specific
point in time with one or more cameras linked to the external system to
capture one
or more images of the movement of the secure coin recycling cassette 900 from
such camera(s).
In FIG. 14, a side-view of the coin recycling machine 915 is shown to
comprise, as previously noted, a coin recycler 570 configured to recycle coins
and
output packages of coins to a variety of small to medium-sized recycled
currency
retrieval areas RI-R4 or to a large recycled currency retrieval area Si. A
front
view of the coin recycling machine 915 of FIG. 14 is shown in FIG. 17, where
the
coin recycler 570 is shown to recycle coins and output packages of coins to a
variety of small to medium-sized recycled currency retrieval areas R1-R8 or to
a
large recycled currency retrieval area Si. In both FIGS. 14 and 17, the secure
coin
recycling cassettes 900 are attached to docking stations 916, which lock the
secure
coin recycling cassettes 900 in place on the coin recycling machine 915 and
which
guide the coins into the coin recycling machine 915. Dashed arrow 917 in FIG.
14
represents the flow of coins from the secure coin recycling cassette 900
through the
docking station 916 and to the coin recycler 570. FIG. 17 shows the coin
recycler
570 in communication with external systems, which may be used to control the
operation of the coin recycling machine 915, attached secure coin recycling
cassettes 900 and/or coin recycler 570. Of course, operation of the coin
recycling
machine 915 may be performed directly at the coin recycling machine 915 via
operator input using associated buttons and/or an associated GUI (e.g., touch
screen), voice commands, or other input device.
FIG. 14 also shows a representation of movement of the secure coin
recycling cassette 900 SCI, via arrow A3, to a coin recycling machine 915
comprising its own coin processing device 950 (see also, e.g., FIG. 25). In
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association with the attachment of the secure coin recycling cassette 900 SCI
to
the docking port 916 of the coin processing device 950, the secure coin
recycling
cassette 900 transmits its location, status and/or other data via one or more
signals
(not shown) to reader 887, the signals 888a originating from the RFID 886
and/or
the communication device 885 and/or the coin recycling machine 915. The
signals
888a, 888b transmitted to the receiver 887 arc routed, via wireless or
hardwired
communication pathways, to external systems (not shown). This aspect of the
coin
recycling machine 915 comprises, for illustration, a coin recycler 570
configured to
recycle coins and output packages of coins to a variety of small to medium-
sized
recycled currency retrieval areas R1-R2 or to a large recycled currency
retrieval
area Sl.
In relation to locking of the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 during or in
preparation for transport, in at least some aspects of the present concepts,
one or
more discrete locking points are provided that are separately actuatable so
that
openings or access points may be selectively locked. For example, in some
configurations, such as deployment of one or more full secure coin recycling
cassettes 900 on a coin packaging machine (see, e.g., dedicated coin packaging
machine 915 in FIG. 14), the coin packaging machine 915 (and/or the secure
coin
recycling cassettes 900 following identification of the machine to which it is
attached) is configured to lock the input of the secure coin recycling
cassettes 900,
but not the output thereof. Likewise, in some configurations, the self-service
machine 510 (and/or the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 following
identification
of the machine to which it is attached) is configured to lock the output of
the secure
coin recycling cassettes 900, but not the input thereof. Additional discrete
locking
points may include, for example, data ports or communication ports.
A secure coin recycling cassette is a cassette that may be locked and, once
locked, the coins and/or currency bills and other documents therein are secure
and
access to and/or the ability to remove and/or insert coins and/or currency
bills and
other documents into the cassette is prevented or inhibited (e.g., the
container may
need to be destroyed and/or damaged to overcome the container lock). According
to at least some embodiments, secure coin recycling cassettes are physically
lockable and/or lockable on command, such as by an operator, handler, self-
service
machine 510 controller 520 (e.g., secure coin recycling cassettes 900 may be
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configured to lock automatically upon the removal of a secure coin recycling
cassettes from a docking station or docking port within the self-service
machine
510), and/or secure coin recycling cassette 900 resident controller and
actuator(s).
Once locked, only authorized personnel (e.g., personnel utilizing a password,
key,
code, device, or the like) are able to unlock the secure coin recycling
cassettes 900
and such ability to unlock the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 may further
be
conditionally limited (e.g., only certain discrete locking points may be
unlocked and
only when the secure coin recycling cassette 900 is in a particular
operational
condition or inoperable condition, etc.).
In accord with at least some aspects of the present concepts, a secure coin
recycling cassette is configured to log data relating to the secure coin
recycling
cassette on a resident memory device (see, e.g., MD1 in FIG. 13), such data
including, but not limited to, records of access (e.g., attempts at access,
actual
access, time and date of access or attempted access, identification code or
identifying information on person accessing or attempting access of secure
coin
recycling cassette, coins received by the secure coin recycling cassette,
and/or
status of secure coin recycling cassette (e.g., properly docked and operable,
full,
partially full, error codes, etc.), in any combination. The information stored
by the
optional secure smart secure cassette memory device MD1 is accessible by an
authorized external device or, in additional or alternatively, by a resident
controller
and communication device (e.g., COM1 in FIG. 13). The resident communication
device may be powered by a device to which the secure coin recycling cassette
is
operatively associated (e.g., a self-service machine 510, etc.) and/or by a
battery
borne by the secure coin recycling cassette (e.g., a rechargeable lithium-ion
battery). The secure coin recycling cassette is thereby configured to transmit
the
information borne by the memory device (e.g., MD1 in FIG. 13) to another
device
(e.g., PDA, tablet, network, remote computer, etc.) via an established
wireless or
hard-wired communication link.
Utilizing such on-board data-storage capability (e.g., MD1 in FIG. 13)
and/or communication capability (e.g., COM1 in FIG. 13), the value and the
count
of coins added to or extracted from each secure recycling coin cassette 900
can be
tracked not only while disposed in an operable condition at a machine (e.g., a
self-
service machine 510, etc.), but also external thereto so as to allow tracking
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throughout a retail or banking system (e.g., during exchange of coins from a
first
machine, such as self-service machine 510, to a second machine, such as a
dedicated coin packaging machine).
Alternatively, or in addition to the aforementioned smart secure cassettes
bearing a resident memory device (e.g., MD1 in FIG. 13, which may comprise an
encrypted flash memory device) and/or controller and communication device
(e.g.,
COMI in FIG. 13), in at least some embodiments, the self-service machine 510
controller 520 (or controller of another machine or device to which a secure
coin
recycling cassette 900 is operatively associated) itself separately records
and/or
transmits a log of details about the status of individual secure coin
recycling
cassettes 900 from the moment of insertion of the secure coin recycling
cassettes
into the self-service machine (or other machine or device) until the removal
of the
secure coin recycling cassettes from the self-service machine (or other
machine or
device), such log including data on all coins received by the secure coin
recycling
cassettes and all operator records (e.g., passwords or access codes entered,
times of
such events, etc.) during such operational interval.
When the secure coin recycling cassette 900 is operatively associated with
a self-service machine 510, communications from the self-service machine
controller 520 via I/O 540 and/or communication device 534 may include, for
example, transmitting (e.g., via a hardwired connection or a wireless
communication, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular connection, etc.) data
relating to
the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 to another device (e.g., PDA, tablet,
network, other computer device, etc.), generally denoted in FIGS. 11-12 as
external systems. Data stored by the self-service machine 510 controller 520
relating to the coins output to a specific secure coin recycling cassette 900
is
optionally transmitted to such external system(s) to enable comparison of such
data
to corresponding data stored by the smart secure cassette 900 resident memory
devices (e.g., MD I in FIG. 13) as a check against tampering, theft, or of
errors.
The value and the count of coins added to or extracted from each secure coin
recycling cassette can be tracked at the machine operating or securely
retaining the
cassette at any time.
To illustrate of example of the present concepts, secure coin recycling
cassettes 900 are utilized in combination with a self-service machine 510,
such as
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the Cummins-Allison Corp. "Money Machine 2," and coins processed thereby are
used to fill the secure coin recycling cassettes. Once filled, or if needed to
be
removed prior to filling for any reason, the secure coin recycling cassettes
900 are
able to be rapidly removed from the self-service machine 510 by authorized
personnel (e.g., a supervisor) and moved to another location, such as a back
room in
the business (e.g., a bank, a grocery store, etc.). Following removal of a
secure coin
recycling cassette 900 (e.g., a "full" coin recycling cassette), an empty
secure coin
recycling cassette is substituted therefor and the machine placed back in
service.
The removed secure coin recycling cassette(s) are then able to be stored or
put into
or onto another device, such as is represented by way of example in FIG. 14.
In one
aspect, a removed secure coin recycling cassette is inserted into or onto a
coin
storage device to hold the secure coin recycling cassette in a secure location
until a
later transfer of the secure coin recycling cassette to another business or
entity. In
another aspect, a "full" secure coin recycling cassette is inserted into or
onto a cash
till filling device configured to cause the attached secure coin recycling
cassette to
discharge of a predetermined or set number of coins to enable the business to
refill
tills for employees secure coin recycling cassette and to provide other
inventory of
coin as required, such as is represented by way of example in FIGS. 12 and 14.
In some embodiments, a machine such as, but not limited to, the self-
service machine 510 is configured to variously fill the secure coin recycling
cassettes 900, but not discharge directly therefrom (see, e.g., FIG. 11), such
extraction being accomplished on a different machine.
In other embodiments, a machine such as, but not limited to, the self-
service machine 510 is configured to variously fill the secure coin recycling
cassettes 900 and also discharge directly therefrom (see, e.g., FIG. 12), such
as to a
cash till 904.
In still other embodiments, a machine such as, but not limited to, the self-
service machine 510 is configured to discharge coins from the coin processing
module 500 to the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 without any intermediary
intermediate coin holding areas (e.g., 1145 shown in FIG. 12) or actuators,
such as
is shown by way of example in FIG. 15.
In yet another variant of the self-service machine 510, the coin processing
module 500 outputs coins to the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 and the
secure
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coin recycling cassettes 900 are in turn configured to dispense coins to one
or more
intermediate coin holding areas (e.g., 11-15 shown in FIG. 12). In this
embodiment, the intermediate coin holding areas are configured to dispense
coins
from coin dispensers to a cash till 904 or other removable container or
receptacle
(e.g., cup, tube, sleeve, bag, etc.). Thus, loose mixed coin can be input into
the
self-service machine, where it is sorted into the secure coin recycling
cassettes 900.
The full or partially full secure coin recycling cassettes 900 can, in turn,
then be
used to refill cash tills or dispensed into coin tubes (e.g., pre-formed
Federal limit
tubes, rolled coin tubes, PUS coin tubes, small container cups, etc.) to
provide a
comprehensive backroom coin processing machine.
To further illustrate some of the above aspects of the present concepts, a
number of exemplary applications and configurations are discussed below.
In the examples of FIG. 12 and FIG. 15, for example, once a secure coin
recycling cassette 900 (e.g., SC I) and/or optional intermediate coin holding
area
(e.g., II), as appropriate, is full of coins of an appropriate denomination,
additional
sorted coins of that denomination are then output by the coin processing
module
(see, e.g., 500 in FIG. 12) of the self-service machine 510 to a conventional
coin bin
902 (e.g., mixed coin bin) or coin bag (not shown). For example, a secure coin
recycling cassette might call for a quantity of two-hundred quarters. The
first two-
hundred quarters run through the self-service machine would sort into the
secure
coin recycling cassette. However, quarter number two-hundred and one and
beyond would then be output by the sorted into the mixed coin bin or to
another
appropriate collection bag within the self-service machine 510.
The self-service machine 510 is advantageously, but not necessarily,
networked to a network of the business or an external system via communication
device 534. Accordingly, status information from the self-service machine 510
and,
more particularly, status information relating to the secure coin recycling
cassettes
900 is communicated to local or remote devices (e.g., cell phone, computer,
tablet,
etc.) to notify appropriate personnel (e.g., a business supervisor) as to a
status of one
or more of the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 (e.g., near-full, full, out-
of-
service, error, etc.). The business supervisor is then able to take
appropriate actions,
such as to change out a full secure coin recycling cassette for an empty one.
For
example, if a one or more secure coin recycling cassettes are filled, they can
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quickly (e.g., within a few minutes) removed from the self-service machine 510
and
stored or moved to another machine, locally or remotely, for further
processing.
As each secure coin recycling cassette 900 is removed from the self-service
machine 510 by the supervisor, at least the coin input opening 880 and coin
discharge opening 881 will automatically self-lock and secure itself for
movement,
such as noted above. Other openings, such as data port openings (not shown),
may
also be configured to automatically lock when the secure coin recycling
cassette
900 is not docked. FIG. 15 shows the removal of the secure coin recycling
cassette
900 ("SC1") from the self-service machine 510 and movement of the secure coin
recycling cassette (see arrow Al). Upon removal andJor during this movement,
intermittently or continuously, the secure coin recycling cassette 900
transmits its
location and/or other data via one or more signals 888a, from the RFID 886
and/or
the communication device 885, to reader 887.
The supervisor is then able to carry the secure coin recycling cassette(s) 900
back to a coin processing machine elsewhere in the business (e.g., coin
recycler 915
of FIG. 14 or cash till machine 920 of FIG. 16), or to an adjacently disposed
machine where provided, and attach the secure coin recycling cassette(s) 900
to the
docking port(s) of the respective machine (e.g., docking ports 916 of the cash
till
machine 920 of FIG. 16). The movement of the secure coin recycling cassette
900
into place on the docking port 916 is indicated by arrow A2. The docking ports
In
association with the attachment of the secure coin recycling cassette 900 to
the cash
till machine 920, the secure coin recycling cassette 900 is registered to the
cash till
machine 920 (e.g., a location, status and/or other data is transmitted to an
external
system and/or reader 887 via the RFID 886 and/or the communication device 885
and/or the coin recycling machine 915).
In the example of the cash till machine 920 of FIG. 16, following the
attachment of the secure coin recycling cassette(s) 900 to the docking ports
916, the
supervisor (or other authorized personnel) is able to use the secure coin
recycling
cassette(s) 900 to refills tills 904 for use at the cashier stations. In the
aspect shown,
each secure coin recycling cassette 900 includes one denomination and feeds
such
one denomination to a specific portion of a cash till 904 disposed beneath the
respective secure coin recycling cassette 900 (e.g., a quarter secure coin
recycling
cassette outputs quarters to a quarter portion of a cash till 904, etc.). A
coin
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dispenser, configured to regulate the dispensing of coins from each secure
coin
recycling cassette 900 attached to the cash till machine 920, may be disposed
in the
secure coin recycling cassette, in the docking port 916, or in the cash till
machine
920, without limitation.
In another embodiment, cash till machine 920 of FIG. 16, a coin processing
device (e.g., a coin sorter) is provided at a top portion of the cash till
machine. As
noted above, and as shown by way of example in FIG. 12, a mid-section of the
cash
till machine comprises docking stations or docking ports (not shown)
configured to
operatively receive one or more secure coin recycling cassettes 900 (e.g.,
single
denomination and/or multi-denomination). The one or more secure coin recycling
cassettes 900 are removable from the cash till machine 920 following
negotiation of
one or more security barriers, such as one or more electronic interlocks
and/or
physical barriers (e.g., a locked door in the housing of the cash till
machine).
FIG. 18 shows a variant of a coin recycling machine 915 wherein input coins
are supplied to coin processing device (e.g., a coin sorter) and then from the
coin
processing device to a coin recycler. A user interface 918, such as a
graphical user
interface (e.g., a touch screen) and/or pushbuttons, is configured to permit
an
authorized user to input packaging instructions to the coin recycling machine.
The
packaged coins are output to the opening 919. The coin recycling machine 915
may
be a stand-alone machine that is networked or non-networked and may
communicate with external systems, networks, and/or servers wirelessly and/or
via
a hardwired connection. In another aspect, the coin recycling machine 915 of
FIG.
18 could utilize internally-disposed secure coin recycling cassettes in
combination
with the coin processing device. In yet another aspect, the coin recycling
machine
915 of FIG. 18 could omit coin processing device and/or the secure coin
recycling
cassettes entirely and simply feed the pre-sorted input coins into a packaging
queue
for packaging by the coin recycler.
FIG. 19 shows an example of a cash till machine 920 utilizing internally-
disposed secure coin recycling cassettes in accord with at least some aspects
of the
present concepts. A user interface 918, such as a graphical user interface
(e.g., a
touch screen) and/or pushbuttons, is configured to permit an authorized user
to
input instructions to the cash till machine to dispense particular quantities
of and
denominations of coins to a cash till 904 positioned in the opening 919. The
cash
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till machine 920 may be a stand-alone machine that is networked or non-
networked
and may communicate with external systems, networks, and/or servers wirelessly
and/or via a hardwired connection.
FIGS. 20A-20B show a representation of two embodiments of a cash till
machine 920 of FIG. 18 wherein the cash till machine 920 are in open (FIG.
20B)
and closed (FIG. 20A) configurations. Atop the cash till machines 920 of FIGS.
20A-20B are disposed docking ports 916 to which secure coin recycling
cassettes
900 are attached. Coins from each of the attached secure coin recycling
cassettes
900 are output from openings 881 at the bottom portions of the secure coin
recycling
cassette, such as by a coin dispenser disposed within (see, e.g., FIG. 13) or
attached
externally to the secure coin recycling cassette, a coin dispenser integrated
with the
docking port 916, or a coin dispenser 930 provided in the cash till machine
920.
Once dispensed, the coins are directed into appropriate sections of the cash
till 904. The open configuration of FIG. 20B shows four coin dispensing
devices
930 each coin dispensing device corresponding to a specific secure coin
recycling
cassette 900 and docking port 916. The coin dispensing devices 930, in one
aspect,
are configured to hold a predetermined number of coins appropriate to the
business
cash tills. As one illustration, the secure coin recycling cassette 900 coin
dispenser
(or docking port 916 coin dispenser if provided) discharges a cash till mix of
coins to
the respective coin dispensing devices 930 (e.g., $10 in quarters to the
quarter coin
dispensing device 930) where they are held until required. When a cash till
(coin
drawer) is inserted beneath the coin dispensing devices 930 the coin
dispensing
devices may automatically dispense the held coins into the cash till or,
alternatively,
a user can activate one or more levers on the coin dispensing devices to
manually
dispense the coins therefrom.
The coin dispensing devices 930 of FIG. 20B can alternatively be used to
dispense a predetermined number of coins into a metal coin tube, plastic coin
tube
(e.g., Fed color coded and sized), pre-formed paper tube (e.g., Fed color
coded and
sized), plastic sleeve (not shown) which can then be transported for use
elsewhere
(e.g., elsewhere in the store, to refill a coin change dispensers at a point
of sale
(POS), etc.). The coin dispensing devices can be used to fill to the exact
count of a
Federal rolled coin utilizing pre-formed plastic or paper tubes which are Fed
color-
coded and sized to correspond to the Fed coin tube quantity limit for each
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denomination of coin. The filled tubes can then be crimped or capped and
secured
(e.g., in safe 1100) or removed and used (e.g., at a POS).
In another embodiment, the coin dispensing devices 930 can be used to
dispense a predetermined number of coins of a denomination into a small
container
cups, optionally having a sealable top and optionally durable and reusable,
which
can then be secured (e.g., in safe 1100) or removed and used (e.g., at a POS).
Further, the coin dispensing devices 930 can be used to dispense a
predetermined number of coins of a plurality of denominations into a mixed-
denomination bulk coin container. For example, an attendant can instruct the
coin
dispensing devices 930 to dispense (or can manually dispense) five-dollars in
quarters, one-dollar in nickels, two-dollars in climes, and fifty cents in
pennies to a
selected container inserted under the coin dispensing devices 930.
Although not shown, the cash till machines 920 may comprise lockable door
limiting access and/or control systems that enable operation of the coin
dispensing
devices 930 only following satisfaction of security requirements. The cash
till
machines 920 of FIGS. 20A-20B may comprise a touch screen display (e.g., a 5"-
7"
display) and a GUI and controls (e.g., electronics/driver board, actuators,
etc.) to
allow an operator to select a specific number of coins to be dispensed from
each of
the coin dispensing devices 930. For example, a default condition of the coin
dispensing devices 930 may be locked and only entry of a security code into a
keypad or GUI caused an associated controller to enable actuation of the coin
dispensing devices and, even then, to operate only within predetermined
parameters
(e.g., to discharge one of a plurality of preprogrammed coin mixes). Different
security codes may advantageously enable different parameters (e.g., a
supervisor
has more permissive parameters than an employee, etc.).
In the embodiment of FIGS. 20A-20B, the cash till machines 920 do not
themselves involve an automated device to process and sort coins. Instead, the
coins are pre-sorted using a separate method (e.g., ordering them from a bank
in
bulk, using a coin processing machine to pre-sort/pre-bag, using a secure coin
recycling cassette, etc.) and then poured into the docking ports 916, which
are
configured as coin hoppers, and the coin dispensing devices 930 are used to
dispense loose coin to fill cash tills. Thus, the coin dispensing devices 930
may be
filled using coins input from a source other than the secure coin recycling
cassettes.
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FIGS. 2 IA-21B show another embodiment wherein a cash till machine 920
comprises a coin processing device 950 (e.g., a Cummins Allison Corp. JetSort
1000, etc.) disposed thereon.
In at least some aspects, the funnel 916 at the top of the coin processing
device is simply a funnel configured to accept input of loose mixed coins. The
coin
processing device 950 and cash till machine 920 then, in combination, dispense
coin
by denomination into intermediate coin holding areas (not shown), into the
cash till
904, or into another type of container such as, but not limited to, pre-formed
standard coin tubes (Federal specifications) or other coin tubes (e.g., long
tubes for
refill of POS coin dispensers). In other aspects, however, the coin processing
device
950 itself comprises a docking port 916 disposed to feed coins to the coin
input
region of the coin processing device. A secure coin recycling cassette 900 is
attached to the docking port 916 to permit coins to be discharged from the
secure
coin recycling cassette, via an on-board or external coin dispensing device,
into the
coin processing device 950 coin input area to be processed thereby. The
processed
coins are then dispensed into a cash till 904. In this example, the secure
coin
recycling cassette 900 may comprise a mixed-denomination secure coin recycling
cassette, wherein output channels of the coin processing device 950 direct a
coin of a
specific denomination to a coin path leading to a specific portion of a cash
till 904.
Alternatively, the secure coin recycling cassette 900 comprises a single-
denomination secure coin recycling cassette and the coin processing device 950
directs the coins of that denomination to a specific portion of a cash 904
till via a
corresponding coin outlet and coin path.
Although shown to include only a single docking port 916 in FIG. 21A, a
plurality of docking ports 916 can be provided atop the coin processing device
950
to discharge thereto a plurality of denominations from single-denomination
secure
coin cassettes 900.
FIG. 21B shows a representation of the cash till machine 920 disposed on a
desktop workspace 940 adjacent an empty cash till 904. A safe 1100 may be used
to
store formed coin packages, currency bill packages, or coin and currency bill
packages until use, pick-up, or delivery.
FIGS. 21A-21B show examples comprising a coin processing device 950
wherein the coin counting and/or sorting mechanism is used to fill the coin
portions
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of the cash tills 904. These embodiments can be used for a variety
applications,
such as a stand-alone coin recycler for back Office retail (loose coin cash
till
recycling ¨ depositing and dispensing) or as integrated into a coin recycling
side car
for an automated employee safe or for a personal teller machine. As discussed
above, for example, the coin processing device used to fill the cash till 904
and/or
secure coin recycling cassettes can be a Cummins Allison Corp. JetSort or a
Cummins Allison Corp. "Money Machine," a variant of which is represented in
FIG. 12. Coin discrimination is not required.
FIG. 18, discussed above, represents an example of a stand-alone cash till
machine 920 wherein the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 are disposed
internally. In yet other aspects the cash till machine 920 is integrated with
another
machine (e.g., a currency recycler or an ATM), either within the same cabinet,
attached thereto, or disposed adjacent thereto or in the vicinity thereof. A
user
interface, such as a graphical user interface (e.g., a touch screen) and/or
pushbuttons, is configured to permit an authorized user to input instructions
to the
cash till machine 920 to dispense particular quantities of and denominations
of
coins to a cash till 904 (not shown) positioned in a correspondingly
dimensioned
opening in the cash till machine. By way of example, in such combination, a
cashier at the end of a shift can simply empty the coins from the cashier's
cash till
into the coin recycling machine (e.g., 510 in FIG. 15) attached to the coin
till
machine 920. The coin recycling machine tallies the cashier's cash till coins
and
outputs the amount to external systems (e.g., accounting). Preferably, the
coin
processing machine performs a coin discrimination function. The empty till 904
is
then left for the new cashier's shift. Additional modules may also be
integrated
therewith to facilitate the counting of and/or dispensing of currency bills.
As another example, FIG. 22A depicts an example of a Cummins-Allison
Corp. "Money Machine" self-service machine 510, modified in accord with at
least some aspects of the present concepts, disposed in a countertop 1050 of a
retail environment (e.g., a counter of a bank, a service desk of a grocery
store,
etc.). In some aspects, a Cummins-Allison Corp. "Money Machine" accepts
coins from a consumer, via coin input region 514, and either deposits verified
coins into a mixed denomination bin and/or into one or more single-
denomination bags and/or one or more mixed-denomination bags. In accord
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with at least some aspects of the present concepts, the self-service machine
510
depicted in FIG. 22A comprises a Plurality of coin dispensing devices 930
disposed on a rear side of the self-service machine. Each of the coin
dispensing
devices 930 is configured to receive a single coin denomination from the coin
processing module (not shown) and/or intermediate coin holding areas (not
shown) and/or secure coin recycling cassettes (not shown).
As one example, a retailer may utilize a Money Machine self-service
machine 510 utilizing four coin dispensing devices 930, one coin dispensing
device for each of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, which are typical
coins
used by retailer in making change for transactions in the United States. In
operation, the Money Machine would sort coin and discharge processed coins
into the coin dispensing devices 930 until they are filled with a set number
of
coins appropriate for use to fill a cash till and further processed coins of a
given
denomination are the directed by the coin processing module to one or more
intermediate coin holding areas, secure coin recycling cassettes, coin bags,
and/or coin bins. FIG. 22B shows a backside of the self-service machine 510 of
FIG. 22A, with portions of the countertop 1050 in which the self-service
machine is disposed. The backside of the self-service machine 510 comprises
an opening 950, which may be open (as shown) or may be closed and secured
with a locking door. As shown, a cash till 904 is inserted in a bottom portion
of
the opening 950 to be filled using the coin dispensers 930, such as discussed
above. In the example of FIGS. 22A-22B, the opening 950 is disposed on a
secure side of the self-service machine 510 (i.e., behind the counter) where
it is
readily accessible by authorized personnel. Although not shown, a locking door
or other access-control device may be utilized to provide additional security
for
rear access to the self-service machine 510 coin dispensing devices 930.
Further,
to facilitate employee use, a GUI (e.g., a 5-7" touch screen) may be provided
on
the rear side of the self-service machine 510.
FIG. 23A shows a variant of the self-service machine 510 of FIGS. 22A-22B
wherein secure coin recycling cassettes 900 are filled by the self-service
machine
and are made available to authorized personnel through the back of the self-
service
machine. For example, the rear of the self-service machine 510 optionally
comprises a lockable door and a full cassette is made available for removal
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responsive to input of an appropriate key (e.g., to unlock the door) and/or
codes
(e.g., entry of employee' code) and/or satisfaction of other security
requirements
(e.g., biometric scan of fmger using biometric reading device). The secure
coin
recycling cassettes 900 each comprise a handle 960 to facilitate handling. In
other
aspects, handle 960 comprises a lateral central handle, an upper and lower
lateral
handle, or a longitudinal handle, similar in orientation to the illustrated
handle,
formed into the cassette itself so as to be integral with the cassette. As
described
above, the secure coin recycling cassettes 900 can be removed from the rear of
the
self-service machine 510 when they are full and an empty secure coin recycling
cassette inserted in place thereof. The full secure coin recycling cassette
900 can
then be moved to, for example, a cash till machine 920 as shown in FIG. 23A
for
attachment to docking ports (not shown) thereon.
FIGS. 23B-23C show other variants of cash till machine 920 that are
configured to fill secure coin recycling cassettes 900. In FIG. 23B, for
example,
four secure coin recycling cassettes 900 are inserted under four coin
dispensing
devices 930, each coin dispensing device outputting coins to a specific secure
coin
recycling cassette 900. In FIG. 23C, the secure coin recycling cassettes 900
are
being filled by a coin processing machine 950 disposed atop the cash till
machine
920, such as was described above in relation to FIGS. 21A-21B. Docking ports
916
are adapted to receive loose coin. Alternatively, where cassettes do not need
to be
attached to the cash till machine 920, funnels or coin trays (e.g., tiltable
coin trays)
could be used in lieu of docking ports.
FIG. 24 shows an embodiment of a self-service machine 510 disposed in a
counter 1050 separating a public area from a non-public area reserved for use
by the
business, with the front of the self-service machine facing the public area.
Whereas
the prior examples provided rear access to secure coin cassettes 900 or a cash
till 904
refilling area, the embodiment of FIG. 24 provides a coin recycler 570
integrated
therein, such as is described in relation to FIGS. 8, 10, 11, 14, and 18, with
a rear
discharge opening 1019. Coins of an appropriate quantity of and denomination,
and
currency where provided, arc discharged to an inlet 1080 of the coin recycler
570
from intermediate coin holding areas (e.g., I 1 44) and/or secure coin
recycling
cassettes 900, where they are packaged by the coin recycler. In one example,
one
or more rolls of material 1090 (e.g., polyethylene, LDPE, LLDPE, MOPE, Tyvekt,
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woven fabric, sheet paper, etc.) are used to wrap the ordered coins (or
currency bills
or coins and currency bills) and one or more heat sealing units (or other
types of
sealing unit(s) appropriate to the material, such as tape, adhesive, etc.) are
used to
seal open edges of the package. The material of the one or more rolls of
material
1090 may comprise micro-perforations or one or more small openings to permit
excess air to escape and to reduce the potential for condensation.
Alternatively, the
coin recycler 570 optionally comprises a vacuum sealing device to vacuum seal
the
prepared coin packages (e.g., where the material used in the packaging is non-
porous).
The graphical user interface 512, or an attendant graphical user interface
1012 disposed on a back portion of the self-service machine 510, is configured
to
permit input or one or more orders for packaged coins, as described elsewhere
herein. Ordered packaged coins are dispensed to discharge opening 1019 at the
rear
of the self-service machine 510 for retrieval by an attendant (in the
configuration
depicted in FIG. 24). Where ordered by another business or by a member of the
public (as opposed to being requested for internal use by the business in
which the
self-service machine 510 is disposed), the ordered packaged coins (or ordered
packaged currency if a package of bills, or a packaged of mixed of coins and
bills is
ordered) can be removed from the discharge opening 1019 and stored for pickup
in
a separate secured location. Alternatively, the self-service machine 510
prepares
the package, using intermediate coin holding areas (e.g., I1-14) and/or secure
coin
recycling cassettes 900 to supply the integral coin recycler 570 with an
appropriate
quantity of and denomination of coin for the coin recycler to prepare the
packaged
coins in real-time following input of the order by a business or user at the
self-
service machine and/or following validation of or completion of the order on-
site at
the self-service machine. The self-service machine 510 may comprise payment
input devices such as, but not limited to, a card reader (e.g., smart card
reader,
magnetic strip reader, PayPass , Tap&GoTm, etc.), a near field
transmitter/receiver
(e.g., for a digital wallet), and/or a currency bill receiving module
appropriate to the
networked or non-networked configuration of the self-service machine. Where
networked, the coin recycler 915 is communicatively coupled to external
systems,
such as accounting systems and remote servers, to effectuate any transactions
requiring remote communication.
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Although the coin recycler 570 is shown elsewhere herein to be integrated
into a self-service machine 510, the coin recycler may alternatively be a
stand-alone
unit into which an attendant disposes a pre-sorted ordered coin mix (or
currency bill
mix or coin and currency bill mix). By way of example, an attendant (e.g., a
supervisor) may utilize a cash till machine 920 to discharge thereto a
predetermined
coin mix from attached secure coin recycling cassettes 900. This coin mix may
then be manually input into the coin recycler 570 to produce the requested
coin
package, which is then held for payment and pick-up. The coin recycler 570 may
package coins and/or currency bills using, by way of example, sheet paper
wrap,
plastic sheet, fabric sheet, pre-formed plastic bags or pre-formed fabric bags
(satchels), cardboard boxes, or pre-formed plastic shells, or may itself form
a
container using the material roll 1090 (e.g., heat sealing LDPE film from the
roll
1090 along three sides to form a cavity with an opening along the fourth side,
depositing coins in the formed cavity through the opening, and then heat
sealing the
opening at the fourth side, etc.). The packaged coins are then dispensed into
a
discharge opening 1019.
In yet other aspects of the present concepts, an ordered coin mix may be
processed by an attendant, such as a supervisor, and manually packaged for
delivery
to another person or business. For example, an attendant (e.g., a supervisor)
uses a
cash till machine 920 to discharge thereto a predetermined coin mix from
attached
secure coin recycling cassettes 900, manually packages the coin mix into a bag
or
box, seals the bag or box, and then holds the coin package for payment and
pick-up.
Due to the potential for human error, this approach is less preferred than an
automated approach.
In another variant of the self-service machine 510 depicted in FIG. 24, an
opening 1019 is also provided at a front part of the self-service machine for
direct
access by a requestor (e.g., another business or by a member of the public) so
that
the ordered packaged coins (or ordered packaged currency if a package of
bills, or a
packaged of mixed of coins and bills is ordered) can be removed from the
discharge
opening 1019 by such requestor following payment and/or validation.
FIG. 25 shows an embodiment of at least one aspect of the present concepts
wherein a coin processing device 950 (e.g., a Cummins Allison Corp. JetSort
1000,
etc.) is integrated with a coin recycler 570. The coin processing device 950
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comprises a docking port 916 or funnel disposed to feed input coins, such as
loose
mixed coins, to the coin input region of the coin recycler 570. The coin
recycler 570
then creates a satchel or bag using the stock material from the material roll
1090.
For example, as noted above, the heat sealers (not shown) can be used to seal
the
stock LDPE film from the material roll 1090 along three sides to form a cavity
with
an opening along the fourth side, after which coins are deposited in the
formed
cavity through the opening, and then the opening at the fourth side is heat
sealed to
form a package or sachet. Alternatively, the coin recycler could forgo on or
more
heat sealers and instead utilize one or more applicators for a pressure-
sensitive
permanent adhesive that can then be sealed via application of pressure. A
printer
can be provided to label and/or number the package (e.g., with bar codes,
requestor
name, amounts, etc.) to facilitate storage and audit.
In at least some aspects, the coin sachets formed by the coin recycler 570
comprise coin mixes specified by a business or person placing an order for
coins of
such specific mix.
In other aspects, the sachets formed by the coin recycler 570 comprise coin
denomination limits specific to internal use by the banks (e.g., a Fed-
specified
amount for a particular denomination). The sachets utilize clear plastic
having at
least a 6.5-mil gauge thickness, possess a tamper-evident seal, have formed
therein a
reinforced handle able to withstand hang test with a +100 lb. load, and have a
label
on the opposite side of the handle showing the denomination, dollar amount,
depositor's name, and ABA routing number (with four-digit branch code/four-
digit
endpoint number). The plurality of material rolls 1090 may comprise a
plurality of
different materials (e.g., so that different layers of the satchel can provide
different
properties or characteristics).
In some aspects, a secure coin recycling cassette 900 is attached to the
docking port 916 to permit coins to be discharged from the secure coin
recycling
cassette, via an on-board or external coin dispensing device, into the coin
recycler
570 to be packaged thereby for re-use. The packaged coins are then dispensed
into a
discharge opening 1019.
In other aspects of the device of FIG. 25, a pre-sorted order of coins is
input
into the docking port funnel 916 following processing of the order using
another
coin processing device. In this aspect, the coin processing device 950 serves
as a
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check on the accuracy of the order and the coin processing device 950
optionally
prints a verification of the count that is actually packaged and can dispense
a copy of
such printout to the coin recycler 570 to be incorporated into the coin
package.
Although FIG. 25 is only shown to have a single docking port 916, a plurality
of
docking ports 916 can be provided atop the coin processing device 950 to
discharge
thereto a plurality of denominations from single-denomination secure coin
cassettes
900.
FIG. 25 also shows a representation of the coin recycler 570 and coin
processing device 950 combination disposed adjacent a desktop workspace 940. A
safe 1100 may be used to store formed coin packages, currency bill packages,
or
coin and currency bill packages until use, pick-up, or delivery.
FIGS. 26A-26B show an embodiment of at least one aspect of the present
concepts wherein a plurality of single denomination secure coin recycling
cassettes
900 are integrated with a coin recycler 570 (FIG. 26A) or a single, mixed
denomination secure coin recycling cassette 900 is integrated with a coin
recycler
570 (FIG. 26B). A docking port 1200 is provided to secure the secure coin
recycling cassette(s) 900 in place, to facilitate the discharge of coins
therefrom, and
to provide data and/or power connections to the secure coin recycling
cassette(s)
900. In some aspects, the secure coin recycling cassette(s) 900 discharge
coins via
an on-board or external coin dispensing device. In other aspects, the docking
port
1200 comprises one or more coin dispensing devices. Coins packaged (e.g., into
clear plastic satchels) by the coin recycler 570 (e.g., using a plastic film
material roll
1090) are then dispensed into a discharge opening 1019. The formed package of
coins (e.g., satchels) can be used, for example, to re-circulate coins into
cash tills in
the business.
The foregoing disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and
description. The foregoing description is not intended to limit the present
concepts
to the forms, features, configurations, modules, or applications described
herein by
way of example. Other non-enumerated configurations, combinations, and/or sub-
combinations of such forms, features, configurations, modules, acts, elements,
and/or applications are considered to lie within the scope of the disclosed
concepts.
By way of example, other modules are utilizable in combination with the
self-service machine 510 and/or coin recycler 570 disclosed herein. For
example, a
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document processing module or document processing machine (e.g., a Cummins
Allison Corp JetScan currency sorter, a Cummins Allison Corp JetScaniFX i400,
etc.) may be optionally provided to accept documents including currency bills,
but
also tickets, checks, and/or other security paper or bearer paper. Yet other
add-on
modules to the self-service machine 10 could include, by way of example, a
value
card dispenser and/or an ATM.
As a further variation on the concepts disclosed herein, the secure coin
recycling cassettes 900 are utilizable in combination with the document
processing
modules to store and/or dispense currency bills, with the same features and
functionality as that described above with respect to the secure coin
recycling
cassettes 900.
The coin recycling machines 570 disclosed herein may comprise additional
docking ports configured to receive secure coin recycling cassettes 900
bearing
currency bills and the coin recycling machines in turn configured packages of
mixed
coin and currency bills (e.g., in sachets or packets), coins of a single
denomination,
mixed-denomination coins, single denomination of currency, mixed denominations
of currency, documents, or any combination thereof, without limitation.
The concepts herein apply to any country's currency system, inclusive of
U.S. currency, and further apply to configurations adapted to accommodate
mixed
currency systems (e.g., airports where multiple currencies are frequently
present,
border crossing areas, etc.).
Although the recycled currency retrieval areas R1 -Rx are generally described
herein as output locations for packet(s) or package(s) of coin and/or currency
bills,
the present concepts include dispensing of loose (unpackaged) coin and/or
currency
bills to the recycled currency retrieval areas R1-Rx or other currency
dispensing
outlet.
In any of the self-service machines disclosed herein, a "teller assist" or
trained personnel may be made available to a user to facilitate or complete
certain
transactions.
Further, although many of the machines or devices described herein, by way
of example, refer to a resident controller in the machine or device, such
control may
alternatively be provided by one or more external controllers, which may be
local or
remote.
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CA 02845729 2014-03-13
Attorney Ref: 1057F'021CA01
The appended claims reflect certain aspects and combinations of the present
concepts, but are not exhaustive of all such aspects and combinations.
Further, the
present concepts include all possible logical combinations of the claims and
of the
various claim elements appended hereto, without limitation, within the
associated
claim sets regardless of the presently indicated dependency.
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