Physical article exchange using a safe
AssigneeAmerican Security Products Co.
InventorDonald Ray McKay, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There are disclosed devices, system and methods for automatic exchange of change for cash using a smart safe. The safe has a computing device for receiving a selection from a merchant to exchange cash for change having a total value, and an identification of the denominations of the coins and cash of the change desired. The safe has a secure chamber for receiving cash deposits from the merchant and a sensor for counting the secured cash. The computing device sends an exchange agent the selection from the merchant to exchange the cash with the change, and the identification of the denominations of the change desired. A courier is contacted, retrieves the cash deposited, and exchanges the change for the equal value of cash.
Claims18
A method for exchanging coins for cash using a safe comprising:
- the safe receiving a selection from a merchant to exchange cash having a total cash value for coins having a total coin value;
- the safe receiving from the merchant and securing, the cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection within a secure chamber of the safe;
- the safe determining existence in the secure chamber of the cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection;
- the safe determining if the cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection exists in the safe at a first time, and if so, sending information to an exchange agent, the information including:
- the selection from the merchant to exchange cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection with coins having the total coin value of the merchant selection;
- the determination of the existence in the secure chamber of cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection;
- receiving from a courier a selection to exchange coins having the total coin value of the merchant selection for cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection;
- receiving from the courier the coins having the total coin value of the merchant selection and the safe identifying removal from the chamber of cash having at least the total cash value of the merchant selection at a second time that is later than the first time.
A non-volatile machine readable medium storing a program having instructions which when executed by a processor will cause the processor to exchange coins for cash using a safe, the instructions of the program for:
- receiving a selection from a merchant to exchange cash having a total cash value for coins having the total coin value;
- determining existence in the secure chamber of the cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection;
- determining if the cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection exists in the safe at a first time, and if so, sending information to an exchange agent, the information including:
- the selection from the merchant to exchange cash having the total cash value of the merchant selection with the coins having the total coin value of the merchant selection;
- the determination of the existence in the secure chamber of cash having at least the total cash value of the merchant selection;
- identifying removal from the chamber of cash having at least the total cash value of the merchant selection at a second time that is later than the first time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.