Media protection through media deformation
AssigneeCardtronics USA, Inc.
InventorAdam Jack Bela Muir
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A media cassette includes a housing that stores media items and incorporates a security mechanism to protect against theft. The security mechanism includes a heating element positioned within the housing and a power source connected to the heating element. When unauthorized access is detected, the heating element activates to generate temperatures sufficient to damage the media items within the housing while remaining below temperatures that would damage the housing itself. The damaged media items become permanently deformed and fused together, rendering them unusable for transactions. The security mechanism operates automatically upon detection of potential theft attempts through various sensors.
Claims20
A media cassette, comprising:
- a housing configured to store media items;
- a heating element positioned within the housing;
- a power source connected to the heating element;
- and
- an interface configured to communicate with an external controller, wherein the heating element is configured to activate in response to receiving a signal from the external controller to directly apply heat to the media items sufficient to permanently deform and fuse the media items together upon cooling while maintaining a temperature below a damage threshold of the housing.
A media terminal, comprising:
- a media depository or a media recycler comprising a secure enclosure having at least one media cassette;
- at least one sensor configured to detect an unauthorized access to the secure enclosure;
- a controller configured to process signals from the at least one sensor;
- each media cassette comprising:
- a housing configured to store media items;
- a heating element positioned within the housing;
- a power source connected to the heating element;
- and
- an interface configured to communicate;
- and
- wherein the controller is configured to send an activation signal to each media cassette through the interface in response to detection of the unauthorized access;
- wherein the heating element is configured to generate sufficient heat in response to the activation signal to directly apply heat to the media items sufficient to permanently deform and fuse the media items together upon cooling while maintaining a temperature below a damage threshold of the housing.
A method, comprising:
- receiving, by a controller associated with a media terminal, a signal indicating an unauthorized access;
- sending, by the controller in response to the signal, an activation command to a media cassette that includes media items;
- and
- directly applying heat, via activation of a heating element within the media cassette in response to the activation command, to the media items sufficient to permanently deform and fuse the media items together upon cooling while maintaining a temperature below a damage threshold of the media cassette.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.