Monitoring system with particular application to monitoring a cash-basis operation

A system for acquiring data regarding the operation of a cash-basis operation that takes place at an operating site, comprising:

• means for automatically acquiring data regarding cash receipts at the cash-basis operation;
• means for automatically acquiring data regarding the operation of one or more machines at the cash-basis operation;
• and
• means for automatically transferring the acquired data from the operating site to a remote monitoring site for use in monitoring the cash-basis operation.

A system for monitoring the conduct of an operation that takes place at an operating site, a plurality of devices to be monitored being located at the operating site, comprising:

• a plurality of sensors, at least one sensor being mounted on each device, each sensor adapted to acquire data regarding the operation of the device on which the sensor is mounted;
• a plurality of internal control units, at least one internal control unit being mounted on each device, each internal control unit adapted to receive data from at least one sensor;
• a site controller unit located at the operating site;
• a plurality of communications devices for transferring data between each of the internal control units and the site controller unit;
• a main controller unit located at a monitoring site;
• and
• a communications device for transferring data between the site controller unit and the main controller unit.

A method for automatically monitoring the conduct a cash-basis operation that takes place at an operating site, comprising:

• automatically determining the amount of cash that should have been deposited in at least one machine located at the operating site during a specified period of time;
• maintaining information regarding the amount of cash collected from each of the at least one machines during the specified period of time;
• and
• comparing the amount of cash collected to the amount of cash that should have been deposited.