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US 6,637,576 B1Granted
Currency processing machine with multiple internal coin receptacles
AssigneeCummins-Allison Corp.
InventorsJohn E. Jones, William J. Jones, Mark C. Munro, Cherrie L. Brown, George T. Seelenbinder, Eric R. Carver, John C. Peklo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A currency processing machine for processing currency including coins of mixed denominations that are input by a user comprises a coin counter for determining the aggregate value of the coins of mixed denominations, a coin bin for holding the counted coins discharged from the coin counter, and a coin sorter for storing coins discharged from the coin bin.
Claims91
A currency processing machine in which a user deposits funds including coins of a plurality of denominations, the machine comprising:
- a coin input hopper adapted to receive coins of a plurality of denominations,
- a first coin processing unit adapted to receive coins from the coin input hopper, the first coin processing unit being adapted to determine the aggragate value of the coins received from the input hopper;
- an intermediate coin receptacle adapted to receive coins from the first coin processing unit and to hold the coins received from the first coin processing unit, the intermediate coin receptacle being adapted to selectively discharge coins held therein from an outlet,
- a second coin processing unit adapted to sort the coins discharged from the intermediate coin receptacle and to discharge the sorted coins out of a plurality of coin exit channels, each of the plurality of coin exit channels corresponding to a predetermined coin denomination to be processed;
- and
- a coin transport mechanism adapted to transport coins from the outlet of the intermediate coin receptacle to the second coin processing unit.
3 more elements
A currency processing machine in which a user deposits funds including coins of a plurality of denominations, the machine comprising:
- a first coin processing unit adapted to determine the aggragate value of a plurality of coins of at least one denomination input to the currency processing machine by the user;
- a second coin processing unit adapted to sort the coins and to discharge the coins out of a plurality of coin exit channels, each of the plurality of coin exit channels corresponding to a predetermined coin denomination to be processed,
- an intermediate coin receptacle adapted to receive coins from the first coin processing unit, to hold coins received from the first coin processing unit, and to selectively discharge coins to the second coin processing unit;
- and
- a controller adapted to suspend the discharging of coins from the intermediate coin receptacle and to suspend operation of the second coin processing unit in response to a predetermined number of coins being discharged from one of the plurality of exit channels of the second coin processing unit, the controller being adapted to cause the intermediate coin receptacle to hold the coins received from the first coin processing unit when the discharging of coins from the intermediate coin receptacle to the second coin processing unit is suspended.
2 more elements
A method of processing currency including coins of a plurality of denominations with a currency processing machine, the method comprising:
- receiving a plurality of coins of at least one denomination from a user of the currency processing machine;
- determining the aggregate value of the plurality of coins received from the user with a first coin processing unit;
- holding the plurality of coins received from the user in a holding area;
- selectively discharging a plurality of coins from the holding area;
- sorting the coins discharged from the holding area into individual denominations with a second coin processing unit;
- and
- suspending the discharging and sorting of coins after a predetermined number of coins of one of the plurality of denominations have been sorted.
4 more elements
A currency processing machine for processing currency including coins of mixed denominations that are input by a user, the machine comprising:
- a coin counter for determining the aggregate value of the coins of mixed denominations;
- a coin bin for holding the counted coins discharged from the coin counter;
- and
- a coin sorter for sorting coins discharged from the coin bin.
1 more element
A method of operating a currency processing machine, comprising:
- receiving currency including coins of mixed denominations from a first user of the currency processing machine;
- evaluating an amount of the currency received from the first user;
- retaining the coins in a coin bin;
- returning to the first user one of the group consisting of a credit slip, currency of a value equal to the amount of currency received from the first user, and a combination of currency and tokens having a total value equal to the amount received from the first user;
- discharging the coins from the coin bin after the coin bin has reached a predetermined capacity;
- sorting the coins discharged from the coin bin into a plurality of output receptacles corresponding to a plurality of coin denominations;
- suspending the discharging and sorting after a predetermined number of coins of one of the plurality of coin denominations have been sorted;
- and
- receiving and evaluating, at a later time, currency including coins of mixed denominations from a second user while an operator of the currency handling machine simultaneously removes the sorted coins from at least one of the plurality of output receptacles.
6 more elements
A method of operating a currency processing machine, comprising:
- receiving currency including coins of mixed denominations from a first user;
- evaluating an amount of the currency;
- sorting the coins of mixed denominations;
- retaining the sorted coins in receptacles;
- returning to the first user one of the group consisting of a credit slip, currency of a value equal to the amount of currency received from the first user, and a combination of currency and tokens having a total value equal to the amount received from the first user;
- and
- receiving and evaluating, at a later time, currency including coins of mixed denominations from a second user while simultaneously removing the sorted coins from the first user from the receptacles.
4 more elements
A currency processing machine for processing currency including coins of mixed denominations that are input by a user, the machine comprising:
- a coin counter adapted to determine the aggregate value of the coins of mixed denominations;
- a coin bin adapted to hold the counted coins discharged from the coin counter resulting in a first supply of coins;
- a coin sorter adapted to sort coins from the first supply of coins and to discharge sorted coins out of a plurality of coin exit channels corresponding to a plurality of coin denominations;
- and
- a coin dispenser adapted to dispense coins received from a second supply of coins to a user of the currency processing machine, the second supply of coins provided independent of the first supply of coins.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.