Automated currency processing system

A currency bill evaluation method, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a stack of currency bills to be evaluated in an input receptacle;
• transporting the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to an output receptacle along a transport path;
• image scanning each of the transported currency bills to obtain currency bill images;
• evaluating each currency bill image to identify from the currency bill image a serial number for each currency bill;
• and
• storing the serial number of each currency bill in the stack and storing the currency bill images.

A currency bill evaluation device, comprising:

• an input receptacle for receiving a stack of currency bills to be evaluated for a deposit transaction;
• an output receptacle for receiving the currency bills after the currency bills have been evaluated;
• an image scanner;
• a transport mechanism for transporting the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacle along a transport path past the image scanner to obtain currency bill images;
• the image scanner evaluating each currency bill image to determine a denominated value for each currency bill;
• a memory storing the currency bill images;
• and
• an accounting system crediting an account of a customer associated with the deposit transaction for the denominated values of the currency bills.

A currency bill evaluation method, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a stack of currency bills to be evaluated for a deposit transaction in an input receptacle;
• transporting the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to an output receptacle along a transport path;
• image scanning each of the transported currency bills to obtain currency bill images;
• evaluating each currency bill image to determine from the currency bill image a denomination value for each currency bill;
• storing the currency bill images for each currency bill;
• crediting an account of a customer associated with the deposit transaction for the denominated values of the currency bills.

A currency bill evaluation device, comprising:

• an input receptacle for receiving a stack of currency bills to be evaluated;
• an output receptacle for receiving the currency bills after the currency bills have been evaluated;
• an image scanner;
• a currency bill discriminator;
• and
• a transport mechanism for transporting the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacle along a transport path past the image scanner and the currency bill discriminator;
• the image scanner obtaining currency bill images and further evaluating each currency bill image to determine a denominated value for each currency bill;
• and
• the currency bill discriminator obtaining discrimination data for each currency bill and further evaluating the discrimination data in view of a restricted set of master discrimination information relating only to currency bills having the image scanner determined denominated value.

A currency bill evaluation method, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a stack of currency bills to be evaluated in an input receptacle;
• receiving the currency bills after the currency bills have been evaluated in an output receptacle;
• transporting the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacle along a transport path past an image scanner and a currency bill discriminator;
• obtaining currency bill images with the image scanner;
• evaluating each currency bill image to determine a denominated value for each currency bill;
• obtaining discrimination data for each currency bill with the currency bill discriminator;
• and
• evaluating the discrimination data in view of a restricted set of master discrimination information relating only to currency bills having the denominated value determined in the currency bill evaluating step.

A currency bill processing system, comprising:

• an input receptacle for receiving a stack of currency bills;
• a document imager;
• a currency bill denomination scanner;
• one or more output receptacles;
• a transport mechanism that conveys the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle past both the document imager and the denomination scanner to the one or more output receptacles, whereby the document imager obtains an image of each currency bill and the denomination scanner obtains reflective scan data for each currency bill;
• a processing device operable to:
• evaluate the obtained currency bill images and extract currency bill field information from those currency bill images;
• and
• evaluate the obtained reflective scan data and attempt a determination of a denominated value of each currency bill from the reflective scan data;
• a video display for displaying selected currency bill images;
• a value indication input that allows a user of the system to enter the denominated value and/or field information of a currency bill from the displayed currency bill image;
• and
• a counter that accumulates the processing device determined denomination values along with the user input denomination values for the currency bills.

A currency bill processing method, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a stack of currency bills;
• conveying the currency bills, one at a time, along a transport path;
• imaging each currency bill as it is conveyed along the transport path to obtain a currency bill image;
• reflectively scanning each currency bill as it is conveyed along the transport path to obtain reflective scan data;
• collecting the conveyed currency bills;
• determining currency bill field information from an evaluation of the obtained currency bill image;
• determining the denominated value of each currency bill from an evaluation of the obtained reflective scan data;
• displaying selected currency bill images;
• receiving user input of the denominated value and/or field information of a currency bill from the displayed currency bill image;
• and
• accumulating the determined denomination values along with the user input denomination values for the currency bills.