Currency container tracking system and a currency container for use therewith

A system for securely receiving, tracking and transporting currency from a currency-operated machine, comprising:

• a) a currency container adapted to receive and store currency from a currency operated machine, said currency container comprising a non-volatile memory device;
• b) at least one currency operated machine adapted to removably receive said currency container, said machine comprising first interface means adapted to communicate with said non-volatile memory device and selectively read data from and write data to said non-volatile memory device;
• c) a transport apparatus adapted to removably and engagebly receive and secure a currency container and comprising second interface means adapted to communicate with said non-volatile memory device of said currency container and selectively read data from and write data to said non-volatile memory device;
• and
• d) a docking station for removably receiving said currency container, said docking station means comprising third interface means adapted to communicate with said non-volatile memory device and selectively read data from and write data to said non-volatile memory device.

A method for utilizing a currency container in a currency container tracking system, the steps comprising:

• a) providing an initialized currency container adapted for receiving currency from a currency receiving machine, said currency container comprising a nonvolatile memory device adapted to electronically store data therein;
• b) providing at least one currency receiving machine adapted for engagebly receiving and securing currency from a user thereof and depositing said currency into said currency container, said currency receiving machine being adapted to communicate with said non-volatile memory device of said currency container thereby facilitating reading data from and writing data to said non-volatile memory device;
• c) initiating a valid life cycle by inserting said initialized currency container into said currency receiving machine and writing data representative of at least one of:
• a unique ID of said currency receiving machine, a date, and a time into said nonvolatile memory device;
• d) receiving currency from said currency receiving machine and depositing said currency in said currency container;
• e) periodically writing data representative of at least one of:
• a unique ID of said currency receiving machine, a date, and a time into said non-volatile memory device;
• f) removing said currency container from said currency receiving machine and inserting said currency container into a receiving apparatus;
• g) substantially continuously monitoring the presence of said currency container within said receiving apparatus and substantially continuously monitoring the validity of at least a portion of said data via monitoring means operatively connected to said receiving apparatus;
• (h) transporting said currency container in said receiving apparatus to a secure space;
• i) removing said currency container from said receiving apparatus and inserting said currency container into a docking station;
• j) verifying at least a portion of said data in said memory device;
• k) printing at least a portion of said data along with a bar code representative of at least a portion of said data thereby creating a printed document;
• and
• l) removing said currency from said currency container and uniting said printed document with said removed currency.