US 6,860,375 B2 · Multiple pocket currency bill processing device and method

Abstract

Methods and devices for dynamically assigning document parameters to output receptacles of multiple output receptacle document evaluating devices. Documents are directed into individual output receptacles based upon their document parameter or parameters. For example, according to one embodiment a currency evaluating device comprises an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of currency bills, a plurality of output receptacles, a transport mechanism, and a processor adapted to control the operation of the device. The processor is programmed to determine the denomination of a bill and determine if an output receptacle is associated with the denomination of the bill. If an output receptacle is not associated with the denomination of the bill, the processor is programmed to associate an output receptacle with the denomination of the bill and cause the bill to be transported to an output receptacle associated with the denomination of the bill.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A method of sorting currency bills, each having an associated denomination, using a currency bill evaluating device adapted to dynamically assign denominations to output receptacles, the currency evaluating device comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, the method comprising the acts of:

(A) transporting a bill from the input receptacle past a bill denominating sensor;
(B) determining the denomination of the transported bill;
(C) determining whether the denomination of the bill has been assigned to a non-full output receptacle and
(i) if so, transporting the bill to the assigned non-full output receptacle;
(ii) if not, determining whether there is an open output receptacle and
(a) if so, assigning the denomination of the bill to an open output receptacle and transporting the bill to the assigned output receptacle;
(b) if not, stopping the operation of the device;
(D) determining whether an output receptacle to which a bill has been transported has reached an output receptacle limit and, if so, designating the output receptacle as being full;
(E) determining whether there are any more bills to be processed and if so repeating acts (A)-(E).

6 more elements

A currency bill evaluating device adapted to dynamically assign denominations to output receptacles, the currency evaluating device comprising:

a currency bill input receptacle,
a plurality of currency bill output receptacles,
a transport mechanism adapted to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles and
a processor adapted to control of the operation of the device, the processor being programmed to:
(A) cause a bill to be transported from the input receptacle past a bill denominating sensor;
(B) determine the denomination of the transported bill;
(C) determine whether the denomination of the bill has been assigned to a non-full output receptacle and
(i) if so, transport the bill to the assigned non-full output receptacle;
(ii) if not, determine whether there is an open output receptacle and
(a) if so, assign the denomination of the bill to an open output receptacle and cause the bill to be transported to the assigned output receptacle;
(b) if not, stop the operation of the device;
(D) determine whether an output receptacle to which a bill has been transported has reached an output receptacle limit and, if so, designate the output receptacle as being full;
(E) determine whether there are any more bills to be processed and if so repeating acts (A)-(E).

10 more elements

A method of sorting currency bills, each having an associated denomination, using a currency bill evaluating device comprising an input receptacle, a plurality of output receptacles, and a transport mechanism positioned to transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, the method comprising the acts of:

(A) transporting currency bills from the input receptacle past a bill denominating sensor;
(B) determining the denomination of a first transported bill;
(C) associating a first denomination with a first one of the output receptacles wherein the first denomination is the denomination of the first transported bill and delivering the first transported bill to the first one of the output receptacles;
(D) determining the denomination of subsequent transported bills;
(E) upon first encountering a transported bill having a denomination other than the first denomination, defining a second denomination as the denomination of the transported bill having a denomination other than the first denomination and associating the second denomination with a second one of the output receptacles;
(F) delivering bills having the first denomination to the first output receptacle;
(G) delivering bills having the second denomination to the second output receptacle;
(H) monitoring whether the first output receptacle has been cleared of bills;
(I) monitoring whether the second output receptacle has been cleared of bills;
(J) upon encountering a transported bill having a denomination other than the first or second denominations, determining whether either the first or second output receptacle has been cleared of bills and if so,
(i) redefining the first denomination to be the denomination of the bill having a denomination other than the first or second denominations if the first output receptacle has been cleared and delivering the bill to the first output receptacle;
(ii) redefining the second denomination to be the denomination of the bill having a denomination other than the first or second denominations if the second output receptacle has been cleared and delivering the bill to the second output receptacle;
(K) repeating acts (F)-(J).

10 more elements

A currency bill evaluating device comprising:

a currency bill input receptacle,
a plurality of currency bill output receptacles,
a transport mechanism adapted to individually transport bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles and
a processor adapted to control of the operation of the device, the processor being programmed to:
(A) cause bills to be transported from the input receptacle past a bill denominating sensor;
(B) determine the denomination of a first transported bill;
(C) associate a first denomination with a first one of the output receptacles wherein the first denomination is the denomination of the first transported bill and cause the first transported bill to be delivered to the first one of the output receptacles;
(D) determine the denomination of subsequent transported bills;
(E) upon first encountering a transported bill having a denomination other than the first denomination, define a second denomination as the denomination of the transported bill having a denomination other than the first denomination and associate the second denomination with a second one of the output receptacles;
(F) cause bills having the first denomination to be delivered to the first output receptacle;
(G) cause bills having the second denomination to be delivered to the second output receptacle;
(H) monitor whether the first output receptacle has been cleared of bills;
(I) monitor whether the second output receptacle has been cleared of bills;
(J) upon encountering a transported bill having a denomination other than the first or second denominations, determine whether either the first or second output receptacle has been cleared of bills and if so,
(i) redefine the first denomination to be the denomination of the bill having a denomination other than the first or second denominations if the first output receptacle has been cleared and cause the bill to be delivered to the first output receptacle;
(ii) redefine the second denomination lobe the denomination of the bill having a denomination other than the first or second denominations if the second output receptacle has been cleared and cause the bill to be delivered to the second output receptacle;
(K) repeating acts (F)-(J).

14 more elements

A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising the acts of:

receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device;
transporting the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device, the two or more output receptacles having at least a first output receptacle and a second output receptacle;
counting and determining the denomination of the bills including bills of a plurality of denominations utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles;
monitoring whether any bills are present in the first and second output receptacles;
routing bills having a first target denomination to the first output receptacle;
generating a denomination change error upon first encountering a bill not having the first target denomination;
designating a second target denomination to be the denomination of the bill causing generating the first denomination change error upon the first occurrence of a denomination change error,
routing bills having a second target denomination to the second output receptacle;
upon encountering a bill having neither the first target denomination nor the second target denomination, then generating a denomination change error and
a) stopping the operation of the device if both the first and the second output receptacles have one or more bills therein;
or
b) routing the bill having neither the first target denomination nor the second target denomination to an empty one of the first and second output receptacles if one of the output receptacles is empty and resetting the first target denomination to be the denomination of the bill if the bill is routed to the first output receptacle and resetting the second target denomination to be the denomination of the bill if the bill is routed to the second output receptacle.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multiple pocket currency bill processing device and method

Life of this patent

Multiple pocket currency bill processing device and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34