Card activated cash dispensing automated banking machine

Apparatus comprising:

• an automated banking machine that operates responsive at least in part to data read from data bearing records to cause financial transfers, including:
• a card reader operative to read card data from user cards, wherein the card data corresponds to financial accounts;
• at least one processor associated with the machine, wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with the card reader, wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause:
• a computer determination to be made that card data read from a card corresponds to a financial account concerning which financial transfers are authorized to be conducted through machine operation;
• and
• a financial transfer at least one of to and from the financial account responsive at least in part to the determination;
• a first area in a sheet path and a second area in the sheet path that is spaced apart from the first area, wherein the first and second areas are operative to receive sheets therethrough;
• at least one waveguide, wherein the at least one waveguide includes a common pathway that splits into a first branch and a second branch including separated pathways;
• a first transmitter,
• wherein the first transmitter is positioned to emit at least one first ultrasonic sound signal through the first area and into the first branch of the at least one waveguide;
• a second transmitter,
• wherein the second transmitter is positioned to emit at least one second ultrasonic sound signal through the second area and into the second branch of the at least one waveguide;
• at least one receiver,
• wherein the at least one receiver is positioned to detect the first and second ultrasonic sound signals in the common pathway of the at least one waveguide,
• wherein the at least one receiver is operative to output respective first and second output signals responsive to the detected first and second ultrasonic sound signals;
• and
• at least one circuit including at least one processor, in operative communication with the at least one receiver and the first and second transmitters, wherein the at least one circuit is operative to independently operate the first and second transmitters to emit the respective first and second ultrasonic sound signals in order to determine at least one of a sheet presence and at least one property of at least one sheet positioned at different times in the first and second sheet areas in the sheet path responsive at least in part to the respective first and second output signals from the at least one receiver.

Apparatus comprising:

• an automated banking machine that operates responsive at least in part to data read from data bearing records to cause financial transfers, including:
• a card reader operative to read card data from user cards, wherein the card data corresponds to financial accounts;
• at least one processor associated with the machine, wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with the card reader, wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause:
• a computer determination to be made that card data read from a card corresponds to a financial account concerning which financial transfers are authorized to be conducted through machine operation;
• and
• a financial transfer at least one of to and from the financial account responsive at least in part to the determination;
• a first area in a sheet path and a second area in the sheet path that is spaced apart from the first area, wherein the first and second areas are operative to receive sheets therethrough;
• at least one waveguide, wherein the at least one waveguide includes a common pathway that splits into a first branch and a second branch including separated pathways;
• a first transmitter,
• wherein the first transmitter is positioned to emit at least one first ultrasonic sound signal through the first area and into the first branch of the at least one waveguide;
• a second transmitter,
• wherein the second transmitter is positioned to emit at least one second ultrasonic sound signal through the second area and into the second branch of the at least one waveguide;
• at least one receiver,
• wherein the at least one receiver is positioned to detect the first and second ultrasonic sound signals in the common pathway of the at least one waveguide,
• wherein the at least one receiver is operative to output respective first and second output signals responsive to the detected first and second ultrasonic sound signals;
• and
• at least one circuit including at least one processor, in operative communication with the at least one receiver and the first and second transmitters, wherein the at least one circuit is operative to independently operate the first and second transmitters to emit the respective first and second ultrasonic sound signals in order to determine at least one of a sheet presence and at least one property of at least one sheet positioned at different times in the first and second sheet areas in the sheet path responsive at least in part to the respective first and second output signals from the at least one receiver;
• at least one data store is in operative connection with the at least one circuit, wherein the at least one data store includes sheet data,
• wherein the at least one circuit is operative responsive at least in part to the sheet data to at least one of:
• determine that the at least one sheet positioned in at least one of the first and second areas in the sheet path corresponds to at least two overlapped sheets responsive at least in part to at least one of the first and second output signals from the at least one receiver;
• determine that the at least one sheet positioned in at least one of the first and second areas in the sheet path corresponds to a counterfeit sheet of currency, responsive at least in part to at least one of the first and second output signals from the at least one receiver;
• and
• determine that the at least one sheet positioned in at least one of the first and second areas in the sheet path corresponds to either a currency note or a check, responsive at least in part to at least one of the first and second output signals from the at least one receiver,
• wherein the at least one circuit is operative to cause at least one of the first and second transmitters to output at least one burst of the respective first and second ultrasonic sound signals including a plurality (N) of ultrasonic sound signal pulses in a pulse train at a frequency (f0) of pluses per second during the at least one burst,
• wherein the at least one receiver is operative to emit at least one analog signal responsive to a detection of the at least one burst of the respective first and second ultrasonic sound signals, wherein the at least one circuit is operative to sample the at least one analog signal and is operative to produce at least one of the respective first and second output signals responsive at least in part to the sampled at least one analog signal.