# US 9,038,805 B2 · Self-service kiosk validator bridge

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- Number: US 9,038,805 B2
- Document ID: US9038805B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/890,440
- Filed: 2013-05-09
- Published: 2014-11-13
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2013-05-09
- Assignees: Bank of America Corporation
- Applicants: Bank of America Corporation
- Inventors: Kristy M. Crist; Terrelle Carswell, Jr.; Eric McConnell; Rahul Puri; Devin D. Rhodes; James D. Goodwin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038805B2

## CPC

- G07D 7/12: Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
- G07D 11/225: for detecting or indicating tampering
- G07D 11/28: Setting of parameters; Software updates
- G07F 7/04: by paper currency
- G07D 11/30: Tracking or tracing valuable papers or cassettes
- G07D 11/34: Monitoring the contents of devices, e.g. the number of stored valuable papers
- G07D: HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})

## Abstract

Apparatus and methods for a self-service kiosk (“SSK”) validator bridge are provided. The SSK may include a bridge linking a dispenser and a validator. The bridge may be configured to transfer a tangible item from the validator to the dispenser. The validator may examine the tangible item prior to a dispensing of the tangible item to a SSK customer. The tangible item may be retracted by the dispenser. The bridge may transfer the tangible item from the dispenser to the validator. The SSK may include an acceptor. The bridge may link the acceptor to the validator. The bridge may be configured to transfer a deposit from the acceptor to the validator. The validator may examine the deposit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A self-service kiosk comprising:
a validator configured to examine one or more tangible items;
an acceptor configured to accept a first tangible item deposited by a customer;
a dispenser configured to:
present a second tangible item to the customer; and
retract the second tangible item; and
a dispenser bridge mechanically linking the dispenser, the acceptor and the validator, the dispenser bridge comprising a forked transfer path;
wherein:
a first branch of the forked transfer path is configured to transfer a deposited first tangible item from the acceptor to the validator; and
a second branch of the forked transfer path is configured to transfer a retracted second tangible item from the dispenser to the validator; and
wherein the first branch and the second branch are bidirectional transfer paths.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The self-service kiosk of claim 1 further comprising a purge-bridge mechanically linking the validator and a purge bin, the purge-bridge configured to transfer the tangible item from the validator to the purge-bin.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The self-service kiosk of claim 1 wherein the dispenser bridge comprises a sensor, the sensor configured to:
detect the retracted tangible item or the deposited tangible item; and
register a time and date of the transfer of the detected tangible item.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The self-service kiosk of claim 1 further comprising a processor, the processor configured to:
determine a relationship between:
a first transaction identifier associated with a first amount of currency presented to the customer using the dispenser;
a second transaction identifier associated with a second amount of retracted currency transferred over the dispenser bridge; and
a customer account; and
generate a fraud record, the fraud record comprising:
the customer account;
the first amount of currency;
the second amount of currency; and
a difference between the first amount and the second amount.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The self-service kiosk of claim 1 wherein the validator is further configured to perform:
a first examination routine when the deposit is transferred via the first branch; and
a second examination routine when the tangible item is transferred via the second branch.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The self-service kiosk of claim 1 wherein the tangible item is:
money;
an event ticket; or
a transportation ticket.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The self-service kiosk of claim 1:
the validator comprising:
a first currency receiver; and
a second currency receiver;
the first branch is affixed to the first currency receiver; and
the second branch is affixed to the second currency receiver;
wherein, the deposit of the customer is transferred over the first branch to the validator via the first currency receiver; and
wherein, when the tangible item is retracted by the dispenser, the tangible item is transferred over the second branch to the validator via the second currency receiver.

### Claim 8

A self-service kiosk comprising:
a dispenser configured to:
present a first tangible item to a customer; and
retract the first tangible item;
an acceptor configured to receive a second tangible item from the customer;
a validator configured to examine:
the first tangible item; and
the second tangible item; and
a bridge comprising a forked transmission path, the bridge configured to transfer:
the first tangible item retracted by the dispenser from the dispenser to the validator using a first branch of the forked transmission path; and
the second tangible item received by the acceptor from the acceptor to the validator using a second branch of the forked transmission path.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The self-service kiosk of claim 8 wherein, the bridge links:
the acceptor;
the validator; and
the dispenser.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The self-service kiosk of claim 9, when the first tangible item is one of a plurality of first tangible items:
the dispenser is configured to:
present the plurality of first tangible items to the customer; and
retract one or more of the plurality of first tangible items; and
the bridge is configured to transfer the one or more of the plurality of first tangible items to the validator using the first branch.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The self-service kiosk of claim 8 further comprising:
a cash cassette;
a purge-bin; and
a validator bridge, the validator bridge mechanically linking:
the validator;
the cash cassette; and
the purge-bin.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The self-service kiosk of claim 11 wherein the validator bridge is configured to transfer the first tangible item:
from the cash cassette to the dispenser via the validator; and
from the dispenser to the purge-bin via the validator.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The self-service kiosk of claim 12 comprising a processor configured to compare, when the first tangible item is one of a plurality of first tangible items:
a first number of the plurality of first tangible items transferred from the cash cassette to the dispenser; and
a second number of the plurality of first tangible items transferred from the dispenser to the purge-bin.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The self-service kiosk of claim 11 wherein the validator is further configured to perform:
a first examination routine in response to the first tangible item being retracted by the dispenser;
a second examination routine in response to the second tangible item being received by the acceptor; and
a third examination routine in response to the first tangible item being transferred from the cash cassette.

### Claim 15

A method for reducing fraud at a self-service kiosk (“SSK”), the method comprising:
using a dispenser of the SSK, dispensing a first amount of money to a customer;
using the dispenser of the SSK, retracting at least a portion of the first amount of money;
using a bridge, transferring the portion of the first amount of money from the dispenser to a validator over a first branch of the bridge;
using the validator, examining the portion of the first amount of money;
using the bridge, transferring the portion of the first amount of money from the validator to a purge-bin over a second branch of the bridge;
using an acceptor of the SSK, receiving a second amount of money deposited by the customer;
using the bridge, transferring the second amount of money from the acceptor of the SSK to the validator over a third branch of the bridge; and
using the validator of the SSK, examining the second amount of money deposited into the self-service kiosk;
wherein the first branch and the third branch are bidirectional transfer paths.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the examining the portion of the first amount of money comprises:
identifying a denomination of each bill comprising the portion of the first amount of money;
determining a value of the portion of the first amount of money; and
associating a time and date of the retracting with a transaction identifier, the transaction identifier corresponding to the dispensing of the first amount of money to the customer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 further comprising:
using a computer system, receiving a mis-dispense claim from the customer; and
in response to receiving the mis-dispense claim, using the computer system to:
generate a fraud record; and
transmit the fraud record; wherein the fraud record comprises:
a date and time of the retracting;
a transaction identifier correlated to the date and time;
a first value associated with the dispensing;
a second value associated with the retracting; and
a difference between the first value and the second value.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising, in response to examining the portion of the first amount of money, debiting an account of the customer a monetary value corresponding to a difference between:
a first value of the first amount of money; and
a second value of the portion of the first amount of money.