GB2065079A - Note dispensing system - Google Patents

Abstract

A banknote dispensing system includes an operator panel having a keyboard for initiating transaction requests, a dispensing chamber 58 adjacent to the panel for receiving banknotes dispensed by feed means 52 and a transporter 54 in response to an operator request, and a lockable access door 40 to enable the operator to gain access to the chamber to remove dispensed notes. A tiltable platform 60 positioned within the chamber forms purge means for discharging dispensed notes from the chamber under predetermined purge conditions detected by a microprocessor within the system. The microprocessor calls for a purge operation when it has been determined that the operator has either failed to remove dispensed notes or has left notes within the chamber. A purge operation may also be performed as a result of a system failure, such as a power outage or a counting error occurring during a dispense cycle; or when a foreign object is detected in the dispensing chamber as a result of vandalism. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Note dispensing system This invention pertains to automatic dispensing systems for banknotes, cash, cheques, stamps and the like.

Banking systems employing automatic dispensing terminals are being increasingly employed by banks and other financial service organizations as a means for reducing labour expenses and providing extended banking hours and enhanced convenience to customers.

One of the problems that has been experienced in the use of automatic teller terminals with banknote (cash) dispensing devices is that on occasion dispensed notes are inadvertently left in the dispensing chamber either through the carelessness of the customer-operator orthrough his failure to understand the operating instructions. When this occurs the next customer using the dispenser will receive money to which he is not entitled and the bank will have no means of confirming a subsequent claim made by the first customer, after he realizes that his money was left in the machine.

An additional problem that has been experienced in the use of these automatic dispensing terminals is that on occasion the system will detect an error, such as a double feed or an improper cound during the dispensing operation, and when this occurs the system is confronted with a dilemma. The system can release the dispensed notes to the customer, realizing that the amount may be in error and that the customer will be given more or less cash than was requested, or it can lock the customer access mechanism to prevent release of the cash to the customer, in which case the problem can be remedied only by manual intervention of a bank employee.

With the former alternative, the customer may either be short changed or receive a windfall of extra cash, whereupon in either case the bank is detrimentally affected. In the latter situation, the immediate customer requesting the dispensing operation, as well as other customers they may be waiting to use the terminal, are inconvenienced and additional time is required on the part of bank personnel to remedy the situation.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cash or note dispensing system.

Accordinglythe present invention provides a note dispensing system comprising: means whereby a customer can request a note dispensing operation; a dispensing chamber into which the system dispenses notes in response to such a request, and from which the customer can remove the notes so dispensed; and purge means whereby the system can remove notes from the dispensing chamber in the event of malfunction.

A cash dispensing system embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially sectioned, of the customeroroperator's panel.

Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the cash dispensing system.

Figure 3 is a cross-section view taken through the cash dispensing chamber associated with the panel in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of the control micro-processor employed in the system.

Figure 5 is a flowchart of the purge control.

Figure 6 is a flowchartofthe purge subroutine.

Figure 7 is a flowchart of the cash dispensing unit control during a power-up cycle.

Figure 1 shows the operator panel 36a which forms the customer or operator interface of the system. The panel includes a cash or note access door 40 which may be actuated by the operator by raising handle 41 to gain access to the note dispensing chamber to remove any cash or notes therein. An instruction screen 42, e.g., the face of a cathode ray tube (CRT), is controlled by the system to display step-by-step instructions for walking the operator through each transaction. A 10-key keyboard 44 provided on the panel 36a enables the operator to enter data which is required to request and complete the transaction. A slot 46 is provided for presenting a transaction receipt to the customer for those transac- tions which require a receipt.A further slot 48 is provided to enable the operator to insert his personal identification card into the panel, enabling a card reader located behind the panel to read the data on the card and feed itto the system in accordance with known system operation procedures. The operator panel also includes a depository station 50 including a deposit slot for receiving an envelope or envelopes inserted by the operator during deposit transactions.

In general, to operate the system, the operator inserts an identification card, which includes magnetically encoded date uniquely identifying the operator, into slot 48 of the operator's panel. The card reader alerts the system to the upcoming transaction and feeds the data on the card through the system to identify the operator. Thereafter, instructions are displayed on the screen 42 and the operator responds thereto by keying in his personal identification number (PIN) via keyboard 44. The PIN is compared with the data on the identification card to validate the transaction request. Thereafter, the operator utilizes the keyboard 44 to inform the system of the type of transaction desired, the amount involved, etc.When the transaction involves the delivery of cash, the system causes notes to be dispensed into the dispensing chamber located behind access door 40 and, when signalled by the system, the operator opens the door and removes the cash.

Figure 2 is a general block diagram of the system, which comprises a centralized computer 10 and memory unit 12 which is in communication via data lines 15 with a remote terminal 14 including a cash dispenser 36 and operator panel 36a. PIN data keyed into keyboard 22 by the operator is fed to a PIN signal generator 30 to generate a signal Y representative of a series of numbers entered by the operator.

A BIT signal generator 32 is responsive to PIN signal generator 30 to generate a signal representative of the number of bits in the PIN signal. The BIT signal is transferred via one of the lines 15 to the computer 10. Atransaction data generator 24 encodes transaction data entered into keyboard 22 and transmits it to the computer 10 via the lines 15.

The magnetic card reader 20, which reads the data from the customer identification card inserted into slot 48 (Figure 1), transmits the card data signal Z to the computer. The computer controls the display operator instructions appropriate to the type of transaction.

A security device, for example, microprocessor 34, receives the Y and Z signals from the signal generator 30 and card reader 20, respectively, and in addition receives an X signal from the computer 10 and, upon appropriate validation of all three signals, issues a dispense signal to cash dispenser 36. This initiates a dispensing operation for dispensing the requested notes into the dispensing chamber associated with the operator panel 36a.

Figure 3 illustrates the note dispensing system and dispensing chamber. The dispensing system comprises a feed module 52, a transporter module 54, a purge bin 56, and a dispensing chamber 58. The feed module comprises conventional elements for storing a supply of notes and means for automatically feeding a particular number of notes on command from microprocessor 34 to the feed chute 78 provided in the transporter module 54. A plurality of feed rolls 84 are positioned along the chute 78 and function during a dispensing operation to feed a note or notes from the module 52 to the dispensing chamber 58. The entire dispensing apparatus is contained within a safe, the front wall of which is shown at 53.

As shown in Figure 3, dispensing chamber 58 is positioned behind the access door 40 and receives dispensed notes through a slot 61. Dispensed notes fall to the bottom of the chamber and are received on a platform 60 comprising a flat rectangular plate. The access door 40 is pivotally mounted on the chamber sidewalls by means of a pair of stub shafts on either side of the door, one of which as shown as shaft 62 in Figure 3.

A sensing arm 64 is affixed to and rotates with the pivot shaft 62. Arm 64 activates a sensing switch 66, which generates a control signal DC indicating that the access door 40 is in the fully closed position as shown. Sensing arm 64 and switch 66 are located in the safe on the opposite side of the dispensing chamber wall so that they cannot he tampered with by a person outside the safe.

The platform 60, which forms the bottom surface of the dispensing chamber, is mounted on a pivot shaft 70 so that it can be pivoted to the opened position shown in dashed lines 60a in Figure 3. A control motor 68, also located inside the safe area, is cou pled to the shaft 70 and is operated by signals from microprocessor 34 in a manner two be described to tilt the platform 60 between the upper (closed) position shown in solid lines and the lower (open) position shown in dashed lines and back again for the pur pose of purging the dispensing chamber of notes under predetermined purge conditions discussed later.

A note sensing device 72 is provided on the underside of platform 60 and operates through an aperture 73 to sense the presence of a note on the platform.

Sensing device 72 is a photo-optical device which reflectively senses any object covering aperture 73.

The sensor projects a narrow beam of light through aperture 73 upward into the chamber 58. A light receiving aperture positioned immediately adjacent to the projecting aperture collects radiation reflected from any object such as a bill or a note located immediately above it, i.e., on the platform 60. A photocell provided in sensor 72 senses the radiation and generates an output signal NP, indicating the presence of a note. When no note is present, no radiation is sensed and the signal NP assumes a lower level. (An alternative sensing technique would be to provide a reflective surface on the top wall of the chamber which would reflect a more intense projected beam of light back to the sensing aperture when no note was present in the chamber.Thus the absence of reflected light, and thus lower level of NP, would represent the note present condition.) A sensing and latching module 74 is affixed to the front wall of the apparatus just below the purge platform 60. Module 74 includes a sensing switch (not shown) similarto switch 66 for providing an output signal PU designating that the platform 60 is in the upper or closed position as shown in solid lines.

Module 74 also includes a latching mechanism (also not shown) for locking access door 40 in the closed position and for generating an output signal DL indicating the latched condition. The latching mechanism may be a solenoid actuated latch bolt or similar device which is controllable for latching and unlatching the access door in response to signals from microprocessor 34. The signal DL is generated by a switch (similarto the switch 66) which is positioned to sense when the latching mechanism is in the latched condition. A further sensing switch 76 is provided on a flange below the platform 60 and operates ta generate an output signal PD when the platform 60 is in its lower or open position, as illustrated by dashed lines 60a in Figure 3.

A removable collection bin ortray 56 is positioned as shown in Figure 3 below the dispensing chamber 58 to receive and retain any notes which are discharged from the chamber when the platform 60 is tilted to its lower position.

Figure 4 illustrates the interconnection between microprocessor 34 and the cash dispenser unit 36.

The microprocessor 34 includes interface sections 34a and 34b, a timing and arithmetic logic unit 34c, a control store section 34d, and a branching and sequence control section 34e. The microprocessor receives the X, Y, and Z signals from the computer 10, PIN signal generator 30, and card reader 20, respectively. If desired, these signals may be combined in a serial data stream, as in a communication link, rather than being transmitted on separate lines.

The microprocessor generates an output signal DN which is transmitted to the computer 10 under certain conditions indicating that the terminal 14 requires manual intervention by a bank employee to service a condition which the system cannot automatically handle.

When microprocessor 34 determines, in response to the X, Y, and Z signals, that a cash dispensing operation is to be initiated, it transmits a DIS signal to the cash dispenser unit 36, triggering the latter to begin the feeding of bank notes from the storage module 52 to the dispensing chamber 58. Various additional signals associated with control of the note dispensing operation are transmitted between the cash dispenser and the microprocessor via lines 90 and 92.

Signals required for controlling the purge function are transmitted from the microprocessor to the cash dispenser via lines 94 and from the cash dispenser to the microprocessor via lines 96. The latter signals include the door closed signal DC, the note present signal NP, the door latched signal DL, the platform up signal PU, and the platform down signal PD generated as previously descibed. The control signals generated by the microprocessor and transferred via lines 94 include a lock door signal LD, an unlock door signal UD, a lower platform signal LP, and raise platform signal RP.

The lock door signal LD functions to activate the latching device in latching and sensing module 74 to latch the access door 40. The unlock door signal UD deactivates the latching device to unlatch the access door. Lower platform signal LP energizes motor 68 (Figure 3) to tilt platform 60 in the counterclockwise direction until the platform down signal PD is generated. The raise platform signal RP energizes drive motor 68 in the opposite direction until the platform up signal PU is generated.

Control of the system for effecting a purge operation is exercised by microinstructions stored in control store section 34d of the microprocessor. The microinstructions are represented by the flowchart diagrams of Figures 5, 6, and 7.

Figure 5 shows the basic routine for controlling the portion of the note dispensing operation which permits the operator to open the access door and remove the dispensed notes.

Figure 6 represents the microinstructions employed in the purge subroutine wherein dispensed notes are discharged from the dispensing chamber 58 under specified purge conditions.

Figure 7 illustrates the microinstructions which control the dispensing unit during system start-up.

The operation of the automatic dispensing and purge control system will now be described.

It can be assumed that during the first portion of the dispensing operation when notes are being fed through dispensing chute 78 into the chamber 58, the platform 60 is in its up position, and access door 40 is closed and latched (locked). Thus, the signals DC, DL, and PU will be supplied to the microprocessor from the cash dispenser unit. Since it is also assumed that notes have actually been delivered into the dispensing chamber, the note present signal NP will also be generated at this time.

When the microprocesso r determines that the dispensing operation is completed, the microprogram advances from the dispense complete step S1 (Figure 5) to step 51 a. Branching step S1 a tests for the presence of any system error signal which may have been received by the microprocessor during the preceding dispensing operation. Such a signal is stored in a designated flip-flop or register in the microprocessor. The presence of such a signal indicates a system irregularity, such as a detected dispensing error, e.g., a double feed or miscount. If such a signal is present, the program exits steps 51 a via the Y branch and proceeds directly to the purge step S21.

Assuming that no system error signal is present, the program proceeds to step S2. This causes the microprocessor to issue control signal UD which is supplied to the cash dispenser unit and which deactivatesthe latching device in sensing and latching module 74, unlatching and thus unlocking the access door 40. Program step S1 also starts a timer 1, which is internally set up within microprocessor 34 and which may comprise, for example, a counter register in the ALU. The timing interval established by timer 1 is selected to reflect the normal time required for the various mechanical operations within the purge system to take place, i.e., the door locking and unlocking and the purge platform raising and lowering operations.

The program thereafter advances to step S3, Door Unlocked?, in which the signal DL is tested to determine whether the unlocking operation has occurred.

Initially, DL will indicate the continued presence of the latched condition, so the program branches to step S4 where the state of timer 1 is tested. If the timer has not timed out, the program loops back to step S3. The program continues to traverse the S3-S4 loop until either DL indicates that the door is unlocked ortimer 1 times out. If the latter occurs first, step S22 is entered, signalling that an unresolvable problem has been encountered and that the dispensing apparatus should be shut down. This causes the microprocessor to issue the signal DN to the computer 10, whereupon the latter provides an indication that the terminal 14 requires operator attention and all further dispensing commands are inhibited.

However, if in step S3 the signal DL indicates that the access door 40 is unlatched normally, the program takes the Y exit from step S3 and advances to step S5 whereupon timer 1 is reset and a timer 2 is started. The interval set by timer 2 estabiishes a time window during which the operator who has requested the note dispensing operation must open access door 40.

After the start of timer 2, the program advances to step S6 and thereafter branches to step S7, whereupon it loops back to S6. The timing loop including steps S6 and S7 continues to be traversed until either the access door is opened or timer 2 times out.

In the case where the access door is opened before the timer times out, the program takes the Y exit from branching step S6 and advances to step 88, whereupon timer 2 is reset and a timer 3 is started.

The interval established bytimer3 defines the length of time which an operator would normally take to remove the notes from the dispensing chamber once the access door is opened.

The program advances immediately from step S8 to S9, which is a branching step in which the NP control signal from the cash dispenser unit is tested.

The program branches through S9 to step S10, loops back to step S9 and continues to transverse the S9-S10 loop until either the signal NP indicates that no note is present in the dispensing chamberorthe timer 3 times out. If the notes are removed from platform 60 before timer 3 times out, the program advances through the N exit from branch S9 and enters branching step S11, whereupon the control signal DC is tested to determine whether access door 40 is closed.

The 511-512 loop is traversed until either the signal DC indicates that the access door has been closed or timer 3 times out. If the access door is closed before timer 3 times out, the program takes the N exit from step S11 and advances to step S13 in which the timer 3 is reset. Thereafter, step S14 is executed to lock access door 40 and restart timer 1.

This causes the microprocessor to issue the LD control signal to the cash dispenser unit to energize the latching device in module 74 to engage the door latch and lock the door 40. The program next enters step S15 whereupon the control signals DC and DL are tested to determine if the door is actually locked.

These signals must both be present to indicate that the door is locked. The program traverses the S15-S16 loop until either the locking state is established or until timer 1 times out. If the door locks normally, the program exits step S15 through the Y branch and enters step S17, resetting timer 1. Thereafter the program proceeds to step 818, signalling the microprocessorthatthe dispensed notes have been removed in the normal fashion, that the access door has been locked, and that the system is in condition to perform another dispensing operation.

If in step S15 the signal DC continues to indicate that the door is not closed or the signal DL continues to indicate that the latch is not engaged prior to the time timer 1 times out, the program takes the Y exit from step S16 and executes Down step S23, whereupon the microprocessor issues the DN signal to computer 10, inhibiting further dispensing operations until the locking failure situation is resolved through operator intervention.

If, during the time that the program was transversing the S6-S7 timing loop, timer 2 times out before the control signal DC indicates that the access door is open, the program takes the Y exit from step S7 and executes the purge subroutine of step S21 to discharge any notes that may be present in the dispensing chamber into the purge bin 56. Likewise, if during the time that the program is traversing the S9-S10 timing loop, timer 3 times out before the NP signal indicates that the notes have been removed from the platform 60, the program takes the Y branch out of step S10 and enters the purge routine 521 through branching step S20. The purge is executed only if the access door is closed as deter mined in step S20 by testing the signal DC.

If the door is not closed, the program branches to Down step S19 and the dispensing system is shut down to await operator intervention. Down step S19 is also executed in the event that the program exits from timing loop S1 1-S12 via branch Y of step S12.

This occurs if the access door is not closed within the period of timer 3.

The purge subroutine S21 is depicted in the flow chart diagram of Figure 6. The first step in the sub routine, P1, functions to lock access door 40 and start timer 1. The steps P1, P2, P3, and P15 operate identically to the previously described locking steps S14, S15, 816, and S23 to either confirm the locking of the access door or to cause the issuance of a DN signal from the microprocessor to inhibit further dispens ing operations until the unlocked door condition is resolved by operator intervention.

Afterthe access door is locked, the purge program advances to step P4 to reset timer 1 and thence to step P5, whereupon the microprocessor restarts timer 1 and issues the control signal LP to activate platform control motor 68. This causes purge platform 60 to be driven counterclockwise to dump any notes thereon into the purge bin 56. This dump operation is monitored by the timing loop comprising steps P6-P7 such that if a note is still detected on the platform when timer 1 times out, the system executes step P13 and shuts down. If the purge is successful, the timing loop is exited through branch N of step P6 and step P8 is executed to reset timer 1.

Thereafter, the program advances to step P9, whereupon timer 1 is restarted and the control signal RP is issued by the microprocessor. This reverses motor 68 and drives the purge platform 60 is a clockwise direction until the signal PU is produced by the sensing module 74. If this does not occur before timer 1 times out, timing loop P10-P11 is exited via branch Y of step P11 and the system shuts down via step P14, whereupon the DN output is produced by microprocessor 34 inhibiting further operation of the dispensing system until operator intervention resolves the situation.

If platform 60 closes normally, the program takes exit Y from step P10 and executes step P12 which resets timer 1. Thereafter, the program proceeds to READY step S18 of the main program, thus signalling the completion of the purge operation and indicating that the system is in condition to handle further dispensing operations.

Purge control is also provided in the system during the initial power-up cycle following a system shut down. Since the system shut down may have been caused by a power outage or other type of failure condition, there is a possibility that one or more notes may have been left in the dispensing apparatus in a position which will cause them to be fed into the dispensing chamber during the first dispensing operation following the power-up cycle. As shown in Figure 7, a microprogram routine included in microprocessor34 is exercised during the power on cycle to purge any notes that may have been left in the system.

After receiving the power on indication from host computer 10 in step Al,the program proceeds to step A2 where access door 40 is locked. Following that, a timing loop comprising steps A3 and A4 is executed to assure that the door is locked properly.

As described previously in connection with Figures 5 and 6, branching step A3 tests for the simultaneous presence of the door close signal DC and the door latch signal DL from the cash dispenser unit.

Afterthe access door is locked and timer 1 is reset (step A6), the program proceeds to step A7 where the feed motor associated with the note feeding apparatus in module 54 is turned on for approximately two seconds to clear any notes remaining in the feed into the dispensing chamber 58. Thereafter, branching step A8 is entered and tests for the note present signal NP from the cash dispenser. If NP indicates the presence of a note in the chamber, the program exits step A8 via the Y branch and executes purge step A9. The latter may be identical to step S21 of Figure 5, which has been described in detail in connection with Figure 6.

Upon completion of the purge routine, the program advances to system ready step A10 and signals the system that the dispensing system is ready for operation. If a note was not detected in step A8, the program exits via the N branch thereof and proceeds directly to step A10 to generate the system ready indication.

Thus, reviewing the above operations, it is seen that the system provides a purge control for discharging notes which have been dispensed into an operator accessible dispensing chamber if a feeding irregularity, system error, power outage orthe like occurs during a dispensing operation or if the access door to the chamber is not operated within a set period of time following the dispensing operation.

Furthermore, if the access door is opened but a dispensed note or notes or other object is left in the chamber after a predetermined period of time following the opening of the door, the purge control system also operates to discharge the remaining notes or objects from the chamber before further operation of the dispensing system is permitted.

The purge control thus prevents a situation in which notes inadvertently or erroneously left in the dispensing chamber become accessible to an unauthorized operator. It further will purge any foreign objects which may be left intentionally or otherwise in the chamber by an operator.

Furthermore, the microprocessor is able, by keeping a record of the occurrences of purge operations during specified transactions, to provide confirming evidence which may be used to either support or refute a customer claim that he did not receive the full amount of cash requested. If a customer makes such a claim, and the record of the transaction indicates that a purge operation was performed, then evidence tending to confirm the customer's claim is provided. However, if the record of the transaction indicates that no purge operation was performed, the evidence indicates that the customer's claim is probably false.

Claims (11)

1. A note dispensing system comprising: means whereby a customer can request a note dispensing operation; a dispensing chamber into which the system dispenses notes in response to such a request, and from which the customer can remove the notes so dispensed; and purge means whereby the system can remove notes from the dispensing chamber in the event of malfunction.

2. A system according to Claim 1, wherein the dispensing chamber has an access door through which the customer can gain access to the chamber and which is controlled by the system.

3. A system according to Claim 2, wherein the access door can be locked and unlocked by the system when closed and can be opened and closed by the customer when unlocked.

4. A system according to either of Claims 2 and 3, wherein the purge means are operated if the access door is not opened by the customer with a predetermined time.

5. A system according to any previous claim, wherein the purge means are operated if the system detects a malfunction in the dispensing of notes into the dispensing chamber.

6. A system acording to any previous claim wherein the purge means are operated if the dispensing chamber in not sensed to be empty after a predetermined time from the dispensing chamber and notes therein becoming accessible to the customer.

7. A system according to any previous claim, wherein the purge means comprise a movable plate forming the floor of the dispensing chamber.

8. A system according to Claim 6, wherein the plate istiltable.

9. A system according to any previous claim, wherein the purge means are operated following a power failure.

10. A system according to any previous claim, wherein the purge means include sensing means which check, before any further dispensing operation is started, that the purge means have been restored to their initial state if they have been operated.

11. A note dispensing system substantially as herein described.