Automated banking machine
View Patent ↗An automated banking machine ( 10 ) includes a user interface ( 12 ) including an opening ( 20 ). Users of the machine deliver individual sheets and stacks of sheets to and from the machine through the opening. Stacks of sheets may include sheets such as notes, checks or other documents. Stacks input to the machine may include mixtures of various types of sheets. The machine operates to receive notes, process checks and perform other operations. Notes received in the machine may be recycled and dispensed to other users. Checks processed by the machine may be imaged by an imaging device, cancelled and stored in the machine or alternatively returned to a user. Documents produced by the machine such as receipts, checks or money orders as well as notes dispensed from the machine are assembled into a stack within the machine and delivered from the machine through the opening.
1. A machine comprising:
a housing including an opening adapted to accept into the machine a stack of documents, the stack including both currency notes and checks;
a separating mechanism in the machine, wherein the separating mechanism is operative to separate each of the documents individually from the stack;
an imaging device operative to produce an electronic representation of at least a portion of checks that have been separated from the stack;
a validating device operative to assess the validity of notes that have been separated from the stack;
a note handling mechanism operative to store notes assessed as valid through operation of the validating device.
2. The machine according to claim 1 and further comprising:
a cancellation device, wherein the cancellation device is operative to mark checks that have been placed in the machine.
3. The machine according to claim 1 and further comprising at least one input device, wherein the at least one input device is operative to receive at least one input usable to identify a user of the machine.
4. The machine according to claim 1 wherein the machine includes at least one note dispensing device, wherein the machine is operative to deliver notes through the opening.
5. A method comprising:
(a) receiving a stack of documents including notes and checks into a machine through an opening in the housing of the machine;
(b) separating each of the documents from the stack with a separating mechanism in the machine;
(c) producing with an imaging device data corresponding to an image of at least a portion of a check separated from the stack;
(d) assessing with a validating device the validity of at least one note separated from the stack;
(e) accepting in a note handling device, notes assessed as valid by the validating device.
6. The method according to claim 5 and further comprising:
(f) marking the check with a cancellation device subsequent to step (e).
7. The method according to claim 5 and further comprising dispensing cash from the machine in response to receipt of the check by the machine.