Granted Patent B2

US 7,638,746 · App. 11/016,661 · Granted Dec 29, 2009

Abstract

Claims (112)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a) an Automated Teller Machine, ATM;

b) an image sensor ( 60 ) which comprises an array of pixels;

c) a currency sheet pick module ( 12 ) located at a first sensing site ( 64 a ) within the ATM, the module ( 12 ) comprising pick components which include

i) a pick arm ( 24 ),

ii) a pick wheel ( 26 ), and

iii) a pressure wheel ( 28 ),

the pick components functioning collectively to

i) pick currency sheets from storage and

ii) transport the currency sheets from the first sensing site ( 64 a ) to a transport ( 30 ) at a second sensing site ( 64 b ) within the ATM;

d) a first elongated light pipe ( 62 a ) which extends between the image sensor ( 60 ) and the first sensing site ( 64 a ),

e) a first objective lens ( 66 a ) located at the first sensing site ( 64 a ), which focuses at least partial images of

i) one or more pick components, and

ii) a currency sheet, if present at the first sensing site ( 64 a )

into the first light pipe ( 62 a ), which pipe ( 62 a ) transmits the images to the image sensor ( 60 ).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , and further comprising:

f) a currency sheet presenter module ( 14 ) located at the second sensing site ( 64 b ) within the ATM, which module ( 14 ) comprises presenter components which include

i) a stacking transport ( 34 ) which cooperates with the transport ( 30 ) to transport a picked banknote ( 22 ) to a stacking wheel ( 36 ) which stacks banknotes into a stack;

ii) a clamping transport ( 44 ) which accepts the stack; and

iii) a presenting transport ( 46 ) which delivers the stack of banknotes ( 22 ) to an exit aperture ( 48 ) for retrieval by a customer;

g) a second elongated light pipe ( 62 b ) which extends between the image sensor ( 60 ) and the second sensing site ( 64 b ),

h) a second objective lens ( 66 b ) located at the second sensing site ( 64 b ), which focuses at least partial images of

i) one or more presenter components, and

ii) a currency sheet, if present at the second sensing site ( 64 b )

into the second light pipe ( 62 b ), which pipe ( 62 a ) transmits the images to the image sensor ( 60 ).

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 , in which the second elongated light pipe ( 62 b ) comprises one or more optical fibers.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 , and further comprising a second collecting lens adjacent the second elongated light pipe ( 62 b ), for focusing light onto the image sensor ( 60 ).

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 , in which the first objective ( 66 a ) lens provides a viewing angle of 120 degrees or more of the first sensing site ( 64 a ).

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 , in which the second objective lens ( 66 b ) provides a viewing angle of 120 degrees or more of the second sensing site ( 64 b ).

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 , in which

1) a first zone of pixels in the image sensor ( 60 ) receives images of the first sensing site ( 64 a ), and

2) a second zone of pixels in the image sensor ( 60 ) receives images of the second sensing site ( 64 b ).

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 , and further comprising a system which transmits images captured by the image sensor ( 60 ) to a remote location.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 , in which the distance between the image sensor ( 60 ) and the first sensing site ( 64 a ) exceeds 10 centimeters.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 , in which the first elongated light pipe ( 62 a ) comprises one or more optical fibers.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1 , and further comprising a first collecting lens adjacent the first elongated light pipe ( 62 a ), for focusing light onto the image sensor ( 60 ).

12. A method of operating an Automated Teller Machine, ATM, which contains a currency sheet pick module ( 12 ) and a presenter module ( 14 ), comprising:

a) at a first sensing site ( 64 a ) within the ATM, capturing first images of

i) at least some components of the pick module, and

ii) a currency sheet, if present at the first sensing site ( 64 a )

b) at a second sensing site ( 64 b ) within the ATM, which is different from the first sensing site ( 64 a ), capturing second images of

i) at least some components of the presenter module, and

ii) a currency sheet, if present at the second sensing site ( 64 ( b )

c) delivering captured first images via a first light pipe ( 62 a ) to an image sensor ( 60 );

d) delivering captured second images via a second light pipe ( 62 b ) to the image sensor ( 60 ); and

e) processing either or both of the images to ascertain whether a component within the images deviates from a predetermined position.

13. Method according to claim 12 , and further comprising:

f) transmitting some or all of the images to a remote diagnostic facility.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a) an Automated Teller Machine, ATM, which contains

i) a pick module ( 12 ) which includes

A) a cassette ( 18 ) which stores banknotes ( 22 );

B) a pick arm ( 24 ) which removes banknotes ( 22 ) from the cassette ( 18 ); and

C) a pick wheel ( 26 ) and pressure wheel ( 28 ) which cooperate to transfer a picked banknote ( 22 ) from the pick arm ( 24 ) to a transport ( 30 );

ii) a presenter module ( 24 ) which includes

A) a stacking transport ( 34 ) which cooperates with the transport ( 30 ) to transport a picked banknote ( 22 ) to a stacking wheel ( 36 ) which stacks banknotes into a stack;

B) a clamping transport ( 44 ) which accepts the stack;

C) a presenting transport ( 46 ) which delivers the stack of banknotes ( 22 ) to an exit aperture ( 48 ) for retrieval by a customer; and

D) a purge transport ( 40 ) which transports a rejected banknote ( 22 ) to a purge bin ( 42 );

b) within the ATM,

i) an image sensor ( 60 ) which comprises an array of pixels;

ii) a first objective lens ( 66 a ) which receives an image of

A) part or all of the pick arm ( 24 );

B) part or all of the cassette ( 18 );

C) part or all of the pick wheel ( 26 );

D) part or all of the pressure wheel ( 28 );

E) part or all of the transport ( 30 ); and

F) part or all of a banknote ( 22 ) if present;

iii) a first elongated light pipe ( 62 a ) which receives an image focused by the first objective lens ( 66 a ) and transmits the image to the image sensor ( 60 );

iv) a second objective lens ( 66 b ) which receives an image of

A) part or all of the a stacking transport ( 34 );

B) part or all of the stacking wheel ( 36 );

C) part or all of the clamping transport ( 44 );

D) part or all of the presenting transport ( 46 ); and

E) part or all of a banknote if present;

v) a second elongated light pipe ( 62 b ) which receives an image focused by the second objective lens ( 66 b ) and transmits the image to the image sensor ( 60 ).

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 , and further comprising:

c) a reference template ( 330 ) within the ATM which is adjacent to

A) the pick arm ( 24 ); or

B) the cassette ( 18 ); or

C) the pick wheel ( 26 ); or

D) the pressure wheel ( 28 ); or

E) the transport ( 30 ); or

F) a combination of (A) through (E)

d) an imaging system which uses the first objective lens ( 66 a ) to capture an image of the reference template ( 330 ) when the first objective lens ( 66 a ) also captures an image of

A) part or all of the pick arm ( 24 );

B) part or all of the cassette ( 18 );

C) part or all of the pick wheel ( 26 );

D) part or all of the pressure wheel ( 28 ); and

E) part or all of the transport ( 30 );

e) a processing system which processes the image of paragraph (d) and ascertains whether

A) the pick arm ( 24 );

B) the cassette ( 18 );

C) the pick wheel ( 26 );

D) the pressure wheel ( 28 ); or

E) or the transport ( 30 )

are in a predetermined position when the image was captured and

f) a transmitter which transmits the image of paragraph (d) to a remote diagnostic center.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14 , in which the ATM contains

A) no sensors which detect position of the pick arm ( 24 );

B) no sensors which detect position of the cassette ( 18 );

C) no sensors which detect position of the pick wheel ( 26 );

D) no sensors which detect position of the pressure wheel ( 28 ); and

E) no sensors which detect position of the transport ( 30 ).

17. Method according to claim 14 and further comprising:

c) a system which ascertains whether

A) the pick arm ( 24 );

B) the cassette ( 18 );

C) the pick wheel ( 26 );

D) the pressure wheel ( 28 ); or

E) or the transport ( 30 )

are in a predetermined respective position when the image was captured, and, if not, causes the ATM to take corrective action.

Assignments (9)