Granted Patent B2

US 7,971,781 · App. 11/983,434 · Granted Jul 5, 2011

Abstract

Claims (84)

1. Apparatus comprising:

a card reader operative to read data-carrying records comprising user cards;

an automated banking machine including:

a housing;

at least one input device in operative supported connection with the housing, wherein the at least one input device is operative to receive inputs from users of the machine, wherein the at least one input device includes the card reader, wherein the inputs are usable to identify at least one of a respective user and a respective user's financial account, and wherein the machine is operative responsive to information read from cards through operation of the card reader;

at least one output device in operative supported connection with the housing, wherein the at least one output device is operative to receive outputs including instructions concerning machine usage;

at least one cash dispenser device in operative supported connection with the housing, wherein the at least one cash dispenser device is operative to cause cash to be delivered from the machine;

at least one deposit accepting device in operative supported connection with the housing, wherein the deposit accepting device is operative to read indicia on sheets received from machine users;

at least one processor in the housing, wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with the at least one input device, the at least one output device, the at least one cash dispenser device and the at least one deposit accepting device;

wherein the at least one deposit accepting device includes:

a first sheet driver member;

a second sheet driver member;

wherein the first and second sheet driver members are movably mounted in operatively supported connection with the housing such that a distance between the first sheet driver member and the second sheet driver member is selectively variable responsive to operation of the at least one processor;

at least one divider plate positionable intermediate of the first sheet driver member and the second sheet driver member, wherein the at least one divider plate is movably mounted relative to the housing;

at least one sensor;

at least one drive, wherein the at least one drive is in operative connection with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor causes operation of the drive to selectively relatively position the first sheet driver member, the second sheet driver member, and the at least one divider plate;

wherein the at least one deposit accepting device is operative to cause sheets to move from a first side of the at least one divider plate to a second side of the at least one divider plate;

wherein the first sheet driver member and the second sheet driver member are operative to move sheets positioned on the first side of the at least one divider plate and on the second side of the at least one divider plate;

wherein the at least one sensor is in operative connection with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one sensor is operative to sense sheets positioned on at least one of the first side and the second side.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one divider plate includes at least one first reflective piece facing one of the first side and the second side, and wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one first radiation sensor disposed from the at least one divider plate, and wherein the at least one first radiation sensor is operative to detect sheets on one of the first side or the second side of the at least one divider plate.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the at least one divider plate further includes at least one aperture, and wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one second radiation sensor, wherein the at least one second radiation sensor is operative to detect sheets on at least one of the first side and the second side of the at least one divider plate.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the at least one first reflective piece comprises a first angularly reflective piece, and the at least one first radiation sensor comprises a first radiation emitter and a first radiation receiver, both transversely disposed of the at least one divider plate.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the at least one first angular reflective piece comprises a tape.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the at least one second radiation sensor comprises a second emitter and a second receiver, wherein the second emitter and the second receiver are disposed from one another on opposed sides of the at least one divider plate.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the first angular reflective piece faces the second side, and further comprising

a sheet engaging plate,

wherein the sheet engaging plate extends generally parallel of the at least one divider plate,

wherein the sheet engaging plate includes at least one second angular reflective piece,

wherein the at least one second angular reflective piece faces the first side, and

at least one third radiation sensor,

wherein the at least one third radiation sensor is operative to sense radiation reflected from the at least one second angular reflective piece,

wherein the at least one first radiation sensor is operative to detect sheets on only the second side of the at least one divider plate and the at least one third radiation sensor is operative to detect sheets only on the first side of the at least one divider plate.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the sheet engaging plate includes an aperture therein, wherein the aperture in the sheet engaging plate is aligned with the aperture in the at least one divider plate, and wherein the at least one divider plate and the sheet engaging plate are positioned intermediate of the second emitter and the second receiver.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8

wherein the at least one deposit accepting device includes at least one width sensor,

wherein the at least one width sensor is operative to sense a width of a sheet therein,

and further including at least one first magnetic read head movably mounted relative to the housing,

and further including a positioning drive in operative connection with the at least one first magnetic read head,

wherein the positioning drive is operative to selectively position the at least one first magnetic read head responsive to the sensed width of the sheet.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the at least one deposit accepting device includes a read area, wherein magnetic characters are read on sheets moving along a sheet direction in the read area, wherein the at least one first magnetic read head is movable transversely relative to the sheet direction, and wherein the at least one deposit accepting device further includes at least one second magnetic read head, wherein the at least one second magnetic read head is in a fixed transverse position relative to the sheet direction in the read area.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10

and further comprising at least one transport,

wherein the at least one transport is operative to move sheets along a sheet path past the at least one first magnetic read head and the at least one second magnetic read head,

and further comprising

a plurality of disposed alignment sensors and

at least one transverse transport operative to move sheets generally transverse of the sheet path,

wherein the at least one transverse transport is operative to move sheets transversely and align sheets relative to the sheet path and relative to the at least one second magnetic read head responsive to the plurality of alignment sensors.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine character data corresponding to characters on each sheet responsive to signals form at least one of the at least one first magnetic read head and the at least one second magnetic read head.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the at least one processor is operative to selectively cause sheets to be moved to the second side responsive to the character data.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the at least one deposit accepting device includes a first sheet storage and retrieval device, and a second sheet storage and retrieval device, wherein the at least one processor is selectively operative responsive to the character data to cause sheets to be moved from the first sheet storage and retrieval device to the second sheet storage and retrieval device and to the second side of the at least one divider plate.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein at least one of the first sheet storage and retrieval device and the second sheet storage and retrieval device includes a belt recycler.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause sheets to be moved from the second sheet storage and retrieval device to at least one first storage area in the machine.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14

wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause sheets not determined to have at least one property, responsive to operation of the at least one deposit accepting device, to be moved to the second side of the at least one divider plate and out of the machine, and

wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause sheets determined to have the at least one property, to be moved to the at least one first storage area.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause sheets having the at least one property and sheets not having the at least one property to be stored in the first sheet storage and retrieval device, and wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause sheets having the at least one property stored in the first sheet storage and retrieval device to be moved and stored on the second sheet storage and retrieval device, and wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause sheets having the at least one property that have been stored on the second sheet storage and retrieval device to be thereafter moved to the at least one first storage area in the machine.

19. Apparatus comprising:

an automated banking machine sheet acceptor that is operable to receive from a user, a stack comprising a plurality of currency notes,

wherein the sheet acceptor includes at least one note validator operable to analyze at least one property of a currency note,

wherein the sheet acceptor includes a movably mounted divider plate positioned intermediate a first note driver member and a second note driver member,

wherein the sheet acceptor includes at least one drive operable to selectively vertically position relative to each other,

the first note driver member,

the divider plate, and

the second note driver member,

wherein the sheet acceptor includes at least one sensor,

wherein the sheet acceptor is operable to move received currency notes deemed unacceptable responsive at least in part to analysis by the at least one note validator, from a first side of the divider plate to a second side of the divider plate,

wherein the at least one sensor is operable to sense currency notes positioned on the first side,

wherein the first note driver member is operable to move currency notes positioned on the first side,

wherein the at least one sensor is operable to sense currency notes positioned on the second side,

wherein the second note driver member is operable to move currency notes positioned on the second side.

20. Apparatus comprising:

an automated banking machine sheet acceptor that is operable to receive from a user, a stack comprising a plurality of financial checks,

wherein the sheet acceptor includes at least one check analysis device operable to analyze at least one property of a check,

wherein the sheet acceptor includes a movably mounted divider plate positioned intermediate a first check driver member and a second check driver member,

wherein the sheet acceptor includes at least one drive operable to selectively vertically position relative to each other,

the first check driver member,

the divider plate, and

the second check driver member,

wherein the sheet acceptor includes at least one sensor,

wherein the sheet acceptor is operable to move received checks deemed unacceptable responsive at least in part to analysis by the at least one check analysis device, from a first side of the divider plate to a second side of the divider plate,

wherein the at least one sensor is operable to sense checks positioned on the first side,

wherein the first check driver member is operable to move checks positioned on the first side,

wherein the at least one sensor is operable to sense checks positioned on the second side,

wherein the second check driver member is operable to move checks positioned on the second side.

Assignments (26)