AUTOMATED DOCUMENT HANDLING SYSTEM

1 . A system for automatically processing secure containers housing valuable documents, the system comprising:

a container processing unit arranged to remove contents of the secure containers; and

an extraction module operatively coupled to the container processing unit to open and close the secure containers and to remove the contents of the secure containers.

2 . A system according to claim 1 further comprising a transportation mechanism operatively coupled to the container processing unit to transport loaded secure containers to the container processing unit and to transport empty secure containers from the container processing unit.

3 . A system according to claim 2 wherein the transportation mechanism comprises first and second transportation mechanisms coupled together by the secure container processing unit.

4 . A system according to claim 1 wherein the extraction module further includes an extraction tool operatively coupled to the extraction module to remove the contents of the secure containers.

5 . A system according to claim 4 whereby the extraction tool comprises a pair of stabilizers to engage and remove the contents of the secure containers.

6 . A system according to claim 5 wherein the stabilizers are vertically spaced from each other.

7 . A system according to claim 5 wherein the stabilizers are horizontally spaced from each other.

8 . A system according to claim 4 wherein the extraction tool comprises two pairs of stabilizers to engage and remove the contents of the secure containers.

9 . A system according to claim 1 wherein the extraction module is arranged to read a respective identifier mounted to the secure container.

10 . A system according to claim 9 wherein the identifier includes an electronically readable label.

11 . A system according to claim 9 wherein the identifier includes a radio frequency identification device.

12 . A system according to claim 1 in any of the preceding claims further including an image recorder to capture an image of the inside of the secure container.

13 . A system according to claim 12 wherein the secure container image and the secure container identifier are combined for storage and reporting.

14 . A method for automatically processing secure containers housing valuable documents, the method comprising:

receiving a secure container at a secure container processing unit;

opening the secure container using an extraction module operatively coupled to the secure container processing unit;

removing the valuable documents from the secure container using the extraction module;

transferring the valuable documents to an external processing apparatus; and

closing the secure container using the extraction module.

15 . A method according to claim 14 further including receiving the secure containers from a transportation mechanism.

16 . A method according to claim 14 including using a pair of opposing stabilizers to remove the valuable documents.

17 . A method according to claim 14 including transporting the secure containers from the secure container processing unit by the transportation mechanism.

18 . A method according to claim 14 including using a first transportation path and a second transportation path operatively coupled at the secure container processing unit.

19 . A method according to claim 14 further including reading a respective secure container identifier mounted to each secure container.

20 . A method according to claim 19 wherein the identifier includes a radio frequency identification device.

21 . A method according to claim 17 wherein the identifier includes an electronically readable label.