Note validator security
View Patent ↗A smart safe include one or more note validators. Access to the note validators and internal workings of the smart safe is defined by an applicable level of security at the smart safe. The applicable level of security may be dependent on whether the smart safe is experiencing an error condition and/or the identification of a user trying to access the smart safe. By allowing some users limited access to the note validators, the users may be able to resolve some error conditions without compromising the integrity of notes stored within the smart safe and without relying on dedicated service personnel to resolve the error condition at the smart safe.
1. A method of providing access to a note validator head of a smart safe comprising:
providing deposit access to the note validator head using a processor;
detecting an error condition at the note validator head using detection circuitry;
providing limited maintenance access to the note validator head using the processor responsive to detecting the error condition, wherein limited maintenance access allows access to and removal of the note validator head from the smart safe to correct the error condition; and
revoking a validated note value within the smart safe if a duration of the limited maintenance access exceeds a maximum duration.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting a notice of validated note value within the smart safe;
detecting an unauthorized access to the smart safe; and
transmitting a notice that the note value is no longer validated responsive to detecting the unauthorized access to the smart safe.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting that the error condition is resolved using the detection circuitry; and
providing the deposit access to the note validator head responsive to detecting that the error condition is resolved.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the limited maintenance access permits access to the note validator head not available under the deposit access.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an access authorization;
providing additional maintenance access to the smart safe responsive to receipt of the access authorization.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
monitoring a duration of the additional maintenance access to the smart safe using a data logger.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the additional maintenance access permits access not available under the deposit access and the limited maintenance access.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
logging information regarding access to the note validator head using a data logger; and
transmitting the logged information.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the logged information includes at least one of a time stamp of when the note validator head was removed from the smart safe, a time stamp of when the note validator head was reattached to the smart safe, a length of time that the note validator head was removed from the smart safe, and identification of a user that removed the note validator head from the smart safe.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the error condition is a jam at the note validator head.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deposit access allows a user to utilize the note validator head to receive and validate notes.
12. The method of claim 5 , wherein the additional maintenance access allows a user to access internal components of the smart safe.
13. A smart safe comprising:
a note validator including a note validator head;
a computer that provides deposit access to the note validator head; and
detection circuitry that detects an error condition at the note validator head, wherein the computer provides limited maintenance access to the note validator head responsive to detecting the error condition wherein limited maintenance access allows access to and removal of the note validator head from the smart safe to correct the error condition, wherein the computer monitors a duration of the limited maintenance access and revokes a validated note value within the smart safe if a duration of the limited maintenance access exceeds a maximum duration.
14. The smart safe of claim 13 , further comprising:
communication circuitry that transmits a notice of validated note value within the smart safe, wherein the detection circuitry further detects an unauthorized access to the smart safe and wherein the communication circuitry further transmits a notice that the note value is no longer validated responsive to detecting the unauthorized access to the smart safe.
15. The smart safe of claim 13 , wherein the detection circuitry further detects that the error condition is resolved and the computer further provides the deposit access to the note validator head responsive to detecting that the error condition is resolved.
16. The smart safe of claim 13 , wherein the limited maintenance access permits access to the note validator head not available under the deposit access.
17. The smart safe of claim 13 , further comprising:
a user input device that receives an access authorization from a user, wherein the computer further provides additional maintenance access to the smart safe responsive to receipt of the access authorization.
18. The smart safe of claim 17 wherein the computer further monitors a duration of the additional maintenance access to the smart safe and revokes a validated note value within the smart safe if the duration of the additional maintenance access exceeds a maximum duration.
19. The smart safe of claim 17 , wherein the additional maintenance access permits access not available under the deposit access and the limited maintenance access.
20. The smart safe of claim 13 , wherein the computer further logs information regarding access to the note validator head, further comprising:
communication circuitry that transmits the logged information.
21. The smart safe of claim 20 , wherein the logged information includes at least one of a time stamp of when the note validator head was removed from the smart safe, a time stamp of when the note validator head was reattached to the smart safe, a length of time that the note validator head was removed from the smart safe, and identification of a user that removed the note validator head from the smart safe.
22. The smart safe of claim 13 , wherein the error condition is a jam at the note validator head.
23. The smart safe of claim 13 , wherein the deposit access allows a user to utilize the note validator head to receive and validate notes.
24. The smart safe of claim 17 , wherein the additional maintenance access allows the user to access internal components of the smart safe.
25. One or more computer-readable storage media not embodied within a signal encoding computer-executable instructions for executing on a computer system a computer process that provides access to a note validator head, the computer process comprising:
providing deposit access to the note validator head using a processor;
detecting an error condition at the note validator head of a smart safe; and
providing limited maintenance access to the note validator head using the processor responsive to detecting the error condition, wherein limited maintenance access allows access to and removal of the note validator head from the smart safe to correct the error condition; and
revoking a validated note value within the smart safe if a duration of the limited maintenance access exceeds a maximum duration.
26. The method of claim 1 , wherein the limited maintenance access to the note validator head is automatically provided in response to detecting the error condition using the processor.
27. The smart safe of claim 13 , wherein the limited maintenance access to the note validator head is automatically provided in response to detecting the error condition using the computer.