Granted Patent B2

US 9,177,450 · App. 13/778,257 · Granted Nov 3, 2015

Abstract

Claims (29)

1. A media item dispenser module comprising:

a dispensing slot for presenting at least one media item to a user, wherein the dispensing slot adapted to present the at least one media item as one of: a currency note, a check, a ticket, a giro, a stamp, a lottery ticket, a coupon, and a voucher; and

a moveable member moveable between a distal position and a proximal position respectively distal and proximal to the dispensing slot, wherein the moveable member prevents unauthorised access into the media item dispenser module via the dispensing slot when in the proximal position, and wherein the moveable member further adapted to move from the proximal position to the distal position upon detection of a foreign object that attempting to be forced into the dispensing slot.

2. The media item dispenser module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the moveable member is located in the proximal position when the media item dispenser module is in a dormant state to thereby protect the media item dispenser module from unauthorised access via the dispensing slot between media item transactions.

3. The media item dispenser module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the moveable member comprises a carriage moveable along a transport path for transporting media items towards the dispensing slot.

4. The media item dispenser module as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor for sensing an unauthorised movement of the moveable member from the dispensing slot towards the distal position.

5. The media item dispenser module as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one actuator for selectively moving the moveable member between the distal and proximal positions.

6. The media item dispenser module as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the at least one actuator is adapted to urge the moveable member towards the dispensing slot in response to at least one sensor for sensing an unauthorised movement of the moveable member from the dispensing slot towards the distal position.

7. The media item dispenser module as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one media item staining device for selectively deploying a stain onto stored media items, wherein the at least one media item staining device is configured to receive a signal responsive to an unauthorised movement of the moveable member from the dispensing slot towards the distal position which is sensed by at least one sensor.

8. The media item dispenser module as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one alarm device configured to receive a signal responsive to an unauthorised movement of the moveable member from the dispensing slot towards the distal position which is sensed by at least one sensor.

9. A Self-Service Terminal (SST) comprising a media item dispenser module as claimed in claim 1 .

10. A method of presenting at least one media item to a user, comprising:

locating a moveable member at a dispensing slot of a media item dispenser module to prevent unauthorised access into the module via the dispensing slot, wherein at least one media item is presentable at the dispensing slot to a user, and wherein the at least one media item is presentable at the dispensing slot to the user as one of: a currency note, a check, a ticket, a giro, a stamp, a lottery ticket, a coupon, and a voucher;

moving the moveable member away from the dispensing slot along a path to a distal location relative to the dispensing slot;

delivering at least one media item onto the moveable member at the distal location in response to a user transaction;

moving the moveable member from the distal position towards the dispensing slot to thereby present the at least one media item to a user; and

moving the moveable member from away from the dispensing slot in response to an attempt to force a foreign object into the dispensing slot.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising sensing an unauthorized movement of the moveable member in a direction from the dispensing slot towards the distal position.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising urging the moveable member towards the dispensing slot when the unauthorised movement is sensed.

13. A method of preventing unauthorised access into a media item dispenser module, comprising:

locating a moveable member at a dispensing slot of a media item dispenser module to prevent unauthorised access into the media item dispenser module via the dispensing slot, wherein at least one media item is presentable at the dispensing slot to a user, and wherein the at least one media item is presentable at the dispensing slot to the user as one of: a currency note, a check, a ticket, a giro, a stamp, a lottery ticket, a coupon, and a voucher;

sensing an unauthorised movement of the moveable member in a direction away from the dispensing slot;

urging the moveable member towards the dispensing slot to resist the unauthorised movement; and

sensing when an attempt is made to force a foreign object into the dispensing slot and in response thereto urging the moveable member away from the dispensing slot.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising providing a signal to a media item staining device and/or alarm device when the unauthorized movement is sensed.

15. A method of preventing unauthorised access into a media item dispenser module, comprising:

locating a carriage at a dispensing slot of a media item dispenser module to prevent unauthorised access into the media item dispenser module via the dispensing slot;

presenting, by the media item dispenser module at least one media item associated with authorized access into the media time dispenser module, wherein the at least one media item is presented as one of: a currency note, a check, a ticket, a giro, a stamp, a lottery ticket, a coupon, and a voucher; and

moving the carriage away from the dispensing slot to a stacking position within the media item dispenser module when an attempt is detected to force a foreign object into the dispenser module.

Assignments (10)