Patents Assigned to Cummins-Allison Corp.
  • Patent number: 8602200
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method for optimizing a usable volume of a coin receptacle associated with a coin-processing device is provided. This method includes the steps of obtaining data from at least one sensor and adjusting, responsive to such data, an upper limit of coins which may be input into the receptacle or an available number of coins which may be input into the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventor: John R. Blake
  • Patent number: 8594414
    Abstract: A first prompt is displayed to insert a deposit slip that includes declared information. The deposit slip is received, transported at a first speed, and imaged. A total declared cash-in amount and a total declared check amount are extracted from image data associated with the deposit slip. The total declared cash-in amount is determined to be a non-zero number. A second prompt is displayed to insert currency bills. The currency bills are received, transported at a second speed, and imaged. Deposit information is generated from image data associated with each of the currency bills. The deposit information at least includes a calculated total cash deposit amount. The deposit information is compared with the declared information to determine if the deposit transaction is balanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: William J. Jones, Frank M. Csulits, Curtis W. Hallowell, Douglas U. Mennie, Matthew L. Anderson, Robert J. Klein, Ralf H. Jaeger, David R. Badalamenti
  • Patent number: 8559695
    Abstract: A first plurality of documents is received, transported, and imaged to produce image data. Identifying information is extracted from the image data for each of the first plurality of documents. The document processing device determines whether each of the first plurality of documents satisfies a flag criterion. In response to one of the first plurality of documents satisfying the flag criterion, a visually readable image of at least a portion of the flagged document is displayed using the image data associated with a flagged document and a find document element is displayed. An activation of the find document element is received and the flagged document is designated as a find document by storing the extracted identifying information associated with the find document in a find document queue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Frank M. Csulits, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Matthew L. Anderson, Robert J. Klein, Ralf H. Jaeger, David R. Badalamenti
  • Patent number: 8559694
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method of processing currency in a currency processing machine includes the act of retrieving, from a plurality of input currency bills, characteristic information from each of the bills, the characteristic information itself including at least a first characteristic information relating to fitness. The method also includes the act of assigning to each currency bill one of a plurality of fitness types and fitness levels relating to the first characteristic information of the bill, at least one of the fitness types and the fitness levels being defined by a user. The method also includes the act of outputting each currency bill along one of a plurality of output paths designated by the user to receive currency bills, the output path having a fitness type and/or fitness level assigned to the currency bill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Charles P. Jenrick, Douglas U. Mennie, John R. Blake, Matthew L. Anderson, Gary P. Watts, Curtis W. Hallowell, Robert J. Klein, Jeffrey G. Knoll, Tomasz M. Jagielinski
  • Patent number: 8544656
    Abstract: A currency bill processing system includes a transport mechanism that is configured to transport bills from an input receptacle along a transport path that extends generally horizontally past at least one detector. The transport path transitions generally-vertically upward between a first and a second output receptacle. The transport mechanism is configured to deliver some of the bills toward a first end of the system into the first output receptacle and some of the bills toward a second end of the system into the second output receptacle. The system provides access openings in a front side of the system that are proximate the first and the second output receptacles thereby permitting operator access into the first and the second output receptacles from the front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, John M. Mikkelsen, Marek Baranowski, Charles H. Cummings, Ken W. Maier
  • Patent number: 8545295
    Abstract: Systems, methods and devices for processing coins are presented herein. A coin processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with a coin input area for receiving a batch of coins, a controller with a communication interface operatively attached to the housing, and a coin processing unit for counting, discriminating, and/or valuing coins received from the coin input area. The coin processing system also includes a mobile coin receptacle removably disposed within the housing and configured to receive coins from the coin processing unit. The mobile coin receptacle is configured to wirelessly communicate information to the communication interface of the controller. The mobile coin receptacle can include one or more electrical contacts that mate with one or more electrical contacts on the housing to wirelessly communicate the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: John R. Blake, Curtis W. Hallowell, Marianne Krbec, William J. Jones, Thomas P. Adams
  • Patent number: 8542904
    Abstract: A method of using a document processing system includes receiving a target serial number via an input device communicatively connected to a document processing system and determining if the target serial number exactly matches one of a plurality of stored serial numbers residing in a memory. Each stored serial number is associated with a record. Each record includes customer account identification information that can be used to identify a customer account previously credited for a deposit of a currency bill having the stored serial number. In response to the target serial number not exactly matching any of the stored serial numbers, the method further includes displaying a wildcard search element on a display of the document processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Dale E. Beutel, Frank M. Csulits, Douglas U. Mennie, Matthew L. Anderson, Robert J. Klein, Ralf H. Jaeger, David R. Badalamenti
  • Patent number: 8538123
    Abstract: A method of processing a deposit transaction involving a plurality of physical documents includes receiving a data file associated with the deposit transaction. The data file includes a plurality of customer records. Each customer record includes image data. The method further includes transmitting a credit instruction to credit a customer financial account for an amount in response to the receiving the data file. The method further includes receiving physical documents associated with the deposit transaction. The method further includes generating a financial institution record for each one of the received physical documents and comparing the plurality of customer records with the generated financial institution records to determine if all physical documents associated with the deposit transaction were received during the act of receiving physical documents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Frank M. Csulits, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Matthew L. Anderson, Robert J. Klein, Gary P. Watts, John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, Ralf H. Jaeger, David R. Badalamenti
  • Patent number: 8523641
    Abstract: An automated coin tray refilling system includes a plurality of coin reservoirs and a plurality of coin dispensers for regulating the dispensing of coins from an associated one of the plurality of coin reservoirs. A collector point distribution member is adapted to receive coins from each of the plurality of coin dispensers at one portion thereof and to output the coins at another portion thereof. An interface module having an input end is disposed substantially adjacent the collector point distribution member output and includes an output end for dispensing coins. A coin interface tray is adapted to receive at least one coin tray and at least one processor is provided. The interface module and/or coin interface tray includes a drive system configured to move interface module and/or coin interface tray relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Julie L. Kuykendall, Jeffrey G. Knoll, Arthur J. Long, John R. Blake
  • Publication number: 20130213864
    Abstract: A currency bill processing system includes a transport mechanism that is configured to transport bills from an input receptacle along a transport path that extends generally horizontally past at least one detector. The transport path transitions generally-vertically upward between a first and a second output receptacle. The transport mechanism is configured to deliver some of the bills toward a first end of the system into the first output receptacle and some of the bills toward a second end of the system into the second output receptacle. The system provides access openings in a front side of the system that are proximate the first and the second output receptacles thereby permitting operator access into the first and the second output receptacles from the front side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventor: Cummins-Allison Corp.
  • Patent number: 8514379
    Abstract: A document processing system includes an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past an image scanner and a discrimination unit. An output receptacle receives the documents from the transport mechanism after being transported past the full image scanner and the discrimination unit. The image scanner operates to obtain images of the documents and further operates to obtain images of selected portions of the documents, and further can obtain information contained in the selected portions. The discrimination unit operates to determine document authenticity. A system controller directs the flow of documents over the transport mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
  • Publication number: 20130205723
    Abstract: A method of recycling coins includes the acts of processing mixed coins received at a first business using a coin processing device, packaging coins into a deliverable currency package at the first business using a currency packaging device, and holding the deliverable currency package at the first business for pick-up by a requestor requesting the deliverable currency package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventor: Cummins-Allison Corp.
  • Publication number: 20130199890
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method for optimizing a usable volume of a coin receptacle associated with a coin-processing device includes receiving a plurality of coins in a coin input area of the coin-processing device, obtaining data for each coin from at least one sensor, associating the data for each coin with a denomination, depositing all of the received plurality of coins with an associated denomination into the coin receptacle of the coin-processing device, the coin receptacle being configured to accept, but not dispense, deposited coins until a maximum number of coins occupy the coin receptacle and to securely store the coins in the coin receptacle until removal of the coin receptacle from the coin-processing device and adjusting, responsive to the data, an upper limit of the maximum number of coins which may be deposited into the coin receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: CUMMINS-ALLISON CORP.
    Inventor: Cummins-Allison Corp.
  • Publication number: 20130193205
    Abstract: A vertically arranged combination desktop currency denominating machine and currency dispenser comprising a currency denominating module adapted to receive a stack of currency bills to be denominated and to denominate the received currency bills, wherein a transport mechanism transports bills individually from an input receptacle adapted to receive the stack of currency bills to one or more output receptacles. The combination further comprising a dispenser retaining section adapted to store currency bills to be dispensed to the one or more output receptacles during a dispensing operation, the retaining section comprising one or more dispensing receptacles, each dispensing receptacle adapted to hold bills having a common denomination, wherein the dispenser retainer section is positioned above the currency denominating module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventor: Cummins-Allison Corp.
  • Publication number: 20130178139
    Abstract: A self-service currency processing machine includes a user control panel, a coin hopper configured to receive input bulk coins, and a coin processing module configured to sort the input bulk coins by denomination and output the coins, via operation of at least one controller-controlled diverter, along a specified path to a coin receptacle station comprising at least one plastic coin bag. The machine also includes a controller configured to selectively distribute coins of one or more denominations to a selected plastic coin bag in the coin receptacle station responsive to an instruction received from one of the user control panel or a host system communicatively coupled to the machine via a communication interface and a bag sealing device configured to seal the selected plastic coin bag following receipt of the predetermined number of coins of one or more denominations in the selected plastic coin bag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: CUMMINS-ALLISON CORP.
    Inventor: Cummins-Allison Corp.
  • Patent number: 8478019
    Abstract: A first plurality of documents is received, transported, and imaged to produce image data. Identifying information is extracted from the image data for each of the first plurality of documents. The document processing device determines whether each of the first plurality of documents satisfies a flag criterion. In response to one of the first plurality of documents satisfying the flag criterion, a visually readable image of at least a portion of the flagged document is displayed using the image data associated with a flagged document and a find document element is displayed. An activation of the find document element is received and the flagged document is designated as a find document by storing the extracted identifying information associated with the find document in a find document queue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Frank M. Csulits, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Matthew L. Anderson, Robert J. Klein, Ralf H. Jaeger, David R. Badalamenti
  • Patent number: 8478020
    Abstract: A customer account number is received via an interface of a document processing device. A plurality of documents associated with the deposit transaction is received in an input receptacle of the document processing device. The plurality of documents is transported, one at a time, along a transport path from the input receptacle past an image scanner to one or more output receptacles. Each document is imaged with the image scanner to produce image data associated with the deposit transaction. The image data is reproducible as a visually readable image of at least a portion of each document. Deposit information is generated from the image data associated with the deposit transaction. The customer account number is associated with the generated deposit information. The deposit information is transmitted from the document processing device to a teller system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: William J. Jones, Frank M. Csulits, Curtis W. Hallowell, Douglas U. Mennie, Matthew L. Anderson, Robert J. Klein, Ralf H. Jaeger, David R. Badalamenti
  • Patent number: 8467591
    Abstract: A batch of currency bills is received, transported, and imaged to produce image data that is reproducible as a visually readable image of at least a portion of each of the currency bills. Serial numbers are extracted from the image data for each of the currency bills. Each extracted serial number is compared with a plurality of serial numbers in a first currency bill database to determine if a currency bill associated with an extracted serial number is a suspect currency bill. Each extracted serial number is further compared with a plurality of serial numbers in a second currency bill database to determine if one of the plurality of currency bills associated with an extracted serial number is a suspect currency bill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Frank M. Csulits, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Matthew L. Anderson, Robert J. Klein, Ralf H. Jaeger, David R. Badalamenti
  • Publication number: 20130148874
    Abstract: A system for tracking currency bills comprises a currency scanning device. The scanning device includes a sensor that retrieves currency identification characteristic information of each bill processed. The currency identification characteristic information permits the unique identification of each bill processed. The system further comprises a customer identification means and means for associating each processed bill with the customer depositing the bill. Means for identifying the customer (or customer account) associated with a particular processed bill after the deposit transaction has been completed is also included in the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: CUMMINS-ALLISON CORP.
    Inventor: CUMMINS-ALLISON CORP.
  • Patent number: 8459436
    Abstract: A method of processing documents includes receiving a stack of documents including currency bills and substitute currency media. Each substitute currency medium has at least one barcode. The method further includes transporting the stack of documents via a transport mechanism, one document at a time, along a transport path and denominating with a currency detector each of the currency bills in the stack of documents. The currency detector is positioned adjacent to the transport path. The method further includes scanning with a barcode scanner a barcode on each substitute currency medium in the stack of documents. The barcode scanner is positioned adjacent to the transport path. The method further includes imaging with an image scanner each substitute currency medium in the stack of documents to generate a raw image file of the substitute currency medium. The image scanner is positioned adjacent to the transport path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Charles P. Jenrick, Robert J. Klein, Curtis W. Hallowell, Douglas U. Mennie