Patents Examined by Mark Beauchaine
  • Patent number: 9530269
    Abstract: A device for identifying an object to identify may include a passage through which the object passes; an exciting coil and a detection coil; a core body around which the exciting coil and the detection coil are wound; and a control unit to which the detection coil is connected. The core body may include a first core and a second core. An analog coil output signal may be input into the control unit, a signal level of the coil output signal rising if the identification object passes through the passage path. The control unit may obtain a signal value of the coil output signal and identify the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shogo Momose
  • Patent number: 9530268
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an ADA compliant coin recycler device that is capable of sorting a mixed denomination of coins, storing the coins and dispensing the desired amount of coins in the desired denomination. Additionally, the ADA compliant coin recycler device of the present invention also comprises a coin elevator assembly attached to the outside of the housing, which receives coins from the coin recycler and elevates the coins to an accessible height above the ADA's Standards for Accessible Design minimum reach requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Revolution Retail Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew O. Lavigne, Robert F. Casteel, Mark K. Levenick
  • Patent number: 9530271
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a banknote handling apparatus and a banknote handling method capable of dealing currencies of a number of nations, and handling them at a predetermined speed or more. A banknote handling apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a reception unit configured to take in, one by one, a banknote put thereinto; a transport unit configured to transport the taken-in banknote; a memory unit storing a plurality of banknote recognition data elements corresponding to currencies of a plurality of nations; a selection unit configured to select and group a plurality of the banknote recognition data elements stored in the memory unit, such that a predetermined criterion is met; and a recognition unit disposed on the transport unit, and configured to recognize the banknote taken in by the reception unit, based on the grouped banknote recognition data elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Glory Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigenori Moribayashi, Yoshihiko Miyama, Yasushi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9530270
    Abstract: An apparatus for conveying money items, which is configured to singulate money items during conveyance, sense characteristics of money items during conveyance and eject money items from a conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Crane Payment Solutions Limited
    Inventors: Robert Blythin, Kevin Mulvey
  • Patent number: 9524603
    Abstract: An apparatus for conveying money items, which is configured to singulate money items during conveyance, sense characteristics of money items during conveyance and eject money items from a conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Crane Payment Solutions Limited
    Inventors: Robert Blythin, Kevin Mulvey
  • Patent number: 9514590
    Abstract: A coin separation device has a conveying device for conveying coins from an inlet container in a conveying direction along a conveying line and a checking device arranged on the conveying line for recognizing a coin that is conveyed along the conveying line. An acceleration device also is provided. The acceleration device is formed to accelerate a coin conveyed along the conveying line and recognized by the checking device in the conveying direction so that the coin is conveyed from the conveying line into a coin collection device. In this way, the coin separation device reliably conveys only coins, and not other objects from the conveying line into a coin collection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: WINCOR NIXDORF INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Lindbichler, Arno Fischer, Hannes Ecklmayr
  • Patent number: 9508208
    Abstract: Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with a coin input area for receiving coins and coin receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The disk-type coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to the coins, and a sorting head having a lower surface adjacent the rotatable disk. The lower surface forms various shaped regions for guiding the coins, under the motion imparted by the rotatable disk, to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A linear array of sensors is mounted to the sorting head and/or the rotatable disk. The sensors examine each coin on the rotatable disk and output a signal indicative of coin image information for processing the coin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Cummins Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Tomasz M. Jagielinski, Matthew Tomor, Araz Yacoubian, David J. Mecklenburg, Danny D. Yang
  • Patent number: 9505561
    Abstract: A conveyor system for transporting articles in a checkout counter is provided. The system comprises a loading conveyor (24) on which articles may be placed by a customer, a second conveyor (25) arranged in series with the loading conveyor (24) which second conveyor (25) is operated at a higher speed than said loading conveyor (24) for increasing the distance between adjacent articles, wherein the loading conveyor (24) is tilted with respect to a horizontal plane in a lateral direction, and wherein said conveyor system further comprises an intermediate acceleration device (26) being arranged between the loading conveyor (24) and the second conveyor (25) for accelerating the articles when moving from the loading conveyor (24) to the second conveyor (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: ITAB SCANFLOW AB
    Inventors: Per Olofsson, Magnus Törnvall, Fredrik Hagstedt
  • Patent number: 9501886
    Abstract: The invention provides a coin feeder for feeding coins to a coin sensor. The coin feeder comprises a hopper disc having a first surface and arranged to receive coins on the first surface, and to transport the coins along a first path towards the coin sensor. The coin feeder also comprises one or more coin deflectors to deflect coins received on the first surface from the first path if the coins are above a threshold thickness. At least one of the one or more coin deflectors comprises a rotatable member spaced from the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: SCAN COIN AB
    Inventor: Simon Scott-Brown
  • Patent number: 9501885
    Abstract: Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with an input area for receiving coins and receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to coins, and a sorting head adjacent the rotatable disk with shaped regions for guiding moving coins to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A sensor arrangement mounted adjacent the rotatable disk includes one light emitting device for emitting light onto a coin surface at near-normal incidence, and another light emitting device for emitting light onto the coin surface at high-angle incidence. A photodetector senses light reflected off the coin surface and outputs a coin-image signal for processing the coin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Araz Yacoubian, Danny D. Yang, Tomasz M. Jagielinski, Frank M. Csulits, Matthew Tomor
  • Patent number: 9495821
    Abstract: A device (10) for handling notes of value has a box receiving area (14) for receiving cash boxes (18) and a first transport unit (22) for transporting of notes of value between the cash boxes (18) and a head module (12). A first switch (50) is provided at a head module side-end of the first transport unit (22). Further, the device (10) has a stacking unit (26), an input and/or output compartment (28) and a reject and retract container (30). In addition, a second transport unit (24) for transporting notes of value between the stacking unit (26), the input and/or output compartment (28) and the reject and retract container (30) is provided. In a first switch position, the first switch (50) guides a note of value removed from the box receiving area (14) to the stacking unit (26) and in a second switch position to the second transport unit (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: WINCOR NIXDORF INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventors: Kelvin Joon Ho Chow, Rophie Rabanos Cuyos, Hengky Wirawan, Joerg Plotzitzka, Karl Seroka
  • Patent number: 9495808
    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: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Charles P. Jenrick, Robert J. Klein, Curtis W. Hallowell, Douglas U. Mennie
  • Patent number: 9483910
    Abstract: In order to make it easy to change the necessary device specifications when adapted to paper currencies in circulation in a plurality of countries and regions, a paper currency processing device (M1) has: a paper currency slot (M5) which is capable of handling the paper currency (T) of multiple currency circulation regions from the outside of the device; a paper currency transfer mechanism for transferring the paper currency (T) between the paper currency slot (M5) and various locations inside the device; and a plurality of paper currency cases linked to the paper currency transfer mechanism. The paper currency transfer mechanism is controlled in such a manner that the paper currency case associated with a currency circulation area is identified, and the paper currency (T) is transferred into the identified paper currency case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Kazuo Okada
  • Patent number: 9483894
    Abstract: The bezel assembly for data reception, for use with a bill validator in a financial transactional device, includes a bezel housing and a data reception assembly. The bezel housing includes a customer-facing front portion and a back plate connectable to the bill validator that is mounted within the transactional device cabinet. The front portion includes an insertion/dispensing slot for receiving currency and a projecting protrusion forward of the casing. The forward-extending protrusion accommodates at least a portion of the data reception assembly. The bezel assembly can include a wireless communication function that is communicably connectable with a mobile device via a wireless communication method, a manual entry function, a biometric reader, one or more cameras for scanning and decrypting 2D barcodes and the like, thus enhancing the overall functionality of the financial transactional device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: JCM American Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Johnson, Bryan Allen Wilcutt, Omar Jorge Rivera, Connie R Masters, Scott A Toth, Sr., Daniel Petersen, Brian Anthony Montano, Dominic Mohrhardt
  • Patent number: 9474394
    Abstract: The drawer device includes a casing including a specific internal space, a unit that adopts a pulled out state by being pulled out forward from a housed state of being housed in the casing, a subunit in the unit that adopts an open state in which the unit interior is open to the outside by swinging in an opening direction, and adopts a closed state in which the unit interior is closed off from the outside by swinging in a closing direction, and a push-in restriction section that restricts movement of the unit toward the casing when the unit is moved toward the casing with the subunit still in the open state. The subunit swings about a pivot point in the vicinity of a lower end portion of the unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Komatsu, Masaaki Okamoto, Ryousuke Kojima, Shuuichi Hiratsuka
  • Patent number: 9469152
    Abstract: An electronic interface for electronic communication includes a system or apparatus for the order-based processing of flat items that can be categorized into flat item types. The interface has an exclusive input of formulations that combine features of flat item types to be processed in an order and the processing steps performed in the processing system, and/or for the order-based processing of orders according to which a specific amount of specific flat items are to be processed in accordance with one or more formulations, allows sources of error to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Böwe Systec GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Hoepner, Thomas Huber, Robert Bayer, Stefan Streil, Helmut Schuessler
  • Patent number: 9472038
    Abstract: A bill deposit/dispensing section has: an opening/closing section that moves a shutter in an opening direction and a closing direction; a driving section having driving force; a lock gear that serves as a gear section that drives the opening/closing section by transmitting driving force of the driving section to the opening/closing section by contacting the driving section and the opening/closing section and rotating; and a shutter locking/unlocking section that, by contacting the gear section and restricting rotation of the gear section, restricts operation of the opening/closing section and locks the shutter such that the shutter does not move, and, on the other hand, by coming apart from the gear section and freeing rotation of the gear section, releases locking so as to move the opening/closing section and move the shutter. Due thereto, a shutter device and media transaction device having improved security are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michio Suetaka, Hajime Togiya, Satoru Iwasaki, Junpei Nagao
  • Patent number: 9466185
    Abstract: Provided is a medium handling apparatus. The medium handling apparatus comprises a guider to define a first space in which a medium to be deposited and a medium to be withdrawn are handled and a second space in which a rejected medium is handled and at least one pick-up roller to pick up the medium that is disposed in each of the first and second spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: LG CNS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang Jin Lee, Sang Hoon Shin
  • Patent number: 9466166
    Abstract: A banknote validator (1) including a banknote transport mechanism (9) and a detachable printer module (3), said printer module comprising: a media printer device (10); a print media transport passage (11) interconnecting a print media input aperture (12) and the banknote transport mechanism (9) via the media printer device (10). A first wall section (13) of the print media passage disposed between the media printer device and the banknote transport mechanism is moveable to create a vent (14) that opens to the exterior of the banknote validator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Innovative Technology Limited
    Inventor: Christopher Robinson
  • Patent number: 9457971
    Abstract: First imaging device collects first image data, whereas second imaging device collects second image data of a storage portion. A container identification module identifies a container perimeter of the storage portion in at least one of the collected first image data and the collected second image data. A spout identification module is adapted to identify a spout of the transferring vehicle in the collected image data. An image data evaluator determines whether to use the first image data, the second image data, or both based on an evaluation of the intensity of pixel data or ambient light conditions. An alignment module is adapted to determine the relative position of the spout and the container perimeter and to generate command data to the propelled portion to steer the storage portion in cooperative alignment such that the spout is aligned within a central zone or a target zone of the container perimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignees: Deere & Company, Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: Zachary T. Bonefas, Mark M. Chaney, Jeremiah K. Johnson, Aaron J. Bruns, Herman Herman, Carlos Vallespi-Gonzalez, Jose Gonzalez Mora