Patents by Inventor Bob M. Dobbins

Bob M. Dobbins has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240127658
    Abstract: A secure smart safe with a high speed validator configured to accept notes in an orderly stack and deposit them into a storage compartment within the safe in orderly stacks for easy retrieval by a cash in transit (CIT) guard. The storage compartment includes a carousel of cash cassettes each containing an orderly stack of validated notes. The arrangement of multiple cash cassettes around the rotatable carousel offer substantial banknote storage capacity in a tight vertical space designed to fit under a counter in a retail shop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Ellenby Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Carullo, Aaron H. Dobbins, Luke M. Reilly, Bob M. Dobbins
  • Patent number: 11679170
    Abstract: A sanitizer is described which frames a payment media, such as a bill, a coin and a credit card, in an irradiation zone between narrowly spaced support walls having associated ultraviolet lamps arranged to irradiate the payment media for at least a predetermined minimum time period. In one approach a motorized transport transports the payment media to an entry point from which it falls into the irradiation zone. In another aspect, a gravity feed approach is employed to return the irradiated media item to a dispense zone. One application is to alleviate concern at a point of sale where customers and merchants are concerned about whether payment media may be carrying a dangerous virus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Ellenby Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron H. Dobbins, Bob M. Dobbins, Thomas Carullo
  • Patent number: 11193310
    Abstract: An electronic lock with an electronic sensing arrangement to accurately sense relative positions of a bolt which mechanically locks a door, such as a door of an electronic drop safe, and to also sense an electronically controlled plunger which locks the bolt in place. The arrangement provides a mechanism for sensing a variety of mechanical malfunctions, as well as, potential fraud or tampering situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Ellenby Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron H. Dobbins, Bob M. Dobbins, James Henry
  • Patent number: 11183036
    Abstract: A device designed to validate and transport paper currency in a protected fashion. While being transported, the device monitors for tampering or break-in attempts and subsequently generates warning notifications, or sounds an alarm depending on configuration and the type of tampering detected. The transport case provides end-to-end cash accountability from a location where a bill is inserted into the case, to the bank or cash destination, where the transport case is delivered. Additionally, a docking station accessory is described in which the transport case can be securely fixed while at a point of sale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ellenby Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron H. Dobbins, Bob M. Dobbins, Thomas Carullo
  • Publication number: 20210330832
    Abstract: A sanitizer is described which frames a payment media, such as a bill, a coin and a credit card, in an irradiation zone between narrowly spaced support walls having associated ultraviolet lamps arranged to irradiate the payment media for at least a predetermined minimum time period. In one approach a motorized transport transports the payment media to an entry point from which it falls into the irradiation zone. In another aspect, a gravity feed approach is employed to return the irradiated media item to a dispense zone. One application is to alleviate concern at a point of sale where customers and merchants are concerned about whether payment media may be carrying a dangerous virus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Aaron H. Dobbins, Bob M. Dobbins, Thomas Carullo
  • Publication number: 20200157849
    Abstract: An electronic lock with an electronic sensing arrangement to accurately sense relative positions of a bolt which mechanically locks a door, such as a door of an electronic drop safe, and to also sense an electronically controlled plunger which locks the bolt in place. The arrangement provides a mechanism for sensing a variety of mechanical malfunctions, as well as, potential fraud or tampering situations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Aaron H. Dobbins, Bob M. Dobbins, James Henry
  • Publication number: 20200160675
    Abstract: A device designed to validate and transport paper currency in a protected fashion. While being transported, the device monitors for tampering or break-in attempts and subsequently generates warning notifications, or sounds an alarm depending on configuration and the type of tampering detected. The transport case provides end-to-end cash accountability from a location where a bill is inserted into the case, to the bank or cash destination, where the transport case is delivered. Additionally, a docking station accessory is described in which the transport case can be securely fixed while at a point of sale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Aaron H. Dobbins, Bob M. Dobbins, Thomas Carullo
  • Patent number: 10584515
    Abstract: An electronic lock with an electronic sensing arrangement to accurately sense relative positions of a bolt which mechanically locks a door, such as a door of an electronic drop safe, and to also sense an electronically controlled plunger which locks the bolt in place. The arrangement provides a mechanism for sensing a variety of mechanical malfunctions, as well as, potential fraud or tampering situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: ELLENBY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron H. Dobbins, Bob M. Dobbins, James Henry
  • Patent number: 10522010
    Abstract: A device designed to validate and transport paper currency in a protected fashion. While being transported, the device monitors for tampering or break-in attempts and subsequently generates warning notifications, or sounds an alarm depending on configuration and the type of tampering detected. The transport case provides end-to-end cash accountability from a location where a bill is inserted into the case, to the bank or cash destination, where the transport case is delivered. Additionally, a docking station accessory is described in which the transport case can be securely fixed while at a point of sale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: ELLENBY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron H. Dobbins, Bob M. Dobbins, Thomas Carullo
  • Publication number: 20190156612
    Abstract: A smart vend motor is described which may be deployed in a standard snack and candy vending machine, a coin and bill dispensing machine, or the like. Each smart vending motor has a local smart control able to determine if its corresponding smart vending motor has been selected for energization from a signal sent to multiple vend motors. This smart controller can also control operation of multiple additional devices, such as LEDs to light products, consumer information displays, and product drop detectors. In some applications, vending of multiple vend motors at the same time is supported.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Bob M. Dobbins, Aaron H. Dobbins, Robert D. Ross, Scott Barnes
  • Patent number: 9947166
    Abstract: A readily reconfigureable cash dispensing system for providing change, such as coins of different values and bills or currency of different denominations needed by a retail store, grocery store, busy convenience store, or the like. A tray or trays for storing and delivering multiple rolls of coins or bills of a first value, as well as, a tray or trays for storing and delivering stacks of bills are described herein. A bill acceptor may be employed to accept bills used to purchase rolls of coins and stacks of bills, and a system controller can sense restocking and dispensing events to maintain an accurate inventory of cash in the bill acceptor, as well as, the total cash stored in the form of coin rolls or rolls bills, as well as, bill stacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Ellenby Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bob M. Dobbins, Philip Rene Reger, Scott Barnes, Thomas Carullo
  • Publication number: 20180089968
    Abstract: A device designed to validate and transport paper currency in a protected fashion. While being transported, the device monitors for tampering or break-in attempts and subsequently generates warning notifications, or sounds an alarm depending on configuration and the type of tampering detected. The transport case provides end-to-end cash accountability from a location where a bill is inserted into the case, to the bank or cash destination, where the transport case is delivered. Additionally, a docking station accessory is described in which the transport case can be securely fixed while at a point of sale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Aaron H. Dobbins, Bob M. Dobbins, Thomas Carullo
  • Publication number: 20180066453
    Abstract: An electronic lock with an electronic sensing arrangement to accurately sense relative positions of a bolt which mechanically locks a door, such as a door of an electronic drop safe, and to also sense an electronically controlled plunger which locks the bolt in place. The arrangement provides a mechanism for sensing a variety of mechanical malfunctions, as well as, potential fraud or tampering situations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Aaron H. Dobbins, Bob M. Dobbins, James Henry
  • Patent number: 9816673
    Abstract: A vending machine includes a controller with an interface to control vending machine peripherals including an integrated LED lamp assembly having a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a DC power connector to connect to a source of DC power within the vending machine. A power regulating circuit adjustably controls the amount of power provided to the LEDs in response to vending machine control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: ELLENBY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Bob M. Dobbins, Louis J. Frontino, Philip Rene Reger, Paul L. Mason
  • Patent number: 9799179
    Abstract: A device designed to validate and transport paper currency in a protected fashion. While being transported, the device monitors for tampering or break-in attempts and subsequently generates warning notifications, or sounds an alarm depending on configuration and the type of tampering detected. The transport case provides end-to-end cash accountability from a location where a bill is inserted into the case, to the bank or cash destination, where the transport case is delivered. Additionally, a docking station accessory is described in which the transport case can be securely fixed while at a point of sale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: ELLENBY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron H. Dobbins, Bob M. Dobbins, Thomas Carullo
  • Publication number: 20170236356
    Abstract: A readily reconfigureable cash dispensing system for providing change, such as coins of different values and bills or currency of different denominations needed by a retail store, grocery store, busy convenience store, or the like. A tray or trays for storing and delivering multiple rolls of coins or bills of a first value, as well as, a tray or trays for storing and delivering stacks of bills are described herein. A bill acceptor may be employed to accept bills used to purchase rolls of coins and stacks of bills, and a system controller can sense restocking and dispensing events to maintain an accurate inventory of cash in the bill acceptor, as well as, the total cash stored in the form of coin rolls or rolls bills, as well as, bill stacks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Bob M. Dobbins, Philip Rene Reger, Scott Barnes, Thomas Carullo
  • Publication number: 20170138544
    Abstract: A vending machine includes a controller with an interface to control vending machine peripherals including an integrated LED lamp assembly having a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a DC power connector to connect to a source of DC power within the vending machine. A power regulating circuit adjustably controls the amount of power provided to the LEDs in response to vending machine control signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: Ellenby Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bob M. Dobbins, Louis J. Frontino, Philip Rene Reger, Paul L. Mason
  • Patent number: 9619957
    Abstract: A readily reconfigurable cash dispensing system for providing change, such as coins of different values and bills or currency of different denominations needed by a retail store, grocery store, busy convenience store, or the like. A tray or trays for storing and delivering multiple rolls of coins or bills of a first value, as well as, a tray or trays for storing and delivering stacks of bills are described herein. A bill acceptor may be employed to accept bills used to purchase rolls of coins and stacks of bills, and a system controller can sense restocking and dispensing events to maintain an accurate inventory of cash in the bill acceptor, as well as, the total cash stored in the form of coin rolls or rolls bills, as well as, bill stacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: ELLENBY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Bob M. Dobbins, Philip Rene Reger, Scott Barnes, Thomas Carullo
  • Patent number: 9593811
    Abstract: A retrofit LED lamp assembly and retrofitting method for use in a vending machine. The retrofit LED assembly having a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a power connector adapted to connect to a source of power within a vending machine. A power regulating circuit adjustably controls the amount of power provided to the LEDs in response to control signals received by a communication circuit in the lamp assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: ELLENBY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Bob M. Dobbins, Louis J. Frontino, Philip R. Reger, Paul L. Mason
  • Patent number: 9406208
    Abstract: A device designed to transport paper currency in a protected fashion. While being transported, the device monitors for tampering or break-in attempts and subsequently generates warning notifications, devalues currency with indelible ink, or sounds an alarm depending on configuration and the type of tampering detected. Further, techniques are described for transferring indelible ink efficiently and reliably to a cash compartment area of the transport case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ellenby Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron H. Dobbins, Bob M. Dobbins, Thomas Carullo, Robert D. Ross