Patents by Inventor Douglas U. Mennie

Douglas U. Mennie 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).

  • Patent number: 8644585
    Abstract: A stack of currency bills is received, transported, and imaged via an image scanner to produce image data that is reproducible as a visually readable image for each currency bill. Each of the currency bills has an associated serial number and additional identifying character information. The associated currency bill serial number and the additional identifying character information are extracted from the image data of each currency bill. Each currency bill is denominated. A suspect determination is made for each currency bill and upon a determination that a currency bill is a suspect bill, A suspect note report is automatically generated. Fields in the report are populated with information associated with the suspect bill including the extracted serial number, the extracted additional identifying character information, and the denomination of the suspect bill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, Antony D. Susai, William J. Jones, Frank M. Csulits, Matthew L. Anderson, Robert J. Klein, Ralf H. Jaeger, David R. Badalamenti, Dale E. Beutel
  • Patent number: 8644583
    Abstract: Currency bills are received, transported, and imaged to produce image data from which a visually readable image of each currency bill can be reproduced. Each of the currency bills includes a denomination, a serial number, and a set of secondary identifiers. One of the currency bills is determined to be a suspect bill. The suspect bill serial number is attempted to be extracted from the image data associated with the suspect bill. In response to failing to extract a complete serial number of the suspect bill, a serial number field in a suspect report is populated with a serial number snippet image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, Antony D. Susai, William J. Jones, Frank M. Csulits, Matthew L. Anderson, Robert J. Klein, Ralf H. Jaeger, David R. Badalamenti, Dale E. Beutel
  • Patent number: 8639015
    Abstract: A stack of a stack of currency bills is received, transported, and imaged. Image data reproducible as a visually readable image of one or more portions of at least one side of each currency bill in the stack is obtained. A serial number and at least one or more additional characters are extracted from the image data for each currency bill. A processor compares the extracted serial number and corresponding extracted one or more additional characters with stored serial number information and corresponding stored additional character information associated with the serial number information of genuine currency bills. The stored serial number information and corresponding stored additional character information uniquely identify a genuine currency bill. Any currency bill that does not have one or more extracted additional characters matching the stored serial number information and corresponding stored additional character information is flagged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, William J. Jones, Frank M. Csulits, Matthew L. Anderson, Robert J. Klein, Ralf H. Jaeger, David R. Badalamenti
  • Patent number: 8627939
    Abstract: A device has a deposit, a sell, and an audit mode of operation to monitor and reconcile bills. The device includes a memory storing records, an input receptacle to receive bills, an image scanner to image bills, a transportation mechanism to transport bills, and one or more processors. In the deposit mode, the one or more processors extract serial numbers and generate records. Each record includes a physical bill location field to indicate the location that the bill is expected to be physically located. In the sell mode, the one or more processors update the physical bill location fields to indicate that the expected physical bill location is a second location. In the audit mode, the one or more processors determine if each record corresponds with an audit record and generate an indication that the teller drawer is balanced responsive to a determination that each audit record corresponds with a respective record and a determination that each record corresponds with an audit record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: William J. Jones, Frank M. Csulits, Douglas U. Mennie, Ralf H. Jaeger, Robert J. Klein, Dale E. Beutel, David R. Badalamenti
  • Patent number: 8625875
    Abstract: A document processing system comprising one or more document scanning devices that extract information from document images that uniquely identify a document. The system further comprises a central processor remotely connected to the document scanning devices. The central processor is configured to receive the document images and the extracted information from the document scanning devices and is further configured to execute a correction routine configured to adjust errors in the extracted information from the document image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Frank M. Csulits, Matthew Anderson, John R. Blake, Curtis W. Hallowell, Robert J. Klein, Douglas U. Mennie, Gary Watts
  • Patent number: 8607957
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a coin processing system includes a coin input area that receives coins from a user, a coin processing module that counts the received coins, and a foreign object detection system that detects a foreign object within the coin processing module subsequent to counting substantially all the received coins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: John R. Blake, Douglas U. Mennie, Samuel F. Collura, John S. Lykowski, Arthur J. Long
  • Publication number: 20130327686
    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: August 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, John M. Mikkelsen, Marek Baranowski, Charles H. Cummings, Ken W. Maier
  • 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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
  • 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: 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: 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
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8442296
    Abstract: A check and U.S. bank note processing device configured to process both checks and U.S. bank notes and a method of using the same. The device comprises an input receptacle configured to receive checks and U.S. bank notes and an output receptacle. The device further comprises a transport mechanism configured to transport the checks and U.S. bank notes from the input receptacle past an image scanner. The image scanner is configured to obtain an image of each check and U.S. bank note transported past the image scanner. The device is configured to determine the denominations of U.S. bank notes transported by the transport mechanism. The device further comprises a memory configured to store the images of checks transported past the image scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
  • Patent number: RE44252
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a coin redemption system, in which a user deposits a batch of mixed coins of a plurality of denominations, comprises a coin input area for receiving a batch of mixed coins from a user of the coin redemption system, a coin processing unit coupled to the coin input area for determining the aggregate value of the coins received from the user, a controller for assigning a transaction number corresponding to the batch of received coins, a first printer for printing a receipt indicative of the determined value and the assigned transaction number, an output device disposed in a redemption area for displaying the assigned transaction number and the determined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Jeffrey G. Knoll