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: 6678401Abstract: A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past a full 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 full image scanner includes means for obtaining a full video image of said documents, means for obtaining a image of a selected area of said documents, and means for obtaining information contained in said selected area of said document. The discrimination unit includes means for determining the authenticity of said document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2002Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
-
Patent number: 6678402Abstract: A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past a full 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 full image scanner includes means for obtaining a full video image of said documents, means for obtaining a image of a selected area of said documents, and means for obtaining information contained in said selected area of said document. The discrimination unit includes means for determining the authenticity of said document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2002Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
-
Publication number: 20030234153Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, 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: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2003Publication date: December 25, 2003Inventors: John R. Blake, Douglas U. Mennie, Samuel F. Collura, John S. Lykowski, Arthur J. Long
-
Patent number: 6665431Abstract: A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past a full 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 full image scanner includes means for obtaining a full video image of said documents, means for obtaining a image of a selected area of said documents, and means for obtaining information contained in said selected area of said document. The discrimination unit includes means for determining the authenticity of said document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2002Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
-
Patent number: 6661910Abstract: An image processing network for processing image files and coupled to an outside data communication network comprising a plurality of remote image capture units, the units scanning documents and creating a plurality of image files of said documents; the image processing means is coupled to said plurality of remote image capture units for processing the image files; the accounting means is coupled to the image processing means for immediately updating accounts associated with said image processing means; and the plurality of remote capture units are coupled to the outside network, the outside data communication network is connected to outside financial institutions, the image processing means transmits said image files to the outside financial institutions via the data communication network and receives image files from the outside financial institutions over the network.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 1998Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, Ronald M. Gafron, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
-
Patent number: 6654486Abstract: A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past a full 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 full image scanner includes means for obtaining a full video image of said documents, means for obtaining a image of a selected area of said documents, and means for obtaining information contained in said selected area of said document. The discrimination unit includes means for determining the authenticity of said document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2002Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
-
Patent number: 6650767Abstract: A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past a full 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 full image scanner includes means for obtaining a full video image of said documents, means for obtaining a image of a selected area of said documents, and means for obtaining information contained in said selected area of said document. The discrimination unit includes means for determining the authenticity of said document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2002Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Cummins-Allison, Corp.Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
-
Patent number: 6647136Abstract: A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past a full 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 full image scanner includes means for obtaining a full video image of said documents, means for obtaining a image of a selected area of said documents, and means for obtaining information contained in said selected area of said document. The discrimination unit includes means for determining the authenticity of said document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2002Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
-
Publication number: 20030202690Abstract: An image processing network for processing image files and coupled to an outside data communication network comprising a plurality of remote image capture units, the units scanning documents and creating a plurality of image files of said documents; the image processing means is coupled to said plurality of remote image capture units for processing the image files; the accounting means is coupled to the image processing means for immediately updating accounts associated with said image processing means; and the plurality of remote capture units are coupled to the outside network, the outside data communication network is connected to outside financial institutions, the image processing means transmits said image files to the outside financial institutions via the data communication network and receives image files from the outside financial institutions over the network.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2003Publication date: October 30, 2003Applicant: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, Ronald M. Gafron, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
-
Patent number: 6628816Abstract: A currency identification system for identifying currency bills of different denominations of a plurality of currency systems. The device includes a discriminating unit for discriminating the identity a bill, the discriminating unit retreiving characteristic information from the bill. Furthermore, a memory stores master characteristic information associated with each genuine bill which the system is capable of identifying; the memory storing master characteristic information associated with at least one genuine bill from at least two currency systems. A signal processor compares the retrieved characteristic information with master characteristic information associated with at least one genuine bill; the signal processor generating an indication of the identity of said bill based on the comparison when the bill is one that the system is capable of identifying.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2001Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, Bradford T. Graves, Richard A. Mazur
-
Patent number: 6621919Abstract: A document handling system is adapted to accommodate a plurality of different currency types. The system includes a sensor for counting the number of bills in a stack of bills. An operator interface panel includes a display for displaying information to an operator. An input device specifies the type of currency and the denomination of currency to be processed. The system may further include an authenticating unit for authenticating each of the bills based on one or more attributes detected from each bill. Based on the designated currency type and denomination, the system appropriately adjusts the display and/or selects which attributes are used to authenticate bills.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2002Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, John F. Weggesser, Matthew S. Vogel, Gary P. Watts, Richard A. Mazur
-
Patent number: 6609604Abstract: A system for processing mixed coins including coins from a first coin set and coins from a second coin set is set forth. The coin processing system includes a coin set discrimination device including a coin input region in which the mixed coins are placed. The discrimination device includes means for discriminating between coins of the first coin set and coins of the second coin set and means for transporting coins to a first exit region and a second exit region. Coins from the first coin set are transported to the first exit region. Coins from the second coin set are transported to the second exit region. The processing system also includes first and second coin sorters that receive coins from the first exit region and the second exit region, respectively. The first and second coin sorters sort and count coins of the first and second coin sets, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2000Date of Patent: August 26, 2003Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Joseph J. Geib
-
Patent number: 6603872Abstract: A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past a full 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 full image scanner includes means for obtaining a full video image of said documents, means for obtaining a image of a selected area of said documents, and means for obtaining information contained in said selected area of said document. The discrimination unit includes means for determining the authenticity of said document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2002Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: John E. Jones, Paul A. Jones, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie
-
Publication number: 20030132281Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2003Publication date: July 17, 2003Inventors: John E. Jones, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Paul A. Jones
-
Publication number: 20030127299Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2003Publication date: July 10, 2003Inventors: William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Jeffrey G. Knoll
-
Publication number: 20030121752Abstract: A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprises receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device. The bills are transported, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device. The denomination of the bills is counted and determined utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles. The bills are determined on whether they meet or fail to meet a non-piece count related criterion. The transportation is halted when a bill meets or fails to meet the criterion. A bill meeting or failing to meet the criterion is termed a flagged bill. The halting is performed such that the flagged bill is positioned as the last bill in one of the output receptacles.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2002Publication date: July 3, 2003Inventors: Lars R. Stromme, Bradford T. Graves, William J. Jones, Richard A. Mazur, Douglas U. Mennie, Mark C. Munro
-
Publication number: 20030121753Abstract: A method of evaluating a stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device comprising receiving a stack of bills in an input receptacle of the evaluation device. The bills are transported, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of two or more output receptacles of the currency evaluation device. The denomination of the bill is counted and determined utilizing a detector positioned along a transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles. A bill is flagged when the denomination of the bills is not determined and the flagging comprises halting the transporting when a bill is flagged. The bills that have been denominated including bills of a plurality of denominations are delivered to a first set of one or more of the output receptacles.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2002Publication date: July 3, 2003Inventors: Lars R. Stromme, Bradford T. Graves, William J. Jones, Richard A. Mazur, Douglas U. Mennie, Mark C. Munro
-
Publication number: 20030118228Abstract: A document handling system is adapted to accommodate a plurality of different currency types. The system includes a sensor for counting the number of bills in a stack of bills. An operator interface panel includes a display for displaying information to an operator. An input device specifies the type of currency and the denomination of currency to be processed. The system may further include an authenticating unit for authenticating each of the bills based on one or more attributes detected from each bill. Based on the designated currency type and denomination, the system appropriately adjusts the display and/or selects which attributes are used to authenticate bills.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2002Publication date: June 26, 2003Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, John F. Weggesser, Matthew S. Vogel, Gary P. Watts, Richard A. Mazur
-
Patent number: 6560355Abstract: A system for evaluating currency bills with currency evaluation machines and recording information associated with the evaluated currency bills. The currency evaluation machines utilize sensors to obtain information from the evaluated bills, and comparison tests are performed in which the sensor information is compared to master information in order to identify the denomination, series and authenticity of the currency bills being evaluated. A reviewable record of the comparison tests is maintained for each individual currency evaluation machine. After performing the comparison tests, evaluated bills are identified as either no call bills, suspect documents or genuine bills. Information associated with respective no call bills, suspect documents or genuine bills, including times of occurrence or quantities of no call bills, suspect documents or genuine bills, and/or denomination of suspect documents or genuine bills is recorded in the reviewable record.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2001Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: Bradford T. Graves, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Frank M. Csulits
-
Publication number: 20030081824Abstract: A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past a full 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 full image scanner includes means for obtaining a full video image of said documents, means for obtaining a image of a selected area of said documents, and means for obtaining information contained in said selected area of said document. The discrimination unit includes means for determining the authenticity of said document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2002Publication date: May 1, 2003Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, William J. Jones, Mark C. Munro