Abstract: A currency handling system, for example, a currency recycler or depository machine, may be configured to process currency transactions, including receiving one or more currency deposits. The currency recycler may attempt to accept and validate the currency received in the deposits, organizing and storing some validated currency while designating one or more other units of currency as temporarily unreconcilable. The currency recycler may also generate and transmit reconcilement reports summarizing a set of currency transactions, including data corresponding to the validated currency and temporarily unreconcilable currency. Reconcilement reports may be output to users or transmitted to corporate offices for business purposes, or may be transmitted to financial institutions for crediting bank accounts, and currency that could not be validated may be stored securely to allow a business to receive provisional credit.

Abstract: Immediate recognition of deposits and other transactions may be provided by a financial institution for transactions conducted at a remote location. The financial institution may receive transaction data from a device at the remote location and immediately acknowledge the transaction and provide a non-provisional credit to an entity's account. The device may include various currency handling devices such as automatic teller machines (ATM), self-payment kiosks, cash registers and the like. A financial institution may further provide a real-time cash position of an entity across multiple currency handling devices of the entity.

Abstract: A cash recycler or other currency handling device includes an integrated controller located within the cash recycler. The integrated controller provides enhanced security and compatibility in cash recycler or other currency handling devices. For example, by using an integrated controller that is pre-configured according to the components of the cash handling device, no additional configuration may be needed and compatibility issues may be reduced or eliminated altogether. In addition, the controller may include a user interface, such as a touch-sensitive display, for receiving user input regarding cash transactions at the cash handling device.

Abstract: Methods and devices allow a handheld order unit to be used with a cash handling device. A handheld order unit may be used by a staff person to enter order information, to display an amount due for the meal or other transaction, to facilitate payment, to print receipts, and to communicate information about the transaction to a cash handling device. The cash handling device may identify the handheld order unit and the assigned user for the unit and determine what financial documents need to be inserted by the user for reconciliation purposes.

Abstract: A transaction such as a withdrawal or deposit may be divided into multiple smaller transactions based on an amount of currency associated with the transaction. For example, in a withdrawal, a container in which withdrawn funds are to be placed may be of limited size. Thus, multiple containers may be needed to withdraw the requested funds. Accordingly, each container may be assigned or associated with a different transaction. Each transaction may be created automatically, for example, upon completion of a previous transaction. Additionally, a number of transactions needed may be determined automatically. Thus, a user might only need to initiate the overall transaction process. Initiation may be based on manual input or triggered using an identification device such as an RFID tag, iris scan, card swipe and the like.

Abstract: Methods and devices provide for lock interaction with software in order to facilitate access to a vault in a cash handling device and display of a transportation utility interface. A user may access an electromechanical lock on a cash handling device. The lock may determine whether the user is authorized. If unlocked, access may be provided to a transportation utility interface and to a vault that may contain currency in order to facilitate removal and transportation of the currency. If desired, stackers in the cash handling device may automatically transfer the currency to a container in the vault after the lock is unlocked. The vault may be subsequently closed, access to the transportation utility interface may be disabled, and the lock may be re-locked.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices provide integrated information for receivables, inventory, and/or transactions from point of sale (POS) devices and cash handling device(s) to accounting systems. Transactions (e.g., debit card, credit card, coin, cash, check, etc.) are allowed at POS devices. The transactions may be communicated to cash handling devices through a communication network or by RFID materials (e.g., coupled to or on tills, receipts, printouts, etc.). Transaction-related materials (e.g., paper currency, coins, checks, receipts, etc.) may be moved from the POS devices to cash handling device(s). Actual counts and expected counts may be determined and may be communicated to accounting systems.

Abstract: A currency handling system, for example, a currency recycler or depository machine, may be configured to process currency transactions, including receiving one or more currency deposits. The currency recycler may attempt to accept and validate the currency received in the deposits, organizing and storing some validated currency while designating one or more other units of currency as temporarily unreconcilable. The currency recycler may also generate and transmit reconcilement reports summarizing a set of currency transactions, including data corresponding to the validated currency and temporarily unreconcilable currency. Reconcilement reports may be output to users or transmitted to corporate offices for business purposes, or may be transmitted to financial institutions for crediting bank accounts, and currency that could not be validated may be stored securely to allow a business to receive provisional credit.

Abstract: To facilitate the monitoring of currency and coin levels in a point of sale system and other cash handling devices, one or more currency or coin scales may be integrated into the point of sale system or cash handling device. Currency and coin amount information may be transmitted to a back office system or to a financial institution for recognition of the funds. A measurement by the scale may be triggered by a transaction occurring, based on a specified schedule or in an on-demand fashion.

Abstract: In operating a cash handling device at a client site, a method for automatically generating change orders may be performed. The cash handling device may determine an amount of currency available at the device. The device may then determine whether there is a shortage of currency of one or more denominations. If there is a shortage, the cash handling device may automatically generate a change order to request additional currency from a financial institution. The request may trigger debiting of one or more accounts of a user or entity associated the device and the financial institution. The cash handling device may subsequently receive the requested currency.

Abstract: A method for automatically generating change orders may be performed at a point of sale system. The point of sale system may determine an amount of funds in the point of sale system and whether additional funds are necessary. If so, a change order may be automatically requested from a back office system (e.g., a cash recycler) or a financial institution. The back office system may determine whether it is able to fulfill the change order request and if not, forward the request to the financial institution. In one or more arrangements, a notification that a change order request has been received may be transmitted to a manager or other change order personnel. The change order request and funds delivered to the point of sale system in response thereto may be reconciled with the back office system.

Abstract: A target level of funds may be defined to specify an ideal level of currency stored in a currency handling device for efficient operation. The target level may be modified based on forecasted currency usage needs. Forecasts may be conducted based on historical usage data, user input and seasonal/event considerations. When a level of funds exceeds the target level by a specified amount, a transport request may be generated. When a level of funds underruns the target level by a specified amount, a change order request may be generated. In one or more arrangements, recommendations for target levels, transport requests and change order requests may be provided for user confirmation instead of automatically executing the recommendation.

Abstract: Methods and devices provide for lock interaction with software in order to facilitate access to a vault in a cash handling device and display of a transportation utility interface. A user may access an electromechanical lock on a cash handling device. The lock may determine whether the user is authorized. If unlocked, access may be provided to a transportation utility interface and to a vault that may contain currency in order to facilitate removal and transportation of the currency. If desired, stackers in the cash handling device may automatically transfer the currency to a container in the vault after the lock is unlocked. The vault may be subsequently closed, access to the transportation utility interface may be disabled, and the lock may be re-locked.

Abstract: Immediate recognition of deposits and other transactions may be provided by a financial institution for transactions conducted at a remote location. The financial institution may receive transaction data from a device at the remote location and immediately acknowledge the transaction and provide a non-provisional credit to an entity's account. The device may include various currency handling devices such as automatic teller machines (ATM), self-payment kiosks, cash registers and the like. A financial institution may further provide a real-time cash position of an entity across multiple currency handling devices of the entity.

Abstract: Methods and devices provide mode switching in order to secure cash handling devices. A cash handling device allows a first selection to be input in order to request an exchange transaction. Currency may be inserted into the cash handling device. A display may prompt a user to identify one or more requested denominations of currency. A user may then identify one or more of the requested denominations for the exchange transaction. Elapsed time may be counted after prompting the user to identify denominations. If the elapsed time exceeds a timeout threshold, the transaction may be switched from an exchange transaction to a deposit transaction and the inserted currency may be credited as a deposit into an account. Otherwise, the exchange transaction may proceed and the currency may be provided in the requested denomination.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for handling a payment at a point of sale or a remote payment acceptance and processing location for a customer account. The systems and methods may include receiving a payment at a point of sale or a remote payment acceptance and processing location and identifying data including at least an amount of the payment that is associated with the payment. The data may be transmitted over a computer network and stored in a data store that is associated with a customer account. A balance of the customer account may be rapidly updated based on the data associated with the payment. The data may be transmitted over a computer network and may be utilized in a computer software application to provide a customer account with rapid recognition of a payment and of a total balance.

Abstract: Occupant protection system for protecting one or more occupants of a vehicle including a deployable occupant protection device arranged on at least one of the seats, a deployment determining unit which generates a signal indicative of whether deployment of the occupant protection device is desired, and an electrical bus extending into the seat and electrically coupling the occupant protection device and the deployment determining unit. The signal from the deployment determining unit is sent over the bus to the occupant protection device to enable deployment thereof. The occupant protection device may include an airbag module having an airbag and be arranged at a rear of the seat to be deployable rearward for protecting an occupant situated behind the seat. The deployment determining unit preferably includes a crash sensor coupled to the bus for sensing a crash event and providing a signal indicative thereof.

Abstract: The fuel gage of the present invention uses a combination of (i) one or more load cells or fuel level measuring devices, plus in some cases other sensors which measure the pitch or roll angle of the vehicle or the fuel density, to approximately measure the quantity of the fuel in the tank and (ii) a processor and algorithm, which may be a look-up table or formulae, to correct for the inaccuracies arising from the pitch and roll angles of the vehicle, other external forces or from variations in fuel density. Although several weighing systems are disclosed for illustrative purposes, the invention applies to any method of making an approximate measurement of the fuel quantity (weight or volume) and then using analytical techniques to improve on the measurement.

Abstract: An occupant protection device deployment system and safety network including at least one module housing, at least one deployable component such as an airbag associated with each housing, a deployment initiator associated with each housing for initiating deployment of the component, a determination unit for determining that deployment of one or more of the components is desired, and respective electronic control units arranged within, adjacent or proximate each housing and coupled to a respective deployment initiator and the determination unit via an electrical bus for causing the deployment initiator to deploy the component in the respective housing upon receiving a signal from the determination unit. The control units include a power supply for enabling operation of the initiator.

Abstract: An infinite door check mechanism for enabling a door to be moved from a closed position in a door frame to any one of a plurality of different open positions including a clevis adapted to be mounted to the frame, an elongate strip member mounted to the clevis and directed outward from the frame, a door check housing adapted to be mounted on the door, the strip member extending at least partially through the housing, and a support member arranged in the housing. A rotatable locking member is arranged in the housing such that the strip member is interposed between the locking member and the support member. A biasing member such as a spring is positioned in the housing for selectively pressing the locking member against the strip member to force the strip member against the support member and thereby retain the strip member in a fixed position resulting in checking of the door and releasing pressure of the locking member against the strip member and thereby enable movement of the strip member.