WO1999010847A1

WO1999010847A1 - Automatic cash dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO1999010847A1
Application number: PCT/DE1998/002304
Authority: WO
Inventors: Günter Holland-Letz
Original assignee: Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme Ag
Priority date: 1997-08-27
Filing date: 1998-08-10
Publication date: 1999-03-04

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic cash dispenser (10), comprising a dispensing location (18), at least one storage location (24) in which a withdrawal device (26) is fitted and a conveyor device connecting the storage location (24) to the dispensing location (18). The automatic cash dispenser (10) also comprises a control unit which determines the necessary withdrawal steps depending on a predetermined cash sum and a testing device (36) which detects the number of banknotes withdrawn during each withdrawal step. When too many banknotes are withdrawn from the withdrawal device (26) of the storage location (24) in a given withdrawal step, the testing device (36) detects the number of banknotes withdrawn in excess and the control unit (50) accordingly reduces the number of the following withdrawal steps.

Description

ATM

The invention relates to an automated teller machine with an output point at which banknotes are issued in accordance with a predetermined amount of money, at least one storage location for storing the banknotes, a withdrawal device provided at the storage location, which in each case removes a banknote from the storage location, and a control unit controlling the withdrawal device , which determines the required number of withdrawal steps in accordance with the predetermined amount of money, a transport device which connects the storage location to the issuing point, and a test device arranged between the storage location and the issuing point along the transport path for detecting an inadvertent withdrawal of several banknotes in one withdrawal step .

A cash dispenser of the type mentioned above is used, for example, by banks and credit institutions to pay out amounts of money to customers. For this purpose, a dispensing point, for example a flap or a dispensing slot, is provided on the automated teller machine from which bank notes are issued to the customer. The customer has the option of using a control panel such as a keyboard or a touch screen to enter the desired amount of money to be dispensed by the cash dispenser. At least one storage location for storing the banknotes is provided within the automated teller machine. An interchangeable storage cassette, for example, is used as the storage location and is inserted into a holder. At the storage location there is also a withdrawal device which is controlled by a control unit and is intended to remove only one bank note from the storage location in a withdrawal step. The bank account taken from the storage location note is then conveyed to the issuing point via a transport device, for example a conveyor belt or several pairs of rollers. Because of the varying quality of the banknotes, which depends, for example, on the paper quality or the age of the banknotes, so-called double or multiple withdrawals occur in the case of poorly quality banknotes, in which the withdrawal device takes several banknotes from the storage location instead of one banknote. Therefore, in the known automated teller machine, a test device is additionally provided between the storage location and the delivery location, which detects an inadvertent withdrawal of several banknotes by the withdrawal device. In the known automated teller machine, as soon as the test device detects a double or multiple deduction, all banknotes previously held in an intermediate store during the dispensing process are conveyed into a reject container arranged in the automated teller machine and the entire dispensing process is repeated. This is to prevent the bank customer from receiving a higher amount of money than the desired amount of money that will later be posted to the bank customer's account.

The problem with this known automated teller machine is that, with decreasing banknote quality, the withdrawal device removes several banknotes from the storage location in a withdrawal step. As a result, the dispensing process must be interrupted and carried out again, and the banknotes already stored in the buffer store must be conveyed into the reject container. Since the storage locations in automated teller machines can also contain only a limited amount of banknotes for security reasons, the storage locations are quickly empty in the event of frequent withdrawals, so that the automated teller machine is no longer ready for operation. The invention has for its object to develop a cash dispenser of the type mentioned so that it has high availability even with frequent deductions.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the checking device detects the number of banknotes which have been withdrawn too much in one withdrawal step and that the control unit reduces the remaining number of subsequent withdrawal steps in accordance with the number of excess banknotes withdrawn by the checking device.

In the invention, the number of banknotes which are withdrawn too much in one withdrawal step is recorded and offset against the remaining amount of the total amount of money by the control unit reducing the remaining number of the following withdrawal steps. As a result, the remaining amount to be paid out is reduced in accordance with the excess amount of money paid out, without the payment process having to be interrupted and carried out again. In this way, the cash dispenser has a consistently high level of availability, even in the case of frequent multiple withdrawals.

In a further development of the invention, a reject container is additionally provided, which holds the banknotes of the last withdrawal step if the test device cannot properly record the number of banknotes of the last withdrawal step. In this case, the last deduction step is repeated by the trigger device. In this way it is ensured that the bank customer is neither paid out an amount of money that is too low nor higher than desired. Furthermore, it is proposed in this embodiment to repeat the last withdrawal step if the checking device detects a multiple withdrawal of banknotes in the last withdrawal step, so that this is also statistical seen in rare cases overpaying to bank customers is prevented.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the withdrawal steps are first carried out in the closest possible chronological sequence. Then the at least one withdrawal device is stopped before a predefinable withdrawal step is carried out until all withdrawn banknotes have passed through the checking device (36). Only then are the deduction steps still required to be carried out. Several banknotes can be located on the transport route from one of the storage locations to the test device without it being known whether and how many multiple prints are underneath. However, if the number of deduction steps still to be carried out is only determined when the check for multiple withdrawals has been carried out, the number of banknote transports from the intermediate storage to the reject container can be reduced even further.

A further reduction of these so-called collective rejeks is possible if the deduction steps that are still required are carried out with a sequence other than the closest possible.

The number of deduction steps before the last required deduction step is advantageously specified as a function of the statistical frequency of the multiple deductions, with multiple deduction statistics being kept in the control unit or permanently stored therein as a table. The result of this is that on the one hand the probability of too much banknotes collected in the buffer is minimal, on the other hand the time for processing a customer order is kept as short as possible.

As a testing device, a mechanical measuring device with a probe is proposed, which is based on the Measuring device passes banknotes under pre-tension and its proportional displacement indicates the thickness of the banknotes passed. Suitable as a measuring probe is, for example, a firmly clamped leaf spring with a strain gauge attached to it, or a pivoting rocker arm, the displacement of which is detected, for example, by an induction sensor. The mechanical measuring device determines the number of banknotes by comparing the thickness detected by the probe with a predetermined thickness assigned to the respective banknote type.

An optical measuring device with at least one light source and at least one light-sensitive sensor, between which the banknotes are passed, is also suitable as the test device, the thickness of the banknotes being passed through being able to be determined from the intensity of the light beam emitted by the banknotes and emitted by the light source. The number of banknotes is determined by comparing the measured light intensity with a light intensity typical for the banknote. Optionally, the mechanical and optical measuring device can also be used together in one test device, as a result of which the evaluation accuracy is improved.

In order to further increase the evaluation accuracy of the checking device, a length measuring device can also be arranged between the storage location and the issuing location, which determines the length of the banknotes passed by.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which in connection with the accompanying drawings explains the invention using an exemplary embodiment. Show it: Figure 1 is a schematic sectional side view of an automated teller machine with testing device and length measuring device and

Figures 2a to 2d

enlarged schematic representations of the

Test and length measuring device in different operating conditions.

1 shows a cash dispenser 10 with a head part 12 and a base part 14. The head part 12 has on its angled front side a user interface 16 with an insertion slot (not shown) for EC cards or credit cards and with a keyboard block (not shown), via which the user can select various operating functions of the cash dispenser 10. Below the user interface 16, a swiveling dispensing flap 18 is also arranged on the front of the head part 12, via which bank notes are dispensed in accordance with a previously defined amount of money. Arranged inside the base part 14 of the automated teller machine 10 is a safe 20 in which the banknotes to be dispensed by the automated teller machine 10 are stored, as will be explained below.

A total of four cassette storage units 22 arranged one above the other are provided in the safe 20. An exchangeable storage cassette 24, in which the banknotes to be issued are stored, is inserted into each cassette storage unit 22. The banknotes are recorded in the different storage cassettes 24 sorted according to different banknote values. At the end of each cassette storage unit 22 shown on the left in FIG. 1, a withdrawal device 26 is fastened, with which a bank note is removed from the storage cassette 24 in a withdrawal step. The withdrawal devices 26 transfer the withdrawn banknotes to a vertical trans Port device 28, which conveys the banknotes into the head part 12 of the automated teller machine 10, as will be explained later.

The transport device 28 has a lower transport unit 30 for the lower two cassette storage units 22 and an upper transport unit 32 for the upper two cassette storage units 22. Near the upper end of the upper transport unit 32, an output slot 34 is formed on the safe 20, via which the banknotes in get the head part 12. Immediately below the dispensing slot 34, a test device 36 is provided on the upper transport unit 32, which detects an inadvertent withdrawal of several banknotes in a withdrawal step and the structure and function of which will be explained later in FIGS. 2a to 2d. Adjacent to the transport device 28, a reject container 38 is also fastened in the safe 20, into which rejected banknotes can be conveyed via an input slot 40 formed on the safe 20.

In the interior of the head part 12, a delivery device 42 is connected to the delivery slot 34, with which the bank notes issued from the safe 20 are fed to a stacking wheel 44 arranged upstream of the delivery flap 18 in the transport direction. The stacking wheel 44 collects the banknotes to be dispensed conveyed from the safe 20 until the amount of money previously input by the user has been completely dispensed from the storage cassettes 24 and transfers the temporarily stored banknotes to the dispensing flap 18, which can be pivoted outwards so that the user can receive the banknotes can take. When viewed in the transport direction, a switch 46 is arranged in front of the stacking wheel 44 on the conveyor 42, which additionally connects the conveyor 42 to the input slot 40 of the reject container 38. Near the output slot 34 of the safe 20 there is a on the conveyor 42 Length measuring device 48 is arranged, which determines the length of the banknotes being passed and whose structure and function will be explained later. A control unit 50 is attached to the safe 20 above the cassette storage units 22, with which the various functions of the withdrawal devices 26, the transport device 28 or the testing device 36 and length measuring device 48 are coordinated.

Different operational functions of the testing device 36 and the length measuring device 48 are shown in FIGS. 2a to 2d. First, however, the structure of the test device 36 and the length measuring device 48 will be briefly explained.

The test device 36 consists of an upper housing part 52 and a lower housing part 54. The upper housing part 52 has a light source 56 on its underside facing the transport path of the banknote 70, which emits light with a predetermined light intensity. Viewed in the transport direction after the light source 56, a pivotable measuring probe 58 is also mounted on the underside of the upper housing part 52, which bears against the upper side of the transport belt of the upper transport unit 32, not shown, and can be pivoted in the direction of the upper housing part 52. The lower housing part 54 has on its upper side facing the transport path a light-sensitive sensor 60 which is arranged aligned with the light source 56 of the upper housing part 52. The length of a measured thickness range can also be calculated by the control unit 50 from the known transport speed of the transport device 28 and the time duration of a thickness measurement process.

The length measuring device 48 also consists of an upper housing part 62 and a lower housing part 64 A lamp 66 is attached to the underside of the upper housing part 62 facing the transport path. Arranged opposite the lamp 66, a photosensor 68 is provided on the lower housing part 64 and detects the light emitted by the lamp 66.

The functioning of the test device 36 and the length measuring device 48 is explained below with reference to FIGS. 2a to 2d.

As soon as the front edge of the bank note 70 reaches the lamp 66, the light beam emitted by the lamp 66 is interrupted, so that the photosensor 68 emits a corresponding off signal. If the bank note 70 reaches the lamp 66 with its rear edge, the photosensor 68 detects the light beam emitted by the lamp 66 and generates an on signal. The signals from the photo sensor 68 are forwarded to the control unit 50, which determines the time period in which the photo sensor 68 has generated an off signal and calculates the length of the bank note 70 from the speed of the transport device 28 and the determined time period.

FIG. 2a shows the mode of operation of the test device 36 and the length measuring device 48 with the pulling device 26 working properly. In this case, the withdrawal device 26 removes a single bank note 70 from the storage cassette 24 in a withdrawal step. This bank note 70 is transferred from the withdrawal device 26 to the transport device 28. The transport device 28 conveys the bank note 70 through the safe 20 into the head part 12. The individual bank note 70 first passes through the test device 36. In the test device 36, the light source 56 generates a light beam with a constant light intensity, which is detected by the light-sensitive sensor 60. If the individual banknote 70 now passes through the checking device 36, Bank note 70 weakens the light intensity of the light beam emitted by light source 56 as soon as it passes light source 56. This weakening of the light intensity is detected by the light-sensitive sensor 60 and passed on to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 compares the measured light intensity with a predetermined light intensity range for banknotes with a certain thickness. If the measured light intensity lies within this range, this means that the test device 36 has detected a single bank note 70.

Seen in the transport direction after the light source 56, the probe 58 is arranged, which is pivoted by the bank note 70 passed in the direction of the upper housing part 52. A motion sensor (not shown) detects the swiveling movement of the probe 58 and generates a signal indicating the thickness of the bank note 70 being passed, which signal is forwarded to the control unit 50, which compares the signal with a predetermined range of thickness values. If the signal lies within the specified range of thickness values, this means that only a single bank note 70 has been passed. The banknote 70 then passes through the length measuring device 48.

FIG. 2b shows the functioning of the test device 36 in the case of a so-called double trigger. In this case, the withdrawal device 26 incorrectly removed two banknotes 70 and 72 from the storage cassette 24 during a withdrawal step, which adhere congruently to one another, ie that the banknotes 70 and 72 are not offset from one another as seen in the transport direction. As soon as the bank notes 70 and 72 adhering to one another are conveyed by the test device 36, the light intensity of the light emitted by the light source 56 is reduced approximately twice as much. By comparing the measured light intensity with the light intensity range, the control unit 50 can determine the number of feinrichtung 36 determined banknotes, in this case two. Then the probe 58 is pressed upward by the bank notes 70 and 72 adhering to one another, as a result of which the motion sensor (not shown) emits a corresponding signal to the control unit 50. Since the displacement of the probe 58 is proportional to the thickness of the banknotes being passed, here too the control unit 50 can determine the number of banknotes being passed.

A further possibility of double withdrawal of banknotes is shown in FIG. 2c. In this case too, the withdrawal device 26 has removed two bank notes 70 and 72 which are adhering to one another from the storage cassette 24. However, banknotes 70 and 72 are offset from one another. If the banknotes 70 and 72 adhering to one another now reach the checking device 36, the control unit 50 first detects the first banknote 70 and a short time later additionally the second banknote 72. If the control unit 50 can use the photosensitive sensor 60 and the motion sensor ( not shown) generated thickness measurement signals do not clearly determine how many banknotes have passed through the checking device 36, with the help of which the length of the banknotes 70 and 72 passed by is additionally determined. The length of the leading banknote section recognized as simple and the length of the overlapping section are added and this value is checked for agreement with the desired length of the banknotes. The same procedure is used for the overlapping section and the lagging banknote section recognized as simple. Using the length determination and the thickness determination by the test device 36, the control unit 50 can now calculate the exact number of banknotes.

FIG. 2d shows a further possibility of double withdrawal, in which the banknotes are at a small distance d from the Deduction device 26 are conveyed out of the storage cassette 24. In this case, both the test device 36 and the length measuring device 48 detect two individual banknotes 70 and 72. The control unit 50 can determine the distance d between the signals d between the signals generated by the test device 36 and the length measuring device 48 and the transport speed Calculate banknotes 70 and 73. If the distance d is sufficiently large, this is not a problem for the further function of the automated teller machine 10. However, if the distance d is too small, this can lead to problems when the banknotes enter the stacking wheel 44, since the front edge of the second banknote 72 seen in the transport direction can collide with the rear edge of the first banknote 70 already held in the stacking wheel 44, causing a banknote jam can arise in the conveyor 42. In such a case, in which the distance d between the banknotes 70 and 72 is too small, the control unit 50 switches the switch 46 so that the two banknotes 70 and 72 are conveyed into the reject container 38.

The function of the automated teller machine 10 is briefly described below. As soon as a user has inserted his EC card or credit card into the insertion slot (not shown), he can enter his secret number and then the desired amount of money to be paid out via the keyboard block (not shown) of the user interface 16. This information is forwarded to the control unit 50, which calculates the required number of withdrawal steps for each withdrawal device 26 from the predetermined amount of money. Each withdrawal device 26 then removes banknotes 24 from the storage cassette 24 assigned to it in accordance with the calculated withdrawal steps. The banknotes are fed via the transport device 28 and the conveyor device 42 to the stacking wheel 44 until the desired amount of money is reached. The banknotes are transferred from the stacking wheel 44 to the delivery flap 18, which swivels outwards so that the user can remove the banknotes.

If a multiple withdrawal with an undetermined number of banknotes is determined, these banknotes are passed over the switch 46 into the reject container 38 and the withdrawal step is repeated. If the control unit 50 detects a multiple withdrawal of banknotes during the gathering process of a predetermined amount of money by the checking device 36 or the length measuring device 48, it determines the number of excess banknotes withdrawn and correspondingly reduces the further withdrawal steps of the respective withdrawal devices 26. Is a reduction in the number of Subsequent withdrawal steps are not possible, for example because a multiple withdrawal occurred during the last required withdrawal step, the banknotes removed in this withdrawal step are conveyed into the reject container 38 and the withdrawal step is repeated.

In order to achieve a high dispensing speed, the bank notes are withdrawn from the storage cassettes 24 in a dense sequence in the automated teller machine 10. It follows from this that a number of bank notes are located in the transport device 28 on the way between the storage cassettes 24 and the checking device 36. The series is particularly long when removing banknotes from the bottom storage cassette 24. The sequence of deductions is therefore discontinuous, ie the banknotes are first withdrawn in the closest possible chronological order. Depending on the number of statistically expected multiple deductions - such statistics are kept in the control unit 50, for example, but can be permanently stored there as a table of values - the sequence of deduction processes is stopped before the last, penultimate or an earlier deduction process until all withdrawn banknotes pass through the checking device 36 have run. Only then are the remaining banknotes removed. The distance between the individual deductions can be increased so much that a next deduction only takes place when the previously removed banknote has passed through the checking device 36 and the length measuring device 48. However, it is also possible, preferably with a low statistical multiple deduction probability, to convey all the previously collected banknotes into the reject container in the event of a separation error during these last deductions.

Claims

claims

1. Cash dispenser with an issuing point (18) at which banknotes are issued in accordance with a predetermined amount of money, at least one storage point (24) for storing the banknotes (70, 72), a withdrawal device (26) provided at the storage point (24) , which in each case removes a bank note (70, 72) from the storage location (24), a control unit (50) which controls the withdrawal device (26) and which determines the required number of withdrawal steps in accordance with the predetermined amount of money, a transport device (28, 42 ), which connects the storage point (24) to the dispensing point (26), and to a test device (36) arranged between the storage point (24) and the dispensing point (26) along the transport path for detecting an inadvertent removal of several banknotes (70 , 72) in a withdrawal step, characterized in that the checking device (36) determines the number of banknotes which were withdrawn too much in one withdrawal step n (72), and that the control unit (50) reduces the remaining number of subsequent withdrawal steps in accordance with the number of excess banknotes (72) detected by the checking device (36).

2. Cash dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that a reject container (38) is provided which receives the banknotes (70, 72) of the last withdrawal step when the checking device (36) the number of banknotes (70, 72) of the last the deduction step that has taken place cannot be properly recorded, and that the deduction device (26) repeats the last deduction step.

3. Cash dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that one (the) reject container (38)

Receives banknotes (70, 72) of the last required withdrawal step when the test device (36) detects a multiple withdrawal of banknotes (70, 72) in the last withdrawal step and that the withdrawal device (26) repeats the last withdrawal step.

4. Cash dispenser according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a switch (46) is provided on the transport device (42), which is fed between a first operating position in which the banknotes (70, 72) of the dispensing point (18), and a second operating position is adjustable, in which the bank notes (70, 72) are conveyed into the reject container (38).

5. Cash dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the withdrawal steps are first carried out in the closest possible chronological order that the at least one withdrawal device (26) is stopped before performing a predefinable withdrawal step until all withdrawn banknotes Have passed through the test device (36) and that the withdrawal steps still required are then carried out.

6. Cash dispenser according to claim 5, characterized in that the withdrawal steps still required are carried out with a further than the closest possible time sequence.

7. Cash dispenser according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the deduction step before the last required deduction step is predetermined depending on the statistical frequency of the multiple deductions, with a multiple deduction statistics is guided in the control unit (50) or is permanently stored therein as a table.

8. Cash dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the testing device (36) has a mechanical measuring device with a probe (58) which rests on the banknotes passed by the measuring device (70, 72) under tension and its proportional Displacement indicates the thickness of the banknotes (70, 72) being passed.

9. Cash dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the test device (36) has an optical measuring device with at least one light source (56) and at least one light sensor (60) arranged opposite to it, between which the banknotes (70, 72) are passed through, the thickness of the bank notes (70, 72) or also additionally being determined from the intensity of the light beam emitted by the light source (56) and passing through the bank notes (70, 72), as detected by the sensor (60) Length of a measured section of thickness can be determined.

10. Cash dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a length measuring device (48) arranged along the transport path between the storage location (24) and the delivery location (18) for determining the length or also the distance of the banknotes (70, 72) passed by. .

11. Cash dispenser according to claim 10, characterized in that the length measuring device (48) between the test device (36) and the dispensing point (18) is arranged.

2. Cash dispenser according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that a light barrier serves as the length measuring device (48), past which the banknotes (70, 72) are guided, and that the control unit (50) by means of the signals emitted by the light barrier, the length the banknotes (70, 72) are determined as a function of their transport speed.