Abstract:
A medium for printing, such as a thermal receipt roll for an ATM. The medium has two sides, each side having a plurality of marks positioned to trigger an automatic operation, such as printing, movement, or cutting of the medium when identified by a detector. Preferably, the marks are adapted for optical sensing by a detector located along one side or the other of the roll, and are positioned at regular intervals along the side edges. This allows the roll to be used in business machines having different detector configurations.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to media products, and, more specifically, to receipt rolls for automated teller machines (ATMs) and the like.  
           [0002]    ATMs and other conventional receipt generating business machines such as point of sale (POS) terminals and ticket dispensers typically provide a paper receipt to a customer confirming the details of a transaction. Receipts are generally of uniform length, being cut from a supply roll mounted inside the machine.  
           [0003]    A receipt roll often has a series of uniformly spaced sense marks along one or both edges of the roll. As the roll is advanced in the machine, the sense marks trigger various operations including printing, advancing, cutting and stopping the roll. Black is the most commonly used color for sense marks employed in business machines for dispensing print media.  
           [0004]    Machines from different manufacturers often detect sense marks from different orientations, making it impossible to use the same print media in different machines. For example, in the case of ATMs, there are at least four different designs for thermal receipt rolls for use in ATMs from different ATM manufacturers. For example, in one case, sense marks are located on opposing edges of the front side of the thermal receipt roll. In another case, sense marks are located principally along one edge of the back side of the thermal receipt roll. This creates a problem for ATM deployers who employ these two types of ATMs within their network. Specifically, service personnel must stock both types of thermal receipt rolls and make certain that the proper roll is mounted in the correct machine.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention is a medium for printing, such as a thermal receipt roll for an ATM. The medium has two sides, each side having a plurality of marks positioned to trigger an automatic operation, such as printing, movement, or cutting of the medium when identified by a detector. Preferably, the marks are adapted for optical sensing by a detector located along one side or the other of the roll, and are positioned at regular intervals along the side edges. This allows the roll to be used in business machines having different detector configurations. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is view of the front side of a section of a thermal receipt roll such as can be used in an ATM.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is view of the back side of the thermal receipt roll shown in FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 shows a view of the front side  10  of a section of a thermal receipt roll  12  such as adapted for use in an ATM. Front side  10  has a conventional thermosensitive coating, as is well known in the art.  
         [0009]    Front side  10  has opposing edges  14  and  16 . Positioned along edge  14  are a plurality of optical sense marks  18   a ,  18   b , etc. Sense marks  18   a ,  18   b , etc. are generally rectangular in shape. They are positioned along edge  14  at a regular interval int. Interval int is defined as the distance between the midpoints of two sequentially appearing sense marks, such as marks  18   a  and  18   b.    
         [0010]    Positioned along edge  16  are a plurality of optical sense marks  20   a ,  20   b , etc. Sense marks  20   a ,  20   b , etc. are generally rectangular in shape. They are positioned along edge  16  at the same regular interval int as with sense marks  18   a  and  18   b.    
         [0011]    Front side  10  also has a border region  22  along edge  14  and another border region  24  along opposing edge  16 . Border region  22  contains sense marks  18   a ,  18   b , etc., but other than these sense marks has no other markings. Similarly, border region  24  contains sense marks  20   a ,  20   b , etc., but other than these sense marks has no other markings. Sense marks  18   a ,  18   b , etc. and sense marks  20   a ,  20   b , etc. preferably have a lower index of reflectivity than border regions  22  and  24 , for example, the sense marks are black.  
         [0012]    The purpose for sense marks  18   a ,  18   b , etc. and  20   a ,  20   b , etc. is to serve as a marker for an optical detector as the roll is advanced in the ATM. When the detector senses the presence of a mark, various operations can be triggered such as printing, cutting, or movement (advancing or stopping) of roll  12 . The ATM can be configured so that either sense marks  18   a ,  18   b , etc., or sense marks  20   a ,  20   b , etc., or both groups are sensed by the detector(s).  
         [0013]    As shown in FIG. 1, roll  12  has a feed direction when installed in an ATM as designated by arrow  24 . The feed direction defines leading and trailing edges for each of the sense marks. For example, sense mark  18   a  has a leading edge  26   a  and a trailing edge  28   a . Similarly, sense mark  18   b  has a leading edge  26   b  and a trailing edge  28   b . In a like manner, sense mark  20   a  has a leading edge  30   a  and a trailing edge  32   a , and sense mark  20   b  has a leading edge  30   b  and a trailing edge  32   b.    
         [0014]    Sense marks  20   a ,  20   b , etc. are in registration with sense marks  18   a ,  18   b , etc. What is meant by “in registration” is that the leading edge  26   a  of mark  18   a  is directly opposite and aligned with the leading edge  30   a  of mark  20   a . Similarly, the trailing edge  28   a  of mark  18   a  is directly opposite and aligned with the trailing edge  32   a  of mark  20   a . In a like manner, leading and trailing edges  26   b  and  28   b  of sense mark  18   b  are opposite and aligned with leading and trailing edges  30   b  and  32   b , respectively, of sense mark  20   b.    
         [0015]    Also shown are designated cut lines  34   a  and  34   b . In the embodiment shown, cut line  34   a  is slightly behind the trailing edges  28   a  and  32   a  of sense marks  18   a  and  20   a , respectively. Similarly, cut line  34   b  is behind the trailing edges  28   b  and  32   b  of sense marks  18   b  and  20   b , respectively. It will be appreciated for each receipt generating transaction conducted at an ATM, a single cutting operation will be performed on roll  12 . Thus, eventually, a cutting operation will be performed along cut line  34   a . For the following receipt generating transaction at the ATM, the cutting operation will be performed at cut line  34   b , which is behind the trailing edges  28   b  and  32   b  of sense marks  18   b  and  20   b , respectively. At that time a receipt  35  will be dispensed to the user of the ATM.  
         [0016]    Receipt  35  may include preprinted information, such as “ATM Transaction Record,” shown in FIG. 1 on the front side  10 . It will also include transaction specific information (not shown) printed by means of a thermal print head on the thermosensitive coating.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 shows a view of the back side  40  of a section of thermal receipt roll  12 , which corresponds to the view shown in FIG. 1. Back side  40  does not have a thermosensitive coating.  
         [0018]    Back side  40  has opposing edges  14  and  16 . Positioned along edge  16  are a plurality of optical sense marks  42   a ,  42   b , etc. Sense marks  42   a ,  42   b , etc. are generally rectangular in shape. They are positioned along edge  16  at a regular interval. In a preferred embodiment, the interval is the same regular interval int, as shown and described with respect to FIG. 1.  
         [0019]    Positioned along edge  14  are a plurality of marks  44   a ,  44   b , etc., which are generally in registration with marks  42   a ,  42   b , etc., respectively, but are not sensed by an optical sensor. Their presence is related to the manufacturing process of roll  12 . Specifically, roll  12  is cut from a much wider roll. In order to allow for some manufacturing tolerances, marks  44   a  and  44   b  are extensions from adjoining marks on the wider roll. Thus, sense marks  44   a ,  44   b , etc. are positioned along edge  18  at the same regular interval int as with sense marks  42   a  and  42   b . Back side  40  also has a border region  46  along edge  16 . Border region  46  contains sense marks  42   a ,  42   b , etc., and, other than these sense marks, has no other markings. Sense marks  42   a ,  42   b , etc. preferably have a lower index of reflectivity than border region  46 , for example, the sense marks are black.  
         [0020]    As with sense marks  18   a ,  18   b , etc. and  20   a ,  20   b , etc. on the front side  10  of receipt roll  12 , the purpose of sense marks  42   a ,  42   b , etc. is to serve as a marker for an optical detector as the roll is advanced in the ATM. When the detector senses the presence of a mark, various operations can be triggered such as printing, cutting, or movement (advancing or stopping) of roll  12 . However, an ATM will either have a detector for sensing marks on the front  10  of roll  12 , or on the back  40 , but not both. Thus, the sense marks  42   a ,  42   b , etc. would not be needed in ATMs from certain manufacturers, just at sense marks  18   a ,  18   b , etc. and  20   a ,  20   b , etc. would not be needed in ATMs from other manufacturers. However, the same roll  12  will be operable in ATMs from either manufacturer.  
         [0021]    The feed direction of roll  12  when installed in an ATM, as designated by arrow  24 , is obviously in the same direction in both FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 2, the feed direction defines leading and trailing edges for each of the sense marks. For example, sense mark  42   a  has a leading edge  48   a  and a trailing edge  50   a . Similarly, sense mark  42   b  has a leading edge  48   b  and a trailing edge  50   b.    
         [0022]    Sense marks  42   a ,  42   b , etc. are out of registration with sense marks  18   a ,  18   b , etc., and sense marks  20   a ,  20   b , etc. What is meant by “out of registration” is that the leading edge  48   a  of mark  42   a  is not aligned with the leading edge  26   a  of mark  18   a  or leading edge  30   a  of mark  20   a . The amount of misalignment is shown as distance d. Similarly, the trailing edge  50   a  of mark  42   a  is out of registration with the trailing edge  32   a  of mark  20   a  and with the trailing edge  28   a  of mark  18   a . In a like manner, leading and trailing edges  48   b  and  50   b  of sense mark  42   b  are out of registration with leading and trailing edges  30   b  and  32   b , respectively, of sense mark  20   b , and with leading and trailing edges  26   b  and  28   b , respectively, of sense mark  18   b.    
         [0023]    Referring to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, it will be seen that in a preferred embodiment, the leading edge  26   a  of mark  18   a  and the leading edge  30   a  of mark  20   a  are forward of the leading edge  48   a  of mark  42   a . Similarly, the leading edge  26   b  of mark  18   b  and the leading edge  30   b  of mark  20   b  are forward of the leading edge  48   b  of mark  42   b . “Forward” in this usage having reference to direction  24 .  
         [0024]    Also shown in FIG. 2 are designated cut lines  34   a  and  34   b . In the embodiment shown, cut line  34   a  is between the leading edge  48   a  and trailing edge  50   a  of mark  42   a . Similarly, cut line  34   b  is between the leading edge  48   b  and trailing edge  50   b  of mark  42   b.    
         [0025]    Receipt  35  may include preprinted information, such as advertisements, coupons, or terms and conditions (not shown) on the back side  40 . Such printing will not extend into border region  46 . The back side  40  of receipt  35  will not include transaction specific information because all printing on the receipt within the ATM is on front side  10 , which has a thermosensitive coating.  
         [0026]    One issue concerning sense marks  20   a ,  20   b , etc.,  42   a ,  42   b , etc., and  44   a ,  44   b , etc. are their relative optical density, particularly in connection with the light transmissivity of roll  12 . Specifically, if the marks are too dense, there can be “bleed through” to the opposite side, which can interfere with the operation of the detector. For example, if mark  20   a  bleeds through to side  40  with too much intensity, it may trigger a premature automatic operation. This in turn can result in parts of receipt  35  being cut off.  
         [0027]    In a preferred embodiment, thermal roll  12  is formed from a  15 # thermal paper having a thermosensitive coating on one side, sense marks  18   a ,  18   b , etc., and  20   a ,  20   b , etc. are preprinted with an optical density of between 0.95 to 1.15, with a preferred density of  1 . 1 , and sense marks  42   a ,  42   b , etc., and  44   a ,  44   b , etc. are preprinted with a minimum optical density of 1.15, with a preferred density of 1.25.  
         [0028]    While there have been described herein what are considered to be preferred and exemplary embodiments of the present invention, other modifications of the invention shall be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings herein, and it is, therefore, desired to be secured in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.  
         [0029]    Accordingly, what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is the invention as defined and differentiated in the following claims.