Abstract:
An aspect of the invention provides methods, computer media, and apparatuses to support the administration of a cash recycler system. An administrator sets hours of operation for the cash recycler system during which a user can access a cash handling device in the cash recycler system. The cash recycler system may be configured according to an operating time setting to operate between a beginning time and a terminating time, where the operating time setting may specify a periodic operating time for a specified day of the week. Access to the recycler system may be restricted based on identification information from a user and may be restricted only to an administrator outside configured operating hours. The recycler system may receive a calendar entry corresponding to a time period of operation and may override a periodic operating time by the time period contained in the calendar entry.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Cash flow refers to the movement of cash over a particular time period within a business or enterprise. The calculation of cash flow may be used as one measure to gauge financial health of the business. Managers in charge of cash flow management may use various tools to assist in making decisions involving cash flow including cash recyclers which allow a retail establishment to maintain and re-use an amount of currency on-site. The cash recycler may further calculate and manage use of cash flows in real-time. 
     A starting point for proper cash flow management involves use of cash flow projections. Accurate cash flow projections enable business mangers to make proper decisions regarding day-to-day operations and long-term strategic decisions such as investment decisions. 
     Good cash flow projections involve using up-to-date accurate data regarding inflows and outflows of cash over a period of time. These projections which may be in the form of cash flow statements involve estimation of operating cash flow. However, timely up-to-date data concerning operating cash flow is difficult to obtain in large retail operations. In large retail operations, accurate cash flow data may not be known until business close, as an accounting of each cash register&#39;s drawer has to be completed and reported to a corporate back office. 
     For example, a multi-store grocery chain may have multiple cashiers at each store handling numerous customers during a business day. When each store closes or at the end of the cashier&#39;s shift, each of the cashiers may have to tally in their cash register so that a final tally may be determined each store closing. At certain time of day the result may be forwarded to a central office which may be used to calculate cash flow for the grocery chain. 
     At particular scheduled times, which may range from daily to once every few days or longer, an armored car or other means of transportation may be arranged such that cash receipts from the day or some other period of time may be picked up and transferred to a financial center or branch for deposit. Upon delivery to the financial center, cash may be deposited and may be made available for use by the business in another one to four business days. 
     However, the desired usage of a cash recycler may vary from day to day, thus necessitating that the configuration of the cash recycler be modified to better accommodate the changing usage. A need consequently exists for providing a flexible and convenient approach for the administration of a cash recycler. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. The summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention nor to delineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the description below. 
     With one aspect of the invention, methods, computer media, and apparatuses support the administration of a cash recycler system. An administrator sets hours of operation for a cash recycler system during which a user can access a cash handling device in the cash recycler system. 
     Furthermore, according to another aspect of the invention, a cash handling system (cash recycler system) is configured according to an operating time setting to operate between a beginning time and a terminating time. Consequently, a request at the recycler system is supported only between the beginning time and the terminating time. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the operating time setting specifies a periodic operating time for a specified day of the week. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, access to the recycler system is restricted based on identification information from a user. The identification information may include a password or biometric characteristics. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, access to a recycler system is restricted only to an administrator outside configured operating hours. When a user who does not have administrator permission attempts to access the recycler system outside the operating hours, an error message and/or alert message may be generated. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a recycler system may receive a calendar entry corresponding to a time period of operation. The recycler system may override a periodic operating time by the time period contained in the calendar entry. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a suitable operating environment in which various aspects of the disclosure may be implemented. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a simplified diagram of a currency recycler in accordance with an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates various features of a currency recycler that may be used in accordance with aspects of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a system configuration that may be used in accordance with an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows an illustrative operating environment in which various aspects of the invention may be implemented in accordance with an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows a flow diagram for configuring a recycler system for hours of operation in accordance with an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  shows an initial screen shot when a user attempts to access a recycler system in accordance with an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 8  shows a screen shot when a user logins into a recycler system in accordance with an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 9  shows a screen shot with functional display items in accordance with an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 10  shows a screen shot with administrative display items in accordance with an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 11  shows a screen shot with security/limits display items in accordance with an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 12  shows a screen shot that enables an administrator to configure the hours of operation for a recycler system in accordance with an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 13  shows a screen shot with a calendar display that enable an administrator to configure the hours of operation for a recycler system in accordance with an aspect of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In accordance with various aspects of the disclosure, systems and methods are illustrated for providing currency handling services and management. A financial institution such as a bank may provide immediate access and use of funds recently deposited using the currency handling apparatus, system, and method described below. For illustrative purposes the financial instrument discussed throughout the below description is cash. However, as those skilled in the art will realize, the described aspects of the invention are not limited to just cash (paper money and coins) but may also include other forms of liquid assets such as checks, bank notes, and money orders. 
     Cash handling devices generally refer to devices that are configured to accept and/or dispense currency. Cash handling devices include payment kiosks, point of sale systems such as cash registers, automated teller machines (ATMs), currency recyclers, depositories, dispensing devices and the like. Currency recyclers generally refer to cash handling devices that are configured to dispense the same currency that was earlier deposited. For example, if a user deposits a 5 dollar bill into a cash recycler machine, the same 5 dollar bill may be dispensed during a subsequent withdrawal transaction. Thus, using currency recyclers, deposited currency may be placed immediately back into use and circulation instead of being held or frozen until a bank is able to collect and reconcile the funds, stored indefinitely and/or taken out of circulation entirely as is the case with other current cash handling devices. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example of suitable operating environment  100  in which various aspects of the disclosure may be implemented. Devices  102 ,  104 ,  106  may include currency recyclers and/or other cash handling devices and may be located at various sites such as locations  101 ,  103 , and  105 . The locations may represent different stores of a business enterprise. For example, locations  101 ,  103 , and  105  may represent three different grocery stores located in different geographical areas belonging to a grocery store chain. Those skilled in the art will realize that additional cash handling devices may be located in the same store or in other stores belonging to the grocery store chain. In addition, those skilled in the art will realize that a grocery store chain is only one illustrative example of the types of locations or businesses that cash handling devices such as recyclers may be located. For example, cash recyclers may also be located in gas stations, post offices, department stores, and other places where cash and other financial instruments are deposited or withdrawn. 
       FIG. 1  further illustrates that cash handling devices  102 ,  104 , and  106  may be connected to a communications network such as communications network  120 . Communications network  120  may represent: 1) a local area network (LAN); 2) a simple point-to-point network (such as direct modem-to-modem connection); and/or  3 ) a wide area network (WAN), including the Internet and other commercial based network services. 
     Cash handling devices  102 ,  104 , and  106  may communicate with one another or with a financial institution such as bank  130  via communication network  120  in various manners. For example, communications between cash handling devices  102 ,  104 ,  106  and bank  130  may use protocols and networks such as TCP/IP, Ethernet, FTP, HTTP, BLUETOOTH, Wi-Fi, ultra wide band (UWB), low power radio frequency (LPRF), radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared communication, IrDA, third-generation (3G) cellular data communications, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), or other wireless communication networks or the like. Communications network  120  may be directly connected to a financial institution such as bank  130 . In another embodiment, communications network  120  may be connected to a second network or series of networks  140  such as the STAR network before being connected to bank  130 . According to one or more arrangements, bank  130  may utilize an infrastructure which includes a server  150  having components such as a memory, a processor, a display, and a communication interface. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a simplified diagram of a cash recycler that may be used in accordance with the operating environment of  FIG. 1 . Cash recycler  200  may include processor  201 , memory  203 , communication interface  205 , scanning unit  207 , display  213  and various cartridges  215  and stackers  217 . Processor  201  may be generally configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in memory  203  such that, for example, cash recycler  200  may send and receive information to and from a bank (e.g., bank  130  of  FIG. 1 ) using communication interface  205  and via a network (e.g., networks  120  and/or  140  of  FIG. 1 ). Memory  203  may be configured to store a variety of information including the aforementioned computer-readable instructions, funds balance data, reconciliation data, user account information and the like. Additionally, memory  203  may include non-volatile and/or volatile memory. One or more databases may be stored in the memories  108 ,  112 , and  116 . 
     Cash recycler  200  may further provide display  213  to present data and/or messages to a user. For example, display  213  may be configured to display a recycler balance, a transaction interface, a current deposit count, security options, transportation options and the like. One or more input devices  254  such as a keypad, keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, fingerprint scanner, retinal scanner, proximity card reader, RFID scanner and/or writer, magnetic card reader, barcode reader, and/or combinations thereof, or any other type of input device or reader capable of inputting, reading, or scanning indicia or information, may also be included in or connected to recycler  200 . One or printers  256  may also be included in or connected to recycler  200  for printing receipts and notifications as well. 
     In cash recycler  200 , stackers  217  and cartridges  215  are configured to store currency. Currency may be inserted through input slot  209  and withdrawn through withdrawal slot  211 . Stackers  217  may be used to store and organize currency based on denomination. For example, all $5 bills may be stored in stacker  2  (i.e., stacker  217 B) while all $20 bills may be stored in stacker  3  (i.e., stacker  217 C). Cartridges  215 A and  215 B, on the other hand, may be used to store overflow currency and/or currency for transport. Thus, if stackers  217  become full, additional currency that is deposited into recycler  200  may be stored in an overflow cartridge such as cartridge  215 B. One of cartridges  215  may be designated as a transport cartridge that stores currency to be withdrawn from the machine and transported to the bank. Alternatively or additionally, one or more of cartridges  215  may be used as an unfit bill store for currency determined to be defective to a degree that it should be taken out of circulation. Cartridges  215  and stackers  217  may further be removable for easier access or transport. 
     Scanning unit  207  may be configured to scan each bill or currency that is inserted into recycler  200 . Scanning unit  207  may be configured to detect defects, unauthorized reproductions, denomination, type of currency (e.g., which country the currency originates from) and the like. Scanning unit  207  may further be configured to refuse money (either through input slot  209  or withdrawal slot  211 ) if it cannot be properly recognized or if the currency is deemed to be an unauthorized reproduction. Scanning unit  207  may send such data to processor  201  which may, in turn, save the data in memory  203 . 
     Further, recycler  200  may include one or more mechanical or electromechanical systems (not shown) for automatically transferring currency between stackers  217 , cartridges  215 , input slot  209  and withdrawal slot  211  in recycler  200 . For example, currency may automatically be withdrawn from stackers  217  and directed into cartridge  215 A for storage using a series of motorized rollers. In another example, currency stored in cartridge  215 A may be withdrawn and organized and stored into stackers  217  according to denomination. Using such systems to facilitate the automated movement of currency between storage components and other portions of recycler  200  may provide efficiency and security by alleviating some of the need to manually handle currency stored within recycler  200 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates various features of cash recycler, such as cash recycler  200  of  FIG. 2 , used in various aspects of the invention. The images in  FIG. 3  depict use of a single cash recycler  200  in a retail environment. The retail owner may have a cash recycler  200  located in each of their stores. In an aspect of the invention, summary information for the retail owner&#39;s stores may be available via an interface to the financial institution. In another embodiment, access to summary information may be available directly from each of the cash recyclers  200 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , image  302  depicts customer  303  paying cash to a retail employee such as store cashier  305  for a purchase. Another store cashier  307  at a recently closed cash register may be carrying a cash drawer or till  308  to a back office for reconciliation. In image  310 , store cashier  307  may load currency from cash register till  308  into cash recycler  200 . In addition, store cashier  307  may also deposit other paper forms of payment received from customer such as checks. An office manager  311  may be supervising cashier  307  during the loading of cash register till  308  into cash recycler  200 . Moreover, upon the start of a shift a cashier may fill his/her cash register till with a designated amount of currency dispensed from cash recycler  200 . 
     In image  306  of  FIG. 3 , a display screen (e.g., display  213  of cash recycler  200  of  FIG. 2 ) may show the total amount entered into cash recycler  200  from till  308 . The display screen  213  may breakout the amount entered into cash recycler  200  by denomination and by each cashier. The total amount deposited and withdrawn from cash recycler  200  may be shown on display screen  213 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a system configuration that may be used in accordance with an aspect of the invention. In  FIG. 4  a cash recycler  402  may communicate information to cash recycler service  404  located at a remote location. For example, cash recycler  402  may communicate deposit and withdrawal information from an enterprise location (e.g., a retail store) to the remote cash recycler service  404 . The information may be routed through various networks such as the Internet to reach the cash recycler service. The cash recycler service  404  may be located in the data center of a financial institution. The cash recycler service  404  may communicate with an integration system  406  which provides access to the financial systems and processes. The integration system  406  may communicate with a memo posting system  408  which may perform posting activity. The posting system  408  may update the appropriate DDA (direct deposit account) system  410  to reflect the balance changes in the enterprises account balances. The DDA system  410  may also update a transaction repository  412  for historical and intra-day reporting purposes. An enterprise employee may access information stored in the transaction repository  412  through a client access channel  414  via web browser. Those skilled in the art will realize that the financial institution may allow the enterprise user to access the information stored in the transaction repository via numerous alternative communication methods. 
     According to one aspect, cash recyclers such as cash recycler  102  ( FIG. 1) and 200  ( FIG. 2 ) and other cash handling devices may facilitate real-time recognition of funds. In particular, funds deposited at a recycler or other cash handling device at a client site may be recognized by a bank at the time the deposit is made. Recognition refers to the real credit (i.e., not provisional) of deposited funds into a client&#39;s account. In contrast to current systems, there is no delay between a deposit of funds and when the funds and transaction data are submitted to the bank for recognition. Thus, instead of having to wait until the end of the day or another prescheduled time for deposits and/or withdrawals to be recognized by the bank, each deposit is processed for recognition in real-time. Data regarding the withdrawal or deposit transaction may be transmitted through a data network to the bank for recognition and processing. Providing real-time recognition offers may advantages including the ability for a client to withdraw the same currency that was earlier deposited for use in the client&#39;s operations, all at the client site and without having to first transport the deposited funds to the bank for recognition. Currency recyclers, recycling management and recognition of funds are further described in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/614,656, entitled “Commercial Currency Handling and Servicing Management,” filed on Dec. 21, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an example of a suitable computing system environment  500  (e.g., for executing processes  600 ,  700 ,  800 , and  900  as shown in  FIGS. 6-9 , respectively) that may be used according to one or more illustrative embodiments. The computing system environment  500  is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the invention. The computing system environment  500  should not be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components shown in the illustrative computing system environment  500 . 
     The invention is operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the invention include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , the computing system environment  500  may include a computing device  501  wherein the processes discussed herein may be implemented. The computing device  501  may have a processor  503  for controlling overall operation of the computing device  101  and its associated components, including RAM  505 , ROM  507 , communications module  509 , and memory  515 . Computing device  501  typically includes a variety of computer readable media. Computer readable media may be any available media that may be accessed by computing device  501  and include both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise a combination of computer storage media and communication media. 
     Computer storage media include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media include, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), electronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and that can be accessed by computing device  501 . 
     Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. Modulated data signal is a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. 
     Although not shown, RAM  505  may include one or more are applications representing the application data stored in RAM memory  105  while the computing device is on and corresponding software applications (e.g., software tasks), are running on the computing device  501 . 
     Communications module  509  may include a microphone, keypad, touch screen, and/or stylus through which a user of computing device  501  may provide input, and may also include one or more of a speaker for providing audio output and a video display device for providing textual, audiovisual and/or graphical output. 
     Software may be stored within memory  515  and/or storage to provide instructions to processor  503  for enabling computing device  501  to perform various functions. For example, memory  515  may store software used by the computing device  501 , such as an operating system  517 , application programs  519 , and an associated database  521 . Alternatively, some or all of the computer executable instructions for computing device  501  may be embodied in hardware or firmware (not shown). 
     Computing device  501  may operate in a networked environment supporting connections to one or more remote computing devices, such as branch terminals  541  and  551 . The branch computing devices  541  and  551  may be personal computing devices or servers that include many or all of the elements described above relative to the computing device  501 . Branch computing device  561  may be a mobile device communicating over wireless carrier channel  571 . 
     The network connections depicted in  FIG. 5  include a local area network (LAN)  525  and a wide area network (WAN)  529 , but may also include other networks. When used in a LAN networking environment, computing device  501  is connected to the LAN  525  through a network interface or adapter in the communications module  509 . When used in a WAN networking environment, the server  501  may include a modem in the communications module  509  or other means for establishing communications over the WAN  529 , such as the Internet  531 . It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are illustrative and other means of establishing a communications link between the computing devices may be used. The existence of any of various well-known protocols such as TCP/IP, Ethernet, FTP, HTTP and the like is presumed, and the system can be operated in a client-server configuration to permit a user to retrieve web pages from a web-based server. Any of various conventional web browsers can be used to display and manipulate data on web pages. 
     Additionally, one or more application programs  519  used by the computing device  501 , according to an illustrative embodiment, may include computer executable instructions for invoking user functionality related to communication including, for example, email, short message service (SMS), and voice input and speech recognition applications. 
     Embodiments of the invention may include forms of computer-readable media. Computer-readable media include any available media that can be accessed by a computing device  501 . Computer-readable media may comprise storage media and communication media. Storage media include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, object code, data structures, program modules, or other data. Communication media include any information delivery media and typically embody data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism. 
     Although not required, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various aspects described herein may be embodied as a method, a data processing system, or as a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions. For example, a computer-readable medium storing instructions to cause a processor to perform steps of a method in accordance with aspects of the invention is contemplated. For example, aspects of the method steps disclosed herein may be executed on a processor on a computing device  501 . Such a processor may execute computer-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. 
       FIG. 6  shows flow diagram  600  for configuring a recycler (e.g., recycler  200  as shown in  FIG. 2 ) for hours of operation in accordance with an aspect of the invention. In step  601 , process  600  verifies the identity of the user through an authentication procedure, e.g., a login name/password combination or biometric measurement. 
     Biometric characteristics may be divided into two classes: physiological and behavior. Physiological biometric characteristics are related to the shape of the body. e.g., fingerprints. Other examples are face recognition, hand geometry, and iris recognition. In addition, process  600  may merge human perception to a computer database in a brain-machine interface. This approach may be referred to as cognitive biometrics. Cognitive biometrics is based on specific responses of the brain to stimuli which could be used to trigger a computer database search. Cognitive biometrics systems may use brain response to odor stimuli, facial perception, and mental performance for search at ports and high security areas. Behavioral biometric characteristics are related to the behavior of a person and may include the signature of the person. However, behavioral biometric characteristics may be extended to keystroke dynamics and voice characteristics. Voice is typically considered a physiological trait because every person has a different pitch, but voice recognition is mainly based on the study of the way a person speaks, commonly classified as behavioral. Other biometric strategies may be based on gait (way of walking), retina, hand veins, ear canal, facial thermogram, DNA, odor and scent, and palm prints. 
       FIG. 7  shows initial screen shot  700  when a user attempts to access a recycler system in accordance with an aspect of the invention. A cash recycler system (e.g., system  100 ) may contain one or more cash handling devices (cash recyclers). The scenario shown in  FIGS. 7-12  may apply to one, some, or all of the cash handling devices in the cash recycler system. The user is asked to log in with a user ID and password  701 . 
       FIG. 8  shows screen shot  800  when a user logins into a recycler system in accordance with an aspect of the invention. The user must enter a valid user id/password combination in user id  801  and password  803  in order to successfully login into the cash recycler system. 
       FIG. 9  shows screen shot  901  with functional display items in accordance with an aspect of the invention. Referring to screen shot  800 , the user (i.e., name of person logging in) is identified as an administrator and thus has permission to administrative capabilities  907 ,  909 ,  911 , and  913  as well as non-administrative capabilities  901 ,  903 , and  905 . With the exemplary scenario shown in  FIGS. 7-12 , the user selects Admin Options  913  to configure a cash recycler system for the hours of operation. The user is not limited to configuring only one recycler but may configure a group of cash recyclers in a cash recycler system (e.g., cash handling devices  102 ,  104 , and  106 ) at a given time. 
       FIG. 10  shows screen shot  1000  with administrative display items corresponding to admin options  913  as shown in screen shot  900  in accordance with an aspect of the invention. The user (who must administrative permissions) may select from a number of administrative functions. With the exemplary scenario, the user selects security/limits  1001 . 
       FIG. 11  shows screen shot  1100 , which is associated with security/limits display items in accordance with an aspect of the invention. With the exemplary scenario, the user selects set hours of operation  1101  in order to configure the cash recycler&#39;s hours of operation. 
       FIG. 12  shows screen shot  1200  that enables an administrator to configure the hours of operation for a recycler system in accordance with an aspect of the invention. The administrator may select opening (beginning) times of operation on a per day basis from selections  1201  and closing (terminating) times of operation from selections  1203 . The configured hours are configured on a periodic basis, in which a given day of the week (e.g., Monday) is configured with the same opening and closing times without special consideration of events and holidays. However, hours of operation are typically adjusted for holidays. As will be discussed, further administrative capabilities enable the administrator to configure hours of operations for particular days (e.g., Christmas, December 25) so that hours of operation can be altered from the periodic hours of operation. 
       FIG. 13  shows screen shot  1300  with a calendar display that enable an administrator to configure the hours of operation for a recycler system in accordance with an aspect of the invention. The administrator may set the hours of operation for any specific day using the calendar capability. However, the administrator typically sets the hours of operation with the calendar capability only when the hours of operation vary from the periodically set hours. For example, entry  1301  (corresponding to December 23) sets the opening time to 6:00 am, while entry  1303  (corresponding to December 25) does not set any operation during Christmas. Moreover, the exception hours may be optionally repeated every year, e.g., when a holiday occurs on the same day each year. 
     Although not required, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various aspects described herein may be embodied as a method, a data processing system, or as one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions. Accordingly, those aspects may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. In addition, various signals representing data or events as described herein may be transferred between a source and a destination in the form of light and/or electromagnetic waves traveling through signal-conducting media such as metal wires, optical fibers, and/or wireless transmission media (e.g., air and/or space). 
     Aspects of the invention have been described in terms of illustrative embodiments thereof. Numerous other embodiments, modifications and variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims will occur to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a review of this disclosure. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the steps illustrated in the illustrative figures may be performed in other than the recited order, and that one or more steps illustrated may be optional in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.