Patent Publication Number: US-2010131374-A1

Title: Integrated Currency Scales

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Businesses and other organizations often require a supply of cash to fund transactions such as providing change for customer purchases. In some instances, such businesses and organizations use a cash handling device to provide an accessible cash supply. Occasionally, the supply of cash (e.g., specific denominations of currency) must be replenished. Typically, to replenish the supply of cash, a business will have to monitor a cash handling device and manually submit a request for more cash (i.e., a change order) to a financial institution. 
     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. 
     According to aspects of the present disclosure, a cash handling device such as a cash register may include integrated currency and/or coin scales. Currency and coin scales are configured to determine an amount of currency or coin based on their weight. Using such an integrated system, data regarding the financials of the cash handling device may be immediately determined and retrieved as needed. Additionally, funds do not need to transferred to a currency or coin counting machine just to obtain a determination of an amount of funds. 
     According to another aspect, a point of sale system having a coin scale might not include a paper currency scale. In such instances, reconciliation may be facilitated by receiving coin amount information from the point of sale system while determining paper currency amount information at the reconciliation device. For example, an employee such as a cashier may transport the paper currency to the reconciliation device (e.g., a currency recycler), at which point the reconciliation device may determine an amount of paper currency deposited into the device. 
    
    
     
       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 cash recycler that may be used in accordance with the operating environment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  illustrates various features of cash recyclers used in various aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a system configuration that may be used in accordance with an aspect described herein. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a point of sale system having an integrated currency scale according to one or more aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an example method for determining an amount of currency or coin in a point of sale system according to one or more aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an example method for retrieving currency and coin information according to one or more aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an example method for reconciliation funds from a point of sale system according to one or more aspects described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Aspects of the present disclosure relate to cash handling devices. 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), depository machines, currency recyclers 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 five-dollar bill into a cash recycler machine, the same five-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 a suitable operating environment 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 ( 3 G) 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 recycling units such as stackers  217  or rolled stored modules (RSMs). 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 more 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. In some configurations, RSMs (not shown) may be used instead of or in addition to stackers  217 . 
     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, counterfeits, 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 counterfeit. 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 provide a break down of 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 many 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, and U.S. application Ser. No. 12/241,385, having attorney docket no. 007131.00267, entitled “Immediate Recognition of Financial Transactions,” and filed on Sep. 30, 2008, the content of each being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     As described, using a back office currency recycler may require a user to physically transport paper currency and/or coin from a point of sale system such as a cash register to the recycler for reconciliation at the end of the day. Similarly, when a cash register is opened or an employee is beginning his or her shift, cash may be withdrawn from the recycler and transported to a particular register. Thus, a cash recycler and a financial institution might not have information about the amount of currency or coin within a register until the end of the day or shift when an employee brings a till to the recycler for reconciliation and deposit. Similar issues may also arise for other types of cash handling devices. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a point of sale system  500  that includes cash drawer  501  configured to slide in and out of housing  503 . Cash drawer  501  may be configured to store both currency and coin. In addition, cash drawer  501  may include multiple compartments  505  for storing different denominations of currency and coins, a currency scale  507  and a coin scale  509  that may each be used to determine an amount of currency and coin, respectively, currently stored in the point of sale system  500 . Point of sale system  500  further includes a communication interface  511  for transmitting transaction and other financial data to other devices including a back office cash recycler or server, a financial institution server and the like. Display  513  is configured to display transaction and system information as needed. Display  513  may be a touch-sensitive display to further facilitate information entry. In one or more arrangements, point of sale system  500  may further include card readers (e.g., credit card or employee ID card readers), receipt printers, automated change dispensers, programmable input devices (e.g., keyboards with keys for different products) and the like. Examples of current currency scales include CASHMASTER and KLOPP COIN. 
     Cash drawer  501  may slide in and out of housing  503  along slide brackets  515  using rollers  517 . In one or more arrangements, housing  503  may include a sensor  519  that is configured to detect when cash drawer  501  is fully inserted into housing  503 . Full insertion may also trigger a locking mechanism (not shown) that prevents withdrawal of drawer  501  until the lock is released (e.g., by entering an authorization code or conducting a corresponding transaction). Cash drawer  501  may further be removable from housing  503  and point of sale system  500  so that an employee may bring cash drawer  501  to another device (e.g., a cash recycler) for reconciling and/or depositing funds. 
     Currency scale  507 , as illustrated, is positioned at the bottom of drawer  501  and underneath compartment  505   a  such that scale  507  may sense the weight of compartment  505   a  and its contents. One or both of compartments  505  and/or currency scale  507  may be removable from drawer  501 . Currency scale  507  may include a data connection to a controller or processor in point of sale system  500 . Alternatively or additionally, currency scale  507  may provide currency and coin data to a remote system (e.g., a back office management system or cash handling device) through a network connection. Although a single currency scale  507  is illustrated, multiple currency scales may be used, e.g., one for each of compartments  505 . 
     In one or more configurations, point of sale system  500  may further include a storage device  520  such as a computer readable media device for storing a database of information. Storage device  520  may be configured to store transaction data, an amount of funds log, employee login/logout logs and the like. The data may be stored indefinitely in storage device  520  or until the data is transferred to another system such as a back office server. 
     According to one or more aspects, a point of sale system might not include currency scales for paper currency portions. Paper currency might instead be transferred between a point of sale system and a cash room or back office safe for security purposes. Thus, the currency may be counted when transferred rather than while stored in the point of sale system. Coin, on the other hand, might not pose as great of a risk and thus, remain in a point of sale system. Accordingly, coin scales may be used for the coin portions of the system to detect the amount stored therein. Thus, reconciliation may be performed using the data from the counting or determination performed when the paper currency is transferred to the back office in addition to the coin information that may be determined using the coin scales in the point of sale system. In yet another configuration, a point of sale system may include paper currency scales but not coin scales. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an example method for determining an amount of currency or coin in a point of sale system. In step  600 , a point of sale system may detect that a transaction is being made or has been made. The detection may involve identifying that user input corresponds to a transaction, opening or closing of a register drawer, changes in weight of the compartments in the register drawer and/or combinations thereof. If a transaction is being made or has been completed, the point of sale system may determine whether the register drawer or some other money storage facility is closed or in a predefined position in step  605 . Step  605  may be required in order to insure that an amount of currency and coin in the drawer or compartments thereof are undisturbed during a currency and coin amount determination/verification process. For example, the point of sale system may determine whether the register drawer is in the predefined or secured position based on sensors (such as sensor  519  in  FIG. 5 ) or based on whether a lock has been triggered. If the register drawer is in the predefined position, the point of sale system may determine an amount of currency and coin in the drawer in step  610 . The determination process may include a period where the weight is allowed to stabilize within the drawer. The period may be defined by a specific amount of time, a degree of weight fluctuation, time between fluctuations and the like. 
     Optionally, in step  615 , the amount of currency or a change in the amount of currency or coin may be stored. The amount may further be stored in association with a transaction identifier to log the amount involved in the transaction. In step  620 , the amount of currency or coin and/or the transaction information may be transmitted through a network to a back office system. Alternatively or additionally, the transaction information may be transmitted to a financial institution for immediate recognition of funds (e.g., where money was added to the point of sale system). In step  625 , the point of sale system may receive a confirmation that the information was received and/or the amount of funds was recognized. 
     With a currency scale integrated into a point of sale system or other currency handling device, a back office system or a financial institution may also request an accounting of funds in those devices on a periodic or aperiodic basis.  FIG. 7 , for example, illustrates a method for retrieving currency and coin amount information from a point of sale system or other cash handling device. In step  700 , a system may determine whether to request financial information from a specified cash handling device. The determination may be based on a predefined schedule, an on-demand request, beginning or end of employee shifts, closing or opening times of business and/or combinations thereof. If the system determines that it is to request a currency and coin accounting from the cash handling device, the system may issue such a request to the cash handling device in step  705 . In response to the request, the system may receive information regarding an amount of currency and coin in the cash handling device in step  71   0 . Optionally, the system may transmit a confirmation of receipt and/or recognition to the cash handling device in step  715 . 
     The features and aspects described herein may be used in various types of cash handling devices beyond point of sale systems. For example, features like integration of a currency or coin scale may be included in automated teller machines, coin exchange systems and the like so that an amount of currency or coin in the device may be determined without having to remove the funds from the machine. Reconciliation and recognition may be processed more quickly and efficiently using integrated currency and coin scales. In addition to or as an alternative to currency scales, other currency or coin amount determination mechanisms may be used. For example, an amount of currency or coin in a device may be determined based on the height of a stack of coins or bills. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a method for reconciling funds from a point of sale system. In step  800 , a cash handling device or a financial institution server may receive a reconciliation command. The command may originate from manual input or an automated scheduling process. In step  805 , the system may request information relating to an amount of coins in a point of sale system from the point of sale system. The point of sale system may include one or more coin scales that are able to determine (based on weight, for example) the amount of coin funds in the point of sale system. In step  810 , the system may subsequently receive information relating to an amount of currency associated with the same point of sale system. The information may be received from the point of sale system, a separate currency counting device or from an internal counting mechanism of the financial institution server or cash handling device. In one example, the paper currency information may be received from an internal counting mechanism of the cash handling device upon an employee or user transferring the paper currency from the point of sale system to the cash handling device (e.g., at the end of a shift or day). In step  815 , the system may further identify transactions associated with the point of sale system being reconciled. Transaction information may be sent from the point of sale system to the back office or the financial institution as the transaction occurs or at specified times. Alternatively or additionally, the point of sale system may store transaction information throughout the day or shift and provide such information in an on-demand manner. In step  820 , the funds originating from the point of sale system may be reconciled based on the transaction information. 
     The methods and features recited herein may further be implemented through any number of computer readable media that are able to store computer readable instructions. Examples of computer readable media that may be used include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, DVD, or other optical disc storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic storage and the like. 
     While illustrative systems and methods described herein embodying various aspects are shown, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to these embodiments. Modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. For example, each of the elements of the aforementioned embodiments may be utilized alone or in combination or sub-combination with the elements in the other embodiments. It will also be appreciated and understood that modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention. The description is thus to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive on the present invention.