Patent Publication Number: US-2007114717-A1

Title: Paper sheet handling apparatus

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY  
      The present application claims priority from Japanese application serial No. 2005-335703 filed on Nov. 21, 2005, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a paper sheet handling apparatus for handling paper sheets, such as cards, bills and itemized papers for instance.  
      Paper sheet handling apparatuses for handling paper sheets, such as automatic teller machines installed at financial institutions to handle bills, are already offered for public use. In such a paper sheet handling apparatus, a conveyance path for conveying paper sheets, an inlet/outlet for accepting and/or delivering paper sheets, and stocking units for stocking paper sheets are equipped with various driving devices. These driving devices may become unable to operate normally on account of the wear of parts or some contingency. Such inability of driving devices to operate normally would invite a troubled state of the paper sheet handling apparatus and make it unable to continue operation unless the trouble is eliminated.  
      In view of this, an automatic transaction system which can continue operation by identifying the occurring position and other aspects of the trouble after it has arisen and avoid that occurring position of the trouble is proposed (see Patent Reference 1). This automatic transaction system is claimed to enable failures of automatic transaction apparatuses to be reduced by avoiding trouble occurring positions.  
      However, this automatic transaction system still involves the problem that the automatic transaction apparatus fails when a trouble occurs in an unavoidable position.  
      Moreover, since this automatic transaction system restores the trouble occurring position after the trouble has arisen, it involves inconvenience where the maintenance base is far away as in an overseas location or the like. Thus, where the maintenance base is far away, it is desirable to perform regular maintenance to replace defective parts, worn-out parts and the like before any trouble occurs, and this automatic transaction system is nothing useful for such preventive maintenance.  
      [Patent Reference 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 08-077417  
     SUMAMRY OF THE INVENTION  
      An object of the present invention, attempted in view of the problems noted above, is to make it possible to inform, at the time of maintenance for regular inspection or the like, personnel in charge of any part where a trouble is predictable to enable them to perform inspection or maintenance before the trouble occurs and thereby to reduce the duration the failure of the apparatus.  
      The invention provides a paper sheet handling apparatus characterized in that plural sensors for detecting the passage of paper sheets are arranged, the apparatus is provided with a determining device which determines the state of conveyance of the paper sheets in a sensor section until each sensor on a conveyance path on the basis of the time of passage of the paper sheets at the front end and the time of passage of the same at the rear end of the pertinent sensor, and an output device for outputting the result of determination by the determining device.  
      The invention makes it possible to inform, at the time of maintenance for regular inspection or the like, personnel in charge of any part where a trouble is predictable to enable them to perform inspection or maintenance before the trouble occurs and thereby to reduce the duration the failure of the apparatus. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic configurational diagram of a bill handling apparatus;  
       FIG. 2  is a control block diagram of the bill handling apparatus;  
       FIGS. 3A  to  3 C are diagrams illustrative of processing sensor change times;  
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of figuring out the conveyance distance and the bill length variation rate when there is one destination of conveyance;  
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of figuring out the conveyance distance and the bill length variation rate when there are two destinations of conveyance;  
       FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrative of standard conveyance information when counting deposited bills;  
       FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrative of standard conveyance information when accepting deposited bills;  
       FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrative of standard conveyance information when delivering bills (forward conveyance);  
       FIG. 9  is a diagram illustrative of standard conveyance information when storing rejected bills for delivery;  
       FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrative of error specifying component information;  
       FIG. 11  is a flowchart of outputting trouble prediction;  
       FIG. 12  shows an image of a maintenance screen (of a predicted error occurrence section); and  
       FIG. 13  shows an image of a maintenance screen (of detailed information on a predicted error occurrence section). 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below together with drawings.  
      First, a bill handling apparatus which, mounted on an automatic machine such as an automatic teller machine, performs control pertaining to the depositing and delivery of bills as paper sheets will be described.  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing of a bill handling apparatus, which is an embodiment of the invention.  
      In  FIG. 1 , reference numeral  1  denotes a bill handling apparatus as a paper sheet handling apparatus;  2  denotes a discriminating unit for discriminating the denominations and trueness or falseness of bill;  3  through  6  denote bill boxes in which bills can be separated or stacked;  7  denotes a rejected bill box for keeping rejected bills;  8  denotes a temporary stocking box for rolling and temporarily stocking bills;  9  denotes a deposit/withdrawal unit as a port to accepting and delivering bill;  10  denotes a conveyance path for conveying bills to different units in the apparatus;  21  through  26  denote gates for switching over the conveying direction of bills; and  31  through  46  denote sensors for detecting the passage of bills.  
      The sensors  31  through  46  are sensors on the conveyance path, of which  35  and  36  also serve as stack inlet sensors and  31 , as a separation outlet sensor. Further,  34  and  42  through  45  also serve as separation outlet sensors and stack inlet sensors.  
       FIG. 2  is a control unit block diagram of the bill handling apparatus  1 .  
      In  FIG. 2 , reference numeral  201  denotes a superior apparatus mounted with the bill handling apparatus  1 , such as an automatic teller machine.  
      A main control unit  202  is the main control unit of the bill handling apparatus  1 .  
      A line control unit  203  transmits and receives information between the superior apparatus  201  and the main control unit  202 .  
      A conveyance motor control unit  204  is connected to a conveyance motor, not shown, for driving the conveyance path  10 , and controls the conveyance motor. Also, the conveyance motor control unit  204  counts the extent of the shift of the conveyance motor, registers it in a motor time area  205 , and registers information on the speed change of the conveyance motor in a conveyance motor speed change information area  206 .  
      Similarly, a separation motor control unit  207  is connected to a separation motor, not shown, provided in each of the bill cassettes  3  through  6  as accommodating units to control the separation motors, and registers speed change information on the separation motors in a separation motor speed change information area  208 .  
      A stack motor control unit  209  is connected to a stack motor, not shown, provided in each of the bill boxes  3  through  6 , and the rejected bill box  7 , to control the stack motors, and registers speed change information on the stack motor in a stack motor speed change information area  210 .  
      A sensor control unit controls the sensors  31  through  46  on the conveyance path  10 , and registers the change time of each sensor in a sensor change time registration area  212 .  
      A conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  as the determining device monitors conveyed bills by using the sensors  31  through  46  on the conveyance path  10  at the instruction of the main control unit  202 , and registers in a conveyance status information area  214  bill length variation rates acquired on the basis of detection by the sensors  31  through  46  on the conveyance path  10 .  
      A gate control unit  215  turns on or off gates  21  through  26  at the instruction of the main control unit  202 . Also, the gate control unit  215  registers in a gate change information area  216  the turned-on time and the turned-off time of each of the gates  21  through  26  and, periodically checking the current gate status, registers the gate status in a gate status information area  217 .  
      Standard conveyance information is registered in a standard conveyance information area  218 . This standard conveyance information is information obtained by conveying bills in advance in the processing of money depositing and delivery or the like by using plural bill handling apparatuses similar to the bill handling apparatus  1 , and calculating the statistically standard conveyance state according to the bill conveyance state of each bill handling apparatus  1  at the time.  
      Error specifying component information is registered in an error specifying component information area  119  at the time of shipment. This error specifying component information is information on components which require checkup for any error in each of plural error sections in which errors are predictable.  
      Incidentally, in the standard conveyance information area  218  and error specifying component information area  119 , it is possible to reregister new standard conveyance information or error specifying component information, whichever may apply, from the superior apparatus  201  via the line control unit  203  when a change in component or a change in control necessitates a change in standard conveyance information or error specifying component information after the shipment of the bill handling apparatus  1 . Therefore, the line control unit  203 , the standard conveyance information area  218  and the error specifying component information area  119  function as means of permitting registration.  
      Next, processing to determine the status of bill conveyance will be described with respect to money acceptance and money discharging by way of example.  
       FIG. 3A  is a configurational diagram showing the configuration of the first sensor  31  and the conveyance path  10 ;  FIG. 3B  is a diagram illustrative of registration in the sensor change time registration area  212  wherein the change times of the sensors  31  through  46  on the conveyance path  10  are registered; and  FIG. 3C  is a flowchart of processing to register the change times of the sensors  31  through  46  on the conveyance path  10  in the sensor change time registration area  212 .  
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of figuring out the conveyance distance to the conveyance status information area  214  and the bill length variation rate when there is one destination of conveyance.  
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of figuring out the conveyance distance to the conveyance status information area  214  and the bill length variation rate when the conveyance is divided between plural destinations.  
      When bills are set by a customer in the deposit/withdrawal unit  9  (see  FIG. 1 ), the main control unit  202  (see  FIG. 2 ) receives an instruction from the superior apparatus  201  via the line control unit  203 , and performs deposited bill counting.  
      The main control unit  202  informs the conveyance motor control unit  204 , the separation motor control unit  207 , the stack motor control unit  209 , the sensor control unit  211 , the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  and the gate control unit  215  of the start of operation. This causes the conveyance motor control unit  204  to instruct a conveyance motor, not shown, to be driven in the forward direction, causes the conveyance path  10  to turn in the forward direction, and motor times to be registered in the motor time area  205  from time to time.  
      On the other hand, the sensor control unit  211  initializes the processing pointer  312  and the storage pointer  311  of each sensor to their respective leading positions (step S 313 ).  
      After that, the main control unit  202  instructs the separation motor control unit  207  to drive the separation motor, not shown, of the deposit/withdrawal unit  9  (see  FIG. 1 ), and causes bills to be fed one by one from the deposit/withdrawal unit  9  to the conveyance path  10 .  
      The fed bills are handed over to the conveyance path  10 , pass the sensors  31  and  32 , and conveyed to the discriminating unit  2 . The discriminating unit  2  discriminates the bills as to their trueness or falseness, presence or absence of damage, and conveyance status.  
      The main control unit  202  decides the destinations of the bills, such as the deposit/withdrawal unit  9  for rejected bills and the temporary stocking box  8  for normal bills. According to the decided destinations, the main control unit  202  issues an on/off instruction for the gate  21  to the gate control unit  215  according to the sequence of bill conveyance.  
      If it is a normal bill, this normal bill is caused to pass the sensors  33  and  34 , and temporarily stocked in the temporary stocking box  8 .  
      If it is a rejected bill, this rejected bill is caused to pass the sensors  33  and  35 , and sequentially stacked behind the partition plate of the deposit/withdrawal unit  9 . In this process, the sensor control unit  211  watches the light-to-dark and dark-to-light changes of the sensors, and at the same time registers the time of each variation in the sensor change time registration area  212  on the basis of information from the motor time area  205 .  
      For instance, if a light-to-dark change is detected by the sensor  31  (step S 314 ), the reading of the motor time area  205  at the time of the light-to-dark change is registered (step S 315 ) in the leading position area in the area pointed by the processing pointer  312  ( FIG. 3B ), and the processing pointer  312  is updated by +1 (step S 316 ).  
      Next, if a dark-to-light change is detected by the sensor  31  (step S 317 ), the reading of the motor time area  205  at the time of the dark-to-light change is registered (step S 318 ) in the trailing position area of the area pointed by the storage pointer  311  ( FIG. 3B ), and the storage pointer  311  is updated by +1 (step S 319 ).  
      The processing at these steps S 314  through S 319  is carried on in response to the passage of each bill until the conveyance of all the bills is completed (step S 320 ).  
      The controls at these steps S 314  through S 320  are similarly performed on the sensors  32  through  46  on the conveyance path  10  at the times of deposited money acceptance and of delivering money. Thus, the change time of each of the sensors  32  through  46  is registered in the sensor change time registration area  212  of each on the basis of information in the motor time area  205 .  
      After all the bills are conveyed to the temporary stocking box  8  and the deposit/withdrawal unit  9 , the main control unit  202  instructs the conveyance motor control unit  204  to stop the conveyance motor, and at the same time instructs the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  to create conveyance status information. The conveyance monitoring/control unit  213 , instructed to create conveyance status information, creates conveyance status information from the sensor change time registration area  212  and registers it in the conveyance status information area  214 .  
      Next, the method of creating conveyance status information will be described with reference to the flowcharts of  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 .  
      First, a case in which bills are not divided by a gate but are conveyed to only one destination as in the sensor section from the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  will be described with reference to the flowchart of  FIG. 4 . In this case, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  uses information from the leading information of the sensor change time registration area  212  of each of the sensor  31  and the sensor  32  to the information pointed by the processing pointer  312  and the storage pointer  311 , and figures out the conveyance distance and the bill length variation rate as conveyance status information.  
      First, to make comparison from the first bill onward, N=1 being supposed (step S 403 ), the conveyance distance from the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  (the distance of conveying the bill the sensor section from the sensor  31  to the sensor  32 ) is figured out (step S 404 ) from the sensor  31 &#39;s front end time of the N-th bill (the time at which the leading edge of the N-th bill passed the sensor  31 ) and the sensor  32 &#39;s front end time of the N-th bill.  
      The conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  determines whether or not the figured-out conveyance distance is greater than the maximum conveyance distance from the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  already registered in the conveyance status information area  214  (step S 405 ) and, if it is greater, sets the conveyance distance of the N-th bill in the maximum conveyance distance area (step S 406 ).  
      Also, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  adds the figured-out conveyance distance of the N-th bill to the total conveyance distance area for the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  at the time of this conveyance (step S 407 ).  
      Next, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  figures out the bill length at the sensor  31  from the sensor  31 &#39;s front end time of the N-th bill and the sensor  31 &#39;s rear end time of the N-th bill (the time at which the trailing edge of the N-th bill passed the sensor  31 ) (step S 408 ). Similarly, it also figures out the bill length at the sensor  32  (step S 409 ).  
      The conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  figures out the bill length variation rate, which is the rate of variation of the bill length in the sensor section from the sensor  31  to the sensor  32 , from the figured-out bill lengths at the sensor  31  and the sensor  32  (step S 410 ). This bill length variation rate is calculated by dividing the bill length at the sensor  32 , which is the later step, by the bill length at the sensor  31 , which is the earlier step.  
      And the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  determines whether or not the figured-out bill length variation rate is greater than the maximum bill length variation rate from the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  already registered in the conveyance status information area  214  (step S 411 ) and, if it is greater, sets the bill length variation rate in the maximum bill length variation rate area (step S 412 ).  
      Also, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  adds the figured-out bill length variation rate of the N-th bill to the total bill length variation rate area for the sensor  31  and the sensor  32  (step S 413 ). This addition is accomplished by updating by +1 the N-th bill information from the front end time until the rear end time pointed by the respective processing pointer  312  and storage pointer  311  of the sensor  31  and the sensor  32  (step S 414 ).  
      When the processing has been completed for all the bills conveyed from the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  (the processing pointer  312  and the storage pointer  311  have been reached) (step S 415 ), the value of the total conveyance distance area for the current conveyance from the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  is divided by (N−1) to calculate the average conveyance distance from the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  and, only when it is greater than the average conveyance distance from the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  already registered in the conveyance status information area  214 , it is registered in the average conveyance distance area of the conveyance status information area  214 (step S 416 ). Similarly, the average bill length variation rate for the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  is calculated and set (step S 417 ).  
      In the same way, the conveyance distance and the bill length variation rate is also figured out for the sensor  32  to the sensor  33 , which is another conveyance section.  
      From the sensor  32  to the sensor  33  where bills are not divided by a gate, the conveyance distance and the bill length variation rate can be figured out in this way.  
      Next, a case in which bills are divided by a gate between the sensor  33  to the sensor  34  and the sensor  33  to the sensor  35  and conveyed to destinations will be described with reference to the flowchart of  FIG. 5 . In this case, the conveyance distance and the bill length variation rate are calculated by using the leading information of the sensor change time registration area  212  of each of the sensor  33 , the sensor  34  and the sensor  35  to the information pointed by the processing pointer  312  and the storage pointer  311 .  
      First, to compare from the first of each, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  supposes N=1, M=1 and L=1 (step S 501 ), and determines whether or not the destination of the N-th bill is the temporary stocking box  8  (step S 502 ).  
      Incidentally, N represents the total number of bills to be conveyed, and M and L represent the numbers of bills passing the respectively corresponding sensors. In this embodiment, M represents the number of bills passing the sensor  34  and L represents that of bills passing the sensor  35 .  
      If the destination is the temporary stocking box  8 , the conveyance distance from the sensor  33  to the sensor  34  is calculated from the front end time of the N-th bill at the sensor  33  and the front end time of the M-th bill at the sensor  34  (step S 503 ).  
      The conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  determines whether or not the figured-out conveyance distance of the M-th bill is greater than the maximum conveyance distance from the sensor  33  to the sensor  34  already registered in the maximum conveyance distance area  214  (step S 504 ) and, if it is greater, sets the conveyance distance of the M-th bill in the maximum conveyance distance area (step S 505 ).  
      Also, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  adds the figured-out conveyance distance of the M-th bill to the total conveyance distance area for the sensor  33  to the sensor  34  at the time of this conveyance (step S 506 ).  
      Next, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  figures out the bill length at the sensor  33  from the sensor  33 &#39;s front end time of the N-th bill and the sensor  33 &#39;s rear end time of the N-th bill (step S 507 ). Similarly, it also figures out the M-th bill length at the sensor  34  (step S 508 ).  
      The conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  figures out the M-th bill length variation rate from the figured-out bill lengths of the N-th bill at the sensor  33  and of the M-th bill at the sensor  34  (step S 509 ); determines whether or not it is greater than the maximum bill length variation rate from the sensor  33  to the sensor  34  already registered in the conveyance status information area  214  (step S 510 ) and, if it is greater, sets the M-th bill length variation rate in the maximum bill length variation rate area (step S 511 ).  
      Also, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  adds the figured-out bill length variation rate of the M-th bill to the total bill length variation rate area for the sensor  33  and the sensor  34  (step S 512 ). This addition is accomplished, where the destination is the temporary stocking box  8 , by updating by +1 the M-th bill information (step S 513 ) from the front end time until the rear end time pointed by the processing pointer  312  and the storage pointer  311  of the sensor  34  and updating by +1 the N-th bill information (step S 524 ).  
      If at step S 502  above the destination is not the temporary stocking box  8  side but the deposit/withdrawal unit  9  side, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  figures out the conveyance distance from the sensor  33  to the sensor  35  from the front end time of the N-th bill at the sensor  33  and the front end time of the L-th bill at the sensor  35  (step S 514 ).  
      The conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  determines whether or not the figured-out conveyance distance of the L-th bill is greater than the maximum conveyance distance from the sensor  33  to the sensor  35  already registered in the conveyance status information area  214  (step S 515 ) and, if it is greater, sets the conveyance distance of the L-th bill in the maximum conveyance distance area (step S 516 ). Also, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  adds the figured-out conveyance distance of the L-th bill to the total conveyance distance area for the sensor  33  to the sensor  35  at the time of this conveyance (step S 517 ).  
      Next, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  figures out the bill length at the sensor  33  from the sensor  33 &#39;s front end time of the N-th bill and the sensor  33 &#39;s rear end time of the N-th bill (step S 518 ). Similarly, it also figures out the L-th bill length at the sensor  35  (step S 519 ).  
      The conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  figures out the L-th bill length variation rate from the figured-out bill lengths of the N-th bill at the sensor  33  and of the L-th bill at the sensor  35  (step S 520 ); determines whether or not it is greater than the maximum bill length variation rate from the sensor  33  to the sensor  35  already registered in the conveyance status information area  214  (step S 521 ) and, if it is greater, sets the L-th bill length variation rate in the maximum bill length variation rate area (step S 522 ).  
      Also, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  adds the figured-out bill length variation rate of the L-th bill to the total bill length variation rate area for the sensor  33  through the sensor  35  (step S 522 ). This addition is accomplished, where the destination is the deposit/withdrawal unit  9  side, by updating by +1 the L-th bill information (step S 523 ) from the front end time until the rear end time pointed by the processing pointer  312  and the storage pointer  311  of the sensor  35  and updating by +1 the N-th bill information (step S 524 ).  
      When the processing has been completed for all the bills conveyed to the sensor  33  to the sensor  34  and the sensor  33  to the sensor  35  (the processing pointer  312  and the storage pointer  311  have been reached) (step S 526 ), the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  divides by (N−1) the value of the total conveyance distance area for the current conveyance from the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  to calculate the average distance of conveyance from the sensor  33  to the sensor  34  and the sensor  33  to the sensor  35  this time; compares it with the average distance of conveyance from the sensor  33  to the sensor  34  and the sensor  33  to the sensor  35  already registered in the conveyance status information area  214 ; and, only when it is greater, registers it in the average conveyance distance area of the conveyance status information area  214  (step S 527 ). Similarly, the average bill length variation rate for the sensor  33  to the sensor  34  and the sensor  33  to the sensor  35  is calculated and set (step S 527 ).  
      After the creation of conveyance status information is completed, the main control unit  202  informs the superior apparatus  201  via the line control unit  203  of the completion of deposited money counting.  
      After that, when instructed by the superior apparatus  201  via the line control unit  203  to accept the deposited money, the main control unit  202  instructs the conveyance motor control unit  204  to drive the conveyance motor, not shown, in the reverse direction to feed out one by one the bills temporarily stocked in the temporary stocking box  8 , and to stack them in the bill boxes  3 ,  4 ,  5  or  6  and the rejected bill box  7  in accordance with result given by the discriminating unit  2 .  
      In this process, for the sensor sections of the sensor  34  to the sensor  33 , the sensor  33  to the sensor  32 , the sensor  32  to the sensor  31 , the sensor  31  to the sensor  36 , the sensor  36  to the sensor  37  and the sensor  41  to the sensor  42 , the conveyance distance and the bill length variation rate are calculated on the basis of the change time of each sensor as in the sensor section of the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  shown in  FIG. 4 .  
      Also, for the sensor sections of the sensor  37  to the sensor  38 , the sensor  37  to the sensor  46 , the sensor  38  to the sensor  39 , the sensor  38  to the sensor  45 , the sensor  39  to the sensor  40 , the sensor  39  to the sensor  44 , the sensor  40  to the sensor  41  and the sensor  40  to the sensor  43 , the conveyance distance and the bill length variation rate are calculated on the basis of the change time of each sensor as for the sensor sections of the sensor  33  to the sensor  34  and the sensor  33  to the sensor  35  shown in  FIG. 5 .  
      After completing the creation of conveyance status information in this way, the main control unit  202  informs the superior apparatus  201  via the line control unit  203  of the completion of deposited money acceptance.  
      Money delivering operation is performed by the main control unit  202  having received a money delivery instruction from the superior apparatus  201  via the line control unit  203 . Instructed to deliver money, the main control unit  202  informs the conveyance motor control unit  204 , the separation motor control unit  207 , the stack motor control unit  209 , the sensor control unit  211 , the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  and the gate control unit  215  of the start of operation.  
      This causes the conveyance motor control unit  204  to drive the conveyance motor, not shown, in the forward direction, the conveyance path  10  to turn in the forward direction and the motor time to be registered in the motor time area  205  from time to time. Also, the sensor control unit  211  initializes the processing pointer  312  and the storage pointer  311  of each sensor to their respective leading positions.  
      After that, the main control unit  202  instructs the separation motor control unit  207  to drive the separation motor, not shown, of the bill box  3 ,  4 ,  5  or  6  in which the pertinent denomination of money stored, and to feed out bills one by one out of the bill box in which the denomination of money is stored. The description here refers to feeding out of the bill box  3  by way of example.  
      The fed-out bills are handed over to the conveyance path  10  and, past the sensors  41 ,  40 ,  39 ,  38 ,  37 ,  36 ,  31  and  32 , are conveyed to the discriminating unit  2 . The discriminating unit  2  discriminates the bills as to their trueness or falseness, presence or absence of damage, denomination and conveyance status.  
      The main control unit  202  decides the destination of bills, such as the temporary stocking box  8  for rejected bills and the deposit/withdrawal unit  9  for normal bills. According to the decided destinations, the main control unit  202  issues an on/off instruction for the gate  21  to the gate control unit  215  according to the sequence of bill conveyance. If it is a normal bill, this normal bill is caused to pass the sensors  33  and  35 , and sequentially stacked in the deposit/withdrawal unit  9 . If it is a rejected bill, this rejected bill is caused to pass the sensors sensor  33  and  34 , and temporarily stocked in the temporary stocking box  8 .  
      The main control unit  202 , after stacking all the bills fed out of the bill box  3  in the deposit/withdrawal unit  9  or the temporary stocking box  8  according to the discrimination by the discriminating unit  2 , causes the conveyance motor control unit  204  to stop driving the conveyance motor.  
      And on the basis of the change time of each sensor, the conveyance distance and the bill length variation rate are calculated for the sensor sections of the sensor  41  to the sensor  40 , the sensor  40  to the sensor  39 , the sensor  39  to the sensor  38 , the sensor  38  to the sensor  37 , the sensor  37  to the sensor  36 , the sensor  36  to the sensor  31 , the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  and the sensor  32  to the sensor  33  in the same way as for the sensor section of the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  shown in  FIG. 4 , and the conveyance distance and the bill length variation rate are calculated for the sensor sections of the sensor  33  to the sensor  34  and the sensor  33  to the sensor  45  in the same way as for the deposited money counting in the sensor sections of the sensor  33  to the sensor  34  and the sensor  33  to the sensor  35  shown in  FIG. 5 .  
      After completing the creation of conveyance status information in this way, the main control unit  202  carries out storing of rejected bills for delivery temporarily stocked in the temporary stocking box to store them into the rejected bill box  7 . In this storing rejected bills for delivery, the main control unit  202  informs the conveyance motor control unit  204 , the separation motor control unit  207 , the stack motor control unit  209 , the sensor control unit  211 , the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  and the gate control unit  215  of the start of operation.  
      This causes the conveyance motor control unit  204  to instruct driving of the conveyance motor, not shown, in the reverse direction, turning of the conveyance path  10  in the reverse direction and registration of motor times in the motor time area  205  from time to time. Also, the sensor control unit  211  initializes the processing pointer  312  and the storage pointer  311  of each sensor to their respective leading positions.  
      Further, the conveyance motor control unit  204 , after driving the conveyance motor, not shown, in the reverse direction, feeds out one by one the bills temporarily stocked in the temporary stocking box  8 , and conveys them in the sequence of the sensors  34 ,  33 ,  32 ,  31 ,  36 ,  37  and  46  to store them into the rejected bill box  7 .  
      After storing all the bills in the temporary stocking box  8  into the rejected bill box  7 , the conveyance motor control unit  204  stops driving the conveyance motor. On the basis of the change time of each sensor, the conveyance monitoring/control unit  213  calculates the conveyance distance and the bill length variation rate for the sensor sections of the sensor  34  to the sensor  33 , the sensor  33  to the sensor  32 , the sensor  32  to the sensor  31 , the sensor  31  to the sensor  36 , the sensor  36  to the sensor  37  and the sensor  37  to the sensor  46  in the same way as for the sensor section of the sensor  31  to the sensor  32  shown in  FIG. 4 .  
      In this way, both in receiving and delivering money, the maximum and average conveyance distances and bill length variation rates can be figured out. It is also possible to secure total information since the shipment and the information and information area for the last three months (this month, the month before and the month still before), calculate and register the conveyance distances and bill length variation rates on that basis, and keep track of changes in the status of the apparatus according to such information.  
      At the time of shipment, it is possible to receive and deliver money with plural similar bill handling apparatuses  1 , calculate for each sensor section the maximum conveyance distance, the maximum bill length variation rate, the average conveyance distance and the average bill length variation rate, decide the permissible limits of each, and register them from the superior apparatus  201  into the standard conveyance information area  218  via the line control unit  203 .  
      Similarly, it is possible to decide information on predictable trouble and remedies for each sensor section of predicted error occurrence, and register them from the superior apparatus  201  into the error specifying component information area  219  via the line control unit  203 .  
      Incidentally, it is preferable to calculate the maximum, minimum and average Mahalanobis distances and the standard deviation on the basis of information on the shift or skew of bills, bill spacing, conveyance distance or length variation rate, figure out unit spaces by the MT method on the basis of the calculated Mahalanobis distances, and register these unit spaces in the standard conveyance information area  218 .  
      Next will be described the standard conveyance information used for predicting error occurrence and the error specifying component information which is component information regarding components whose errors are predictable.  
       FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  show examples of the standard conveyance information area  218  registered in advance at the time of shipment.  
      For counting deposited bills, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the permissible maximum and the permissible average of the conveyance distance and the permissible maximum and the permissible average of the bill length variation rate are stored in the standard conveyance information area  218  for each pertinent sensor section.  
      For accepting deposited bills, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the permissible maximum and the permissible average of the conveyance distance and the permissible maximum and the permissible average of the bill length variation rate are stored in the standard conveyance information area  218  for each pertinent sensor section.  
      For delivering bills, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the permissible maximum and the permissible average of the conveyance distance and the permissible maximum and the permissible average of the bill length variation rate are stored in the standard conveyance information area  218  for each pertinent sensor section.  
      For storing rejected bills for delivery, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the permissible maximum and the permissible average of the conveyance distance and the permissible maximum and the permissible average of the bill length variation rate are stored in the standard conveyance information area  218  for each pertinent sensor section.  
       FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrative of the error specifying component information  219  registered in advance at the time of shipment.  
      In the error specifying component information  219 , there are stored information on predictable trouble and remedies. For each sensor section of predicted error occurrence, plural items of component information are stored, and a remedy is stored for each individual one of these items of component information.  
      Next, the operation to output trouble prediction will be described.  
       FIG. 11  is a flowchart showing the operation to output trouble prediction.  
       FIG. 12  and  FIG. 13  are prior error predictive screens, each being one maintenance screen displayed on a display unit by the manipulation of personnel in charge.  
      At the time of regular inspection by personnel in charge or on a similar occasion, when an input device such as a key switch is manipulated for inputting and the bill handling apparatus  1  is switched over to the inspection mode (step S 601 ), the main control unit  202  as the control device compares the standard conveyance information area  218  and the conveyance status information area  214  to perform trouble prediction (step S 602 ). In this trouble prediction, if any value in the conveyance status information area  214  is found variant to a certain extent or more from the corresponding value in the standard conveyance information area  218 , the main control unit  202  determines that conveyance section (the sensor section) as a conveyance section in which trouble is predictable.  
      Incidentally, it is preferable to determine the presence or absence of any variance to a certain extent or more by calculating Mahalanobis distances regarding the conveyance distance and the bill length variation rate and seeing whether or not these Mahalanobis distances are within the aforementioned unit space.  
      In trouble prediction, if any value in the conveyance status information area  214  is found variant to a certain extent or more from the corresponding value in the standard conveyance information area  218  (step S 603 ), the main control unit  202  displays on a display device as an output device, not shown, a maintenance screen  701  containing information on the predicted error occurrence section as predictable trouble information as shown in  FIG. 12  (step S 604 ). In this maintenance screen  701 , there are provided an action display section  702 , a “Next predicted error occurrence section displayed” button  703 , a “Detailed information on this section displayed” button  704 , a “Maintenance screen ended” button  705  and a trouble part display diagram  706 .  
      The action display section  702  lights and displays the component whose trouble is predictable (such as a specific component of the conveyance path  10 , the discriminating unit  2  or a specific one among the sensors  31  through  46 ) in a different color from other components (a conspicuous color, such as red for instance). In this way, personnel in charge are made aware of any component in which the occurrence of an abnormality which may invite trouble, such as the wear of a roller, invasion of a foreign matter or a hitch on the belt, is more likely, in other words any component whose trouble is predictable.  
      When a person in charge presses the “Detailed information on this section displayed” button  704  of the predicted error occurrence section display screen (step S 605 ), the main control unit  202  causes the display device to display a detailed information display screen as shown in  FIG. 13 , and causes the maximum and the average in that predicted error occurrence section to be displayed (step S 606 ). This can urge the person in charge to check the conveyance status in the predicted error occurrence section.  
      The information on the predicted error occurrence section and detailed information on the predicted error occurrence section are made printable by a printing device. It is also made possible to review the standard conveyance information area  218  by collecting information on each apparatus and statistically surveying the conveyance statuses in predicted error occurrence sections. If the findings of the survey reveal the need to review the standard conveyance information area  218 , it is made possible to prevent maintenance by personnel in charge regarding variations within a certain range in any specified conveyance section until the superior apparatus  201  alters the standard conveyance information area  218  via the line control unit  203  (prevention of unnecessary maintenance work due to a bill factor or fluctuations in the environment or the like).  
      If variations are found at step S 603  described above to be within a certain range in all the conveyance section, “Normal” is displayed on the screen (step S 607 ) to inform the personnel in charge.  
      The operations described above make it possible to monitor the status of conveyance by each sensor and record any variation in the conveyance status. While this variation in the conveyance status may be due to one of various causes such as the wear of a roller or abnormality of a gate, a variation in the conveyance status due to a delay in bill conveyance or a skew can be identified by measuring the conveyance distance of bills and comparing it with the conveyance distance on a normal occasion. From this variation in the conveyance status, any conveyance section in which trouble is predictable can be identified, and personnel in charge can be warned in advance for regular inspection of this conveyance section or like actions. The personnel in charge can take an action, such as replacing an expendable item, on the basis of information on predictable error occurrence displayed at the time regular inspection, remove the potential trouble in advance of its actualization and reduce the failure of the apparatus due to trouble occurrence.  
      In particular, by figuring out the bill length on the basis of the front end passage time and the rear end passage time of each bill regarding each of the sensors  31  through  46 , a bill longer than the normal length can be determined to be skewed, for instance, and personnel in charge can be made aware of the presence of abnormality which might invite trouble in the future in any of the sensor sections until the pertinent sensor.  
      Further the conveyance distance of a bill in a sensor section, which is the interval between adjacent sensors, is figured out according to the points of time at which the bill passed the adjacent sensors in sequence (the front end passage times in this embodiment) and it is determined whether or not this conveyance distance is appropriate, therefore personnel in charge can be made aware of the presence of abnormality which might invite trouble in the future in this sensor section.  
      Also, to display predictable error occurrence information, personnel in charge can check this predictable error occurrence information and remove the cause for potential trouble before it is actualized.  
      Where calculation of Mahalanobis distances is done, trouble can be predicted more accurately.  
      Further, as each sensor section and components whose trouble is predictable in that sensor section are matched in their storage in the error specifying component information  219  and their registration are permitted to make possible updating, appropriate adaptation to version upgrading or software replacement in the bill handling apparatus  1  can be accomplished.  
      Since predictable error occurrence information is displayed only when personnel in charge performs regular inspection or the like, there is no possibility for predictable error occurrence information to be displayed when a common customer is to use the apparatus, and accordingly any common customer can execute his or her transactions with the automatic transaction apparatus  1  with no worry.  
      Also, by excluding bill information at the time of jamming due to a specific bill or the like from registration in paper conveyance information, more accurate prediction of abnormality occurrence is made possible. Further by applying such information to units responsible for the gate state, separation, stacking state and so forth, the prediction of trouble occurrence can be expanded. Personnel in charge can be thereby urged to perform inspection and preventive maintenance, and reduce the failure of the apparatus due to trouble occurrence.  
      Not only prediction of trouble but also stopping and error notification in time of actual trouble occurrence can be accomplished with no problem. Thus, if monitoring by the sensors  31  through  46  fails to detect any variation for a certain period of time, the main control unit  202  will determine that trouble has occurred on account of jamming or some other cause, delivers an order to stop feeding out to the separation motor control unit  207 , and delivers an order to stop conveyance to the conveyance motor control unit  204 . And it transmits error information to the superior apparatus  201  via the line control unit  203 .  
      Since the certain period of time allowed for determination of trouble occurrence is set longer than the period matching the permissible maximum of the conveyance distance or the period matching the permissible maximum of the bill length variation rate, the detection of predictable trouble occurrence and the detection of actual trouble occurrence can take place without disturbing each other.  
      To add, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment but can be embodied in many other forms.