Patent Description:
Recently, thieves have discovered a security hole in the above-discussed process. The shutter is shattered off such that the currency dispense slot is accessible. An anonymously funded debit card is used to initiate a valid withdraw transaction at an ATM. When the currency appears adjacent to the slot, the thieves grab ahold of the currency while at the same time holding on to the debit card such that the card module cannot take the card when the card is not withdrawn within a configurable amount of time. The currency is taken, and the card is taken back by the thieves. The ATM cancels the transaction such that the account associated with the debit card is not debited. The thieves then move on to another ATM using the same scam, a different card, or the same card.

The shutter module includes a sensor to report to the ATM when the shutter is opened and closed. However, the sensor does not activate properly when just the shutter covering is broken off. As a result, once the shutter covering is broken off, the shutter module continues to report incorrect shutter states to the ATM. Thus, thieves are taking advantage of this security hole in ATM technology. <CIT> describes a sensor system configured to transmit a signal on detection by the sensor system of unauthorised interference with an ATM. <CIT> describes an automatic teller machine with a breakage detection sensor which detects the breakage of a shutter. <CIT> describes a breakage detection device with a photodetector sensor to detect breakage of a shutter.

In various embodiments, an apparatus, a media handling device, a transaction terminal, and a method for sensing shutter attacks are presented. The apparatus includes a side flange used to allow the blade of a shutter assembly to open and close during a transaction at the media handling device. The side flange includes a pair of apertures, a first aperture includes a pin that allows the blade to be opened and closed as the pin moves through the first aperture. The second aperture is adjacent to the first aperture and weakens the side flange such that when force is applied to the blade, the side flange breaks and causes an upward movement in the side flange. The side flange also includes a bottom rectangular notch that protrudes outward from the side flange.

An optical sensor is placed around the notch such that when the blade is broken and the side flange breaks due to a rupture in the second aperture from force exerted on the blade, the optical sensor detects upward movement when the notch of the side flange moves. A not closed signal/state/event is sent to a printed control board (PCB) of the shutter assembly and is relayed from the PCB to a security agent that executes on the media handling device and/or a transaction terminal to indicate that the blade of the shutter assembly is not closed as it should be. The security agent can process a workflow of security operations based on the blade not closed signal, such as shutting down the media handling device for transactions and raising a security notice or a security alert that the media handling device and shutter blade needs manually inspecting for the transaction terminal.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a shutter apparatus for a media handling device, comprising: a side flange attached to an end of a blade; and a sensor; wherein the side flange is adapted to open and close a media slot through movement of the blade during a media operation being processed on the media handling device; wherein the side flange further includes: a first aperture adapted to receive a pin that moves the side flange and correspondingly the blade; a second aperture adjacent to the first aperture adapted to rupture the pin from the first aperture into the second aperture when a force above a threshold is exerted on the blade; and a bottom extending notch; wherein the sensor is adapted to surround a portion of the bottom extending notch and raise a signal of a blade not closed state when the bottom extending notch moves based on the pin rupturing from the first aperture into the second aperture.

Aptly, the second aperture further includes a second notch extending towards the first aperture and the pin.

Aptly, the bottom extending notch is rectangular in shape.

Aptly, the sensor is a U-shaped optical sensor adapted to surround three sides of the bottom extending notch.

Aptly, the first aperture is an S-shaped aperture.

Aptly, the shutter apparatus further comprises a blade closed sensor adapted to raise a second signal for a blade closed state to a printed circuit board (PCB) of the shutter apparatus when the pin is locked and correspondingly the blade is closed.

Aptly, the shutter apparatus further comprises a blade closed sensor port of the PCB adapted to receive the second signal via a first cable from the blade closed sensor.

Aptly, the shutter apparatus further comprises a second cable adapted to integrate the signal from the sensor into the first cable with the second signal before being provided over the blade closed sensor port to the PCB from the blade closed sensor.

Aptly, firmware of the PCB is existing firmware adapted to receive the second signal via the first cable, wherein the existing firmware is not modified and receives and processes the signal when received over the first cable as the second signal received from the blade closed sensor.

Aptly, the firmware is adapted to raise a security alert to a security agent of a transaction terminal associated with the media handling device when the second signal indicates the blade closed state, but the signal indicates the blade not closed state.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a transaction terminal, comprising: a processor; a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that comprises instructions; a media handling device that comprises the shutter apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention; the shutter apparatus comprises: a printed circuit board (PCB); a first sensor adapted to report a blade closed state to the PCB when the blade of the shutter apparatus is closed; wherein the sensor of the shutter apparatus comprises a second sensor adapted to report the blade not closed state to the PCB when the threshold force is applied to the blade and the threshold force is transferred to the side flange of the shutter apparatus; and firmware adapted to execute on the PCB and raise a security event to the transaction terminal when either the blade closed state is reported by the first sensor or when the blade not closed state is reported by the second sensor to the PCB; the instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising: receiving a blade not closed state from the PCB; determining whether a current state of the transaction terminal is associated with a blade open state, or the blade closed state; and processing at least one security action when the current state of the transaction terminal is associated with the blade closed state.

Aptly, the operations associated with processing the at least one security action further includes causing the media handling device to disable and cancel any current transaction being processed on the transaction terminal when the current state is the blade closed state.

Aptly, the operations associated with processing the at least one security action further includes sending a security alert to dispatch a service engineer to the transaction terminal for inspection of the blade of the shutter apparatus.

Aptly, the second sensor is an optical sensor adapted to surround an extending notch in a bottom of the side flange and the optical sensor is adapted to raise the blade not closed state when any movement is detected for the extending notch.

Aptly, the threshold force is approximately 900N (newtons).

Aptly, the side flange includes a first aperture and a second aperture, wherein the first aperture is adapted to rupture into the second aperture causing backward movement in the side flange and corresponding movement in an extending notch of the side flange when the threshold force is applied to the blade, wherein the second sensor surrounds the extending notch and detects movement by the extending notch.

Aptly, the first aperture is adapted to house a pin that moves through the first aperture to move the side flange and correspondingly raise and lower the blade, wherein rupture of the first aperture into the second aperture causes the pin to be located in the second aperture without movement of the pin based on movement in the side flange caused by rupture from the threshold force.

Aptly, the transaction terminal is an automated teller machine, a point-of-sale terminal, or a self-service terminal.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of operating the shutter apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, comprising:
receiving a blade closed signal from a first sensor of the shutter apparatus when the blade of the shutter apparatus is closed; overriding the blade closed signal with a blade not closed signal, wherein the blade not closed signal is received from a second sensor comprised in the sensor of the shutter apparatus when a threshold force exerted on the blade causes movement in the side flange of the shutter apparatus indicating the blade was broken or an attempt was made to break the blade of the shutter apparatus when the shutter apparatus was expected to be in a blade closed state; wherein the side flange is adapted to open and close a media slot through movement of the blade during a media operation being processed on the media handling device.

Aptly, the method further includes disabling and cancelling any current media operation on the media handling device based on the overriding.

Thieves have discovered a security hole in media handling devices of transaction terminals as discussed above. Typically, a claw hammer or other hard flat and skinny object is wedged between a bottom of the shutter and the outer housing of the media handling device and/or terminal. The thief then pulls up with the object to snap the shutter. Once the shutter is broken, the thief has access to the staging area of the shutter assembly and can grab ahold of any staged currency made for a currency withdraw transaction.

<FIG> is a prior art diagram of a conventional shutter assembly <NUM> with a broken blade after a thief has exerted force under the blade 110A. The force causes the blade 110A to snap in three pieces. A first piece 100A detaches away from the other two pieces 110B and 110C, which both remain affixed to side flanges of the conventional shutter assembly <NUM>.

<FIG> is a prior art diagram of conventional shutter assembly <NUM> with an unbroken blade 100D in a blade closed state. The conventional shutter assembly <NUM> includes a left-side flange <NUM>, a right-side flange <NUM>, a closed blade state sensor <NUM>, an open blade state sensor <NUM>, a sensor port <NUM>, and a printed circuit board (PCB) <NUM>. The left-side flange <NUM> further includes an aperture <NUM> in an S shape along with a pin <NUM>. Each flange <NUM> and <NUM> is also affixed or securely attached to an end of the blade 110D. The closed blade state sensor <NUM> reports the blade 110D is closed with the pin <NUM> is at the top of the aperture <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. Should the pin <NUM> travel downward within the aperture <NUM>, side flange <NUM> raises up lifting the blade 110D and the closed blade state sensor <NUM> reports that the shutter assembly is in a not-closed state.

The issue with the conventional shutter assembly <NUM> is that the left-side flange <NUM> has very little if any movement when the blade 110D is broken, such that pin <NUM> does not move; the pin is locked and may not move at all even when the blade is broken. As a result, the closed blade state sensor <NUM> continues to report that the blade 110D is closed when in fact, the blade is broken into three or more pieces 110A, 100B, and 110C as shown in <FIG>. Because the media handling device and transaction terminal, which includes the media handling device, expects the blade to be locked and closed, security actions are not processed on the media handling device and transaction terminal never receive notice that the blade 110D was broken from PCB <NUM>. Sensor <NUM> is connected via a cable to sensor port <NUM> but the state/event never changes from the blade being closed so the security processes are never notified of a broken blade in the shutter assembly <NUM>.

<FIG> is a prior art diagram of a left-side flange <NUM> of a conventional shutter assembly <NUM>. Force exerted by a thief under the blade 100D breaks the blade but does not cause the pin <NUM> or the side flange <NUM> to move or slide within aperture <NUM>. Consequently, the closed blade state sensor <NUM> is never tripped or activated.

The security hole associated with breaking the blade of a shutter assembly is solved with the teachings provided herein. The left-side flange of the shutter assembly is modified to include a bottom protruding and extending notch, which is surrounded by a U-shaped optical sensor. Moreover, a second aperture is added adjacent to the S-shaped aperture, which is adapted to house the pin. The shape and location of the second aperture relative to an edge of the left-side flange and relative to the S-shaped aperture weakens the left-side flange, such that when force is applied under the blade, the left-side flange breaks and causes movement in the notch, which the optical sensor reports as a not closed blade state/event. In an embodiment, cabling from the newly added sensor is integrated into the cabling associated with the closed blade state sensor <NUM> such that when the pin moves, or the notch moves a not-closed state is reported through the closed-state sensor port to a PCB of the shutter assembly.

Experimentation/Simulation was performed along with physical testing to ensure the size, shape, and location of the second aperture did not weaken the shutter assembly for general use or mild attacks, which would not break the blade. Results proved that the size, shape, and location of the second aperture only ruptured into the first aperture when an attack broke the blade.

Thus, no firmware or software changes are needed to existing firmware with the teachings provided herein. In fact, the PCB of the shutter assembly and the sensor ports are unchanged; rather, and in an embodiment, just the left-side flange, the added optical sensor, and the integration of cabling from the new optical sensor to the existing cabling output from the existing closed-state sensor are modified to achieve detection of a broken blade in a shutter assembly. When a blade not closed sensor state or signal is received, the existing firmware sends a security alert to downstream software/firmware for security processing or processing of at least one security action or operation.

As used herein, the phrases "shutter assembly," "shutter apparatus," and "shutter module" may be used interchangeably and synonymously. This refers to the electromechanical, hardware, and firmware/software of a shutter system for a media handling device. The shutter system is responsible for accepting and dispensing media, such as currency, for deposits and withdrawals through a slot located behind a shutter or a blade that is opened and closed to receive currency deposits and/or dispense currency.

The terms "media," "media item," "banknotes," "notes," "currency," "checks," and/or "cash" are used synonymously and interchangeably herein and below. These terms refer to the media being transported to, from, and within a deposit and dispense module of a media handling device during a media operation being processed. In an embodiment, the "media operations" include depositing a single note, depositing a bunch of notes, depositing a single check, depositing a bunch of checks, depositing a mixture of notes and checks within a single bunch, dispensing currency, dispensing a bunch of currency, and/or rejecting one or a plurality of media items during a deposit media operation.

In an embodiment, the media handling device is an integrated peripheral device of a transaction terminal. In an embodiment, the transaction terminal is an automated teller machine (ATM). In an embodiment, the transaction terminal is a point-of-sale (POS) terminal operated by a cashier or a teller during a media operation. In an embodiment, the transaction terminal is a self-service terminal (SST) with a consumer performing a self-service media operation; for example, a self-service checkout at a retail or grocery store, a cash withdrawal transaction, etc. The SST includes a deposit and dispense module or media handling device to receive/deposit notes and to dispense notes for purposes of receiving payment and providing change to the consumer for a self-service transaction.

<FIG> is a diagram of a side flange <NUM> with a broken blade detection sensor <NUM> for a shutter assembly <NUM> (shown and discussed with <FIG> below), according to an example embodiment. The side flange <NUM> is a single piece of manufactured material, such as a plastic molding. A U-shaped optical sensor <NUM> is added to shutter apparatus <NUM>.

The shutter apparatus <NUM> includes an S-shaped and first aperture <NUM> designed to allow a pin of the shutter apparatus <NUM> to move through the aperture <NUM> when the blade of the shutter apparatus <NUM> is opened on instruction from the media handling device or transaction terminal during a media operation. The shutter apparatus <NUM> also includes a second aperture <NUM> that is adjacent to both a side edge of the side flange <NUM> and adjacent to a top portion of the S-Shaped first aperture <NUM>. The second aperture <NUM> includes a notch <NUM> situated on an edge of the second aperture <NUM> in a substantial center of the edge and adjacent to a top-portion of the S-Shaped aperture <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the thickness of the second aperture <NUM> is approximately <NUM> millimeters (mm). The notch <NUM> has approximately <NUM> diameter extending out from the edge of the second aperture <NUM>. The thickness of second aperture <NUM>, diameter of notch <NUM>, and the shape/geometry and placement of both the second aperture <NUM> with notch <NUM> is tuned to fail (i.e., rupture or break side flange <NUM>) at an approximate force of 900N (newtons). Force exerted on a blade of the shutter assembly transfers at least 900N to the side flange <NUM>, such that any thief attempting to break the blade will be detected.

Side flange <NUM> also includes a second manufactured protruding or extending notch <NUM> located at a bottom of side flange <NUM>. The notch <NUM> is rectangular in shape. A U-shaped optical sensor <NUM> includes two extending arms from a base, the notch <NUM> is adapted to fit inside the two extending arms and abut the base. Any side to side or up a down movement in the notch <NUM> will cause the optical sensor <NUM> to report a not-closed state for the blade by indicating that the pin ruptured from the first S-shaped aperture <NUM> into the second aperture <NUM> at the notch <NUM> location.

<FIG> is a diagram of apertures <NUM> and <NUM> and shapes/geometries between the apertures <NUM> and <NUM> of the side flange <NUM> of <FIG>, according to an example embodiment. The broken lines <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM> are intended to illustrate the areas that are weakened and cause the pin to burst or rupture from the first aperture <NUM> through a non-aperture area of the side flange <NUM> and into a final resting place <NUM>-<NUM> within the second aperture <NUM>. The side flange <NUM> takes a path of least resistance <NUM>-<NUM> when force is transferred from the blade to the side flange <NUM> causing the side flange <NUM> to move across from the first U-Shaped aperture <NUM> through non-aperture area <NUM> and rest the pin within the second aperture <NUM> at location <NUM>-<NUM>. Notice that the slide flange <NUM> moves downward in addition to sideways, this backward and downward movement causes side flange <NUM> to raise up a small amount moving notch <NUM> to one arm of U-shaped sensor <NUM> and off the base of sensor <NUM> a small amount, which is then reported as a non-closed state by sensor <NUM>. The pin itself remains locked and stationary when a blade attack is occurring because the media handling device or transaction terminal believes the blade is locked.

<FIG> is a diagram of a shutter apparatus <NUM> with the side flange <NUM> and broken blade detection sensor <NUM>, according to an example embodiment. The shutter apparatus <NUM> includes a blade <NUM>, a blade closed state sensor <NUM>, a blade open state sensor <NUM>, the left-side flange <NUM> as discussed above in <FIG> and <FIG> along with broken blade detection sensor <NUM>, a right-side flange <NUM>, a sensor port <NUM>, and a PCB <NUM>.

The left-side flange <NUM> is affixed to a first end of blade <NUM> while the right-side flange <NUM> is affixed to a second and opposing end of blade <NUM>. Pin <NUM> is inserted into the first U-shaped aperture <NUM>. As the pin <NUM> is driven downward within first aperture <NUM>, the left-side flange <NUM> moves upward and backward, which lifts blade <NUM>. This movement causes closed state sensor <NUM> to report through cabling connected to sensor port <NUM> a not closed or non-closed state for blade <NUM> to PCB <NUM>. This occurs when the media handling device opens the blade <NUM> during a media operation and thus unlocks the pin <NUM>.

However, when blade <NUM> is busted in a blade breaking security breach there is little or no downward movement of pin <NUM> since the pin <NUM> is locked into placed for a closed state. This is no longer the case with shutter apparatus <NUM>, because pin <NUM> ruptures into second aperture <NUM> when force is transferred from blade <NUM> to left-side flange <NUM> causing enough backward and downward movement in side-flange <NUM> to move notch <NUM> to one side of the U-shaped optical sensor <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the output produced from U-Shaped sensor <NUM> is integrated or added to the output produced from closed state sensor <NUM> within the cabling output from sensor <NUM>. The combined output is an OR condition such that when either the closed state sensor <NUM> reports a not closed state or the U-shaped sensor reports a blade broken state, the sensor output from both sensors <NUM> and <NUM> is reported to PCB <NUM> through port <NUM>. Thus, no changes are needed nor are any modifications needed to any security firmware or software on the PCB <NUM> of the shutter assembly <NUM> or on downstream processors on the media handling device or transaction terminal to address a broken blade <NUM> security breach. A security breach will automatically be detected by the PCB firmware and downstream software when the media handling device or transaction terminal expects the blade <NUM> to be in a closed and locked state and receives a not closed state as a result of a broken blade <NUM> attack because U-shaped sensor <NUM> will detect, report, and raise a not closed event or state through port <NUM> to PCB <NUM>, which in turn will report the event or state to the downstream security software of the media handling device or transaction terminal.

<FIG> is a diagram of a transaction terminal <NUM> with a media handling device <NUM> that includes the shutter apparatus <NUM>, according to an example embodiment. The components or modules of the terminal <NUM> are shown in simplified form with only those components necessary for understanding the teachings presented. Notably, terminal <NUM> can include more or less components from that which is illustrated without departing from the teachings provided herein.

Transaction terminal <NUM> includes a processor <NUM>; a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which includes instructions for a security agent <NUM>; a media handling device <NUM>, and peripheral devices <NUM>. The instructions when executed by processor <NUM> cause processor <NUM> to perform operations discussed herein with respect to security agent <NUM>.

Media handling device <NUM> is an integrated peripheral device of terminal <NUM>. Media handling device <NUM> includes shutter apparatus/module <NUM> and other media handling modules <NUM>. For example, the other media handling modules <NUM> can include, by way of example only, an upper media transport module, a media deskew module, a media verification module, a media diverter module, a lower media transport module, an escrow module, a recycler module, media cassettes modules, etc..

The peripheral devices <NUM> include, by way of example only, a card reader peripheral, a print receipt peripheral, a touchscreen peripheral, a contactless card reader peripheral (e.g., a near field communication (NFC) transceiver), a bioptic scanner peripheral, a handheld scanner peripheral, a vertical scanner peripheral, a horizontal scanner peripheral, a weigh scale peripheral, a bag scale peripheral, a combined scanner and scale peripheral, one or more camera peripherals, etc. Again, the media handling device <NUM> is also an integrated peripheral of terminal <NUM>.

Media handling device <NUM> includes the shutter apparatus <NUM> discussed above with <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>. The shutter apparatus <NUM> includes a first S-shaped aperture <NUM> adapted to hold a pin <NUM> that urges a side flange <NUM> to move upward and backward when a blade <NUM> of the shutter apparatus <NUM> is opened to dispense media for a media dispense operation or is opened to receive media for a media deposit operation. The side flange <NUM> is affixed securely to an end of the blade <NUM> such that when pin <NUM> is urged through the S-shaped aperture <NUM>, the blade <NUM> opens to reveal an internal media slot from which media is dispensed or deposited.

The side flange <NUM> also includes a specialized shape and located second aperture <NUM> adapted based on its geometry and location relative to an edge of the side flange <NUM> and the S-shaped aperture to rupture and move side flange <NUM> backward and slightly upward when force is applied to blade <NUM> and when the pin <NUM> is locked during a locked shutter state of apparatus <NUM>. The side flange <NUM> also includes a bottom extending or protruding notch <NUM> surrounds on three sides by a U-shaped optical sensor <NUM>. Any movement in notch <NUM> is detected by sensor <NUM> and a signal corresponding to a blade not closed state/event is raised through cabling through port <NUM> to firmware on PCB <NUM>. PCB <NUM> raises the event where it is detected by security agent <NUM>.

When security agent <NUM> is expecting a blade closed state such as when transaction terminal <NUM> is idle or when a current state of a transaction at terminal <NUM> does not correspond to an opening of blade <NUM> and security agent <NUM> has received a blade not closed event/state raised by PCB <NUM>, security agent <NUM> processes a workflow of security operations. For example, the workflow includes forcing a shutdown of media handling device <NUM>, which in turn disables shutter apparatus <NUM> and cancels any current media operation being processed on the media handling device <NUM>; forcing a shutdown of terminal <NUM>; activating a camera peripheral device <NUM> to capture video of an area adjacent to the terminal <NUM>; streaming the video to computer vision applications or systems for analysis; dispatching a service engineer to the transaction terminal; etc..

In an embodiment, notch <NUM> can be of any shape and optical sensor <NUM> is of a compatible shape to that which is associated with notch <NUM>. In an embodiment, firmware on PCB <NUM> is updated to receive a broken blade state/event directly from sensor <NUM>. In an embodiment, security agent <NUM> processes a customized workflow for a broken blade state/event raised from sensor <NUM> via PCB <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram of a method <NUM> for detecting a broken blade of a shutter assembly for a media handling device, according to an example embodiment. The software module(s) that implements the method <NUM> is referred to as "firmware. " The firmware is implemented as executable instructions programmed and residing within memory and/or a non-transitory computer-readable (processor-readable) storage medium and executed by one or more processors of one or more devices. The processor(s) of the device(s) that executes the firmware are specifically configured and programmed to process the firmware. The firmware may or may not have access to one or more network connections during its processing. Any network connections used are wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless.

In an embodiment, the device that executes the firmware is PCB <NUM> of shutter apparatus <NUM>. In an embodiment, the device that executes the firmware is media handling device <NUM>. In an embodiment, the devices that executes the firmware is transaction terminal <NUM>. In an embodiment, the firmware is a combination of both firmware and software executed by any combination of or by each of PCB <NUM>, media handling device <NUM>, and/or transaction terminal <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the firmware receives a blade closed signal from a first sensor <NUM> of a shutter apparatus when a blade <NUM> of the shutter apparatus <NUM> is closed. That is, the first sensor <NUM> does not detect any movement in pin <NUM> and thus regardless as to whether a blade breaking or shattering attack is occurring the first sensor <NUM> still reports the blade <NUM> is closed, as discussed above.

At <NUM>, the firmware overrides the blade closed signal with a blade not closed signal. The blade not closed signal is received from a second sensor <NUM> of the shutter apparatus <NUM> when a threshold force on the blade <NUM> causes movement in a side flange <NUM> of the shutter apparatus <NUM>. This is an indication the blade <NUM> was broken or an attempt was made to break the blade <NUM> of the shutter apparatus <NUM> when the shutter apparatus <NUM> was expected to be in a blade closed state.

In an embodiment, at <NUM>, the firmware disables and cancels any current media operation on the media handling device <NUM> based on <NUM>. Thus, if a cash withdrawal operation was in progress and currency was staged behind the blade <NUM> awaiting for a customer to remove a card from a card reader peripheral <NUM> of the transaction terminal <NUM>, the firmware moves the cash back into the media handling device <NUM> into the corresponding cash denomination cassettes and the media handling device <NUM> is disabled for any further media operations until a service engineer inspects the shutter apparatus <NUM> and/or the blade <NUM>.

It should be appreciated that where software is described in a particular form (such as a component or module) this is merely to aid understanding and is not intended to limit how software that implements those functions may be architected or structured. For example, modules are illustrated as separate modules, but may be implemented as homogenous code, as individual components, some, but not all of these modules may be combined, or the functions may be implemented in software structured in any other convenient manner. Furthermore, although the software modules are illustrated as executing on one piece of hardware, the software may be distributed over multiple processors or in any other convenient manner.

The above description is illustrative, and not restrictive. Other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of embodiments should therefore be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In the foregoing description of the embodiments, various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting that the claimed embodiments have more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Description of the Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and variations of them mean "including but not limited to" and they are not intended to (and do not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps.

Features, integers, characteristics or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of the features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not restricted to any details of any foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claim 1:
A shutter apparatus (<NUM>) for a media handling device, comprising:
a side flange (<NUM>) attached to an end of a blade (<NUM>); and
a sensor (<NUM>);
wherein the side flange (<NUM>) is adapted to open and close a media slot through movement of the blade (<NUM>) during a media operation being processed on the media handling device;
wherein the side flange (<NUM>) further includes:
a first aperture (<NUM>) adapted to receive a pin (<NUM>) that moves the side flange (<NUM>) and correspondingly the blade (<NUM>);
a second aperture (<NUM>) adjacent to the first aperture (<NUM>) adapted to rupture the pin (<NUM>) from the first aperture (<NUM>) into the second aperture (<NUM>) when a force above a threshold is exerted on the blade (<NUM>); and
a bottom extending notch (<NUM>);
wherein the sensor (<NUM>) is adapted to surround a portion of the bottom extending notch (<NUM>) and raise a signal of a blade not closed state when the bottom extending notch (<NUM>) moves based on the pin (<NUM>) rupturing from the first aperture (<NUM>) into the second aperture (<NUM>).