Patent ID: 7949582

Claim:
A self-service exchange machine configured to receive currency from a customer and dispense to the customer a card associated with a value relating to the value of the received currency, comprising: a coin module for receiving bulk mixed coins input by said customer in a coin hopper in association with the exchange transaction, said coin module being configured to substantially simultaneously receive the bulk mixed coins in the coin hopper, to separate the bulk mixed coins into a single-file stream of coins using a motor-driven rotary sorting device and, following the separation of the bulk mixed coins into a single-file stream of coins, to discriminate between valid and invalid coins using at least one discrimination sensor disposed along the coin path of the single-file stream of coins; a bill module for receiving bills input by said customer, said bill module discriminating between valid and invalid bills; a touch screen display device; a card dispenser for dispensing a card having a storage medium for storing a monetary value; and a controller coupled to said touch screen display device, said coin module, said bill module, and said card dispenser, said controller determining a total value of valid coins and valid bills input into said coin module and said bill module and causing the display of at least the total value on the touch screen display device, said controller instructing said card dispenser to dispense said card with a monetary value that is related to said total value to complete the exchange transaction wherein the card is exchanged for the input currency, wherein said monetary value stored on the dispensed card can be for any monetary value input by the customer and is not constrained to a predetermined value or values.