164results about "Apparatus with change-giving" patented technology

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for dispensing an cashout value to a user in amount of a first monetary exchange and an amount of a second monetary exchange is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of interrupting a first signal to the first device, wherein the first signal is a signal enabling the first device to dispense the first monetary exchange media; interrupting a second signal to the first device, wherein the second signal is a signal describing a number of first monetary exchange media units to be dispensed; computing a number of second monetary exchange units to be dispensed by the second device and a number of first monetary units to be dispensed by the first device, providing the interrupted first signal and the substituted second signal to the first monetary device, and providing the third signal to the second device. The apparatus comprises means for performing the above steps, and the article of manufacture comprises a storage device tangibly embodying instructions for performing the foregoing method steps.

A pricing terminal is installed at a retail store. The pricing terminal includes an enclosure that allows a customer to be seated therein, a display screen mounted in the enclosure, a keyboard and a processor operatively connected to the display screen and the keyboard. The processor is programmed to control the display screen, receive input via the keyboard and guide the customer to perform a pricing activity. The pricing activity may include viewing an advertisement, answering survey questions, or agreeing to enter into a transaction with a third party. The customer is rewarded for performing the pricing activity by receiving a discount on a purchase transaction or another benefit.

A coin sorting and counting machine and a method for operating it to automatically dispense cash vouchers based on the value of the counted coins, manufacturers' coupons and store coupons. Coins are placed in a hopper tray angled downward from the horizontal. When the hinged tray is lifted, the coins travel over a peak structure, through a waste management system and into the coin sorting and counting apparatus. The value of the coins and the number of coins within each denomination are displayed as the coins are counted. The coins fall into a storage area and the user is issued a cash voucher and a series of manufacturer coupons.

A cash recycling machine (11) is connected in a network with a computer (10) and other recycling equipment (12), the cash recycling machine (11) having an input device (18) for receiving cash, a sorter (31) for sorting the cash into a plurality of hopper assemblies (26–29), a controller (21) responsive to inputs from a user in a first operating cycle of the machine to cause the hopper assemblies (26–29) to dispense an amount of sorted cash to a cash drawer and to store the amount of dispensed cash in memory in association with a user account number, the controller (21) being responsive to input of a batch of cash and the user account number in a second cycle to count the cash received, and to compare the amount of cash received with the amount of cash dispensed to determine a net amount of cash associated with the user. The controller (21) has the ability to track transactions of employees through the work shift for reconciliation at the end of the work shift and to report results to a central accounting computer.

A variety of products and services can be integrated into and offered for purchase by an electronic kiosk. An electronic kiosk can accept funds for an initial transaction and the can apply any resulting amount of change from the initial transaction to a second transaction. The transactions can involve products and services and can be amount-based transactions or account-based transactions.

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for transferring credits from one gaming device to another via the use of coded scrip is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of accepting a cash-out command in the gaming device, scanning a magnetically manifested code uniquely identifying a scrip stored in the gaming device, transmitting a cash-out message comprising the code to a remote processor having access to a database configured to store and retrieve codes from a plurality of gaming devices, receiving a scrip dispense message from the remote processor, and dispensing the scrip. The apparatus comprises a scrip storage unit, a scrip dispensing unit having a scrip transducer for reading and recording a magnetically manifested code on a scrip retrieved from the scrip storage unit, and a processor, communicatively coupled to the scrip transducer and a remote computer having access to a database for storing and retrieving code information from the plurality of gaming devices.

A method and apparatus a user or other customer, controller, point-of-sale terminal, etc. to conduct a transaction for the purchase of one or more products and/or services, during which a supplemental product or service to offer a user during a transaction, either in addition to the products and/or services the user is purchasing or as a replacement to one or more of the products and/or services that the user is purchasing. The method may be implemented in retail embodiment where a user is purchasing products and/or services at a cash register or other point-of-sale terminal. The method may also be implemented in a online embodiment where a user is purchasing products and/or services using a computer, terminal, telephone or other client or user device and accessing a World Wide Web site, online catalog, interactive voice response unit or system, etc.

A money processing system according to the present invention includes a coin change dispenser, a note change dispenser, and a control terminal, each having a control unit. The control units are generally adapted to carrying out a “change dispensing mode” control for receiving money given by a customer and dispensing change as occasion demands, and is adapted to carrying out a “money exchange mode” control, when a money exchange instruction is given from instruction means. In the money exchange mode, (a) when a single piece of money is received, a normal money exchange process for dispensing a combination of exchanged money each having a denomination smaller than that of the received money is executed such that a sum total of the combination of the exchanged money is equivalent to the received money, and (b) when a plurality of pieces of money are received, a reverse money exchange process for dispensing a combination of (the minimum number of pieces of) exchanged money each having a denomination larger than that of the received money is executed such that a sum total of the combination of the exchanged money is equivalent to the received money.

A bill and coin processing system including a bill and coin processing apparatus having: an interface unit capable of exchanging information via a communication unit with the point-of-sales terminal machine; a money receiving unit receiving money by way of a price of a commercial product; a discriminating unit discriminating between at least denominations of the bills and coins received from the money receiving unit; a storing/discharging unit stored with the received bills and coins on the basis of a result of the discrimination made by the discriminating unit and capable of discharging the bills and coins by giving a discharge instruction to the bill and coin processing apparatus from the point-of-sales terminal machine; a money discharging unit discharging the bills and coins outside a machine, which have been discharged from the storing/discharging unit; and a control unit controlling the money discharging unit to discharge the bills and coins from the storing/discharging unit on the basis of a discharge instruction accepted by the interface unit and given to the bill and coin processing apparatus from the point-of-sales terminal machine.

A system (10) and method for facilitating or allowing for controlling the dispensation of one or more denominations of coins via an automated coin dispensing machine (24) component of a check-out lane (12) in a retail or wholesale store setting, and for attributing the dispensed coins for accounting or reconciliation purposes. Such attribution broadly involves designating coins within the dispensing machine (24) as part of the store's safe or operating fund prior to dispensation, and as part of a cashier's till responsibility following dispensation. The coin dispensing machine (24) makes use of bulk coin hoppers (30) rather than prior art coin canisters.

A POS terminal generates a purchase price of a purchase, and generates a rounded price. The rounded price may be, for example, the lowest whole number greater than the purchase price. The POS terminal then calculates a round-up amount (change due the customer) as the difference between the purchase price and the rounded price. The coupon value is set based on the round-up amount. For example, the coupon may be redeemable for triple the amount of change due. The POS terminal prints on the coupon an identifier, such as a bar code, that is based on the coupon value. The bar code allows the coupon to be read by a POS terminal when the coupon is redeemed.

A coin discrimination apparatus and method is provided. Coins, preferably after cleaning, e.g. using a trommel, are singulated by a coin pickup assembly configured to reduce jamming. A coin rail assists in providing separation between coins as they travel past a sensor. The sensor provides an oscillating electromagnetic field generated on a single sensing core. The oscillating electromagnetic field is composed of one or more frequency components. The electromagnetic field interacts with a coin, and these interactions are monitored and used to classify the coin according to its physical properties. All frequency components of the magnetic field are phase-locked to a common reference frequency. The phase relationships between the various frequencies are fixed, and the interaction of each frequency component with the coin can be accurately determined without the need for complicated electrical filters. In one embodiment, a sensor having a core, preferably ferrite, which is curved, such as in a U-shape or in the shape of a section of a torus, and defining a gap, is provided with a wire winding for excitation and/or detection. The sensor can be used for simultaneously obtaining data relating to two or more parameters of a coin or other object, such as size and conductivity of the object. Two or more frequencies can be used to sense core and/or cladding properties. Objects recognized as acceptable coins, using the sensor data, are diverted by a controllable deflecting door, to tubes for delivery to acceptable coin bins.

Cash received from a customer is placed by cashier into a change device, which is connected to a point of sales terminal. The change device counts an amount of cash by its type, and stores a counted amount into a memory unit. Further the change device stores an amount of change that discharged from the change device. The amount of cash stored in the memory unit is sent to the point of sales terminal and to a server. The server contains cash-on-hand table, and by receiving the amount of cash from the point of sales terminal, the server updates the cash-on-hand table. The cash-on-hand table is used to determine whether any of the point of sales terminal needs cash to be supplemented or not.

A voucher ticket system employing a bill validator installed into any suitable automated machine, including an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), a gaming machine, etc. The bill validator is integrated with a bill reader, a voucher ticket reader, a reader to obtain an electronic voucher ticket from a portable computing device, a printer, and any other supporting peripheral devices. The bill validator communicates with an electronic money account manager through a voucher ticket system interface. The electronic money account manager maintains records associated with the electronic voucher ticket using a master voucher ticket ID, including a financial value, an electronic marker, an expiration, a status, etc. The electronic money account manager enables use of the electronic voucher ticket as common currency at an associated gaming facility, any associated ATM, etc. The electronic marker defines authenticity to maintain integrity of the electronic vouchers tickets.