Selective Bunch Presentation in Self-Service Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Self-Service Terminal (SST) dispensers, such as ATMs, often present banknotes in disordered sequences, leading to issues like smaller notes being hidden by larger ones, glossy vouchers slipping, and heavy notes being difficult to dispense, due to the complexity and error-proneness of reprogramming for different picking orders.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus and method involve a controller that selectively removes media items based on common characteristics like size, using pick units, stacker units, and transporter units to arrange items in a predetermined sequence, ensuring items with larger planar areas are at the bottom and items with specific characteristics are positioned appropriately within the bunch, allowing for easier handling and presentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If banknotes are removed from the currency cassette and collated into a bunch in no particular order, then the dispensing process is simple and fast, but smaller notes may be hidden by larger notes and the bunch may contain items in an illogical order
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary sorting of banknotes by size before collating them into a bunch. The pick unit removes notes in a predetermined sequence based on their dimensions, ensuring larger notes are positioned to support smaller ones, making all notes visible and accessible to the user without requiring reprogramming for different note compositions
Solution Approach 2:
The currency cassette is divided into multiple stacks, each containing banknotes of a specific size. This segmentation allows the pick unit to systematically select notes from different stacks in a predetermined sequence, ensuring proper ordering while maintaining efficient dispensing operation
2Ease of operation
If the controller is reprogrammed to force a desired picking order, then the bunch can be presented in the correct order, but the reprogramming process is complex, time consuming and error prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines the appropriate picking sequence based on the physical characteristics of the banknotes in each stack. The controller reads stack configuration data and autonomously generates the predetermined picking sequence without requiring external reprogramming, making the system self-configuring and eliminating complex manual setup procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the picking parameters (sequence and selection criteria) based on the detected characteristics of the banknote stacks. Rather than reprogramming the entire controller, the system dynamically adjusts picking parameters to match the current stack configuration, enabling flexible adaptation without complex reconfiguration
3Adaptability or versatility
If a bunch contains different types of items of media having different characteristics, then the dispenser can handle diverse media, but glossy vouchers may slip away and make the bunch difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different handling characteristics to different positions within the bunch based on the specific properties of each media item. Glossy vouchers with slippery surfaces are positioned in the interior of the bunch where they are protected by surrounding banknotes, while items with better friction characteristics are placed on the exterior, creating a stable configuration that prevents slipping
4Volume of moving object
If smaller sized notes are pinched by adjacent larger notes, then the bunch can be formed compactly, but the smaller notes become hidden from the user
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary positioning of smaller banknotes during the picking process, placing them in locations where they will be visible to the user. Rather than simply forming a compact bunch, the pick unit strategically positions notes of different sizes to ensure all denominations are accessible and visible while maintaining reasonable compactness
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for presenting a bunch of items of media to a user of a Self-Service Terminal (SST). The method comprises individually removing at least one item of media from at least two respective media item containers in a predetermined sequence responsive to at least one common predetermined characteristic of each item of media, providing the removed items of media as a bunch of items of media, and presenting the bunch of items of media to a user.