DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 7, 9-12, 16, 17 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nomura et al (US 2014/0083814 A1) in view of Akamatsu (US 2011/0015777 A1), further in view of Shimuzu et al (US 2018/0286163 A1) and further in view of Baranowski et al (US 2021/0049853 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Nomura teaches
a money handling apparatus (12, 13) as illustrated in figures 2, 9a and 9b, noting that the term “money” is considered to include both coins or banknotes as taken from Applicant’s specification at paragraph 35, for example, comprising:
a housing (100a, 100b), as mentioned at paragraphs 95 and 96;
a first cassette attachment (210b) and a second cassette attachment, i.e., drawer (260), as illustrated in figure 9a and 9b and as mentioned at paragraphs 157-159 and 168-171, that are provided in the housing (100a, 100b);
a first transport (230b) as mentioned at paragraph 159 and as illustrated in figure 9a, that performs a depositing processing to deposit money from a first cassette (30), attached to the first cassette attachment (210b), into the housing (100a, 100b);
a second transport, i.e., escrow unit (235b), chutes (236b), disk type feeding unit (253b), storing unit (250b) and chutes (256b) as illustrated in figure 9a and as mentioned at paragraphs 160-165, that performs a dispensing processing to dispense money from the housing (110a, 110b) as a change fund, as mentioned in paragraph 158, into a second cassette (30) that is attached to the second cassette attachment (260) as illustrated in figure 9a, noting the mention of a change fund in paragraphs 8, 9, 89 and 90, noting that the coin deposited into cassette (30) via drawer attaching unit (260) as mentioned at paragraphs 136, 158 and 170; and
processing circuitry, i.e., control unit (190, 290) as illustrated in figures 3 and 7 configured to control the first transport (230b) and the second transport, i.e., escrow unit (235b), chutes (236b), disk type feeding unit (253b), storing unit (250b) and chutes (256b), as mentioned at paragraphs 97, 272 and 137, and
perform, while one of the depositing processing, i.e., “for loading a money settlement apparatus (11) installed in a store with money such as a change fund” as mentioned at paragraph 8, first sentence, into the housing, i.e., the housing of the money settlement apparatus (11), and the dispensing processing of the change fund, i.e., from the money accounting apparatus (21), is performed, control of the first transport (230b) or the second transport (235b, 236b, 253b, 250b, 256b) which corresponds to another of the depositing processing into the housing and the dispensing processing of the change fund, noting that Nomura’s money management system (1) in figure 1 includes multiple networked money settlement apparatus (11) and a money accounting apparatus (21), each with its own first and second transports. Further note that it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. See St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8. See paragraphs 7-9, 57-165 and 168-171, for example, as shown as follows.
[0007] A money settlement apparatus and a POS (Point Of Sale) register have been conventionally used in a checkout counter in a store, in order that a clerk sends and receives money to and from a customer. The money settlement apparatus has a function for recognizing and counting money having been put thereinto to calculate a sum thereof, a function for storing the money, and a function for dispensing the money stored therein as change.
[0008] On the other hand, in a back office of a store, a money accounting apparatus is used for loading a money settlement apparatus installed in the store with money such as a change fund and the like, or for collecting sales proceeds and the like from the money settlement apparatus. The money accounting apparatus has a function for storing money having been collected from the money settlement apparatus, and a function for dispensing money to be loaded to the money settlement apparatus.
[0009] Upon start of store hours, a clerk is generally required to load the money settlement apparatus with a change fund and the like. In addition, after the store hours, a clerk is required to store sales proceeds and the like stored in the money settlement apparatus into the money accounting apparatus in the back office.
[0157] FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B are sectional views showing an example of an inside structure of the coin accounting apparatus 23 of the money accounting apparatus 21. FIG. 9A is the sectional view of the coin accounting apparatus 23 when viewed from a lateral side, and FIG. 9B is the sectional view of the coin accounting apparatus 23 when viewed from a front side.
[0158] The coin accounting apparatus 23 has the depositing unit 210b, and is configured to deposit thereinto a coin having been collected from the money settlement apparatus 11, from the money transport cassette 30. The coin accounting apparatus 23 includes the collecting unit 255b and the drawer attaching unit 260 on which the money transport cassette 30 can be attached. When the money transport cassette 30 is attached to the drawer attaching unit 260, coins to be loaded to the money settlement apparatus 11 can be sorted by denomination and sent to the money transport cassette 30.
[0159] When loose coins are deposited, a clerk puts a coin(s) into the depositing unit 210b. At this time, the coins may be put thereinto in a denomination mixed state. The centrifugal disk-type feeding unit 233b is configured to feed, one by one, coins having been put into the depositing unit 210b, to the transport unit 230b. The transport unit 230b is configured to cause the fed coins to pass through the recognition unit 240b, and then to transport the coins to an escrow unit 235b. The escrow units 235b are disposed for respective denominations, and are configured to temporarily store a coin therein.
[0160] The recognition unit 240b recognizes a denomination, an authenticity, a fitness, a version, an amount and so on of each of the coins being transported. The transport unit 230b sorts the coins by denomination based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 240b, and sends a coin to the escrow unit 235b of a corresponding denomination.
[0161] The escrow units 235b communicate with the storing units 250b of corresponding denominations through chutes 236b. After all the coins having been put have been stored in the escrow units 235b, each coin is stored into the storing unit 250 of a corresponding denomination.
[0162] When the storing unit 250b is full and so on, the transport unit 230b may transport a coin to an overflow box 259b. When the escrow unit 235b is full, the transport unit 230b may transport a coin to the overflow box 259b. When a coin was recognized as a reject coin by the recognition unit 240b, the transport unit 230b may transport the reject coin to the reject unit 234b.
[0163] On the other hand, when loose coins are dispensed, the storing unit 250b is configured to feed coins, one by one, to the transport unit 231b. Each of the plurality of storing units 250b stores coins by denomination, and has the centrifugal disk-type feeding unit 253b. The feeding unit 253b feeds coins one by one, and transports the coins to a drawer 258b through a chute 256b. The drawer 258b serving as a coin dispensing unit is configured to store money by denomination. The shut 256b is configured to send money by denomination. Thus, the coin accounting apparatus 23 can send coins by denomination to the drawer 258b. Coins to be collected in the collecting unit 255b may be in a denomination mixed state.
[0164] In this manner, the coin accounting apparatus 23 can store a coin having been put into the depositing unit 210b, into the storing unit 250b, and can reversely send a coin stored in the storing unit 250b to the drawer 258b. Namely, the coin accounting apparatus 23 is configured to reuse a coin having been put thereinto, as a coin to be dispensed.
[0165] There is a case in which the POS register has a drawer into which money transferred upon the settlement process is manually stored. In this case, the storing drawer 258b is used when a coin is loaded to the drawer of the POS register in the checkout counter 10. A clerk loads a coin(s) having been dispensed to the storing drawer 258b of the coin accounting apparatus 21, to the drawer of the POS register. When a coin(s) is collected from the drawer of the POS register, a clerk puts a coin into the depositing unit 210b. The drawer of the POS register may be the same as the storing drawer 25 of the coin accounting apparatus 21, or may be different therefrom.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 1, Nomura further teaches wherein the processing circuitry (190, 290) is further configured to control, in a case that the processing circuitry (190, 290) receives attachment of the second cassette to the second cassette attachment (260) while the depositing processing is performed, the second transport unit (235b, 236b, 253b, 250b and 256b) to perform the dispensing processing of the change fund into the second cassette (30), noting that the controller is construed as being a solid state device that is capable of performing two or more tasks substantially simultaneously and that is connected digitally to both the depositing unit (210) and the dispensing unit (220) as illustrated in figure 7, for example. Note also that the escrow units (235b) enables feeding of the drawer attachment (260) where cassette (30) is connected for receiving dispensed coins.
Regarding Claim 1, Nomura further teaches wherein the processing circuitry (190, 290) is further configured to control, in a case that the processing circuitry (190, 290) receives attachment of the first cassette (30) to the first cassette attachment (210b) while the dispensing processing is performed, the first transport (230b) to perform the depositing processing of the money from the first cassette (30) into the housing (100a, 100b).
Regarding Claim 1, Nomura does not expressly teach processing circuitry configured to control, in a case that attachment of the second cassette to the second cassette attachment is received while the depositing processing is performed, the second transport to perform the dispensing processing of the change fund into the second cassette; and
control, in a case that attachment of the first cassette to the first cassette attachment is received while the dispensing processing is performed, the first transport to perform the depositing processing of the money from the first cassette into the housing.
Regarding Claim 1, Nomura does not expressly teach, but Akamatsu teaches processing circuitry, i.e, control unit (100) as illustrated in figure 1, configured to control, in a case that attachment of the second cassette to the second cassette attachment, as taught by Nomura, is received while the depositing processing is performed, as mentioned at Akamatsu at paragraphs 56,77, 86 and 107 and as illustrated at figure 11, for example, the second transport to perform the dispensing processing of the change fund into the second cassette, as taught by Akamatsu at paragraphs 56, 77 and 107 and noting figure 5, step (S508), entitled “perform second change-funds preparing operation”; and
control, i.e, via control unit (100), in a case that attachment of the first cassette to the first cassette attachment is received while the dispensing processing is performed, as mentioned at Akamatsu at paragraphs 56, 77 and 107, the first transport, i.e., either banknote transport unit (127) as mentioned at paragraph 38 and as illustrated in figure 2 or coin transport unit (236) as mentioned at paragraph 85 and as illustrated in figure 10, for example, to perform the depositing processing of the money from the first cassette into the housing (120, 230), as taught by Akamatsu at paragraphs 56, 77 and 107 for example, which state as follows.
[0056] Then, a first change-funds preparing operation, which will be described below, is performed (S503). In the first change-funds preparing operation, a deposit operation for counting sales proceeds and a dispense operation for preparing change funds are simultaneously performed.
[0077] According to the embodiment 1 of the present invention, since the deposit operation for counting sales proceeds and the dispense operation for preparing change funds are simultaneously performed in one transaction, a handling efficiency of the money handling system can be improved, whereby a time from a start of the deposit operation to a finish of the dispense operation can be reduced.
[0107] According to the embodiment 2 of the present invention, the money handling system includes the banknote handling machine 220 that simultaneously performs the banknote deposit operation and the banknote dispense operation, the coin handling machine 230 that performs the coin deposit operation, and the coin-roll handling machine 240 that performs the coin dispense operation. Thus, the banknote deposit operation for counting sales proceeds and the dispense operation for preparing banknotes for change funds can be simultaneously performed by the banknote handling machine 220, and the coin deposit operation for counting sales proceeds is performed by the coin handling machine 230. Furthermore, simultaneously with the coin deposit operation, the coin dispense operation for preparing coins for change funds is performed by the coin-roll handling machine 240. Thus, in addition to the same effect as that of the embodiment 1 of the present invention, the embodiment 2 provides an advantageous effect in that coins for change funds can be prepared in a rolled condition, which facilitates handling of coins.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 1, Akamatsu additionally teaches one of the depositing processing into the housing (120), i.e., via coin reception unit (231) as illustrated in figure 10 and as mentioned at paragraph 86, and the dispensing processing of the change fund is performed, i.e., via coin roll handing machine (240) through coin roll dispensing unit (253) as illustrated in figure 11, and as mentioned in paragraphs 92-96, control of the first transport, i.e., transport (236) and escrow (235) as illustrated in figure 10 and as mentioned at paragraph 91, or the second transport, i.e., coin roll sorting and feeding units (251a-251k) as illustrated in figure 11 and as mentioned at paragraphs 93-95, which corresponds to another of the depositing processing into the housing and the dispensing processing of the change fund, as mentioned at paragraphs 56, 77 and 107.
Regarding Claim 1, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided processing circuitry configured to control, in a case that attachment of the second cassette to the second cassette attachment is received while the depositing processing is performed, the second transport to perform the dispensing processing of the change fund into the second cassette; and
control, in a case that attachment of the first cassette to the first cassette attachment is received while the dispensing processing is performed, the first transport to perform the depositing processing of the money from the first cassette into the housing, as taught by Akamatsu, in Nomura’s money handling apparatus for the purpose of improving handling efficiency of cash and reducing time and cost by nesting both intake of deposited proceeds while at the same time processing the outgoing dispensed change fund, as mentioned at paragraph 77, for example.
Regarding Claim 1, Nomura does not expressly teach wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control, in a case that the attachment of the second cassette attachment is detected while the depositing processing is being performed, the second transport to perform the dispensing processing of the change fund into the second cassette; and
control, in a case that attachment of the first cassette to the first cassette attachment is detected while the dispensing processing is being performed, the first transport to perform the depositing processing of the money from the first cassette into the housing.
Regarding Claim 1, Nomura further teaches cassette (30) being detected between connector (39) and connectors (192 or 292), as mentioned at paragraph 257, for example.
Regarding Claim 1, Nomura does not expressly teach, but Shimuzu teaches a cassette detector unit (127) located on cassette mounting unit (126), as mentioned at paragraph 39, to which storage cassette (300) is mounted and as illustrated in figure 3, as well as noting the reader (129) and writer (128) that reads and writes information to the storage medium (304) located on the storage cassette (300), for example. paragraph 53. See paragraph 39 along with paragraphs 53 and 62-67, which state as follows.
[0037] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the banknote handling device 110 includes a banknote receiving unit 120 provided in a right area on the front side of the housing 101, a banknote dispensing unit 122 provided below the banknote receiving unit 120 on the front side of the housing 101, a transporting unit 130 for transporting the banknotes one by one inside the housing 101, and a plurality of banknote storage units 134, 136 for storing the banknotes inside the housing 101 and capable of feeding out the stored banknotes. In FIG. 3, a right side of the housing 101 is the front side of the banknote handling device 110, and the leftward direction in FIG. 3 is a depth direction of the banknote handling device 110. As shown in FIG. 3, the transporting unit 130 is composed of a round transporting unit 130a disposed at a center of the upper part of the housing 101 and a plurality of connection transporting units 130b. The banknote receiving unit 120, the banknote dispensing unit 122, a dispense rejecting unit 124, a cassette mounting unit 126 on which a storage cassette 300 (to be described later) can be detachably mounted, the collection cassette 140 and the two banknote storage units 134 and 136 are arranged so as to surround the round transporting unit 130a, respectively. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, each of the plurality of connection transporting units 130b connects each of the banknote receiving unit 120, the banknote dispensing unit 122, the dispense rejecting unit 124, the cassette mounting unit 126, the collection cassette 140 and each of the banknote storage units 134 and 136 to the round transporting unit 130a, respectively. A recognition unit 132 is provided in the round transporting unit 130a, and this recognition unit 132 recognizes a denomination, an authenticity, a fitness, a face side up/back side up, a version, transportation state, and the like of the banknote transported by the round transporting unit 130a.
[0039] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a banknote receiving opening 120a of the banknote receiving unit 120 and a banknote outlet 122a of the banknote dispensing unit 122 are provided on the front surface of the housing 101. A door 126a is provided on the front side of the cassette mounting unit 126. By opening the door 126a, the storage cassette 300 can be mounted on the cassette mounting unit 126 or the storage cassette 300 can be taken out from this cassette mounting unit 126. As shown in FIG. 3, the cassette mounting unit 126 is provided with a mounted cassette detecting unit 127 such as a light sensor for detecting that the storage cassette 300 is mounted on the cassette mounting unit 126. As shown in FIG. 6, the cassette mounting unit 126 is provided with a writer 128 for writing various information in a storage medium 304 (to be described later) provided in the storage cassette 300 mounted on the cassette mounting unit 126, a reader 129 for reading various information from the storage medium 304, respectively. Details of the information written to the storage medium 304 by the writer 128 and the information read from the storage medium 304 by the reader 129 will be described later.
[0040] The banknote receiving unit 120 is provided with a banknote feeding mechanism 121. When it is detected that one or more banknotes have been inserted into the banknote receiving opening 120a, the banknote feeding mechanism 121 is driven so that the banknotes are fed out one by one to the round transporting unit 130a side via the connection transporting unit 130b.
[0053] Next, the configuration of the control system in such a money depositing/dispensing machine 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, in the housing 101 of the money depositing/dispensing machine 100 according to the present embodiment, a controlling unit 102 is provided, and the controlling unit 102 controls each component of each of the banknote handling device 110, coin handling device 150 and coin-roll storage device 180. Specifically, to the controlling unit 102, the banknote feeding mechanism 121, transporting unit 130, recognition unit 132, banknote feeding mechanisms 135, 137, cassette mounting unit 126, mounted cassette detecting unit 127, writer 128, reader 129 and the like of the banknote handling device 110 are connected. The recognition information of the banknote by the recognition unit 132, detection information of the storage cassette 300 by the mounted cassette detecting unit 127, information read from the storage medium 304 provided in the storage cassette 300 by the reader 129 and the like are sent to the controlling unit 102. The controlling unit 102 sends a command signal to each component of the banknote handling device 110 to control these components. In addition, to the controlling unit 102, the coin feeding mechanism 153, deposited-coin transporting unit 154, recognition unit 156, first diverting unit 158, each storage/feeding unit 160, coin-to-be-dispensed transporting unit 162, second diverting unit 164 and the like of the coin handling device 150 are connected. The recognition information of the coin by the recognition unit 156 is sent to the controlling unit 102. The controlling unit 102 sends a command signal to each component of the coin handling device 150 to control these components. Further, to the controlling unit 102, the lock mechanism 184, scale 186, detecting unit 188 and the like of the coin-roll storage device 180 are connected. The measurement result of the coin rolls by the scale 186 and the detection result of the detecting unit 188 (specifically, the number of coin rolls taken out from the storage areas 180a to 180f of the drawer 182) are sent to the controlling unit 102. The controlling unit 102 controls the lock mechanism 184 by sending a command signal to the lock mechanism 184.
[0062] On the side surface of the casing 301 of the storage cassette 300, the storage medium 304 such as an IC chip is provided. When the storage cassette 300 is mounted on the cassette mounting unit 126 of the money depositing/dispensing machine 100 or the cassette mounting unit (not shown) of the money change machine 200, various information is written to the storage medium 304 by the writer 128 provided in the cassette mounting unit 126 of the money depositing/dispensing machine 100 or a writer (not shown) provided in the cassette mounting unit of the money change machine 200. In addition, various information is read from the storage medium 304 by the reader 129 provided in the cassette mounting unit 126 of the money depositing/dispensing machine 100 or a reader (not shown) provided in the cassette mounting unit of the money change machine 200.
[0063] Further, in the money handling system 10 of the present embodiment, apart from the storage cassette 300, in order to deriver the money other than the banknotes (specifically, the coins in a separate state and coin rolls) between the money depositing/dispensing machine 100 and each money change machine 200, a storage case 400 (see FIG. 1) in which the coins in a separate state and coin rolls are stored is used. Specifically, when replenishing the money as the change replenishment money to the money change machine 200 provided in each of the plurality of settlement places 20, the cashier corresponding to each of the plurality of settlement places 20 carries the storage cassette 300 storing the banknotes as the change replenishment money and the storage case 400 storing the coin rolls as the change fund from the back office area 14 to the front area 12. On the other hand, when collecting the money as the sales proceeds from the money change machine 200 provided in each of the plurality of settlement places 20, the cashier corresponding to each of the plurality of settlement places 20 carries the storage cassette 300 storing the banknotes as the sales proceeds and the storage case 400 storing the coins in a separate state as the sales proceeds from the front area 12 to the back office area 14.
[0064] Next, the operation of the money handling system 10 having such a configuration will be described. Specifically, the operation of depositing the money as the sales proceeds collected from the money change machine 200 installed in each of the plurality of settlement places 20 of the front area 12 to the money depositing/dispensing machine 100 installed in the back office area 14, and the operation of replenishing the money as the change replenishment money dispensed from the money depositing/dispensing machine 100 installed in the back office area 14 to the money change machine 200 installed in each of the plurality of settlement places 20 of the front area 12 will be described.
[0065] First, the operation of depositing the money as the sales proceeds collected from the money change machine 200 installed in each of the plurality of settlement places 20 of the front area 12 to the money depositing/dispensing machine 100 installed in the back office area 14 will be described. When the opening hour of the store is over, the cashier who was doing the checkout of the merchandises in the settlement place 20 of the front area 12 collects the banknotes and coins as the sales proceeds from the money change machine 200. Specifically, the cashier mounts the empty storage cassette 300 on the cassette mounting unit of the banknote handling device 210, so that the banknotes as the sales proceeds stored in the banknote handling device 210 are stored in the storage cassette 300. When the banknotes are stored in the storage cassette 300 mounted on the cassette mounting unit in the banknote handling device 210, the information of the banknotes that have been stored in the storage cassette 300 (specifically, the number of banknotes for each denomination) and the like is written in the storage medium 304 of the storage cassette 300 by the reader/writer provided in the banknote handling device 210. In addition, the information on the money (specifically, the banknotes and coin rolls) to be deposited into money change machine 200 on the next day as the change fund (specifically, the number of banknotes and coin rolls for each denomination) is written in the storage medium 304 of the storage cassette 300. Information such as the identification number of the settlement place 20 where the money change machine 200 is installed, the identification number of the cashier and the like may be written in the storage medium 304 of the storage cassette 300. In addition, the cashier dispenses the coins as the sales proceeds from the coin handling device 250, and the dispensed coins are stored by hand in the storage case 400. Further, the cashier removes a medium other than the money (for example, a gift certificate and the like) stored in the coin-roll storage device 280 by hand, and the retrieved medium is stored in the storage case 400 by hand. When the cashier collects the money and the like from the money change machine 200, the information on the collected money and the like is printed on the receipt by a printing unit such as a printer. The receipt on which such information is printed is also called a journal. The cashier also stores the receipt printed by the printing unit such as a printer in the storage case 400 by hand.
[0066] The cashier who collects the banknotes, coins and the like as the sales proceeds from the money change machine 200 installed in the settlement place 20 in the front area 12 carries the storage cassette 300 and storage case 400 collectively from the settlement place 20 of the front area 12 to the back office area 14. Then, the cashier deposits the banknotes and coins as the sales proceeds to the money depositing/dispensing machine 100. Specifically, the cashier mounts the storage cassette 300 on the cassette mounting unit 126 in the banknote handling device 110 of the money depositing/dispensing machine 100. As a result, the banknotes as the sales proceeds stored in the storage cassette 300 are stored in the banknote handling device 110. Then, the information stored in the storage medium 304 of the storage cassette 300 is read by the reader 129. As a result, the banknote information (more specifically, the number of banknotes for each denomination) as the sales proceeds stored in the storage cassette 300 is managed by the controlling unit 102 of the money depositing/dispensing machine 100. In addition, the cashier takes out the coins from the storage case 400, and puts the taken coins into the coin receiving unit 152 of the coin handling device 150 of the money depositing/dispensing machine 100. As a result, the coins as the sales proceeds are deposited in the money depositing/dispensing machine 100.
[0067] Next, the operation of replenishing the money as the change replenishment money dispensed from the money depositing/dispensing machine 100 installed in the back office area 14 to the money change machine 200 installed in each of the plurality of settlement places 20 of the front area 12 will be described. First, the cashier of each of the plurality of settlement places 20 stores the banknotes as the change replenishment money from the money change machine 200 to the storage cassette 300. Specifically, the cashier first causes the authentication unit 107 to authenticate the operator's authority. When the authentication unit 107 authenticates that the operator's authority is the cashier, the cashier mounts the empty storage cassette 300 on the cassette mounting unit 126 in the banknote handling device 110 of the money depositing/dispensing machine 100. As a result, the banknotes stored in each banknote storage unit 134, 136 of the banknote handling device 110 are sent to the storage cassette 300. At this time, the information on the money as the change replenishment money dispensed from the money depositing/dispensing machine 100 (more specifically, the number of banknotes for each denomination and the number of coin rolls for each denomination to be described later) is written in the storage medium 304 of the storage cassette 300 by the writer 128.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 1, before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a cassette detector unit located on cassette mounting unit, to which storage cassette is mounted, as well as a reader and writer to both read and write pertinent information to and from a storage medium located on the storage cassette, as taught by Shimizu, in Nomura’s money handling apparatus, for the purpose of creating flexibility in the money handling apparatus’ of Nomura’s money handling system through transfer of pertinent cash inventory data to or from the cassette. Note also that regardless of whether the transaction is a deposit or dispensing/withdrawal operation, the operation of the storage device and its interaction with the controller of the particular money handling device is the same, and is merely a matter of perspective with respect to either the settlement device or the backend device and whether or not profits or start/change funds are being collected or deposited from a particular machine.
Note again that it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. See St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Thus, it is further noted that it is a matter of design choice to have multiple cassette mounting units and detectors based upon the volume of banknote, coins or cash required to be handled within the system.
Regarding Claim 1, Nomura does not expressly teach, but Baranowski teaches “process(ing) a deposit transaction simultaneously with a withdrawal or a dispense transaction” as mentioned at paragraph 101, which states as follows.
[0101] According to some embodiments, banknotes are scanned by the banknote detector section 130 both when banknotes are being inserted or deposited into the banknote recycler 100 and when banknotes are being dispensed from the banknote recycler 100. According to some embodiments, banknotes are scanned by the banknote detector section 130 when banknotes are being inserted or deposited into the banknote recycler 100 but not when banknotes are being dispensed from the banknote recycler 100. According to some embodiments, the banknote recycler has two banknote detector sections 130. For example, FIG. 1G is a schematic view of a banknote recycler 100′ according to some embodiments of the present disclosure having a second banknote detector section 130′. When banknotes are being dispensed from storage bays 160a-160f, they may be alternatively routed to transport path 120f via a diverter 161f, through the second banknote detector section 130′ and to output receptacle 140c which may comprise stacker wheels 142c. Otherwise, the banknote recycler 100′ may be the same as banknote recycler 100. According to some such embodiments, banknote recycler 100′ may be configured to process a deposit transaction simultaneously with a withdrawal or dispense transaction. For example, the banknote recycler may be operated in a Feed-to-Escrow mode or Escrow Accept Mode as discussed above in connection with FIGS. 1C and 1D (such as at the request of a first bank teller) and be simultaneously be operated in a Dispense mode (such as at the request of a second bank teller) where banknotes to be dispensed are routed to output receptacle 140c.
Emphasis provided.
Further note that it is considered will within the skill of an ordinarily skilled artisan to have adapted the transport devices within Nomura’s money handling device to have accommodated enough cassette mounting units to handling enough cassettes so as to enable simultaneous filling/depositing of a change fund into one cassette while accepting sales profits collected for depositing through another separate cassette attached to another cassette mounting unit since both Nomura’s, Akamatsu’s, Shimuzu’s and Baranowski’s devices have structure with predictable function and would have recognized the efficacy and synergy of the combination based upon the references' teachings as well as common sense, logic and reason..
Regarding Claim 1, before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided two or more other cassette mounting/attachment units in a single money handling machine as well as in other money handling machines throughout the money handling system for the purpose of enabling accommodation of higher volumes of throughput of cash.
Note also that whether or not an escrow is used, it would have been well within the skill of an ordinarily skilled artisan to have adapted the control system of Shimuzu, Baranowski, Akamatsu and Nomura to all enable synchronization of all money handling units components to process both deposits and dispensing/withdrawals at the same time for two or more different cassettes.
Regarding Claim 1, therefore before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided wherein the processing circuitry, as taught by Nomura, is further configured to control, in a case that the attachment of the second cassette attachment is detected, as taught by Shimuzu, while the depositing processing is being performed, noting that Nomura’s and Shimuzu’s apparatus’s both perform deposits, the second transport (235b, 236, 253b, 250b, 256b), as taught by Nomura, to perform the dispensing processing of the change fund into the second cassette (30); and
control, in a case that attachment of the first cassette (30) to the first cassette attachment, is detected while the dispensing processing is being performed, as taught by Nomura, the first transport (230b) to perform the depositing processing of the money from the first cassette (30) into the housing (100a, 100b), for the purpose of increasing the volume of banknotes processed by performing deposit and dispensing/withdrawal operations from the same money handling apparatus.
Therefore, as stated previously, regarding Claim 1, it would have been obvious to have used Shimuzu’s teaching of detection of cassettes and passage of cassette information to and from each cassette and Baranowski’s and Akamatsu’s teaching of performing both deposit and dispensing operations simultaneously, in Nomura’s money handling apparatus since Shimuzu’s, Baranowski’s, Akamatsu’s and Nomura’s devices have predictable structure and function and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized the efficacy and synergy of the combination based upon the references' teachings as well as common sense, logic and reason.
Regarding Claim 22, see the rejection of Claim 1, noting that Nomura’s Akamatsu’s, Shimuzu’s and Baranowski’s teachings as discussed above.
Regarding Claim 3, Nomura teaches
wherein in a case that the depositing processing from the first cassette (30) is completed and the first cassette is replaced with a third cassette (30) while the dispensing processing to the second cassette (30) is performed, the processing circuitry (190, 290) is further configured to control the first transport (230b) such that depositing processing from the third cassette (30) is performed, noting that Nomura’s apparatus is designed for continuous processing of coins, and noting that the escrow units (235b) enable capacity for the coins to be stockpiled while coins are simultaneously dispensed to the second cassette (30).
Regarding Claim 7, Nomura teaches wherein the processing circuitry (190, 290) is further configured to control, in a case that the dispensing processing to the second cassette (30) is completed and the second cassette (30) is replaced with a third cassette (30) while the depositing processing is performed, i.e., via the first cassette (30) and the first transport (230b), the second transport (235b, 236, 253b, 250b, 256b) to perform dispensing processing to the third cassette (30), noting that Nomura’s apparatus is controlled by a solid state controller (190, 290) which is designed to operate in real time to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, and that the temporary/escrow units (235b) and storing units (250b) enable simultaneous depositing and dispensing operations because the escrow units act as an inventory buffer that feeds the storage units which act to dispense coins to the attached second or third cassettes (30) while the first cassette (30) is attached at the top of housing (100a, 100b). See paragraphs 157-164 and 168-171. Note also that paragraph 240 mentions “[t]he flow of counting the number of connection times shown in FIG. 17 may be performed simultaneously with the money loading process or the money collecting process, or before or after one of these processes”.
Regarding Claim 9, Nomura teaches
wherein the first cassette (30) attached to the first cassette attachment (210b) and the second cassette (30) attached to the second cassette attachment (260) are each a money transport cassette comprising an opening (31, 32) as illustrated in figures 15a and 15b and as mentioned at paragraphs 89, 90, 219 and 229, which opens when the money transport cassette (30) is attached to a specific apparatus (23), the money transport cassette (30) being configured to give or receive the money to or from the specific apparatus (23) via the opening (31, 32).
Regarding Claim 10, Nomura teaches
wherein the processing circuitry (190, 290) is further configured to control the first transport (230b) and the second transport, (235b, 236b, 253b, 250b, 256b) as illustrated in figure 9a and as mentioned at paragraphs 160-165, such that proceeds from sales, as mentioned at paragraphs 8, 9, 89 and 90, are deposited into the housing (100a, 100b), i.e., via first cassette attachment unit (210b) and the cassette (30), and that the change fund is dispensed into the second cassette (30), i.e., via second cassette attachment unit/drawer (260), the proceeds from sales being collected into the first cassette (30) by a first commercial product registration apparatus, i.e., money settlement apparatus (11), as illustrated in figure 1, the change fund being used in a second commercial product registration apparatus (11), as mentioned in paragraph 90, for example, which states as follows.
[0089] The back office 20 is provided with a money accounting apparatus 21, a money management apparatus 25 and a POS management apparatus 26. The money accounting apparatus is communicably connected to the money settlement apparatuses 11, and is configured to dispense a change fund to be loaded to the money settlement apparatuses 11 and to deposit sales proceeds collected from the money settlement apparatuses 11. The money management apparatus 25 is communicably connected to the money settlement apparatuses 11 and the money accounting apparatus 21 through a LAN (Local Area Network) or the like. The money management apparatus 25 is configured to manage money stored in the money settlement apparatuses 11 and the money accounting apparatus 21. For example, the money management apparatus 25 is configured to manage money having been settled in the respective money settlement apparatuses 11, and money transferred between each money settlement apparatus 11 and the money accounting apparatus 21. In addition, the money management apparatus 25 may monitor whether the money transport cassette 30 is attached to the money settlement apparatus 11 or the money accounting apparatus 21. The POS management apparatus 26 is configured to manage a flow of commercial products. Since the flow of commercial products is not directly related to the present invention, detailed description of the POS management apparatus 26 is omitted.
[0090] The money transport cassette 30 can be attached to and detached from the money settlement apparatus 11 and the money accounting apparatus 21. When attached to the money settlement apparatus 11 or the money accounting apparatus 21, the money transport cassette 30 can transfer money between the money transport cassette 30 and the money settlement apparatus 11, or between the money transport cassette 30 and the money accounting apparatus 21. On the other hand, when detached from the money settlement apparatus 11 and the money accounting apparatus 21, the money transport cassette 30 stores money therein such that the money cannot be taken out therefrom. A clerk uses the money transport cassette 30 to transport money between the money settlement apparatus 11 and the money accounting apparatus 21. For example, when a change fund is loaded or when sales proceeds are collected, a clerk uses the money transport cassette 30 to transport money between the money settlement apparatus 11 and the money accounting apparatus 21. Since the clerk cannot touch the money in the money transport cassette 30 during the money transportation, the money can be safely transported in terms of security.
[0091] The money transport cassette 30 may be configured to transport any one of a banknote and a coin, or to transport both a banknote and a coin. The money transport cassette 30 for banknote may be a stacking-type cassette in which banknotes are stacked on one another, or may be a tape reeling-type cassette in which banknotes, which are sandwiched one by one between a pair of elongate tapes, are reeled up together with the tapes. The money transport cassette 30 for coin may be a cassette configured to store coin in a denomination mixed state.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 11, see the rejection of Claims 1 and 7, above.
Regarding Claim 12, see the rejection of Claims 1 and 7, above.
Regarding Claim 16, see the rejection of Claim 1, above.
Regarding Claim 17, see the rejection of Claims 1 and 7, above.
Claim(s) 4, 13 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nomura et al (US 2014/0083814 A1) in view of Akamatsu (US 2011/0015777 A1), further in view of Shimuzu et al (US 2018/0286163 A1), further in view of Baranowski et al (US 2021/0049853 A1) and further in view of Uesaka et al (US 2010/0230231 A1).
Regarding Claims 4, 13 and 18, Nomura teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 4, Nomura teaches
further comprising a display (295) as illustrated in figure 7 and as mentioned at paragraphs 133 and 134, wherein the processing circuitry (190, 290).
Regarding Claim 4, Nomura does not expressly teach
further comprising a display wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to display first information indicating that the depositing processing is being performed, and second information indicating that a start instruction to start the dispensing processing is receivable, and
when the processing circuitry receives the start instruction, the processing circuitry is further configured to control the second transport to start the dispensing processing.
Regarding Claim 4, Nomura does not expressly teach, but Uesaka teaches
further comprising a display (25) as illustrated in figures 3 and 8 and as mentioned at paragraphs 88 and 90, wherein the processing circuitry, i.e., control unit (22), is configured to control the display (25) to display first information indicating that the depositing processing is being performed, and second information indicating that a start instruction to start the dispensing processing is receivable, and
when the processing circuitry (22) receives the start instruction, the processing circuitry (22) controls the second transport unit (18) to start the dispensing processing, as mentioned at paragraph 55. See also paragraphs 121, 122, 175, 176, 208, 212, 215, 253 and 264, as follows.
[0055] Banknotes are stored in the housing 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 10 includes: a banknote inlet 11 for receiving banknotes set therein; a banknote cassette 16 for storing banknotes; a banknote transport unit 18 for transporting banknotes along a transport path from the banknote inlet 11 to the banknote cassette 16; a banknote recognition unit 12 provided in the transport path; a banknote reject unit 13 connected to the transport path; and a banknote escrow unit 14 connected to the transport path. These units form the banknote processing unit for realizing the processing for banknotes.
[0056] The banknote inlet 11 is used for feeding banknotes to be collected, into the cash collection apparatus 1. Banknotes set in the banknote inlet 11 are fed one by one into the transport path of the cash collection apparatus 1.
[0121] Subsequently, the cash collection apparatus 1 displays, by means of the display unit 25, information for instructing a user to input information of the denominations and the amount of cash to be prepared as the change fund in each register 2. The user checks the information displayed by the display unit 25, and inputs necessary information by using the operation unit 19. The information of the denominations and the amount of cash to be prepared as the change fund may be previously stored as data in the POS server 3, the POS register 2, or the cash collection apparatus 1, or may be received as necessary data through the network 4 or the storage medium 40.
[0122] Next, the cash collection apparatus 1 compares the information of the money stored in the POS register 2 with the information of money necessary for preparing the change fund; specifies, each denomination and an amount of money necessary to make up for the shortfall in the total sum amount to be stored in each register 2; and displays, by means of the display unit 25, information for instructing a user to supply the money necessary to make up for the shortfall to the coin collection apparatus 1.
[0175] When a user sets banknotes, for each denomination of banknote, in the banknote inlet 11, the cash collection apparatus 1 starts recognizing and counting the banknotes. When the recognized and counted amount of the banknotes indicates an amount of banknotes to be supplied to the register 2 which is to be replenished with the necessary change fund, the cash collection apparatus 1 stops the process, and notifies a user thereof, and displays, by means of the display unit 25, information for instructing the user to supply the recognized and counted amount of the banknotes to the register 2.
[0176] In accordance with the instruction displayed by the display unit 25, the user extracts banknotes from the banknote escrow unit 14 through the door 15 which has been manually or automatically opened, and supplies the extracted banknotes to the register 2 which is to be replenished with the necessary change fund.
0208] The display unit 25 of the cash collection apparatus 1 displays, at a predetermined time, necessary information such as a message for instructing a user to replenish the register with the coins prepared as a change fund.
[0209] The display unit 25 displays the necessary information at a predetermined time, for example, after all the cash are collected from the register 2, or after the register 2 is replenished with banknotes prepared as the change fund. Further, the information displayed by the display unit 25 may be erased in accordance with a user performing a predetermined operation by using the operation unit 19, or may be automatically erased when a predetermined time has passed. By confirming the information displayed by the display unit 25, a user may not forget to replenish the register with the change fund.
[0212] Specifically, depending on the number of banknotes which are left in the register 2 at the end of day, for example, five dollar banknotes may not be collected, and may be continuously stored in the register 2 as the change fund. In this case, a user may input an instruction for eliminating the process for five dollar banknotes. When the user performs a predetermined operation by using the operation unit 19, the cash collection apparatus 1 recognizes that the process is not to be performed for five dollar banknotes, and automatically eliminates information associated with five dollar banknotes, from data received from the POS server 3 or the like, and thereafter performs various process, as described above, such as a process for comparing data representing the amount of money received from the POS server 3 or the like, with data representing the amount of money which is actually collected from the register 2. Further, it is assumed that five dollar banknotes are set in the banknote inlet 11 by mistake, and the process is started. In this case, the process is stopped, and the display unit 25 displays information indicating that five dollar banknotes are to be returned to the register 2 because five dollar banknotes are not to be processed, and all the banknotes which have been transported into the cash collection apparatus 1 but are not to be processed are transported to the banknote reject unit 13. Therefore, a user extracts, from the banknote reject unit 13, five dollar banknotes which are not to be processed, and returns the extracted five dollar banknotes to the register 2, thereby enabling prevention of mistake in task.
[0215] Specifically, for example, in a case where banknotes other than five dollar banknote are to be collected, and coins are not to be collected, and a change fund is not to be replenished, the tasks to be performed in this case are previously inputted to and recorded in the cash collection apparatus 1. When a user moves the cash collection apparatus 1 to the register 2, and performs, by using the operation unit 19, a predetermined operation for starting the process, the display unit 25 sequentially displays the tasks to be performed by the user. For example, an instruction for collecting banknotes other than five dollar banknote is displayed, and a user starts collecting the banknotes from the register 2. Thereafter, when the confirmation of the collected banknotes and the process and task of storing the collected banknotes as described above are all completed, the display unit 25 then displays information indicating that tasks of collecting coins and replenishing the register 2 with a change fund are unnecessary. Further, the display unit 25 displays information indicating that the process and the task for the register 2 are completed as per normal, and the cash collection apparatus 1 is to be moved to another register 2 so as to perform the task for the another register 2. In accordance with the displayed information, the user starts the following tasks.
[0253] A user opens the door 15, and extracts the banknotes from the banknote escrow unit 14, and replenishes the banknote storing unit 31 with the extracted banknotes, and puts a divider on the top of the stacked banknotes. When the user performs a predetermined operation for resuming the process by using the operation unit 19, the cash collection apparatus 1 displays information indicating a designation of the register for which the recognition and counting are being performed, by means of the display unit 25, and resumes the recognition and counting. At this time, in a case where, although the user inputs an instruction for resuming the recognition and counting, a banknote is left in the banknote escrow unit 14, the cash collection apparatus 1 indicates to the user that a banknote is left in the banknote escrow unit 14 without resuming the recognition and counting. In response thereto, the user checks whether or not a banknote is left, and extracts, from the banknote escrow unit 14, the banknote left therein, and thereafter the cash collection apparatus 1 resumes the recognition and counting. Thus, the user is able to easily prepare the necessary banknotes for the necessary number of registers as the change fund.
[0263] When the banknotes necessary to make up for the shortfall in the necessary change fund are prepared, the cash collection apparatus 1 stops the process, and displays, by means of the display unit 25, information for instructing the user to extract the banknotes from the banknote escrow unit 14, and supply the extracted banknotes to the register 2 which is to be replenished with the necessary change fund.
[0264] The user extracts the banknotes from the banknote escrow unit 14, and supplies the extracted banknotes to the register 2 which is to be replenished with the necessary change fund, and inputs, by using the operation unit 19, information indicating that the extracted banknotes have been supplied to the register 2. In response thereto, the cash collection apparatus 1 detects for a banknote held in the banknote escrow unit 14, so as to confirm that no banknotes is left. When a banknote is left, the display unit 25 displays information for instructing the user to extract the left banknote, and supply the banknote to the register 2 which is to be replenished with the necessary change fund. The cash collection apparatus 1 confirms that no banknote is held in the banknote escrow unit 14. Thereafter, the cash collection apparatus 1 transports, when banknotes are left in the transport path, all the banknotes left in the transport path, to the banknote reject unit 13. The display unit 25 displays information for instructing the user to return, to the banknote storing unit 31, the banknotes stored in the banknote reject unit 13 and the banknotes set in the banknote inlet 11.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 4, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided further comprising a display wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to display first information indicating that the depositing processing is being performed, and second information indicating that a start instruction to start the dispensing processing is receivable, and
when the processing circuitry receives the start instruction, the processing circuitry is further configured to control the second transport to start the dispensing processing, as taught by Uesaka, in Nomura’s money handling apparatus for the purpose of imparting significant information and data required to aid an operator to use the apparatus.
Regarding Claim 13, see the rejection of Claim 4, above.
Regarding Claim 18, see the rejection of Claim 4, above.
Claim(s) 5, 8, 14, 15, 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nomura et al (US 2014/0083814 A1) in view of Akamatsu (US 2011/0015777 A1), further in view of Shimuzu et al (US 2018/0286163 A1), further in view of Baranowski et al (US 2021/0049853 A1), further in view of Uesaka et al (US 2010/0230231 A1) and further in view of Hurwitz et al (US 2006/0065717 A1).
Regarding Claims 5, 8, 14, 15, 19 and 20, Nomura teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 5, Nomura teaches further comprising
identification circuitry, i.e., notification unit (52), which is a display or voice identification, as well as controller (190, 290), which is implied to configured to identify whether an operator is an authorized person allowed to start the dispensing processing, wherein
in a case that the operator is identified as the authorized person, the processing circuitry is further configured to receive the start instruction issued by the operator, and
in a case that the operator is not identified as the authorized person, the processing circuitry is further configured to not receive the start instruction issued by the operator, as mentioned in paragraphs 111, 260, 262, 266 and 267, for example.
[0260] On the other hand, when a banknote is recognized as a counterfeit note or a suspect note and thus is recognized as not genuine by the recognition unit 140a ("NO" in STEP 3 of FIG. 20), the transport of banknotes by the transport unit 130a is stopped (STEP 5 of FIG. 20). In addition, at this time, the notification unit 52 notifies the operator by voice or display that a banknote that is not genuine has been recognized by the recognition unit 140a (STEP 6 of FIG. 20). The recognized information of the banknote recognized by the recognition unit 140a, specifically, a denomination, an image, a serial number and the like, may be notified by the notification unit 52. Further, a banknote stop location in the housing 100a of the banknote change machine 12 may be notified by the notification unit 52. Thereafter, when an operator or a person having an authority confirms the notified contents having been notified by the notification unit 52 and judges that the banknote should be stored into the storing/feeding unit 28, a higher-ranking person gives a storing command to the control unit 190 through the operation unit 195 ("YES" in STEP 7 of FIG. 20). Then, the transport of the banknotes by the transport unit 130a is resumed, and the banknote having been recognized as not genuine by the recognition unit 140a is transported to the lower-stage storing/feeding unit 28 so as to be stored in the storing/feeding unit 28 (STEP 8 of FIG. 20). When the banknotes is stored into the storing/feeding unit 28, the memory unit 170 stores a storing order of the banknote stored in the storing/feeding unit 28, together with other information such as the denomination, the serial number and so on of the banknote. Thus, the counterfeit note or the suspect note can be confirmed thereafter. In addition, when the operator or the person confirming the notified contents by the notification unit 52 judges that the banknote cannot be stored into the banknote change machine 12, a higher-ranking person removes the banknote, or collects the banknote by inputting a collecting command to the control unit 190 through the operation unit 195. The collected banknote is separately managed in the back office.
[0261] Although not shown in the flowchart, when a banknote has been recognized as genuine by the recognition unit 140a but the storing/feeding unit 28 corresponding to a denomination of the banknote (upper-stage or middle-stage storing/feeding unit 28) is full, the banknote is transported to a collecting cassette 30 so as to be stored in the collecting cassette 30.
[0262] The aforementioned operation shown in the STEP 1 to STEP 8 of FIG. 20 is performed until all the banknotes are fed from the depositing unit 110a into the housing 100a ("NO" in STEP 9 of FIG. 20). When all the banknotes have been fed from the depositing unit 110a into the housing 100a so that there is no banknote in the depositing unit 110a ("YES" in STEP 9 of FIG. 20), the depositing operation is ended. The depositing operation may not be ended immediately after all the banknotes have been fed from the depositing unit 110a into the housing 100a, but the notification unit 52 may notify an operator that all the banknotes have been fed from the depositing unit 110a into the housing 100a. In this case, after the operator gives a confirmation command to the control unit 190 through the operation unit 195, the depositing process is ended.
[0266] On the other hand, when a banknote is recognized as a counterfeit note or a suspect note and thus is recognized as not genuine by the recognition unit 140a ("NO" in STEP 13 of FIG. 21), the banknote is transported by the transport unit 130a to the lower-stage storing/feeding unit 28 so as to be stored in the storing/feeding unit 28 (STEP 15 of FIG. 21). When the banknote having been recognized as not genuine is stored into the lower-stage storing/feeding unit 28, the transport of banknotes by the transport unit 130a is stopped (STEP 16 of FIG. 21). At this time, the notification unit 52 notifies the operator by voice or display that a banknote that is not genuine has been recognized by the recognition unit 140a (STEP 17 of FIG. 21). At this time, the recognized information of the banknote recognized by the recognition unit 140a, specifically, a denomination, an image, a serial number and the like, may be notified by the notification unit 52. Thereafter, when an operator or a person having an authority confirms the notified contents having been notified by the notification unit 52 and judges that the banknote should be stored into the storing/feeding unit 28, a higher-ranking person gives a storing command to the control unit 190 through the operation unit 195 ("YES" in STEP 18 of FIG. 21). Then, the transport of the banknotes by the transport unit 130a is resumed (STEP 19 of FIG. 21). When the banknotes is stored into the storing/feeding unit 28, the memory unit 170 stores a storing order of the banknote stored in the storing/feeding unit 28, together with other information such as the denomination, the serial number and so on of the banknote. Thus, the counterfeit note or the suspect note can be confirmed thereafter. In addition, when the operator or the person confirming the notified contents by the notification unit 52 judges that the banknote cannot be stored into the banknote change machine 12, a higher-ranking person removes the banknote, or collects the banknote by inputting a collecting command to the control unit 190 through the operation unit 195. The collected banknote is separately managed in the back office.
[0267] The aforementioned operation shown in STEP 11 to STEP 19 of FIG. 21 is performed until all the banknotes are fed from the depositing unit 110a into the housing 100a ("NO" in STEP 20 in FIG. 21). When all the banknotes have been fed from the depositing unit 110a into the housing 100a so that there is no banknote in the depositing unit 110a ("YES" in STEP 20 of FIG. 21), the depositing operation is ended. The depositing operation may not be ended immediately after all the banknotes have been fed from the depositing unit 110a into the housing 100a, but the notification unit 52 may notify the operator that all the banknotes have been fed from the depositing unit 110a into the housing 100a. In this case, after the operator gives a confirmation command to the control unit 190 through the operation unit 195, the depositing process is ended.
[0275] In addition, when the banknote having been recognized as not genuine by the recognition unit 140a is returned to the depositing unit 110a, only a part of the banknote may be exposed to the outside from the depositing unit 110a. In this case, the remaining part of the banknote is still taken in the housing 100a, so that an operator cannot take the banknote to the outside. Thereafter, when an operator or a person having an authority confirms the notified contents having been notified by the notification unit 52 and judges that the banknote should be stored into the storing/feeding unit 28, a higher-ranking person gives a storing command to the control unit 190 through the operation unit 195, so that the banknote is stored into the storing/feeding unit 28. When the banknotes is stored into the storing/feeding unit 28, the memory unit 170 stores a storing order of the banknote stored in the storing/feeding unit 28, together with other information such as the denomination, the serial number and so on of the banknote. Thus, the counterfeit note or the suspect note can be confirmed thereafter. In addition, when the operator or the person confirming the notified contents by the notification unit 52 judges that the banknote cannot be stored into the banknote change machine 12, a higher-ranking person removes the banknote, or collects the banknote by inputting a collecting command to the control unit 190 through the operation unit 195. The collected banknote is separately managed in the back office.
Regarding Claim 5, Nomura does not expressly teach further comprising identification circuitry configured to identify whether an operator is an authorized person allowed to start the dispensing processing, wherein
in a case that the operator is identified as the authorized person, the processing circuitry is further configured to receive the start instruction issued by the operator, and
in a case that the operator is not identified as the authorized person, the processing circuitry is further configured to not receive the start instruction issued by the operator.
Regarding Claim 5, Nomura does not expressly teach, but Hurwitz teaches further comprising identification circuitry configured to identify whether an operator is an authorized person allowed to start the dispensing processing, wherein
in a case that the operator is identified as the authorized person, the processing circuitry is further configured to receive the start instruction issued by the operator, and
in a case that the operator is not identified as the authorized person, the processing circuitry is further configured to not receive the start instruction issued by the operator, as mentioned at paragraphs 401, 410, 428, 457 and 551.
[0400] The first embodiment comprises a payment media handling apparatus having a payment media dispensing means and optionally a payment media acceptance means. The payment media dispensing and acceptance means may be combined within a single apparatus and further to this be capable of recycling payment media. The apparatus also has a user interface, the user interface may be a traditional PC with a keyboard and a mouse or other pointing means such as a touch screen. In this embodiment and all subsequent embodiments the user interface may be presented in the style as a browser. The format is increasingly familiar with users and as such provides a recognizable interface. The interface provides the means by which the user can easily interact with the payment media handling apparatus. Typically the first operation carried out by the user will be to login and identify either themselves, their till or both themselves and their till. Though this is preferable for security and auditing purposes, it is not essential.
[0401] The user will then request a start fund via the user interface. If the user has not logged in or during the log in has not identified their till they will be prompted to identify the till for which they require the start fund. Once the start fund has been requested and the till identified, the apparatus reviews by one of a number of means what the start fund should be in terms of value and denomination distribution. The apparatus may then automatically dispense the start fund or alternatively display the intended start fund. If the start fund is displayed prior to dispense, the user will be given the option to accept or decline the proposed start fund. If accepted the start fund is dispensed, if declined the start fund process may be cancelled or the user prompted to enter an alternative value and distribution for the start fund. Once the start fund is defined by the user and so long as sufficient funds are present within the apparatus, the fund is dispensed. It is appreciated by the inventors that a retailer may not want to let all of its staff define their own start funds, and, as such, authority levels may be built in and a user may require supervisor assistance in order to carry out this operation. It is currently preferred that the start fund is dispensed automatically and no further intervention is required from the user. This both speeds up the process and limits the need for the user to worry about the event, all the processing and thought behind the transaction has been done for them. Moreover, the payment media handling system also provides the ability to change start fund amounts, time of availability, etc., including the ability to predetermine and/or override predetermined start fund aspects, including amounts and time of availability.
[0410] This is essentially the process as described and defined by store policy. The advantage here is that a remote authority, such as a head office, has the ability to manipulate start funds. This may be preferable for large retailers who wish to monitor payment media flow and payment media management from a central point and as such need the ability to define key store payment media policies. To enable this, the apparatus must be networked by some means. This may be, for example, by a dedicated connection, a closed network or a secure internet connection, or a secure telephone or facsimile connection.
[0428] Once the appropriate denomination split has been determined, the apparatus may dispense automatically or display the proposed split and ask the user to confirm their acceptance. If the user is given the opportunity to confirm/decline their acceptance of the proposed denomination split, they may also be given the chance to redefine the denomination split prior to dispensing. As with the Start Fund Process, a retailer may only want to allow a limited number of users to be able to redefine denomination split and as such a user would need to log in and have the correct authority level.
[0457] The user approaches the apparatus and requests a cash advance. In the simplest form the apparatus will then prompt the user to indicate the value, denomination split and media type required for the cash advance. If the apparatus has required the user to logon or identify the till, it may make a decision as to whether it is acceptable to supply the value requested. For example, the apparatus may be set to allow only one automatic cash advance per day for any given till. An advance is the issuance of money to an entity, e.g., a specific individual supervisor, a start fund, a cashier, a till, etc. If a second cash advance is requested, a supervisor may be required to provide authorization.
[0551] The systems and methods may permit withdrawals from payment media handling apparatus by personnel other than cashiers using established procedures, authorization levels, etc. For example, supervisors and/or managers may be allowed to issue start funds for multiple entities. The system may allow supervisors of a particular payment media handling apparatus machine and/or other management personnel to issue start funds for multiple entities without having to log in each time. Cashiers may be permitted to sign off after a funds dispense by simply using a touch screen to hit a cancel button to sign off completely without going through a more lengthy sign off procedure after pressing "log-off", for example. The payment media handling system completes the logoff after the "cancel" button is touched.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 5, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided further comprising identification circuitry configured to identify whether an operator is an authorized person allowed to start the dispensing processing, wherein in a case that the operator is identified as the authorized person, the processing circuitry is further configured to receive the start instruction issued by the operator, and
in a case that the operator is not identified as the authorized person, the processing circuitry is further configured to not receive the start instruction issued by the operator, as taught by Hurwitz, in Nomura’s money handling apparatus for the purpose of increasing security and enabling auditing throughout the system. See again, the last sentence of paragraph 400 of Hurwitz.
Regarding Claim 8, Nomura does not expressly teach wherein
the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to display an input screen that prompts the operator to input identification information, and
the identification circuitry is further configured to identify whether the operator is the authorized person based on an input of the identification information to the input screen.
Regarding Claim 8, Nomura does not expressly teach, but Hurwitz teaches wherein
the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to display an input screen that prompts the operator to input identification information, and
the identification circuitry is further configured to identify whether the operator is the authorized person based on an input of the identification information to the input screen,
as mentioned at paragraphs 401, 410, 428, 457 and 551.
Regarding Claim 14, see the rejection of Claim 8, above.
Regarding Claim 15, see the rejection of Claim 8, above.
Regarding Claim 19, see the rejection of Claims 5 and 8, above.
Regarding Claim 20, see the rejection of Claims 5 and 8, above.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nomura et al (US 2014/0083814 A1) in view of Akamatsu (US 2011/0015777 A1), further in view of Shimuzu et al (US 2018/0286163 A1), further in view of Baranowski et al (US 2021/0049853 A1), further in view of Doi et al (US 2010/0245043 A1) and further in view of Gotanda et al (US 2018/0165911 A1).
Regarding Claims 21 Nomura teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 21, Nomura does not expressly teach
a display, wherein
the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to display first information indicating that the dispensing processing is being performed, and second information indicating that a start instruction to start the depositing processing is receivable, and
when the processing circuitry receives the start instruction, the processing circuitry is further configured to control the first transport to start the depositing processing.
Regarding Claim 21, Nomura does not expressly teach, but Doi teaches
a display, i.e., display unit (112) of operation terminal (110), as illustrated in figures 9 and 10, wherein
the processing circuitry, i.e., control unit (130), as illustrated in figure 9, is further configured to control the display (112) to display first information indicating that the dispensing processing is being performed, as illustrated at figure 13, noting the screen includes a message stating “dispensing of $20 is in progress. 14/20 sheets”, and second information indicating that a start instruction to start the depositing processing is receivable, and
when the processing circuitry (130) receives the start instruction, the processing circuitry (130) is further configured to control the first transport to start the depositing processing.
Regarding Claim 21, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a display, wherein
the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to display first information indicating that the dispensing processing is being performed, and
when the processing circuitry receives the start instruction, the processing circuitry is further configured to control the first transport to start the depositing processing, as taught by Doi, in Nomura’s money handling apparatus and method for the purpose of enabling an interface allowing a user to control the money handling apparatus as well as to impart instructions on how to operate it as well as information on the ongoing condition of the device.
Regarding Claim 21, Nomura does not expressly teach, but Gotanda teaches second information indicating that a start instruction to start the depositing processing is receivable, noting figure 7, illustrating screen (SC3) with instruction (TX7) which states second information in the form of “please select denomination to be collected and number of collected bills and touch collection start button” and noting figure 8 illustrates a screen (SC4) with instruction (TX8) which states second information in the form of “please touch continuation button in case of continuing collection and please touch end button in case of ending collection” which are all considered second information indicating the start instruction is receivable.
Note also that since the control systems of Nomura, Doi and Gotanda each operate all components of the money handling device, it would have been obvious to have provided any such control/condition information of the device to the display/interface for the purpose of informing the user of the machine’s condition.
Regarding Claim 21, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided second information indicating that a start instruction to start the depositing processing is receivable, as taught by Gotanda, in Nomura’s money handling apparatus and method for the purpose of indicating the machine condition/receivability of the start instruction input by the user.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to Claim(s) 1, 3-5 and 7-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant is encouraged to contact the Examiner should there be any questions about this rejection or in an endeavor to explore potential amendments or potential allowable subject matter.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Regarding Claim 21, Machida is cited as teaching
a display (402, 592, 602), as mentioned at paragraphs 69, 113, 120, 121, as illustrated in figures 2, 5 and 8, noting that paragraph 120 mentions the display (592) is a touch panel/touch screen, wherein
the processing circuitry, i.e., control box (2c) as illustrated in figure 1 and as mentioned in paragraphs 61 and 85, controller (612), as mentioned at paragraphs 122 and 124 and controller (590) as illustrated in figure 9, is further configured to control the display (402, 592, 602), noting that figures 2, 8 and 9 illustrate controllers (412, 590, 612) are directly connected to displays (402, 592, 602), to display first information, i.e., indicating that the dispensing processing is being performed, and second information, i.e., indicating that a start instruction to start the depositing processing is receivable, and
when the processing circuitry (2c, 290, 412, 590, 612) receives the start instruction, the processing circuitry (2c, 290, 412, 590, 612) is further configured to control the first transport to start the depositing processing.
Egan is cited as teaching a user interface including computing device (104) with browser (112) attached to cash counter (106) through app (110) as illustrated in figure 1, said app (110) providing a screen (300) that enables various money handling conditions to be made available to a user, as illustrated in figure 3, and noting that the app tracks start fund characteristics such as mentioned at paragraphs 43-45, for example.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/JEFFREY A SHAPIRO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
December 22, 2025