DESCRIPTION
BANKNOTE HANDLING MACHINE AND BANKNOTE HANDLING
METHOD
5
TECHNICAL FIELD
[OOOl]
The present invention relates to a banknote handling
machine and a banknote handling method for sorting and
10 stacking banknotes, and a banknote handling machine and a
banknote handling method for sorting banknotes using banknote
numbers. In particular, the present invention relates to a
banknote handling machine and a banknote handling method,
with which when a failure occurs, it is possible to restore the
15 sorting state before the failure occurs during a recovery
process.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002]
20 In a deposit process using a banknote handling machine
including a plurality of stacking units, banknotes are ranked in
accordance. with their stain conditions, and fit notes appropriate
for reuse and unfit notes inappropriate for reuse are sorted and
stacked in different stacking units. I f a plurality of deposit
25 transactions are sequentially processed, and a failure such as a
jam occurs during the process of the second transaction,
confirmed banknotes processed during the first transaction and
unconfirmed banknotes under the process of the second
transaction are mixed in each stacking unit.
3 0 [0003]
Patent Document 1 discloses a banknote handling
machine configured to have confirmed numbers of banknotes for
confirmed transactions again during a failure recovery process.
The banknote processing machine according to Patent Literature
35 1 identifies denominations of banknotes, judges whether the
banknotes are fit notes or not, stacks the banknotes in a
plurality of staking units in accordance with the denominations
and the fitness, and stores in storing means the confirmed
number of banknotes stacked in each stacking unit. I f a failure
occurs during a deposit transaction, the operator redisposes all
5 the banknotes stacked in the stacking units in hoppers with the
stacking orders being maintained. Then the denominations and
the fitness of the banknotes redisposed in the hoppers are
determined, and the banknotes are stacked in the original
staking units again in accordance with the denominations and
10 the fitness. I f the number of banknotes stacked in any of the
stacking unit reaches a predefined number set for the stacking
unit stored in the storing means, the remaining banknotes in
the denomination assigned to the stacking unit having reached
the predefined number are stacked in other staking units to
15 which the denomination is also assigned, regardless of whether
they are fit notes or unfit notes.
[0004]
Thus, conventional machines are configured to store a
predefined number of banknotes set for each of the stacking
20 units that are configured to stack banknotes by denomination
and fitness. During a failure recovery, the fitness of the
banknotes is judged again and if the number of banknotes
stacked in a stacking unit for fit (or unfit) notes reaches the
stored predefined number, the remaining banknotes are stacked
25 in the stacking units for unfit (or fit) notes regardless of the
judgment result.
[OOOS]
However, depending on the conditions for reading
banknotes by a recognition sensor, errors may be caused in
30 reading stain states. Therefore, different judgments may be
made on banknotes for which it is difficult to determine whether
they are fit notes or unfit notes. This has caused a problem
with the above-described conventional banknote handling
machines that in a failure recovery process, after the number of
35 banknotes stacked in a stacking unit for fit notes reaches a
stored predefined number, some banknotes that are obviously
fit notes may be stacked in a stacking unit for unfit notes, or
after the number of banknotes stacked in the stacking unit for
unfit notes reaches a stored predefined number, some
banknotes that are obviously unfit notes may be stacked in the
5 stacking unit for fit notes.
[0006]
Furthermore, in a case where banknotes are sorted and
stacked in accordance with denominations, and a plurality of
stacking units are assigned to one denomination, stacking units
10 for two banknotes of the same denomination may be switched
before a failure occurs and after a failure recovery process is
performed.
[0007]
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 4870091
15
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008]
The present invention is proposed in consideration of the
aforementioned point, and it is an object of the present
20 invention to provide a banknote handling machine and a
banknote handling method with which, when a failure occurs, it
is possible to restore the same sorting state as that before a
failure occurs during a recovery process. In more detail, an
object of the present invention is to provide a banknote
25 handling machine and a banknote handling method with which
each of banknotes is stacked in the same stacking unit before a
failure occurs and after a failure recovery process is performed.
[0009]
A banknote handling machine according to an
30 embodiment of the present invention includes: a reception unit
configured to take in, one by one, banknotes put thereinto; an
acquisition unit configured to acquire banknote numbers of the
taken-in banknotes; a recognition unit configured to acquire
banknote information of the taken-in banknotes; a plurality of
35 stacking units configured to stack the banknotes; a control unit
configured to control a transport of the banknotes, the control
unit executing one of a normal mode and a banknote number
mode, the normal mode determining destinations of the
banknotes based on the banknote information acquired by the
recognition unit, controlling the transport of the banknotes so
5 that the banknotes are sorted and stacked in any of the
stacking units, and storing the banknote numbers acquired by
the acquisition unit in association with sorting information, and
the banknote number mode determining destinations of the
banknotes based on the sorting information associated with the
10 banknote numbers acquired by the acquisition unit, and
controlling the transport of the banknotes so that the banknotes
are sorted and stacked in any of the stacking units.
[OOlO]
The banknote handling machine according to the
15 embodiment of the present invention further includes a failure
detection unit configured to detect a failure relating to the
transport of the banknotes, wherein the control unit executes
the banknote number mode when the failure detection unit
detects a failure.
[OO 111
In the banknote handling machine according to the
embodiment of the present invention, the sorting information is
the banknote information acquired by the recognition unit.
[0012]
2 5 In the banknote handling machine according to the
embodiment of the present invention, the sorting information
relates to the stacking units determined to be the destinations
based on the banknote information acquired by the recognition
unit.
3 0 [0013]
The banknote handling machine according to the
embodiment of the present invention further includes an
instruction receiving unit configured to receive a count
confirmation instruction for each transaction, wherein the
35 control unit stores banknote numbers and sorting information of
banknotes included in a transaction for which the instruction
receiving unit receives the count confirmation instruction.
[0014]
In the banknote handling machine according to the
embodiment of the present invention, in the banknote number
5 mode, if a banknote number acquired by the acquisition unit is
not stored, the control unit determines the destination of the
banknote with the banknote number based on the banknote
information acquired by the recognition unit.
[0015]
The banknote handling machine according to the
embodiment of the present invention further includes a rejection
unit configured to stack rejected banknotes, wherein, in the
banknote number mode, if a banknote number acquired by the
acquisition unit is not stored, the control unit determines the
15 rejection unit as the destination of the banknote with the
banknote number.
[0016]
The banknote handling machine according to the
embodiment of the present invention further includes a
20 notification unit configured to notify of a stacking unit stacking
banknotes of an unconfirmed transaction if a failure is detected
by the failure detection unit configured to detect a failure
relating to the transport of the banknotes.
[0017]
2 5 A banknote handling method according to an embodiment
of the present invention includes: in a normal mode, taking in
banknotes one by one by a reception unit; acquiring banknote
numbers of the taken-in banknotes by an acquisition unit;
acquiring banknote information of the taken-in banknotes by the
30 recognition unit; sorting and stacking the banknotes to a
plurality of stacking units based on the banknote information;
storing the banknote numbers in association with sorting
information; in a banknote number mode, taking out the
banknotes from the stacking units and putting the banknotes
35 into the reception unit again; and taking in the banknotes put
into the reception unit again, one by one, by the reception unit,
acquiring banknote numbers of the taken-in banknotes by the
acquisition unit, and sorting and stacking the banknotes to the
stacking units based on the sorting information associated with
the acquired banknote numbers.
5 [0018]
In the banknote handling method according to the
embodiment of the present invention, the banknote number
mode is executed when a failure relating to a transport of the
banknotes is detected.
10 [0019]
In the banknote handling method according to the
embodiment of the present invention, the banknotes taken out
from the stacking units are put into the reception unit again
with a stacking order being maintained.
15 [OOZO]
In the banknote handling method according to the
embodiment of the present invention, in the banknote number
mode, banknotes on a transport path between the reception
unit and the stacking units are taken out, and put into the
20 reception unit again after the banknotes taken out from the
stacking units are returned into the reception unit.
[0021]
In the banknote handling method according to the
embodiment of the present invention, if, after the banknotes are
25 put into the reception unit again, a banknote number acquired
by the acquisition unit is not stored, the banknote with the
banknote number is stacked in a rejection unit.
[0022]
According to the present invention, it is possible to
30 recover the same sorting state as that in the previous sorting.
In particular, when a failure occurs, the same sorting state as
that before a failure occurs can be obtained in a recovery
process.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an outward appearance of
a banknote handling machine according to an embodiment.
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the banknote handling
machine according to the embodiment.
5 Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the banknote handling
machine according to the embodiment.
Fig. 4 is a flow chart for explaining a banknote handling
method according to an embodiment.
Fig. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the banknote handling
10 method according to the embodiment.
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a banknote handling
machine according to a modification.
Fig. 7 is a flow chart for explaining the banknote handling
method according to the modification.
15 Fig. 8 is a flow chart for explaining the banknote handling
method according to the modification.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0024]
2 0 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be
described with reference to the drawings.
[0025]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a banknote handling
machine 100 according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a
25 cross-sectional view of the banknote handling machine 100.
Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the banknote handling machine 100.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the banknote handling machine 100
includes a reception unit 101 configured to take in, one by one,
stacked banknotes put thereinto by an operator, a transport unit
30 114 configured to transport the banknotes taken in by the
reception unit 101, and a recognition unit 113 configured to
recognize the banknotes transported by the transport unit 114,
the recognition unit 113 being included in the transport unit 114.
[0026]
3 5 Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 2, transport state
detecting sensors 121, 122 configured to detect transport states
of the banknotes taken in by the reception unit 101 are
disposed between the reception unit 101 and the recognition
unit 113.
[0027]
5 The recognition unit 113 includes an image reading
sensor 123 that reads images of the banknotes being
transported by the transport unit 114. The recognition unit 113
recognizes the currency, the denomination, the direction, the
fitness, the version, the authentication, etc. of the banknotes
10 based on the image data read by the image reading sensor 123
to acquire banknote information. There are four directions:
face-up and portrait-up; face-up and portrait-down; face-down
and portrait-up; and face-down and portrait-down. Specifically,
if the banknotes are transported in a direction parallel to the
15 shorter sides of the banknotes, "face-up and portrait-up" means
that a banknote is taken in from the head side of the portrait
with the portrait being on the top side, "face-up and
portrait-down" means that a banknote is taken in from the side
opposite to the head side with the portrait being on the top side,
20 "face-down and portrait-up" means that a banknote is taken in
from the head side with the portrait being on the bottom side,
and "face-down and portrait-down" means that a banknote is
taken in from the side opposite to the head side with the
portrait being on the bottom side.
2 5 [0028]
Furthermore, an acquisition unit 112 configured to
acquire banknote numbers of banknotes based on image data
read by the image reading sensor 123 is disposed. The
acquisition unit 112 may be either included in the recognition
30 unit 113, or separated from the recognition unit 113.
[0029]
Rejection units 102a, 102b, in which banknotes
determined not to be stacked in any of the stacking units 106a
to 106d are stacked, are connected to the downstream side of
35 the recognition unit 113. For example, banknotes determines
to be subjected to abnormal recognition or abnormal transport
may be stacked in the rejection unit 102a, and banknotes
determined to be counterfeit notes in the authentication process
by the recognition unit 113 may be stacked in the rejection unit
102b.
5 [0030]
The abnormal transport means abnormal events that
occur when the transport unit 114 transports banknotes.
Examples of the abnormal transport include, for example, cases
where a banknote is transported askew (skewed state), where
10 two or more banknotes are transported with one or more
banknotes being overlapped on one or more others (overlapped
state), and where two or more banknotes are transported
without having a predetermined interval therebetween (chained
state).
15 [0031]
Sensors 124a, 124b detect whether the banknotes are
guided to the rejection units 102a and 102b normally.
[0032]
Stacking units 106a to 106d to which the banknotes
20 transported by the transport unit 114 are stacked are connected
to the downstream side of the recognition unit 113 and to the
end portion of the transport unit 114. The stacking units 106a
to 106d are configured to sort the banknotes taken in by the
reception unit 101 based on the banknote information (currency,
25 denomination, direction, fitness, version, etc.).
[0033]
A sensor 125 detects whether the banknotes that are not
guided to the rejection units 102a and 102b are normally guided
to the stacking units 106a to 106d. Sensors 126a to 126d
30 detect whether the banknotes are normally guided to the
stacking units 106a to 106d. The sensors 127a to 127c detect
whether the banknotes are normally transported.
[0034]
As shown in Fig. 1, the banknote handling machine 100
35 also includes an operation unit 103 with input keys for receiving
instructions from an operator, and a display unit 104 configured
to display various information items. The banknote handling
machine 100 further includes distinct display units 107a to 107d
configured to display the types and the numbers of the
banknotes stacked in the stacking units 106a to 106d. The
5 distinct display units 107a to 107d are configured to display the
types and the numbers of the banknotes stacked in the stacking
units 106a to 106d. Examples of the types of the banknotes
are, for example, currency, denomination, direction, fitness,
version, etc. The display unit 104 and the distinct display units
10 107a to 107d are, for example, LCDs.
[0035]
As shown in Fig. 3, the banknote handling machine 100
includes a control unit 111 configured to control the respective
units, and a memory unit 118.
15 [0036]
The control unit 111 controls the respective units based
on a control program stored in the memory unit 118. The
control unit 111 is a processor such as a CPU. The memory
unit 118 includes one or more storage media such as a ROM, a
20 RAM, a hard disk drive, and a flash memory.
[0037]
The banknote handling machine 100 further includes a
failure detection unit 116 configured to detect the occurrence of
failures relating to the transport of the banknotes. For example,
25 the failure detection unit 116 detects the occurrence of failures
such as a jam from the detection results of the sensors 121,
122, 125, and 127a to 127c.
[0038]
The control unit 111 is capable of switching between two
30 modes, a normal mode and a banknote number monde. The
normal mode is executed to perform a normal banknote
handling process, and the banknote number mode is for sorting
banknotes based on banknote numbers associated with sorting
information in advance. For example, the banknote number
35 mode is executed during a failure recovery process after the
occurrence of a failure is detected by the failure detection unit
116.
[0039]
In the normal mode, the control unit 111 determines
which of the stacking units 106a to 106d a banknote should be
5 transported based on the banknote information acquired by the
recognition unit 113, and controls the transport unit 1'14.
Furthermore, the control unit 111 causes the memory unit 118
to store the banknote number of the banknote acquired by the
acquisition unit 112 in association with the sorting information.
10 The sorting information here relates to the sorting of a banknote,
and the destination of the banknote, for example. For example,
if ten-thousand-yen notes are assigned to the stacking unit
106a, thousand-yen notes are assigned to the stacking unit
106b, and five-thousand-yen notes are assigned to the stacking
15 unit 106c, and a banknote taken in by the reception unit 101 is
a five-thousand-yen note with the banknote number of
FM76647lL, the control unit 111 causes the memory unit 118 to
store the banknote number FM766471L in association with the
stacking unit 106c.
2 0 [0040]
The control unit 111 causes the distinct display units
107a to 107d to display the types of banknotes assigned to the
stacking units 106a to 106d, and the number of banknotes
stacked in each of the stacking units 106a to 106d. After the
25 handling of banknotes in one transaction is completed, the
control unit 111 causes the display unit 104 to display a result
of counting the numbers of banknotes. Upon receiving a
confirming instruction from the user via the operation unit 103,
the control unit 111 confirms the counted numbers of banknotes
30 for one transaction, and causes the memory unit 118 to store
the confirmed counted numbers of banknotes.
[0041]
Next, a failure recovery process will be described as an
example of a process during which the banknote number mode
35 is executed. When the failure detection unit 116 detects the
occurrence of a failure, the control unit 111 stops the operation
of the banknote handling machine 100. After the banknote
handling machine 100 stops operating, the user takes out the
banknotes from the stacking units 106a to 106,d and puts them
into the reception unit 101 again. The control unit 111
5 executes the banknote number mode to start taking in the
banknotes put into the reception unit 101 again.
[0042]
The acquisition unit 112 also acquires the banknote
numbers of banknotes during the banknote number mode.
10 However, the recognition unit 113 does not necessarily acquire
banknote information. The control unit 111 searches the
memory unit 118 using the banknote numbers acquired by the
acquisition unit 112. I f a banknote number acquired by the
acquisition unit 112 is stored in the memory unit 118, the
15 control unit 111 retrieves the sorting information (the
destination of the banknote) associated with the banknote
number. The control unit 111 determines the destination of the
banknote retrieved from the memory unit 118 as the destination
of the taken-in banknote, and controls the transport unit 114.
20 As a result, the banknote taken in by the reception unit 101
again is transported to the stacking unit in which it was stacked
before the failure occurred.
[0043]
Next, a banknote handling method according to an
25 embodiment will be described with reference to flow charts
shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The flow chart shown in Fig. 4
corresponds to the banknote handling process in the normal
mode, and the flow chart shown in Fig. 5 corresponds to the
banknote handling process in the banknote number mode after
30 the occurrence of a failure is detected.
[0044]
First, the banknote handling method in the normal mode
will be described using the flow chart shown in Fig. 4.
[0045]
3 5 (Step S101) Banknotes for one transaction are put into
the reception unit 101.
[0046]
(Step S102) The reception unit 101 takes in the
banknotes one by one.
[0047]
5 (Step S103) The recognition unit 113 acquires banknote
information (currency, denomination, direction, fitness, version,
authentication) of the taken-in banknotes. The acquisition unit
112 acquires the banknote numbers of the taken-in banknotes.
[0048]
10 (Step S104) The control unit 111 determines the
destinations of the banknotes based on the banknote
information obtained in the step S103. The types of banknotes
to be stacked are assigned to the stacking units 106a to 106d in
advance. Banknotes of the types not assigned to the stacking
15 units 106a to 106d, and counterfeit notes are transported to the
rejection units 102a and 102b.
[0049]
(Step S105) The banknotes are sorted and stacked in the
stacking units 106a to 106d or the rejection units 102a and
20 102b.
[0050]
(Step S106) The control unit 111 causes the memory unit
118 to store the banknote numbers acquired in the step S103 in
association with the destinations of the banknotes.
2 5 [0051]
(Step S107) I f all the banknotes put into the reception
unit 101 are taken in, the process proceeds to the step S108,
and if some banknotes are left in the reception unit 101, the
process returns to the step S102.
30 [0052]
(Step S108) The count result is displayed on the display
unit 104, and the user inputs a confirmation instruction through
the operation unit 103.
[0053]
3 5 (Step S109) I f there are banknotes for the next
transaction, the process returns to the step S101.
[0054]
As described above, in the normal mode, the banknotes
are sorted and stacked depending on the types thereof, and the
banknote numbers are stored in the memory unit 118 in
5 association with the destinations thereof.
[0055]
Next, the banknote handling method in the banknote
number mode during the failure recovery process will be
described with reference to the flow chart shown in Fig. 5.
10 [0056]
(Step S201) I f the occurrence of a failure is detected by
the failure detection unit 116, the control unit 111 executes the
banknote number mode to stop the taking-in of banknotes by
means of the reception unit 101, and the transport of banknotes
15 by means of the transport unit 114.
[0057]
The user takes out the banknotes from the stacking units
106a to 106d, and also the banknotes being transported by the
transport unit 114 (on the transport path). The user may also
20 take out the banknotes from the rejection units 102a and 102b.
[0058]
(Step S202) The banknotes taken out in the step S201
are put into the reception unit 101 again. The banknotes taken
out from the transport path are put into the reception unit 101
25 again after the banknotes from the stacking units 106a to 106d.
[0059]
(Step S203) The reception unit 101 takes in the
banknotes one by one.
[0060]
3 0 (Step S204) The acquisition unit 112 acquires the
banknote numbers of the banknotes taken in again. I f the
banknotes are taken out from the rejection units 102a and 102b
and put into the reception unit 101 again, the recognition unit
113 may acquire the banknote information (currency,
35 denomination, direction, fitness, version, authentication) of the
ban knotes.
[0061]
(Step S205) The control unit 111 searches the memory
unit 118 using the banknote numbers acquired in the step S204.
[0062]
5 (Step 5206) I f the banknote number of a banknote
acquired in the step S204 is stored in the memory unit 118, the
process proceeds to the step S207, and if not, the process
proceeds to the step S208. The banknotes of which the
banknote numbers acquired in the step 5204 are not stored in
10 the memory unit 118 are those taken from the rejection units
102a and 102b in the step S201. The reason for this is that
the banknotes taken out from the rejection units 102a and 102b
include those for which the banknote numbers or banknote
information cannot be normally acquired due to abnormal
15 transport or abnormal recognition.
[0063]
(Step S207) The control unit 111 retrieves the sorting
information (destinations of the banknotes) associated with the
banknote numbers acquired in the step S204 from the memory
20 unit 118. The control unit 111 determines the retrieved
destinations as the destinations for the taken-in banknotes.
[0064]
(Step S208) The control unit 111 determines the
destinations of the banknotes based on the banknote
25 information acquired in the step S204. The types of stacked
banknotes assigned to the respective stacking units 106a to
106d are the same as those in the normal mode.
[0065]
(Step S209) The control unit 111 causes the memory unit
30 118 to store the banknote numbers acquired in the step S204 in
association with the destinations of the banknotes.
[0066]
The banknotes for which the banknote numbers acquired
in the step S204 are not stored in the memory unit 118 may be
35 sorted and stacked in the rejection units 102a and 102b, instead
of proceeding to the steps S208 and S209.
[0067]
(Step S210) The banknotes are sorted and stacked in the
stacking units 106a to 106d or the rejection units 102a and
102b.
5 [0068]
(Step S211) I f all of the banknotes put into the reception
unit 101 are taken in, the process returns to the normal mode.
I f some banknotes remain in the reception unit 101, the process
returns to the step S203.
10 [0069]
As a result, the banknotes put into the reception unit 101
again are transported to the stacking units 106a to 106d where
the banknotes were stacked before the failure occurred.
[0070]
15 In this embodiment, the banknote numbers are stored in
association with the destinations, and the banknotes that are
put into again during a failure recovery process are transported
to the destinations associated with the banknote numbers of the
banknotes. Therefore, banknotes that are difficult to determine
20 whether they are fit notes or unfit notes, and may be
determined to be different types of notes before a failure occurs
and after a failure recovery process is performed, for example,
can be stacked in the same stacking units as those before the
failure occurs since the destinations thereof are determined
25 from the banknote numbers thereof. I f banknotes are sorted
and stacked depending on the denominations, and a plurality of
stacking units are assigned to one denomination, the banknotes
can be stacked in the same stacking units before a failure
occurs and after a failure recovery process is performed.
3 0 [0071]
As described above, according to this embodiment, each
banknote can be stacked in the same stacking unit in the
normal mode and the banknote number mode. In particular,
when the banknote number mode is executed during a failure
35 recovery process, the same sorting state can be obtained before
a failure occurs and after a failure recovery process is
performed.
[0072]
In the above-described embodiment, the banknotes that
are taken out from the stacking units 106a to 106d during the
5 failure recovery process are preferably put into the reception
unit 101 again with the staking orders being maintained. It is
possible to restore the stacking orders in the stacking units
106a to 106d before a failure occurs and after a failure recovery
process is performed in this manner.
10 [0073]
In the above-described embodiment, the destinations of
the banknotes are determined based on the sorting information
associated with the banknote numbers. However, the
destinations can be determined based on the banknote
15 information acquired by the recognition unit 113. In this case,
the control unit 111 retrieves the banknote information
associated with the banknote numbers of the taken-in
banknotes from the memory unit 118 in the banknote number
mode, and determines the destinations of the banknotes based
20 on the banknote information. Since the destinations of the
banknotes are determined based on the same banknote
information as is used for determining the destinations of the
banknote in the normal mode, the respective banknotes can be
stacked in the same stacking unit in the normal mode and the
25 banknote number mode.
[0074]
In the above-described embodiment, the banknote
numbers and the sorting information associated therewith for
banknotes of a transaction for which the count result is
30 confirmed may be stored in the memory unit 118. For example,
the banknote numbers and the sorting information of banknotes
for one transaction may be stored in a primary storage device
such as a cache memory or main memory before the count
result is confirmed, and then stored in a secondary storage
35 device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory after
the count result is confirmed. As the occurrence of a failure is
detected, the banknote numbers and the sorting information in
the primary storage device for the transaction that is being
processed are erased, and the information stored in the
secondary storage device is retrieved and written to the primary
5 storage device. This enables the restoration of the sorting
state before the occurrence of a failure of banknotes for a
transaction, for which the count result is confirmed.
[0075]
In the above-described embodiment, if a banknote
10 number acquired in the step S204 is not stored in the memory
unit 118, the control unit 111 determines the destination of the
banknote based on the banknote information acquired in the
step S204. However, banknotes of which the banknote
numbers are not stored in the memory unit 118 may be
15 transported to the rejection units 102a and 102b.
[0076]
A notification unit may also be disposed, which is
configured to provide a notification relating to stacking units in
which banknotes for a transaction (which is being processed),
20 the count result of which is not confirmed yet when the
occurrence of a failure is detected by the failure detection unit
116. Banknotes in a stacking unit, in which no banknote of an
unconfirmed transaction is stacked, does not need the
taking-out from the stacking unit and the putting-into the
25 reception unit again. Therefore, banknotes may be taken out
from the notified stacking units and put into the reception unit
again. This may facilitate the recovery process. The distinct
display units 107a to 107d may have a function of the
notification unit.
3 0 [0077]
Fig. 6 shows a schematic structure of a banknote
handling machine 400 according to a modification. The
banknote handling machine 400 includes a reception unit 401, a
transport unit 402, a recognition unit 403a, an acquisition unit
35 403b, a reversing mechanism 404, rejection units 405a, 405b,
405c, external stacking units 406a to 406f, stacking units 407a
to 407c, a batch transport unit 408, an odd banknote returning
unit 409, a banknote bundling unit 410, a bundled banknote
storing unit 411, and a control unit 420. Furthermore, the
banknote handling machine 400 includes an operation/display
5 unit that is not shown.
[0078]
The reception unit 401 is configured to take in, one by
one, banknotes that are placed by a user toward the inside of a
housing of the banknote handling machine 400.
10 [0079]
The transport unit 402 is disposed inside the housing of
the banknote handling machine 400, and transports the
banknotes taken in by the reception unit 401. The transport
unit 402 transports the banknotes according to the control unit
15 420.
[0080]
The transport unit 402 is, for example, a combination of
belt transport mechanisms including a pair of rollers or three or
more rollers, and rubber belts, for example, stretched across
20 the rollers.
[0081]
The recognition unit 403a is disposed on the transport
unit 402 to judge the currency, the denomination, the
authentication, the fitness, the direction, the version, etc. of
25 banknotes transported by the transport unit 402 to acquire
banknote information. The acquisition unit 403b acquires the
banknote numbers of the banknotes transported by the
transport unit 402.
[0082]
3 0 The transport unit 402 branches after the recognition unit
403a. Rejected banknotes are transported to and stacked in
the rejection unit 405a or 405b in accordance with the
recognition result obtained by the recognition unit 403a. The
rejected banknotes are transported to the rejection units 405a,
35 405b according to rejection reasons.
Face/back reversal is performed on the banknotes that
are not rejected at the reversing mechanism 404 according to
the face/back determination result by the recognition unit 403a
5 so that the faces and the backs of all the banknotes match.
The banknotes on which the face/back reversal is performed so
that the faces and the backs match, and which are not to be
bundled, are stacked in any of the external stacking units 406a
to 406f based on the banknote information determined by the
10 recognition unit 403a. The types of banknotes to be bundled,
or to be stacked in the external stacking units 406a to 406f are
set in advance.
[0084]
The banknotes to be bundled are transported to any of
15 the stacking units 407a to 407c. A sensor (not shown) is
disposed at a banknote inlet of each of the stacking units 407a
to 407c to detect the number of transported banknotes. The
sensor outputs the number of banknotes stacked in each of the
stacking units 407a to 407c to the control unit 420. When the
20 number of banknotes stacked in any of the stacking units 407a
to 407c reaches a predetermined number, the batch transport
unit 408 takes out the batch of banknotes stacked in the
stacking unit and transports it to the banknote bundling unit
410.
25 [0085]
One of the stacking units 407a to 407c is designed to
receive no banknote, i.e., to be open. While the batch
transport unit 408 takes out the batch of banknotes from a
stacking unit, the stacking unit cannot receive any banknote.
30 Therefore, banknotes are transported to and stacked in this
open stacking unit.
[0086]
The batch of banknotes transported to the banknote
bundling unit 410 is bundled, and stored in the bundled
35 banknote storing unit 411.
[0087]
The batch transport unit 408 is capable of transporting
odd banknotes in the stacking units 407a to 407c to the odd
banknote returning unit 409, which is, for example, an open
5 pocket.
lo0881
As in the above-described embodiment, the control unit
420 causes a memory unit (not shown) to store the banknote
numbers in association with the sorting information (the
10 destinations or banknote information of the banknotes) of the
banknotes in the normal mode.
[0089]
I f a failure detection unit (not shown) detects the
occurrence of a failure, the control unit 420 stops taking-in the
15 banknotes by means of the reception unit 401 and transporting
the banknotes by means of the transport unit 402. Then, the
user takes out the banknotes stacked in the external stacking
units 406a to 406f and on the transport path, and put them into
the reception unit 401 again. The user further takes the
20 banknotes stacked in the stacking units 407a to 407c from the
rejection unit 405c, and put them into the reception unit 401
again. The banknotes bundled by the banknote bundling unit
410 are not put into the reception unit 401 again, and the count
result of the bundled banknotes is tentatively confirmed.
2 5 [0090]
The control unit 420 executes the banknote number
mode, searches the memory unit using the banknote numbers
of the banknotes taken in by the reception unit 401 for the
sorting information associated with the banknote numbers, and
30 determines the destinations of the banknotes based on the
sorting information.
[0091]
As a result, the respective banknotes can be stacked in
the same external stacking units 406a to 406f before a failure
35 occurs and after a failure recovery process is performed, and
the stacking state before the failure occurs can be restored.
[0092]
In the above-described embodiment, the failure recovery
process has been mainly described. However, embodiments of
the present invention are not limited to the failure recovery
5 process. For example, the present invention may be performed
when banknotes once sorted by a banknote handling machine
are sorted again, and the original sorting states should be
restored. The first sorting may be performed in the normal
mode, and the second sorting may be performed in the
10 banknote number mode. This results in the same sorting state
in the first sorting and the second sorting.
[0093]
The banknote handling in the banknote number mode
according to the above-described embodiment may be applied
15 to a deposit cancelling process.
[0094]
In a deposit process, banknotes for one transaction is
taken in one by one, the banknote number and the banknote
information of each banknote is acquired, the destination of the
20 banknote is determined based on the banknote information, and
the banknote is stacked in any of the stacking units 106a to
106d and the rejection units 102a and 102b. I f all of the
banknotes for one transaction are taken in, the count result is
displayed on the display unit 104, and when the user input a
25 confirmation instruction, the count result is confirmed, and the
banknote number and the associated sorting information
(destination of the banknote) of each banknote are stored in the
memory unit 118.
[0095]
I f there are banknotes for a new deposit transaction, the
banknotes for the new deposit transaction are continuously
processed with the banknotes of the previous transaction that
has been confirmed are stacked (left) in the stacking units 106a
to 106d.
35 [0096]
The banknotes for the new deposit transaction are
handled in the same manner. I f the user does not accept the
count result displayed on the display unit 104, and intends to
cancel the deposit, a cancelling process is performed. Since
the count result is not confirmed, the banknote numbers of the
5 banknotes for which the deposit is to be cancelled are not
stored in the memory unit 118. The cancelling process will be
described using a flow chart shown in Fig. 7.
[0097]
(Step S301) The user takes out the banknotes stacked in
10 the stacking units 106a to 106d (and the rejection units 102a
and 102b).
[0098]
(Step S302) The banknotes taken out in the step S301
are put into the reception unit 101 again.
15 [0099]
(Step S303) The reception unit 101 takes in the
banknotes one by one.
[OlOO]
(Step S304) The acquisition unit 112 acquires the
20 banknote numbers of the taken-in banknotes.
[ O l O l ]
(Step S305) The control unit 111 searches the memory
unit 118 using the banknote numbers acquired in the step S304.
[0102]
2 5 (Step S306) I f a banknote number acquired in the step
S304 is stored in the memory unit 118, the process proceeds to
the step S307, and if not, the process proceeds to the step
S308. The banknotes, the banknote numbers of which acquired
in the step S304 are not stored in the memory unit 118, are
30 those of the cancelled deposit transaction.
[0103]
(Step S307) The control unit 111 retrieves the sorting
information (destination of the banknotes) associated with the
banknote numbers acquired in the step S304 from the memory
35 unit 118. The control unit 111 determines the retrieved
destinations of the banknotes as the destinations of the taken-in
ban knotes.
[0 1041
(Step S308) The control unit 111 determines the
destinations of the taken-in banknotes to be the rejection unit
5 102a or 102b.
[0105]
(Step S309) The banknotes are sorted and stacked in the
stacking units 106a to 106d or the rejection units 102a and
102b.
10 [0106]
(Step S310) I f all the banknotes put into the reception
unit 101 again are taken in, the cancelling process ends, and if
some banknotes remain in the reception unit 101, the cancelling
process returns to the step S303.
15 [0107]
As a result, all of the banknotes for the cancelled deposit
transaction are transported to the rejection units 102a and 102b,
and the banknotes for the previous transaction, for which the
deposit is confirmed, are transported to the stacking units 106a
20 to 106d in which they were stacked before the cancelling
process is performed. Thus, if a deposit is cancelled, the
banknotes for the cancelled deposit transaction (the same
banknotes) can be retrieved separately from the banknotes of a
confirmed deposit transaction.
2 5 [0108]
A confirmed past deposit transaction can be cancelled
and banknotes included in this transaction can be separately
taken out using the banknote handling in the banknote number
mode according to the above-described embodiment. In this
30 case, a transaction ID is assigned to each deposit transaction,
with which the transaction can be identified uniquely. The
transaction ID may be inputted by the user, or automatically
given by the banknote handling machine.
[0109]
In a deposit transaction, banknotes for one transaction
are taken in one by one, the banknote number and the
banknote information of each banknote is acquired, the
destination of each banknote is determined based on the
banknote information, and each banknote is stacked in any of
the stacking units 106a to 106d and the rejection units 102a
5 and 102b. The transaction ID is associated with the banknote
number and the sorting information (destination of the
banknote) of each banknote, and stored in the memory unit 118.
When all of the banknotes for one transaction are taken in, the
count result is displayed on the display unit 104, and confirmed
10 upon the user's inputting a confirmation instruction.
[ O l l O ]
I f there are banknotes for a new deposit transaction, the
banknotes for the new deposit transaction are continuously
processed with the banknotes for the confirmed previous
15 transaction being stacked (left) in the stacking units 106a to
106d. A method of performing a deposit cancelling process for
a confirmed past deposit transaction after a plurality of deposit
transactions are processed will be described using a flow chart
shown in Fig. 8.
2 0 [ O l l l ]
(Step 5401) The user inputs a transaction ID of a
transaction for which the deposit should be cancelled. The
transaction ID may be inputted by the user through the
operation unit 103, or selected by the user from displayed
25 candidate transaction IDS for the transaction to be cancelled.
[0112]
(Step S402) The user takes out the banknotes stacked in
the stacking units 106a to 106d (and the rejection units 102a
and 102b).
3 0 [0113]
(Step S403) The banknotes taken out in the step S402
are put into the reception unit 101 again.
[0114]
(Step S404) The reception unit 101 takes in the
35 banknotes one by one.
[0115]
(Step 5405) The acquisition unit 112 acquires the
banknote numbers of the taken-in banknotes.
[0116]
5 (Step S406) The control unit 111 searches the memory
unit 118 using the banknote numbers acquired in the step S405.
[0117]
(Step S407) I f the transaction ID stored in the memory
unit 118 in association with the banknote numbers acquired in
10 the step S405 matches the transaction ID inputted in the step
S401, the process proceeds to the step S408, and if not, the
process proceeds to the step S409.
[0118]
(Step 5408) The control unit 111 determines the
15 destination of the received banknotes to be either the rejection
unit 102a or the rejection unit 102b.
[0119]
(Step S409) The control unit 111 retrieves the sorting
information (destinations of the banknote) associated with the
20 banknote numbers acquired in the step S405 from the memory
unit 118. The control unit 111 determines the destinations of
the retrieved banknotes as the destinations of the taken-in
banknotes.
[0120]
2 5 (Step S410) The banknotes are sorted and stacked in the
stacking units 106a to 106d or the rejection units 102a and
102b.
[0121]
(Step S411) I f all the banknotes put into the reception
30 unit 101 again are taken in, the cancelling process ends, and if
some banknotes remain in the reception unit 101, the process
proceeds to the step S404.
[0122]
As a result, all the banknotes for the cancelled deposit
35 transaction are transported to the rejection units 102a and 102b,
and the other banknotes are transported to the stacking units
106a to 106d in which they were stacked before the cancelling
process was performed. The banknotes for the cancelled
deposit transaction (the same banknotes) can be taken out
separately from the banknotes of the other transactions in this
5 manner. Using the transaction ID also makes it possible to
perform a deposit cancelling process for a past transaction.
[0123]
The present invention is not limited to the above
embodiments as they are, and can be embodied with its
10 constituent elements modified in an implementation phase
without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Further, various inventions can be formed by appropriately
combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the
above embodiments. For example, some constituent elements
15 may be deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the
embodiments. Furthermore, the constituent elements in
different embodiments may be appropriately combined.
[0 1241
100: banknote handling machine
20 101: reception unit
103: operation unit
104: display unit
107a to 107d: distinct display units
111: control unit
25 112: acquisition unit
113: recognition unit
114: transport unit
116: failure detection unit
118: memory unit
CLAIMS
1 A banknote handling machine comprising:
a reception unit configured to take in, one by one,
banknotes put thereinto;
an acquisition unit configured to acquire banknote
numbers of the taken-in banknotes;
a recognition unit configured to acquire banknote
information of the taken-in banknotes;
a plurality of stacking units configured to stack the
banknotes;
a control unit configured to control a transport of the
banknotes,
the control unit executing one of a normal mode and a
banknote number mode, the normal mode determining
destinations of the banknotes based on the banknote
information acquired by the recognition unit, controlling the
transport of the banknotes so that the banknotes are sorted and
stacked in any of the stacking units, and storing the banknote
numbers acquired by the acquisition unit in association with
sorting information, and the banknote number mode
determining destinations of the banknotes based on the sorting
information associated with the banknote numbers acquired by
the acquisition unit, and controlling the transport of the
banknotes so that the banknotes are sorted and stacked in any
of the stacking units.
2 The banknote handling machine according to claim 1
further comprising a failure detection unit configured to detect a
failure relating to the transport of the banknotes,
wherein the control unit executes the banknote number
mode when the failure detection unit detects a failure.
3 The banknote handling machine according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein the sorting information is the banknote information
acquired by the recognition unit.
4 The banknote handling machine according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein the sorting information relates to the stacking units
determined to be the destinations based on the banknote
information acquired by the recognition unit.
5 The banknote handling machine according to any one of
claims 1 through 4, further comprising an instruction receiving
unit configured to receive a count confirmation instruction for
each transaction,
wherein the control unit stores banknote numbers and
sorting information of banknotes included in a transaction for
which the instruction receiving unit receives the count
confirmation instruction.
6 The banknote handling machine according to any one of
claims 1 through 5, wherein, in the banknote number mode, if a
banknote number acquired by the acquisition unit is not stored,
the control unit determines the destination of the banknote with
the banknote number based on the banknote information
acquired by the recognition unit.
7 The banknote handling machine according to any one of
claims 1 through 5, further comprising a rejection unit
configured to stack rejected banknotes,
wherein, in the banknote number mode, if a banknote
number acquired by the acquisition unit is not stored, the
control unit determines the rejection unit as the destination of
the banknote with the banknote number.
8 The banknote handling machine according to any one of
claims 5 through 7, further comprising a notification unit
configured to notify of a stacking unit stacking banknotes of an
unconfirmed transaction if a failure is detected by the failure
detection unit configured to detect a failure relating to the
transport of the banknotes.
9 A banknote handling method comprising:
in a normal mode,
taking in banknotes one by one by a reception
unit;
acquiring banknote numbers of the taken-in
banknotes by an acquisition unit;
acquiring banknote information of the taken-in
banknotes by the recognition unit;
sorting and stacking the banknotes to a plurality of
stacking units based on the banknote information;
storing the banknote numbers in association with
sorting information;
in a banknote number mode,
taking out the banknotes from the stacking units
and putting the banknotes into the reception unit again; and
taking in the banknotes put into the reception unit
again, one by one, by the reception unit, acquiring banknote
numbers of the taken-in banknotes by the acquisition unit, and
sorting and stacking the banknotes to the stacking units based
on the sorting information associated with the acquired
banknote numbers.
10 The banknote handling method according to claim 9,
wherein the banknote number mode is executed when a failure
relating to a transport of the banknotes is detected.
11 The banknote handling method according to claim 9 or 10,
wherein the banknotes taken out from the stacking units are put
into the reception unit again with a stacking order being
maintained.
12 The banknote handling method according to any one of
claims 9 through 11, wherein, in the banknote number mode,
banknotes on a transport path between the reception unit and
the stacking units are taken out, and put into the reception unit
again after the banknotes taken out from the stacking units are
-returned into the reception unit.
13 The banknote handling method according to any one of
claims 9 through 12, wherein if, after the banknotes are put into
the reception unit again, a banknote number acquired by the
acquisition unit is not s,to. red, the banknote with the banknote
number is stacked in a rejection unit.