GB2440176A

GB2440176A - Secure counting, verification and storage of money

Info

Publication number: GB2440176A
Application number: GB0614110A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Cocker
Original assignee: STYLEMARK SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: STYLEMARK SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 2006-07-15
Filing date: 2006-07-15
Publication date: 2008-01-23
Also published as: EP1879156A2; GB0614110D0; EP1879156A3

Abstract

A method and apparatus for storing money includes a counter for counting money and a verifier for ensuring that the money is valid currency, in a section 12. The counted money is added to a container 10. It also includes a transmitter for transmitting the amount of money counted by the counter to third parties. Third parties may include, a transit company in order that it can determine when to collect money from the apparatus, the accounts department associated with the premises where the apparatus is situated or a financial institution in order that the relevant accounts can be immediately updated.

Description

IMPROVED SECURE STORAGE MEANS

This invention relates to an improved method of securely storing money. The invention is applicable to use with safes.

Secure containers such as safes are commonly used, for example by shops, to store money until it is collected by a transit company The transit company then takes the money to a financial institution such as a bank. Once the money reaches the bank it is verified, fake notes are removed and the amount of verified money received from the premise is added to the appropriate user account at the financial institution.

Usually, the money to be stored in a container is manually counted by a person. This is time consuming and may also result in money getting lost. The user then places the counted money into bags and then into the container to await collection by the transit company.

Typically a representative of the transit company collects money from a particular location on a pre-agreed number of days a week. This is inflexible as only a certain amount of money can be transported at any one time. Therefore, when a shop is busy and collects a lot of money in a short period time, it is likely that more money than can be conveyed by the transit company is present in the secure container. This means that a user cannot pay all the money they have into their account but have to wait for the next visit on the next pre-agreed day. In slow periods, where not much money is collected by a user, much less money than the limit being may be stored in the secure container, and the user is paying for the transit company to visit a location more frequently than is required.

It is therefore preferable to have a more accurate and flexible way to transmit money from point of collection to a financial institution where it is to be stored.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus adapted for secure storage of money comprising an entry point adapted to receive money, a counter communicable with the entry point and adapted to count the money entered into the apparatus and an output adapted to transmit data representing the amount of money counted by the counter to a third entity separate from the apparatus.

Preferably, the apparatus further includes a verifier connected to the counter and adapted to identify any money that is not valid currency. It is also preferable that the apparatus is adapted to automatically send money that is identified by the verifier as not being valid currency to a receptacle adapted to receive money. The receptacle may or may not be integral to the apparatus.

Preferably the apparatus further includes processing means adapted to calculate the total amount of money present in the apparatus. This may be used to transmit an alert to a transit company when the total amount of money calculated by the processing means reaches a predetermined level.

Preferably the output also transmits the data to a financial institution that adds the amount of money inserted into the apparatus to the account of the user of the apparatus.

The apparatus may also be provided with a second user interface adapted to open the apparatus so that the money can be removed from the apparatus, the second user interface adapted to open the apparatus in response to a user input. The second user interface may be a keypad, fingerprint reader or card reader and which is connected to a second processing means that causes the apparatus to open when the correct input is entered into the second user interface.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of securely storing money comprising the steps of entering money into apparatus adapted to store money; counting the money entered into the apparatus; and transmitting data representing the amount of money counted by the counter to a third entity separate from the apparatus.

Preferably, the method further includes the step of verifying whether money entered into the apparatus is valid currency. It is also preferable that any money that is not valid identified by the verifier as not being valid currency is transmitted to a receptacle adapted to receive money.

The total amount of money present in the apparatus may be calculated and the output may be adapted to transmit an alert to the transit company when the total amount of money calculated by the processing means reaches a predetermined level.

Figure 1 illustrates a container in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 illustrates a method of using the container.

Figure 1 illustrates a container 10 in accordance with the present invention. The container is provided with two sections, 12,14. The first section 12 is configured to allow money to be inserted into the container 10 and the second section 14 is configured to allow money to be removed from the container 10.

The first section 12 includes a user interface 16. The user interface 16 enables a user to enter their identity so that the amount of money that is entered into the container through the entry point can be matched to the user. For example, the container may be in use in a shop where it is advantageous to be able to associate the money entered with, for example, the identity of the till in order that the money may be more readily entered into the shop's accounts.

The first section 12 also includes a counter (not shown). The counter is arranged so that it can count money that is being entered into the container 12. Preferably, the counter is also arranged that it can distinguish between different note types so that it can accurately count a selection of notes entered into the counter.

Preferably, the first section 12 is also provided with a verifier (not shown) that confirms whether the money being entered into the container is valid currency or not. The verifier may confirm that the money is valid currency by checking for any one or more of ultraviolet markings, magnetic ink, infrared, visible UV fluorescence. Any other suitable verification method may also be used. The verifier may be integral with the counter such that the same device both counts and verifies the money. Alternatively, the verifier may be separate to but communicable with the counter such that the money once it has been verified is passed to the counter to be counted. Alternatively, the counter and verifier may be configured such that the money passes from the counter to the verifier.

If the verifier detects a note as not being valid currency it may alert the user. This may be by, for example, producing a sound or causing a visual indication to be presented such as illumination of a light. The flow of money through the verifier and therefore the counter is preferably stopped when an invalid note is detected and counting and verification is not commenced until the suspect note is removed from the system.

The note may be removed from the system manually, for example by stopping the flow of notes through the verifier until the suspect note has been removed by the user. The verification mechanism may then automatically detect that the note has been removed, for example by requiring part of the mechanism to be opened for removal of the note and start processing the money again. Alternatively the verifier may require user input into the user input device 16 or another user interlace to recommence the counting and verifying of the money.

Alternatively, a suspect note may be automatically returned to the user. It may also be redirected to a separate container (not shown), which may or may not be positioned within the container 10. In this way the suspect notes may be separated from notes that have been verified without slowing down the counting and verification process.

The first section 12 is further provided with a transmitter (not shown). The transmitter is able to send data regarding the amount of money that has been counted and any other relevant information to third parties. For example, the third party may be a financial institution. In this instance the data that is transmitted may be used to automatically credit a user's account, account with the financial institution, for example as shop's bank account. The account is automatically credited with the amount of money that has been counted into the safe and verified by the verifier.

Any data may be transmitted to a third party using a dedicated network connection.

Alternatively, a public connection, such as the internet, may be used. Preferably any data sent to the financial institution is encrypted or provided with any other suitable means for securing the data. Additionally, it is preferable that at least the identity of the user is transmitted to the financial institution when the amount of money is counted and verified.

The amount of counted and verified money may be transmitted to a third party automatically when no money has been entered into the counter and verifier for a predetermined amount of time. Alternatively, the amount of each note may be transmitted automatically once the note has been verified and counted. Further, it may be desired that the amount of money received by the machine is only transmitted when a user presses a key on the user input causing the data to be transmitted to the third party. This may be desirable if a large amount of money is to be fed into the machine, or money is fed into the machine periodically, but it is only wished for the amount added to the safe to be transmitted to the third party once during a predetermined amount of time. For example, if money is emptied from a number of tills throughout the day but it is only desired to update the users account once a day.

Optionally, the amount of money in the safe may also be transmitted to a device located at a transit company responsible for conveying the money from the safety container to the financial institution in question. This allows the cash transit company to monitor the amount of money within the safety container and despatch a courier to collect the money once the amount has reached a predetermined level.

Alternatively, the safe may be provided with processing means that determines when the amount of money in the container has reached a threshold. When the amount of money reaches this threshold the transmitter sends a message to the transit company requesting that the money in the container is collected. The threshold may be set, for example, at or slightly below the amount of money that can be transported at any one time in order to maximise the efficiency of the transmit company.

Finally, the amount of money entered into the container may be transmitted to the accounts department or head office of the user that is storing the money in order that any accounts can be updated accordingly.

The container 10 is provided with a second section 14 that includes a subcontainer (not shown) for securely storing money, a door 20 and means 22 for opening the door. The means 22 for opening the door may be, for example, a keypad, a fingerprint detector, a card reader or any other suitable means. The means is connected to a fastener (not shown) that holds the door securely such that it can only be opened by an authorised person who correctly interacts with the means. For example, the fastener may only open if the correct code is entered into the keypad or the correct card is read by the card reader. If a fingerprint detector is used then, although a database of authorised fingerprints may be stored within the means 22, only the fingerprint of the representative sent by the transit company may be transmitted to the means and stored. This means that only that person can then open the safe. Preferably, once the safe has been opened using that fingerprint, then the fingerprint is deleted from the means and can no longer be used to open the container.

It is preferable that no-one at the premises at which the safe is kept is able to open the door in order that the financial institution and transit company can be sure that the amount of money within the container is the same as the amount of money that they have been notified that is in the container.

A method of storing money using the safe will now be explained with reference to Figure 2.

Although the method will be explained with reference to a shop it will be readily understood that it is transferable to any other place where money may be securely stored within a container.

When a user at a shop decides that a device storing money, such as a till, requires emptying they remove the money from the device as shown in Step 26. The money is then entered into the counter/verifier (Step 28) where the money is counted and verified as shown in Step 30. In Step 32 any money that is not verified is removed from the mechanism, either manually or automatically as described above. However, any money that is verified is forwarded to the secure storage means within the container (Step 34). Once the money has been verified and counted it is forwarded to the subcontainer where it is stored until it is removed from the container.

The counter transmits the value of each note to a processing means which calculates the total money in the safe (Step 36). The processing means may also determine the amount of money that has been entered into the safe since it last transmitted the data to a third party, such as a financial institution (Step 38). The processing means then forwards this data to the transmitter which sends the amount of money entered to the financial institution in order that the amount of money entered can be credited to the shop's account (Step 40).

A message may also be sent by the transmitter to a transit company responsible for removing the money from the shop to the financial institution (Step 40). The message may either incorporate the amount of money in the safe or, alternatively, that the processing means has determined that the amount of money within the container has reached a predetermined level.

Once the transit company determines, or is notified, that the amount in the container has reached a predetermined amount it despatches, or redirects, a representative to collect the money (Step 44). The representative collects the money by entering the correct identifier into the machine, as described above which causes the door to open. Once the door is open the representative can remove the subcontainer and therefore the money from the container.

The opening of the door of the safe also causes the counters in the processing means to be reset (Step 46). Additionally, it is preferable that the container includes a printer which is adapted to print a receipt showing the total value of the notes present in the subcontainer when it is removed from the container.

Finally, the transmitter may also transmit a message indicating the amount of money entered into the safe to another device that is capable of updating the shop's own accounts (Step 46).

Claims

CLAIMS

1. Apparatus adapted for secure storage of money comprising (i) an entry point adapted to receive money; (ii) a counter communicable with the entry point and adapted to count the money entered into the apparatus; and (iii) an output adapted to transmit data representing the amount of money counted by the counter to a third entity separate from the apparatus.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim I wherein the apparatus further includes a verifier connected to the counter and adapted to identify any money that is not valid currency.

3. Apparatus as recited in Claim 2 wherein the apparatus is adapted to automatically send money that is identified by the verifier as not being valid currency to a receptacle adapted to receive money.

4. Apparatus as recited in Claim 3 wherein the receptacle is integral to the apparatus.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the apparatus further includes processing means adapted to calculate the total amount of money present in the apparatus.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the third party is a transit company and the output is adapted to transmit an alert to the transit company when the total amount of money calculated by the processing means reaches a predetermined level.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the output transmits the data to a financial institution that adds the amount of money inserted into the apparatus to the account of the user of the apparatus.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the container includes a second user interface adapted to open the apparatus so that the money can be removed from the apparatus, the second user interface adapted to open the apparatus in response to a user input.

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the second user interface is one of the following: a keypad, fingerprint reader or card reader and is connected to a second processing means that causes the apparatus to open when the correct input is entered into the second user interface.

10. A method of securely storing money comprising the steps of entering money into apparatus adapted to store money; counting the money entered into the apparatus; and transmitting data representing the amount of money counted by the counter to a third entity separate from the apparatus.

11. The method of Claim 10 wherein the method further includes the step of verifying whether money entered into the apparatus is valid currency.

12. The method of Claim 11 wherein money that is not valid identified by the verifier as not being valid currency is transmitted to a receptacle adapted to receive money.

13. The method of any of Claims 10 to 12 further including the step of calculating the total amount of money present in the apparatus.

14. The method of Claim 13 wherein third party is a transit company and the output is adapted to transmit an alert to the transit company when the total amount of money calculated by the processing means reaches a predetermined level.

15. Apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in any combination of the accompanying drawings.

16. A method of securely storing money substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in any combination of the accompanying drawings.