Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Article handling
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-04
2001-09-18
Grant, William (Department: 2121)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Article handling
C700S233000, C700S235000, C705S014270, C705S016000, C705S045000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292711
ABSTRACT:
Reference is made to three (3) appendices hereto, submitted in duplicate in compact disc-readable (CD-R) format. The first appendix (Appendix A) includes the following seven (7) files (with accompanying size and date): 8032.h (10 kB, Dec. 11, 1997); Checksum.c (3 kB, Mar. 14, 1996); Comm.c (66 kB, Feb. 13, 1998); Eprom.c (21 kB, Jul. 13, 1995); Flash.c (6 kB, Mar. 14, 1996); lo.h (6 kB, Aug. 15, 1996); Xrecv.c (13 kB, Mar. 14, 1996). The second appendix (Appendix B) includes the following six (6) files: 8032.h (10 kB, Dec. 11, 1997); Checksum.c (3 kB, Mar. 14, 1996); Comm.c (66 kB, Feb. 13, 1998); Data.h (29 kB, Mar. 6, 1998); lo.h (6 kB, Aug. 15, 1996); Op_proc.c (49 kB, Mar. 16, 1998). The third appendix (Appendix A) includes the following four (4) files: Badbell (1 kB, Feb. 1, 1996); Goodbell (1 kB, Feb. 1, 1996); Reprog (10 kB, Feb. 1, 1996); Talk_mod.c (29 kB, Jun. 19, 1995).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to document dispensing systems and, more particularly, to document dispensing systems including a digital controller which controls the operation of the dispenser according to an predetermined operational program.
Conventional digitally controlled document dispensers and document dispensing systems operate according to a software program stored in an integrated circuit memory installed in the dispenser electronics. Because of the permanent nature of the integrated circuit installation, the variety of dispensable documents is limited to the characteristics defined in the program resident in a program storage area. For example, although certain document variables may be specified and changed by an operator of a conventional dispenser, if a dispenser operator wishes to print a completely new document type, the conventional dispenser, or its program storage device, must be replaced or physically modified.
A dispenser operator may wish to dispense a primary document, e.g., a money order, and intermittently print a companion document, e.g., a merchandise coupon, an advertisement, a news release, etc. Further, the dispenser operator may wish to frequently change the characteristics of the companion document. Finally, the operator may wish to have the capability to print companion documents having uncontemplated, unpredictable, and updatable appearances. The conventional dispenser, described above, including the stored operational program specifying a predetermined set of document characteristics, does not provide a means by which a dispenser operator could conveniently achieve these tasks.
Accordingly, the conventional document dispenser is not well suited for operating environments which require intermittent selection and alteration of companion document types and companion document characteristics. Indeed, there is a need for a document dispensing system having the ability to change the graphics and data represented on companion documents in response to changing business needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This need is met by the present invention wherein updated companion document data is downloaded to the memory of a digitally controlled document dispenser or to each memory of a group of digitally controlled document dispensers.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a financial document dispenser is provided comprising a digital bus, a document variables data input and selection device, a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) laser printer, a digital data input port, an operational program storage device, a companion document data storage device, and a digital controller. The document variables data input and selection device is coupled to the digital bus. The MICR laser printer is coupled to the digital bus and is operative to print a financial document including MICR characters and a companion document. The MICR laser printer includes a single supply of printer paper, is operative to produce a selected document wherein substantially all printing which defines the selected document is printed on the printer paper at the time the document is issued, and is operative to produce a variety of distinct documents from the single paper supply. The digital data input port, the operational program storage device, the companion document data storage device, and the digital controller are coupled to the digital bus. The digital is programmed to cause the document printer to print the financial document in response to document variables data input and selected at the document variables data input and selection device. The document variables data corresponds to financial document data. The digital controller is further programmed to cause companion document data received at the digital data input port to be stored in the companion document data storage device and cause the document printer to print a companion document in response to the companion document data received at the digital data input port and stored in the companion document data storage device.
In accordance with another embodiment the present invention, a document dispenser is provided comprising: a digital bus; a document variables data input and selection device coupled to the digital bus; a document printer coupled to the digital bus; a digital data input port coupled to the digital bus; an operational program storage device coupled to the digital bus; a companion document data storage device coupled to the digital bus; and, a digital controller coupled to the digital bus, programmed to cause companion document data received at the digital data input port to be stored in the companion document data storage device, and programmed to control the document printer in accordance with the document variables data, the operational program data, and the companion document data.
The document variables data input and selection device may comprise a dispenser keyboard or a communications port. The digital data input port may comprise a communications port. Further, the digital data input port may be coupled to a file storage device which stores companion document data and enables transfer of the companion document data to the digital data input port.
The companion document data storage device may comprise an erasable programmable memory, a data storage device mounted within a personal computer, or a personal computer readable data storage disk.
The digital controller may further be programmed to replace companion document data resident in the companion document data storage device with new companion document data. The companion document data comprises the complete set of companion document dispensing data.
The document variables data may comprise a user-selected set of values corresponding to a predetermined set of document variables.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of dispensing documents is provided comprising the steps of: providing at least one document dispenser having a digital data input port and a companion document data storage device; providing an companion document data transfer device; and, downloading companion document data from the data transfer device to the companion document data storage device via the digital data input port. The at least one document dispenser may comprise a plurality of document dispensers and the downloading step may comprise selectively downloading the companion document data to the plurality of dispensers.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a document dispensing system is provided comprising: a companion document data transfer device; a document dispenser having a document variables data input and selection device, a document printer, a digital data input port coupled to the companion document data transfer device, an operational program storage device, a companion document data storage device, and a digital controller programmed to store companion document data, sent from the companion document data transfer device to the digital data input port, in the companion document data storage device and to control the document printer in accordance with the document vari
Grant William
Killworth, Gottman Hagan & Schaeff LLP
Rodriguez Paul
The Standard Register Company
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