A speedy and efficient checkout process at a checkout counter in a store is realized by a deposit machine that receives deposited money from a customer and issues a pre-deposit receipt with which a pre-deposit amount is associated, and a POS register that scans a barcode of a commodity to calculate a checkout amount and reads a pre-deposit receipt to specify a pre-deposit amount. The POS register performs a checkout process for the checkout amount by using the pre-deposit amount, calculates, as change, a difference between the pre-deposit amount and the checkout amount, and causes a change machine to dispense money corresponding to the change.

A sterilizing media cassette is described for docking with a self-service terminal or a docking terminal. The sterilizing media cassette has a body having a lower portion and four sides. The body is adapted to hold a stack of media items such as banknotes on support members positioned above the lower portion of the body. A lid is provided that couples to the body. The lid forms an enclosed inner space when coupled to the body. UV light sources are mounted on each an inner surface of the body and the inner surface of the lid. A controller activates the UV light source to sterilize the stack of media items. This may be done for a predetermined fixed period of time after the sterilizing media cassette is docked with a self-service terminal or a docking terminal. Ozone and/or heat may also be used for sterilization of the media items.

A sanitizing system for sanitizing currency bills at a retailer has a sanitizing apparatus that has an inlet for the insertion therethrough currency bills by a customer, the sanitizing apparatus including a reader for reading the currency bills to establish the total monetary value thereof, and for issuing a receipt to the customer reflecting the total monetary value. A reader located adjacent a cash register at the retailer reads the receipt and accepts the total monetary value as cash tender for merchandize being purchased. A counterfeit detector tests the currency bills and rejects currency bills that do not meet predetermined genuine criteria.

A media storage bin has a guide member mounted via a hinge adjacent to a wall of an enclosure and a second free end. The guide member directs inserted media items downward and pivots around an axis of the hinge. A base plate is mounted below the guide member in the enclosure and is arranged to hold a stack of inserted media items on a top surface thereof. A motor is coupled to move the base plate up and down within the enclosure. A controller is coupled to control movement of the motor and is configured to provide signals to the motor to move the base plate to a predetermined home position adjacent to the guide member upon startup and move the base plate upward to compress any deformed inserted media items on the base plate until an input feedback signal reaches a predetermined level.

A magnetic field generation device may include a coil generating a magnetic field, a drive part configured to apply a voltage to the coil or supply a current to the coil, a monitoring part configured to acquire state information whose value is varied together with temperature of the coil, and a control part which controls the voltage applied by the drive part or the current supplied by the drive part based on the state information acquired by the monitoring part.

A magnetic recording medium processing apparatus may include a coil structured to generate a magnetic field, a magnetic field generation control part which controls generation of the magnetic field in the coil, a sensor structured to execute acquisition of predetermined information, and a sensor control part which controls execution of the acquisition of the information in the sensor. The sensor control part may request the magnetic field generation control part to stop magnetic field generation from the coil at a timing earlier by a predetermined time period than a start timing when the sensor starts the acquisition of the information, and the magnetic field generation control part may stop the generation of the magnetic field from the coil when stop of the magnetic field generation is requested by the sensor control part.

A financial transaction system includes a bank server, an authentication code transfer server, and an ATM. The bank server generates an authentication code in response to a request message received from a mobile terminal. Then the bank server transmits the authentication code to the mobile terminal. The authentication code transfer server receives the authentication code from the mobile terminal and forwards the authentication code to the ATM which then transmits the authentication code to the bank server for transaction authentication. The bank server performs transaction authentication by comparing the code received from the ATM with the code previously generated by the bank server. The ATM dispenses cash according to transaction information entered by a user using the mobile terminal upon receipt of a transaction approval message from the bank server.

The automated teller machine that conducts transactions by a customer operation is provided. The automated teller machine comprises a customer service part configured to receive customer operations; an input pocket; a media recognizer configured to recognize the medium; a first storage storing the medium; a discharge pocket configured to place the medium delivered from the first storage so that the customer can take the medium out; a first transport path that connect the input pocket, the media recognizer, the first storage, and the discharge pocket to transport the medium; a second storage storing a collected medium that is forgotten to be taken out from the discharge pocket by the customer; and a second transport path connecting the second storage to the first transport path, wherein the second storage is arranged above the first transport paths and on an opposite side of the customer service part.

Secure cash deposit containers, such as secure cash bags or secure cash boxes equipped with an integrated bill scanner and a transmitter. The integrated bill scanner may receive and count the bills, and then store them in the secure cash deposit container. A transmitter in communication with the scanner may then transmit a report to the bank servicing the commercial establishment's cash deposit account. The bank may then automatically credit the amount reported by the scanner to the commercial establishment cash deposit account. The amount credited may be subject to further verification, for example, by a bank teller or by a bank's automated cash counting and sorting machines.

A conveying robot/system configured to: (i) operate within limitations of spaces defined by shelving, (ii) remove or place an object in spaces defined by shelving and (iii) enable an object to be automatically placed at a conveying-in position of a conveying processing system and manipulate the object's posture so that the object's posture changes from the object being conveyed to the object being processed. The system includes one or more of a robot hand with a grasping portion, articulated link mechanism, object placing shelf, box body, key and a lock. In one version, the box body is a bill storage container of the type used to store currency, coupons and tickets in electronic gaming devices located in a casino environment.