ATM receipt

Abstract

A medium for printing, such as a thermal receipt roll for an ATM. The medium has two sides, each side having a plurality of marks positioned to trigger an automatic operation, such as printing, movement, or cutting of the medium when identified by a detector. Preferably, the marks are adapted for optical sensing by a detector located along one side or the other of the roll, and are positioned at regular intervals along the side edges. This allows the roll to be used in business machines having different detector configurations.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to media products, and, more specifically, to receipt rolls for automated teller machines (ATMs) and the like.

ATMs and other conventional receipt generating business machines such as point of sale (POS) terminals and ticket dispensers typically provide a paper receipt to a customer confirming the details of a transaction. Receipts are generally of uniform length, being cut from a supply roll mounted inside the machine.

A receipt roll often has a series of uniformly spaced sense marks along one or both edges of the roll. As the roll is advanced in the machine, the sense marks trigger various operations including printing, advancing, cutting and stopping the roll. Black is the most commonly used color for sense marks employed in business machines for dispensing print media.

Machines from different manufacturers often detect sense marks from different orientations, making it impossible to use the same print media in different machines. For example, in the case of ATMs, there are at least four different designs for thermal receipt rolls for use in ATMs from different ATM manufacturers. For example, in one case, sense marks are located on opposing edges of the front side of the thermal receipt roll. In another case, sense marks are located principally along one edge of the back side of the thermal receipt roll. This creates a problem for ATM deployers who employ these two types of ATMs within their network. Specifically, service personnel must stock both types of thermal receipt rolls and make certain that the proper roll is mounted in the correct machine.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a medium for printing, such as a thermal receipt roll for an ATM. The medium has two sides, each side having a plurality of marks positioned to trigger an automatic operation, such as printing, movement, or cutting of the medium when identified by a detector. Preferably, the marks are adapted for optical sensing by a detector located along one side or the other of the roll, and are positioned at regular intervals along the side edges. This allows the roll to be used in business machines having different detector configurations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is view of the front side of a section of a thermal receipt roll such as can be used in an ATM.

FIG. 2 is view of the back side of the thermal receipt roll shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a view of the front side 10 of a section of a thermal receipt roll 12 such as adapted for use in an ATM. Front side 10 has a conventional thermosensitive coating, as is well known in the art.

Front side 10 has opposing edges 14 and 16. Positioned along edge 14 are a plurality of optical sense marks 18a, 18b, etc. Sense marks 18a, 18b, etc. are generally rectangular in shape. They are positioned along edge 14 at a regular interval int. Interval int is defined as the distance between the midpoints of two sequentially appearing sense marks, such as marks 18a and 18b.

Positioned along edge 16 are a plurality of optical sense marks 20a, 20b, etc. Sense marks 20a, 20b, etc. are generally rectangular in shape. They are positioned along edge 16 at the same regular interval int as with sense marks 18a and 18b.

Front side 10 also has a border region 22 along edge 14 and another border region 24 along opposing edge 16. Border region 22 contains sense marks 18a, 18b, etc., but other than these sense marks has no other markings. Similarly, border region 24 contains sense marks 20a, 20b, etc., but other than these sense marks has no other markings. Sense marks 18a, 18b, etc. and sense marks 20a, 20b, etc. preferably have a lower index of reflectivity than border regions 22 and 24, for example, the sense marks are black.

The purpose for sense marks 18a, 18b, etc. and 20a, 20b, etc. is to serve as a marker for an optical detector as the roll is advanced in the ATM. When the detector senses the presence of a mark, various operations can be triggered such as printing, cutting, or movement (advancing or stopping) of roll 12. The ATM can be configured so that either sense marks 18a, 18b, etc., or sense marks 20a, 20b, etc., or both groups are sensed by the detector(s).

As shown in FIG. 1, roll 12 has a feed direction when installed in an ATM as designated by arrow 24. The feed direction defines leading and trailing edges for each of the sense marks. For example, sense mark 18a has a leading edge 26a and a trailing edge 28a. Similarly, sense mark 18b has a leading edge 26b and a trailing edge 28b. In a like manner, sense mark 20a has a leading edge 30a and a trailing edge 32a, and sense mark 20b has a leading edge 30b and a trailing edge 32b.

Sense marks 20a, 20b, etc. are in registration with sense marks 18a, 18b, etc. What is meant by “in registration” is that the leading edge 26a of mark 18a is directly opposite and aligned with the leading edge 30a of mark 20a. Similarly, the trailing edge 28a of mark 18a is directly opposite and aligned with the trailing edge 32a of mark 20a. In a like manner, leading and trailing edges 26b and 28b of sense mark 18b are opposite and aligned with leading and trailing edges 30b and 32b, respectively, of sense mark 20b.

Also shown are designated cut lines 34a and 34b. In the embodiment shown, cut line 34a is slightly behind the trailing edges 28a and 32a of sense marks 18a and 20a, respectively. Similarly, cut line 34b is behind the trailing edges 28b and 32b of sense marks 18b and 20b, respectively. It will be appreciated for each receipt generating transaction conducted at an ATM, a single cutting operation will be performed on roll 12. Thus, eventually, a cutting operation will be performed along cut line 34a. For the following receipt generating transaction at the ATM, the cutting operation will be performed at cut line 34b, which is behind the trailing edges 28b and 32b of sense marks 18b and 20b, respectively. At that time a receipt 35 will be dispensed to the user of the ATM.

Receipt 35 may include preprinted information, such as “ATM Transaction Record,” shown in FIG. 1 on the front side 10. It will also include transaction specific information (not shown) printed by means of a thermal print head on the thermosensitive coating.

FIG. 2 shows a view of the back side 40 of a section of thermal receipt roll 12, which corresponds to the view shown in FIG. 1. Back side 40 does not have a thermosensitive coating.

Back side 40 has opposing edges 14 and 16. Positioned along edge 16 are a plurality of optical sense marks 42a, 42b, etc. Sense marks 42a, 42b, etc. are generally rectangular in shape. They are positioned along edge 16 at a regular interval. In a preferred embodiment, the interval is the same regular interval int, as shown and described with respect to FIG. 1.

Positioned along edge 14 are a plurality of marks 44a, 44b, etc., which are generally in registration with marks 42a, 42b, etc., respectively, but are not sensed by an optical sensor. Their presence is related to the manufacturing process of roll 12. Specifically, roll 12 is cut from a much wider roll. In order to allow for some manufacturing tolerances, marks 44a and 44b are extensions from adjoining marks on the wider roll. Thus, sense marks 44a, 44b, etc. are positioned along edge 18 at the same regular interval int as with sense marks 42a and 42b. Back side 40 also has a border region 46 along edge 16. Border region 46 contains sense marks 42a, 42b, etc., and, other than these sense marks, has no other markings. Sense marks 42a, 42b, etc. preferably have a lower index of reflectivity than border region 46, for example, the sense marks are black.

As with sense marks 18a, 18b, etc. and 20a, 20b, etc. on the front side 10 of receipt roll 12, the purpose of sense marks 42a, 42b, etc. is to serve as a marker for an optical detector as the roll is advanced in the ATM. When the detector senses the presence of a mark, various operations can be triggered such as printing, cutting, or movement (advancing or stopping) of roll 12. However, an ATM will either have a detector for sensing marks on the front 10 of roll 12, or on the back 40, but not both. Thus, the sense marks 42a, 42b, etc. would not be needed in ATMs from certain manufacturers, just at sense marks 18a, 18b, etc. and 20a, 20b, etc. would not be needed in ATMs from other manufacturers. However, the same roll 12 will be operable in ATMs from either manufacturer.

The feed direction of roll 12 when installed in an ATM, as designated by arrow 24, is obviously in the same direction in both FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 2, the feed direction defines leading and trailing edges for each of the sense marks. For example, sense mark 42a has a leading edge 48a and a trailing edge 50a. Similarly, sense mark 42b has a leading edge 48b and a trailing edge 50b.

Sense marks 42a, 42b, etc. are out of registration with sense marks 18a, 18b, etc., and sense marks 20a, 20b, etc. What is meant by “out of registration” is that the leading edge 48a of mark 42a is not aligned with the leading edge 26a of mark 18a or leading edge 30a of mark 20a. The amount of misalignment is shown as distance d. Similarly, the trailing edge 50a of mark 42a is out of registration with the trailing edge 32a of mark 20a and with the trailing edge 28a of mark 18a. In a like manner, leading and trailing edges 48b and 50b of sense mark 42b are out of registration with leading and trailing edges 30b and 32b, respectively, of sense mark 20b, and with leading and trailing edges 26b and 28b, respectively, of sense mark 18b.

Referring to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, it will be seen that in a preferred embodiment, the leading edge 26a of mark 18a and the leading edge 30a of mark 20a are forward of the leading edge 48a of mark 42a. Similarly, the leading edge 26b of mark 18b and the leading edge 30b of mark 20b are forward of the leading edge 48b of mark 42b. “Forward” in this usage having reference to direction 24.

Also shown in FIG. 2 are designated cut lines 34a and 34b. In the embodiment shown, cut line 34a is between the leading edge 48a and trailing edge 50a of mark 42a. Similarly, cut line 34b is between the leading edge 48b and trailing edge 50b of mark 42b.

Receipt 35 may include preprinted information, such as advertisements, coupons, or terms and conditions (not shown) on the back side 40. Such printing will not extend into border region 46. The back side 40 of receipt 35 will not include transaction specific information because all printing on the receipt within the ATM is on front side 10, which has a thermosensitive coating.

One issue concerning sense marks 20a, 20b, etc., 42a, 42b, etc., and 44a, 44b, etc. are their relative optical density, particularly in connection with the light transmissivity of roll 12. Specifically, if the marks are too dense, there can be “bleed through” to the opposite side, which can interfere with the operation of the detector. For example, if mark 20a bleeds through to side 40 with too much intensity, it may trigger a premature automatic operation. This in turn can result in parts of receipt 35 being cut off.

In a preferred embodiment, thermal roll 12 is formed from a 15# thermal paper having a thermosensitive coating on one side, sense marks 18a, 18b, etc., and 20a, 20b, etc. are preprinted with an optical density of between 0.95 to 1.15, with a preferred density of 1.1, and sense marks 42a, 42b, etc., and 44a, 44b, etc. are preprinted with a minimum optical density of 1.15, with a preferred density of 1.25.

While there have been described herein what are considered to be preferred and exemplary embodiments of the present invention, other modifications of the invention shall be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings herein, and it is, therefore, desired to be secured in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Accordingly, what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is the invention as defined and differentiated in the following claims.

Claims

1. A thermal receipt roll for an ATM, comprising: a front side with a thermosensitive coating having a plurality of first optical sensing marks positioned at a first regular interval along one edge of said front side;a back side including a border region and a printable region, said border region being positioned along one edge of said back side and having a plurality of second optical sensing marks that are positioned at a second regular interval along said border region;a plurality of third optical sensing marks positioned at said first regular interval along the opposing edge from said first marks on said front side of said receipt roll, wherein said third marks are in registration with said first marks;border regions along each edge of said front side, said regions having no markings other than said first and third marks;a border region along said one edge of said back side, which has no markings other than said second marks; anda plurality of fourth marks positioned at said first regular interval along the opposing edge from said second marks on said back side of said receipt roll;wherein said first and second intervals are the same, and wherein said first and second marks are out of registration with each other;wherein said roll has a designated feed direction when installed within said ATM, and wherein said first and second marks have a leading edge as defined by said feed direction, and wherein the leading edge of each of said first marks is forward of the leading edge of the corresponding ones of each of said second marks;wherein said first and second marks have a trailing edge, wherein said roll has a designated cut line where said roll is cut into a receipt, and wherein said cut line is behind the trailing edge of said first mark, but between the leading and trailing edges of said second mark.