Bezel assembly for use with an automated transaction device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10049524-B2
Application number	US-201615284472-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2016
Priority date	Oct 1, 2012
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

The bezel assembly for data reception, for use with a bill validator in a financial transactional device, includes a bezel housing and a data reception assembly. The bezel housing includes a customer-facing front portion and a back plate connectable to the bill validator that is mounted within the transactional device cabinet. The front portion includes an insertion/dispensing slot for receiving currency and a projecting protrusion forward of the casing. The forward-extending protrusion accommodates at least a portion of the data reception assembly. The bezel assembly can include a wireless communication function that is communicably connectable with a mobile device via a wireless communication method, a manual entry function, a biometric reader, one or more cameras for scanning and decrypting 2D barcodes and the like, thus enhancing the overall functionality of the financial transactional device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bezel assembly to be used with a transactional device having a bill validator with a document acceptance slot and a validator window, the bezel assembly comprising:
a bezel housing comprising:
a front portion including a casing, the casing including:
an upper portion;
a lower portion; and
an insertion/dispensing slot through which notes are received and pass through into the bill validator, wherein:
the lower portion includes a forward-extending protrusion projecting from the casing below the insertion/dispensing slot; and
a top surface of the forward-extending protrusion and an interior surface of the casing form a continuous runway by which the notes can be received into the insertion/dispensing slot;

a back plate attached to the front portion and configured to couple to the transactional device or the bill validator;

a manual user input assembly positioned on the forward-extending protrusion;
a proximity sensor configured to detect a consumer within an area of the manual user input assembly; and
a processor communicatively linked with the transactional device, wherein transactional information received by the processor from the manual user input assembly is passed to the transactional device.

2. The bezel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the manual user input assembly includes at least one:
an engageable mechanical switch,
a capacitive switch,
a keypad,
a tactile touchpad, and
a touchscreen.

3. The bezel assembly of claim 2 , wherein the manual user input assembly is positioned on the top surface of the forward-extending protrusion.

4. The bezel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the manual user input assembly includes a display configured to display a Quick Response (QR) code.

5. The bezel assembly of claim 1 wherein the manual user input assembly includes a sensor configured to read a Quick Response (QR) code as an input.

6. The bezel assembly of claim 1 , further including a biometric receiver positioned on the forward-extending protrusion, wherein the biometric receiver includes one of at least:
a fingerprint reader;
an iris reader; and
a retinal scanner.

7. The bezel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to receive a response from the transactional device and relay the response to the manual user input assembly.

8. A bezel assembly to be used with a transactional device having a bill validator with a document acceptance slot and a validator window, the bezel assembly comprising:
a bezel housing comprising:
a front portion including a casing, the casing including:
an upper portion;
a lower portion; and
an insertion/dispensing slot through which notes are received and pass through into the bill validator, wherein:
the lower portion includes a forward-extending protrusion projecting from the casing below the insertion/dispensing slot; and
a top surface of the forward-extending protrusion and an interior surface of the casing form a continuous runway by which the notes can be received into the insertion/dispensing slot;

a back plate attached to the front portion and configured to couple to the transactional device or the bill validator;

an image recognition assembly including a camera;
a proximity sensor configured to detect an object in a viewing window of the camera; and
a processor communicatively linked with the transactional device, wherein transactional information received by the processor from the image recognition assembly is passed to the transactional device.

9. The bezel assembly of claim 8 , wherein the camera is integrated with the upper portion of the casing and directed at least partially toward the forward-extending protrusion.

10. The bezel assembly of claim 9 , wherein the camera is used to adjust an operation of the camera.

11. The bezel assembly of claim 8 , wherein the camera is integrated with the top surface of the forward-extending protrusion and directed upwards.

12. The bezel assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
when no object is detected by the proximity sensor in the viewing window of the camera, the camera is deactivated; and
when an object is detected by the proximity sensor in the viewing window of the camera, a scanning operation by the camera is initiated.

13. The bezel assembly of claim 8 , wherein the image recognition assembly is configured to recognize a two-dimensional barcode in an image captured by the camera.

14. The bezel assembly of claim 13 , wherein the two-dimensional barcode is a Quick Response (QR) code.

15. The bezel assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a display configured to display a Quick Response (QR) code.

16. The bezel assembly of claim 8 , wherein:
the image recognition assembly captures video images with the camera;
the processor communicates information related to captured video images to at least one of:
the transactional device;
the bill validator;
a transactional device server; and
an electronic gaming machine computer.

17. The bezel assembly of claim 16 , further comprising an audio recording system.

18. The bezel assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a speech recognition system.

19. The bezel assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a facial recognition system.

20. A bezel assembly to be used with a transactional device having a bill validator with a document acceptance slot and a validator window, the bezel assembly comprising:
a bezel housing comprising:
a front portion including a casing, the casing including:
an upper portion;
a lower portion; and
an insertion/dispensing slot through which notes are received and pass through into the bill validator, wherein:
the lower portion includes a forward-extending protrusion projecting from the casing below the insertion/dispensing slot; and
a top surface of the forward-extending protrusion and an interior surface of the casing form a continuous runway by which the notes can be received into the insertion/dispensing slot;

a back plate attached to the front portion and configured to couple to the transactional device or the bill validator;

a biometric authentication assembly comprising a biometric reader and integrated with the bezel housing at a location enabling access by a customer during use;
a proximity sensor configured to detect an object in a vicinity of the biometric reader; and
a processor communicatively linked with the transactional device, wherein transactional information received by the processor from the biometric authentication assembly is passed to the transactional device.

21. The bezel assembly of claim 20 , wherein the biometric reader comprises at least one of:
a fingerprint reader;
an iris reader;
a retinal scanner;
a facial recognition system; and a
speech recognition system.

22. The bezel assembly of claim 20 further comprising a sensor configured to read a Quick Response (QR) code as an input.

23. The bezel assembly of claim 20 further comprising a display configured to display a Quick Response (QR) code.

24. The bezel assembly of claim 20 , wherein:
when no object is detected by the proximity sensor in the vicinity of the bezel assembly, the biometric reader is deactivated; and
when an object is detected by the proximity sensor in the vicinity of the bezel assembly, a biometric authentication by the biometric reader is initiated.

Assignees

• Jcm American Corp

Inventors

• Johnson Steven
• Wilcutt Bryan Allen
• Rivera Omar Jorge
• Masters Connie R
• Toth Sr Scott A
• Petersen Daniel
• Montano Brian Anthony
• Mohrhardt Dominic

Classifications

• G07F19/205

  Housing aspects of ATMs · CPC title

• G07F19/20

  Automatic teller machines [ATMs] · CPC title

• G07D11/14 Primary

  Inlet or outlet ports · CPC title

• G07D11/20

  Controlling or monitoring the operation of devices; Data handling · CPC title

• G07D11/22

  Means for sensing or detection · CPC title