Bezel assembly with close range communication abilities for use with an automated transaction device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11227461-B2
Application number	US-202016776967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2020
Priority date	Oct 1, 2012
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

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 for use in a transactional device having a document acceptance slot, the bezel assembly comprising:
a bezel housing comprising, in combination:
a front portion including a casing having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the casing is configured with a slot through which documents are received and pass into the transactional device;
a forward protruding tongue structure forming a bottom guide into the slot, the forward protruding tongue structure extending outward farther than a top portion of the slot; and
a back plate attached to the front portion and configured to couple to the transactional device;

a short-range wireless communication module in the bezel housing and positioned to connectively communicate with a mobile device; and
a processor integral to the bezel assembly that controls operation of the bezel assembly including receiving transactional information from the mobile device and using the transactional information to provide credit on an electronic gaming machine communicably connected to the transactional device.

2. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein communication between the short-range wireless communication module and the mobile device is enabled along an area aligned with the slot.

3. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the documents include one of:
currency;
paper tickets;
scrip;
vouchers;
bills;
forms;
magnetic cards; or
identification cards.

4. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the short-range wireless communication module comprises one of:
a Bluetooth module;
a Near Field Communication (NFC) module; or a radio frequency module.

5. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a manual input assembly integral to the bezel housing front portion, the manual input assembly comprising:
a microcontroller;
at least one manual entry device in signal communication with the microcontroller; and
a communication interface providing signal communication between the microcontroller and the transactional device.

6. The bezel assembly of claim 5 , wherein the at least one manual entry device includes at least one of:
engageable mechanical switches;
capacitive switches;
a keypad;
a tactile touchpad; and
a touchscreen.

7. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the short-range wireless communication module is configured to communicate with the mobile device using one of:
Bluetooth;
Near Field Communication (NFC); or
radio frequency.

8. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a biometric authentication assembly comprising a biometric reader, wherein:
the biometric authentication assembly is carried by the bezel housing; and
the biometric reader is integral to the bezel housing at a location enabling access by a customer during use.

9. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a digital image acquisition system including at least one camera that is carried by the casing.

10. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least one indicator light enabling a customer to view light emitted from the at least one indicator light during use.

11. A bezel assembly for use in a transactional device having a document acceptance slot, the bezel assembly comprising:
a bezel housing comprising, in combination:
a front portion including a casing having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the casing is configured with a slot through which documents are received and pass into the transactional device;
a forward protruding tongue structure forming a bottom guide into the slot, the forward protruding tongue structure extending outward farther than a top portion of the slot; and
a back plate attached to the front portion and configured to couple to the transactional device;

a short-range wireless communication module comprising a receiver positioned to connectively communicate with a mobile device; and
a processor that receives from the mobile device transactional information that is used to provide credit on an electronic gaming device communicably coupled to the transactional device.

12. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein the receiver is positioned to connectively communicate with the mobile device along an area aligned with the slot.

13. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein the documents include one of:
currency;
paper tickets;
scrip;
vouchers;
bills;
forms;
magnetic cards; or
identification cards.

14. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein the receiver comprises one of:
a Bluetooth receiver;
a Near Field Communication (NFC) receiver; or
a radio frequency receiver.

15. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 11 , further comprising a manual input assembly integral to the bezel housing front portion, the manual input assembly comprising:
a microcontroller;
at least one manual entry device in signal communication with the microcontroller; and
a communication interface providing signal communication between the microcontroller and the transactional device.

16. The bezel assembly of claim 15 , wherein the at least one manual entry device includes at least one of:
engageable mechanical switches;
capacitive switches;
a keypad;
a tactile touchpad; and
a touchscreen.

17. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein the receiver is configured to communicate with the mobile device using one of:
Bluetooth;
Near Field Communication (NFC); or
radio frequency.

18. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 11 , further comprising a biometric authentication assembly comprising a biometric reader, wherein:
the biometric authentication assembly is carried by the bezel housing; and
the biometric reader is integral to the bezel housing at a location enabling access by a customer during use.

19. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 11 , further comprising a digital image acquisition system including at least one camera that is carried by the casing.

20. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 11 , further comprising at least one indicator light enabling a customer to view light emitted from the at least one indicator light during use.

21. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the short-range wireless communication module is positioned within the forward protruding tongue structure.

22. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein the short-range wireless communication module is positioned within the forward protruding tongue structure.

23. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the forward protruding tongue structure is integral with the back plate.

24. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein the forward protruding tongue structure is integral with the back plate.

25. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the forward protruding tongue structure is hollow.

26. The bezel assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein the forward protruding tongue structure is hollow.

Assignees

• Jcm American Corp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G07D11/14 Primary

  Inlet or outlet ports · CPC title

• Y10S902/06

  Image processor, e.g. video camera · CPC title

• G07F17/3216

  Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects · CPC title

• G07F17/3206

  Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics · CPC title

• G07F19/20

  Automatic teller machines [ATMs] · CPC title