Document deskewing module and methods of operating a document deskewing module for a self-service bunch document depositing terminal

Abstract

A document deskewing module is provided for a self-service bunch document depositing terminal. The document deskewing module comprises a set of sensors arranged to detect when a document transported along a document transport path from a mixed bunch of documents including documents of a first type and documents of a second type which is different from the first type is deskewed, a first set of drive rollers in the form of hard drive rollers disposed along the document transport path, a first set of idler rollers moveable towards and away from the hard drive rollers, a second set of drive rollers in the form of soft drive rollers disposed along the document transport path, a second set of idler rollers moveable towards and away from the soft drive rollers, and a controller arranged to control operation of the first and second sets of idler rollers in response to a number of signals from the set of sensors such that either only the first set of idlers are interacting with the hard drive rollers or only the second set of idlers is interacting with the soft drive rollers at any one time to deskew either a document of the first type or a document of the second type which is different from the first type.

1 . A method of operating a document deskewing module for a self-service bunch document depositing terminal having a document transport path along which a document can be transported, the method comprising:
 at a first time, moving a first set of idler rollers towards a first set of drive rollers in the form of hard drive rollers to drive the document between first set of idler rollers and the hard drive rollers to move the document in a first direction of document travel from an upstream end of the document transport path to a downstream end of the document transport path;   at a second time which is different from the first time, moving a second set of idler rollers towards a second set of drive rollers in the form of soft drive rollers to drive the document between the second set of idler rollers and the soft drive rollers to move the document towards a reference edge in a second direction of document travel which is transverse to the first direction of document travel so as to deskew the document relative to the first direction of document travel; and   detecting when the document transported being along a document transport path is deskewed and providing a deskew signal indicative thereof.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein only either the first set of idler rollers is moving towards the hard drive rollers or the second set of idler rollers is moving towards the soft drive rollers at any one time. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the reference edge extends in a direction parallel to the first direction of document travel from the upstream end of the document transport path to the downstream end of the document transport path. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the second direction of document travel is perpendicular to the first direction of document travel. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein detecting includes (i) detecting at least a first signal from one of a plurality of sensors, and (ii) a second signal from another one of the plurality of sensors such that the deskew signal which is indicative of the document being deskewed varies as a function of both the first and second signals from the plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the self-service bunch document depositing terminal comprises a bunch document depositing automated teller machine (ATM). 
     
     
         7 . A document deskewing module for a self-service bunch document depositing terminal, the document deskewing module comprising:
 a set of sensors arranged to detect when a document transported along a document transport path from a mixed bunch of documents including documents of a first type and documents of a second type which is different from the first type is deskewed;   a first set of drive rollers in the form of hard drive rollers disposed along the document transport path;   a first set of idler rollers moveable towards and away from the hard drive rollers;   a second set of drive rollers in the form of soft drive rollers disposed along the document transport path;   a second set of idler rollers moveable towards and away from the soft drive rollers; and   a controller arranged to control operation of the first and second sets of idler rollers in response to a number of signals from the set of sensors such that either only the first set of idlers are interacting with the hard drive rollers or only the second set of idlers is interacting with the soft drive rollers at any one time to deskew either a document of the first type or a document of the second type which is different from the first type.   
     
     
         8 . A document deskewing module according to  claim 7 , further comprising two actuatable solenoids each having an armature link, one which is operatively coupled through a first set of arms to the first set of idler rollers and the other one through a second set of arms to the second set of idlers. 
     
     
         9 . A document deskewing module according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller is arranged to actuate the solenoids to cause the armature links to act on the first and second sets of arms such that the first set of idlers move towards the hard drive rollers to engage the hard drive rollers and the second set of idlers move away from the soft drive rollers to disengage the soft drive rollers. 
     
     
         10 . A document deskewing module according to  claim 9 , wherein the set of sensors comprises a plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         11 . A document deskewing module according to  claim 10 , wherein the controller is arranged to de-actuate the solenoids only when at least two of the plurality of sensors provide an associated signal indicative of a deskewed document. 
     
     
         12 . A bunch document depositing automated teller machine (ATM) for processing a mixed bunch documents including checks and currency notes, the bunch document depositing ATM comprising:
 a set of sensors arranged to detect when a document transported along a document transport path from the mixed bunch of documents is deskewed relative to a first direction of travel from an upstream end of the document transport path to a downstream end of the document transport path;   a first set of drive rollers in the form of hard drive rollers disposed along the document transport path;   a first set of idler rollers moveable towards and away from the hard drive rollers;   a second set of drive rollers in the form of soft drive rollers disposed along the document transport path;   a second set of idler rollers moveable towards and away from the soft drive rollers;   a pair of actuatable solenoids each having an armature link, one solenoid being operatively coupled through its armature link to a first set of arms to the first set of idler rollers and the other solenoid being operatively coupled through its armature link to a second set of arms to the second set of idlers; and   a controller arranged to control actuation of the solenoids and thereby to control the first and second sets of idler rollers such that the first set of idlers move away from the hard drive rollers to disengage the hard drive rollers and the second set of idlers move towards the soft drive rollers to engage the soft drive rollers to deskew either a check or a currency note which is being transported along the document transport path from the upstream end to the downstream end of the document transport path.   
     
     
         13 . A bunch document depositing ATM according to  claim 12 , wherein the set of sensors comprise a plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         14 . A bunch document depositing ATM according to  claim 13 , wherein the controller is arrange to actuate the solenoids only when at least two of the plurality of sensors provide an associated signal indicative of a deskewed document.