Mark William Waechter, 52PO Box 1582, Avondale, AZ 85323

6520308, Feb 18, 2003

Oct 31, 2000

09/703946

Douglas Alan Martin - Woodinville WA
Mark Louis Waechter - Seattle WA
Rodrigo Berho - Seattle WA
John Partlow - Bakersfield CA

Coinstar, Inc. - Bellevue WA

G07D 508

194317, 194346, 453 57

A coin discrimination apparatus and method is provided. Coins, preferably after cleaning, e. g. using a trommel, are singulated by a coin pickup assembly configured to reduce jamming. A coin rail assists in providing separation between coins as they travel past a sensor. The sensor provides an oscillating electromagnetic field generated on a single core. The oscillating electromagnetic field is composed of one or more frequency components. The electromagnetic field interacts with a coin, and these interactions are monitored and used to classify the coin according to its physical properties. All frequency components of the magnetic field are phase-locked to a common reference frequency. The phase relationships between the various frequencies are fixed, and the interaction of each frequency component with the coin can be accurately determined without the need for complicated electrical filters. In one embodiment, a sensor having a core, preferably ferrite, which is curved, such as in a U-shape or in the shape of a section of a torus, and defining a gap, is provided with a winding for excitation and/or detection. The sensor can be used for simultaneously obtaining data relating to two or more parameters of a coin or other object, such as a size and conductivity of the object.

6766892, Jul 27, 2004

Jan 2, 2003

10/336617

Douglas Alan Martin - Woodinville WA
Mark Louis Waechter - Seattle WA
Rodrigo Berho - Seattle WA
John Partlow - Bakersfield CA

Coinstar, Inc. - Bellevue WA

G07D 508

194317, 194344, 194346, 193DIG 1

A coin discrimination apparatus and method is provided. Coins, preferably after cleaning, e. g. using a trommel, are singulated by a coin pickup assembly configured to reduce jamming. A coin rail assists in providing separation between coins as they travel past a sensor. The sensor provides an oscillating electromagnetic field generated on a single sensing core. The oscillating electromagnetic field is composed of one or more frequency components. The electromagnetic field interacts with a coin, and these interactions are monitored and used to classify the coin according to its physical properties. All frequency components of the magnetic field are phase-locked to a common reference frequency. The phase relationships between the various frequencies are fixed, and the interaction of each frequency component with the coin can be accurately determined without the need for complicated electrical filters. In one embodiment, a sensor having a core, preferably ferrite, which is curved, such as in a U-shape or in the shape of a section of a torus, and defining a gap, is provided with a wire winding for excitation and/or detection.

6957746, Oct 25, 2005

Feb 14, 2003

10/367110

Douglas A. Martin - Woodinville WA, US
Scott A. Dean - Redmond WA, US
Mark L. Waechter - Winthrop WA, US
Gregory P. Winters - Snohomish WA, US

Coinstar, Inc. - Bellevue WA

G65G059/00

221131, 235380

Apparatuses and methods for dispensing cards and other items. In one embodiment, a card dispensing apparatus includes at least first and second card hoppers and a movable card carriage. The card carriage is movable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper and a second position proximate to the second card hopper. The card carriage is configured to receive a first card from the first card hopper when in the first position and a second card from the second card hopper when in the second position. In one aspect of this embodiment, the card carriage can dispense at least the first card into a card outlet chute when the first card has been sufficiently read by a card reader. Alternatively, the card carriage can dispense the first card into a card escrow chute when the first card has not been sufficiently read by the card reader.

7213697, May 8, 2007

Apr 16, 2004

10/825951

Douglas Alan Martin - Woodinville WA, US
Mark Louis Waechter - Seattle WA, US
Rodrigo Berho - Seattle WA, US
John Partlow - Bakersfield CA, US

Coinstar, Inc. - Bellevue WA

G07D 5/08

194317, 194217

A coin discrimination apparatus and method is provided. Coins, preferably after cleaning, e. g. using a trommel, are singulated by a coin pickup assembly configured to reduce jamming. A coin rail assists in providing separation between coins as they travel past a sensor. The sensor provides an oscillating electromagnetic field generated on a single sensing core. The oscillating electromagnetic field is composed of one or more frequency components. The electromagnetic field interacts with a coin, and these interactions are monitored and used to classify the coin according to its physical properties. All frequency components of the magnetic field are phase-locked to a common reference frequency. The phase relationships between the various frequencies are fixed, and the interaction of each frequency component with the coin can be accurately determined without the need for complicated electrical filters. In one embodiment, a sensor having a core, preferably ferrite, which is curved, such as in a U-shape or in the shape of a section of a torus, and defining a gap, is provided with a wire winding for excitation and/or detection.

7520374, Apr 21, 2009

Apr 12, 2007

11/734355

Douglas Alan Martin - Woodinville WA, US
Mark Louis Waechter - Seattle WA, US
Rodrigo Berho - Seattle WA, US
John Partlow - Bakersfield CA, US

Coinstar, Inc. - Bellevue WA

G07D 5/08

194317, 194318, 194319

A coin discrimination apparatus and method is provided. Coins, preferably after cleaning, e. g. using a trommel, are singulated by a coin pickup assembly configured to reduce jamming. A coin rail assists in providing separation between coins as they travel past a sensor. The sensor provides an oscillating electromagnetic field generated on a single sensing core. The oscillating electromagnetic field is composed of one or more frequency components. The electromagnetic field interacts with a coin, and these interactions are monitored and used to classify the coin according to its physical properties. All frequency components of the magnetic field are phase-locked to a common reference frequency. The phase relationships between the various frequencies are fixed, and the interaction of each frequency component with the coin can be accurately determined without the need for complicated electrical filters. In one embodiment, a sensor having a core, preferably ferrite, which is curved, such as in a U-shape or in the shape of a section of a torus, and defining a gap, is provided with a wire winding for excitation and/or detection.

7815071, Oct 19, 2010

Nov 22, 2004

10/995032

Douglas A. Martin - Woodinville WA, US
Scott A. Dean - Issaquah WA, US
Mark L. Waechter - Winthrop WA, US
Gregory P. Winters - Snohomish WA, US

Coinstar, Inc. - Bellevue WA

B65G 59/00

221 92, 221131, 221133

Apparatuses and methods for dispensing cards and other items. In one embodiment, a card dispensing apparatus includes at least first and second card hoppers and a movable card carriage. The card carriage is movable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper and a second position proximate to the second card hopper. The card carriage is configured to receive a first card from the first card hopper when in the first position and a second card from the second card hopper when in the second position. In one aspect of this embodiment, the card carriage can dispense at least the first card into a card outlet chute when the first card has been sufficiently read by a card reader. Alternatively, the card carriage can dispense the first card into a card escrow chute when the first card has not been sufficiently read by the card reader.

2006020, Sep 21, 2006

Dec 5, 2005

11/294637

Scott Dean - Issaquah WA, US
Mark Waechter - Winthrop WA, US
Kim Hanson - Woodinville WA, US
Michael Doran - Bothell WA, US
Kerry Smith - Bellevue WA, US
Scott Jeffus - Redmond WA, US
Peter Rowan - Seattle WA, US

G07D 7/00

194302000

Methods and systems for exchanging various forms of value, including coins, currency, credit, debit, and/or bank account funds, for prepaid cash cards, credit cards, phone cards, gift cards, in-store gift certificates, e-certificates, and the like. In one embodiment, a value exchange machine includes a coin input region, a coin sorting/counting apparatus, a card reader, and a communications facility configured to communicate with a remote computer network. In another embodiment, a value exchange system includes one or more of the value exchange machines connected to one or more remote computers via a communications link. A user wishing to purchase, for example, a gift certificate for use on-line can visit one of the value exchange machines, select the desired transaction, and pay for the certificate with coins, currency, a credit card, a debit card, and/or bank account funds. After confirming payment, the value exchange machine dispenses the certificate to the user, who can then go on-line to make purchases from an associated retailer with the certificate.

2009016, Jul 2, 2009

Oct 24, 2008

12/258085

Douglas Alan Martin - Woodinville WA, US
Mark Louis Waechter - Seattle WA, US
Rodrigo Berho - Seattle WA, US
John Partlow - Bakersfield CA, US

G07D 5/08

194317

A coin discrimination apparatus and method is provided. Coins, preferably after cleaning, e.g. using a trommel, are singulated by a coin pickup assembly configured to reduce jamming. A coin rail assists in providing separation between coins as they travel past a sensor. The sensor provides an oscillating electromagnetic field generated on a single sensing core. The oscillating electromagnetic field is composed of one or more frequency components. The electromagnetic field interacts with a coin, and these interactions are monitored and used to classify the coin according to its physical properties. All frequency components of the magnetic field are phase-locked to a common reference frequency. The phase relationships between the various frequencies are fixed, and the interaction of each frequency component with the coin can be accurately determined without the need for complicated electrical filters. In one embodiment, a sensor having a core, preferably ferrite, which is curved, such as in a U-shape or in the shape of a section of a torus, and defining a gap, is provided with a wire winding for excitation and/or detection. The sensor can be used for simultaneously obtaining data relating to two or more parameters of a coin or other object, such as size and conductivity of the object. Two or more frequencies can be used to sense core and/or cladding properties. Objects recognized as acceptable coins, using the sensor data, are diverted by a controllable deflecting door, to tubes for delivery to acceptable coin bins.