The present invention relates to a method for handling payment means comprising receipt of payment means and registering payment means value in a bank or the cor- responding. The invention also refers to a device for payment means handling and payment means.

In department stores, shops, transport facilities, bank officies and the corresponding bills and coins are received in large amounts as payment. In order for the recipient to gain the monetary value of the payment means in a bank office or the correspon¬ ding these must be transported to the bank or the corresponding. The problem is in principle the same for taxis, shops, like 7 Eleven, hot dog stands etc.

Value transports constitute today a very big problem and are associated with ex- tremely high costs. Value transport companies must pay large damages both for thefts performed by the employees of the companies and for the mistakes of the per- sonel and for traffic, vehicle and responsability insurances. An American company shows annual costs of this kind in the order of 18 million dollars. Another problem is society costs due to the need of police supervision, physical and psycichal dama- ges at robberies, which often are armed, and personal tragedies and sufferings.

The present invention constitutes a solution to the above described problems.

Thus, the present invention relates to a method according to the introductory part of the accompanying claim 1. The mmethod is especially characterized in what is spe¬ cified in the characterizing part of said pateant claim.

Further, the invention refers to a device according to the introductory part of the ac¬ companying claim 13. The device is especially characterized in what is specified in the characterizing part of the claim 13.

Furthermore, the invention refers to a payment means according to the accompany¬ ing claim 24. The payment means is expecially characterized in what is specified in the characterizing part of the last mentioned claim.

Below the invention is described in more detail in association with examples of em¬ bodiment of a device according to the invention and the accompanying drawing, where

Fig. 1 schematically shows a principleβsΛ p _* . over a first embodiment of a devi- ce according to the invention,

Fig. 2 schematically shows a first embodiment of a device for deciding the mo¬ ney value of bills and for destroying the bills,

Fig. 3 schematically shows one embodiment of a payment means in bill form ac¬ cording to the invention and

Fig. 4 schematically shows a further embodiment of a payment means in bill form according to the invention.

In Fig. 1 the numeral 1 designates payment means, in the following called bills, which are in circulation and which are received as payment in e.g. a department sto¬ re or the corresponding business, which dayly receives a lot of bills. The numeral 2 designates devices for receiving bills 1 and to decide and in a suitable form register the origin and money value of the bills and the numeral 3 designates destruction devices for destroying the bills after that their money value has been decided. The devices 2 can of course also be arranged for receiving coins 1 A, which, however, preferably are not intended to be destroyed.

Further, according to the shown embodiment, devices 4 are provided for transmit¬ ting the money value of the payment means to a write- and readable value carrier 4',

whereby said value carrier is intended to be read by a read unit placed in e.g. a bank 5 or the corresponding, whereby the value carried by the value carrier, can be gai¬ ned by the proprietor.

The devices for performing the method described can be designed in a number of ways, which is described in more detail below.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 the devices 2, 3, 4 comprises feed-in openings 6 for different bill denominations, whereby the bills are ordered before they are fed to the devices. The valuation devices 2 comprises devices for origin control and coun¬ ting the bills 1 and a registering unit, such as a memory unit, for documentation of the accumulated value of supplied bills before they .are destroyed by means of the destruction devices. Complements may be provided for receipt and valuation of coins.

Documentation and transmission of the accumulated value of the payment means to a bank or the corresponding may also be performed in different ways. According to a preferred embodiment is the registered value intended to be transmitted to a value carrier of the type smart card, i e a value carrier, which is write- and readable in electric/electronic way. It is preferred that the transmission is blocked in such a way that transmission of the value to the value carrier is not executed until at least one code is supplied by the proprietor of the value carrier. The value carrier is intended to be transported to a bank or the corresponding realisation establishment for reali¬ sation of the carried value, whereby it can be transformed into bills, be entered into a desired account etc. according to the preference of the proprietor. The value carri¬ er is hereby arranged to be read by means of devices meant for this and hereby re¬ leased from the carried value. Also the reading is preferable blocked in such a way that the reading is not possible until at least one code has been supplied to the rea¬ ding devices. It is preferred that two codes should be supplied, one by the proprietor .and one by the realisation establishment. Embodiments can also be imagined where a code is supplied only by the realisation establishment but where reading can be

performed only by means of a so-called IR-key, the ER-key being adapted to the value carrier by means of a code carried by the value carrier.

Further blocks can also be imagined to be provided. The transmission to the value carrier, e.g. can be blocked in such a way that both registering of bill value and de¬ struction and eventual further controls such as silver thread control, should be detec¬ ted in order for transmission to occur.

It is preferred that a receipt is provided by the realisation establishment and, in ap- pli cable cases, continuous account extracts.

More simple procedures than the one described above can also be imagined. Thus, the devices 4 may comprise devices for printing of receipts, which may be supplied to a bank or the corresponding. Further, the devices 4 may be arranged so that the value is transmitted electrically/electronically in a known way via e.g. telecommu¬ nication to the realisation establishment.

A reception unit 2, 3, 4 may be a central unit for e.g. a department store and hereby be supplied with bills for valuation etc. supplied art several different reception sites, such as cashiers. Reception units for bills may also be provided in a decentralized system, such as one at each cashier or the corresponding, not shown, whereby in¬ formation concerning value suitably is supplied to a central registering unit or the corresponding for documentation of accumulated bill value and external communi¬ cation.

Within the scope of the invention are different methods and devices for destruction of payment means, especially bills, and different designs for payment means, espe¬ cially bills. Within the scope of the invention are also an adaption of payment me¬ ans material to the method of destruction and vice versa.

The following constitutes four preferred embodiments of destruction (degradation) method/payment means:

A. Thermal destruction of present material by means of e.g. micro wave heating

B. Photochemical destruction of present material by means of e.g. UV radiation

C. Thermal destruction of polymeric material of the type OPP (oriented polypro- pene) (such as according to UCB Films/Reserve Bank of Australia)

D. Photochemical destruction of polymeric material of the type OPP by means of UV radiation.

In all cases there exists a possibility of quantifying both denomination and number, eventually by means of second order non-linear optics.

A. By present material is here meant primarily bill paper. The destruction mechanism is in this case based upon an elevated temperature, whereby the destruc¬ tion devices 3 are arranged to provide an elevation of the temperature corresponding to burning of the material. According to preferred embodiments is an elevated tem- perature intended to be provided by heating by means of micro waves in a substan- tialy known way, whereby the destruction devices 3 comprises at least one micro wave cavity and substantially known devices for generating micro waves of neces¬ sary energy. Also other arrangements, e.g. electrical and/or for IR radiation can be imagined for providing the temperature necessary for destruction.

B. By present material is also in this case meant primarily bill papaer. The de¬ struction mechanism is in this case based upon radiation by means of ultraviolet light, UV light, whereby the destruction devices 3 comprises substantially known devices for providing UV light.

C. According to preferred embodiments the payment means, the bills, are sub¬ stantially made of a polymeric material, which is comparatively easy-to-destruct by elevated temperature e.g. oriented polypropene, OPP, or a similar material.

Thermal destruction takes place by elevation of the temperature to a level such that extensive chain rupture takes place in the material. The destruction devices 3 comp¬ rise in this case, not shown, devices for the provision of an elevated temperature and may be based upon heating by means of e.g. electricity, micro waves, IR readiation etc. in a substantially known way. In order to heat OPP by micro waves the material comprises maleine acid anhydride.

D. Thus, according to the last mentioned preferred embodiments the bills are substantially made of polymeric material and intended and arranged to be destructed by radiation by means of UV light of sufficient energy to generate chain rupture in the material. One example of suitable material is OPP or a similar material. The de¬ struction devices 3 comprises hereby, not shown, devices for generating the UV light necessary.

Thus, according to preferred embodiments the payment means are substantially ma- de of polymeric material, one or more, and a great number of destruction or degra¬ dation mechanisms are hereby possible in order to provide property changes to such an extent that non-usability as payment means shall be considered to have been ob¬ tained. According to the invention these mechanisms can be used one at a time or in combination with one or more of the other mechanisms. The following constitutes basic destruction- or degradation mechanism for polymeric materials, where all mechanisms of influence may destroy the physical properties of the polymeric ma¬ terial by change of colour, change of shape, embrittlement etc. :

• thermal influcence • influence by light

• atmospheric influence

• hydrolysis

• bio influence

Especially preferred as polymeric bill material are materials from the group poly- olefines, in particular polypropene, polyethene and metallocenes among others.

Polypropene is preferred in the form OPP, oriented polypropene, and a particularly preferred embodiment is a bill material developed for Australian dollars by British UCB Films in cooperation with Reserve Bank of Australie, as described in Plastfo- rum No. 3 , 1997. As an UV light source for both the curing of printing colour and the photochemical destruction of polymeric bill material high intensive UV lamps developed by Fusion UV Systems, USA, are preferred in many cases.

This material offers important advantages in the form of about 4 times longer life compared to present bills and recirculability of the material. A general advantage associated with oriented polymeric materials for bills is that shrinkage occurs at a certain elevated temperature, which shrinkage in practice constitutes a destruction.

Another imagineable material for bills is a polyethene material developed by Po- lyart, Sweden.

In Fig. 3 the numeral 1 ' designates a bill, a payment means in bill form, which comprises an automatically readable information carrier 7, where said information comprises, among other things, the denomination of the bill. The information carrier may be of a magnetic, known kind or another suitable known kind. According to one embodiment the bill comprises a post (after) control part 8 intended to be disconnected from the rest of the bill for post control. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 the information carrier comprises an automatically readable code in the form of so-called bar code.

The method according to the invention as well as the function of the device and the payment means according to the invention should to a substantial part have been disclosed above.

The monetary value of payment means received as payment in a department store or the like is decided whereafter at least bills are destroyed Said value is documented and the value is transmitted to a bank or the corresponding for the gain of the recipi¬ ent of the payment means. Destroyed bills are replaced, when applicable and desi¬ red, by means of new printed bills 1 ", as indicated in Fig. 1.

As should be obvious from the description above, the need for external .and with the above described problems associated value transports are eliminated substantially totally by means of the invention.

Above the invention has been described in assocation with examples of embodi¬ ments.

Of course further embodiments and minor changes and complements can be imagi¬ ned without leaving the basic inventive idea.

The invention comprises two important parts apart from the transmission of registe¬ red value, namely the identification of denomination, number and origin and de¬ struction.

Apart from methods and devices for identification of present bills known today, among other things by means of new developement of bills as far as material is con¬ cerned, new identification methods and dito devices may be imagined for decision regarding origin and/or denomination. Some imaginable mechanisms are the fol¬ lowing:

• chemiluminiscence, whereby the bill material comprises one or more substances, which, as a result of generated chemical energy, generates light, which can be detected and wave-lenght measured for identification purposes,

• photochromism, whereby the bill material comprises one or more substances, which change colour when lit upon, where the change of colour can be detected for identification purposes,

• piezochromism, whereby the bill material comprises one or more materials, which change colour when put under pressure, where the change of colour can be detected for identification purposes, • thermochromism, whereby the bill material comprises one or more substances, which change colour with temperature, where the change of colour can be detec¬ ted for identification purposes, and

• depolymerization of polymers used within photoresist technology.

The above identified mechanisms relate substantially to polymeric materials.

Thus, the devices for decision regarding the money value of received bills can be designed in several ways depending on, among other things, the desired degree of automation. Thus, the devices may comprise bill counters of the kind used today by banks etc.

Further developement of bills can also be imagined, where one approaches dispo¬ sable bills, i.e. bills of a more simple and cheaper kind than the bills of today, wit¬ hout, however, deleting the possibilities of origin control.

Payment means shall here be given a broad inteφretation and may, apart from bills and coins, be other kinds of documents of value, such as lottery, coupons etc. which according to the invention wholly or partly are destructed at a suitable stage of the handling process, whereby payment may be motivated by collection or the corres- ponding.

The method and the device according to the invention can be supplemented by dif¬ ferent kinds of control arrangements. Thus, destroyed bills may by means of suitab¬ le devices be accurately weighed, not shown, for comparison with the money value decided upon.

As far as destruction is concerned purely mechanical devices, e.g. of the kind document destroyer, may be imagined.

Thus, the invention shall not be considered restricted to the embodiments and varia- tions discussed above, but may be varied within the scope of the accompanying claims.