Self Service Coin Redemption Card Printer-Dispenser

Abstract

A method of transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium using a kiosk includes the acts of receiving funds comprising a batch of loose mixed coins in a coin receiving area of the kiosk, processing the coins in a coin processing module, determining a total value of the funds using a controller, displaying the total value of the funds to a user of the kiosk, and permitting the user to select a desired graphic from amongst a plurality of available graphic selections using a user input device. The method also includes the acts of printing the user-selected graphic on a portable storage medium print area, the portable storage medium bearing data to which a value relating to the total value is associated, and dispensing the portable storage medium bearing the user-selected graphic to the user, the portable storage medium having a value relating to the total value.

1 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method of transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium using a kiosk, comprising:
 receiving funds comprising a batch of loose mixed coins in a coin receiving area of the kiosk;   processing the coins in a coin processing module;   receiving one or more value cards each having a value associated therewith in a card processing module;   determining a total value of the funds comprising the coins and the one or more value cards using a controller;   displaying the total value of the funds to a user of the kiosk;   permitting the user to select a desired merchant from amongst a plurality of available merchant selections via a user input device;   printing, using a printing device, a graphic associated with the selected merchant on a portable storage medium print area of a portable storage medium, the portable storage medium comprising a storage medium bearing data to which a value relating to the total value is associated; and   dispensing the portable storage medium bearing the graphic associated with the selected merchant, the portable storage medium having a first value relating to the total value.   
     
     
         37 . A method of transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium using a kiosk according to  claim 36 , further comprising:
 displaying an option to select one of a plurality of available value cards offered by a plurality of value card providers; and   permitting the user to select a desired one of the plurality of available value cards offered by the plurality of value card providers.   
     
     
         38 . A method of transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium using a kiosk according to  claim 36 , further comprising:
 receiving funds comprising currency bills into a bill processing module.   
     
     
         39 . A method of transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium using a kiosk according to  claim 36 , further comprising:
 receiving funds comprising an electronic transfer of funds from an account.   
     
     
         40 . A method of transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium using a kiosk according to  claim 36 , wherein the personalized portable storage medium comprises a value card associated with the selected merchant. 
     
     
         41 . A method of transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium using a kiosk according to  claim 40 , wherein the received one or more value cards are associated with one or more merchants, respectively. 
     
     
         42 . A method of transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium using a kiosk according to  claim 36 , further comprising:
 receiving funds comprising a transfer of funds from a device having a value associated therewith.   
     
     
         43 . A method of transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium using a kiosk according to  claim 42 , wherein the device comprises one of a cell phone, electronic wallet, electronic purse, solid state memory device, or fob. 
     
     
         44 . A method of transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium using a kiosk according to  claim 36 , wherein the first value relating to the total value is the total value less a transaction fee. 
     
     
         45 . A method of transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium using a kiosk according to  claim 36 , further comprising dispensing currency bills, coins, or currency bills and coins having a second value relating to the total value, wherein the sum of the first value and the second value are equal to or less than the total value. 
     
     
         46 . A method of transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium using a kiosk according to  claim 45 , wherein the difference of the sum of the first value and the second value and the total value is a transaction fee. 
     
     
         47 . A kiosk for transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium, comprising:
 a coin receiving area configured to receive a batch of loose mixed coins;   a coin processing module configured, in combination with a controller, to sort the loose mixed coins to determine a total coin value thereof;   a card processing module configured, in combination with the controller, to receive one or more value cards and determine a total card value associated with the one or more value cards;   a user-input device;   a storage device comprising a plurality of articles of a portable storage medium, each portable storage medium comprising a storage medium bearing data to which a value relating to the total coin value and the total card value is associated;   a display configured, in combination with the controller and controller-executable instructions, to display a plurality of selectable graphic options associated with a plurality of merchants selectable through the user input device; and   a printing device configured to receive a portable storage medium from the portable storage medium storage device, to print on a print area of the portable storage medium a selected graphic associated with at least one of the plurality of merchants, and to dispense the portable storage medium following printing of the selected graphic.   
     
     
         48 . A kiosk for transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium according to  claim 47 , wherein the storage device comprises a plurality of articles of a plurality of portable storage mediums, each portable storage medium comprising a storage medium bearing data to which a value relating to the total value is associated. 
     
     
         49 . A kiosk for transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium according to  claim 47 , further comprising:
 a bill processing module configured to receive a currency bill from a user.   
     
     
         50 . A kiosk for transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium according to  claim 47 , further comprising:
 a document processing module configured to receive a document comprising a check or bearer instrument.   
     
     
         51 . A kiosk for transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium according to  claim 50 , wherein the document processing module is configured to read MICR data, perform OCR, or image at least a portion of the document. 
     
     
         52 . A kiosk for transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium according to  claim 47 , further comprising:
 a near field communication device configured to receive value from and transmit value to a cell phone, electronic wallet, electronic purse, solid state memory device, or fob.   
     
     
         53 . A kiosk for transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium, comprising:
 a value input device configured to receive value only from a portable electronic storage device;   a card processing module configured to receive value from one or more value cards;   a user-input device configured to facilitate a transfer of a first value from the portable electronic storage device to the kiosk;   a storage device comprising a plurality of articles of a portable storage medium, each portable storage medium comprising a storage medium configured to store data;   a display device;   a controller configured, in combination with controller-executable instructions resident in a memory device associated with the kiosk, to display on the display device a plurality of graphic options selectable through the user input device; and   a printing device configured to receive a portable storage medium from the portable storage medium storage device, to print on a print area of the portable storage medium the selected graphic, and to dispense the portable storage medium following printing,   wherein the controller is further configured to determine a total value associated with the portable electronic storage device and the one or more value cards and to associate the dispensed portable storage medium with a value related to the total value.   
     
     
         54 . A kiosk for transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium according to  claim 53 , wherein the portable electronic storage device comprises a near field communication device. 
     
     
         55 . A kiosk for transferring funds to a personalized portable storage medium according to  claim 53 , wherein the near field communication device comprises a cell phone, an electronic wallet, or an electronic purse.