Method and apparatus for coin or object sensing using adaptive operating point control
First Claim
1. A device for controlling a coin discriminator, comprising:
- at least one processor coupled to receive and monitor coin signals at each of two or more frequencies, wherein the coin signals include signals representing size and composition of a passing coin; and
at least one amplifier coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one amplifier automatically provides at least one control signal to control a quiescent voltage level of the coin signals over at least one range of operating temperatures.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A coin sensor is provided including a method and apparatus for providing adaptive operating point (AOP) control. The AOP control is provided using circuits and associated methods and algorithms connected between measurement circuits of the coin sensor and the coin sensor oscillator. The AOP control automatically monitors and controls the quiescent voltage levels of four signals used by the coin sensor to discriminate coins. The four signals represent coin size and coin composition. In addition, the AOP control automatically performs calibration and adjustment functions both during manufacture of the coin sensor system and during its operational life. The automatic monitoring and control functions provided by the AOP control result in a significant increase in the dynamic range of the coin sensor response. This reduces the coin false-reject rate while improving the coin discrimination precision.
102 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A device for controlling a coin discriminator, comprising:
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at least one processor coupled to receive and monitor coin signals at each of two or more frequencies, wherein the coin signals include signals representing size and composition of a passing coin; and
at least one amplifier coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one amplifier automatically provides at least one control signal to control a quiescent voltage level of the coin signals over at least one range of operating temperatures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for controlling a phase-locked loop (PLL) system, comprising:
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providing a coin counting sensor inductor coil, wherein the coin counting sensor inductor coil forms a first component of an oscillator of at least one PLL;
measuring two or more signals based on the coin counting sensor inductor coil;
automatically controlling at least one operating point of the at least one PLL using a second component of the oscillator in response to the measurement; and
automatically adjusting an amplitude of the oscillator in response to the measurement. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for increasing a dynamic sensing range of a coin sensor, comprising:
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sensing passage of at least one coin using at least one oscillating electromagnetic field including at least one low frequency component and at least one high frequency component;
generating at least one low frequency signal representative of coin size and at least one low frequency signal representative of coin composition using the at least one low frequency component in response to sensing passage;
generating at least one high frequency signal representative of coin size and at least one high frequency signal representative of coin composition using the at least one high frequency component in response to sensing passage; and
controlling a quiescent voltage level of each of the at least one low frequency signals representative of coin size and coin composition and each of the at least one high frequency signals representative of coin size and coin composition over at least one range of temperatures.
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20. A method for adjusting a coin discrimination system, comprising:
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receiving at least one coin signature measurement signal, wherein the coin signature measurement signal represents at least one physical characteristic of a coin; and
automatically adjusting a quiescent state of the at least one coin signature measurement signal to maintain at least one baseline value at a constant level over an operating temperature range.
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21. A method for controlling oscillators of a coin discrimination system, comprising:
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measuring two or more coin signature signals at each of two or more frequencies;
detecting an out-of-range operating point voltage level of at least one oscillator and automatically adjusting a control voltage of a compensating voltage controlled capacitive element in response to the measurement; and
detecting an out-of-range operating point level of a sine wave amplitude of the at least one oscillator and automatically adjusting a feedback voltage of the at least one oscillator in response to the measurement, wherein stable quiescent output signal levels of the two or more coin signature signals are automatically established and maintained over an operating temperature range.
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22. A system for controlling a coin discriminator, comprising:
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at least one phase-locked loop (PLL) including at least one frequency control circuit and at least one amplitude control circuit; and
adaptive operating point (AOP) circuitry coupled to automatically control a frequency and amplitude of oscillator signals of the at least one PLL over at least one range of operating temperatures by automatically controlling a quiescent voltage level of a set of signals received from the at least one PLL, wherein the set of signals includes at least one low frequency signal and at least one high frequency signal representative of coin size received from the at least one frequency control circuit, and at least one low frequency signal and at least one high frequency signal representative of coin composition received from the at least one amplitude control circuit.
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23. A system for controlling a coin discriminator, comprising:
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at least one oscillator coupled to at least one coin sensor transducer including two or more inductive windings;
at least one measurement circuit coupled to receive signals including at least one low frequency signal and at least one high frequency signal from the at least one oscillator, wherein the signals include coin signature measurement signals representing at least one physical characteristic of a coin; and
at least one control circuit coupled among the at least one measurement circuit and the at least one oscillator, wherein the at least one control circuit is configured to automatically control a frequency and an amplitude of the at least one oscillator over at least one range of operating temperatures by automatically controlling a quiescent voltage level of the signals. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A coin counting system, comprising:
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a coin receiving device;
a coin path coupled to move coins from the coin receiving device; and
a coin sensing system coupled to receive coins from the coin path, wherein the coin sensing system discriminates between coins and non-coin objects and between denominations of coins, wherein the coin sensing system comprises, at least one processor coupled to receive and monitor coin signals at each of two or more frequencies, wherein the coin signals include signals representing size and composition of a passing coin; and
at least one amplifier coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one amplifier automatically provides at least one control signal to control a quiescent voltage level of the coin signals over at least one range of operating temperatures.
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28. A coin counting device, comprising:
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at least one oscillator coupled to at least one coin sensor, wherein coin signals are generated including signals representing coin size and coin composition upon sensing a passing coin;
at least one comparator coupled to drive the at least one oscillator, wherein an output of the at least one comparator provides a positive feedback drive for the oscillator, wherein a complement of the output of the comparator provides hysteresis at an inverting input of the at least one comparator to reduce jitter of the output; and
at least one processor coupled to receive and monitor the coin signals from the coin sensor, wherein the at least one processor automatically provides at least one control signal to control a quiescent voltage level of the coin signals over at least one range of operating temperatures.
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29. A computer readable medium including executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, control oscillators of a coin discrimination system by:
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measuring two or more coin signature signals at each of two or more frequencies;
detecting an out-of-range operating point voltage level of at least one oscillator and automatically adjusting a control voltage of at least one compensating voltage controlled oscillator element in response to the measurement; and
detecting an out-of-range operating point level of a sine wave amplitude of the at least one oscillator and automatically adjusting a feedback voltage of the at least one oscillator in response to the measurement, wherein stable quiescent output signal levels of the two or more coin signature signals are automatically established and maintained over an operating temperature range.
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30. A system for discriminating among coins, comprising:
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means for sensing passage of coins using at least one oscillating electromagnetic field including at least one low frequency component and at least one high frequency component;
means for generating at least one low frequency signal representative of coin size and at least one low frequency signal representative of coin composition using the at least one low frequency component in response to sensing passage;
means for generating at least one high frequency signal representative of coin size and at least one high frequency signal representative of coin composition using the at least one high frequency component in response to sensing passage; and
means for automatically controlling a frequency and an amplitude of the at least one oscillating electromagnetic field over at least one range of operating temperatures by automatically controlling a quiescent voltage level of the at least one low frequency signal representative of coin size, the at least one low frequency signal representative of coin composition, the at least one high frequency signal representative of coin size, and the at least one high frequency signal representative of coin composition.
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Specification