Currency discrimination system and method
First Claim
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1. A document processing device for processing a plurality of documents having a magnetic feature, the document processing device comprising:
- a magnetization member adapted to create a magnetic field of sufficient strength to magnetize a magnetic feature of each of a plurality of documents;
a magnetic sensor having a continuous track width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the magnetic sensor being adapted to produce a linear, analog output signal in response to the plurality of magnetic features moving past the magnetic sensor;
a transport mechanism adapted to move the plurality of documents past the magnetization member and the magnetic sensor, the transport mechanism including an encoder adapted to provide positional data;
at least one comparator adapted to detect when the analog output of the magnetic sensor exceeds a threshold value; and
at least one digital circuit adapted to record the positional data provided by the encoder, the at least one digital circuit recording the positional data in response to the analog output signal of the magnetic sensor exceeding the threshold value.
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Abstract
According to some embodiments of the invention, a magnetic sensor having a track width of greater than about 50 millimeters is provided. The magnetic sensor is adapted to detect a magnetic feature and produce a linear, analog output in response to the magnetic feature. The analog output is along a single data channel.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A document processing device for processing a plurality of documents having a magnetic feature, the document processing device comprising:
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a magnetization member adapted to create a magnetic field of sufficient strength to magnetize a magnetic feature of each of a plurality of documents; a magnetic sensor having a continuous track width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the magnetic sensor being adapted to produce a linear, analog output signal in response to the plurality of magnetic features moving past the magnetic sensor; a transport mechanism adapted to move the plurality of documents past the magnetization member and the magnetic sensor, the transport mechanism including an encoder adapted to provide positional data; at least one comparator adapted to detect when the analog output of the magnetic sensor exceeds a threshold value; and at least one digital circuit adapted to record the positional data provided by the encoder, the at least one digital circuit recording the positional data in response to the analog output signal of the magnetic sensor exceeding the threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for processing a plurality of documents having at least one magnetic feature, the method comprising the acts of:
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magnetizing the at least one magnetic feature; sensing a flux of each of the plurality of documents, the flux being sensed by a magnetic sensor; generating an analog signal along a single channel, the analog signal being generated by the magnetic sensor as the plurality of documents are in close proximity to the magnetic sensor, the analog signal being representative of the sensed flux; monitoring the generated analog signal along the single channel with at least one comparator to determine whether a threshold voltage has been exceeded; and digitizing the analog signal by generating an output voltage in response to the threshold voltage being exceeded, the output voltage being independent of the analog signal, the analog signal being digitized without the use of an analog-to-digital converter. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification