Token identifying system
First Claim
1. A system for receiving tokens comprising:
- a token chute;
a light source disposed on one side of the token chute;
an array of light sensing elements disposed to the side of the token chute opposite the light source;
a relatively transparent region in the token chute intermediate the light source and the array;
means for interrogating the array a plurality of times during the passage of a token through the transparent region including register means for receiving and storing an analog indication of the light incident on a corresponding light sensing element, means for comparing the stored analog indication to a reference analog indication and for providing a first digital indication when the stored analog indication is less than the reference analog indication and a second digital indication when the stored analog indication exceeds the reference analog indication, a counter repetitively sequentially incrementable during each cycle thereof between minimum and maximum counts, means operable once during each counter cycle for updating all of the register means analog indications and for resetting the light sensing elements to an initial condition, and means operable upon sequential counter incrementations to supply the analog indication from the register means serially to the means for comparing;
means for identifying light to dark and dark to light transitions within the array during each interrogation thereof including first and second registers, means for transferring the contents of the counter to the first register upon the first occurrence of the first digital indication during each counter cycle, means for transferring the contents of the counter to the second register upon each occurrence of a first digital indication followed directly by a second digital indication, successive transfers obliterating the prior contents of the second register;
means responsive to the identifying means for providing an indication of the length of a chord of the token; and
processing means for storing successive token chord length indications, selecting the indication of the largest chord length, comparing that largest chord length indication with each of a plurality of different acceptable token indications, and identifying the token as a particular acceptable type if the indication of the largest chord length matches the corresponding particular acceptable token indicator.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A token receiving and categorizing system and method which identifies tokens as a particular one of several acceptable tokens or as an unacceptable token includes the performance of a series of measurements of chord lengths on a token and selecting the largest of those chord length measurements for comparison with each of a plurality of stored disjoint token diameter ranges. An indication of a particular acceptable token denomination is recorded only if the largest chord length measurement is within a stored token diameter range corresponding to that denomination. The chord length measurements are performed by causing the token to fall between a light source and a linear light sensing array with the source casting a shadow of the token onto the array. The first location within the array at which a transition from light to shadow occurs, as well as the last location within the array at which a transition from shadow to light occurs, are identified with the difference between those two locations forming an indication of chord lengths. A chord length measurement may be repeated, for example from 40 to 80 times during the passage of a token. The monetary amount of each token deposited, if applicable, may be displayed as well as an accumulated total for a sequence of tokens on either a short term or long term basis. Various electromechanical devices may be coupled to the system in a manner to prevent transient current generation from those devices interfering with the system operation.
71 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for receiving tokens comprising:
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a token chute; a light source disposed on one side of the token chute; an array of light sensing elements disposed to the side of the token chute opposite the light source; a relatively transparent region in the token chute intermediate the light source and the array; means for interrogating the array a plurality of times during the passage of a token through the transparent region including register means for receiving and storing an analog indication of the light incident on a corresponding light sensing element, means for comparing the stored analog indication to a reference analog indication and for providing a first digital indication when the stored analog indication is less than the reference analog indication and a second digital indication when the stored analog indication exceeds the reference analog indication, a counter repetitively sequentially incrementable during each cycle thereof between minimum and maximum counts, means operable once during each counter cycle for updating all of the register means analog indications and for resetting the light sensing elements to an initial condition, and means operable upon sequential counter incrementations to supply the analog indication from the register means serially to the means for comparing; means for identifying light to dark and dark to light transitions within the array during each interrogation thereof including first and second registers, means for transferring the contents of the counter to the first register upon the first occurrence of the first digital indication during each counter cycle, means for transferring the contents of the counter to the second register upon each occurrence of a first digital indication followed directly by a second digital indication, successive transfers obliterating the prior contents of the second register; means responsive to the identifying means for providing an indication of the length of a chord of the token; and processing means for storing successive token chord length indications, selecting the indication of the largest chord length, comparing that largest chord length indication with each of a plurality of different acceptable token indications, and identifying the token as a particular acceptable type if the indication of the largest chord length matches the corresponding particular acceptable token indicator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. The method of categorizing a token as a particular one of several acceptable tokens or as an unacceptable token comprising the steps of:
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performing a series of measurements of chord lengths on the token; selecting the largest chord length measurement; comparing the largest chord length measurement with each of a plurality of stored disjoint token diameter ranges; recording an indication of a particular acceptable token denomination only if the largest chord length measurement is within a stored token diameter range corresponding to that denomination; and comparing successive chord length measurements and categorizing a measurement as unacceptable if two successive chord length measurements differ by more than a predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. The method of categorizing a token as a particular one of several acceptable tokens or as an unacceptable token comprising the steps of:
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performing a series of measurements of chord lengths on the token; selecting the largest chord length measurement; comparing the largest chord length measurement with each of a plurality of stored disjoint token diameter ranges; recording an indication of a particular acceptable token denomination only if the largest chord length measurement is within a stored token diameter range corresponding to that denomination; and periodically interrogating input switch means and recognizing a change in switch state only if three successive interrogations thereof show the switch to first be in one state and thereafter on the second and third interrogations to be in another state. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification