Currency discriminator and authenticator

• US 5,790,693 A
• Filed: 06/23/1995
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Mennie, Douglas U., Jones, William J., Graves, Bradford T., Csulits, Frank M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Phuoc
• Application Number:
  US08/494,091
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 382/135, 382/165, 382/191, 382/209, 382/318, 382/320, 382/321, 382/322, 382/323, 250/556, 356/71, 235/379, 209/534
• US Class Current: 382/135
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/541 Counting
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2557/514 ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1912 Banknotes, bills and cheques or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/063 separating from the bottom of pile B65H3/0615, B65H3/0623 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/50 Sorting or counting valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/04 Testing magnetic properties of the materials thereof, e.g. by detection of magnetic imprint G07D7/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/1205 Testing spectral properties
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/121 Apparatus characterised by sensor details
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/128 Viewing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/16 Testing the dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/162 Length or width
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/20 Testing patterns thereon G07D7/004, G07D7/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/04 by paper currency

Abstract

A method of detecting counterfeit bills includes the steps of determining the denomination of the bill being evaluated, generating data corresponding to the concentration of magnetic ink on the bill and comparing this data to the expected concentration of magnetic ink on a genuine bill of the same denomination. The bill is considered genuine if the data is within an acceptable range of the expected value. An apparatus for detecting counterfeit currency employs a microprocessor to control an optical scanning operation of the bill being evaluated and to generate image data that is compared to stored images corresponding to genuine denominations of currency. The denomination of the bill is determined by evaluating the correspondence between the image data and the stored images. The microprocessor also controls measurement of the concentration of magnetic ink on the bill and determines the genuineness of the bill by comparing the measured concentration of magnetic ink to the expected concentration for a bill of the same denomination. A signal indicative of whether the bill is genuine or counterfeit is generated by the microprocessor depending on whether the data is within a predetermined range of the expected value.

Claims

1. A currency evaluation device comprising

a detection circuitry for detecting first characteristic information and second characteristic information from a scanned bill;

pattern generation means for generating a first characteristic scanned pattern associated with said detected first characteristic information;

a memory for storing

(1) at least one first characteristic master pattern associated with first characteristic information for each of a plurality of recognizable denominations of genuine bills;

(2) at least one set of genuine second characteristic information for each of said plurality of recognizable denominations of genuine bills; and

a signal processing means for

(1) performing a first comparison whereby at least a portion of said scanned pattern is compared with at least a portion of at least one of said master patterns;

(2) determining and indicating the denomination of said scanned bill when said scanned bill is one of said plurality of recognizable denominations based on said first comparison when the results of said first comparison satisfy a first criteria otherwise indicating an error when the results of said first comparison fail to satisfy said first criteria;

(3) retrieving at least a portion of at least one of said sets of genuine second characteristic information corresponding only to the denomination indicated by said first comparison regardless of which of said plurality of recognizable denominations said scanned bill is determined to be based on said first comparison;

(4) performing a second comparison whereby at least a portion of said detected second characteristic information is compared with said retrieved genuine second characteristic information; and

(5) indicating the genuineness of said scanned bill based on said second comparison when the results of said second comparison satisfy a second criteria, otherwise indicating an error when the results of said second comparison fail to satisfy said second criteria.

2. A currency evaluation device according to claim 1 wherein said detection circuitry employs at least one detector selected from the group consisting of:

optical, magnetic, electrical conductivity, capacitive, and mechanical sensors.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein said first characteristic information is color information.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein said second characteristic information is color information.

5. A currency evaluation device comprising

a detection circuitry for detecting first characteristic information and second characteristic information from a scanned bill, wherein said first characteristic information is optically sensed;

pattern generation means for generating a first characteristic optically scanned pattern associated with said detected first characteristic information;

a memory for storing

(1) at least one first characteristic master pattern associated with first characteristic information for genuine bills of different denominations;

(2) sets of genuine second characteristic information for genuine bills of said different denominations; and

a signal processing means for

(1) receiving said first characteristic optically scanned pattern and detected second characteristic information;

(2) performing a first comparison whereby at least a portion of said scanned pattern is compared with at least a portion of at least one of said master patterns;

(3) determining and indicating the denomination of said scanned bill based on said first comparison when the results of said first comparison satisfy a first criteria, otherwise indicating an error when the results of said first comparison fail to satisfy said first criteria, wherein said signal processing means is capable of determining the denomination of said scanned bill when said scanned bill is any one of said different denominations based solely on said first characteristic information and without reference to said second characteristic information regardless which one of said different denominations said scanned bill is;

(4) performing a second comparison after performing said first comparison whereby at least a portion of said detected second characteristic information is compared with at least a portion of said sets of genuine second characteristic information corresponding only to the denomination indicated by said first comparison regardless of which of said different denominations said scanned bill is determined to be based on said first comparison; and

(5) indicating the genuineness of said scanned bill on said second comparison when the results of said second comparison satisfy a second criteria, otherwise indicating an error when the results of said second comparison fail to satisfy said second criteria.

6. The currency evaluation device according to claim 5 wherein said detection circuitry comprises a first detector for detecting said first characteristic information from said scanned bill and a second detector for detecting said second characteristic information of said scanned bill.

7. The device according to claim 5 wherein said first characteristic information is color information.

8. The device according to claim 5 wherein said second characteristic information is color information.

9. A currency evaluation device comprising

a detection circuitry for detecting first characteristic information and second characteristic information from a scanned bill, wherein said first characteristic information is optically sensed;

pattern generation means for generating a first characteristic optically scanned pattern associated with said detected first characteristic information;

a memory for storing

(1) at least one first characteristic master pattern associated with first characteristic information for each of a plurality of denominations of genuine bills;

(2) at least one set of genuine second characteristic information for each of said plurality of denominations of genuine bills; and

a signal processing means for

(1) performing a first comparison whereby at least a portion of said scanned pattern is compared with at least a portion of at least one of said master patterns;

(2) determining and indicating the denomination of said scanned bill based on said first comparison when the results of said first comparison satisfy a first criteria, otherwise indicating an error when the results of said first comparison fail to satisfy said first criteria, wherein said signal processing means is capable of determining the denomination of said scanned bill when said scanned bill is any one of said plurality of denominations based solely on said first characteristic information and without reference to said second characteristic information regardless which one of said plurality of denominations said scanned bill is;

(3) performing a second comparison after performing said first comparison whereby at least a portion of said detected second characteristic information is compared with at least a portion of at least one of said sets of genuine second characteristic information corresponding only to the denomination indicated by said first comparison regardless of which of said plurality of denominations said scanned bill is determined to be based on said first comparison; and

(4) indicating the genuineness of said scanned bill based on said second comparison when the results of said second comparison satisfy a second criteria, otherwise indicating an error when the results of said second comparison fail to satisfy said second criteria.

10. The device according to claim 9 wherein the first characteristic information is reflected light intensity information.

11. The device according to claim 10 wherein the second characteristic information is color information.

12. The device according to claim 9 wherein said memory stores at least two first characteristic master patterns and sets of genuine second characteristic information for each of said plurality of denominations, at least one master pattern or set corresponding to a scan in the forward direction and at least one master pattern or set corresponding to a scan in the reverse direction.

13. The device according to claim 9 wherein said first characteristic information is color information.

14. The device according to claim 9 wherein said second characteristic information is color information.

15. A currency evaluation device comprising

detection circuitry for obtaining

(1) a first set of scanned data values indicating a first measurable characteristic at successive locations along a portion of a scanned bill, said first measurable characteristic being the intensity of light reflected from said scanned bill, said first set of scanned data values representing a first characteristic scanned pattern;

(2) a second set of one or more scanned data values indicating a second measurable characteristic of said scanned bill;

a memory for storing

(1) first characteristic master patterns indicating said first measurable characteristic at successive locations along corresponding portions of genuine bills of a plurality of denominations, said plurality of denominations corresponding to the denominations the device is capable of discriminating;

(2) second sets of data values indicating said second measurable characteristic of genuine bills of said plurality of denominations; and

processing means for

(1) performing a first comparison whereby at least a portion of said first characteristic scanned pattern is compared with at least a portion of said first characteristic master patterns;

(2) determining and indicating the denomination of said scanned bill based on the results of said first comparison when the results of said first comparison satisfy a first criteria, otherwise indicating an error when the results of said first comparison fail to satisfy said first criteria, wherein said processing means is capable of determining the denomination of said scanned bill when said scanned bill is any one of said plurality of denominations that the device is capable of discriminating based solely on said first characteristic information and without reference to said second characteristic information regardless which one of said plurality of denominations said scanned bill is;

(3) conditionally performing a second comparison after performing said first comparison provided said first comparison does not result in an error whereby at least a portion of said second set of scanned data values are compared with at least a portion of said second set of stored data values corresponding only to a genuine bill of the denomination indicated by said first comparison regardless of which of said plurality of denominations said scanned bill is determined to be based on said first comparison; and

(4) indicating the genuineness of a scanned bill based on the results of said second comparison when the results of said second comparison satisfy a second criteria, otherwise indicating an error when the results of said second comparison fail to satisfy said second criteria.

16. The device according to claim 15 wherein said second characteristic information is color information.

17. A currency evaluation device comprising

a light source for illuminating a strip of a preselected segment of a scanned bill;

a first detector for detecting first characteristic information from said scanned bill, said first characteristic information being the intensity of light reflected from said scanned bill, said first detector receiving reflected light from the illuminated strip on said scanned bill and producing a first scanned signal representing variations in the intensity of the reflected light;

a second detector producing a second scanned signal responsive to second characteristic information of said scanned bill;

means for sampling said first scanned signal at preselected intervals, each of said first scanned signal samples being proportional to the intensity of the light reflected from a different strip of said preselected segment of said scanned bill, said scanned signal samples, collectively, representing a first characteristic optically scanned pattern;

a memory for storing

(1) sets of stored intensity signal samples for genuine bills of different denominations, each of said stored intensity signal samples being proportional to the intensity of the light reflected from a different strip of said preselected segment of a genuine bill of a given denomination, each set of said stored intensity signal samples representing a master pattern;

(2) sets of stored second characteristic information for genuine bills of said different denominations;

a first signal processing means for

(1) receiving said first scanned pattern;

(2) comparing at least a portion of said first scanned pattern with at least a portion of at least one of said master patterns;

(3) determining and indicating the denomination of a scanned bill for a scanned bill based on the comparison of said first scanned signal samples with said sets of stored intensity signal samples when the results of said first scanned signal samples comparison satisfy a first criteria, otherwise indicating a denomination non-match error, wherein said first signal processing means is capable of determining the denomination of said scanned bill when said scanned bill is any one of said different denominations based solely on said first characteristic information and without reference to said second characteristic information regardless which one of said different denominations said scanned bill is; and

a second signal processing means for

(1) receiving said second scanned signal responsive to said second characteristic of said scanned bill;

(2) comparing at least a portion of said second scanned signal with at least of portion of said stored second characteristic information corresponding only to a genuine bill of the denomination indicated by said first processing means regardless of which of said different denominations said scanned bill is determined to be based on said first comparison;

(3) indicating the genuineness of a scanned bill based on the comparison of said second scanned signal with said stored second characteristic information when the results of said second scanned signal comparison satisfy a second criteria, otherwise indicating a second characteristic non-match error.

18. The device according to claim 17 wherein said second characteristic information is color information.

19. A currency evaluation device comprising

a bill separating station for receiving currency bills from a bill accepting station and feeding said bills, one at a time, to a bill transport mechanism, said bill transport mechanism transporting bills from said bill separating station to a stacking station;

an optical scanning head located between said bill separating and stacking stations for scanning a preselected segment of each bill transported between said stations by said transport mechanism, said scanning head including at least one light source for illuminating a strip of said preselected segment of a bill, at least one intensity detector and a plurality of color detectors for receiving reflected light from the illuminated strip on said scanned bill, and a focusing means for focusing the reflected light on said color detectors, said intensity detector producing an intensity output signal representing variations in the intensity of the reflected light, and each of said plurality of color detectors having a color filter disposed thereon and producing a plurality of color output signals representing variations in the intensity of the reflected light transmitted through said color filters;

means for sampling said intensity output signal and said color output signals at preselected intervals as a bill is moved across said scanning head, each of said intensity and color output signal samples being proportional to the intensity of the light reflected from a different strip of said preselected segment of a bill;

a memory for storing characteristic intensity and color signal samples produced by scanning said preselected segments of genuine bills of different denominations with said scanning head and sampling said intensity and color output signals at said preselected intervals, each of said stored signal samples being proportional to the intensity of the light reflected from a different strip of said preselected segment of a bill and received by said intensity and color detectors;

signal processing means for receiving said output intensity and color signal samples and (1) determining the denomination of each scanned bill by comparing said stored intensity signal samples with said intensity output signal samples produced by the scanning of each bill with said scanning head, (2) authenticating the genuineness of each scanned bill by comparing said stored color signal samples for the denomination determined by the previous step with said color output signal samples produced by the scanning of each bill with said scanning head, and (3) rejecting each of said scanned bills whose genuineness is not authenticated either because a non-match of intensity signal comparisons in determining a denomination or because of a non-match of color signal comparisons.

20. A currency counting and evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills, rapidly counting and evaluating all the bills in the stack, and then restacking the bills, said device comprising

a bill separating station for receiving a stack of currency bills and feeding said bills in the direction of the narrow dimension of the bills, one at a time, to a bill transport mechanism, said bill transport mechanism transporting bills, in the direction of the narrow dimension of the bills, from said bill separating station to a stacking station, at a rate in excess of about 800 bills per minute;

a stationary optical scanning head located between said bill separating and stacking stations for scanning a preselected segment of a central portion of each bill transported between said stations by said transport mechanism, said scanning head including at least one light source for illuminating a strip of said preselected segment of a bill, at least one intensity detector and a plurality of color detectors for receiving reflected light from the illuminated strip on said scanned bill, and a focusing means for focusing the reflected light on said color detectors, said intensity detector producing an intensity output signal representing variations in the intensity of the reflected light, and each of said plurality of color detectors having a color filter disposed thereon and producing a plurality of color output signals representing variations in the intensity of the reflected light transmitted through said color filters;

means for sampling said intensity output signal and said color output signals at preselected intervals as a bill is moved across said scanning head in the direction of the narrow dimension of the bill, each of said intensity and color output signal samples being proportional to the intensity of the light reflected from a different strip of said preselected segment of a bill;

a memory for storing characteristic intensity and color signal samples produced by scanning said preselected segments of genuine bills of different denominations with said scanning head and sampling said intensity and color output signals at said preselected intervals, each of said stored signal samples being proportional to the intensity of the light reflected from a different strip of said preselected segment of a bill and received by said intensity and color detectors;

signal processing means for receiving said output intensity and color signal samples and (1) determining the denomination of each scanned bill by comparing said stored intensity signal samples with said intensity output signal samples produced by the scanning of each bill with said scanning head, (2) authenticating the genuineness of each scanned bill by comparing said stored color signal samples corresponding to the denomination indicated by the previous step with said color output signal samples produced by the scanning of each bill with said scanning head, (3) counting the number of authenticated scanned bills of each denomination, (4) accumulating the cumulative value of the authenticated scanned bills of each denomination, and (5) rejecting each of said scanned bills whose genuineness is not authenticated either because a non-match of intensity signal comparisons in determining a denomination or because of a non-match of color signal comparisons.

21. A currency evaluation device comprising

a detection circuitry for detecting first characteristic information and second characteristic information from a scanned bill;

pattern generation means for generating a first characteristic scanned pattern associated with said detected first characteristic information;

a memory for storing

(1) at least one first characteristic master pattern associated with first characteristic information for each of a plurality of recognizable denominations of genuine bills;

(2) at least one set of genuine second characteristic information for each of said plurality of recognizable denominations of genuine bills; and

a signal processing means for

(1) performing a first comparison whereby at least a portion of said scanned pattern is compared with master patterns associated with each of said plurality of recognizable denominations;

(2) generating a correlation number associated with each of said master patterns to with which said scanned pattern is compared, each of said correlation numbers being indicative of the degree of similarity between a respective master pattern and said scanned pattern;

(3) determining the denomination associated with the master pattern having the highest correlation number;

(4) calling the denomination of said scanned bill to be the denomination associated with the master pattern having the highest correlation number if the highest correlation number exceeds a first threshold, otherwise indicating an error;

(5) retrieving at least a portion of at least one of said sets of genuine second characteristic information corresponding only to the denomination called regardless of which of said plurality of recognizable denominations said scanned bill is called to be;

(6) performing a second comparison whereby at least a portion of said detected second characteristic information is compared with said retrieved genuine second characteristic information; and

(7) indicating the genuineness of said scanned bill based on said second comparison when the results of said second comparison satisfy a second criteria, otherwise indicating an error when the results of said second comparison fail to satisfy said second criteria.

22. A currency evaluation device comprising

a detection circuitry for detecting first characteristic information and second characteristic information from a scanned bill;

pattern generation means for generating a first characteristic scanned pattern associated with said detected first characteristic information;

a memory for storing

(1) at least one first characteristic master pattern associated with first characteristic information for each of a plurality of recognizable denominations of genuine bills;

(2) at least one set of genuine second characteristic information for each of said plurality of recognizable denominations of genuine bills; and

a signal processing means for

(1) performing a first comparison whereby at least a portion of said scanned pattern is compared with master patterns associated with each of said plurality of recognizable denominations;

(2) determining the degree of correlation between said scanned pattern and each of said master patterns to with which said scanned pattern is compared;

(3) determining the denomination associated with the master pattern having the greatest degree of correlation;

(4) calling the denomination of said scanned bill to be the denomination associated with the master pattern having the greatest degree of correlation if the degree of correlation satisfies a first criteria, otherwise indicating an error;

(5) retrieving at least a portion of at least one of said sets of genuine second characteristic information corresponding only to the denomination called regardless of which of said plurality of recognizable denominations said scanned bill is called to be;

(6) performing a second comparison whereby at least a portion of said detected second characteristic information is compared with said retrieved genuine second characteristic information; and

(7) indicating the genuineness of said scanned bill based on said second comparison when the results of said second comparison satisfy a second criteria, otherwise indicating an error when the results of said second comparison fail to satisfy said second criteria.

23. A currency evaluation device comprising

a detection circuitry for detecting first characteristic information and second characteristic information from a scanned bill;

pattern generation means for generating a first characteristic scanned pattern associated with said detected first characteristic information;

a memory for storing

(1) at least one first characteristic master pattern associated with first characteristic information for each of a plurality of recognizable denominations of genuine bills;

(2) at least one set of genuine second characteristic information for each of said plurality of recognizable denominations of genuine bills; and

a signal processing means for

(1) calling the denomination of said scanned bill whereby

(a) at least a portion of said scanned pattern is compared with master patterns associated with each of said plurality of recognizable denominations;

(b) the degree of correlation between said scanned pattern and each of said master patterns to with which said scanned pattern is compared is determined;

(c) the denomination associated with the master pattern having the greatest degree of correlation is determined; and

(d) the denomination of said scanned bill is called to be the denomination associated with the master pattern having the greatest degree of correlation if the degree of correlation satisfies a first criteria, otherwise an error is indicated,

(2) retrieving at least a portion of at least one of said sets of genuine second characteristic information corresponding only to the denomination called regardless of which of said plurality of recognizable denominations said scanned bill is called to be;

(3) performing a second comparison whereby

(a) at least a portion of said detected second characteristic information is compared with said retrieved genuine second characteristic information; and

(b) the genuineness of said scanned bill is indicated based on said second comparison when the results of said second comparison satisfy a second criteria, otherwise an error is indicated when the results of said second comparison fail to satisfy said second criteria.

24. A method for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations and authenticating the bills using a currency evaluation device having a memory in which first characteristic master patterns associated with first characteristic information for genuine bills of different denominations and sets of genuine second characteristic information for genuine bills of said different denominations is stored;

comprising the steps of;

detecting first characteristic information from a scanned bill;

detecting second characteristic information from said scanned bill;

generating a first characteristic scanned pattern associated with said detected first characteristic information;

comparing at least a portion of said scanned pattern with first characteristic master patterns associated with each of the bills of the different denominations;

determining the degree of correlation between said scanned pattern and each of said master patterns to which said scanned pattern is compared;

determining the denomination associated with the master pattern having the greatest degree of correlation;

calling the denomination of said scanned bill to be the denomination associated with the master pattern having the greatest degree of correlation if the greatest degree of correlation satisfies a first criteria;

comparing at least a portion of at least one of said sets of genuine second characteristic information corresponding only to the denomination called regardless of which of said plurality of recognizable denominations said scanned bill is called to be with at least a portion of said detected second characteristic information; and

indicating the genuineness of said scanned bill based on said step of comparing second characteristic information when the results of said second comparing step satisfy a second criteria.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the steps of:

indicating an error if the greatest degree of correlation fails to satisfy said first criteria; and

indicating an error when the results of said second comparing step fail to satisfy said second criteria.