System and method for coin validation
First Claim
1. A system for validating a coin, the system including:
- a passageway through which the coin passes;
an oscillator having a component positioned relative to the passageway for the frequency and amplitude of oscillation of the oscillator to be varied, by passage of the coin along the passageway;
a time feature determining unit for determining a time feature of an oscillating signal provided by the oscillator when influenced by the coin and for supplying a determined time feature value;
an amplitude determining unit for determining the amplitude of the oscillating signal provided by the oscillator when influenced by the coin and for supplying a determined amplitude value; and
an assessing unit for assessing if the determined time feature and amplitude values lie in a predetermined window of time feature and amplitude values;
in which the predetermined window of time feature and amplitude values is defined by straight lines;
in which the straight lines define a rectangle; and
in which the predetermined window is angled with respect to a set of time feature and amplitude axes.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for validating a coin has a passageway through which the coin passes, in use; an oscillator having a component positioned relative to the passageway for the frequency and amplitude of oscillation of the oscillator to be varied, in use, by passage of the coin along the passageway; a period (or frequency) determining unit for determining the period (or frequency) of an oscillating signal provided by the oscillator when influenced by the coin and for supplying a determined period (or frequency) value; an amplitude determining unit for determining the amplitude of the oscillating signal provided by the oscillator when influenced by the coin and for supplying a determined amplitude value; and an assessing unit for assessing if the determined period (or frequency) and amplitude values lie in a predetermined window of period (or frequency) and amplitude values.
83 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A system for validating a coin, the system including:
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a passageway through which the coin passes; an oscillator having a component positioned relative to the passageway for the frequency and amplitude of oscillation of the oscillator to be varied, by passage of the coin along the passageway; a time feature determining unit for determining a time feature of an oscillating signal provided by the oscillator when influenced by the coin and for supplying a determined time feature value; an amplitude determining unit for determining the amplitude of the oscillating signal provided by the oscillator when influenced by the coin and for supplying a determined amplitude value; and an assessing unit for assessing if the determined time feature and amplitude values lie in a predetermined window of time feature and amplitude values; in which the predetermined window of time feature and amplitude values is defined by straight lines; in which the straight lines define a rectangle; and in which the predetermined window is angled with respect to a set of time feature and amplitude axes.
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2. A system for validating a coin, the system including
a passageway through which the coin passes; -
an oscillator having a component positioned relative to the passageway for the frequency and amplitude of oscillation of the oscillator to be varied, by passage of the coin along the passageway; a time feature determining unit for determining a time feature of an oscillating signal provided by the oscillator when influenced by the coin and for supplying a determined time feature value; an amplitude determining unit for determining the amplitude of the oscillating signal provided by the oscillator when influenced by the coin and for supplying a determined amplitude value; and an assessing unit for assessing if the determined time feature and amplitude values lie in a predetermined window of time feature and amplitude values; in which the assessing unit includes a computing device for computing test time feature and amplitude values from the determined time feature and amplitude values and a comparator for comparing the test time feature and amplitude values with predetermined time feature and amplitude validation values; and in which the computing device performs, a rotational transformation to provide the test time feature and amplitude values. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of validating a coin in a coin-operated machine having a coin passageway, the method including the steps of:
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providing an oscillator, having a component positioned relative to the passageway for the frequency and amplitude of oscillation of the oscillator to be varied, by passage of the coin along the passageway; determining a time feature of oscillation of an oscillating signal provided by the oscillator when a coin to be validated influences the oscillator; determining the amplitude of the oscillating signal; and assessing if the determined time feature and amplitude values lie in a predetermined window of time feature and amplitude values; in which the predetermined window of time feature and amplitude values is defined by straight lines; in which the straight lines define a rectangle; and in which the predetermined window is angle with respect to a set of time feature and amplitude axes.
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15. A method of validating a coin in a coin-operated machine having a coin passageway, the method including the steps of:
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providing an oscillator, having a component positioned relative to the passageway for the frequency and amplitude of oscillation of the oscillator to be varied, by passage of the coin along the passageway; determining a time feature of oscillation of an oscillating signal provided by the oscillator when a coin to be validated influences the oscillator; determining the amplitude of the oscillating signal; and assessing if the determined time feature and amplitude values lie in a predetermined window of time feature and amplitude values; which includes computing test time feature and amplitude values from the determined time feature and amplitude values and comparing the test time feature and amplitude values with predetermined time feature and amplitude validation values; and which includes performing a rotational transformation to provide the test time feature and amplitude values. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification