Banknote validator

• US 8,300,916 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Technologies, Incorporated (Valmont Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Innovative Technologies, Incorporated (Valmont Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Strong, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): AZARIAN, SEYED H
• Application Number:
  US12/850,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20110188729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 382100-103, 382/106, 382112-114, 382135-140, 382/154, 382/155, 382/168, 382/170, 382/173, 382/181, 382184-189, 382/209, 382/232, 382/254, 382/276, 382284-294, 382/305, 382/312, 382/321, 382/274, 356/71, 235/454, 362/231
• US Class Current: 382/137
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/1205 Testing spectral properties

Abstract

Apparatus for checking the validity of a banknote wherein a light source illuminates a banknote through a slit as it is transported along a note path, the emitted light being detected at different wavelengths to generate a plurality of images such that a three dimensional matrix can be created, for comparison against matrices of authentic banknotes.

Claims

1. Apparatus for checking the validity of a banknote, said apparatus including:

a light source for illuminating the banknote with a plurality of wavelengths of light;

an aperture through which the illuminating light passes to reach a portion of the banknote;

imaging means for detecting light reflected or transmitted by the banknote at least one wavelength;

said imaging means generating at least one image representing said portion from said reflected or transmitted light;

characterised in that a note path is provided along which the banknote to be validated is passed to expose a plurality of portions of the banknote to the illuminating light via said aperture when each of said portions is presented to the aperture; and

wherein the imaging means generate an image for each of the portions and processing means are provided to combine the images to create a representation of the banknote, and the representation is a three dimensional matrix in which the coordinates of the matrix relate to a longitudinal coordinate of the banknote, the wavelength range, and the intensity of the light detected.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the representation is a three dimensional matrix in which two coordinates of the matrix relate to x and y coordinates of the banknote respectively and the third coordinate of the matrix relates to the intensity of a particular imaging wavelength.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the banknote is moved substantially continuously along the note path past the aperture.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the portions are imaged sequentially along the banknote.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each portion is presented by a plurality of images which relate to a plurality of wavelengths detected for that portion.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein illumination optics are provided adjacent to and acting on the note path, to ensure a substantially uniform illumination of the aperture.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the light source is a polychromatic light source.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the images are generated at all wavelengths contained within the light source.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the width of the aperture defines the minimum pixel size of the longitudinal direction of the spectrally imaged banknote.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the aperture is an elongate slit.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the aperture has a width of around 1 mm or less.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes collection optics to collect the light that is reflected or transmitted from the banknote and re-focus it onto a diffractive element.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes re-imaging optics to receive the light from the diffractive element and focus it onto the imaging means.

14. A method for checking the validity of a banknote, said method comprising the steps of:

transporting a banknote along a note path;

illuminating a portion of the banknote, via an aperture, with a plurality of wavelengths of light;

detecting light reflected or transmitted by the banknote at least one wavelength;

generating at least one image representing said portion from said reflected or transmitted light

characterised in that the banknote is passed along a note path to expose a plurality of portions of the banknote to the illuminating light via said aperture; and

wherein an image is generated for each of the portions, and the images are combined to create a representation of the banknote, and the representation is a three dimensional matrix in which two coordinates of the matrix relate to x and y coordinates of the banknote respectively and the third coordinate of the matrix relates to the intensity of a particular wavelength.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the representation is a three dimensional matrix in which the coordinates of the matrix relate to the longitudinal coordinate of the banknote, the wavelength spectral range detectable, and the intensity of the light detected.