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, the magnetic feature including a magnetic security thread incorporating a magnetic ink;
a magnetic sensor having a continuous track width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the magnetic sensor being adapted to produce a single linear, analog output signal in response to the plurality of magnetic features moving past the magnetic sensor, the magnetic security thread located within the track width and being substantially perpendicularly oriented to the track width;
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 signal 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
23 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, the magnetic feature including a magnetic security thread incorporating a magnetic ink; a magnetic sensor having a continuous track width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the magnetic sensor being adapted to produce a single linear, analog output signal in response to the plurality of magnetic features moving past the magnetic sensor, the magnetic security thread located within the track width and being substantially perpendicularly oriented to the track width; 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 signal 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)
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15. A document processing device comprising:
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a magnetization member configured to create a magnetic field to magnetize a magnetic security thread of a document moving past the magnetization member, the magnetic security thread incorporating a magnetic ink and oriented generally parallel to a first side of each document; a magnetic sensor having a continuous wide track, the track having a width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the magnetic sensor being configured to produce an analog output signal associated with the track through a single data channel in response to the magnetic security thread moving past the magnetic sensor; and a transport mechanism configured to move the document in a transport direction past the magnetization member and the magnetic sensor, the first side of the document being parallel to the transport direction. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A currency processing device comprising:
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an input receptacle configured to receive a stack of currency bills, each currency bill having an intermittent security thread including magnetic ink having data magnetically encoded thereon, the data encoded over the length of the thread based on the intermittency of a magnetic pattern in the security thread; a magnetization member adapted to create a magnetic field of sufficient strength to magnetize the security thread of each of the currency bills; a single-channel magnetic sensor having a continuous wide-track having a width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the magnetic sensor being adapted to produce a single linear, analog output signal along a single data channel in response to the plurality of magnetic threads moving past the magnetic sensor, the magnetic security thread located within the track width and being substantially perpendicularly oriented to the track width; and a transport mechanism adapted to move the plurality of currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle and past the magnetization member and the magnetic sensor. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification