Systems, methods and devices for processing coins utilizing normal or near-normal and/or high-angle of incidence lighting

• US 9,916,713 B1
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Yacoubian, Araz, Yang, Danny D., Jagielinksi, Tomasz M., Csulits, Frank M., Watts, Gary P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beauchaine, Mark J
• Application Number:
  US15/356,295
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/22 Means for sensing or detection
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/14 Apparatus driven under control of coin-sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 5/005 Testing the surface pattern, e.g. relief

Abstract

Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with an input area for receiving coins and receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to coins, and a sorting head adjacent the rotatable disk with shaped regions for guiding moving coins to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A sensor arrangement mounted adjacent the rotatable disk includes one light emitting device for emitting light onto a coin surface at near-normal incidence. A photodetector senses light reflected off the coin surface and outputs a coin-image signal for processing the coin.

Claims

1. A high-speed currency processing system comprising:

a housing with a coin input area configured to receive a batch of coins;

one or more coin receptacles operatively coupled to the housing;

a coin processing unit operatively coupled to the coin input area and the one or more coin receptacles, the coin processing unit being configured to process a plurality of the coins and discharge the processed coins to the one or more coin receptacles; and

a sensor arrangement operatively coupled to the coin processing unit, the sensor arrangement including a photodetector and first and second light emitting devices, the first light emitting device being configured to emit light onto a surface of a passing coin at normal or near-normal incidence, the second light emitting device being configured to emit light onto the surface of the passing coin at high-angle incidence, and the photodetector being configured to sense light reflected off the surface of the passing coin and output a signal indicative of coin image information for processing the coin;

wherein the coins pass the sensor arrangement and the sensor arrangement outputs a signal indicative of coin image information at a rate of at least 2000 coins per minute;

wherein the photodetector includes a linear array of photosensors with a normal incidence with the surface of the passing coin.

2. The currency processing system of claim 1, further comprising a light diffusing element operable to diffuse high-angle incidence light emitted by the second light emitting device.

3. The currency processing system of claim 1, further comprising a cylindrical lens and a light scattering element operable to scatter high-angle incidence light emitted by the second light emitting device.

4. The currency processing system of claim 1, further comprising a processor operatively coupled to the sensor arrangement to receive the coin image information signals and determine therefrom whether the passing coin is valid or invalid.

5. The currency processing system of claim 1, further comprising a processor operatively coupled to the sensor arrangement to receive the coin image information signals and determine therefrom a denomination, a fitness, or an authenticity, or any combination thereof, of the passing coin.

6. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein the sensor arrangement is configured to sense all or substantially all of a top surface of the passing coin.

7. The currency processing system of claim 1, further comprising a lens array between the photodetector and the passing coin.

8. The currency processing system of claim 7, wherein the lens array includes a gradient-index (GRIN) lens array or a SELFOC lens array.

9. The currency processing system of claim 1, wherein the first light emitting device comprises light sources configured to emit light onto the surface of the passing coin at a first near-normal incidence and a first high-angle of incidence, and the second light emitting device comprises light sources configured to emit light onto the surface of the passing coin at a second near-normal incidence and a second high-angle of incidence.

10. The currency processing system of claim 9, wherein the light sources of the first light emitting device include first and second rows of light emitting diodes (LED), and the light sources of the second light emitting device include third and fourth rows of LEDs.

11. The currency processing system of claim 1, further comprising a processor operatively coupled to the sensor arrangement and operable to selectively simultaneously activate both the first and second light emitting devices to thereby provide both high-angle and near-normal illumination of the surface of the passing coin.

12. The currency processing system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further operable to selectively activate the second light emitting device and thereby provide only high-angle illumination of the surface of the passing coin.

13. A high-speed coin imaging sensor system for a coin processing apparatus, the coin processing apparatus including a housing with an input area for receiving coins, a coin receptacle for stowing processed coins, a coin sorting device for separating coins by denomination, and a coin transport mechanism for transferring coins from the input area, through the coin sorting device, to the coin receptacle, the coin imaging sensor system comprising:

a sensor arrangement configured to mount inside the housing adjacent the coin transport mechanism upstream of the coin receptacle and downstream from the coin input area, the sensor arrangement including a photodetector and first and second light emitting devices, the first light emitting device being configured to emit light onto a surface of a passing coin at near-normal incidence, the second light emitting device being configured to emit light onto the surface of the passing coin at high-angle incidence, and the photodetector being configured to sense light reflected off the surface of the passing coin and output a signal indicative of coin image information;

an image processing circuit operatively coupled to the sensor arrangement and configured to process the coin image information signal output therefrom; and

a processor operatively coupled to the image processing circuit and configured to analyze the processed signals and generate therefrom an image for the passing coin

wherein the coins pass the sensor arrangement, the sensor arrangement outputs a signal indicative of coin image information, and the processor generates an image of each passing coin at a rate of at least 2000 coins per minute;

wherein the photodetector includes a linear array of photosensors with a normal incidence with the surface of the passing coin.

14. The coin imaging sensor system of claim 13, further comprising a lens array between the photodetector and the passing coin.

15. The coin imaging sensor system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to selectively simultaneously activate both the first and second light emitting devices to thereby provide both high-angle and near-normal illumination of the surface of the passing coin.

16. The coin imaging sensor system of claim 13, wherein the first light emitting device comprises light sources configured to emit light onto the surface of the passing coin at a first near-normal incidence and a first high-angle of incidence, and the second light emitting device comprises light sources configured to emit light onto the surface of the passing coin at a second near-normal incidence and a second high-angle of incidence.

17. The coin imaging sensor system of claim 16, wherein the light sources of the first light emitting device include first and second rows of light emitting diodes (LED), and the light sources of the second light emitting device include third and fourth rows of LEDs.