Optical coin discrimination sensor and coin processing system using the same
First Claim
1. A coin processing system, comprising:
- a continuously rotatable disc for imparting motion to a plurality of coins of mixed denominations, wherein a rate of rotation is adjustable;
an encoder attached to the rotatable disc for producing an encoder pulse for each incremental movement of the rotatable disc;
a memory adapted to store master denominating characteristic information including a plurality of predetermined numbers of encoder pulses, each predetermined number of encoder pulses corresponding to the size of a particular coin denomination the coin processing system is adapted to process;
a stationary sorting head having a lower surface generally parallel to and spaced slightly away from the rotatable disc, the lower surface forming a coin path for directing the movement of each of the coins and a coin exit region for sorting and discharging coins of particular denominations;
a light source for outputting a light beam along a first axis that traverses the coin path in substantially the same plane as the coin path;
a light detector for receiving the light beam along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the light detector being adapted to generate a light-detection signal indicative of detecting the light beam, each coin moving along the coin path passing through the light beam resulting in the suspension of the generation of the light-detection signal; and
a controller adapted to receive the encoder pulses from the encoder, the controller adapted to receive the light-detection signal from the light detector, the controller being adapted to determine the number of encoder pulses received during a period of non-receipt of the light-detection signal caused by each coin passing through the light beam, the controller being adapted to compare the determined number of encoder counts to the stored master denominating characteristic information upon resuming to receive the light-detection signal from the light detector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for determining the denomination of a coin with a disk-type coin processing system comprises moving a coin along a coin path with a rotatable disk, generating an encoder pulse for each incremental movement of the rotatable disk, directing a light beam transverse the coin path, detecting the light beam with a light detector, developing a signal at the light detector indicating the presence of a coin in the coin path, counting a number of encoder pulses occurring while developing the signal at the light detector, and comparing the counted number of encoder pulses to a plurality of stored numbers of encoder pulses corresponding to the particular coin denominations.
456 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A coin processing system, comprising:
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a continuously rotatable disc for imparting motion to a plurality of coins of mixed denominations, wherein a rate of rotation is adjustable; an encoder attached to the rotatable disc for producing an encoder pulse for each incremental movement of the rotatable disc; a memory adapted to store master denominating characteristic information including a plurality of predetermined numbers of encoder pulses, each predetermined number of encoder pulses corresponding to the size of a particular coin denomination the coin processing system is adapted to process; a stationary sorting head having a lower surface generally parallel to and spaced slightly away from the rotatable disc, the lower surface forming a coin path for directing the movement of each of the coins and a coin exit region for sorting and discharging coins of particular denominations; a light source for outputting a light beam along a first axis that traverses the coin path in substantially the same plane as the coin path; a light detector for receiving the light beam along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the light detector being adapted to generate a light-detection signal indicative of detecting the light beam, each coin moving along the coin path passing through the light beam resulting in the suspension of the generation of the light-detection signal; and a controller adapted to receive the encoder pulses from the encoder, the controller adapted to receive the light-detection signal from the light detector, the controller being adapted to determine the number of encoder pulses received during a period of non-receipt of the light-detection signal caused by each coin passing through the light beam, the controller being adapted to compare the determined number of encoder counts to the stored master denominating characteristic information upon resuming to receive the light-detection signal from the light detector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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11. A method for processing coins with a coin processing system including at least one coin path and a plurality of coin exit regions for sorting and discharging coins of particular denominations, the system including a light source, disposed on one side of the coin path, comprising:
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moving a coin along the coin path defined by a stationary sorting head of a high-speed coin processing machine at a rate that can be adjusted; emitting a light beam along a first axis across the coin path in substantially the same plane as the coin path to a light detector disposed on another side of the coin path configured to receive the light beam along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis; interrupting, with the coin moving along a portion of the coin path between the light source and the light detector, the light beam traversing the coin path such that the light beam is not incident on the light detector; counting, with the a controller, the number of encoder pulses generated by an encoder during the interruption of the light beam; and comparing the counted number of encoder pulses to a plurality of stored numbers of encoder pulses corresponding to the particular coin denominations. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for determining the denomination of a coin with a disk-type coin processing system, comprising:
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moving a plurality of coins along a coin path with a continuously rotatable disk, wherein a rate of rotation is adjustable; generating an encoder pulse for each incremental movement of the continuously rotatable disk; directing a light beam along a first axis to traverse the coin path in substantially the same plane as the coin path and toward a light detector configured to receive the light beam along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis; interrupting the light beam traversing the coin path for a period in which a coin of the plurality of coins is moving through the light beam traversing the coin path; counting a number of encoder pulses occurring during the period; and comparing the counted number of encoder pulses to a plurality of stored numbers of encoder pulses corresponding to the particular coin denominations.
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24. A method for determining the denomination of a coin with a disk-type coin processing system, comprising:
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moving a plurality of coins along a coin path with a continuously rotatable disk, wherein a rate of rotation is adjustable; generating an encoder pulse for each incremental movement of the continuously rotatable disk; directing a light beam along a first axis to traverse the coin path in substantially the same plane as the coin path; detecting the light beam with a light detector configured to receive the light beam along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis; developing a signal at the light detector indicating the presence of a coin of the plurality of coins in the coin path; counting a number of encoder pulses occurring while developing the signal at the light detector; and comparing the counted number of encoder pulses to a plurality of stored numbers of encoder pulses corresponding to the particular coin denominations. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification