Method and apparatus for currency discrimination and counting

• US 6,459,806 B1
• Filed: 12/02/1999
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Bauch, Aaron M., Graves, Bradford T., Stromme, Lars R., Raterman, Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Phuoc
• Application Number:
  US09/453,200
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 382/135, 382/137-140, 382/181, 382/190, 382/191, 382/217, 382/218, 382/318, 382/319, 382/321, 382/322, 382/323, 209/534, 271/315, 271/258.01, 271/187, 356/71
• US Class Current: 382/135
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/541 Counting
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2557/514 ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1912 Banknotes, bills and cheques or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/063 separating from the bottom of pile B65H3/0615, B65H3/0623 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/10 Mechanical details
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/50 Sorting or counting valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/04 Testing magnetic properties of the materials thereof, e.g. by detection of magnetic imprint G07D7/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/1205 Testing spectral properties
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/128 Viewing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/16 Testing the dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/162 Length or width
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/20 Testing patterns thereon G07D7/004, G07D7/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/04 by paper currency

Abstract

An improved method and apparatus for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations uses an optical sensing and correlation technique based on the sensing of bill reflectance characteristics obtained by illuminating and scanning a bill along its narrow dimension. A series of detected reflectance signals are obtained by sampling and digitally processing, under microprocessor control, the reflected light at a plurality of predefined sample points as a currency bill is moved across an illuminated strip with its narrow dimension parallel to the direction of transport of the bill. The sample data is subjected to digital processing, including a normalizing process, whereby the reflectance data represents a characteristic pattern that is unique for a given bill denomination and incorporates sufficient distinguishing features between characteristic patterns for discriminating between different currency denominations. A plurality of master characteristic patterns are generated and stored using original bills for each denomination of currency to be defected. The pattern generated by scanning a bill under test and processing the data samples is compared with each of the prestored master patterns to generate, for each comparison, a correlation number representing the extent of similarity between corresponding ones of the plurality of data samples for the compared patterns. Denomination identification is based on designating the scanned bill as belonging to the denomination corresponding to the stored toaster pattern for which the correlation number resulting from pattern comparison is determined to be the highest, subject to a bi-level threshold of correlation.

Claims