Coin discrimination apparatus and method

• US 7,520,374 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coinstar, LLC
• Original Assignee: Coinstar Incorporated (Outerwall Inc.)
• Inventors: Partlow, John, Berho, Rodrigo, Waechter, Mark Louis, Martin, Douglas Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAPIRO, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US11/734,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20070240967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 194317-319, 324/222, 324/662, 324/669, 702/38, 731/63, 735/141.4
• US Class Current: 194/317
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/06 arranged along a circular path
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/123 the coins being deflected off rails
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/14 Apparatus driven under control of coin-sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/16 in combination with coin-counting
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 5/00 Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of coins, e.g. for segregating coins which are unacceptable or alien to a currency
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 5/02 Testing the dimensions, e.g. thickness, diameter; Testing the deformation
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 5/08 Testing the magnetic or electric properties
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/008 Feeding coins from bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/24 with change-giving
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 193/01 Coin chute

Abstract

A coin discrimination apparatus and method is provided. Coins, preferably after cleaning, e.g. using a trommel, are singulated by a coin pickup assembly configured to reduce jamming. A coin rail assists in providing separation between coins as they travel past a sensor. The sensor provides an oscillating electromagnetic field generated on a single sensing core. The oscillating electromagnetic field is composed of one or more frequency components. The electromagnetic field interacts with a coin, and these interactions are monitored and used to classify the coin according to its physical properties. All frequency components of the magnetic field are phase-locked to a common reference frequency. The phase relationships between the various frequencies are fixed, and the interaction of each frequency component with the coin can be accurately determined without the need for complicated electrical filters. In one embodiment, a sensor having a core, preferably ferrite, which is curved, such as in a U-shape or in the shape of a section of a torus, and defining a gap, is provided with a wire winding for excitation and/or detection. The sensor can be used for simultaneously obtaining data relating to two or more parameters of a coin or other object, such as size and conductivity of the object. Two or more frequencies can be used to sense core and/or cladding properties. Objects recognized as acceptable coins, using the sensor data, are diverted by a controllable deflecting door, to tubes for delivery to acceptable coin bins.

Claims

1. A method of counting coins, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of randomly oriented coins in a coin input region of a coin counting machine;

moving the coins from the coin input region through a gap in a coin sensor, wherein the coin sensor includes a magnetic core having first and second legs extending upwardly from an annular lower portion, wherein each of the first and second legs defines, respectively, first and second generally opposed and spaced-apart faces, wherein the first and second spaced-apart faces extend for over half the overall length of the magnetic core defining the gap through which the coins move, and wherein each of the first and second legs includes an outer portion that transitions inwardly from the annular lower portion toward the end of the respective leg so that the magnetic, core has a first overall width at the annular lower portion that is greater than a second overall width at the opposing ends of the first and second legs;

discriminating the coins with the coin sensor to differentiate acceptable coins from unacceptable coins; and

sending information related to the coin data to a central computer located remotely from the coin counting machine.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein moving the coins from the coin input region through the gap in the coin sensor includes rolling the coins through the gap defined by the coin sensor.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the coin counting machine is a first coin counting machine, and wherein sending information related to the coin data to a central computer includes sending information to a central computer which is operably connected to the first coin counting machine and at least a second coin counting machine in a network of coin counting machines.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein sending information related to the coin data to a central computer includes sending information to a computer facility operated by a service organization, and wherein the service organization makes a service call to the coin counting machine in response to receiving the information from the coin counting machine.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein sending information related to the coin data to a central computer includes sending information to a computer facility operated by a service organization, and wherein the service organization makes a service call to the coin counting machine and collects a portion of the coins from the machine in response to receiving the information from the coin counting machine.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising cleaning the coins before discriminating the coins with the coin sensor.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring the coins from the coin input region to a coin cleaning device having at least one surface with a plurality of apertures through which non-coin debris can pass; and

moving the coin cleaning device to clean the coins before transferring the coins to the coin discriminator.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring the coins from the coin input region to a coin cleaning device having a circular cross-section with at least one surface having a plurality of apertures through which non-coin debris can pass; and

moving the coin cleaning device to clean the coins before transferring the coins to the coin discriminator.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring the coins from the coin input region to a coin cleaning device having a rectangular cross-section with at least one surface having a plurality of apertures through which non-coin debris can pass; and

moving the coin cleaning device to clean the coins before transferring the coins to the coin discriminator.

2. A method of counting coins, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of randomly oriented coins in a coin input region of a coin counting machine;

moving the coins from the coin input region through a pap in a coin sensor, wherein the coin sensor includes a magnetic core having substantially opposing end portions defining the gap through which the coins move;

discriminating the coins with the coin sensor to differentiate acceptable coins from unacceptable coins; and

sending information related to the coin data to a central computer located remotely from the coin counting machine,

wherein moving the coins through a gap in a coin sensor includes moving the coins past a coin sensor having a low frequency winding coupled to the magnetic core and a high frequency winding coupled to the magnetic core, wherein the high frequency winding is closer to at least one of the end portions than the low frequency winding.

11. A method of counting coins, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of randomly oriented coins;

moving the coins past a coin sensor to discriminate acceptable coins from unacceptable coins, the coin sensor including a magnetic core having first and second legs extending upwardly from an annular lower portion, wherein each of the first and second legs defines, respectively, first and second generally opposed and spaced-apart faces, and wherein the first and second spaced-apart faces extend for over half the overall length of the magnetic core defining a gap through which a portion of the coins move, and wherein each of the first and second legs includes an outer portion that transitions inwardly from this annular lower portion toward the end of the respective leg so that the magnetic core has a first overall width at the annular lower portion that is greater than a second overall width at the opposing ends of the first and second legs;

receiving coin data from the coin sensor;

determining a value based at least in part on the coin data; and

dispensing a voucher from the coin counting machine, wherein the voucher is redeemable for the value.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein dispensing a voucher from the coin counting machine includes dispensing a voucher having at least one anti-counterfeiting feature.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein dispensing a voucher from the coin counting machine includes dispensing a voucher having an encrypted form of the value.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein dispensing a voucher from the coin counting machine includes dispensing a voucher having a machine-readable form of the value.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein dispensing a voucher from the coin counting machine includes dispensing a voucher having an encrypted form of the value and a non-encrypted form of the value, and wherein the method further comprises:

decrypting the encrypted form of the value; and

comparing the decrypted form of the value to the non-encrypted form of the value to verify the authenticity of the voucher when presented for redemption.

12. A method of counting coins, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of randomly oriented coins;

moving the coins past a coin sensor to discriminate acceptable coins from unacceptable coins, the coin sensor including a magnetic core having substantially opposing end portions defining a gap through which a portion of the coins move;

receiving coin data from the coin sensor;

determining a value based at least in part on the coin data; and

dispensing a voucher from the coin counting machine, wherein the voucher is redeemable for the value,

wherein moving the coins past a coin sensor includes moving the coins past a coin sensor having a low frequency winding coupled to the core and a high frequency winding coupled to the core, wherein the high frequency winding is closer to at least one of the end portions than the low frequency winding.

17. A system for counting coins, the system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of randomly oriented coins;

means for moving the coins through a gap in a coin sensor, wherein the coin sensor includes a magnetic core having first and second legs extending upwardly from an lower portion, wherein each of the first and second legs defines, respectively, first and second generally opposed and elongated spaced-apart faces defining the gap through which the coins move, and wherein each of the first and second legs includes an outer portion that transitions inwardly from the annular lower portion toward the end of the respective leg so that the magnetic core has a first overall width at the annular lower portion that is greater than a second overall width at the opposing ends of the first and second legs;

means for discriminating the coins with the coin sensor to differentiate acceptable coins from unacceptable coins; and

means for sending information related to the coin data to a central computer located remotely from the coin counting machine.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the coin counting machine is a first coin counting machine, and wherein the means for sending information related to the coin data to a central computer include means for sending information to a central computer which is operably connected to the first coin counting machine and at least a second coin counting machine in a network of coin counting machines.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining a coin value based at least in part on the discrimination of the randomly oriented coins; and

means for dispensing a redeemable voucher having a voucher value related to the coin value.

18. A system for counting coins, the system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of randomly oriented coins;

means for moving the coins through a gap in a coin sensor, wherein the coin sensor includes a magnetic core having substantially opposing end portions defining the gap through which the coins move;

means for discriminating the coins with the coin sensor to differentiate acceptable coins from unacceptable coins; and

means for sending information related to the coin data to a central computer located remotely from the coin counting machine,

wherein the means for moving the coins through a gap in a coin sensor include means for moving the coins past a coin sensor having a low frequency winding coupled to the magnetic core and a high frequency winding coupled to the magnetic core, wherein the high frequency winding is closer to at least one of the end portions than the low frequency winding.