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 stabilizer and a continuous track width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the stabilizer of 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.
294 Citations
51 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 stabilizer and a continuous track width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the stabilizer of 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, 15)
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16. A method for processing a plurality of documents having at least one magnetic feature, the method comprising the acts of:
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magnetizing the at least one magnetic feature, the magnetic feature including in a magnetic security thread incorporating a magnetic ink; sensing a flux of each of the plurality of documents, the flux being sensed by a magnetic sensor having a stabilizer and a continuous track width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the magnetic ink thread located within the track width and being substantially perpendicularly oriented to the track width; generating an analog signal along a single channel, the analog signal being generated by the stabilizer of the magnetic sensor as the plurality of documents are in close proximity to the magnetic sensor, the analog signal being representative of the sensed flux; monitoring the generated analog signal along the single channel with at least one comparator to determine whether a threshold voltage has been exceeded; and digitizing the analog signal by generating an output voltage in response to the threshold voltage being exceeded, the output voltage being independent of the analog signal, the analog signal being digitized without the use of an analog-to-digital converter. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A document processing device comprising:
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a magnetization member configured to create a magnetic field to magnetize a magnetic feature of a document moving past the magnetization member; a magnetic sensor having a continuous wide track and a stabilizer, the track having a width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the stabilizer of the magnetic sensor being configured to produce an analog output signal associated with the track through a single data channel in response to a magnetic feature moving past the magnetic sensor; and a transport mechanism configured to move the document past the magnetization member and the magnetic sensor. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A document processing device comprising:
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a magnetization member configured to create a magnetic field to magnetize a magnetic feature of a document moving past the magnetization member; a single-channel magnetic sensor having a single continuous wide track and a stabilizer, the track having a width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the stabilizer of the magnetic sensor being configured to produce a linear, analog output signal associated with the single track in response to a magnetic feature moving past the magnetic sensor; a transport mechanism adapted to move the document past the magnetization member and the magnetic sensor, the transport mechanism including an encoder configured to provide positional data; at least one comparator configured to detect when the analog output signal of the magnetic sensor exceeds a threshold value; and at least one digital circuit configured to record 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 (24)
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25. A currency processing device comprising:
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an input receptacle configured to receive a stack of currency bills, each currency bill having a security thread having denomination data magnetically encoded thereon; 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 stabilizer and a continuous wide-track having a width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the stabilizer of 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; 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, 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 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 (26, 27, 28)
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29. A currency processing device comprising:
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an input receptacle configured to receive a stack of currency bills, each currency bill having a 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 and a stabilizer, the track having a width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the stabilizer of 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 (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for processing a document having at least one magnetic feature, the method comprising the acts of:
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magnetizing the at least one magnetic feature of the document; sensing a flux from the magnetic feature of the document using a single channel wide-track sensor including a stabilizer, the track having a track width of greater than about 50 millimeters; generating an analog signal along a single channel, the analog signal being generated by the magnetic sensor with a stabilizer as the document passes the magnetic sensor in close proximity, the analog signal being representative of the sensed flux; monitoring the generated analog signal along the single channel with at least one comparator to determine whether a threshold voltage has been exceeded; and digitizing the analog signal by generating an output voltage in response to the threshold voltage being exceeded, the output voltage being independent of the analog signal, the analog signal being digitized without the use of an analog-to-digital converter. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A method for processing a document having at least one magnetic feature, the method comprising the acts of:
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magnetizing the at least one magnetic feature of the document; sensing a flux from the magnetic feature of the document using a single channel wide-track sensor including a stabilizer, the track having a track width of greater than about 50 millimeters; generating an analog signal along a single channel, the analog signal being generated by the magnetic sensor with a stabilizer as the document passes the magnetic sensor; and receiving the analog signal through the single channel and determining the identity of the document based on the received signal. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A method for determining the denomination of a currency bill having at least one magnetic security thread incorporating a magnetic ink, the method comprising the acts of:
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magnetizing the at least one magnetic security thread incorporating the magnetic ink of the currency bill; sensing flux from the magnetic thread of the currency bill using a single-channel wide-track sensor having a stabilizer, the track sensor having a track width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the magnetic security thread located within the track width and being substantially perpendicularly oriented to the track width; generating an analog signal along a single channel, the analog signal being generated by the stabilizer of the magnetic sensor as the currency bill passes the magnetic sensor; and receiving the analog signal through the single channel and determining the denomination of the currency bill based on the received signal. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A method for authenticating a currency bill having at least one magnetic thread, the method comprising the acts of:
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magnetizing the at least one magnetic thread of the currency bill; sensing flux from the magnetic thread of the currency bill using a single-channel wide-track sensor including a stabilizer, the track having a track width of greater than about 50 millimeters; generating an analog signal along a single channel, the analog signal being generated by the magnetic sensor with the stabilizer as the currency bill passes the magnetic sensor; and receiving the analog signal through the single channel and authenticating the currency bill based on the received signal. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A currency processing method comprising:
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receiving a stack of currency bills in an input receptacle of a currency processing device, each currency bill having at least one magnetic intermittent thread including a 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; transporting the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle along a transport path; magnetizing the at least one magnetic ink thread of each currency bill as the bills are being transported; sensing flux from the magnetic ink threads of the currency bills using a single-channel wide-track magnetic sensor including a stabilizer, the track having a track width of greater than about 50 millimeters, the magnetic security thread located within the track width and being substantially perpendicularly oriented to the track width; and wherein the stabilizer of the magnetic sensor generating a single, analog output signal along a single data channel in response to the plurality of magnetic threads moving past the magnetic sensor. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification