Image analysis – Applications – Reading coins
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-14
2004-08-31
Au, Amelia M. (Department: 2623)
Image analysis
Applications
Reading coins
C382S138000, C194S331000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06785412
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin-type determining device for determining the type of a coin by detecting whether a coin has a specific shape or not.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional coin-type determining device is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application, First Publication No. Hei 3-44770. The device emits slit-shaped light, which is long in the direction of the thickness of a coin, onto the circumferential surface of the coin, and receives the reflected light. Thus, the device determines the type of the irregular shapes formed on the side of the coin, for example, the notches of a 500-yen coin, or the grooves (hereinafter referred to as notches) of a 500-won coin in the direction of its thickness.
Since there are various designs of coins, inclined notches, which are formed on the circumferential surface of the coin and which are inclined with respect to the axis of the coin, will be employed on 500-yen coins in the future. However, the conventional coin-type determining devices cannot effectively detect the inclined notches.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coin-type determining device with a simple configuration which effectively determines the presence or absence of the inclined notches.
In a first aspect of the present invention, a coin-type determining device for determining the presence or absence of inclined notches formed on the circumferential surface of a coin transferred through a coin transfer path, comprises: a plurality of notch detecting devices provided separately from each other with respect to an axis of the coin; and a determining device for determining the presence or absence of inclined notches, based on the difference between the notch detection results by the notch detecting devices.
Because the presence or absence of inclined notches is determined, based on the difference between the notch detection results by the notch detecting devices provided separately from each other with respect to an axis of the coin, the presence or absence of the notches can be effectively detected using a simple configuration.
In a second aspect of the present invention, the coin-type determining device further comprises a light emitting device for emitting light onto the circumferential surface of a coin. Each of the notch detecting devices comprises a light receiving device for receiving light which has been emitted from the light emitting device and has been reflected from the circumferential surface of the coin.
The light emitting device emits light onto the circumferential surface of the coin. The emitted light is reflected from the circumferential surface of the coin, and is received by the light receiving devices provided separately from each other with respect to the axis of the coin. The determining device determines the presence or absence of inclined notches, based on the difference between the notch detection results by the notch detecting devices. Thus, because the light emitting device is provided and the notch detecting devices are the light receiving devices, the presence or absence of the notches can be effectively detected using a simple configuration.
In a third aspect of the present invention, a plurality of pairs of the light receiving devices are provided at different positions with respect to the axis of the coin, and are provided at neighboring positions with respect to the transfer direction. The determining device determines the presence or absence of inclined notches based on the difference between detection signals output from the light receiving devices neighbor each other in the transfer direction of the coin.
Light receiving sensor pairs are provided at different positions with respect to the axis of the coin, and at neighboring positions with respect to the transfer direction. The light is reflected from the regions, neighboring in the transfer direction, on the circumferential surface of the coin, and is separately detected by the light receiving sensors neighboring each other in the transfer direction of the coin. The determining device calculates the difference between the detection signals from the light receiving sensors, and calculates the difference between the detection signals. Therefore, when concave portions and convex portions neighbor each other in the transfer direction, that is, when there are notches, differences between the received signals can be obtained.
In a fourth aspect of the present invention, the coin-type determining device for determining the presence or absence of inclined notches formed on the circumferential surface of a coin transferred through a coin transfer path, comprises: a light emitting device for emitting light onto the circumferential surface of the coin; a light receiving device disposed in the direction of regular reflection of the light reflected from the notch; and a determining device for determining the presence or absence of inclined notches, based on the quantity of light received by the light receiving device.
When the light emitting device emits the light onto the circumferential surface of the coin transferred through the coin transfer path, the quantity of light received by the light receiving device, which is disposed in the direction of regular reflection of the light reflected from the notch, depending on the presence or absence of inclined notches formed on the circumferential surface of the coin. The determining device determines the presence or absence of inclined notches, based on the quantity of light received by the light receiving device.
In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the light emitting device emits light onto the circumferential surface of the coin transferred through the coin transfer path through the light axis perpendicular to the axis of the coin.
Thus, the space required for the light emitting device, and the light receiving device can be minimized because the light emitting device emits light in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the coin.
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Au Amelia M.
Kim Charles
Laurel Bank Machines Co. Ltd.
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