Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Photocell controlled circuit
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-05
2003-08-12
Pyo, Kevin (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Photocell controlled circuit
C250S559110, C250S239000, C382S172000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06605819
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for acquiring and processing spectrographic information, particularly of moving media, and for the recognition, validation, and screening of such media. The invention has particular application in the field of self-service terminals (SSTs) and in recognition of banknotes and similar media, and detection of forgeries. In its broader aspects the invention has application in verifying or confirming the source or validity of other items or products.
A growing number of financial and similar transactions are carried out by means of self-service terminals (SSTs) such as automated teller machines (ATMs). Many transactions involve the deposit of media, such as banknotes, into the SST to pay for some service or product, or simply to credit the deposit to a user's bank account. Therefore, such SSTs require a media recognition mechanism to recognize and determine the value of the deposited media, and to validate the media and detect forged or inappropriate media, such as forged banknotes or foreign currency. Screening of media to identify worn, dirty, or damaged media may also be desirable, so that such media may be separated from clean media and removed from circulation.
A number of systems currently exist for media recognition, validation and screening, but these are generally complex and expensive, requiring high-density images to be taken of the media, and may experience difficulties in handling media at the relatively high speeds necessary for real-time processing of banknotes within an SST, and so may extend the time taken to complete a transaction by an unacceptable degree.
Other systems are available that are low-cost, but these systems may only be used with a single type of currency or with a small set of currency types.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is among the objects of embodiments of the present invention to obviate or alleviate these and other disadvantages of existing media validation systems. This may be achieved in part by making use of the optical properties of banknotes, in particular the complex color printing and patterns used on genuine banknotes.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of validating selected properties of media, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a sensor apparatus comprising a monochromatic light source and a light detector, whereby the detector is positioned to receive only diffusely reflected light from the source;
b) locating an item of media in the path of the sensor apparatus;
c) activating the monochromatic light source, and detecting light diffusely reflected from the media, to provide an output from the detector containing data relating to the response of the media to said light source;
d) moving the media with respect to the sensor apparatus;
e) repeating step c) and optionally step d) at least once, so as to gather sample data from different areas of the media;
f) processing the sample data to determine a selected characteristic of the media; and
g) comparing the sample data against a reference database of data obtained from genuine media.
The above method may be utilized to rapidly and simply generate a data sample from the media characteristic of the media's reflectivity at a single wavelength of light. “Light” in this context may mean any electromagnetic radiation, and not only visible light. For example, infra-red or ultraviolet light may be used. Similarly, any reference made herein to a particular “color” of light is to be understood as referring to light of a particular wavelength or band of wavelengths. Thus, a reference to “colored light” may refer for example to green light or to infra-red electromagnetic radiation.
Preferred embodiments of the invention may be used for recognition and validation of banknotes, for example, when such banknotes are entered into an ATM. For example, an ATM adapted to perform the method of the present invention may be provided with a light source and detector arranged as described herein, such that the path of a banknote entered into the ATM (the ‘test sample’) passes before the sensor apparatus. The light source is activated, and diffusely reflected light from the banknote is detected by the detector, which provides an output containing data relating to the response of the banknote to the light source.
The banknote is then moved a step further into the ATM, and a second sample taken of reflected light. This continues until several samples have been taken, yielding data characteristic of a stripe across the banknote.
The sample data is then compared in a ‘recognition search’ against a reference database of data obtained from a range of denominations of banknotes; if the sample data matches data from a particular denomination of banknote, the test sample is identified as being of that denomination. Each denomination and source of banknotes will typically have a characteristic monochromatic sample profile across a particular stripe of the banknote.
Preferably, the media is moved linearly with respect to the sensor apparatus, such that the sample data is representative of a ‘stripe’ across the media.
The method may further comprise the step of determining a linear dimension of the media. This enables the recognition search to be greatly simplified since a test sample need only be compared against reference samples of the same linear dimension, rather than all reference samples. That is, once a test sample has been rejected against a particular reference dataset as having different linear dimensions, there is no need to compare the actual data values of the two samples to reject the possibility of a match between the two samples. Preferably, the linear dimension of the media is determined according to the number of individual “frames” of data in the sample data, as this data is readily available from the sample data.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of validating selected properties of media, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a sensor apparatus comprising a plurality of distinct monochromatic light sources and a light detector, whereby the detector is positioned to receive only diffusely reflected light from the sources;
b) locating an item of media in the path of the sensor apparatus;
c) activating a first monochromatic light source, and detecting light diffusely reflected from the media, to provide an output from the detector containing data relating to the response of the media to said light source;
d) moving the media with respect to the sensor apparatus;
e) activating another monochromatic light source, and detecting light diffusely reflected from the media, to provide an output from the detector containing data relating to the response of the media to said light source;
f) repeating steps d) and e) at least until each distinct monochromatic light source has been activated;
g) processing the sample data to determine a selected characteristic of the media; and
h) comparing the sample data against a reference database of data obtained from genuine media.
This aspect of the present method generates sample data comprising information from a plurality of wavelengths of light (for example, red, green and blue). This extra data may be used for more rigorous analysis of the sample than that provided by data obtained from light of a single wavelength.
In a variant of the invention, additional light source activation steps may be included prior to movement of the media; for example, data from each wavelength of light may be taken at a single ‘spot’ on the media, the media may be moved, and a further set of data readings taken at a second ‘spot’.
Preferably each distinct monochromatic light source is activated in a predetermined sequence. This ensures that the sample data is consistent across different samples, and may be readily compared.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, media identification and validation may be performed as separate steps. The initial identification of the m
Conte Francis L.
NCR Corporation
Pyo Kevin
Sohn Seung C.
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