Check-actuated control mechanisms – Control mechanism actuated by check – other than coin – which... – By pliant currency
Patent
1995-08-04
1997-10-21
Bartuska, F. J.
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Control mechanism actuated by check, other than coin , which...
By pliant currency
194317, G07D 700
Patent
active
056786778
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the classification of an article, particularly, but not exclusively, a monetary unit such as a banknote or a coin.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such methods are advantageously used in vending machines, change machines and the like, where classification is carried out, on the one hand, according to value, for example between one-, two- and five-dollar notes, and/or, on the other hand, between originals and copies or counterfeits thereof.
The method of the invention can also be applied quite generally for the classification of test specimens, for example of images, graphs, documents, stamps or signals.
It is known to process intensity values of electromagnetic radiation reflected by image parts of a test specimen in such a manner that the test specimen can be compared with a pixel matrix (EP 0 067 898 B1) of an original, or that differences from an original are expressed and evaluated in the form of an angle between two n-dimensional vectors (DE 30 40 963 A1) or as a cross-correlation function (EP 0 084 137 A2).
It is further known that valid value ranges of at least two measurements of a coin or a banknote describe a rectangle (GB 2 238 152 A) or an ellipse (GB 2 254 949 A) and that the coin or the banknote is accepted if a point formed by at least two measurements lies inside the rectangle or the ellipse.
It is also known (CH 640 433 A5) to compare various measurable physical variables of a test specimen with corresponding stored threshold values substantially independently of one another and, after successful classification, to correct the threshold values using the measurable variables of the accepted test specimen.
Various formulations for learning classifiers are furthermore known (H. Niemann: "Klassifikation von Mustern"--Berlin, Heidelberg, Berlin, Tokyo: Springer 1983) in which the class ranges are continuously altered using classified patterns and which require a considerable amount of calculation during the classification, which, in practical use, may lead to unacceptable response times.
In a classification process, particularly for classification of a monetary unit, differentiation between originals and copies/counterfeits thereof is especially problematical since, on the one hand, originals and copies/counterfeits thereof are extremely similar to each other or differ only slightly in their features and, on the other hand, only a small number of different copies/counterfeits of an original is available. Indeed, some counterfeits may not be available at all when the process is set up. A further problem is that the features of an original, for example the features of all genuine ten-frank notes of different issues, may show a wide dispersion.
It would be desirable to provide a process for the classification of a pattern, with which a pattern can be reliably classified even when features of one class differ little from the corresponding features of at least one other class and/or when features of the class are widely dispersed, and to create a device with which the process can be carried out. It would also be desirable to provide a process which is likely to be capable of distinguishing between genuine and counterfeit articles of currency, even when the counterfeits are not available when the process is being set up.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Aspects of the present invention are set out in the accompanying claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An illustrative embodiment of the invention is described in detail below with reference to the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a device for classifying a pattern;
FIG. 2 shows the principle of a classification system;
FIG. 3 shows a recognition unit of the classification system;
FIG. 4 indicates one way in which the recognition unit may operate; and
FIG. 5 is a diagram of the activity spaces of a recognition unit of the classification system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a measuring system substantially comprising an inlet 2
REFERENCES:
patent: 5016188 (1991-05-01), Lan
patent: 5199543 (1993-04-01), Kamagami et al.
patent: 5330041 (1994-07-01), Dobbins et al.
IEEE Transactions On Neural Networks, vol. 3 No. 2, Mar. 1992, Fukumi et al., "Rotation-Invariant Neural Pattern Recognition System with Application To Coin Recognition", copy in 194/317.
Bartuska F. J.
Mars Incorporated
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