Check-actuated control mechanisms – With additional – disparate means preventing fraudulent...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-28
2001-06-19
Bartuska, F. J. (Department: 3652)
Check-actuated control mechanisms
With additional, disparate means preventing fraudulent...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247573
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a money screening method and a unit, and more particularly to a money screening method and a unit that can prevent the acceptance of foreign money or counterfeit money which material and outer diameter are very similar to genuine money, and can decrease the ratio of counterfeit money acceptance caused by the trial of continuously entering counterfeit money.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally a money screening unit used for a vending machine, a money changing machine and service equipment is configured so as to sort coins entered from a coin slot into genuine coins and counterfeit coins, and to accept the screened genuine coins after sorting them by the type of money.
For sorting of coins, a sensor, which is installed on a coin passage for guiding a coin entered from the coin slot to a coin sorting section, detects such features as the material and shape of the coin, and this detection result becomes a base for sorting.
An example of the sensor for detecting features of a coin has a structure that a coil is positioned at one side of the coin passage, and an oscillation circuit is created including this coil. This sensor utilizes the change of inductance of the coil caused by a coin when the coin passes by the coil, and acquires information on the coin that passes by detecting changes of oscillation frequency.
Another example of the sensor has a structure that an oscillation coil which is excited by exciting current with specified frequency is positioned at one side of the coin passage, and a receiving coil is placed at the other side. This sensor utilizes a change of mutual coupling coefficient (magnetic coupling coefficient) between the oscillation coil and the receiving coil caused when a coin passes between the oscillation coil and the receiving coil, and acquires information on the coin that passes by detecting the change of output voltage of the receiving coil.
Inductance or mutual coupling coefficient, which are changed by passing of a coin, differ depending on the material of the coin, therefore, the material of the coin can be detected by the output whichever type of the above described sensors is used, and if oscillation frequency or exciting frequency is low, the surface material of the coin can be detected, whereas if oscillation frequency or exciting frequency is high, the internal material of the coin can be detected.
Outer diameter of a coin can be detected by adjusting the location of the sensor that is placed at the coin passage, because the height (area) of a coin which passes the coin passage differs depending on the diameter, therefore if the sensor is placed at a specified height, output becomes different depending on the coin that passes.
Generally, a conventional coin screening unit has the above described sensor for detecting material and outer diameter of a coin, and uses one or more sensors depending on the application.
In a conventional coin screening unit, however, genuineness of an entered coin is judged by material and outer diameter of the coin, therefore a coin which has a very similar material and outer diameter as a genuine coin, such as a foreign coin, is accepted as a genuine coin, and actual crimes using this shortcoming occur frequently.
Also when the above sensor is used for detecting money, the detection result varies even among the same type of money due to contamination of the coin and other factors, therefore an upper limit and lower limit are set in judgment data for sorting genuine money and counterfeit money, and money is judged as genuine when the detection result is within this range.
As a consequence, sorting of genuine money and counterfeit money is not always successful, and counterfeit money may be erroneously accepted as genuine, and even if the acceptance rate of counterfeit money is several percent or less, a counterfeit money may be accepted as genuine by the trial of continuously entering the counterfeit coin.
Particularly in the case of coins, there are many foreign coins which have similar material, outer diameter, and thickness, and crimes of stealing money and objects by altering such foreign coins frequently occur these days.
If a more strict sorting standard between genuine money and counterfeit money is set to prevent the acceptance of counterfeit money, then a slightly contaminated genuine money will be judged as counterfeit, which as a result will decrease functions of the money screening unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a money screening method and a unit which allows detection of money which material and outer diameter are very similar to genuine money, such as foreign money.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a money screening method and a unit which allows decreasing damage caused by the trial of continuously entering counterfeit money.
To achieve these objects, the invention provides a money screening method comprising the steps of: detecting features of a coin rolling through a coin passage by a plurality of sensors disposed along the coin passage; judging genuineness of the coin based on a detection result; accepting the coin if it is judged as genuine in the judgment and returning the coin if it is judged as counterfeit in the judgment, wherein the plurality of sensors are disposed at a specified interval along the coin passage; the outer diameter of the coin is detected based on a time difference in detection of entry of the coin by each of the plurality of sensors; and the genuineness of the coin is judged based on the detection result.
Here, it can be configured such that the plurality of sensors are at least three sensors, and the outer diameter of the coin is detected by comparing a preset reference value with a ratio between a time one, which is a time from when a first sensor among the three sensors first detects entry of the coin to when a second sensor among the three sensors secondly detects entry of the coin, and a time two, which is a time from when the first sensor detects entry of the coin to when a third sensor among the three sensors thirdly detects entry of the coin.
The coin passage can be configured to have a base which is inclined at a specified angle toward a direction perpendicular to a coin rolling direction.
Also, the invention provides a money screening method comprising the steps of: detecting features of a coin rolling through a coin passage by a at least one sensor disposed along the coin passage; judging genuineness of the coin based on a detection result; accepting the coin if it is judged as genuine in the judgment and returning the coin if it is judged as counterfeit in the judgment, wherein an output of the sensor is summarized to a specific number of data; the summarized data is converted to basic pattern data; the converted basic pattern data is compared with reference data which has been set in advance for each money type; and genuineness of the coin is judged based on a comparison result.
Here, the summarization can be implemented by selecting a specified number of data out of change points where the output of the sensor changes from ascending to descending and from descending to ascending, and the conversion is implemented by rearranging the summarized data in specified sequence.
The genuineness judgment of the coin can be implemented based on a discrete value indicating a difference between the basic pattern data for each one of multiple items and the reference data and a sum of the discrete values corresponding to all of the multiple items.
The comparison can be performed also for the reference data corresponding to a counterfeit coin similar to a genuine coin; and when the result of the comparison is judged as applicable to both of the genuine coin and the counterfeit coin, the coin is judged as applicable to the genuine coin or the counterfeit coin for which approximity is higher in the comparison result.
Also, the invention provides a money screening method comprising the steps of: detecting features of
Aso Tsunehiro
Itako Eiji
Iwakawa Kunio
Yamada Jun
Yoshizawa Genzo
Bartuska F. J.
Hogan & Hartson LLP
Kabushiki Kaisha Nippon Conlux
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