Check-actuated control mechanisms – Including means to test validity of check – By testing material composition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-17
2001-12-11
Bidwell, James R. (Department: 3652)
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Including means to test validity of check
By testing material composition
C194S328000, C194S334000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328150
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a coin discriminating apparatus and, in particular, to a coin discriminating apparatus for reliably discriminating whether or not coins are acceptable, whether or not coins are damaged to higher than a predetermined level and the denominations of coins by optically detecting coin surface patterns.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Conventionally, it is discriminated whether or not coins are acceptable, namely, whether coins are genuine or counterfeit and whether or not coins are current coins by detecting the diameter, material, thickness and the like of the coins. However, a coin discriminating apparatus for discriminating coins by optically detecting coin surface patterns has been recently proposed in order to improve the discriminating accuracy.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-36661 proposes a coin discriminating apparatus which is provided with a magnetic sensor disposed in a coin passage for detecting magnetic properties of coins, a number of light emitting elements such as light emitting diodes for projecting light onto coins being transported on a transparent passage portion formed in the coin passage from the lower portion and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) for photoelectrically detecting light emitted from the light emitting elements and reflected by the surface of a coin and discriminates whether or not coins are acceptable and the denominations of coins based on image pattern data of coins photoelectrically detected by the CCD and digitized.
One side surface of Euro coins issued following by the currency unification in Europe is formed with a common pattern for each denomination and the other side surface thereof is formed with a pattern which differs depending upon countries issuing Euro coins. Therefore, when Euro coins are required to be classified in accordance with issuing countries of Euro coins in the Federal Banks or the like, since the above-mentioned coin discriminating apparatus discriminates coins by optically only surface patterns of one side of coins, it is impossible to classify Euro coins in accordance with issuing countries of Euro coins.
Further, since the above-mentioned coin discriminating apparatus discriminates coins by optically only surface patterns of one side of coins, even when the coin side surface whose pattern is not detected is damaged to higher than a predetermined level, such a coin cannot be discriminated as a damaged coin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coin discriminating apparatus capable of discriminating whether or not coins are acceptable and the denominations of coins with high accuracy even when coins have a common pattern on one side surface thereof but a different pattern on the other side surface thereof like Euro coins.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coin discriminating apparatus capable of discriminating whether or not coins are damaged to higher than a predetermined level with high accuracy.
The above and other objects of the present invention can be accomplished by a coin discriminating apparatus comprising a first light source for projecting light onto one surface of a coin being transported, a second light source for projecting light onto the other surface of a coin being transported, a first light detecting means for photoelectrically receiving light emitted from the first light source and reflected by the one surface of the coin and producing image pattern data of the one surface of the coin, first pattern data storing means for storing the image pattern data of the one surface of the coin produced by the first light detecting means, a second light detecting means for photoelectrically receiving light emitted from the second light source and reflected by the other surface of the coin and producing image pattern data of the other surface of the coin, second pattern data storing means for storing the image pattern data of the other surface of the coin produced by the second light detecting means, reference data storing means for storing reference data of coins of each denomination, discriminating means for comparing the image pattern data of the one surface of the coin stored in the first pattern data storing means with the reference data of coins of each denomination stored in the reference data storing means and comparing the image pattern data of the other surface of the coin stored in the second pattern data storing means with the reference data of coins of each denomination stored in the reference data storing means, thereby discriminating whether or not the coin is acceptable and the denomination of the coin.
According to the present invention, since the discriminating means discriminates whether or not a coin is acceptable and the denomination of the coin by comparing the image pattern data of the one surface of the coin stored in the first pattern data storing means with the reference data of coins of each denomination stored in the reference data storing means and comparing the image pattern data of the other surface of the coin stored in the second pattern data storing means with the reference data of coins of each denomination stored in the reference data storing means, even when coins such as Euro coins whose one surface pattern is common but whose the other surface pattern is different are to be discriminated, it is possible to reliably discriminate whether or not the coin is acceptable and the denomination of the coin and to sort Euro coins into those of each issuing country when Euro coins are required to be sorted by issuing country.
In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the first light detecting means and the second light detecting means are constituted as color sensor means capable of producing color image data, the reference data storing means stores reference chromaticity data and reference lightness data of coins of each denomination, and the discriminating means further includes first damage degree discriminating means for calculating chromaticity data and lightness data of the one surface of the coin based on R data, G data and B data corresponding to the primaries of light in the image pattern data of the one surface of the coin stored in the first pattern data storing means, comparing the thus calculated chromaticity data and lightness data with the reference chromaticity data and the reference lightness data of coins of each denomination stored in the reference data storing means and discriminating the damage degree of the one surface of the coin and second damage degree discriminating means for calculating chromaticity data and lightness data of the other surface of the coin based on R data, G data and B data corresponding to the primaries of light in the image pattern data of the other surface of the coin stored in the second pattern data storing means, comparing the thus calculated chromaticity data and lightness data with the reference chromaticity data and the reference lightness data of coins of each denomination stored in the reference data storing means and discriminating the damage degree of the other surface of the coin.
According to this preferred aspect of the present invention, since the discriminating means further includes first damage degree discriminating means for calculating chromaticity data and lightness data of the one surface of the coin based on R data, G data and B data corresponding to the primaries of light in the image pattern data of the one surface of the coin stored in the first pattern data storing means, comparing the thus calculated chromaticity data and lightness data with the reference chromaticity data and the reference lightness data of coins of each denomination stored in the reference data storing means and discriminating the damage degree of the one surface of the coin and second damage degree discriminating means for calculating chromaticity data and lightness data of the other surface of the coin based on R data, G data and B data corresponding to the primaries of light in the
Bidwell James R.
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
Laurel Bank Machines Co. Ltd.
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