Money Controls, Inc.

Coin Controls Limited

Andrew William Barson

Kevin Mulvey

Malcolm Reginald Hallas Bell

John Ashby

Les Hutton

Malcolm Bell

Secure data transfer apparatus comprising a first device to be mounted in a housing in a predetermined normal configuration for normal operation wherein secure data transfer takes place between the first device and a second device in the housing, the first device including a detector configured to detect when the first device is placed in a predetermined initialization configuration different from the normal configuration and to enable an initialization data transfer between the devices for permitting normal operation to occur thereafter in said normal configuration.

Apparatus and method for enabling a transfer of data

An acceptor device for sheet objects such as banknotes, comprises a sensor to derive data corresponding to a spatial array of data samples from a face of a sheet object, said data being configured in a sampling frame that lies within a range of positional relationships to a reference frame. The acceptor device also comprises a processor operable to process the data to determine the relationship between the reference frame and the sampling frame for the sensed data, and being operable to transform pre-selected regions of the sensed data from the sampling frame so as to correspond to data in the reference frame, and to make a comparison of the transformed data with reference data corresponding to the pre-selected regions in the reference frame and to the sheet object depending on the outcome of the comparison.

Acceptor device for sheet objects

A banknote acceptor for authenticating a banknote, has a sensing station S with detectorthat produces image signals corresponding to a face the banknote. A processorpre-processes the image signals and compares them with stored reference data corresponding to an acceptable banknote from memoryto determining the authenticity of the banknote and its denomination. A display devicedisplays an imagecorresponding to the banknote under test based on the image signals from the detector, to allow the user to perform a visual check that the banknote detected at the sensing station corresponds to the banknote under test presented by the user. Also, the detected denomination of the banknote is displayed on device. The user can accept or reject the banknote using buttonsand, and retrieve images of previously accepted banknotes with button

Banknote acceptor with visual checking

An acceptor for money items such as coins or banknotes produces a money item parameter signal (x) depending on a sensed characteristic of the money item. A store () provides window data corresponding to normal acceptance ranges of values of the parameter signal for a money item of a particular denomination (NAW), as well as restricted acceptance windows (RAW). A processor () determines when an occurrence of the parameter signal (x) may represent a fraudulent money item and then for subsequent sensed money items compares the value of the parameter signals (x) with the restricted acceptance range (RAW). The RAW range is used until n successive true coins are inserted or a time t has lapsed. After a fraudulent attempt, the values of n and t are increased so that a fraudster cannot then insert n true coins or wait a time t and attempt another fraudulent coin insertion. Also, a focused rejection window (FRW) rejects coins with suspiciously close parameter signals, which could form part of a counterfeit set.

Money item acceptor with enhanced security

A coin validator includes improved compensation circuitry for compensating for ambient conditions such as temperature or the presence of metallic objects, includes a path (1) for passage for coins under test, sensor coils (2, 3, 4) which form an inductive coupling with coins under test during their passage along the path, detectors (DM1, ADC) responsive to the impedance presented by the coil in the absence of a coin, for producing an ambient condition signal which is a function of an ambient condition such as temperature of the presence of metallic objects a controller (MPU 17) responsive to the inductive coupling between a coin travelling along the path past the coil, for providing signal which is a function of a characteristic of the coin, and a microprocessor (MPU) for modifying operation of the controller in dependence upon the ambient condition signal.

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Stockport, United Kingdom

Andrew William Barson