Cummins-allison Corporation

Eastman-kodak Company

Danny D Yang

Tomasz Marek Jagielinski

Araz Yacoubian

Frank M Csulits

David J Mecklenburg

Jay D Freeman

Frederick J Jeffers

Matthew Tomor

George S Krastev

Douglas U Mennie

Mathew Tomor

Gary P Watts

Howard Choi

Tomasz M Jagielinksi

Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with a coin input area for receiving coins and coin receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The disk-type coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to the coins, and a sorting head having a lower surface adjacent the rotatable disk. The lower surface forms various shaped regions for guiding the coins, under the motion imparted by the rotatable disk, to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A linear array of sensors is mounted to the sorting head and/or the rotatable disk. The sensors examine each coin on the rotatable disk and output a signal indicative of coin image information for processing the coin.

Systems, methods and devices for processing coins with linear array of coin imaging sensors

Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, coin imaging sensor assemblies and methods of making and methods of using the same are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with a coin input area for receiving coins and coin receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit, which is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles, includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to coins, and a sorting head for separating and discharging coins to the coin receptacles. A sensor assembly is mounted to, adjacent or within the sorting head adjacent the rotatable disk. The sensor assembly includes a linear array of sensors, wherein the linear array of sensors is configured to sense coins processed by the coin processing unit, and to output a signal indicative of coin image information for processing the coins.

Systems, methods and devices for processing batches of coins utilizing coin imaging sensor assemblies

Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with an input area for receiving coins and receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to coins, and a sorting head adjacent the rotatable disk with shaped regions for guiding moving coins to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A sensor arrangement mounted adjacent the rotatable disk includes one light emitting device for emitting light onto a coin surface at near-normal incidence. A photodetector senses light reflected off the coin surface and outputs a coin-image signal for processing the coin.

Systems, methods and devices for processing coins utilizing normal or near-normal and/or high-angle of incidence lighting

Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with an input area for receiving coins and receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to coins, and a sorting head adjacent the rotatable disk with shaped regions for guiding moving coins to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A sensor arrangement mounted adjacent the rotatable disk includes one light emitting device for emitting light onto a coin surface at near-normal incidence, and another light emitting device for emitting light onto the coin surface at high-angle incidence. A photodetector senses light reflected off the coin surface and outputs a coin-image signal for processing the coin.

Systems, methods and devices for processing coins utilizing near-normal and high-angle of incidence lighting

A document processing device includes a controller and a sensor arrangement. The sensor arrangement illuminates a surface of documents. The gradient index lens array collects light reflected from the documents and transmits at least a portion of the collected reflected light onto a photodetector array. The photodetector array generates one or more electrical signals in response to a gradient index lens transmitting light thereon. The controller derives data including image data from the one or more electrical signals. The image data is reproducible as a visually readable image of the surface of the documents. The visually readable image has a resolution such that alphanumeric characters can be extracted from the visually readable image in response to the document remaining within a depth of field of the gradient index lens array while being transported via the transport mechanism. The depth of field is at least about 0.03 inches.

Optical imaging sensor for a document processing device

According to some embodiments of the invention, a magnetic sensor having a track width of greater than about 50 millimeters is provided. The magnetic sensor is adapted to detect a magnetic feature and produce a linear, analog output in response to the magnetic feature. The analog output is along a single data channel.

Currency discrimination system and method

A method of fabricating a stable, self-biased paired MR (magnetoresistive) sensor comprising the steps of depositing a first MR film with a diffusion barrier layer on either side on a substrate; depositing an oxide passivation/spacer layer on top of the first MR structure; depositing a second MR film with a diffusion barrier layer on either side on the spacer layer; depositing an oxide passivation layer on top of the second MR structure; wherein the MR films are deposited with induced uniaxial anisotropy; and thermal annealing both MR films to stabilize their anisotropy field.

Method for fabricating stable magnetoresistive sensors

A process for forming dielectric thin film coating suitable for use in magnetic thin film heads includes the application of a spin-on-glass material on a substrate, the spinning of the substrate, the preheating of the substrate and thin film to remove the solvents in the spin-on-glass material, and the heating in a reducing or in an inert atmosphere of the film to provide a conversion to a SiO.sub.2 film. The reducing and the inert atmospheres permit carbon to be left in the film. The presence of the carbon improves structural properties of the thin films.

Process for planarizing substrate surfaces for magnetic thin film heads

A shorted DMR reproduce head includes two substantially identical MR elements, separated by a thin film of titanium nitride having a resistivity of 1000 .mu..OMEGA.-cm. Signal loss due to current shunting in the shorted DMR head is significantly reduced by use of the titanium nitride film.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Danny D Yang