Mars, Incorporated

Mei, Inc.

Derek Hutchinson

Christian Voser

Didier Rossel

Robert Dean

Peter J Reyner

Richard Douglas Allan

Frank Mars

Bernard Joseph Campbell

Timothy P Waite

Peter R Johnson

Timothy Peter Waite

An oval-shaped sensor is used to measure the material content of the outer ring of a bicolour coin, the coil being mounted on a ferrite whose inner portion has a diameter which is wider than the inner disc of the bicolour coin so that eddy currents are confined to the outer ring. A thickness sensor may be mounted within the oval sensor, and a separate coil is used for measuring the material content of the inner disc. The thickness sensor may also be used for measuring material down to a different depth, for validating clad coins. The oval sensor is used also for diameter measurement.

Coin validator

A module ( ) for sensing the edges of a banknote as it passes through the module. The module consists of an array of LEDs ( ) optically coupled to a light diffusing element ( ) past which the banknote moves. A CCD array ( ) has photoelectric conversion elements coupled to the path in which the banknote moves by a self-focusing fiber-optic lens array ( ). The CCD array consists of four segments ( ) having individual shift registers which are read out in parallel, and converted to digital signals by a number of comparators ( ). The comparators compare the CCD pixel output with individual threshold levels which are stored in a digital memory ( ). The pixel threshold levels are converted to an analog signal for comparison with the CCD output signals by digital to analog converters ( ). The digital data streams produced are divided into series of data which are analyzed to determine the presence of an optical transition in the corresponding pixel series of the CCD arrays. If a transition is identified, the location of the pixel series is transmitted to a memory ( ) for use in banknote validation.

Apparatus for detecting an edge of a document

A document validator includes a document path along which a document is conveyed and an inductive sensor for sensing features of the document. The sensor has a first inductive element disposed on a first side of a plane of the document path and a second inductive element disposed on a second side of the plane of the document path. Circuitry coupled to an output of the inductive sensor processes signals relating to a determination of at least one of the presence, authenticity and denomination of the inserted document. The sensor need not physically contact a document, such as a banknote, as it is conveyed along the document path.

Document validator having an inductive sensor

A module (,) for sensing the edges of a banknote as it passes through the module. The module consists of an array of LEDs (,) optically coupled to a light diffusing element (,) past which the banknote moves. A CCD array (,) has photoelectric conversion elements coupled to the path in which the banknote moves by a self-focusing fibre-optic lens array (,). The CCD array consists of four segments (,) having individual shift registers which are read out in parallel, and converted to digital signals by a number of comparators (,). The comparators compare the CCD pixel output with individual threshold levels which are stored in a digital memory (,). The pixel threshold levels are converted to an analog signal for comparison with the CCD output signals by digital to analog converters (,). The digital data streams produced are divided into series of data which are analysed to determine the presence of an optical transition in the corresponding pixel series of the CCD arrays. If a transition is identified, the location of the pixel series is transmitted to a memory (,) for use in banknote validation.

Apparatus for determining the location of an edge of a document

A photoelectric measurement is made by charging (or discharging) a capacitor at a charge rate dependent on the intensity of the light received by a sensor. The time taken for the charge level to change by a predetermined amount is measured, and the operation is repeated, with the time intervals being accumulated, for a number of times, the number being dependent on the charge rate, so as to enhance resolution of high-intensity measurements. A single comparator is used to detect when the charge level passes through a first level, to initiate the timing, and through a second level, to stop the timing, by altering the threshold level so as to avoid errors due to varying propagation delays.

Photoelectric measurement method and apparatus and banknote validation

Money validation system using acceptance criteria

A coin testing apparatus subjects a coin inserted into a coin entry (1) and rolling down an inclined track (2) to testing at a testing station (3) comprising sensors (4,5,6) which may for example be inductive sensors. If a coin is found to be acceptable an accept signal is generated and this causes gate mechanism (8) to open to permit the coin to access accept path (9), the gate mechanism (8) being normally closed so that unacceptable coins can only access a reject path (10). A post-gate detector (11) in the accept path (9) senses the passage of an accepted coin and serves to close the gate mechanism (8) and also to determine allocation of a customer credit. A pre-gate detector (12) upstream of the gate mechanism (8) has its output logically processed with the accept signal produced when an acceptable coin is tested and/or with the output of the post-gate detector (11).

Growing community of inventors

Wokingham, United Kingdom

Derek Hutchinson