Mars, Incorporated

Mei, Inc.

Crane Payment Innovations Gmbh

Didier Rossel

Christian Voser

Derek Hutchinson

Gaston Baudat

Gregory John Billington

Bob MacKenzie

Carl Alexander Phillips

Bernard Bouchet

A method of controlling a banknote store comprising at least one winding means and at least one elongate support means which can be wound and/or unwound from the winding means for storing and/or transporting a banknote, comprises determining the radius or diameter of a spool comprising at least the winding means using the degree of rotation of the winding means and the corresponding linear amount of movement of the elongate support means.

Banknote store

A method and apparatus for securing communications in a currency-handling machine. The method includes generating an encrypted transaction message based on a bill acceptor transaction event, communicating the encrypted transaction message to a transaction controller, decrypting the encrypted transaction message and enabling the bill acceptor to accept bills.

Secure communications for a currency handling machine

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 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

An optical head (,) for sensing banknotes using six different groups of light sources, namely LEDs generating light at six different wavelengths both in the visible range of the spectrum and in the infra-red range of the spectrum. Unitary light guides (,) define the path between linear arrays (,) of the LEDs and the surface of a banknote (,). Diffusely reflected light is separately collected by a pin diode detector array (,). Both the LEDs and the detectors are commonly mounted on a single printed circuit board (,). The light sources (,) are arranged to shine directly into the light-receiving end of each light guide, which are unitary and allow the light to mix and spread within in order to provide a homogeneous illumination. The detectors (,) are optically isolated and detect discrete areas on the banknote transport path.

Growing community of inventors

Grand-Lancy, Switzerland

Didier Rossel