The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 30, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 12, 1997
Masataka Takahashi, Matsudo, JP;
Keiji Tsuji, Chiba-ken, JP;
Laurel Bank Machines Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A coin discriminating apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting elements for projecting light onto a coin, a light receiver for optically detecting light reflected by the coin, and a scattering member, disposed on an opposite side of the coin from a light receiver, for scattering light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements. The light receiver receives light reflected by the coin and light scattered by the scattering member and produces pattern data. The coin discriminating apparatus further includes a coin discriminator for detecting a diameter of the coin based on the pattern data produced by the light receiver, tentatively determining a denomination of the coin, and comparing the pattern data of the coin produced by the light receiver with reference pattern data of a coin of the tentatively determined denomination. It is therefore possible to discriminate coins with high accuracy by optically detecting the pattern of obverse or reverse surfaces of the coins, even if dust and the like adhere to the side surfaces of the coins.