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:
Jan. 22, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 22, 1999
Larry J. House, Columbus, OH (US);
Richard J. Davis, Columbus, OH (US);
Japan Tobacco Inc., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A coin discriminating apparatus which permits easy and reliable determination and identification of coins with the use of eddy currents induced in coins by an electromagnetic field. The electromagnetic field varies depending on the material, thickness, etc. of the coin, and the impedance of the coil varies under the influence of the induced eddy current. Eddy current induction coils are successively excited to apply a high-frequency electromagnetic field to the coin over an entire surface thereof, and impedances of the eddy current induction coils, which vary under the influence of the eddy current induced in the coin by the high-frequency electromagnetic field, are measured to obtain information on surface displacement irregularities of a stamp pattern on the coin surface. Also, a low-frequency electromagnetic field is applied to the coin by using the eddy current induction coils, and impedances of the individual coils, which vary under the influence of the eddy current induced in the coin by the low-frequency electromagnetic field, are measured to obtain information on the material of the coin and to perform coin discrimination. Features of the stamp pattern in particular, which are represented by surface displacement irregularities, are acquired in the form of a histogram showing impedance along the abscissa and the numbers of coils along the ordinate with outputs in specified ranges along the ordinate.