AU737427B3 - High intelligence bank note reader with function of multi-spectral sensor auto note face searching and UV counterfeit detection - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Patty Patent High Intelligence Banknote Reader With function of Auto Face Searching and UV Counterfeit Detection The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: High Intelligence Banknote Reader With function of Auto Face Searching and UV Counterfeit Detection BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention The Banknote Reader is a microprocessor-based testing apparatus that has an array of sensors to collect the optical characteristics of a banknote. It compares these results with the databases of characteristics for the country's currency stored in its memory.

Determination includes the banknote' artwork, ink coloration and paper material etc. Once it has determined that the bank note is a legitimate currency, it then finds out the denomination of the banknote and sends an appropriate signal to main computer, which in turn dispenses the appropriate credits, services or products.

Multi Sensor Auto Face Searching and UV counterfeit detection is an invention for such testing apparatus to raise operating efficiency and security.

2. Description of the prior art A known type of such testing apparatus is the Armatic AL07 banknote validator. A pair of single light guides in this arrangement deliver light from different groups of LEDs, and the reflected light is collected and sensed via the same light guide. The reading detectors are spaced amongst the LEDs arranged in a linear array at the distal end of each of the light guides. Again, all of the reading photo-transistors receive light reflected from all cross the illuminated strip of banknote, and the optical characteristics of discrete areas of the banknote are not sensed. The arrangement is used in such a way that the spectral response received from the banknote is integrated over the whole banknote. Another testing apparatus of this kind is Coges TP95 banknote reader, in which a banknote is optically scanned by an LED array with non-symmetry in spectral range. For both types of above, optical scanning of four direction of insertion of the banknote is required to generate banknote database.

US Pat. Nos. 3761876 and 4319137, UK Pat. App. No. 2309299, Swiss Pat. No. 661603, European Pat. App. No.109490 and 198819, all describe optical sensing with spectral range above 430 NM Wavelength. There were no UV detection to check the banknote' paper material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a banknote reader, comprises of a transport system for transporting the banknote at a moving rate of 1 millimeter a step under the control of the CPU. It also comprises of two measuring systems, the measuring system No.1 includes a (1) light source of a LED array which is symmetrical in spectral and intensity, a photosensitive detector array for line by line optical scanning of the banknote at spectral range between 590nm and 940nm, the measuring system No. 2 including an ultra violet (UV) light source and a filtered photosensitive detector for optical scanning of the banknote at spectral of 300nm to check the banknote' paper material. The banknote reader also comprises an evaluation device connected to those detectors in measuring system. This device is for converting detected signal into measurement values, and storing them in memory for providing a database for comparison of all respective directions of insertion of the banknote and also for providing a database for CPU to determine if the checked banknote I0 is a legality banknote.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.1 shows a testing apparatus in section in reading a banknote.

FIG.2 shows a banknote moving straight along the both left and right side guides, read by measurement system No. 1.

FIG.3 shows a banknote moving straight along the both left and right side guides, read by measurement system No. 2.

FIG.4 shows a view of a checked banknote and a sample note with a read-out area.

shows a banknote having four possible direction of insertion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFFERED EMBODIMENTS In Fig.1, A banknote reader 1 includes a transport system comprises flat belts 12, pulleys 11 and a stepping motor 13. Conveyance of the banknote 10 is ensured by four belts 12 driven by a stepping motor 13, the banknote 10 moves straight forward in direction 14 along two side guides 18. The distance between two side guides is predetermined by the width of the country's banknote. The stepping motor moves at 1.7 degree a step which conveyance the banknote at 1mm each step.

A banknote reader 1 includes an evaluation device 2 with a memory 9, analogue to digital converter 7 and a computing unit 8. The banknote reader 1 also includes two measuring systems, the first measuring system comprises a Light Emitting Diode (LED) array 3 consisting of five pieces of LED and is symmetrical in spectral and intensity when lighted up, and a photosensitive detector array 4; the second measuring system comprises an UV light source 5 and a filtered photosensitive detector 6.

In Fig. 2, the LED array 3 is placed exactly above the photosensitive detector array 4 with 1mm opening 17, in which the banknote 10 is passing though. The LED array 3 consists five pieces of LED with equal apart, the whole measuring system is placed on the center of the banknote moving path. The LED array 3 is symmetrical in predetermined spectral and intensity. The optical configuration of the banknote 10 of the predetermined set of nominal values determined the spectra! range of the measuring system, there are four different spectral range in the banknote reader 1, they are yellow, red, infrared and ultra violet.

In Fig.2, the five LED, from right to left, are yellow, red, infrared, red and yellow respectively.

(2) The usual banknote 10 of each nominal value comprise a predetermined sheet of paper and have a predetermined colored pattern printed on both sides. The light beam 16 of the LED array 3 which passes through the banknote 10 is attenuated and altered in respect of spectral distribution in a predetermined manner by the transparency of the paper and the patterns and by any security thread that may be provided. For particular spot of a banknote 10, the attenuation is equal whatever the LED light beam through the spot from this side of the banknote or another side. As long as there is no banknote 10 in the opening 17, the photosensitive detector array 4 register the intensity and the spectral distribution of LED array 3. In the evaluation device 2, the signal has a reference level Eo which is particular to each LED spectral range. (see Fig.2) When transport system pushing a banknote passing through the measuring system No. 1, the signal level falls away markedly from the reference level Eo, when the banknote leaving the measuring system No.l, the signal level raises back to reference level Eo. As long as the banknote reader 1 detected the signal level falls below reference level Eo, it proceeds the measuring operation that light up each LED and send the correspondent measuring signal to evaluation device 2, successively from right LED to left and line after line.

In the evaluation device 2, the computing unit 4 receives five instantaneous value of the signal E in each stepping movement of the transport system until the banknote leave the measuring system No.1. Fig 4 shows a banknote with a read-out map, in which, each line has five read-out points, the distance between adjacent line is one stepping movement 1mm. Total number of lines N depends on the length of the banknote 10 to be checked, and the total number of the measurement equals total number of line times five. These measurement values are stored in the memory 9 successively.

The banknote reader 1 compares the measurement value in respect of transparency of a banknote 10 with pattern values of a predetermined set of nominal value which are stored in the memory 9. For the purposes of determining the length of a banknote 10, the computing unit 3 investigates whether the number of line N is identical to the N values for each nominal value of the predetermined set. If the banknote 10 is of the same length as one from the predetermined set of nominal value, then, the evaluation device 2 compares each measurement from the banknote 10 with the measurement from the predetermined set of nominal value. A correlation value is computed from the X difference in respect of each of the predetermined spectral range and compared to a limit value set at a predetermined magnitude. The banknote 10 only recognized as the nominal value if the correlation value is above the limit value thereof, if that condition is not met, the banknote is rejected as unidentifiable.

The predetermined set of measurement values in memory 9 can be produced by the banknote reader 1 itself from reading off banknote 10 from a predetermined set of the predetermined nominal value. It is also possible to provide for transfer of the pattern values stored in the memory 9 from a banknote reader 1 to a personal computer. Then, the personal computer transfers the pattern value to other of the same design configuration.

For a particular spot on the banknote, the attenuation for the light beam 15 is fixed, and (3) the measurement value E had by evaluation device from this spot is equal whatever LED light beam passing through the spot from which side of the banknote. Therefor the computing unit 8 advantageously compares each measurement value of the checked banknote with each measurement value called up from the memory in four different sequences.

When comparison proceeding, let's say after scanning, the banknote reader 1 generates 105 measurement values on an inserted banknote 10 (see fig.4). We don't know the direction of a inserted banknote will be (see fig. So suppose the banknote to be inserted in FACE ONE (see fig. We compare these 105 points of data with 105 points of data in database respectively. I.e. 1' to 1, 2' to to 105. If the comparison result tell us that the correlation value is above the limit value, then we can say that the banknote inserted is in direction of FACE 1. But if the comparison fails then we have to take the next step.

This time we suppose the note to be inserted in FACE 2.

We compare 1' to 5, 2' to 4, 101' to 105, and 102' to 104, if comparison passes, then we find that the banknote inserted is in direction of FACE 2. If not passed then proceed to the next step.

This time we suppose the note to be inserted in FACE 3.

We compare 105' to 1, 104' to 2, 102' to 4, 101' to comparison passes, then we find that the banknote inserted in direction of FACE 3. if not, then take the final step.

We compare 101' to 1, 102' to 2,104' to 4, 105' to comparison passes, we say the note is inserted in direction of FACE 4, if not passed, we reject this note as unidentifiable.

In that way, the banknote reader 1 recognizes banknote 10 irrespective of one of four possible direction of insertion, but the database in memory 9, the measurement value is converted from only one direction of insertion of the banknote. Compare to other types of banknote reader which needs storing measurement value from all possible direction of insertion, it largely raised operating efficiency.

Measuring system No. 2 comprises an ultra violet light source 5 and a filtered photosensitive detector 6. When the transport system push a banknote 10 passing through the UV light beam 16, if it is a counterfeit, in which, the fluorescence object will reflect a blue light. The detector is pre-adjusted sensitive to this spectral range. When it detects a blue light coming from a banknote 10, it sends a measurement value E which is greater than the reference value Eo (see fig.5) to evaluation device 2. As soon as the evaluation device 2 detects E greater than Eo, the banknote reader 1 rejects the banknote 10 as a suspected counterfeit.

(4)

Claims (3)

1. The banknote reader with function of Auto Face Searching and UV Counterfeit detection comprising: a transport system for transporting the banknote; a measuring system No. 1 including a photosensitive detector array and a light emitting diode array for line-by-line optical scanning of the banknote at a predetermined spectral range to check artwork, ink coloration; a measuring system No.2 including a UV light source and a filtered photosensitive detector for optical scanning of the banknote to check its paper material; an evaluation device connected to the photosensitive detector, for converting signals from the detector into measurement value; Wherein the measuring system No.1 comprises a LED array which is symmetrical in spectral range and intensity when lighted up, the LED array is placed exactly above the photosensitive detector array-Wth one millimeter opening, wherein the measurement systemNo.2 comprises an ultra violet light source which is also placed above a photosensitive detector with one millimeter opening, wherein the transport system com3hses fpur flat timing belts driven by a stepping motor, wherein the translo3t-_ystem c6tveyances a banknote in the opening and pushes it through the LED array light beam and UV light beam, wherein the both detectors are arranged to collect light which shines through the banknote in the read-out area and to produce signals representative of transparency of the banknote and spectral changing over the read-out area, and wherein the evaluation device receives these signals and is operable to form measurement values in respect of transparency in respective spectral range for the read-out area in each scanning operation and to form measurement value in respect of spectral range generated from different paper under UV light source.

2. A banknote reader as set forth in claim 1, wherein the computing unit compares measurement value from the checked banknote with measurement value from sample banknote of one direction of insertion in four different way under the software control, first the computing unit compares measurement value from the checked banknote with sample database without any data location changing, if the checked banknote is unidentifiable then the computing unit relocates these measurement value in memory from FACE 1 insertion format to FACE 2, then does comparison, if the checked banknote is unidentifiable again, the computing unit then relocates the measurement value in memory from FACE 2 insertion format to FACE 3, then does comparison, if the checked banknote is still unidentifiable, the computing unit finally relocates measurement value in memory from FACE 3 insertion format to FACE 4, then does comparison, if the checked banknote is unidentifiable, the banknote reader return this banknote.

3. A banknote reader as set forth in claim 1, including an Ultra Violet light source and a photosensitive detector with a filter which has a predetermined spectral transmission characteristic, the detector only having a sensitivity to light whose spectral range is restricted by the filter. JIHENG LIU JUN 23, 2001