JP2003220780A - Medium characteristic detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a medium characteristic detection device on a medium mixed with the resonator of electric conductive fibers and the like capable of obtaining the permeation characteristic of an electromagnetic wave in transport direction almost without being affected by the deviation even when the transport position of the medium in a transport path is deviated to cross direction. <P>SOLUTION: A medium characteristic detection device 10 detects a transmitted wave in the other side of a medium 1 by irradiating a microwave to the other side of the medium 1 transported in a transport path. Thereby, it always enables to detect the transmitted wave transmitted the medium 1 to cross direction even when the transfer position of the medium 1 in the transfer path is derived to the cross direction of the medium 1. Therefore, the permeation characteristic of the transfer direction of the medium can be obtained almost without being affected by the deviation even when the transport position of the medium 1 in the transport path is deviated to cross direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medium characteristic detecting device for detecting the electromagnetic wave transmission characteristics of a medium mixed with a resonator such as a conductive fiber, and more particularly to a medium characteristic detection apparatus using the electromagnetic wave transmission characteristic detected from the medium. The present invention relates to a medium characteristic detection device that determines the authenticity of a medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a medium such as paper money such as banknotes and securities, resin cards such as credit cards and cash cards, and the like are mixed with a resonator such as a conductive fiber in a base material of the medium, On the other hand, there has been proposed a device that detects a reflected wave or a transmitted wave when an electromagnetic wave (microwave) is applied to determine the authenticity of the medium.

The resonator resonates when it is irradiated with a microwave of a specific frequency. The microwave frequency at which the resonator resonates is determined by the length of the resonator. The base material of the medium is molded from a raw material mixed with a large number of resonators. Even shaped media are different.

In the conventional apparatus, as shown in FIG. 6, with respect to the medium 50 being conveyed through the conveying path, a specific frequency (frequency at which the resonator mixed in the medium 50 resonates) is provided on the upper surface of the medium 50. ), The reflected wave from the medium 50 (see FIG. 6A) or the transmitted wave of the medium 50 (see FIG. 6B) was detected.

Reference numeral 51 shown in FIG. 6 is a microwave generator for outputting microwaves, and 52 is a microwave detection sensor for detecting microwaves.

When a microwave mixed with the medium 50 is applied to the resonator, the resonator resonates, and a peak appears in a reflected wave (or a transmitted wave) from the medium 50. FIG. 7 shows the relationship between the magnitude of the microwave detected by the microwave detection sensor 52 and the position of the medium 50 in the transport direction. The resonator exists at the position where the peak appears in FIG. As described above, regarding the number of resonators mixed in and the position where the resonators are present,
Since each medium 50 is different, the waveform shown in FIG. 7 is also different for each medium 50.

When the medium 50 is issued, the waveform shown in FIG. 7 is detected, and characteristic amount data indicating the characteristics of this waveform, for example, the size of the waveform, the way the waveform changes, and the position at which the waveform changes are recorded in the medium 50. The data is recorded on the IC chip or magnetic stripe provided in the.

The authenticity of the medium 50 is determined based on the characteristic amount data recorded at the time of issuing and the waveform detected this time shown in FIG.

[0009]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, a part of the upper surface of the medium 50 is irradiated with the microwave and the reflected wave (or the transmitted wave) at that time is detected. The width of the irradiation area irradiated with microwaves is several mm
Is. For this reason, if the transport position of the medium 50 with respect to the transport path shifts in the width direction of the medium 50 (direction A-B shown in FIG. 8), the microwave irradiation area of the medium 50 changes accordingly. For example, when the medium 50 shifts in the A direction by X mm, the microwave irradiation area of the medium 50 shifts in the B direction by X mm. When the microwave irradiation area is shifted, the detected waveforms are different even for the same medium 50, and therefore there is a high possibility that the true medium will be erroneously determined as a counterfeit medium in the true / false determination of the medium 50. There was a problem that the accuracy was not good.

In order to make the microwave irradiation area at the time of issuing the characteristic amount data extraction coincide with the microwave irradiation area at the time of authenticity determination, the conveyance accuracy of the medium 50 in the conveyance path is extremely high. The accuracy must be ensured, which raises a problem of increasing the cost of the apparatus body.

An object of the present invention is to provide a medium in which a resonator such as a conductive fiber is mixed, even if the transport position of the medium in the transport path shifts in the width direction, it is hardly affected by the shift, and the transport direction is almost zero. An object of the present invention is to provide a medium characteristic detecting device capable of acquiring the transmission characteristic of electromagnetic waves in the above.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a medium characteristic detecting device which improves the accuracy of authenticity discrimination of a medium containing a resonator such as a conductive fiber.

[0013]

The medium characteristic detecting device of the present invention has the following constitution in order to solve the above problems.

(1) Conveying means for conveying a medium, irradiating means for irradiating an electromagnetic wave to one side surface of the medium conveyed by the conveying means, and a transmitted wave from the other side surface of the medium is detected. The transmission wave detection means and the transmission characteristic acquisition means for acquiring the transmission characteristic of the medium in the transport direction from the transmission wave detected by the transmission wave detection means.

In this structure, the irradiating means irradiates the one side surface of the medium being conveyed by the conveying means with the microwave, and the transmitted wave detecting means detects the transmitted wave from the other side surface of the medium. The transmitted wave detecting means detects the transmitted wave transmitted through the medium in the width direction. The width direction mentioned here is a direction substantially perpendicular to the transport direction of the medium by the transport means.

Further, since the conveying means conveys the medium, the transmitted wave detecting means continuously detects the transmitted wave so that the magnitude of the transmitted wave with respect to the position of the medium in the conveying direction is changed. Can be acquired as the transmission characteristic of

Since the transmitted wave detecting means detects the transmitted wave transmitted through the medium in the width direction as described above, the transmitted wave can be detected even if the conveyance position of the medium in the conveyance path shifts in the width direction of the medium. The means always detects the transmitted wave that has passed through the medium in the width direction. Therefore, even if the transport position of the medium in the transport path shifts in the width direction, the transmission characteristic of the medium in the transport direction can be acquired with little influence of the shift.

Further, since it is not necessary to make the conveyance accuracy of the medium in the conveyance path highly accurate, there is no problem of increasing the cost of the apparatus main body.

(2) A genuine / counterfeit discriminating means for discriminating the authenticity of the medium is provided by using the transmission characteristic of the medium obtained by the transmitting characteristic obtaining means.

With this configuration, since the authenticity of the medium is determined by using the transmission characteristic of the medium in the carrying direction obtained in (1) above, it is possible to improve the accuracy of determining the authenticity of the medium.

(3) A roller for pressing at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the medium conveyed by the conveying means in the width direction is provided.
The electromagnetic wave emitted from the irradiating means is arranged at a position along the contact position between the roller and the medium, in the vicinity of the contact position.

In this structure, since the roller is pressed against the medium, the folds and wrinkles of the medium can be extended in the vicinity of the contact position between the roller and the medium. The electromagnetic wave emitted from the irradiation means travels in the vicinity of the contact position along the contact position between the roller and the medium, so that there is no bending or wrinkling of the medium in the traveling path of the electromagnetic wave, and there is no breakage of the medium. The transmission characteristics of the medium in the transport direction can be acquired with almost no influence of wrinkles.

Considering the influence of the roller on the transmitted wave detected by the transmitted wave detecting means, it is preferable that the material of the roller is a non-metal, and the particularly preferable material of the roller is that when the microwave is transmitted. Low loss polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fused silica, or polystyrene.

[0024]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION First, a medium in which a resonator such as a conductive fiber is mixed will be described. The medium referred to here is, for example, paper sheets such as banknotes and securities, and resin cards such as credit cards and cash cards.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a medium in which a resonator such as a conductive fiber is mixed. A magnetic stripe 2 for recording magnetic data is formed on the surface of the medium 1 (see FIG. 1A). When the medium 1 is issued, the characteristic amount data described later is recorded on the magnetic stripe 2.

A fibrous resonator 3 is mixed in the base material of the medium 1 as shown in FIG. 1 (B). The resonator 3 exists inside the base material and is not visible from the outside. The resonator 3 mixed in the base material may be a magnetic material or a non-magnetic material. It is preferable that the resonator 3 is relatively inexpensive and is resistant to rust. The non-magnetic resonator 3 is preferably fibrous non-magnetic stainless steel, fibrous copper or fibrous aluminum, and the magnetic resonator 3 is preferably fibrous magnetic stainless steel or fibrous nickel.

Assuming that the length of the resonator 3 mixed in the base material of the medium 1 is L, the resonator 3 is irradiated with microwaves (electromagnetic waves) whose wavelength λ is λ = 2 × L. Resonates when played. For this reason, the medium 1 in which the resonators 3 having different lengths are mixed in the base material has different resonance characteristics depending on the difference in the frequency of the irradiated microwaves. Therefore, all the resonators 3 having the same length are used as the base material. Forgery can be made more difficult than with the mixed medium 1.
Therefore, by making the lengths of the resonators 3 mixed in the base material not all the same, but different lengths,
Security can be improved.

Here, in order to make the configuration of the medium characteristic detecting device of this embodiment easy to understand, the medium 1 in which all the resonators 3 mixed in the base material have the same length will be described below as an example.

The medium 1 is a raw material of its base material, for example, a viscous raw material in which pulp is melted for paper sheets, and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) for resin cards.
A large number of resonators 3 are mixed in a viscous raw material in which a resin is melted, the raw material is sufficiently stirred, and then printing or a magnetic stripe 2 is added to a formed base material. Therefore, even if the base material is the medium 1 molded from the same raw material, the number of resonators 3 existing in the base material and the position of the resonator 3 in the base material are different.

Next, a medium characteristic detecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the medium characteristic detecting device according to the embodiment of the present invention. The medium characteristic detection device 10 of this embodiment includes a control unit 11 that controls the operation of the main body, a transport unit 12 that transports the medium 1 in which the resonator 3 such as a conductive fiber is mixed, and a transport unit 12.
An electromagnetic wave detection unit 13 for irradiating a microwave (microwave) on one side surface of the medium 1 that is being conveyed and detecting the microwave emitted from the other side surface of the medium 1.

The transport section 12 has a transport path for transporting the medium 1, and a transport control section 12a for controlling the transport of the medium 1 on the transport path, and a transport position of the medium 1 transported on the transport path. The position sensor 12b and the characteristic amount data reading unit 12c for reading the characteristic amount data recorded on the magnetic stripe 2 of the medium 1 are provided.

If the characteristic amount data reading section 12c is provided with a function of recording the characteristic amount data on the magnetic stripe 2 of the medium 1, it can be used as an apparatus for issuing the medium 1.

The electromagnetic wave detecting section 13 includes a microwave generator 13a for irradiating the side surface of the medium 1 conveyed through the conveying path with a microwave of a specific frequency, and a microwave generator 13a.
A microwave detection sensor 13b that detects a microwave that has been transmitted from the medium 1 and is transmitted through the medium 1 in the width direction;
The detection signal processing unit 13c that processes the detection signal (analog signal) of the microwave detection sensor 13b and converts it to a digital signal. The detection signal processing unit 13c uses the transport position of the medium 1 detected by the position sensor 12b to determine the relationship between the position in the transport direction of the medium 1 and the magnitude of the microwave transmitted through the medium 1 in the width direction (referred to in the present invention. , The transmission characteristic of the medium in the transport direction) is acquired and converted into a digital signal.

FIG. 3 shows a part of the conveying path of the medium 1 in the medium characteristic detecting device 1 of this embodiment. 3A is a top view of the medium transport path, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3A. Microwave generator 1
3a and the microwave detection sensor 13b are arranged opposite to each other with the transport path of the medium 1 interposed therebetween. Microwave generator 13
A straight line connecting a and the microwave detection sensor 13b (the traveling path of the microwave output from the microwave generator 13a)
Is substantially perpendicular to the transport direction of the medium 1. Medium 1
Are transported along the transport path by a plurality of transport rollers 25.

A roller 2 is provided above the transport path for the medium 1.
1 is rotatably attached. The roller 21 is attached to a position where it abuts on the upper surface of the medium 1 being conveyed in the conveying path and presses the upper surface downward. Roller 21
Is longer than the width of the medium 1 conveyed in the conveying path, and the roller 21 is in contact with the medium 1 in the width direction of the medium 1. The transport path of the medium 1 is, as shown in FIG.
The conveyance direction is raised from the contact position between the medium 1 and the roller 21.

The transport path is provided with a guide (not shown) for transporting the medium 1 which has passed the contact position with the roller 21 along the ascending transport path. Also,
Like the roller 21, the guide is made of a non-metallic material with a small loss when transmitting microwaves, for the reason described later.

The microwave radiated from the microwave generator 13a travels substantially perpendicular to the transport direction of the medium 1. The microwave is the medium 1 being transported in the transport path.
Along the contact position between the roller 21 and the roller 21, it advances in the vicinity of the contact position. The microwave output from the microwave generator 13a is applied to the entire side surface of the medium 1 being conveyed in the height direction. In addition, the microwave is transmitted to the roller 2
It is also illuminated on the side of 1.

The microwaves detected by the microwave detection sensor 13b are the microwaves transmitted through the medium 1 in the width direction (directions perpendicular to the transport direction of the medium 1) and the roller 21.
The microwaves transmitted in the width direction and the microwaves traveling in the air are included. When the roller 21 has a large influence on the microwave output from the microwave generator 13a, the detection accuracy of the microwave transmitted through the medium 1 in the microwave detection sensor 13b in the width direction decreases. In this embodiment, the roller 21 is made of non-metal and is made of polytetrafluoroethylene, which has a small loss when transmitting microwaves.
The influence of 1 on the microwave output from the microwave generator 13a is suppressed.

The material of the roller 21 may be quartz glass or polystyrene.

The microwave output from the microwave generator 13a has a wavelength λ of approximately 2 × inside the base material of the medium 1.
L (L is the length of the resonator 3 mixed in the base material of the medium 1), and the frequency at which the resonator 3 mixed in the base material of the medium 1 resonates (hereinafter referred to as a specific frequency). ).

The microwave output from the microwave generator 13a is distributed between the air and the inside of the base material of the medium 1.
The wavelength λ differs depending on the surrounding environment such as the dielectric constant.

Reference numeral 22 shown in FIG. 3 is a magnetic head for reading the characteristic amount data recorded on the magnetic stripe 2 of the medium 1 being conveyed on the conveying path.

The medium characteristic detecting device 1 of this embodiment will be described below.
The operation of 0 will be described.

The medium characteristic detecting device 10 conveys the medium 1 whose authenticity is determined in the conveying path. The conveyance control unit 12a controls the conveyance of the medium 1, and the position sensor 12b detects the position of the medium 1 in the conveyance direction. Characteristic amount data is recorded on the magnetic stripe 2 of the medium 1 being conveyed when the medium 1 is issued. The microwave generator 13a outputs a microwave having a frequency that resonates the resonator 3 mixed in the base material of the medium 1. The microwave output from the microwave generator 13a is detected by the microwave detection sensor 13b.

When the upper surface of the medium 1 conveyed on the conveying path reaches the position where it abuts against the roller 21, the side surface of the microwave generator 13a side is irradiated with the microwave output from the microwave generator 13a. It The microwave detection sensor 13b detects the microwave transmitted through the medium 1 in the width direction. The traveling path of the microwave detected by the microwave detection sensor 13b is near the contact position between the medium 1 and the roller 21. Since the roller 21 presses the medium 1 in the width direction, the medium 1 is bent or wrinkled in the vicinity of the contact position between the medium 1 and the roller 21. Therefore, there is no breakage or wrinkling of the medium 1 in the traveling path of the microwave output from the microwave generator 13a and detected by the microwave detection sensor 13b.

The microwave detection sensor 13b is shown in FIG.
As shown in (A), the microwave transmitted through the medium 1 in the width direction is detected. When the resonator 3 is present in a region where microwaves are transmitted (a hatched region in the drawing), the resonator 3 resonates. Due to the resonance of the resonator 3, the size of the microwave detected by the microwave detection sensor 13b changes.

The detection signal processing section 13c has the magnitude of the microwave detected by the microwave detection sensor 13b,
Using the position of the medium 1 in the transport path detected by the position sensor 12b, the relationship between the position in the transport direction of the medium 1 and the magnitude of the microwave detected by the microwave detection sensor 13b (see FIG. 4B). Is acquired as the transmission characteristic of the medium 1, and this is converted into a digital signal.

Since the material of the roller 21 is polytetrafluoroethylene as described above, the influence of the roller 21 on the microwave detected by the microwave detection sensor 13b is small.

Since the microwave detecting sensor 13b detects the microwave transmitted through the medium 1 in the width direction as described above, even if the conveyance position of the medium 1 in the conveyance path is deviated in the width direction, this deviation is caused. The transmission characteristics of the medium 1 can be acquired with little influence. Therefore, the detection accuracy of the transmission characteristic of the medium 1 can be improved.
Further, since the detection accuracy of the transmission characteristic of the medium 1 is improved without making the transfer accuracy of the medium 1 on the transfer path extremely high, the cost of the main body does not increase.

The medium characteristic detecting device 10 further conveys the medium 1, and the magnetic head 22 drives the magnetic stripe 2 of the medium 1.
The feature amount data recorded in is read.

Here, the characteristic amount data recorded on the magnetic stripe 2 will be described. The characteristic amount data recorded on the magnetic stripe 2 is generated by the issuing device having substantially the same configuration as the medium characteristic detecting device 10 of this embodiment.
This is the data recorded at the time of issuance. The issuing device is the medium 1
The magnetic stripe 2 has a feature quantity data recording section for recording feature quantity data. This feature data recording unit
It has a magnetic recording head.

This issuing device conveys the medium 1 to be issued, and in the same manner as the medium characteristic detecting device 10 shown in FIG.
The transmission characteristics of the medium 1 shown in are acquired. The issuing device creates characteristic amount data indicating the characteristic of the transmission characteristic acquired here, for example, the size of the waveform, the way of changing the waveform, and the position where the waveform changes. The feature amount data is about 10 bytes of data created based on a predetermined condition.
The issuing device records the characteristic amount data on the magnetic stripe 2 of the medium 1 when the medium 1 is issued.

The medium characteristic detecting device 10 includes a magnetic head 22.
The authenticity of the medium 1 is determined using the characteristic amount data read from the magnetic stripe 2 of the medium 1 and the transmission characteristic of the medium 1 acquired by the detection signal processing unit 13c. The following two methods can be considered as a method of discriminating the authenticity.

The first method is to create feature quantity data from the transmission characteristics of the medium 1 acquired by the detection signal processing section 13c under the same conditions as when the medium was issued, and to create the feature quantity data and the magnetic field. It is a method of collating with the feature amount data read from the stripe 2, determining that the medium is a true medium if the similarity is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, and determining that the medium is a counterfeit medium if the similarity is less than the predetermined amount. The second method is magnetic stripe 2
A method of determining that the medium indicated by the characteristic amount data read from the medium is a true medium if the transmission characteristic of the medium 1 acquired by the detection signal processing unit 13c is present, and a counterfeit medium if not. Is.

As described above, in the medium characteristic detecting device 10 of this embodiment, even if the carrying position of the medium 1 in the carrying path is deviated in the width direction, it is hardly affected by the deviation and the carrying direction of the medium 1 is hardly affected. Since it is possible to acquire the transmission characteristics of the above, the accuracy of authenticity determination of the medium 1 is also improved.

In the above embodiment, the characteristic amount data is recorded on the magnetic stripe 2 of the medium 1 when the medium 1 is issued. However, even if a two-dimensional bar code indicating the characteristic amount data is printed on the upper surface of the medium 1. Alternatively, the characteristic amount data may be recorded in the IC chip provided on the medium 1. Also,
The feature amount data may be managed in the center without being recorded in the medium 1.

Further, in the above embodiment, the roller 21 for pressing the upper surface of the medium 1 in order to extend the folds and wrinkles of the medium 1.
Although the roller 21a for pressing the lower surface of the medium 1 is provided as shown in FIG. 5A, the conveyance direction of the medium 1 may be lowered from the contact position between the medium 1 and the roller 21. Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, two rollers 21 and 21a may be provided that contact the upper and lower surfaces of the medium 1 and press the contact surface so as to sandwich the medium 1. In this case, medium 1
The conveyance direction does not have to be raised or lowered from the contact position between the roller 21 and the roller 21.

In either method shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the medium 1 is bent in the traveling path of the microwave output from the microwave generator 13a and detected by the microwave detection sensor 13b. It is possible to detect the transmission characteristics of the medium 1 in the transport direction without wrinkles and without being affected by bending or wrinkles of the medium 1.

[0059]

As described above, according to the present invention, with respect to a medium in which a resonator such as a conductive fiber is mixed, even if the transport position of the medium in the transport path shifts in the width direction, the influence of this shift is reduced. It is possible to acquire the transmission characteristics of the medium in the transport direction with almost no reception. Therefore, it is possible to improve the detection accuracy of the electromagnetic wave transmission characteristics in the medium transport direction. Further, this can improve the accuracy of authenticity determination of the medium.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a medium.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a medium characteristic detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a medium transport path in the medium characteristic detecting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a microwave transmission region of a medium and a transmission characteristic of the medium.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a medium transport path in a medium characteristic detecting device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a medium transport path in a conventional medium characteristic detecting device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing transmission characteristics of a medium.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a microwave transmission region in a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1-medium 3-resonator 10-Media characteristic detection device 11-control unit 12-transport unit 12a-transport control unit 12b-position sensor 12c-Feature amount data reading unit 13-Electromagnetic wave detector 13a-microwave generator 13b-Microwave detection sensor 13c-Detection signal processing unit 21-roller

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Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A transport means for transporting a medium, an irradiating means for radiating an electromagnetic wave to one side surface of the medium transported by the transport means, and a transmission for detecting a transmitted wave from the other side surface of the medium. A medium characteristic detecting device comprising: a wave detecting means; and a transmission characteristic acquiring means for acquiring a transmission characteristic of the medium in the transport direction from the transmitted wave detected by the transmitted wave detecting means. 2. The medium characteristic detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising a genuineness / counterfeit discriminating means for discriminating the authenticity of the medium using the transmission characteristic of the medium acquired by the transmission characteristic acquiring means. 3. A roller that presses at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the medium being conveyed by the conveying means in the width direction, wherein the roller is the electromagnetic wave emitted from the irradiating means. The contact position between the medium and the medium is arranged at a position that advances in the vicinity of the contact position.
The medium characteristic detection device described in 1. 4. The medium characteristic detecting device according to claim 3, wherein the roller is made of a non-metallic material. 5. The medium characteristic detection device according to claim 3, wherein the roller is made of polytetrafluoroethylene, quartz glass, or polystyrene.