EP1003133A2 - Dispositif pour calibrer un appareil accepteur de pièces de monnaie à identifier des pièces de monnaie - Google Patents

Dispositif pour calibrer un appareil accepteur de pièces de monnaie à identifier des pièces de monnaie Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1003133A2
EP1003133A2 EP99121782A EP99121782A EP1003133A2 EP 1003133 A2 EP1003133 A2 EP 1003133A2 EP 99121782 A EP99121782 A EP 99121782A EP 99121782 A EP99121782 A EP 99121782A EP 1003133 A2 EP1003133 A2 EP 1003133A2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
coin
coins
database
parameters
acceptor
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Granted
Application number
EP99121782A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP1003133A3 (fr
EP1003133B1 (fr
Inventor
Fabrizio Rigo
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O T R Srl
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O T R Srl
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Publication of EP1003133A2 publication Critical patent/EP1003133A2/fr
Publication of EP1003133A3 publication Critical patent/EP1003133A3/fr
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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07D—HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
    • G07D5/00—Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of coins, e.g. for segregating coins which are unacceptable or alien to a currency

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to electronic devices for validation and accumulation of credit in stations and/or machines for automatic distribution of goods and/or services, video games, etc., with particular reference to electronic coin acceptors.
  • the present invention relates to a method for calibrating electronic coin acceptors for coin validation.
  • the electronic coin acceptor Before being installed on a machine for distributing goods and/or services, the electronic coin acceptor must be suitably prepared and programmed to identify all the desired coins.
  • the coin acceptor must distinguish all the possible types of coins which can be introduced therein, and consequently, it accepts them to accumulate the credit needed for obtaining the requested good or service.
  • the characteristic parameters of the components are not perfectly fixed, but can be determined only taking into consideration a tolerance limit.
  • the manufactured coin acceptors are not in fact identical to one other, i.e. each one has a device for identifying coins which presents a related error.
  • each coin acceptor has its own reading value for a predetermined coin, which is different from other coin acceptors, although contained within a limited interval.
  • the operator who adapts the coin acceptor, when the production line makes it available, must be provided with all existing types of coins and introduce some pieces of the same type, one at a time, into the acceptor.
  • the coin acceptor measures the coin and stores its relative value in a memory, usually called “database”.
  • the coin acceptor When all the types of coins to be identified have been introduced, the coin acceptor has created a database table with all identification values, which the coin acceptor has associated to each single coin.
  • the operator sets up the coin acceptor, by adjusting the relative electronic devices to interact with the database, so that the coin acceptor can use the database just created for comparing the coins introduced therein, when it is installed on the distributing machine.
  • the machine will link the coin introduced therein to a particular stored type and will accumulate a corresponding credit.
  • the European Patent 0 072 189 describes a method and an apparatus for calibrating a coin validation device, which is equipped with a section for verifying coins and a programmable memory (PROM 3).
  • the apparatus which carries out the method includes two sample tokens, a programmable memory PROM 5 and a computer.
  • the PROM 5 contains, memorized therein, the standard reference values of parameter signals of the two sample tokens and the standard reference values of different denominations of coins acceptable by the validation device.
  • the calibrating method described in the European Patent 0 072 189 includes substantially the following steps:
  • the above described method allows to adapt the coin acceptors for identification of coins without introducing all the denominations of acceptable coins, as it works with two tokens only.
  • the method is difficult because it requires the use of a computer and an outer memory, which must be connected to each coin acceptor to be calibrated.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a method for calibrating electronic coin acceptors for coin identification, which method does not require the introduction of all the types of the coins that the acceptor must recognise.
  • Another object of the present invention is to propose a method for calibrating electronic coin acceptors for coin identification, which method does not require the use of a computer connected to the coin acceptors during the calibrating operation.
  • Still another object of the present invention is to propose a method, which allows to use only one memory unit, situated inside the coin acceptor.
  • a further object of the present invention is to propose a method, which allows to calibrate coin acceptors in a short time and with simple and immediate operations.
  • Yet another object of the present invention is to propose a method for calibrating electronic coin acceptors which allows a quick updating of the coin acceptor memory in case a new coin has been put into circulation.
  • the proposed method concerns the adaptation of a reference database to the characteristics of the single electronic coin acceptors of traditional type, which are made available by the manufacturers.
  • the adaptation allows to obtain, for each single coin acceptor, a memory which contains characteristic parameters of different existing coins, which have been modified in accordance with the production tolerance and faults of the electronic components of the coin acceptors.
  • the reference database is adjusted to the characteristics of the single manufactured coin acceptors for adapting them to identification of all existing types of coins by using only one sample coin.
  • the sample coin has characteristic identification parameters, which are unambiguously predetermined and previously known.
  • a first database is initially created by introducing different types of coins to be identified one after another, into a first coin acceptor.
  • the coin acceptor associates each single coin with a proper reference signal, which depends on its characteristic parameters, such as weight, diameter, thickness.
  • the set of reference signals, each related to a particular kind of coin, is stored into the first database, which forms the characteristic reference memory of the coin acceptor concerned.
  • a sample coin with identification parameters such as weight, diameter, thickness unambiguously predetermined and previously known, is introduced into the first coin acceptor.
  • the coin acceptor measures these parameters, e.g. X for weight, Y for diameter, Z for thickness and so on.
  • the first coin acceptor can work in two modes: a programming mode, in which the above mentioned database is created, and a calibrating mode, in which the parameters of the sample coin are determined as described above.
  • This universal reference database is transferred to a second coin acceptor.
  • the value of the just obtained parameters X', Y', Z' is compared with the value of the parameters X, Y, Z, introduced into the universal reference database, in order to determine differences between them.
  • the values of the reference signals of different coins contained in the universal reference database are changed, increased or decreased in relation to the obtained difference.
  • the universal reference database is transferred to a third coin acceptor and the sample coin is introduced therein.
  • the related parameters e.g. X'', Y'', Z'' are read, the differences between the value of the parameters X, Y, Z, contained in the reference database, and the value of the just obtained parameters X'', Y'', Z'' are determined and the values of the reference signals of different coins contained in the reference database are changed.
  • the universal reference database is transferred to a fourth coin acceptor and the sample coin is introduced therein, then, the relative parameters e.g. X''', Y''', Z''' are read, the difference between the value of the parameters X, Y, Z, contained in the reference database, and the value of the just obtained parameters X''', Y''', Z''' is determined and the values of the reference signals of different coins contained in the reference database are changed.
  • the first coin acceptor made available by the production line is made work in two modes, programming mode and calibrating mode, in order to obtain the universal database, as described above.
  • the sample coin is introduced into each coin acceptor for obtaining the characteristic parameters X', Y', Z' for the second coin acceptor, X'', Y'', Z'' for the third one, and so on.
  • the universal database When the universal database is transferred to each one of the coin acceptors, it is adapted to the characteristics thereof as a consequence of the comparison of the parameters X, Y, Z, contained in the universal database with the parameters obtained previously, during the calibrating mode.
  • the only memory unit used is the one containing the universal database, whose values are changed inside each single coin acceptor according to the following algorithm (referred to the i th coin acceptor) :
  • the proposed method allows in an extremely advantageous way, to program all the manufactured electronic coin acceptors using only one sample coin, which leads to a considerable saving of time.
  • the proposed method guarantees that the coin acceptors are adapted to the secure identification of all the different types of existing coins, by equipping the coin acceptors with a reference memory, called “database”, which is then adjusted each time on the basis of characteristics of the single related coin acceptors.
  • the proposed method guarantees the programming of the coin acceptors, calibrating them for identification of the coins, with few simple and immediate operations.
  • the proposed method allows to use only one reference database and subsequently, to adapt it to all manufactured coin acceptors, which considerably reduces the costs.
  • the already installed coin acceptors can be rapidly updated, by simply supplying the owners of the machines containing the coin acceptors, with a new reference database, which is obtained by the above described operations and which contains the reference signals of the previous coins, as well as the reference signal of the coin just put into circulation.
  • the operator updating the coin acceptor introduces the sample coin, the coin acceptor reads the variation of the reference parameters and updates the reference database, changing the values contained therein on the basis of the variation.
  • Another advantage of the above described method lies in the fact that it is possible to obtain again the universal reference database, beginning from the database adapted to the single coin acceptor.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Testing Of Coins (AREA)
  • Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)
EP99121782A 1998-11-04 1999-11-03 Dispositif pour calibrer un appareil accepteur de pièces de monnaie à identifier des pièces de monnaie Expired - Lifetime EP1003133B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT1998BO000617A IT1305807B1 (it) 1998-11-04 1998-11-04 Metodo per abilitare le gettoniere elettroniche al riconoscimento dimonete.
ITBO980617 1998-11-04

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1003133A2 true EP1003133A2 (fr) 2000-05-24
EP1003133A3 EP1003133A3 (fr) 2001-01-24
EP1003133B1 EP1003133B1 (fr) 2003-10-22

Family

ID=11343487

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99121782A Expired - Lifetime EP1003133B1 (fr) 1998-11-04 1999-11-03 Dispositif pour calibrer un appareil accepteur de pièces de monnaie à identifier des pièces de monnaie

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1003133B1 (fr)
AT (1) ATE252753T1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69912220T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2210944T3 (fr)
IT (1) IT1305807B1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1513111A1 (fr) * 2003-09-05 2005-03-09 IDX, Inc. Methode et appareil pour l'echange de données characteristiques de proprietes de pièces de monnaie entre des appareils accepteurs de pièces de monnaie

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0072189A2 (fr) 1981-08-10 1983-02-16 LANDIS & GYR COMMUNICATIONS (U.K.) LTD. Procédé et dispositif pour calibrer un appareil de contrôle de pièces de monnaie

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4741427A (en) * 1985-10-10 1988-05-03 Nathan Choderker Coin acceptor with final size gauge system
GB2199978A (en) * 1987-01-16 1988-07-20 Mars Inc Coin validators
DE4242639C2 (de) * 1992-12-17 1996-12-12 Nat Rejectors Gmbh Verfahren zum Eichen eines elektronischen Münzprüfers
GB9601335D0 (en) * 1996-01-23 1996-03-27 Coin Controls Coin validator
GB9611659D0 (en) * 1996-06-05 1996-08-07 Coin Controls Coin validator calibration

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0072189A2 (fr) 1981-08-10 1983-02-16 LANDIS & GYR COMMUNICATIONS (U.K.) LTD. Procédé et dispositif pour calibrer un appareil de contrôle de pièces de monnaie

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1513111A1 (fr) * 2003-09-05 2005-03-09 IDX, Inc. Methode et appareil pour l'echange de données characteristiques de proprietes de pièces de monnaie entre des appareils accepteurs de pièces de monnaie

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69912220T2 (de) 2004-06-24
DE69912220D1 (de) 2003-11-27
EP1003133A3 (fr) 2001-01-24
ATE252753T1 (de) 2003-11-15
EP1003133B1 (fr) 2003-10-22
ITBO980617A1 (it) 2000-05-04
IT1305807B1 (it) 2001-05-16
ES2210944T3 (es) 2004-07-01
ITBO980617A0 (it) 1998-11-04

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