Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07D—HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
  • G07D7/00—Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method for functional testing, adjustment and / or calibration of at least one sensor in a value document processing device and a corresponding value document processing device as well as suitable test media for carrying out the method.
• Valuable document processing devices are required in particular for processing banknotes, for example to check banknotes for special authenticity features and quality properties. Counterfeits and banknotes worn out by use are sorted out. Fundamentals for processing documents of value can in principle also be used for checking any other type of documents of value, for example for checking ID cards, credit cards, check cards, travel tickets and the like.
• the value documents are checked by means of several sensors, which differ depending on the value document property to be checked.
• the sensors are checked at regular intervals with regard to their correct functionality, adjustment and / or calibration. This check is usually carried out using special test media.
• "Test media” in the sense of the present invention are only those functional test, adjustment and / or calibration aids which are capable of being run and which are specially prepared, that is to say, for example, bank notes or paper blanks specially prepared for checking.
• the test media can be designed to check one or more properties of an individual sensor of the document processing device, in which case it is a so-called "local” one Test medium ", or for checking several or all relevant properties of several or all relevant sensors, then it is a so-called” global test medium ".
• test media In the case of local test media, a larger number of different test media is required to completely check all sensors of the document processing device, whereas in the case of a global test medium, all properties and sensors in the document processing device can be checked using a single test medium, but only with properties that Actually have test media.
• the first-mentioned variant is flexible, but due to the large number of different test media, it is correspondingly complex and expensive.
• the second-mentioned variant is cheaper, but not very flexible, since it cannot be used on value document processing devices equipped with different sensors. For each document processing device, however, a set of global and local test media can be put together with a certain effort, which covers all necessary test and adjustment tasks.
• test media on the basis of which the functional test, adjustment and / or calibration of the value document processing device is carried out, have identifications by means of which the test media can be distinguished.
• the identifiers can be different for all test media, but can also be identical for groups of test media.
• a data memory which can be a component of the banknote processing device, but which can also be an electronic storage medium for use in the banknote processing device, individual identifiers are assigned specific information about which sensor or sensors based on which property or properties of the banknote processing device of each
• test adjust and / or calibrate the test medium carrying the identifier.
• test media are externally identical and are therefore suitable as a global test medium, ie in particular they have several or all properties to be checked.
• the same test media can also be used as local test media.
• whether a test medium is a global or a local test medium depends solely on what information is associated with the associated identifier in the data memory independent of the test medium.
• the respective test medium itself does not need to have any specific information about which sensor of the value document processing device is to be checked for which property. fen is.
• the identifier itself is completely unspecific and is only specified accordingly when the stored information is assigned.
• test media with different identifiers can be assigned the same information.
• test media For the calibration of a sensor, a larger number of test media are usually run through the value document processing device, in particular if the calibration is linked to an adaptive learning process. If it only becomes apparent in the calibration process that the number of test media with the intended test medium identifier is not sufficient for the intended calibration, by reprogramming the stored information other test media with a different test medium identifier but with the same property to be calibrated can be assigned the same information required to calibrate the sensor in question. These "reprogrammed" test media are then run through the value document processing device with the actual test media provided for the calibration for the calibration of the sensor.
• the identifiers in the data memory are assigned further information, such as the limits within which the sensor properties have to lie in order to be functional or "FIT", ie "non-functional” or "UNFIT" to be classified.
• the corresponding sensor can also carry out a self-test or report the result of a previously performed self-test, which can lead to an error message if, for example, the sensor property is outside of specified limits. Or the sensor adjusts or recalibrates itself on the basis of the test medium (s) running.
• the identifier can be a sequence of digits, a barcode or some other easily distinguishable, machine-readable pattern.
• the production of the different test media and also their identification by the value document processing device is thus not very complex and can be done with simple means. It is also possible to provide documents of value such as banknotes with special properties or to select documents with found special properties and to use them as test media.
• B. existing serial numbers of the banknotes can serve as an identifier. For better differentiation from normal documents of value, additional machine-readable modifications are conceivable, e.g. B. printing or stamping a barcode etc.
• the identifier is preferably present identically on both sides of the test medium in order to enable machine-independent detection of the identifier, which is preferably also position-independent.
• the sensor properties are checked, adjusted and calibrated using the test media described above before the value document processing device is started up for the first time.
• the test media used for this original measurement are referred to below as master test media and form a master test media set, which is carefully documented and kept.
• the sensor measurement data determined using the master test media set are referred to below as master measurement data and the first-time test, adjustment and / or calibration process of the value document processing device is referred to as the master test media run.
• test media run with normal test media has a purely qualitative character, namely, for example, it serves to check compliance with tolerances as well as adjustment and calibration, without the specific measured value of the respective sensor being of decisive importance
• the master test data run is also determined quantitatively in the master test media run.
• the master measurement data are stored in the value document processing device, for example in the same data memory as the test medium identification information.
• the master measurement data can also include data that the respective sensor has obtained in a self-test.
• the stored master measurement data it can be checked at any time to what extent the measured values of a sensor specifically measured in a test media run differ from the master measurement data. This enables a trend detection and an exchange of the sensor in question before the sensor fails and thus the value documentation stops. ment processing device comes. Drift effects and outliers in sensor performance can only be identified using the stored master measurement data. An exact check of the sensor properties and any deviations from the master measured value can best be carried out with the master test media set itself. Therefore, the master test media set, with which the value document processing device was set at the factory before it was delivered to a customer, is also delivered to the customer. In this way, the present invention offers the user of a document processing device a perfect and flexible possibility for functional testing, adjustment and / or calibration of a document processing device.
• a test media set consisting of local test media with identifiers TM-1 to TM-6 in this example is fed as a stack to a bank note processing device (not shown).
• the test media TM-1 to TM-6 are constructed in the same way and only differ in their identification.
• the test media are successively separated in a separating device and run through a transport device through the banknote processing device, where they are checked by sensors S1, S2 with regard to certain authenticity and quality features.
• the test media with identifiers TM-6 and TM-5 have been separated and transported in the direction of the arrow within the bank note processing device.
• the identifier of the respective test medium is detected by means of an identifier sensor 1.
• the identification sensor 1 currently detects the identification TM-5.
• the detected identifier TM-5 is forwarded to a data processing device 2, in which special information is stored for each possible identifier.
• a special set of fixedly specified information is thus assigned to the identifier that is recorded in each case.
• the information II to 16 assigned to the identifiers TM-1 to TM-6 can be specified via an input 3 and, in principle, can be reprogrammed at any time.
• the identifier "TM-5" is assigned the information 15.
• the information 15 includes information about the sensor or sensors that are to be checked, adjusted or calibrated using the test medium with the identifier TM-5, as well as additional specific information for carrying out the test, adjustment or calibration.
• the test medium with the identifier TM-5 is determined in accordance with the information 15 for testing the sensor S1, and the information 15 contains, for example, the additional information that the sensor S1, which is, for example, a thickness sensor working by means of IR transmission radiation, with respect to its IR reception properties are to be checked, which must be within a predetermined tolerance range, so that the sensor S1 is classified as "FIT".
• this function test only takes place after the test medium with identifier TM-5 has advanced to the position at which the sensor S1 is located. That is currently still there
• Test medium with identifier TM-6 on the basis of which the functionality of sensor S2 is checked. As soon as the test medium with identifier TM-5 has advanced to the corresponding position and the thickness sensor S1 has measured an IR transmission value for this test medium, the data processing unit 2 checks whether the measured IR thickness measurement value falls within the range indicated by the information 15 predetermined tolerance range. If this is the case, the sensor S1 and the test medium TM-5 are classified as "FIT" and the test medium TM-5 is forwarded to a "FIT output shaft". If the measured value lies outside the specified tolerance range, the sensor S1 and the test medium TM-5 are classified as "UNFIT" and the test medium TM-5 is forwarded to a "UNFIT output shaft”.
• test media are stored in a "reject output bin".
• the operator puts all test media from the reject output tray back into the separator until all test media are classified as "FIT” or "UNFIT".
• FIT FIT
• UNFIT "UNFIT"
• the operator gets an overview of the state of the banknote processing device or its sensors without any additional aids: if all test media are in a "FIT delivery slot", the machine is fully functional, if there are test media in a "UNFIT delivery slot” recognizable the need for maintenance.
• test medium with identifier TM-5 A function test of the thickness sensor S1 was thus carried out on the basis of the test medium with identifier TM-5.
• the next test medium with identifier TM-4 can be used, for example, to adjust another sensor, not shown here.
• the following five test media with identifications TM-3, TM-2 and TM-1 serve to calibrate a sensor, which is also not shown in detail.
• the test medium with identifier TM-3 initially causes a special sensor to be put into a calibration mode by For example, the threshold parameters of the internal evaluation of a parameter to be calibrated are modified.
• the sensor in question is then calibrated using the following three test media with identifier TM-2, and the sensor is reset to normal operation using the last test medium with identifier TM-1 and the calibration is checked at the same time. If the number of test media labeled TM-2 is not sufficient for calibration, additional test media with other IDs or even banknotes can be placed between the test media with IDs TM-3 and TM-1 and the calibration process repeated again. This presupposes that the information associated with the identifiers of the added test media or bank notes is reprogrammed in such a way that they match the information 12 of the identifier TM-2.
• test media The method for functional testing, adjustment and / or calibration of the sensors does not necessarily have to be carried out in a separate test. Instead, individual test media ' or a test media set can be placed between circulating banknotes during normal operation of the banknote processing device, which are sorted in the usual way. On the basis of the identifier, the test media are identified as such by the banknote processing device and in this case are all output into the reject output compartment, since the banknotes to be sorted during normal operation are output into the FIT and UNFIT output compartments. The information determined during the test of the test media about the state of the respectively tested, adjusted and / or calibrated sensors are recorded for each test medium, i.e.
• Test media are classified as FIT or UNFIT or as a reject.
• the test- Media in the reject output bin are added to the banknotes to be sorted in normal operation until they are also classified as FIT or UNFIT.
• the test media that have been recognized as FIT or UNFIT must be sorted out on the basis of the records.
• all test media can also be processed again if the banknote processing device uses the recordings to ignore all test media for which a valid result (FIT or UNFIT) already exists during the renewed processing.
• the operator then uses the classification as FIT or UNFIT as an opportunity to carry out corresponding service work, such as B. to arrange for the exchange of sensors or their setting.
• a program for performing the prescribed procedure can, for example, be structured as follows:
• SortingClass TM_Fit
• the information II to 16 which are assigned to the identifiers TM1 to TM6, further information which is assigned to the individual sensors S1, S2,... Is stored.
• This additional information is specific measurement data that is used when starting up for the first time of the banknote processing device for the respective sensors were determined.
• sensor data which are referred to as master measurement data, are compared with the sensor measurement data specifically determined during the test media runs, so that a qualitative statement about the sensor properties is possible.
• the sensor properties specifically determined during each test medium run are preferably recorded, so that a trend can be recognized and a sensor can be replaced before it falls outside the specified tolerance range.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Inspection Of Paper Currency And Valuable Securities (AREA)
• Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)
• Document Processing Apparatus (AREA)
• Input From Keyboards Or The Like (AREA)
• Crushing And Grinding (AREA)

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