JP4587645B2 - Damage judgment device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a damage determination apparatus that determines whether a paper sheet such as a banknote, a slip, or a ticket is torn or broken.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventional paper sheets, especially bill discriminating devices, measure the total length in the longitudinal direction, which is a feature point of bills, by measuring the rising output by horizontal scanning of the image sensor and detecting the falling output with fine resolution. Is detected with a relatively coarse resolution, and the printed pattern is obtained by adding or averaging the light and dark, and the denomination of the banknote is compared with the standard dimension of the banknote and the standard printing pattern of the banknote. Or authenticity (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-334724 (page 4-5 [0013]-[0021], FIG. 2)
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the above-described conventional technique discriminates the denomination or authenticity of the banknote based on the printing pattern of the banknote printing and the total length of the banknote, it can be used to determine the correctness of the banknote. When trying to judge the overlap of folded bills (called corner folded bills) based on the brightness or darkness of the overlapping area or the length of the overall length, the lightness and darkness will vary depending on the printed content of the back surface, and the overall length distribution will vary depending on the folding condition. Since they are different, there is a problem that even if discrimination as a fake ticket is possible, it is extremely difficult to determine that it is a bad ticket.
[0005]
This also applies to banknotes that are partially lost due to breakage or the like (referred to as torn tickets). Like foreign banknotes, banknotes with different print quality, paper thickness, and paper quality each time they are revised. This is a more difficult problem.
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a damage determination apparatus that can easily determine a corner folded ticket or a torn ticket of paper sheets.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides a damage determination apparatus that acquires image data of a paper sheet, extracts only a contour point composed of pixels of the image of the paper sheet from the image data, and When the total number of points is compared with a genuine bill judgment reference value consisting of a preset upper limit reference value and lower limit reference value, and the total number of contour points is not less than the lower limit reference value and not more than the upper limit reference value, the paper When the leaf is determined to be a genuine note and the total number of contour points is less than the lower limit reference value, the paper sheet is determined to be a corner folded ticket and the total number of contour points is greater than the upper limit reference value. In this case, the paper sheet is determined as a torn ticket .
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the following, an embodiment of a damage determination apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a damage determination process according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a damage determination apparatus according to the embodiment.
[0008]
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a damage determination device.
Reference numeral 2 denotes a control unit of the fitness determination apparatus 1 that controls each unit of the fitness determination apparatus 1 and executes a “fit / loss determination program” stored in the storage unit 3.
The storage unit 3 stores the results of processing performed by the control unit 2 such as contour point information and paper sheet damage determination results, which will be described later, in addition to the above-mentioned “correction determination program”, and also breaks the correct bill. Stored are a standard value judgment reference value for distinguishing from a non-payable ticket such as a ticket or a torn ticket, a background image threshold value for setting a lightness for identifying a paper sheet image and a background image, and the like.
[0009]
Reference numeral 4 denotes a display unit, which is provided with a display screen such as a CRT or LCD, and displays a determination result such as whether the paper sheet is correct or not, a determination result of the defective state of the damaged ticket, and the like .
An image data acquisition unit 5 is provided with an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera, and takes an image of the conveyed paper sheet and converts the image into image data composed of pixels. Output.
[0010]
FIG. 3 shows image data obtained by photographing banknotes as paper sheets, and is an example of image data output by the image data acquisition unit 5.
Reference numeral 11 denotes a banknote image which is an image of a banknote.
Reference numeral 12 denotes a background image 12 that is an image of the background around the banknote image, and is photographed so as to have a brighter brightness than any part of the banknote image 11 of the banknote to be determined.
[0011]
Reference numeral 13 denotes a contour point, which is a boundary point indicating the contour between the banknote image 11 and the background image 12 as indicated by a thick solid line in FIG.
For this reason, the background image threshold value stored in the storage unit 3 is recognized as a pixel of the banknote image 11 when a threshold value of brightness for detecting the banknote image 11, that is, a pixel darker than the background image threshold value is detected. It is a threshold for
[0012]
Reference numeral 14 denotes a determination image, which includes a banknote image 11 and a background image 12. The image data acquisition unit 5 converts the determination image 14 into image data including pixels and outputs the image data.
The operation of the above configuration will be described.
The paper sheets for which the damage determination apparatus 1 of the present invention determines whether the damage is good or the loss condition of the damaged ticket are banknotes, forms such as slips, tickets for events, tickets, tickets, etc. Any paper sheet may be used as long as it has a standardized outer shape. However, in the present embodiment, a bill will be described as an example.
[0013]
Therefore, the storage unit 3 of the present embodiment stores a “banknote discrimination program” with discrimination information for discriminating the authenticity and denomination of banknotes, and the control unit 2 controls the “banknote discrimination program”. After discriminating the authenticity and denomination of the banknotes, the following damage determination process is executed.
For other paper sheets, such as slips with only one external shape used within a company, it is not necessary to distinguish between authenticity and form type. The discrimination of paper sheets is omitted, and the following damage determination process is executed.
[0014]
Such a damage determination process will be described according to the steps indicated by S using the flowchart shown in FIG.
It should be noted that the storage unit 3 stores pixel positions and their brightness in a scan (referred to as one scan) for one line of the determination image 14 (in the example of FIG. 3, one line from the left end to the right end of the determination image 14). The pixel information storage area for storing the pixel information such as for each pixel is secured, and at the start of the damage determination process, the pixel information storage area displays the brightness of the pixels in each position for one row in the background image 12. Pixel information with brightness is stored.
[0015]
S1, the control unit 2 that has finished identifying the denomination of the banknote, temporarily stores the denomination information in the storage unit 3, captures the determination image 14 by the image data acquisition unit 5, and outputs the image data acquisition unit 5 The image data shown in FIG. 3 is acquired.
In addition, in the case of a device having a format in which discrimination such as denomination is performed based on the same image data as described above, the image data for discrimination taken by the image data acquisition unit 5 may be used as it is. The image data acquisition unit 5 may receive and use the image data and denomination information acquired in step S1.
[0016]
S2, when the image data is acquired, the control unit 2 determines the determination image in the scanning direction illustrated in FIG. 3, that is, in the longitudinal direction of the banknote image 11, starting from the start point illustrated in FIG. 3, that is, one corner on the leading end side of the determination image 14. The scanning of the pixels of the 14th image data is started.
S3, the control unit 2 reads the pixel position of the image data and its brightness, and recognizes this as the brightness of the current pixel.
[0017]
S4, the control unit 2 that has recognized the brightness of the current pixel reads the pixel information in the pixel information storage area at the same position in the scanning direction as the position of the current pixel in the scanning direction, temporarily stores this, and stores the brightness of the previous pixel. Recognize as brightness, rewrite the pixel information in the pixel information storage area of the previous pixel to the pixel information of the current pixel, and update the brightness of the previous pixel information, that is, the current pixel stored in the pixel information storage area The brightness of the pixel information of the immediately preceding pixel is read and recognized as the brightness of the immediately preceding pixel.
[0018]
Then, the brightness of the current pixel and the read previous pixel and the brightness of the previous pixel are compared with the background image threshold value, and it is determined whether each pixel corresponds to the pixel of the banknote image 11 or the pixel of the background image 12. Extraction of point 13 is performed.
That is, when the current pixel is the pixel of the banknote image 11 and the previous pixel is the pixel of the background image 12, or when the current pixel is the pixel of the background image 12 and the previous pixel is the pixel of the banknote image 11, The current pixel is extracted as the contour point 13.
[0019]
If the current pixel is a pixel of the banknote image 11 and the previous pixel is a pixel of the background image 12, the current pixel is extracted as the contour point 13.
When the current pixel is the pixel of the background image 12 and the previous pixel is the pixel of the banknote image 11, the previous pixel is extracted as the contour point 13.
[0020]
In S5, when the contour point is extracted, the control unit 2 proceeds to Step S6 when the pixel is the contour point 13. If none of the four conditions in step S4 is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S7.
S6, the control unit 2 stores the pixel information of the current pixel extracted as the contour point 13 or the pixel information of the previous pixel temporarily stored in the storage unit 3 as the contour point information and erases the pixel information of the previous pixel temporarily stored. .
[0021]
S7, the control unit 2 determines the end of one scan based on the position of the current pixel and the like, and when one scan ends, the process proceeds to step S8.
When one scan is not completed, the process returns to step S3 and the operations of steps S3 to S7 are repeated, and scanning of the next pixel is continued sequentially.
S8, the control unit 2 determines whether or not the position of the current pixel has reached the end point shown in FIG. 3, that is, the other corner on the rear end side of the determination image 14. If the current pixel is the end point, the scanning is completed. As a result, the process proceeds to step S9.
[0022]
If the current pixel has not reached the end point, the operation position is advanced to the next line in order to perform the next scan, the process returns to step S3, and the operations of steps S3 to S8 are repeated to sequentially scan the next line. continue.
In S9, the control unit 2 that has finished scanning the determination image 14 refers to the correct bill determination reference value in the storage unit 3 on the basis of the temporarily stored denomination information and the stored contour point information, and executes a banknote damage determination. To do.
[0023]
In other words, the storage unit 3 stores a reference value that takes into account the variation in the total number of contour points of the bill for each banknote denomination, that is, an upper limit reference value and a lower limit reference value, and the control unit 2 stores the temporarily stored money. The seed information is read to recognize the denomination of the bill, and based on this, the upper limit reference value and the lower limit reference value of the corresponding denomination are read from the correct bill determination reference value.
Then, the total number of contour points 13 of the banknote image 11 (referred to as the total number of image contour points) is counted based on the contour point information stored in the storage unit 3, and the total number of image contour points is equal to or higher than the lower limit reference value and lower than the upper limit reference value. In the case of, the banknote is determined as a genuine ticket.
[0024]
When the total number of image contour points is less than the lower limit reference value, the banknote is determined to be a non-performing bill, and the broken state of the non-performing banknote is a folded corner area 21 (folded area 21) indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Is included).
If the total number of image contour points is greater than the upper limit reference value, the banknote is determined to be a damaged ticket, and the lost state of the damaged ticket is determined to be a torn ticket with the torn region 22 shown in FIG.
[0025]
S <b> 10, the control unit 2 that has completed the fitness determination, stores the determined fitness classification and the loss state of the damaged ticket in the storage unit 3 as the fitness determination result.
S11, the control part 2 transfers to step S12, when the determined banknote is a non-payment.
When the determined banknote is a genuine note, the control unit 2 erases the denomination information temporarily stored in the storage unit 3 and determines the brightness of the pixel at each position for one line in the pixel information storage area of the pixel of the background image 12. Rewrite to lightness and finish the damage judgment process.
[0026]
In S12, the control unit 2 that has determined that the banknote is a non-conforming ticket displays on the display unit 4 that the determined banknote is a non-conforming ticket and the broken state of the non-conforming or broken ticket.
Then, the control unit 2 recognizes the confirmation operation of the clerk or customer who confirmed the display or the operation for the next work, erases the display content of the display unit 4, and denomination information temporarily stored in the storage unit 3 Is deleted, the brightness of the pixel at each position in one line of the pixel information storage area is rewritten to the brightness of the pixel of the background image 12, and the damage determination process is terminated.
[0027]
As described above, according to the damage determination apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the damage determination process is performed by extracting only the outline points of the banknotes from the image data such as the banknote image 11 without depending on the print pattern or the like.
The background image 12 described above has been described as being photographed so as to have a lighter brightness than any part of the banknote image 11 of the banknote to be determined. However, the background image 12 is more than any part of the banknote image 11 of the banknote to be determined. You may make it image | photograph so that it may become dark brightness. This is effective in determining the correctness of foreign banknotes having a relatively bright banknote color, so that it is possible to easily determine whether a foreign banknote is folded or torn.
[0028]
In this case, the background image threshold is set to be a threshold for recognizing the pixel as the pixel of the banknote image 11 when a pixel brighter than the background image threshold is detected.
Further, in the present embodiment, it has been described that the determination image 14 is captured as a single image including the background. However, for example, the damage determination is performed by a method similar to the above while directly scanning a banknote conveyed by a video camera or the like. The light shielding and light reception may be detected by an optical sensor that transmits the banknote in the vertical direction of the surface of the banknote, for example, a transmission sensor having a light receiving unit and an issuing unit. You may make it perform a damage determination.
[0029]
Further, the pixel information of all the pixels may be stored, and after completion of all the scans, the contour point 13 may be extracted in the same manner as described above to perform the fitness determination.
Further, the method for determining the state of loss of a damaged ticket is not limited to the above-described method based on the total number of image contour points, and may be performed based on the brightness of the extracted contour points 13.
That is, in the case of a torn ticket, a reference value is set for a folded part and a normal part where the brightness is relatively stable by utilizing the fact that the brightness of the contour point 13 becomes dull due to irregular reflection due to exposure of the fiber of the bill at the torn part. Is determined as a broken part, a case where the luminance is within a reference value range of a normal part as a normal part, and a case other than that as a broken part.
[0030]
Furthermore, the determination method of the torn state of the torn ticket and the broken ticket may be performed based on the stored contour point information, not the above method.
That is, the continuous direction is determined by the position of the pixel of the contour point 13 of the contour point information, and when it is continuous so as to be substantially square, it is a correct ticket, and when it has a relatively aligned diagonal sequence, it is a corner folded ticket. And a case where there is a zig-zag sequence that is not aligned is determined as a torn ticket.
[0031]
According to the above method, it becomes possible to more accurately determine the broken state of the corner-broken ticket and the torn ticket.
In addition, although the damage determination apparatus 1 of this invention may be used independently, you may incorporate and use it for automatic transaction apparatuses, such as a vending machine and a cash automatic transaction apparatus.
When it is determined that the banknote inserted into the vending machine or the automatic teller machine is determined to be a banknote when the damage determination apparatus 1 according to the present invention is incorporated in a vending machine or an automatic teller machine, the display unit 4 displays the banknote as described above. Since the reason for the loss is displayed, that is, the reason for the loss, the customer who has returned the loss can take immediate action, improving the convenience of the customer and making the customer feel uncomfortable. Can be reduced.
[0032]
As described above, in the present embodiment, printing of banknotes is performed by scanning the acquired image data of banknotes to extract contour points and determining the correctness of banknotes based on the total number of contour points. The damage can be easily determined without being affected by the above.
The damage judgment based only on the above contour points excludes the influence of paper thickness and print quality, etc., in the judgment of the damage of foreign banknotes with different paper thickness variations, print quality, and paper quality at every revision. Can be particularly effective.
[0033]
In addition, by comparing the total number of contour points with the standard value of the standard for appraising bills, and determining the loss status of banknotes such as corner bills and torn tickets, It becomes possible to accumulate separately, bills that can be repaired such as corner folded tickets can be easily reused, and the efficiency of sorting and repairing damaged tickets can be improved.
[0034]
Furthermore, by displaying the judgment result of the judged slip on the display unit, it is possible to understand the reason why the clerk or customer easily became a slip, and it is possible to perform the subsequent treatment quickly. Become.
In the present embodiment, it has been described that the fitness determination process is executed by software based on the “sanity determination program”. However, each step is configured by hardware that is executed alone or by integrating a plurality of steps. The effect of the present invention is not impaired even if the above-described damage determination process is performed.
[0035]
Further, in the present embodiment, the bill damage judgment is described as an example, but the same applies to the judgment of the damage of other paper sheets, and this judgment device is used as a processing device for other paper sheets. The same applies to the case of use.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention scans the acquired paper sheet image data, extracts contour points, and determines the correctness of the paper sheets based on the total number of contour points. There is an effect that the damage can be easily determined without being influenced by the printing of the leaves.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a damage determination process according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a damage determination apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a determination image according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a banknote image of a torn ticket in the form of FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a banknote image of a torn ticket in an embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Integrity determination apparatus 2 Control part 3 Memory | storage part 4 Display part 5 Image data acquisition part 11 Banknote image 12 Background image 13 Contour point 14 Determination image 21 Folding area 22 Breaking area

Claims (1)

Paper image data is obtained, only contour points made up of pixels of the paper image are extracted from the image data, and the total number of contour points is determined as a positive reference value composed of preset upper and lower reference values. Compare with ticket judgment standard value,
When the total number of contour points is not less than the lower limit reference value and not more than the upper limit reference value, the paper sheet is determined to be a genuine note,
When the total number of contour points is less than the lower limit reference value, the paper sheet is determined as a corner folded ticket,
When the total number of the contour points is larger than the upper limit reference value, it is determined that the paper sheet is a torn ticket.

Images