MXPA02000887A

MXPA02000887A - Currency handling system employing an infrared authenticating system.

Info

Publication number: MXPA02000887A
Application number: MXPA02000887A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Dogulas U Mennie
Original assignee: Cummins Allison Corp
Priority date: 1999-07-26
Filing date: 2000-07-26
Publication date: 2002-07-30
Also published as: CA2380485C; EP1208518A2; EP1208518A4; WO2001008108A3; CA2380485A1; WO2001008108A2; AU6493900A

Abstract

A document handling system (10) is configured for detecting counterfeit bills using infrared light. The document handling system comprises an infrared light source, a sensor that is adapted to produce an output signal (34) in response to infrared light illumination of a document, and a processor (54) that is programmed to receive the signal and to authenticate the document based thereon.

Description

CURRENCY HANDLING SYSTEM THAT USES AN AUTICIPATION SYSTEM? INFRARED FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to currency management systems, such as those capable of distinguishing or discriminating between currency notes of different denominations and / or authenticating currency notes, more particularly to systems employing systems. of infrared detection. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Systems that are currently available for simultaneous document scanning and counting, such as hard currency, are relatively complex and expensive, and relatively large in size. The complexity of these systems can also lead to excessive service and maintenance requirements. These drawbacks have inhibited a more widespread use of these systems, particularly in banks and other financial institutions where space is limited in areas where systems are most needed, such as ATM areas. The above drawbacks are particularly difficult to overcome in systems that offer much-needed features, such as the ability to verify authenticity and / or determine banknote denomination. t i4 - & < & *., * "fi Hü Accordingly, there is a need for a small, compact system that can be referred to as banknotes of different banknote denominations In the same way, there is a need for a system that can discriminate banknote denominations In the same way, there is a need for a small and compact system that can be easily made to process the tickets from a set of countries, and yet that has the flexibility so that it can be done easily to process the tickets from a different set of one or more countries, in the same way, there is a need for a currency management system that can meet these needs, while at the same time being relatively inexpensive. They present a problem for governments and private citizens.For example, a bank or retail that discovers that it has accepted counterfeit currency incurs a loss for the amount of counterfeit currencies you have accepted. In accordance with the foregoing, there is a need for a device that can detect counterfeit currencies. Furthermore, for institutions that have large amounts of foreign currency, the need for a device that can automatically detect counterfeit currencies is particularly great, because the possibility that such institutions may inadvertently find and accept counterfeit currencies increases with the volume of counterfeit currencies. foreign exchange * ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^ ^^^^ and ^^^^ jmfrñ ^ processed. In addition, when large amounts of bills have to be processed, the time that can be spent on examining individual bills is generally reduced. Although some automatic counterfeit detection systems have been developed, the speed at which these systems can operate is limited. In the same way, some counterfeit notes can not be detected using the current counterfeit detection systems. In accordance with the foregoing, there is a need for a device that can automatically detect counterfeit currencies. In particular, there is a need for a device that can automatically detect the currencies of 50 counterfeit Mexican pesos. In the same way, there is a need for a device that can operate at a high speed, such as in the order of 800 to 1,500 bills per minute. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A document handling system is configured to detect counterfeit bills using infrared light. The document management system comprises an infrared light source, a sensor that is adapted to produce an output signal in response to illumination with infrared light from a document, and a processor that is programmed to receive the signal and to authenticate the document based on it. The previous summary of the present invention does not it is intended to represent each modality, or each aspect, of the present invention. The additional features and benefits of the present invention will become clearer from the detailed description, the figures, and the claims stipulated below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of a currency management system embodying the present invention. Figure 2a is a perspective view of a single pocket currency management system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2b is a sectional side view of the single-pocket currency management system of Figure 2a, illustrating different transport rollers in lateral elevation. Figure 2c is a top plan view of the internal mechanism of the system of Figure 2a for transporting bills through a scanning head, and also showing the stacking wheels at the front of the system. Figure 2d is a sectional top view of the internal mechanism of the system of Figure 2a for transporting bills through a scanning head, and also showing the stacking wheels at the front of the system. Figure 3a is a perspective view of a ? ** t, k?, i currency management system of two pockets in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3b is a sectional side view of the two pockets currency management system of Figure 3a, illustrating different transport rollers in lateral elevation. Figure 4a is an enlarged sectional side view illustrating the scanning region in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4b is a sectional side view illustrating scan heads in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4c is a front view illustrating the scan heads of Figure 4b in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a functional block diagram of a standard optical scanning head. Figure 6 is a functional block diagram of a full color scan head. Figure 7a is a perspective view of a United States currency bill, and an area to be scanned optically on the bill. Figure 7b is a diagrammatic perspective illustration of the successive areas explored during the travel movement of a single ticket through a optical scanning head according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7c is a diagrammatic view in lateral elevation of the scanning area to be scanned optically in a bill in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7d is a top plan view of a bill, indicating a plurality of areas to be optically scanned in the bill. Figure 8a is a perspective view of a bill and a plurality of areas to be scanned in color on the bill. Figure 8b is a diagrammatic perspective illustration of the successive areas explored during the travel movement of a single banknote through a color scanning head in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8c is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the scanning area to be scanned in color on a bill in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a time diagram illustrating the operation of sensors that sample data in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figures 10A-10 are graphs of the information of Lt AAJ ¡..k., T - ..? T.M color obtained by means of a color scanning head. Figure 11 is a functional block diagram of a magnetic scanning head. Figures 12a-12d are a flow diagram of the way in which the system in the standard bill evaluation mode. Figure 13 is a flowchart of an authentication technique in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 is a flow chart of an authentication technique in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15 is a flow diagram of an authentication technique in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Although the invention is susceptible to different modifications and alternative forms, their specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail. However, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, such as it is defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE MODALITIES Figure 1 illustrates, in the form of a functional block diagram, the operation of currency management systems in accordance with the present invention. Figures 2a-2d and 3a-3b then illustrate different physical modalities of the currency management systems operating as described in connection with Figure 1, and employing a color scanning configuration as described in the Patent Application. of the United States of America serial number 09 / 197,250 filed on November 20, 1998, entitled "Color Scanhead and Curreney Handling System Employing the Same", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. These modalities will be described first, and details will then be described with respect to the modalities for using infrared light and processing. Turning to Figure 1, a currency management system 10 comprises an input receptacle 36 for receiving a stack of currency notes to be processed. Processing may include evaluating, naming, authenticating, and / or counting currency notes. In addition to handling currency notes, the currency management system 10 may be designed to accept and process other documents, including, but not limited to, stamps, securities certificates, coupons, tickets, checks, and other identifiable documents. Í < & iií, Á ¿- - Ív- * < The banknotes placed in the entrance receptacle are transported one by one by means of a transport mechanism 38 along a transport line passing through one or more scan heads or sensors 42. The scan heads 42 can perform magnetic, optical, and other detection detection to generate signals corresponding to the characteristic information received from a ticket 44. In the modes that are going away to be described later, the scanning heads 42 comprise a color scanning head. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the scan heads 42 employ a substantially rectangular sample region 48 to scan a segment of each currency note 44 that is passing. After passing through the scan heads 42, each of the banknotes 44 is transported towards one or more exit receptacles 34, which may include stacking mechanisms for stacking the bills 44. According to some embodiments, the scan heads 42 generate analog outputs that are amplified by an amplifier 58 , and converted to a digital signal by means of an analog-to-digital converter unit (ADC) 52, whose output is fed as a digital input to a controller or processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a processor , or similar. The process (such as a microprocessor) controls the overall operation of the currency management system 10. An encoder 14 linked to the bill transport mechanism 38 provides input to the processor 54 to determine the time of operations of the currency management system. 10. In this way, the central processing unit can monitor the precise location of bills as they are transported through the currency management system. The processor 54 is also operatively coupled with a memory 56. The memory comprises one or more types of memories, such as a random access memory ("RAM"), a read-only memory ("ROM"), an EPROM, or a volatile memory, depending on the information stored or that will be stored in it. The memory 56 stores software codes and / or data related to the operation of the currency management system 10, and the information for naming and / or authenticating the tickets. An operator interface panel and visual display 32 provides an operator with the ability to send the input data to, or receive the output data from,, the currency management system 10. The input data may comprise, for example, user-selected operating modes and user-defined operation parameters for the currency management system 10. The output data may comprise, for example, a visual display of the operating modes and / or the status of the currency handling system 10, and of the number or cumulative value of the bills evaluated. In one embodiment, the operator interface panel 32 comprises a touch screen "keyboard" and a visual display, which can be used to provide the input data and display the output data related to the operation of the control system. currencies 10. Alternatively, the operator interface 32 may employ physical keys or buttons and a separate visual display, or a combination of physical keys and touch screen keys displayed. A determination of the authenticity or denomination of a banknote under test, is based on a comparison of the scanned data associated with the test ticket, with the corresponding master data stored in the memory 56. For example, when the currency management system 10 comprises a denomination discriminator, a stack of banknotes having indeterminate denominations can be processed, and the denomination of each banknote in the stack can be determined by comparing the data generated from each banknote, with the master information previously stored. If the data of the ticket under test is sufficiently consistent with the master information associated with a particular denomination and type of ticket stored in the memory, a determination of the denomination can be made. The master information may comprise numerical data associated with different denominations of currency notes. The numerical data may comprise, for example, acceptability thresholds for use in the evaluation of test tickets, based on the expected numerical values associated with the currencies, or in a range of numerical values defining upper and lower limits of acceptability. Thresholds can be associated with different levels of sensitivity. The master information may also comprise the pattern information associated with the currencies, such as, for example, the optical or magnetic patterns. Turning to Figures 2a-2d, Figure 2a is a perspective view of a currency management system 10 having a single output receptacle 117 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2b is a sectional side view of a single pocket currency management system of Figure 2a, illustrating different transport rollers in lateral elevation, and Figure 2c is a top plan view of the internal mechanism of the transport system. Figure 2a for transporting bills through a scanning head, and also showing the stacking wheels 112, 113 at the front of the system. The mechanics of this modality will be briefly described below. For more detail, single-currency currency management systems are described in greater detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,963 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Discriminating and Counting Documents," and in the United States Patent. No. 5,295,196 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Curriculum Discrimination and Counting", both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The physical modality of the currency management system described in United States Patent Number 5,687,963, which includes the transport mechanism and its operation, is similar to that illustrated in Figures 2a-2d, except for the configuration of the scanning head. The currency management system of Figures 2a-2d employs a color scanning head 300 in accordance with the present invention, or in addition to one of the standard scanning heads 70 described in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,963. The currency management system of Figures 2a-2d is designed to transport and process bills at a rate greater than 800 bills per minute, preferably greater than 1,200 bills per minute. In the single-pocket system 10, the currency notes are fed, one by one, from a stack of currency notes placed in the input receptacle 18, to a transport mechanism, which guides the currency notes by passing by sensors up to a single outlet receptacle 117. The single pocket currency management system 10 includes a housing 100 having a rigid frame formed by a pair of side plates 101 and 102, top plate 103a, and a plate lower front 104. The currency management system 10 also has an operator interface 32a. As shown in Figure 2a, the operator interface panel comprises a visual display of liquid crystal display and physical keys or buttons.Alternatively or additionally, the operator interface panel may comprise a touch screen, such as a fully graphic visual display The inlet receptacle 36 for receiving a stack of bills to be processed is formed by converging downward sloping walls 105 and 106 formed by a pair of removable covers 107 and 108. The wall rear 106 supports a removable hopper (extension) 109, which includes a pair of vertically disposed side walls 110a and 110b, which complete the receptacle for the stack of currency notes to be processed. currencies move in series from the bottom of the stack along a curved guide 111, which receives the bills that move down and back, and changes the direction of travel to a forward direction. The curvature of the guide 111 corresponds substantially to the curved periphery of an impulse roll 123, to form a narrow passage for * »'- • t ,. - ir- i?, * - ".... * Am * t ^ m the banknotes along the back side of the impulse roller The exit end of the guide 111 directs the notes on a linear path, where the notes are scanned and stacked, the notes are transported and stacked with the narrow dimension of the bills held parallel to the transport line and the direction of movement at all times. linear path, where the bills are fed to a pair of driven stacking wheels 112 and 113. These wheels project upward through a pair of openings in a stacker plate 114 to receive the bills as they are advanced through of the upper surface sloping downwards of the plate The stacking wheels 112 and 113 are supported for their rotational movement about an arrow 115 resting on the rigid frame and driven by a motor 116. The flexible blades of the stacker wheels deliver the bills to the outlet receptacle 117 at the front end of the stacker plate 114. During the operation, a currency bill that is delivered to the stacker plate 114, is picked up by the flexible sheets, and housing between a pair of adjacent sheets which, in combination, define a curved enclosure that decelerates a bill entering therein, and serves as a means to support and transfer the bill to the exit receptacle 117 as they rotate fcüfaá & M, abA < H »* ¿* - *. - the stacking wheels 112, 113. The mechanical configuration of the stacking wheels, as well as the manner in which they cooperate with the stacking plate, is conventional, and according to the same, is not described in detail herein. 5 Returning now to the entrance region of the system as shown in Figures 2a-2d and 4a-b, the bills that are stacked on the bottom wall 105 of the entry receptacle are separated, one at a time, from the bottom of the the battery. The bills are separated by a pair of spacer wheels 120 10 mounted on an impulse shaft 121, which, in turn, is supported through the side walls 101, 102. The separation wheels 120 project through a pair of slots formed in the cover 107. the periphery of each wheel 120 is provided with a sawtooth surface 15 high-friction high 122, which engages with the bottom bill of the input stack as the wheels 120 rotate, to initiate the feed movement of the bottom bill from the stack. Sawtooth surfaces 122 project radially beyond the remainder of the periphery of 20 each wheel, in such a way that the wheels "shake" the pile of bills during each revolution, to shake and loosen the bottom currency bill inside the pile, thereby facilitating the separation of the bill from the bottom of the stack. The separation wheels 120 feed each ticket 25 separated to an impulse roller 123 mounted on a driven arrow 124 supported through lateral walls 101 and 102. Impulse roller 123 includes a central soft friction surface 125 formed of a material such as rubber or hard plastic. This smooth friction surface 125 is sandwiched between a pair of grooved surfaces 126 and 127 having portions of saw teeth 128 and 129 formed from a high friction material. This power and pulse configuration is described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,963. In order to ensure a firm coupling between the drive roller 123 and the currency bill being fed, a idler roller 130 forces each entry ticket against the soft central surface 125 of the drive roller 123. The idler roller 130 it is supported on a pair of arms that are pivotally mounted on a support shaft 132. Also mounted on the arrow 132, on the opposite sides of the idler roller 130, are a pair of slotted guide wheels 133 and 134. The grooves of these two wheels 133, 134, are registered with the central ribs of the two surfaces grooves 126, 127 of the drive roller. 123. The wheels 133, 134 are secured to the arrow 132, which in turn is secured against movement in the direction of movement of the bill (in the clockwise direction for the roll 123, and in the left-hand direction for the wheels 133). , 134, as seen jfe-títlkltttr.í ¡rhu & rMs ... . .. r.r ^ tu ^ í ^. in Figure 2b) by a one-way spring clutch (not shown). Each time a bill is fed towards tightening between the guide wheels 133, 134 and the pulse roller 123, the clutch is energized to rotate the arrow 132 only a few degrees in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the bill . These repeated increasing movements distribute the wear uniformly around the circumferences of the guide wheels 133, 134. Although the idler roller 130 and the guide wheels 133, 134 are mounted behind the guide 111, the guide has openings to allow the roll 130 and wheels 133, 134 engage with the bills on the front side of the guide. Beneath the idler roller 130, a spring loaded pressure roller 136 (FIG. 2b) presses the bills into a firm engagement with the soft friction surface 125 of the drive roller as the banknotes curve downward along the bank of the bank. guide 111. This pressure roller 136 rests on a pair of arms 137 pivoted on a stationary arrow 138. A spring 139 attached to the lower ends of the arms 137 forces the roller 136 against the drive roller 133, through a opening in the curved guide 111. At the lower end of the curved guide 111, the bill that is being transported by the impulse roller 123 engages with a flat guide or transport plate 140. The currency notes are positively propelled to along the flat plate 140 by means of a transport roller configuration including the driving roller 123 at one end of the plate, and a smaller driven roller 141 at the other end mo of the plate. Both the drive roller 123 and the smaller roller 141 include raised smooth cylindrical surface pairs 142, and 143 that hold the flat note against the plate 140. A pair of 0-rings fit into the slots 144 and 145 formed in both the roller 141 as in the roller 123 to continuously engage the bill between the two rollers 123 and 141, in order to transport the bill, while helping to keep the bill flat against the transport plate 140. The transport plate or flat guide 140 is provided with openings through which the raised surfaces 142 and 143 of both the pulse roller 123 and the smaller driven roller 141 are subjected to counter-rotating contact with the corresponding pairs of passive transport rollers 150 and 151, which have high friction rubber surfaces. The passive rollers 150, 151 are mounted on the underside of the flat plate 140, in such a way that they roll freely around their axes, and are forced to a counter-rotating contact with the corresponding upper rollers 123 and 141. The passive rollers 150 and 151 are forced to contact the driven rollers 123 and 141 ,. _8? A ^ i .fei ^^ ¿? ^^^ ja? 8 ^ ^ _ < ^^ i < fltia? ^ g ^ "¡¡¡^ - ^ *« ^^^ - ^ "by means of a pair of H-shaped leaf springs (not shown). Each of the four rollers 150, 151 is cradled between a pair of parallel arms of one of the H-shaped leaf springs. The central portion of each leaf spring is secured to the plate 140, which is rigidly fastened to the system frame, in such a way that the relatively rigid arms of the H-shaped springs exert a constant force pressure against the rollers, and push them against the upper rollers 123 and 141. The contact points between the driven transport rollers and passives are preferably coplanar with the flat top surface of the plate 140, so that the currency notes can be positively driven along the top surface of the plate in a flat manner. The distance between the axes of the two driven transport rollers and the corresponding counter-rotating passive rollers is selected to be close to the length of the narrow dimension of the currency notes. In accordance with the above, the banknotes are held firmly under uniform pressure between the upper and lower transport rollers within the area of the scan head, thereby minimizing the possibility of banknotes being diverted, and improving the reliability of the overall scanning process and recognition. The positive guide configuration described above is convenient because a uniform guiding pressure is maintained on the bills as they are transported through the sensor or the scanning head area, and the twisting or deviation of the bills is substantially reduced. . This positive action is complemented by the use of the springs H to force the passive rollers evenly up to a contact with the active rollers, in such a way that twisting or deviation of the bills resulting from the differential pressure applied to the bills is avoided. along the transport line. The 0-rings function as simple means, and yet extremely effective, to ensure that the central portions of the bills remain flat. As shown in Figure 2c, the optical encoder 32 is mounted on the arrow of the roller 141, to precisely track the position of each bill as it is transported through the system, as described in detail below in connection with the invention. Optical detection and correlation technique. The encoder 32 also allows the system to stop in response to an error or detection of an "unrecognized" ticket. A system that employs an encoder to precisely stop a scanning system is described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,963, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The single-pocket currency system 10 described above in relation to Figures 2a-2d is small and compact, such that it can be placed on a table or a counter. According to one embodiment, the single-currency currency management system 10 has a small-sized housing 100. The small-sized housing 100 provides a currency management system 10 that occupies a small area or "footprint". The footprint is the area occupied by the system 10 on the table, and is calculated by multiplying the width (Wl) and the depth (Dl). Because the housing 100 is compact, the currency management system 10 can be easily used at any desk, workstation, or cashier station. Additionally, the small-sized housing 100 is lightweight, allowing the operator to move it between different work stations. According to one modality, the currency management system 10 has a height (Hl) of approximately 9-1 / 2 inches (24.13 centimeters), a width (Wl) of approximately 11 inches (27.94 centimeters), and a depth (DI) of approximately 12 inches (30.48 centimeters), and weighs approximately 6,804 to 9,072 kilograms. In this embodiment, therefore, the currency management system 10 has a "footprint" of approximately 11 inches by 12 inches (27.94 centimeters by 30.48 centimeters), or approximately 132 square inches (851.61 square centimeters), which is less that 0.0929 square meters, and a volume of approximately 1,254 cubic inches (20,549.4 cubic centimeters), which is less than 0.0283 cubic meters. In accordance with the above, the system is small enough to fit on a typical table. The system can accommodate different currencies, including German currencies that are very long in the X dimension (compared to US currencies). Accordingly, the width of the system is sufficient to accommodate a German ticket that is approximately 7,087 inches (180 millimeters) long. This system can accommodate Mexican currencies. The system can be adapted for longer currencies by making the transport line wider, which can make the overall system wider. One of the factors that contribute to the size of the footprint of the currency management system 10 is the size of the currency notes that will be handled. For example, in the modality described above, the width is less than about twice the length of a United States currency bill, and the depth is less than about five times the width of a United States currency bill. . Other modalities of the currency management system of a single pocket 10 have a height (Hl) of 17.78 centimeters to 30.48 centimeters, a width (Wl) of 2.32 centimeters to 38.1 centimeters, and a depth (Dl) of 25.4 centimeters to 38.1 centimeters , and a weight of approximately íÉtÉ 4,536 to 13,608 kilograms. As best seen in Figure 2b, the currency handling system 10 has a relatively short transport line between the input receptacle and the output receptacle. The transport line that starts at the TBI point (where the idler roller 130 engages the impulse roller 123), and ends at the TEl point (where the second driven transport roller 141 and the passive roller contact) 151), has a total length of approximately 11.43 centimeters. The distance from the point TMl (where the passive transport roller 150 engages the pulse roller 123) to the point TEl (where the second driven transport roller 141 and the passive roller 151 contact) is a little smaller of 6.35 centimeters, that is, less than the width of a ticket in the United States. Accordingly, the distance from the TBI point (where the idler roller 130 engages the pulse roller 123) to the point TMl (where the passive transport roller 150 engages the pulse roller 123) is approximately 5.08 centimeters Turning to Figures 3a and 3bFigure 3a is a perspective view of a currency management system of two pockets 20 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3b is a sectional side view of the currency management system of two pockets of the Figure 3a, illustrating different transport rollers in lateral elevation. In other modalities of the currency management system, the currency management system may have more than two pockets, such as, for example, 3, 4, 5, or 6 pockets. The multi-pockets modalities of the currency management system are described in detail in the commonly published PC Requests Nos. WO 97/45810 and WO 99/48042. As with the single pocket currency system 10 described above in relation to Figures 2a-2d, the multi-pocket currency management system 20 shown in Figures 3a-3b is small and compact, so that it can be place on a table. According to one embodiment, the two-pocket currency management system 20 enclosed within a housing 200, has a small footprint that can be easily used at any desk, workstation, or cashier station. Additionally, the currency management system is lightweight, allowing you to move between different work stations. According to one embodiment, the two pockets currency management system 20 has a height (H2) of approximately 45.72 centimeters, a width (W2) of approximately 34.29 centimeters, and a depth (D2) of approximately 44.45 centimeters, and weighs approximately 19,051 kilograms. In accordance with the foregoing, the currency management system 20 has a footprint of approximately 34.29 centimeters by approximately 43.18 centimeters, or approximately 1,483,868 square centimeters, or approximately 0.13935 square meters, and a volume of approximately 68,661.53 cubic centimeters, or slightly more than 0.07075 cubic meters, which is small enough to fit conveniently on a typical table. One of the factors contributing to the size of the footprint of the currency management system 20 is the size of the currency notes that will be handled. For example, in the modality described above, the width is approximately 2-1 / 4 times the length of a United States currency bill, and the depth is approximately seven times the width of a United States currency bill. According to another embodiment, the currency management system of two pockets 20 has a height (H2) of 38.1 to 50.8 centimeters, a width (W2) of 25.4 to 38.1 centimeters, and a depth (D2) of 38.1 to 50.8 centimeters , and a weight of approximately 15,876 to 22.68 kilograms. The currency management system 10 has a footprint of 25.4 to 38.1 centimeters by 38.1 to 50.8 centimeters, or from approximately 967.74 to 1,935.48 square centimeters, and a volume of approximately 36,870.75 to 98,322 cubic centimeters, which is small enough to fit conveniently over a typical table According to another embodiment, the small-sized housing 200 can have a height (H2) of about 50.8 centimeters or less, a width (W2) of about 50.8 centimeters or less, and a depth (D2) of about 50.8 centimeters or less , and weighs approximately 22.68 kilograms or less. As best seen in Figure 3b, the currency management system 20 has a short transport line between the entry receptacle and the exit receptacle. The transport line has a length of approximately 26.67 centimeters between the beginning of the transport line at the point TB2 (where the idler roller 230 engages the impulse roller 223) and the tip of the diverter 260 at the TMl point, and has a total length of approximately 39.37 centimeters from point TB2 to point TE2 (where rollers 286 and 282 contact). Referring now to Figures 3a and 3b, parts and components similar to those of the embodiment of Figures 2a-2d are designated by similar reference numerals. For example, the parts designated by the reference numerals of the series 100 in Figures 2a-2d are designated by similar reference numerals of the series 200 in Figures 3a and 3b, while the parts that we duplicate one or more times, they are designated by equal reference numerals with the suffixes a, b, c, and so on. The mechanical portions of the multi-pocket currency management systems include a housing 200 having the input receptacle 18 for receiving a stack of bills to be processed. The receptacle 18 is formed by the converging downward sloping walls 205 and 206 (see Figure 3b) formed by a pair of removable covers (not shown) that fit over a frame. The convergent wall 206 supports a removable hopper (not shown) that includes the vertically disposed side walls (not shown). One embodiment of an entry receptacle is described and illustrated in detail above, and is applicable to multi-pocket currency management systems 10. Multi-pocket currency management systems 10 also include an operator interface 32b as shown in FIG. describes for the single-currency currency handling device 10. From the input receptacle 18, the currency notes in each of the multi-pocket systems (Figures 3a-3b) are moved in series from the bottom of a stack of bills along a curved guide 211, which receives the bills that move downward and backward, and changes the direction of travel to a forward direction. The curvature of the guide 211 substantially corresponds to the curved periphery of a pulse roller 223, to form a narrow passage for the notes along the rear side of the pulse roller 223. An output end of the curved guide 211 directs the banknotes on the transport plate 240, which carries the notes through an evaluation section and into one of the outlet receptacles 34. In the two-pocket mode (Figure 3b), for example, the stacking of the bills is performed by a pair of driven stacking wheels 35a and 37a for the first upper outlet receptacle 34a, and by a pair of stacking wheels 35b and 37b for the second lower exit receptacle 34b. The stacking wheels 35a, 37a, and 35b, 37b are supported for a rotational movement about the respective arrows 215a, b resting on a rigid frame and driven by a motor (not shown). The flexible sheets of the stacking wheels 35a and 37a deliver the bills to a front end of a stacker plate 214a. In a similar manner, the flexible sheets of the stacking wheels 35b and 37b deliver the bills to a front end of the stacking plate 214b. A diverter 260 directs the bills to the first or second outlet receptacles 34a, 34b. When the diverter is in a lower position, the bills are directed towards the first outlet receptacle 34a. When the diverter 260 is in an upper position, the bills proceed in the direction of the second outlet receptacle 34b. The two-pocket document evaluation devices of Figures 3a and 3b have a transport mechanism that includes a series of transport plates or guide plates 240 for guiding the currency notes to one of a plurality of outlet receptacles 34. The transport plates 240 according to one embodiment are substantially flat and linear, without protruding characteristics. Before arriving at the outlet receptacles 34, a bill moves through the sensors or scan head 20, for example, to be evaluated, analyzed, authenticated, discriminated, counted, and / or procd in another way. The two-pocket document evaluation devices move the currency notes in series from the bottom of a stack of bills along the curved guide 211, which receives the bills that move down and back, and changes the direction of travel to a forward direction. An exit end of the curved guide 211 directs the bills towards the transport plate 240, which carries the bills through an evaluation section and up to one of the outlet receptacles 34. A plurality of diverters 260 direct the bills towards the outlet receptacles 34. When a derailleur 260 is in its lower position, the bills are directed towards the corresponding outlet receptacle 214. When a derailleur 260 is in its upper position, the bills proceed in the direction of the remaining outlet receptacles. . The currency evaluation devices of two a.Aflbi ^^ .. J ^. dSaal ^ afc ^ a fatflfc.1 pockets of Figures 3a and 3b in accordance with one embodiment include the passive rollers 250, 251, which are mounted on the arrows 254, 255 on a bottom side of the first transport plate 240, and are forced to a counter-rotating contact with their corresponding driven upper rollers 223 and 241. These embodiments include one or more follower plates 262, 278, et cetera, which are substantially free of the features surface and are substantially smooth as the transport plates 240. The follower plates 262 and 278 are placed in a separate relationship with the respective transport plates 240, to define a currency path between them. In one embodiment, the follower plates 262 and 278 have openings only when they are needed to accommodate the passive rollers 268, 270, 284, and 286. The follower plate 262 works in conjunction with the upper portion of the associated transport plate 240 to guide to a banknote from the passive roller 251 to a driven roller 264, and then to a driven roller 266. The passive rollers 268, 270 are forced by means of springs H to a counter-rotating contact with the corresponding driven rollers 264 and 266. It will be appreciated that any of the stacker configurations described heretofore may be used to receive the currency notes, after they have been evaluated by the system. However, without departing from the invention, the tickets are transported through the system 10 in a learning mode, and instead of being transported from the input receptacle 36 to the outlet receptacles 34, they could be transported from the input receptacle. 36 passing through the sensors, and then in an inverse manner are supplied back to the entry receptacle 36. I. EXPLORATION REGION Figure 5a is an enlarged sectional side view illustrating the scanning region in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. invention. According to different modalities, this configuration of the scanning head is used in the currency handling systems described above in relation to Figures 1-3b. According to the illustrated embodiment, the scanning region along the transport line comprises both a standard optical scanning head 70 and a full color scanning head 300. The driven transport rollers 523 and 541, in cooperation with the passive rollers 550 and 551, couple and transport the notes through the scanning region in a controlled manner. The mechanics of transport are described in greater detail in U.S. Patent Number 5,687,963. The conventional scanning head 70 differs somewhat in its physical appearance from that described in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,963 mentioned above and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, but is otherwise identical in terms of operation and function. The upper standard scan head 70 is used to scan one side of the bills, while the lower full color scanning head 300 is used to scan the other side of the bills. These scanning heads are coupled with the processors. For example, the upper scan head 70 is coupled with a Motorola 78HC16 processor from Schaumburg, IL. The lower full color scanning head 300 is coupled with a RMS 320C32 DSP processor from Texas Instruments of Dallas, TX. In accordance with a modality that will be described in greater detail below, when US notes are processed, the upper scanning head 70 is used in the manner described in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,963, while The full color scanning head 300 is used in a manner described later herein. Figure 4b is an enlarged sectional side view illustrating the scan heads of Figure 4a without some of the rollers associated with the transport line. Again, this illustration shows the standard scan head 70, and a color module 581 comprising the color scan head 300, and an ultraviolet sensor 340 and its accompanying ultraviolet light tube 342. Details of the manner which operates the ultraviolet sensor 340 are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,640,463 and in U.S. Patent Application Serial Number 08 / 798,605, which are incorporated herein by reference. its entirety Figure 4c illustrates the scan heads of Figures 4a and 4b in a front view. A. Standard Scan Head In accordance with one embodiment, the standard scan head 70 includes two conventional photodetectors 74a and 74b (see Figures 4a and 4b), and two photodetectors 95 and 97 (the density sensors). Two light sources are provided for the photodetectors, as described in greater detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,295,196 incorporated herein by reference. The standard scan head employs a mask having two rectangular slots 360 and 362 therein to allow reflected light passing through the bills to reach the photodetectors 74a and 74b, which are behind the slots, respectively. A photodetector 74b is associated with a narrow slot, and can optionally be used to detect the fine boundary line present in the US currencies, when suitable cooperative circuits are provided. The other photodetector 74a associated with a wider slot, it can be used to scan the ticket and generate optical patterns used in the discrimination process. The physical modality of the standard scan head is described in greater detail in the TCP Applications Published in Common Property Nos. WO 97/45810 and WO 99/48042. Figure 5 is a functional block diagram of the standard optical scan head 70, and Figure 6 is a functional block diagram of the full color scan head 300 of Figure 4. The standard scan head 70 is a optical scan head that scans the characteristic information from a currency bill 44. According to one embodiment, the standard optical scan head 70 includes a sensor 74 having, for example, two photodetectors, each having a pair of light sources 72 directing the light on the bill transport line, to illuminate a substantially rectangular area 48 on the surface of the currency bill 44 placed on the transport line adjacent to the scanning head 70. One of the photodetectors 74b it is associated with a narrow rectangular slot, and the other photodetector 74a is associated with a wider rectangular slot. The light reflected from the illuminated area 48 is detected by the sensor 74 placed between the two light sources 72. The analog output of the photodetectors 74 is converted into a digital signal by means of the analog-to-digital converter unit (ADC) 52 , whose output is * fed as a digital input to the central processing unit (CPU) 54, as described above in relation to Figure 1. In an alternative manner, especially in the modalities of the currency management system designed to process Different currency currencies of the United States, a single photodetector 74a having the widest slot can be employed, without the photodetector 74b. According to one embodiment, the bill transport line is defined in such a way that the transport mechanism 38 moves the currency notes with the narrow dimension of the bills parallel to the transport line, and in the scanning direction SD. As a banknote 44 travels the scanning head 70, the illuminated area 48 moves to define a coherent light strip that effectively scans the banknote through the narrow dimension (W) of the banknote. In the illustrated embodiment, the transport line is configured in such a way that a currency bill 44 is scanned through a central section of the bill along its narrow dimension, as shown in Figure 7a. The scanning head functions to detect the light reflected from the banknote 44 as the banknote 44 moves past the scanning head 70 to provide an analogous representation of the variation in the reflected light, which in turn represents the variation in the content of darkness and light of the pattern or indications printed on the surface of the banknote 44. This variation in the light reflected from the scan in the narrow dimension of the banknotes, serves as a measure to distinguish, with a high degree of confidence, between a plurality of currency denominations that the system is programmed to handle. The standard optical scanning head 70 and the standard intensity scanning process are described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,963 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Discriminating and Counting Documents", assigned to the assignee of the present invention. , and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The standard optical scanning head 70 produces a series of reflectance signals detected through the narrow dimension of the bill, or through a selected segment thereof, and the resulting analog signals are digitized under the control of the processor 54, to produce a fixed number of digital reflectance data samples. The data samples are then subjected to a normalization routine to process the sampled data to have a better correlation, and to smooth the variations due to fluctuations in "contrast" in the existing printed pattern on the surface of the bill. The standardized reflectance data represents a pattern characteristic that it is unique to a given denomination of note, and provide sufficient distinctive characteristics among the characteristic patterns for different currency denominations. In order to ensure a strict correspondence between the reflectance samples obtained by scanning in the narrow dimension of successive notes, the reflectance sampling process is preferably controlled through the processor 54 by means of an optical encoder 14 which is linked with the bill transport mechanism 38, and precisely tracks the physical movement of the bill 44 passing through the scanning head 70. More specifically, the optical encoder 14 is linked to the rotary movement of the pulse motor that generates the movement imparted to the ticket along the transport line. In addition, the mechanics of the feeder mechanism ensure that positive contact is maintained between the bill and the transport line, particularly when the bill is being scanned by the scan head. Under these conditions, the optical encoder 14 is able to accurately track the movement of the bill 44 in relation to the portion of the bill 48 illuminated by the scanning head 70, by monitoring the rotary movement of the pulse motor. In accordance with one modality, in the case of i * Í? * a .. < .a »A.toa.» A- i. .. • ..r ..,. .

US currency notes, the output of the sensor 74a is monitored by the processor 54, to initially detect the presence of the bill adjacent to the scan head, and subsequently, to detect the starting point of the pattern printed on the bill, as it is represented by the limit line 44a that normally encloses the indications printed on the currency notes of the United States. Once the boundary line 44a has been detected, the optical encoder 14 is used to control the time and number of reflectance samples that are obtained from the sensor output 74b as the banknote 44 moves through the bank. the scanning head 70. In accordance with another embodiment, in the case of currency notes other than US currency notes, the outputs of the sensor 74 are monitored by the processor 54 to initially detect the leading edge 44b of the banknote 44. adjacent to the scanning head. Because most currencies of the foreign exchange systems other than the United States do not have the limit line 44a, the processor 54 must detect the leading edge 44b for currency notes other than the United States. Once the leading edge 44b has been detected, the optical encoder 14 is used to control the time and number of the reflectance samples that are obtained from the outputs of the sensors 74, as the banknote 44 moves. í¿á *.? j? i.r¿¡, r? through the scanning head 70. The use of the optical encoder 14 to control the sampling process in relation to the physical movement of a bill 44 through the scanning head 70 is also convenient because the encoder 14 can be used for provide a previously determined delay following the detection of the boundary line 44a or the leading edge 44b before starting the sampling. The delay of the encoder can be adjusted in such a way that the banknote 44 is scanned only through the segments containing the most distinguishable printed indications in relation to the different currency denominations. In the case of United States currencies, for example, it has been determined that the central portion of approximately 2 inches (approximately 5 centimeters) of the currency notes, as it is scanned through the middle section of the narrow dimension of the banknote (See segment SEGg in Figure 7a), provides enough data to distinguish between different currency denominations in the United States. In accordance with the above, the optical encoder 14 can be used to control the scanning process, so that reflectance samples are taken for a set period of time, and only after a certain period of time has elapsed after the limit line is detected 44a, thereby restricting scanning to the desired central portion of the narrow dimension of bill 48. Figures 7a-7c illustrate in more detail the standard intensity scanning process for US currency notes. Referring to Figure 7a, as a banknote 44 is advanced in a direction parallel to the narrow edges of the banknote, scanning is performed by a slot in the scanning head 70 along a segment SEGg of the central portion. of the banknote 44. This SEGS segment starts at a fixed distance Ds within the boundary line 44a. As the banknote 44 travels through the scanning head 70, a portion or area of the segment SEGg is illuminated, and the sensor 74 produces a continuous output signal that is proportional to the intensity of the light reflected from the portion or area illuminated in any given moment. This output is sampled at intervals controlled by the encoder, such that the sampling intervals are synchronized precisely with the movement of the bill through the scanning head. As illustrated in Figures 7b-7c, it is preferred that the sampling intervals be selected such that the areas that are illuminated for successive samples overlap each other. The sampling areas numbered in nones and numbered in pairs have been separated in Figures 7b and 7c to more clearly illustrate this overlap. For example, the first and second areas SI and S2 overlap one another, the second and third areas S2 and S3 overlap one another, and so on. Each adjacent pair of areas overlap each other. In the illustrative example, this is done by sampling the areas that are 0.050 inches (0.127 centimeters) wide, L, at intervals of 0.029 inches (0.074 centimeters), along a SEGS segment that is 1.83 inches (4.65 centimeters) ) long (64 samples). The center-to-center distance N between two adjacent samples is 0.074 centimeters, and the center-to-center distance M between two adjacent or adjacent pairs is 0.147 centimeters. Sampling starts at a distance Ds of 0.988 centimeters inside the front edge 44b of the bill. Although it has been determined that the exploration of the central area of a US banknote provides sufficiently different patterns to allow discrimination between the plurality of US currency denominations, the central area, or the central area alone, it may not be suitable for tickets that originate in other countries. For example, for banknotes originating from Country 1, it can be determined that SEG segment! (Figure 7d) provides a more preferable area to explore, while segment SEG2 (Figure 7d) is more preferable for banknotes originating from Country 2. Alternatively, in order to discriminate in a sufficient manner between a banknote.

"* - *" * • - * - "- * * • * If a set of banknotes is given, it may be necessary to explore the banknotes that are potentially of that set along more than one segment, for example, to explore a single banknote along both SEG-L and SEG2 To accommodate scanning in different areas of the central portion of a banknote, multiple standard optical scan heads can be placed one next to the other along a lateral direction to the bank. direction of bill movement This standard optical scan head configuration allows a banknote to be scanned along different segments Different configurations of multiple scan heads are described in greater detail in U.S. Patent Number 5,652,802 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Document Identification" assigned to the assignee of the present application, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. conventional optical detection and correlation is based on the use of the above process to generate a series of intensity signal patterns stored using genuine notes for each currency denomination that the currency management system 10 is programmed to recognize. In accordance with one embodiment, four sets of master current signal samples are generated, and stored within memory 56 (see Figure 1) for each scan head for each detectable currency denomination. In the case of US currencies, the sets of master intensity signal samples for each note are generated from standard optical scans, performed on one or both surfaces of the note, and taken along both the direction " forward "as" in reverse "in relation to the pattern printed on the ticket. In the adaptation of this technique to US currencies, for example, sets of samples of stored intensity signals are generated, and stored for seven different denominations of United States currencies, that is, $ 1, $ 2, $ 5 , $ 10, $ 20, $ 50, and $ 100. For bills that produce significant pattern changes when moving slightly to the left or to the right, such as the $ 10 bill in US currency, two patterns can be stored for each of the "forward" directions. and "in reverse", and each pair of patterns for the same direction represent two scanning areas that move slightly one from the other along the long dimension of the bill. Once the master patterns have been stored, the pattern generated by the scanning of a banknote under test by the processor 54 is compared with each of the master patterns of the signal samples of standard intensities stored to generate, for each comparison , a correlation number that represents the degree UtatAJH »•», - ^ - tl | f * -ta ^ JiB «M 8jfc * SA ^ Íte»? L '< --- ^ rfxa-t-fc ,. ' of correlation, that is, the similarity between the corresponding ones of the plurality of data samples, for the data sets that are being compared. When the upper standard scan head 70 is used, the processor 54 is programmed to identify the denomination of the scanned ticket as the denomination corresponding to the set of samples of stored intensity signals for which the correlation number is found to be highest. resulting from the comparison of the pattern. In order to preclude the possibility of mischaracterizing the denomination of a scanned ticket, as well as to reduce the possibility of identifying noisy bills as belonging to a valid denomination, a two-level correlation threshold is used as the basis for making a "positive" identification These methods are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,295,196 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Curriculum Discrimination and Counting" and in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,963, which are incorporated herein by reference In its whole. If a "positive" identification can not be made for a scanned ticket, an error signal is generated. When master characteristic patterns are being generated, the reflectance samples resulting from the exploration by the scanning head 70 of one or more £ .. & ^ r.Z ^ fr JffiK U¿ *? The actual banknotes for each denomination are loaded into the corresponding designated sections within the memory 56. During the currency discrimination, the reflectance values resulting from the scanning of a test ticket are compared in sequence, under the control of the banknote. correlation program stored within memory 56, with corresponding master characteristic patterns stored within memory 56. A pattern averaging procedure for scanning banknotes and generating master characteristic patterns is described in U.S. Patent Number 5,633,949 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Curriculum Discrimination", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. B. Full Color Scan Head Returning to FIG. 6, a functional block diagram of a cell 334 of the color scan head 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown. The color scanning head may comprise a plurality of these cells. The physical modality of the full color scanning head is described in detail in the TCP applications published in common property Nos. WO 97/45810 and WO 99/48042. The illustrative cell includes a pair of light sources 308 (e.g., fluorescent tubes) directing light over the bill transport line. A single light source, for example a single fluorescent tube, could be used without departing from the invention. The light sources 308 illuminate a substantially rectangular area 48 on a currency bill 44 to be scanned. The cell comprises three filters 306 and three sensors 304. The light reflected from the illuminated area 48 passes through the filters 306r, 306b, and 306g placed under the two light sources 308. Each of the filters 306r, 306b, and 306g transmits a different component of the reflected light to the corresponding sensors or photodiodes 304r, 304b, and 304g, respectively. In one embodiment, the filter 306r transmits only a red component of the reflected light, the filter 306b transmits only a blue component of the reflected light, and the filter 306g transmits only a green component of the reflected light to the corresponding sensors 304r, 304b , and 304g, respectively. The specific wavelength ranges transmitted by each filter, starting at a 10 percent transmission, are: Red: 580 nanometers at 780 nanometers, Blue: 400 nanometers at 510 nanometers, Green: 480 nanometers at 580 nanometers. The specific wavelength ranges transmitted by each filter, starting at an 80 percent transmission, are: Red: 610 nanometers at 725 nanometers, Blue: 425 nanometers at 490 nanometers, Green: 525 nanometers at 575 nanometers. Upon receiving their corresponding color components from the reflected light, the 304r, 304b, and 304g sensors generate <; the red, blue, and green analog outputs, respectively, which represent the variations in red, blue, and green color content on ticket 44. These red, blue, and green analog outputs of sensors 304r, 304b, and 304g , respectively, they are amplified by the amplifier 58 (Figure 1), and converted into a digital signal by the analog-to-digital converter unit (ADC) 52, whose output is fed as a digital input to the central processing unit (CPU 54, as described above in conjunction with Figure 1. In a manner similar to the operation of the standard optical scan head mode 70 described above, the bill transport line is defined in such a way that the mechanism of transport 38 moves the currency notes with the narrow dimension of the bills parallel to the transport line and to the direction of exploration. The color scan head 300 functions to detect light reflected from the bill as the bill moves past the color scan head 300, to provide an analogous representation of the color content in the reflected light, which at it represents the variation in the color content of the pattern or the printed indications on the surface of the bill. The sensors 304r, 304b, and 304g generate the red, blue, and green analog representations of the red, blue, and green content of the pattern printed on the bill. This colored content in the light reflected from the scanned portion of the bills serves as a measure to distinguish between a plurality of currency types and denominations that the system is programmed to handle. According to one embodiment, the outputs of the shore sensor and the green sensors 304g of one of the color cells are monitored by the processor 54 to initially detect the presence of the bill 44 adjacent to the color scan head 300, and subsequently to detect bank 44b of the bill. Once the edge 44b has been detected, the optical encoder 14 is used to control the time and number of red, blue, and green samples obtained from the outputs of the 304r, 304b, and 304g sensors, customized that the note 44 moves past the color scanning head 300. In order to ensure a strict correspondence between the red, blue, and green signals obtained by scanning in the narrow dimension of successive bills, as illustrated in FIG. Figure 8b, the color sampling process is preferably controlled through the processor 54 by means of the optical encoder 14 (see Figure 1), which is linked to the bill transport mechanism 38, and precisely tracks the physical movement of the bill. banknote 44 through the color scan head 300. Banknote tracking and control using the optical encoder 14, and the mechanics of the transport mechanism, are carried out as described above in relation to the standard scan head. The use of the optical encoder 14 to control the sampling process in relation to the physical movement of a banknote 44 passing through the color scanning head 300, is also convenient, because the encoder 14 can be used to provide a predetermined delay in followed by the detection of the edge of the banknote 44b before the start of sampling. The delay of the encoder can be adjusted in such a way that the banknote 44 is scanned only through the segments containing the most distinguishable printed indications in relation to the different currency denominations. Figures 8a-8c illustrate the color scanning process. Referring to Figure 8a, as a banknote 44 is advanced in a direction parallel to the narrow edges of the banknote, five adjacent color cells in the color scanning head 300 scan along the areas, segments, or Exploration fringes SAI, SA2, SA3, SA4, and SA5, respectively, of a central portion of the banknote 44.

^ ¡^? M > Aia = j As the banknote 44 travels through the color scan head 300, each color cell sees its respective area, segment, or scan range SAI, SA2, SA3, SA4, and SA5, and its sensors 304r, 304b , and 304g continuously produces red, blue, and green output signals that are proportional to the red, blue, and green content of the light reflected from the illuminated area or band at any given time. These red, blue, and green outputs are sampled at intervals controlled by the encoder 14, such that the 10 sampling intervals are synchronized precisely with the movement of the banknote 44 through the color scanning head 300. Figure 8b illustrates the manner in which 64 incremental sampling areas S1-S64 are sampled using 64 sampling intervals throughout from one of the five areas 15 of exploration of the color cell SAI, SA2, SA3, SA4, or SA5. To take into account the lateral movement of bills on the transport line, it is preferred to store two or more patterns for each currency denomination. The patterns represent the areas explored that are slightly20 displaced from one another along the side dimension of the bill. In one mode, only three of the five color cells in the color scan head 300 are used to scan the currencies of the United States. By Consequently, only the exploration areas are explored SAI, SA3, and SA5 of Figure 8a. As illustrated in Figures 8b and 8c, in a manner similar to the operation previously described in Figures 7a-7b, the preference sampling intervals are selected such that the successive samples overlap each other. Sample areas with odd numbers and even numbers have been separated in Figures 8b and 8c to more clearly illustrate this overlap. For example, the first and second areas SI and S2 overlap one another, the second and third areas overlap one another, and so on. Each adjacent pair of areas overlap each other. For example, this is done by sampling the areas that are 0.050 inches (0.127 centimeters) wide, L, at 0.089 centimeters intervals, along an S segment that is 2.2 inches (5.59 centimeters) long, to provide 64 samples through the ticket. The distance from center to center Q between two adjacent samples of 0.089 centimeters, and the distance from center to center P between two adjacent pairs or adjacent samples, is 0.178 centimeters. Sampling starts at a distance Dc of 0.635 centimeters inside the front edge 44b of the bill. In one embodiment, the sampling is synchronized with the operating frequency of the fluorescent tubes used as the light sources 308 of the scanning head 300. According to one embodiment, the tubes are used. fluorescents manufactured by Stanley of Japan that have the part number CBY26-220NO. These fluorescent tubes operate at a frequency of 60 KHz, so that the intensity of the light generated by the tubes varies with time. To compensate for the time, the sampling of the sensors 304 is synchronized with the frequency of the tubes. Figure 9 illustrates another synchronization of the sampling with the operating frequency of the fluorescent tubes. Sampling by sensors 304 is controlled in such a way that sensors 304 sample a bill at the same point during successive cycles, such as at times ti, t2, t3, and so on. In a preferred embodiment, the color and correlation detection technique is based on the use of the above process to generate a series of nuance and brightness pattern patterns stored using genuine notes for each currency denomination that the system is programmed to discriminate. The red, blue, and green signals from each of the color cells 334 are added together first to obtain a brightness signal. For example, if the red, blue, and green sensors produced 2v, 2v, and lv, respectively, the brightness signal would be equal to 5v. If the total output from the sensors is lOv when exposed to a white sheet of paper, then the percentage of brightness corresponding to a brightness signal 5v would be 50 percent. Using the red, blue, and green signals, a red hue can be determined, . . ,. .jMaMM & rd a blue hue, and a green hue. A tint signal indicates the percentage of total light that constitutes a particular color of the light. For example, the division of the red signal between the sum of the red, blue, and green signals provides the red hue signal; the division of the blue signal between the sum of the red, blue, and green signals provides the blue tint signal; and the division of the green signal between the sum of the red, blue, and green signals provides the green hue signal. In an alternative mode, the individual red, blue, and green output signals can be used directly for a color pattern analysis. FIGS. 10A-10E illustrate patterns of hue and brightness signals obtained by color scanning of a front side of a $ 10 Canadian bill with color scan head 300. FIG. 10a corresponds to the signal patterns of nuance and brilliance generated from the color outputs of a first color cell 334a; Figure 10b corresponds to the outputs of a second color cell 334b; Figure 10c corresponds to the outputs of a third color cell 334c; Figure 10 corresponds to the outputs of a fourth color cell 334d, and Figure 10 corresponds to the outputs of a fifth color cell 334e. In the graphs, the y-axis is the percentage of brightness and the percentage of the three shades, on a scale of 0 to 1000, which represents the percentage by 10 (% x ad ^^ £? áÉÉ.¿ £ ¿«j 10). The x-axis is the number of samples taken by each banknote pattern. See the normalization and / or correlation description below. In accordance with one embodiment of the color detection and correlation technique, four sets of signal samples of master red hues, master green shades, and master brilliance are generated and stored within memory 56 (see Figure 1) , for each programmed currency denomination, for each color detection cell. The four sets of samples correspond to four possible orientations of the notes "forward", "reverse", "upwards", and "downwards". In the case of Canadian banknotes, the master shade and brightness signal sample sets for each banknote are generated from color scans, performed on the front side (or the banknote representation, and taken along the length of the banknote). both the "forward" and "reverse" direction in relation to the pattern printed on the banknote.Alternatively, the color scan can be performed on the back side of the Canadian currency notes, or on any surface of In addition, color scanning can be performed on both sides of a bill by a pair of color scanning heads 300, such as a pair of scanning heads 300 located on opposite sides of the transport plate 140.

In adapting this technique to Canadian currencies, for example, master sets of stored hue and brightness signal samples are generated, and are stored for every eight different denominations of Canadian bills, ie, $ 1, $ 2, $ 5, $ 10 , $ 20, $ 50, $ 100, and $ 1000. Therefore, for each denomination, the master patterns are stored for the patterns of red, green, and brightness, for each of the four possible orientations of the bill (first the feet up, first the head up, first the feet towards down, first head down), and for each of three different positions of the ticket (right, middle, and left) on the transport line. This produces 36 patterns for each denomination. In accordance with the above, when the eight Canadian denominations are processed, a set of 288 different master patterns are stored within the memory 56 for purposes of subsequent correlation. II. BRILLANTEZ STANDARDIZATION TECHNIQUE A simple standardization procedure is used to process the raw test brightness samples in a way that conveniently and accurately compares with the corresponding master brightness samples stored in an identical format in the memory 56. In a way more specific, in a first step, we obtain the average value X for the set of test brightness samples (containing "n" samples) for the_exploration of a ticket, as follows: - -, T n 1 Subsequently, a Sigma normalization factor ("s") is determined as the equivalent to the sum of the square of the difference between each sample and the average, normalized by the total number n of the sample. More specifically, the normalization factor is calculated as follows: In the final step, each sample of gross brightness is normalized by obtaining the difference between the sample and the average value calculated above, and dividing it by the square root of the normalization factor s as defined by the following equation: III. OTHER SENSORS A. Magnetic In addition to the optical and color scanning heads described above, the currency management system 10 may include a magnetic scanning head. Figure 11 illustrates a scan head 86 having a magnetic sensor 88. A variety of forex characteristics can be measured using magnetic scanning. These include the detection of patterns of changes in the magnetic flux (Patent of the United States of America Number 3)., 280,974), patterns of vertical grid lines in the banknote representation area (U.S. Patent Number 3,870,629), the presence of a security thread (U.S. Patent Number 5,151,607), the total amount of magnetizable material of a banknote (U.S. Patent Number 4,617,458), patterns based on the detection of the strength of magnetic fields along a banknote (U.S. Patent Number 4,593,184) ), and other patterns and accounts from different ticket scanning portions, such as the area where the denomination is written (United States Patent Number 4,356,473). The denomination determined by the optical scan or the color scan of a banknote, can be used to facilitate the authentication of the banknote by magnetic exploration, using the relationships stipulated in Table 1. Table 1 Table 1 illustrates the relative total magnetic content thresholds for different denominations of genuine notes. Columns 1 to 5 represent different degrees of sensitivity selectable by a user of a device employing the present invention. The values of the Table 1 are established based on the exploration of genuine banknotes of different denominations for a total magnetic content, and establishing the required thresholds based on the degree of sensitivity selected. The information in Table 1 is based on a total magnetic content of 1000 for a genuine $ 1. The following description is based on a sensitivity setting of 4. In this example, it is assumed that the magnetic content represents the second feature tested. If the comparison of the information of the first characteristic, such as the reflected light intensity or the reflected light color content, from a scanned note, and the stored information corresponding to genuine notes, results in an indication that the explored note is of a denomination of $ 10, then the total magnetic content of the scanned note is compared to the total magnetic content threshold of a genuine $ 10 note, that is, 200. If the magnetic content of the scanned note is less than 200 , the ticket is rejected. Otherwise it is accepted as a $ 10 bill. B. Normalization In one embodiment, the currency management system 10 monitors the intensity of the light provided by the light sources. It has been found that the light source and / or the sensors of a particular system can degrade over time. Additionally, the light source and / or the sensor of any particular system may be affected by dust, temperature, imperfections, scratches, or anything that may affect the brightness of the tubes or the sensitivity of the sensor. In a similar way, systems that use magnetic sensors will also degrade in general over time, and / or be affected by their physical environment, including dust, temperature, and so on. To compensate for these changes, each currency management system 10 will normally have a unique measurement "polarization" for that system, caused by the state of degradation of the light sources or sensors associated with each individual system. The present invention is designed to achieve a substantially consistent evaluation of banknotes between systems by "normalizing" the master information and the test data, to take into account the differences in the sensors between the systems. For example, when the master information and the test data comprise numerical values, this is done by dividing both the threshold data and the test data obtained from each system, between a reference value corresponding to the measurement of a common reference for each respective system. The common reference may comprise, for example, an object such as a mirror or a piece of paper or plastic that is present in each system. The reference value is obtained in each respective system by scanning the common reference with respect to a selected attribute, such as the size, the color content, the brightness, the intensity pattern, and so on. The master information and / or the test data obtained from each individual system is then divided between the appropriate reference value to define the standardized master information and / or the test data corresponding to each system. The evaluation of banknotes in the standard mode can be done later by comparing the standardized test data with the standardized master information. C. Detected Attributes The characteristic information obtained from the scanned ticket may comprise a collection of data values, each of which is associated with a particular attribute of the ticket. The attributes of a note for which data can be obtained by magnetic detection include, for example, the patterns of changes in the magnetic flux (US Pat. No. 3,280,974), the patterns of the vertical grid lines in the area of banknote representation (3,870,629), the presence of a yarn of safety (U.S. Patent No. 5,151,607), the total amount of magnetizable material of a banknote (U.S. Patent Number 4,617,458), the patterns from the detection of magnetic field strength to length of a banknote (U.S. Patent No. 4,593,184), and other patterns or accounts from the exploration of different portions of the bill, such as the area where the denomination is written (United States Patent Number 4,356,473). The attributes of a note for which data can be obtained by optical detection include, for example, density (US Pat. No. 4,381,447), color (US Patents Numbers 4,490,846).; 3,496,370; 3,480,785), length and thickness (U.S. Patent Number 4,255,651), the presence of a security thread (U.S. Patent Number 5,151,607), and the holes (U.S. Patent No. 4,381,447), reflected or transmitted ultraviolet light intensity levels (U.S. Patent Number 5,640,463), and other reflectance and transmission patterns (U.S. Patent Nos. 3,496,370; 3,679,314; 3,870,629; 4,179,685) . Color detection techniques may employ color filters, colored lamps, and / or dichroic beam splitters (U.S. Patent Nos. 4,841,358, 4,658,289, 4,716,456, 4,825,246, 4,992,860, and European Patent Number EP 325,364). In addition, optical detection can be performed using infrared light, including detection of infrared patterns. In addition to magnetic and optical detection, other techniques for collecting test data from the currencies include detection of electrical conductivity, capacitive detection (U.S. Patent Number 5,122,754 [watermark, security thread]; 3,764,899 [thickness]; 3,815,021 [dielectric properties]; 5,151,607 [security thread], and mechanical detection (United States of America Numbers 4,381,447 [weakness]; 4,255,651 [thickness]). Each of the aforementioned patents in relation to the types of optical, magnetic, or alternative detection is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. IV. BRILLANTEZ CORRELATION TECHNIQUE The result of using the above normalization equations is that, subsequent to the normalization process, there is a correlation relationship between a test brightness pattern and a master brightness pattern, such that the cumulative sum of the corresponding sample products in a test brightness pattern and any master brightness pattern, when divided by the total number of samples, equals unity if the patterns are identical. Otherwise, a value less than unity is obtained. In accordance with the above, the number or correlation factor resulting from the comparison of the standardized samples, within a test brightness pattern, with those of a stored master brightness pattern, provides a clear indication of the degree of similarity or correlation between the two patterns. In accordance with the above, a correlation number, C, can be calculated for each test / master pattern comparison, using the following formula: n where Xn? is an individual standard test sample of a test pattern, Xra? it is a master sample of a master pattern, and n is the number of samples in the patterns. According to one embodiment of this invention, the fixed number of brightness samples, n, which are digitized and normalized for a test ticket scan, is selected as 64. It has been found experimentally that the use of higher binary orders of samples (such as 128, 256, etc.) does not provide a correspondingly increased discrimination efficiency in relation to the increased processing time involved in the implementation of the correlation procedure described above. It has also been found that the use of a binary order of samples less than 64, such as 32, causes a substantial drop in discrimination efficiency. The correlation factor can be conveniently represented in binary terms for a correlation facility. In one embodiment, for example, the unit factor that results when there is a 100 percent correlation is represented in terms of the binary number 210, .._ "^ - ^« ji ^^. -.-..- i.: .i.¿ «. ^ ^^^ that is equal to a decimal value of 1024. Using the above procedure, the standardized samples within a test pattern are compared with the master characteristic patterns stored within the system memory, in order to determine the particular stored pattern to which the test pattern corresponds most closely, by identifying the comparison that produces a number of correlation closer to 1024. The correlation procedure is adapted to identify the two highest correlation numbers resulting from the comparison of the test brightness pattern with one of the stored master brightness patterns. Two correlation numbers satisfy a minimum correlation threshold.It has been found experimentally that a correlation number of about 850 serves as a good cut-off threshold above which it can be corrected. in making positive identifications with a high degree of confidence, and below which the designation of a test pattern as corresponding to any of the stored patterns is uncertain. As a second threshold level, a minimum separation between the two highest correlation numbers is prescribed before making an identification. This ensures that a positive identification is made only when a test pattern does not correspond, within a given correlation range, with more than one master pattern stored.

The I? "-ir? -..- .. r. .- ..

Preferably, the minimum separation between the correlation numbers is set to 150 when the highest correlation number is between 800 and 850. When the highest correlation number is below 800, no identification is made. It is required to satisfy a two-level correlation threshold before a particular identification is made, for at least certain denominations of United States banknotes. More specifically, the correlation procedure is adapted to identify the two highest correlation numbers resulting from the comparison of the test pattern with one of the stored patterns. At that point, it is required to satisfy a minimum correlation threshold by these two correlation numbers. It has been found experimentally that a correlation number of about 850 serves as a good cutoff threshold above which positive identifications can be made with a high degree of confidence, and below which the designation of a test pattern as corresponding to either The stored patterns is uncertain. As a second threshold level, a minimum separation between the two highest correlation numbers is prescribed before making an identification. This ensures that a positive identification is made only when a test pattern does not correspond, within a given correlation range, with more than one master pattern stored. Preferably, the minimum separation between the numbers of The correlation is set to 150 when the highest correlation number is between 800 and 850. When the highest correlation number is less than 800, no identification is made. If the processor 54 determines that the scanned ticket matches 5 with one of the master sample sets, the processor 54 makes a "positive" identification having identified the scanned currency. If a "positive" identification can not be made for a scanned ticket, an error signal is generated. V. COLOR CORRELATION TECHNIQUE One embodiment of the way in which the system 10, in the standard mode, compares and discriminates a bill, is stipulated in the flow chart illustrated in Figures 12a-12d. First a ticket is explored in the conventional way 15 by three of the five scan heads, and the standard scan head in step 2300. The three scan heads are located at different positions along the width of the bill transport line, to scan different areas of the bill that is being processed.

Next, the system 10 determines, in step 2305, the lateral position of the bill in relation to the bill transport line, by using the "X" sensors. In step 2310, initialization takes place, where the best and second best results of the correlation (a 25 from the previous correlations in step 2360, in its case), referred to as "responses # 1 and # 2", are initialized to zero. The system 10 determines, in step 2315, whether the size of the ticket being processed (the test ticket) is within the range of the master size data corresponding to a ticket denomination for the selected country. If the size is not within the range, the system 10 proceeds to point B. If the system 10 determines, in step 2315, that the size of the test ticket is within the range of the master size data, the system proceeds to the step 2320, where the system points to a color pattern in the first orientation. Next, system 10, in step 2325, calculates the absolute difference percentage between the test pattern and the master pattern on a point-by-point basis. For example, when 64 sample points are taken along the test ticket to form the test pattern, the percentage of absolute differences between each of the 64 sample points from the test ticket, and the corresponding 64 points from the master pattern, are calculated by the processor 54. Then, the system 10, in step 2335, adds the percentage of absolute differences from step 2330 for each of the master patterns stored in the memory. For example, red and green master patterns are normally stored in memory because the third primary color, blue, is redundant, because the sum of the percentages of the three primary colors must be equal to 100 hundred. Therefore, by storing two of these percentages, the third percentage can be derived. Therefore, in an alternative embodiment, each color cell 334 could include only two color sensors and two filters. Therefore, in this context, the "full color sensor" could also refer to a system that uses sensors for two primary colors, and a processor capable of deriving the percentage of the third primary color from the percentages of the two primary colors for which sensors are provided. System 10, in step 2340, proceeds by summing the result of the red and green sums from step 2335. The total of step 2340 is compared to a threshold value in step 2350. The threshold value is derived empirically, and corresponds to a value that produces an acceptable degree of error between making a good identification and making a bad identification. If the total from step 2340 is not less than the threshold value, then the system proceeds to step 2365 (point D), and points to the next orientation pattern, if all orientation patterns have not been completed (step 2370). ), and the system returns to step 2330, and the total from step 2340 is compared to the next master color pattern corresponding to the determination of the position of the banknote made in step 2305. The system 10 again determines, in step 2350, whether the total from step 2340 is less than the threshold value. This cycle proceeds until it is found that the total is less than the threshold. Then, system 10 proceeds to step 2360 (point C). In step 2360, the brightness or intensity pattern of the test ticket is correlated with the first master brightness pattern corresponding to the determination of the position of the bill made in step 2305. The correlation between the test pattern and the pattern Master for brightness is calculated in the manner described above under "Brightness Correlation Technique". Then, in step 2370, the system determines whether all orientation patterns have been used. If not, the system returns to step 2330 (point E). If so, the system proceeds to step 2375. In step 2375, the process proceeds by pointing to the next master bill pattern in memory. Brilliance patterns can include several changed versions of the same master pattern because the degree of correlation between a test pattern and a master pattern can be negatively impacted if two patterns are not properly aligned with one another. The misalignment between the patterns can result from a number of factors. For example, if a system is designed in such a way that the scanning process is initiated in response to the detection of the thin boundary line surrounding US currencies, or to the detection of some other printed indications, such as At the edge of the notes printed on a note, scratched marks may cause the scan process to start at an inappropriate time. This is especially true for scratched marks in the area between the edge of a banknote and the bank of the printed tickets on the ticket. These scratched marks can cause the scanning process to start too early, resulting in a scanned pattern leading to a corresponding master pattern. Alternatively, when banknote edge detection is used to trigger the scanning process, misalignment between the patterns may result from variations between the location of the printed information on a banknote in relation to the banks of the bank. a ticket. These variations can result from the tolerances allowed during the printing and / or cutting processes in the manufacture of the currencies. For example, it has been found that the location of the front edge of the printed indications in the Canadian currencies in relation to the edge of the Canadian currencies can vary up to approximately 0.2 inches (approximately 0.5 centimeters). In accordance with the above, problems associated with misaligned patterns are overcome by changing the data in memory, discarding the last sample of data from a master pattern, and substituting a zero in front of the first sample of data from the master. master pattern. In this way, the master pattern is changed in memory, and a slightly different portion of the master pattern is compared with the test pattern. This process can be repeated up to a predetermined number of times, until a sufficiently high correlation is obtained between the master pattern and the test pattern, to allow the identity of a test ticket to be identified. For example, the master pattern can be changed three times to accommodate a test ticket that has its identification characteristics changed 0.5 centimeters from the front edge of the ticket. To do this, three zeros are inserted in front of the first sample of the master pattern data. In one embodiment of the pattern change technique described above, it is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,724,438 entitled "Method of Generating Modified Patterns and Method and Apparatus for Using the Same in a Curreney Identification System", which is incorporated herein by reference. Returning to the flow chart of Figure 12d, system 10, in step 2380, determines whether all master note patterns have been used. If not, the process returns to step 2315 (point A). If so, the process proceeds to step 2395 (point F - see Figure 12c). The best two correlations are determined by a simple correlation procedure that processes the digitized reflectance values in a way that conveniently and accurately compares with the corresponding values previously stored in an identical format. This is detailed above in the sections on Standardization Technique and Correlation Technique for Brilliance Samples. Referring again to Figure 12c, the system 10 determines, in step 2395, whether all the sensors have been verified. If the master patterns for all sensors have not been verified against the test ticket, system 10 cycles to step 2310. Steps 2310-2395 are repeated until all sensors are verified. Then, the system 10 proceeds to step 2400, wherein the system 10 determines whether the results for the three sensors are different, that is, whether each one selected a different master pattern. If each sensor selected a different master pattern, the system 10 displays a "no identification" message to the operator, indicating that it can not be called the bill. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to step 2410, wherein the system 10 determines whether the results for the three sensors are similar, ie, if all they selected the same master pattern. If each sensor selected the same master pattern, system 10 proceeds to step 2415. Otherwise, system 10 proceeds to step 2450 (Figure 12d), which will be described below. In step 2415, the system 10 determines whether the reading of the left sensor is above the correlation threshold number one. If so, the system 10 proceeds to step 2420. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to step 2430, which will be described later. In step 2420, the system 10 determines whether the central sensor reading is above the correlation threshold number one. If so, the system 10 proceeds to step 2425. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to step 2435, which will be described later. In step 2425, the system 10 determines whether the reading of the right sensor is above the correlation threshold number one. If so, system 10 proceeds to step 2475, where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, system 10 proceeds to step 2440, which will be described later. In step 2430, the system 10 determines whether the readings of the central and right sensors are above the correlation threshold number two. If so, system 10 proceeds to step 2475, where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to step 2445, which will be described later. In step 2435, the system 10 determines whether the readings of the left sensors * * SiA * & . . and right are above the correlation threshold number two. If so, system 10 proceeds to step 2475, where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to step 2445, which will be described later. In step 2440, the system 10 determines whether the readings of the central and left sensors are above the correlation threshold number two. If so, system 10 proceeds to step 2475, where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to step 2445, wherein the system 10 determines whether the sums of the three colors are below a threshold. If so, system 10 proceeds to step 2475, where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to step 2480, wherein the system 10 exhibits a "no identification" message to the operator, indicating that the ticket can not be denominated. In step 2410, the system 10 determined whether the results for all three sensors 2410 were similar, that is, if the denomination of the master pattern selected for each sensor is the same. If the results for the three sensors were not equal, the system 10 proceeded to step 2450, where the system 10 determines whether the left and center sensors are equal, that is, whether they selected the same master pattern. If they selected the same master pattern, the system 10 proceeds to step 2460. Otherwise, the system 10 td ^ jü. ^ j &. g ^ - ^ afeafc ^. ^ fc.a.da proceeds to step 2455, which will be described later. In step 2460, the system 10 determines whether the central and right sensors are equal, that is, whether they selected the same master pattern. If they selected the same master pattern, system 10 proceeds to step 2465. Otherwise, system 10 proceeds to step 2470, which will be described later. In step 2465, the system 10 determines whether the readings of the central and right sensors are above threshold number three. If so, system 10 proceeds to step 2475, where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to step 2480, wherein the system 10 exhibits a "no identification" message to the operator, indicating that the ticket can not be called. The system proceeded to step 2455 if the results of the readings of the left and center sensors were not equal, that is, they did not select the same master pattern. In step 2455, system 10 determines whether the readings of the left and center sensors are above threshold number three. If so, system 10 proceeds to step 2475, where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to step 2480, wherein the system 10 exhibits a "no identification" message to the operator, indicating that the ticket can not be called. An alternative comparison method involves comparing the individual test shade samples with their * *, .. corresponding master shade samples. If the test shade samples are within the 8 percent range of the master shades, then a match is recorded. If the test and master shade comparison registers a threshold number of matches, such as 62 of the 64 samples, the brightness patterns are compared as described in the previous method. SAW. INFRARED AUTHENTICATION TECHNIQUE In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, the systems described above are modified to include one or more infrared light sources and sensors for detecting infrared light in response to illumination of currency notes with infrared light. According to one embodiment, the system operates as described above, except that the visible light emitting diodes in the upper scanning head 70 (see, eg, Figure 4b) are replaced with infrared light emitting diodes, such as the Light-emitting diodes HSDL-4230 from Hewlett-Packard of Palo Alto, CA. This is an infrared TS AlGaAs lamp that generates light that has a wavelength of approximately 875 nanometers. Information regarding this sensor is attached as Appendix A. In other embodiments, the system operates with infrared light emitting diodes that generate light having a wavelength between about 850 and 950 nanometers. In still other alternative modalities, the lud Infrared used to illuminate currency notes has a wavelength greater than 950 nanometers. This system is adapted to authenticate currency notes having portions printed with ink sensitive to infrared light, such as the Mexican currency notes and the 50 peso currency note in particular, as follows. The Mexican currencies are sampled as shown and described above in relation to Figures 7b-7c. In a specific manner, a surface of a 50 peso Mexican peso bill is illuminated with infrared light, and then infrared light received from the surface of the note is sampled in response to illumination with infrared light. Turning to Figure 13, a flow chart is shown illustrating the method for calculating the sum of difference in relation to the authentication of the 50 Mexican peso bill. The values obtained by sampling a ticket are scaled, so that the maximum value is set equal to 1000 in step 2410. Then a first average of twelve samples and a last average of twelve samples are calculated by averaging the values of the samples. first and last twelve samples, respectively, in step 2420. Then the difference between each of the first twelve samples and the average of the first twelve samples is calculated. These differences add up to determine a total difference of the first twelve. In a similar way, the difference between each of the last twelve is calculated pJüf.i »fai« fa * A A. JJAEJB ^. ¿A¿.1 .. samples and the average of the last twelve. These differences are added to determine a total difference of the last twelve in step 2430. The total difference of the first twelve and the total difference of the last twelve are summed, and a value of sum of difference is stored in the memory in step 2440. In accordance with one embodiment, the technique described in relation to Figure 13 is carried out using a digital signal processor (DSP). Turning to Figure 14, a flow chart illustrating a method for authenticating 50 Mexican peso notes is shown. The value of the sum of difference calculated in Figure 13 is used to authenticate 50 peso notes. Using the color scanning head described above, the denomination of the ticket is determined by comparing the characteristic denomination information obtained from each of the bills under evaluation., with the information of the master denomination characteristic obtained from known genuine currency notes. In step 2510, it is evaluated whether the device has determined the current ticket as a 50 peso bill. If this is not the case, this authentication technique ends. If so, then the orientation of the banknote face is evaluated in step 2520. The orientation of the face is determined using the color scan head described above in relation to the determination of the go * * * ».r - ^^ --'- ~ - ',? tim ,, L¿. 50 pesos masters patterns that match more closely with the explored patterns. If the face of the 50-peso bill passed towards the upper scanning head 70, then the value of the difference sum is retrieved from the memory in step 2530, and this value is compared to a threshold value of the the face in step 2540. If the value of the sum of difference is less than the threshold value of the side of the face, then the routine ends. However, if the value of the difference sum is greater than or equal to the threshold value of the side of the face, then it is indicated that the bill is a suspicious bill in step 2550. Returning to step 2520, if the face of the bill of exchange 50 pesos passed towards the opposite side of the upper scanning head 70 (downward), then the value of the sum of difference is recovered from the memory in step 2560, and this value is compared with a threshold value that it is not on the side of the face in step 2570. If the value of the sum of difference is less than the threshold value that is not on the side of the face, then the routine ends. However, if the value of the sum of difference is greater than or equal to the threshold value that is not on the side of the face, then it is indicated that the bill is a suspicious bill in step 2550. The technique of Figure 14 can be perform using a processor, such as a Motorola 68HC16. It has been found that when the most genuine Mexican currencies are illuminated with infrared light, a level is detected of relatively constant light. However, for one side of a genuine 50 peso Mexican bill, a half-banknote pattern can be detected when scanning near the center as described above in connection with the 5 Figures 7a-7c. However, the edges of this side of a genuine 50 peso Mexican note produce a relatively flat response signal. On the other hand, it has been discovered that some documents of 50 counterfeit Mexican pesos produce a fluctuating pattern when illuminated with 10 infrared light. In accordance with the foregoing, the techniques described above in connection with Figures 13 and 14 provide examples of techniques for detecting these counterfeit 50 peso notes. Alternatively, a detected light pattern can be obtained, and it can be compared with the 15 detected light master patterns associated with genuine banknote scans. In the same way, other modifications can be made to the prior techniques. For example, you could store both the total difference of the first twelve and the total difference of the last 20, and it would be used in relation to Figure 14, by comparing these totals with the corresponding thresholds of the first twelve and the last twelve. In the same way, the number of samples averaged to more than twelve or less than twelve could be altered. In other alternative modalities, 25 can only use a range of samples that have * - »> «TH? i • any number of samples, such as, for example, the first twelve, the last twelve, the first six, the last twenty-four, or a range of samples taken from a middle part of the bill. According to one embodiment, the techniques of Figures 13 and 14 are performed by illuminating the currency notes with infrared light, and sampling the output of the sensor 74a (see, for example, Figure 15b), wherein the sensor 74a It is a sensitive photodetector and responds to infrared light. According to an alternative embodiment, the techniques of Figures 13 and 14 are performed by illuminating the currency notes with infrared light, and sampling the output of the sensor 74a (see, for example, Figure 15b), wherein the sensor 74a is a sensitive photodetector that responds to visible light. Referring now to Figure 15, a flowchart is shown illustrating a method for authenticating 50 Mexican peso notes in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. According to the modality illustrated in Figure 15, the responses are used both to illumination with infrared light and to the illumination with visible light of a currency bill in an authentication test. Images or portions of images are printed on some currency notes, such as the 50 Mexican peso bill, for example, with exclusively sensitive ink to infrared light. When the 50 Mexican pesos bill is illuminated with visible light, the reflected visible light indicates the image printed on the bill. However, when the bill is illuminated with infrared light, the reflected infrared light does not indicate the printed image on the bill's surface to the extent that the image does not appear to exist. Put another way, infrared light reflected from the image printed with ink sensitive to infrared light, produces a response similar to that of infrared light reflected from a blank white piece of paper. Essentially, the image does not seem to exist when the bill is illuminated with infrared light. Although the infrared authentication technique is described in relation to Figure 15 and discussed with reference to the 50 Mexican peso bill. This authentication technique can be used for other currency notes, a plurality of currency notes, or documents printed with ink sensitive to infrared light. To perform the authentication test in accordance with the method described in Figure 15, the bill that is currently being evaluated is named using the color scanning head as described above. The denomination of the ticket is determined by comparing the information of the denomination characteristic obtained from each of the bills under evaluation, with the information of the master denomination characteristic ta * "" "- * • * -? j <- obtained from known genuine currency notes In step 2610, it is determined if the denomination of the ticket currently being evaluated is a 50 peso Mexican bill. If it is determined that the ticket is not a 50 Mexican peso bill, this authentication test ends If the ticket is denominated as a 50 Mexican peso bill, both visible and infrared light reflected from the ticket are sampled. response to illumination with visible light and illumination with infrared light, respectively, as shown and described above in relation to Figures 7a-7c, although Figures 7a-7c illustrate samples taken from the middle portion of the currency bill 44, sampling according to the modality illustrated in Figure 15 can take place anywhere on the surface of the banknote that has infrared properties.Samples of visible light reflectance e obtained from a banknote surface in step 2620. Infrared light reflectance samples are obtained from the same banknote surface in step 2630. The samples of each type of reflected light are compared to determine whether the The bill exhibits the specific infrared properties found in genuine 50 Mexican peso notes - such as ink sensitive to infrared light. The two sets of samples are correlated, according to a process that is similar to the brilliance correlation technique described above, to quantify the degree of similarity, in step 2640. In a specific manner, a calculated "correlation value" , quantifies the degree of similarity between the reflectance samples of infrared and visible light. A higher correlation value results in a higher degree of similarity between the two samples taken from a bill, which indicates that the bill may be a counterfeit bill. A ticket that exhibits the infra-red properties described would exhibit a lack of similarity - a lower correlation value - because a set of samples would resemble that taken from a noteless ticket. For a ticket to be considered authentic according to this infrared authentication test, the reflected light samples obtained from the banknote under scrutiny, and the reflected infrared light samples must appear sufficiently different. If the calculated correlation value is less than the recovered threshold value, then this authentication test is passed successfully, because the bill has shown a sufficient difference between the sets of patterns of the two types of reflected light and the authentication test ends. If the calculated correlation value is greater than the threshold value, then the infrared authentication test is not passed successfully, because the banknote has demonstrated a high degree of similarity between the visible and infrared light samples, indicating that the bill it has not been printed with an ink sensitive to infrared light. When the calculated correlation value is greater than the recovered correlation threshold value, the ticket is indicated as a suspicious document in step 2670. An advantage of the authentication technique mode illustrated in Figure 15 is that this technique of authentication is performed regardless of the determination or knowledge of the surface or the orientation of the face of the sampled bill. Samples of visible light reflectance and infrared light are taken from the same bill surface, regardless of whether that surface is the front surface or the back surface. It is not necessary to determine which surface of the bill is being sampled according to this authentication technique, because the reflectance samples of visible light and infrared light obtained from one surface of the bill, are compared with each other, and not with other specific information of the orientation. In order to calculate the "correlation value", first the visible light reflectance samples and the infrared light samples are normalized according to a technique similar to the brightness normalization technique previously described. Both the visible and infrared reflectance samples are normalized, so that each of the sets of raw samples is processed in such a way that the two sets are more conveniently and precisely comparable. The following standardization technique will be described, by way of example, in terms of the normalization of the visible light reflectance samples, after which, the infrared light reflectance samples are normalized. As a first step, an average value X is obtained for the set of visible light reflectance samples (containing "n" samples), for a scan of a currency bill, as follows: X. = S n Subsequently, a Sigma normalization factor ("s") is determined as equivalent to the sum of the square of the difference between each sample and the average, as normalized, by the total number n of samples. More specifically, the normalization factor is calculated as follows: »\ X - X n £ fhlk? SA? Tlí ** Ír?) .. s. , 4toái iL **. ~~? * Tm * i *? .- ?. . . • '*? ? ~ - ~, jaj »i < If the final step, each sample of gross visible light reflectance is normalized by obtaining the difference between the sample and the average value calculated above, and dividing it by the square root of the normalization factor s as defined by the following equation: After the visible light reflectance samples are normalized, the reflectance samples of infrared light are normalized according to the technique described above. The result of using the above normalization equations is that, subsequent to the normalization process, there is a correlation relationship between the normalized visible light reflectance samples and the normalized infrared light reflectance samples, and the cumulative sum of the products of the corresponding samples in the two sets, when divided by the total number of samples, is equal to the unit if the patterns are identical. (Which would indicate a suspicious document according to the infrared authentication technique). Otherwise, a value less than unity is obtained. In accordance with the above, the correlation value, or the factor resulting from the comparison of the reflectance samples of visible light and normalized infrared light, provides a clear indication of the degree of similarity or correlation between the two patterns. In accordance with the above, a correlation value, C, can be calculated for each comparison of visible / infrared light reflectance patterns, using the following formula: ? ^ V -X IR C = - where Xv is a sample of individual normalized visible light, XIR is a sample of individualized normalized infrared light, and n is the number of samples in the patterns. According to one embodiment of this invention, the fixed number of samples, n, which are digitized and normalized for a scan of a test ticket, is selected as 64. It has been found experimentally that the use of higher binary orders of Samples (such as 128, 256, etc.) do not provide a correspondingly increased authentication efficiency in relation to the increased processing time involved in the implementation of the correlation procedure described above. I also know has found that the use of a binary sample order lower than 64, such as 32, causes a substantial drop in the authentication efficiency. In other alternative embodiments, any number of visible light and infrared light samples may be used to determine the correlation value between the two sets of samples. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the visible light reflectance samples obtained from the banknote can be used both to name the banknote and then to determine the authenticity of the banknote according to the authentication technique described above., where the given denomination triggers the authentication techniques described above. For example, visible reflectance samples are obtained from a banknote, and processed according to a naming technique. If the naming technique indicates that the bill is a 50 Mexican peso bill, then the authentication technique described above is performed using the visible light reflectance samples already obtained. Although the present invention has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Each of these modalities and obvious variations thereof is contemplated falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which is stipulated in the following claims. lüi.ií.? ^ I.R.?.?. r APPENDIX A Agilent Technologies Innovating the HP Way TS AlGaAs infrared lamp (875 nanometers) High Performance Tl 3/4 (5 millimeters) Technical Data Features Technology TS AlGaAs very high power wavelength of 875 nanometers • Package 04.03 Tl Low cost high Intensity: HSDL-4220-38 mW / sr HSDL-4230-75 mW / sr • Choosing angle: HSDL-4220 - 30 ° HSDL- 4230 - 17 ° • Low forward voltage for series operation • High speed: lifting times of 40 nanoseconds • Copper-lead frame for better thermal and optical characteristics. Applications • IR Audio • IR Phones • High Speed IR Communications LANs IR Modems IR IR Dongles Industrial IR Equipment Portable IR Instruments Package Dimensions 10 1001 HSDL-4200 HSDL-4220 Series 30 ° HSDL-4230 17 ° • Interfaces with infrared transceiver with crystal semiconductor CS8130.

Description The series of HSDL-4200 emitters are the first in a sequence of emitters that aim at high power, low forward voltage, and high speed. These emitters use the Transparent Substrate, double heterojunction, aluminum-Galium-Arsenide light-emitting diode (TS AlGaAs) technology. These devices are optimized for speed and efficiency in emission wavelengths of 875 nanometers. This material produces a high radiant efficiency over a wide range of currents up to a peak current of 500 mA. The series of HSDL-4200 emitters are available in a choice of viewing angles, the HSDL-4230 at 17 °, and the HSDL-4220 at 30 °. Both lamps are packaged in transparent packages T-l 3/4 (5 mm). A-l The package design of these emitters is optimized for efficient energy dissipation. Copper-lead frames are used to obtain better thermal performance than traditional steel-lead frames. The wide-angle emitter, HSDL-4220, is compatible with the IrDA SIR standard, and can be used with the integrated SIR transceiver with HSDL-1000.

Absolute Maximum Nominal Values t-f iíítñt t ~ '- r - • irf "TJ r fMf **" - *** • ** -s * ¿* ^ .- - - jfcaiar' ** ' Notes: derating linearly as shown in Figure 4. Any operation pulse can not exceed the Peak Current Forward Maximum Absolute, as specified in Figure 5. The transient current peak is the maximum peak current that nonrecurrent It can support the device without damaging the die of the light-emitting diode and the wire links.

Electrical Characteristics at 25 ° C A-2 Optical Characteristics at 25 ° C 15A-3 Order Information FORWARD-V FORWARD-V Figure 2a. Direct Current Forward Figure 2b. Comment Pico Forward against Voltage Forward. '' Voltage Forward.

Figure 3a. Relative Radiant Intensity versus Figure 3b. Normalized Radiant Intensity against Direct Current Forward. Peak current forward.

Figure 4. Maximum Direct Compound for Forward Figure 5. Maximum Peak for Forward Current vs. Ambient Temperature. against Factor d Work. Regime Reduction Based on A-4 í¡ j.¡í? R?., ¿? . .-. - mj ??? ie ^ m ^ ^ * T-ANGLE FROM OPTICAL CENTERLINE-GRADES (CONE mean angle) Figure 6. Relative Intensity against Displacement Heating Angular HSDL-4220.

T-ANGLE FROM THE OPTICAL-GRADES CENTRAL LINE (MID-ANGLE CONE) Figure 7. Relative Radiant Intensity Against Angular Displacement HSDL-4230. f-FREQUENCY-Hz Figure 8. Relative Radiant Intensity versus Frequency. TO 5 ¿¿¿..i ». j .i ^ i ^ i:.? J, .i?,?

Claims

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the foregoing invention, it is considered as a novelty, and therefore, property is claimed as contained in the following: CLAIMS 1. A document handling system for processing documents, the system comprising: a infrared light source; a sensor adapted to produce an output signal in response to illumination with infrared light of a document; and a processor programmed to receive the signal and authenticate the document based thereon. 2. The document management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the output signal indicates the level of light received from the document in response to illumination with infrared light. 3. The document management system according to claim 2, characterized in that the light received from the document comprises visible light. 4. The document management system according to claim 2, characterized in that the light received from the document comprises infrared light. 5. The document management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor responds to visible light. 6. The document management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor responds to infrared light. 7. The document management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the infrared light source has a wavelength between about 850 nanometers and 950 nanometers. 8. The document management system according to claim 7, characterized in that the wavelength is approximately 875 nanometers. 9. The document management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor is adapted to detect a pattern of light received from the document in response to illumination with infrared light, the output signal indicating the pattern of light detected. 10. The document management system according to claim 9, characterized in that it also comprises a memory adapted to store detected master patterns of light, the processor adapting to authenticate the document by comparing the output signal with the master authentication patterns detected light. The document handling system according to claim 10, characterized in that the processor is adapted to generate a suspicious document error signal when the output signal does not compare favorably with the master authentication patterns of the document. light detected. 12. The document handling system according to claim 1, characterized in that the document is a currency bill. 13. The document management system according to claim 12, characterized in that the authenticity of the ticket is evaluated in relation to being a 50 peso Mexican bill. The document handling system according to claim 12, characterized in that the processor is adapted to determine a sum of difference value for the bill, based on the output signal, the processor adapting to authenticate a bill by comparing the value of the difference sum with a master authentication threshold value. 15. The document management system according to claim 14, characterized in that the processor is adapted to generate a suspicious document error signal when the value of the difference sum does not compare favorably with a threshold value of master authentication. 16. The document handling system according to claim 14, characterized in that the output signal produced by the sensor in response to illumination with infrared light of a bill, corresponds to the optical samples obtained along a dimension of the bill, the processor adapting to determine the value of the difference sum , based on at least a range of samples. 17. The document management system according to claim 16, characterized in that at least one range of samples comprises the first twelve samples and the last twelve samples obtained along a dimension of a bill. 18. The document management system according to claim 17, characterized in that the processor is adapted to determine the value of the difference sum by scaling the samples obtained along a dimension of a bill, in such a way that a maximum sample value is set to 1000, averaging a first range of samples, averaging a second range of samples, determining a first total difference of samples by adding the difference between each of the samples in the first range of samples samples and the first average of samples, determining a second total difference of samples by adding the difference between each of the samples in the second range of samples and the second average of samples, and adding the first total difference of samples and the second total difference of samples. 19. A currency management system for processing currency notes, which comprises: an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of notes from a plurality of denominations to be processed; at least one outlet receptacle adapted to receive the bills after the tickets have been processed; a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, from the entry receptacle to at least one exit receptacle; a naming sensor disposed adjacent to the transport mechanism adapted to retrieve the naming characteristic from each of the bills; an infrared light source disposed adjacent to the transport mechanism adapted to illuminate a surface of a bill with infrared light; a sensor arranged adjacent to the transport mechanism adapted to optically sample a bill in response to illumination with infrared light along a dimension of the bill, the sensor adapting to produce a signal indicating the samples obtained from the bill; a memory adapted to store a plurality of master authentication threshold values corresponding to a plurality of denominations and master naming information; a processor adapted to receive the output signal from the sensor, the processor adapting to determine a sum of difference value for each of the bills, the processor adapting to determine the denomination of each of the bills by comparing the information denomination feature recovered with the master naming information, the processor adapting to determine the authenticity of each of the bills, by comparing the value of the difference sum with a master threshold value corresponding to the given denomination. 20. The currency management system according to claim 19, characterized in that the sensor responds to visible light. 21. The currency management system according to claim 19, characterized in that the sensor responds to infrared light. 22. The currency management system according to claim 19, characterized in that the infrared light source has a wavelength between about 850 nanometers and 950 nanometers. 23. The currency management system according to claim 22, characterized in that the wavelength is approximately 875 nanometers. 24. The currency management system according to claim 19, characterized in that the processor is adapted to produce a suspicious document error signal when the value of the determined sum of difference does not compare favorably with the threshold value of master authentication. 25. The currency management system according to claim 19, characterized in that the output signal produced by the sensor in response to illumination with infrared light of a document corresponds to the optical samples obtained along a dimension of the document, the processor determining the value of the sum of difference based on at least a range of samples. 26. The currency management system according to claim 25, characterized in that the range of samples comprises the first twelve samples and the last twelve samples obtained along a dimension of a bill. 27. The currency management system according to claim 26, characterized in that the processor is adapted to determine the value of the difference sum by scaling the samples obtained along a dimension of a bill, in such a way that a maximum sample value is set to 1000, averaging a first range of samples, averaging a second range of samples, determining a first total difference of samples by adding the difference between each of the samples in the first range of samples samples and the first sample average, determining a second total difference of samples by adding the difference between each of the samples in the second range of samples and the second average of samples, and adding the first total difference of samples and the second total difference of samples 28. The currency management system according to claim 19, characterized in that the authenticity of the bills is evaluated in relation to being bills of 50 Mexican pesos. 29. A currency management system for processing currency notes, which comprises: an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of bills for processing; at least one outlet receptacle adapted to receive the bills after the tickets have been processed; a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, from the entry receptacle to at least one exit receptacle; an infrared light source disposed adjacent to the transport mechanism, adapted to illuminate a surface of a bill with infrared light; a sensor arranged adjacent to the mechanism of . JL ±? ? JU transport adapted to detect a pattern of light received from a surface of the bill in response to illumination with infrared light along a dimension of the bill, the sensor adapting to produce a signal indicating the pattern obtained from the bill; a memory adapted to store master authentication patterns; a processor adapted to receive the output signal from the sensor, the processor adapting to determine the authenticity of each of the bills, by comparing the pattern obtained from a bill with the master authentication patterns. 30. The currency management system according to claim 29, characterized in that the sensor responds to visible light. 31. The currency management system according to claim 29, characterized in that the sensor responds to infrared light. 32. The currency management system according to claim 29, characterized in that the infrared light source has a wavelength between about 850 nanometers and 950 nanometers. 33. The currency management system according to claim 32, characterized in that the wavelength is approximately 875 nanometers. 34. The currency management system according to claim 29, characterized in that the authenticity of the bills is evaluated in relation to being 50 Mexican peso notes. 35. A method for authenticating currency notes with a currency management system, the method comprising: receiving a stack of currency notes for processing, in an input receptacle; transporting the tickets from the entrance receptacle, one at a time, passing through an evaluation unit, to at least one exit receptacle; illuminating a surface of each of the bills with infrared light as each of the bills are transported passing through the evaluation unit; sampling the optical characteristics received from a surface of a banknote in response to the illumination of the surface of the banknote with infrared light, as each banknote is transported passing through the evaluation unit; determine the value of the sum of difference for each of the bills, where at least a range of samples obtained from each of the bills is used to determine the value of the sum of difference for each of the bills; comparing the value of the sum of difference determined for each of the notes with a value of the master difference sum stored in a memory of the currency management system; and producing a suspicious document error signal when the value of the determined difference sum does not compare favorably with the value of the master difference sum. 36. The method according to claim claimed in claim 35, characterized in that the step of determining the value of the difference sum comprises: scaling the samples obtained from the bill, in such a way that a maximum value of the sample is established in 1000; averaging a first range of samples; averaging a second range of samples; determine a first total difference of samples by adding the difference between each of the samples in the first range of samples and the first average of samples, determining a second total of difference of samples by adding the difference between each of the samples in the second range of samples and the second average of samples; and adding the first total difference of samples and the second total of difference of samples. 37. The method according to claim 36, characterized in that the first range of samples comprises the first twelve samples, and the second range of samples comprises the last twelve samples. 38. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that the illumination of a surface of each of the notes with infrared light further comprises illuminating a surface of each of the notes with infrared light having a wavelength r ^,?. r., i, .1.1 ... between approximately 850 nanometers and 950 nanometers. 39. The method according to claim 37, characterized in that the wavelength is approximately 875 nanometers. 40. The method according to claim claimed in claim 35, characterized in that the sampling of the optical characteristics further comprises sampling the infrared light received from a surface of a bill in response to the illumination of the surface of the bill with infrared light, to as each of the tickets are transported through the evaluation unit. 41. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that the sampling of the optical characteristics further comprises sampling the visible light received from a surface of a bill in response to the illumination of the surface of the bill with infrared light, to as each of the tickets are transported through the evaluation unit. 42. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that the sampling of the optical characteristics further comprises sampling the optical characteristics with a sensor that responds to infrared light. 43. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that the sampling of the optical characteristics further comprises sampling the optical characteristics with a sensor that responds to infrared light. 44. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that it also comprises determining the orientation of the face of each of the bills, and wherein the comparison of the value of the sum of difference determined for each of the bills with a master difference sum value stored in a currency management system memory further comprises comparing the value of the sum of difference determined for each of the notes with a master difference sum value corresponding to the orientation of the face determined from the ticket stored in a currency management system memory. 45. The method according to claim claimed in claim 35, characterized in that the authenticity of the bills is evaluated in relation to being bills of 50 Mexican pesos. 46. The method according to claim claimed in claim 35, characterized in that the reception of a stack of currency notes further comprises receiving a stack of currency notes of mixed denominations, and wherein the comparison of the value of the sum of difference The method for each of the tickets further comprises comparing the value of the sum of the difference determined for each of the tickets with a value of the master difference sum corresponding to a given denomination, the method further comprising determining the denomination of each one of the tickets. tickets 47. A method for authenticating currency notes with a currency management system, the method comprising: receiving a stack of currency notes for processing, in an input receptacle; transporting the tickets from the entrance receptacle, one at a time, passing through an evaluation unit, to at least one exit receptacle; illuminating a surface of each of the bills with infrared light as each of the bills are transported passing through the evaluation unit; detecting a pattern of light received from a surface of a banknote in response to illumination of the surface of the banknote with infrared light, as each banknote is transported passing through the evaluation unit; comparing the detected light pattern received from a surface of each of the bills with the master authentication patterns stored in a memory of the currency management system; and producing a suspicious document error signal when the detected light pattern does not compare favorably with the master authentication patterns. 48. The method according to claim 44, characterized in that the illumination of a í »ii4lj ^^^ & The surface of each banknote with infrared light further comprises illuminating a surface of each banknote with infrared light having a wavelength between about 850 nanometers and about 950 nanometers. 49. The method according to claim 48, characterized in that the wavelength is approximately 875 nanometers. 50. The method according to claim 47, characterized in that the detection of a light pattern further comprises detecting a pattern of infrared light received from a surface of a bill in response to illumination of the surface of the bill with light. infrared, as each of the bills are transported through the evaluation unit. 51. The method according to claim 47, characterized in that the detection of a light pattern further comprises detecting a pattern of visible light received from a surface of a bill in response to illumination of the surface of the bill with light infrared, as each of the bills are transported through the evaluation unit. 52. The method according to claim 47, characterized in that the detection of a light pattern further comprises detecting a light pattern with a sensor that responds to infrared light. 53. The method according to claim 47, characterized in that the detection of a light pattern further comprises detecting a light pattern with a sensor that responds to visible light. 54. The method according to claim 47, characterized in that it further comprises determining the orientation of the face of each of the bills, and wherein the comparison of the detected light pattern further comprises comparing the pattern of detected light with the master authentication patterns corresponding to the orientation of the determined face of the bill stored in a memory of the currency management system. 55. The method of conformity with claiming in claim 47, characterized in that the authenticity of the ticket is evaluated in relation to being bills of 50 Mexican pesos. 56. A currency management system for processing currency notes, which comprises: an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of currency notes to be processed, including the stack of currency notes, 50 Mexican peso notes; at least one outlet receptacle adapted to receive the bills after the tickets have been processed; a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, from the entry receptacle to at least one exit receptacle; a first sensor arranged adjacent to the transport mechanism adapted to retrieve the information from each of the bills, including the characteristic naming information and face orientation information for each of the bills; an infrared light source disposed adjacent to the transport mechanism, adapted to illuminate a surface of a bill with infrared light having a wavelength between about 850 nanometers and 950 nanometers; a second sensor disposed adjacent to the transport mechanism adapted to optically sample the infrared light reflected from the surface of the bill in response to illumination with infrared light from the surface of the bill along a dimension of the bill, the sensor adapting to produce a signal indicating the samples obtained from the ticket; a memory adapted to store the master authentication threshold values corresponding to a plurality of banknote orientations of 50 genuine Mexican pesos, and the master naming characteristic information; and a processor adapted to determine the denomination of each of the bills, adapting the processor to determine the orientation of the face of each one of the bills that are 50 Mexican pesos bills, adapting the processor to determine a sum of difference value for each one of the 50 Mexican pesos bills, adapting the processor to determine the authenticity of each one of the 50 Mexican peso bills by comparing the value of the sum of difference determined with a threshold value of master authentication corresponding to the orientation of the determined face of the 50 Mexican peso bill. 57. The currency management system according to claim 54, characterized in that the sensor responds to infrared light. 58. The currency management system as claimed in claim 56, characterized in that the processor is adapted to produce a suspicious document error signal, when the value of the determined sum difference does not compare favorably with the value Master authentication threshold corresponding to the orientation of the determined face of the 50 Mexican pesos bill. 59. The currency management system according to claim 56, characterized in that the output signal produced by the second sensor in response to illumination with infrared light of a bill corresponds to the optical samples obtained throughout of a dimension of the banknote, the processor determining the value of the sum of difference based on at least one range of samples. 60. The currency management system according to claim 59, characterized in that the range of samples comprises the first twelve samples and the last twelve samples obtained along a dimension of a bill. 61. The currency management system according to claim 60, characterized in that the processor is adapted to determine the value of the difference sum by scaling the samples obtained along a dimension of a bill, in such a way that a maximum sample value is set to 1000, averaging a first range of samples, averaging a second range of samples, determining a first total sample difference by adding the difference between each of the samples in the first range of samples and the first average of samples, determining a second total difference of samples by adding the difference between each of the samples in the second range of samples and the first average of samples, and adding the first total difference of samples and the second total difference of samples. 62. The currency management system according to claim 54, characterized in that the wavelength is approximately 875 nanometers. 63. A method for authenticating currency notes with a currency management system, the method comprising: receiving a stack of currency notes for processing in an input receptacle, including the stack of currency notes. currency bills of 50 Mexican pesos; transporting the tickets from the entrance receptacles, one at a time, passing through an evaluation unit, to at least one exit receptacle; determine the denomination of each one of the tickets; determine the orientation of the face of each one of the bills that are determined as bills of 50 Mexican pesos; illuminate a surface of each one of the bills that are determined as bills of 50 Mexican pesos with infrared light, as each of the bills are transported passing through the evaluation unit, the infrared light having a wavelength of approximately 875 nanometers; sampling the infrared light reflected from the surface of each of the bills in response to illumination of the surface of the bills with infrared light along a dimension of the bill, as each of the bills is transported through the evaluation unit; determine the value of the sum of difference for each of the bills, where the first twelve samples and the last twelve samples are used to determine the value of the sum of difference for each of the bills; comparing the value of the sum of difference for each of the bills with a master difference sum value corresponding to the orientation of the determined face stored in a memory of the currency handling system; and produce a suspicious document error signal when the value of the sum of difference determined does not compare favorably with the value of the master difference sum. 64. The method according to claim claimed in claim 63, characterized in that the sampling further comprises sampling the infrared light with a sensor that responds to infrared light. 65. The method according to claim claimed in claim 63, characterized in that the step of determining the value of the difference sum comprises: scaling the samples obtained from the bill, in such a way that a maximum sample value is established in 1000; averaging the first twelve samples; averaging the second twelve samples; determine a first total difference of samples by adding the difference between the first twelve samples and the first sample average; determine a second total difference of samples by adding the difference between each of the second twelve samples and the second average of samples; and add the first total difference of samples and the second total difference of samples. 66. A method for evaluating the authenticity of a currency bill in relation to being a genuine 50 peso Mexican currency bill, with a currency bill validator, the method comprising: illuminating a surface of the bill with an infrared light; sample the optical characteristics received from the surface of the ticket in response to the j ^ tfefefe & illuminating the surface of the bill with infrared light along a dimension of the bill; determining the value of the sum of difference for the ticket, where at least a range of samples obtained from the ticket is used to determine the value of the sum of difference; comparing the value of the determined sum of difference with a master authentication difference sum value stored in a currency bill validator memory; and producing a suspicious document error signal when the value of the determined difference sum does not compare favorably with the value of the master authentication difference sum. 67. The method according to claim 66, characterized in that the step of determining the value of the difference sum comprises: scaling the samples obtained from the bill, in such a way that a maximum sample value is established in 1000; averaging a first range of samples; averaging a second range of samples; determine a first total difference of samples by adding the difference between each of the samples in the first range of samples and the first average of samples; determine a second total difference of samples by adding the difference between each of the samples in the second range of samples and the second average of samples; and add the first total difference of samples and the second total difference of samples. 68. The method according to claim 67, characterized in that the first range of samples comprises the first twelve samples, and the second range of samples comprises the last twelve samples. 69. The method according to claim 66, characterized in that the illumination of a surface of the bill with infrared light further comprises illuminating a surface of the bill with infrared light having a wavelength of between about 850 nanometers and 950 nanometers. . 70. The method according to claim claimed in claim 69, characterized in that the wavelength is approximately 875 nanometers. 71. The method according to claim 66, characterized in that the sampling of the optical characteristics further comprises sampling the infrared light received from a surface of a bill in response to the illumination of the surface of the bill with infrared light. 72. The method according to claim 66, characterized in that the sampling of the optical characteristics further comprises sampling the visible light received from a surface of a bill in response to the illumination of the surface of the bill with infrared light. 73. The method according to claim 66, characterized in that the sampling of the optical characteristics further comprises sampling the optical characteristics with a sensor that responds to infrared light. 74. The method according to claim 66, characterized in that the sampling of the optical characteristics further comprises sampling the optical characteristics with a sensor that responds to infrared light. 75. The method according to claim 66, characterized in that it further comprises determining the orientation of the face of the bill, and wherein comparing the value of the sum of difference determined for the bill with a sum of difference value master authentication stored in a memory of the currency bill validator, further comprises comparing the value of the difference sum determined for the bill with a value of master authentication difference sum corresponding to the orientation of the determined face of the bill stored in a memory of the validator of currency notes. 76. A method to evaluate the authenticity of a currency bill in relation to being a 50 peso bill Genuine Mexicans with a currency bill validator, understanding the method: illuminating a surface of a banknote with an infrared light; sampling the optical characteristics received from the surface of the bill in response to the illumination of the surface of the bill with infrared light along a dimension of the bill; determine at least a total difference for the ticket; comparing the determined difference total with a master authentication difference total stored in a currency bill validator memory; and produce a suspicious document error signal when the total difference determined does not compare favorably with the total master authentication difference. 77. The method according to claim 76, characterized in that the step of determining the at least one total difference for the ticket comprises: scaling a range of samples obtained from the bill, such that a value of maximum sample is set to 1000; averaging the samples within the range of samples; and add the difference between each of the samples in the range of samples and the average of the samples within the range of samples. 78. The method according to claim 77, characterized in that the range of samples comprises the first twelve samples obtained from the ticket. 79. The method according to claim 77, characterized in that the range of samples comprises the last twelve samples obtained from the ticket. 80. The method according to claim 76, wherein the illumination of a surface of the bill with infrared light further comprises illuminating a surface of the bill with infrared light having a wavelength between about 850 nanometers and 950 nanometers. 81. The method according to claim as claimed in claim 80, characterized in that the wavelength is approximately 875 nanometers. 82. The method according to claim 76, characterized in that the sampling of the optical characteristics further comprises sampling the infrared light received from a surface of a bill in response to illumination of the bill's surface with infrared light. 83. The method according to claim 76, characterized in that the sampling of the optical characteristics further comprises sampling the visible light received from a surface of a bill in response to illumination of the surface of the bill with light. J «ME *. infrared 84. The method according to claim 76, characterized in that the sampling of the optical characteristics further comprises sampling the optical characteristics with a sensor that responds to infrared light. 85. The method according to claim 76, characterized in that the sampling of the optical characteristics further comprises sampling the optical characteristics with a sensor that responds to infrared light. 86. The method according to claim 76, characterized in that it also comprises determining the orientation of the face of each of the bills, and wherein the comparison of the value of the sum of difference determined for the ticket with a total of the master authentication difference stored in a memory of the currency bill validator, further comprising comparing the total difference determined for the bill with a total of master authentication difference corresponding to the orientation of the determined face of the bill stored in a memory of a validator of currency notes. 87. A currency management system for processing currency notes, which comprises: an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of currency notes to be processed, including the stack of currency notes, 50 peso Mexican bills; at least one outlet receptacle adapted to receive the bills after the tickets have been processed; a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, from the entry receptacle to the at least one exit receptacle; an infrared light source disposed adjacent to the transport mechanism, adapted to illuminate a surface of each of the bills with infrared light; a visible light source arranged adjacent to the transport mechanism adapted to illuminate the surface of each of the bills with visible light; a sensor responsive to infrared light disposed adjacent to the transport line, adapted to optically sample infrared light reflected from the surface of each of the bills in response to infrared illumination of the bill's surface; a sensor that responds to the visible light arranged adjacent to the transport line, adapted to optically sample the visible light reflected from the surface of each of the bills, in response to the infrared illumination of the surface of the bill; a memory adapted to store a plurality of threshold values corresponding to a plurality of authentication sensitivities; and a processor adapted to determine the denomination of each one of the bills, adapting the processor to determine a correlation value between the visible light reflectance samples and the infrared light reflectance samples obtained from each ticket determined as a 50 peso bill, the processor adapting to authenticate each of the bills determined as 50 peso bills Mexicans, by comparing the value of the determined placement with a threshold value stored in the memory, the processor adapting to generate a suspicious document error signal when the determined coloration value is not less than the stored threshold value. 88. The currency management system according to claim 87, characterized in that the processor is adapted to normalize each of the visible light reflectance samples in a range of samples, and to normalize each of the samples of reflectance of infrared light in a corresponding range of samples, the processor adapting to determine the correlation value by dividing the sum of the product of each of the standardized visible light reflectance samples and each of the reflectance samples of Normalized infrared light, between the number of samples in the range of samples. 89. The currency management system in accordance with claim 88, characterized in that the infrared light source generates infrared light having a wavelength of between about 850 nanometers and about 950 nanometers. 90. The currency management system according to claim 89, characterized in that the wavelength is approximately 875 nanometers. 91. A currency management system for processing currency notes, which comprises: an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of currency notes for processing; at least one outlet receptacle adapted to receive the bills after the tickets have been processed; a transport mechanism adapted to transport each of the bills, one at a time, from the entry receptacle to the at least one exit receptacle; an infrared light source disposed adjacent to the transport mechanism, adapted to illuminate a surface of each of the bills with infrared light; a visible light source arranged adjacent to the transport mechanism, adapted to illuminate the surface of each of the bills with visible light; at least one sensor disposed adjacent to the transport mechanism, the at least one sensor adapting to optically sample infrared light reflected from the surface of the bill in response to illumination with infrared light from the bill surface, the at least one sensor adapting to optically sample visible light reflected from the surface of the bill in response to illumination with visible light from the surface of the bill; a memory adapted to store at least one correlation threshold value; and a processor adapted to determine a correlation value between the visible light reflectance samples and the infrared light reflectance samples obtained from each of the notes, the processor adapting to authenticate each of the notes by comparing the correlation value determined with the threshold value stored in the memory, the processor adapting to generate a suspicious document error signal when the determined correlation value does not compare favorably with the stored threshold value. 92. The currency management system according to claim 91, characterized in that the processor is adapted to normalize each of the visible light reflectance samples in a range of samples, and to normalize each of the samples of reflectance of infrared light in a corresponding range of samples, the processor adapting to determine the correlation value by dividing the sum of the product of each of the standardized visible light reflectance samples and each of the reflectance samples of Normalized infrared light, between the number of samples in the range of samples. 93. The currency management system in accordance with claiming in claim 91, characterized in that the authenticity of the bills is evaluated in relation to being bills of 50 Mexican pesos. 94. The currency management system according to claim 91, characterized in that the infrared light source generates infrared light having a wavelength of between about 850 nanometers and about 950 nanometers. 95. The currency management system according to claim claimed in claim 94, characterized in that the wavelength is approximately 875 nanometers. 96. The currency management system according to claim 91, characterized in that the at least one sensor further comprises: a first sensor adapted to optically sample the infrared light; a second sensor adapted to optically sample visible light. 97. The currency management system according to claim 91, characterized in that it also comprises a denomination sensor adapted to recover the characteristic naming information from each of the bills, and where the memory is adapted for storing the master naming characteristic information, and the processor is adapted to determine the denomination of each of the bills by comparing the stored master naming characteristic information with the characteristic naming information retrieved from each of the bills . 98. A method for authenticating currency notes with a currency management system, the method comprising: receiving a stack of currency notes to be processed in an input receptacle, including the stack of currency notes, 50 Mexican peso notes; transporting the tickets from the entrance receptacle, one at a time, passing through an evaluation unit, to at least one exit receptacle; determine the denomination of each one of the tickets; illuminate a surface of each one of the bills that are determined as bills of 50 Mexican pesos with infrared light, as each of the bills are transported passing through the evaluation unit; illuminate a surface of each one of the bills that are determined as bills of 50 Mexican pesos with visible light, as each of the bills are transported passing through the evaluation unit; sampling the infrared light reflected from the surface of each of the bills in response to illumination of the surface of the bills with infrared light, as each of the bills is transported passing through the evaluation unit; sample the visible light reflected from the surface of each of the ^^^^^^^^ | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ M ^^^^ ffa »ft '^ * A. { The banknotes in response to the illumination of the surface of the bills with visible light, as each of the bills are transported through the evaluation unit; determining a correlation value between the visible light reflectance samples and the infrared light reflectance samples for each of the bills; comparing the correlation value determined for each of the bills with a master threshold value stored in a memory of the currency handling system; and producing a suspicious document error signal when the total difference determined for each of the notes is not less than the master threshold value. 99. The method according to claim claimed in claim 98, characterized in that the determination of a correlation value further comprises: normalizing a range of visible light reflectance values; normalize a corresponding range of infrared light reflectance samples; add the product of each of the standardized visible light reflectance samples and each of the infrared light reflectance samples; and divide the sum of the products by the number of samples in the range of samples. 100. The method according to claim claimed in claim 98, characterized in that the infrared light source generates infrared light having a wavelength of between about 850 nanometers and about 950 nanometers. 101. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the wavelength is 875 nanometers. 102. The method according to claim claimed in claim 98, characterized in that the comparison of the correlation value determined further comprises comparing the correlation value determined for each of the bills, with one of a plurality of threshold values stored in a memory. of the currency management system, the plurality of stored threshold values corresponding to a plurality of authentication sensitivities. 103. A method for authenticating currency notes with a currency management system, the method comprising: receiving a stack of currency notes for processing in an input receptacle; transporting the tickets from the entrance receptacle, one at a time, passing through an evaluation unit, to at least one exit receptacle; illuminating a surface of each of the bills with infrared light, as each of the bills are transported passing through the evaluation unit; illuminating a surface of each of the bills with visible light, as each of the bills are transported passing through the evaluation unit; sample the infrared light reflected from the surface of each of the bills in response to the illumination of the surface of the bills with - ***** - - i? - -tfim - "- * - - infrared light, as each of the bills are transported through the evaluation unit, sample the visible light reflected from the surface of each of the bills in response to lighting of the surface of the banknotes with visible light, as each banknote is transported passing through the evaluation unit, determining a correlation value between the visible light reflectance samples and the infrared light reflectance samples. each of the bills, and compare the correlation value determined for each of the bills with a threshold value stored in a memory of the currency handling system 104. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the determination of a correlation value also includes: normalizing a range of visible light reflectance values, normalizing a corresponding range of reflectance samples of infrared light; add the product of each of the standardized visible light reflectance samples and each of the infrared light reflectance samples; and divide the sum of the products by the number of samples in the range of samples. 105. The method according to claim 103, characterized in that it also comprises producing a suspicious document error signal when the correlation value determined for each of the bills does not compare favorably with the stored threshold value. 106. The currency management system according to claim 103, characterized in that the infrared light source generates infrared light having a wavelength of between about 850 nanometers and about 950 nanometers. 107. The currency management system according to claim 106, characterized in that the wavelength is approximately 875 nanometers. 108. The currency management system according to claim 103, characterized in that the comparison of the determined correlation value further comprises comparing the comparison value determined for each of the notes with one of a plurality of stored threshold values. in a memory of the currency management system, the plurality of stored threshold values corresponding to a plurality of authentication sensitivities. 109. The currency management system according to claim 103, characterized in that the authenticity of the bills is evaluated in relation to being 50 peso Mexican bills. 110. A method to evaluate the authenticity of a currency bill in relation to being a genuine 50 peso Mexican currency bill with a currency bill validator, comprising the method: illuminating a surface of the bill with infrared light; illuminate the surface of the bill with visible light; sampling the optical characteristics received from the surface of the bill in response to illumination of the bill's surface with infrared light; sampling the optical characteristics received from the surface of the bill in response to the illumination of the surface of the bill with visible light; determine a correlation value between the visible light samples and the infrared light samples; and comparing the correlation value determined for each of the notes with a threshold value stored in a memory of the currency management system. 111. The method according to claim 110, characterized in that the determination of a correlation value further comprises: normalizing a range of visible light reflectance values; normalize a corresponding range of infrared light reflectance samples; add the product of each of the standardized visible light reflectance samples and each of the infrared light reflectance samples; and divide the sum of the products by the number of samples in the range of samples. 112. The method according to claim 110, wherein the illumination of a banknote surface with infrared light further comprises illuminating a surface of the bill with infrared light having a wavelength of between about 850 nanometers and 950 nanometers. . 113. The method according to claim 112, characterized in that the wavelength is approximately 875 nanometers. 114. The method according to claim 110, characterized in that it further comprises producing a suspicious document error signal when the correlation value determined for each of the bills does not compare favorably with the stored threshold value. 115. The currency management system according to claim 110, characterized in that the comparison of the correlation value determined further comprises comparing the correlation value determined for each of the bills, with one of a plurality of threshold values stored in a memory of the currency management system, the plurality of stored threshold values corresponding to a plurality of authentication sensitivities.