MXPA00009013A - Color scanhead and currency handling system employing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A document handling system (10) is configured for processing a variety of different documents. The system includes an input receptacle (36) for receiving a stack of documents, a standard sensor (70) for scanning at least one non-color characteristic of the documents in the stack, a color sensor (300) for scanning the color characteristics of the documents, and an output receptacle (117) for receiving the documents after they have been processed. A transport mechanism (123, 141) is included for transporting the documents, one at a time, from the input receptacle (36) past the sensors (70, 300) to the output receptacle (117). An operator interface is provided for displaying information to an operator and inputting information into the system. A processor is also included for processing the data gathered from the sensors (70, 300) to evaluate the documents.

Description

COLOR EXPLORATION HEAD AND MONEY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT USES THE SAME FIELD OF THE INVENTION # The present invention relates, in general, to systems for the management of money, such as those capable of distinguishing or discriminating between money notes of different denominations and, more particularly, to those systems that use color sensors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The systems that are commonly found available for the simultaneous exploration and counting of documents such as paper money, are relatively complex and expensive, and relatively large in size. The complexity of these systems can also lead to -B < excessive service and maintenance requirements. These disadvantages have inhibited the more widespread use of these systems, particularly in banks and other financial institutions where space is limited in the areas where such systems are most needed, such as in ATM areas. The above disadvantages are particularly difficult to overcome in systems that offer features of great need such as the ability to authenticate the legitimacy and / or determine the denomination of the tickets. Therefore, there is a need for a small and compact system that can identify the denomination of banknotes of different denominations. In the same way there is • 5 that need for a system that can discriminate denominations of banknotes in more than one country. Similarly, there is a need for a compact and small system that can easily process tickets from a group of countries and still have the flexibility so that it can also easily process tickets from a group other than a B; or more countries. Similarly, there is a need for a money management system that can meet these needs and that is relatively cheap at the same time. There is also a need for a system for money management, that can retrieve information from the color of the money bills. Commonly, there are systems that effectively analyze the color of banknotes; however, these systems suffer from one or more disadvantages. For example, many of these systems capable of examining the colors are extremely large and expensive. In addition, some of these systems employ a color CCD array to explore banknotes. CCD color arrangements have the disadvantages of being expensive and requiring a considerable amount of energy for processing, thus requiring signal processors, more expensive, and more time indicted. Additionally, a problem associated with color scanning is that there is a need for the bills to be illuminated with more light than for standard scanning or analysis. However, add light sources • 5 increases the cost of the system and undesirably increases the heat generated and the electrical energy consumed. Another disadvantage of the previous systems for money management, capable of examining the color, is that they employ arrays of color scanning heads that are large, which in turn requires that the systems in which they are used are larger. Accordingly, there is a need for a system for handling money by scanning the total color, small, compact, and less expensive. A system for managing money by total color exploration uses all three primary colors to process and discriminate a money or document bill. The term "primary colors" as used herein, means colors from which other colors may be generated and includes all three additive primary colors (red, green and blue) as well as the three primary subtractive colors (magenta, yellow and cyan). Likewise, there is a need for a full-color scanning head array, for use in that system, which requires less energy for processing and that adequately resolve the issues relating to providing enough lighting and at the same time avoid the problems of excessive heat generation and energy consumption. There is a need for a total color scanning arrangement that can meet these needs in a • 5 effective way regarding costs. There is also a need for a system that can distinguish documents through color. There is an additional need for a system that can pre-select master patterns quickly. Similarly there is the need for a system that can limit the master patterns compared to the pattern of the analysis ticket, thus reducing the number of non-identifications and / or erroneous identifications. There is also a need for a system that allows exploration at low cost and high speed, a wide variety of money and documents that include paper money from casinos, paper money from amusement parks, stock certificates, bonds, postage stamps, and / or food stamps, or other documents of that type. Finally, there is a need for a system that can provide not only black and white data, but also color data that correspond to the document being processed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a money scouting system is provided • 5 which uses the total color scan to discriminate and / or authenticate a variety of different coins, including different denominations, within a group of coins. In accordance with another aspect of this invention, a system for the exploration of money is provided, which uses color sensors that eliminate the need for lenses to focus light, thus reducing the cost and size of the system. In one embodiment the system of the invention automatically learns the characteristics of authentic money 15 among a variety of different monetary systems. In accordance with another aspect of this invention, a document handling system for document processing is provided, the system comprises a first sensor for scanning at least one characteristic, other than color, of a document, a total color sensor to scan the color characteristics of the document, and a processor to process the data that corresponds to the scanned features of one or more documents, with the first sensor, and the color sensor, and to use the data 25 to order to evaluate one or more documents.

In accordance with another aspect of this invention, there is provided a document scanning system comprising a first scanning head assembly, for scanning a first side of a document, the first assembly of • 5 scanning head includes at least one optical sensor for scanning the optical characteristics of a document and size sensors comprising a pair of linear, laterally separated optical arrays, which extend a predetermined lateral distance and oppositely outward, to detect the opposite lateral edges of a document, to determine the length of a document in a direction transverse to a travel path of a document, beyond the scanning head. In accordance with another aspect of this invention, a method for handling documents is provided, for processing documents, the method comprises the steps of scanning at least one characteristic, other than color, of a document, exploring the total color characteristics of the document, processing the data corresponding to the document. color and other features scanned from one or more documents, and use the data to evaluate one or more documents. In accordance with another aspect of this invention, an apparatus with color scan heads is provided, for a document handling system, the color scanning head comprises one color sensor A? Ij = ki & £ gs¡taßssiß * gie ^^ l ^^ total, which includes a plurality of color cells, wherein each cell comprises a primary color sensor for detecting each of at least two primary colors. In accordance with another aspect of this invention, • 5 a color scanning method is provided, for a system for document handling, for processing documents, the method comprises the steps of exploring the characteristics of the total color of a document, processing the data corresponding to the explored characteristics of the document. one or more documents, and use the data to evaluate one or more documents. These and other features are provided by a system to process a variety of different currencies. The system includes an input receptacle for receive a stack of bills to be counted, a standard sensor to explore the black and white characteristics of the bills that are in the stack, a color sensor to explore the color characteristics of the bills, and a receptacle of exit to receive the bills after they have been processed. A transport mechanism is included to transport the bills, one at a time, from the entrance receptacle, passing the sensors, to the exit receptacle. An interface is provided for the operator, to display the information to a operator and enter the information into the system. I also know __ * _ ¡________ .. HHgl ^ It includes a processor to process the data collected from the sensors, to evaluate the bills.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS • Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of a money management system embodying the present invention; Figure 2a is a perspective view of a money management system, of a single bag, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2b is a side view, in section, of a money handling system, of a single bag, of figure 2a, representing several transport rollers, in lateral elevation; Figure 2c is a top plan view of the internal mechanism of the system of Figure 2a for transporting notes through a scanning head, and also showing the stacking wheels in the part front of the system; Figure 2d is a top view, in section, of the internal mechanism of the system of Figure 2a for transporting notes through a scanning head, and also showing the stacking wheels in the part front of the system; Figure 3a is a perspective view of a money management system, of two bags, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3b is a side view, in section, of the • 5 money handling system, of two bags, of figure 3a, which represents several transport rollers in lateral elevation; Figure 4a is a side view in section, of a system for handling money, of three bags, which represents several transport rollers in elevation • lateral; Figure 4b is a side view in section, of a money handling system, of four bags, representing several transport rollers in lateral elevation; Figure 4c is a side view in section, of a system for handling money, of six bags, which represents several transport rollers in lateral elevation; Figure 5a is an enlarged, sectional side view showing the scanning region in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5b is a sectional side view, showing the scan heads in accordance with a mode of the present invention; Figure 5c is a front view showing the scan heads of Figure 5b according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6a is a perspective view of a # 5 color scan head module; Figure 6b is a perspective view, separated in parts of the scanning head module of the color of Figure 6a; Figure 6c is a top view of the scanning head module of the color of Figure 6a; • Figure 6d is a front view of the scanning head module of the color of Figure 6a; Figure 6e is a side view of the scanning head module of the color of Figure 6a; Figure 6f is an end view of a color scanning head; Figure 6g is a side view of the scanning head module of the color of Figure 6a, including the scan head of the color of Figure 6f; Figure 7 is a functional block diagram of a standard optical scanning head; Figure 8 is a functional block diagram of a total color scan head; Figure 9a is a perspective view of a ticket of the United States of America and an area which will be scanned optically on the ticket; Figure 9b is a perspective, schematic illustration of successive areas explored during the transverse movement of a single bill, through a • 5 optical scanning head in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9c is a side elevational, schematic view of the scanning area to be scanned optically on a bill, in accordance with a mode of the present invention; Figure 9d is a top plan view of a bill, where a plurality of areas to be scanned optically on the bill is indicated; Figure 10a is a perspective view of a bill and a plurality of areas to be scanned for color on the bill; Figure 10b is a perspective, schematic illustration of successive areas explored during the transverse movement of a single banknote, through a color scan head in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10c is a side elevation, schematic, of the scanning area to which the color is to be scanned, on a banknote, in accordance with a modality of the present invention; Figure 11 is a timing diagram illustrating the operation of sensors that sample data in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figures 12a-12e are graphs of the information • 5 of the color obtained by the color scanning head in figure 13; Figure 13a is a top perspective view of a mode of a color scan head for use in the money management systems of Figures 1-4; Figure 13b is a perspective view, of the lower part of the color scanning head, of Figure 13a; Figure 13c is a view of the bottom part of the color scan head, of Figure 13a; Figure 13d is a sectional side view of the color scanning head of Figure 13c; Figure 13e is an enlarged, bottom view of a section of the color scanning head of the Figure 13b; Figure 13f is a sectional end view of the color scanning head of Figure 13a; Figure 13g is an illustration of the light trapping geometry of the scan head collector 25 of Figure 13a; ", .í £ _teSl Fig. 14 is a functional block diagram of a magnetic scan head; Figure 15a is a top view of the standard scan head of Figure 5a (with the element • 5 size detector); Figure 15b is a bottom view of the standard scan head of Figures 5a and 15a (with size sensing element); Figure 16 is a block diagram of a size detection circuit, for measuring the dimension • longitudinal (or "X") of a ticket; Figure 17 is a block diagram of a digital size sensing system for measuring the narrow dimension (or "Y") of a bill; Figure 18 is a timing diagram illustrating the operation of the size detection method of Figure 17; Fig. 19 is a block diagram of an analogous size detection system for measuring the narrow dimension (or "Y") of a bill; Figure 20 is a block diagram, functional, of a folds / holes detection system; Figure 21 is a flow chart of a mode of learning mode; 25 Figure 22 is a flowchart that defines further a stage of the flow chart of Figure 21; Figures 23a-d are flow charts of a mode of how the system operates in the standard banknote evaluation mode; and Figures 24a-h are flow charts of another embodiment of the color correlation scheme shown in Figures 23c-d. Although the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been presented by way of example, in the drawings and will be described in detail herein.

It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms described, but on the contrary the intention is to cover all equivalent modifications, and alternatives that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE MODALITIES Figure 1 illustrates, in the form of a functional block diagram, the operation of systems for money management, in accordance with the present invention.

Figures 2a-2d, 3a-3b and 4a-4c illustrate various physical modalities of money management systems, which work as discussed in relation to Figure 1 and employing an arrangement for color scanning, in accordance with the present invention. First, these modalities will be described and then the details concerning five modalities of color scanning heads and the processing thereof will be described. Focusing on Figure 1, a money management system 10 comprises an entry receptacle 36 for receiving a stack of bills to be processed. He processing may include, evaluate, determine the denomination, authenticate and / or count the tickets. In addition to handling bills, the money handling system 10 may be designed to accept other documents that include, but are not limited to, stamps, stock certificates, coupons, tickets, checks and other identifiable documents. The bills placed in the entry receptacle are transported one by one by a transport mechanism 38 along a transport path, past one or more scanning heads or sensors 70. The (s) scanning head (s) 70 can realize magnetic, optical and other types of detection, to generate signals corresponding to the information of characteristics received from a banknote 44. In modalities that will be described later, the (s) exploration head (s) 70 comprises (n) a color scanning head. In the a ^ ^ aj8¿fc. { Fr ^? BMiSBl ^ gfc < ^ modality shown in figure 1, the scanning head (s) 70 employs a sample region 48 of substantially rectangular shape, to scan a segment of each money bill that passes 44. After passing through 5 the scanning head (s) 70, each of the bills 44 is transported to one or more exit receptacles 34 that can include stacking mechanisms to re-stack the notes 44. In accordance with certain modalities the) scanning head (s) 70 generates analog output (s) that is (are) amplified (s) by an amplifier 58 and converted (s) to a digital signal by a central control unit 52 of analog to digital converter (ADC) whose output is fed as a digital input to a controller or processor as a central processing unit (CPU), a processor or the like. The process (such as a microprocessor) controls the overall operation of the system 10 for money management. An encoder 14 associated with the bill transport mechanism 38, provides input to the PROCESSOR 54 to determine the synchronization of the operations of the system 10 for money management. In this way the processor is able to inspect the precise location of the bills as they are transported through the system for the management of money. já ^ É ^ miig ^ i The PROCESSOR 54 is also functionally connected to an internal or external memory 56. The memory comprises one or more types of memory such as a random access memory ("RAM"), a memory only of • 5 reading ("ROM"), EPROM or instant memory, depending on the information stored or to be stored in it. The memory 56 stores codes of computer programs and / or data related to the operation of the system 10 for the management of money and information to determine the denomination and / or authentication of bills. A panel and interface display screen 32 for the operator provides an operator with the ability to send input data to the system 10 for managing money, or receiving data from it.

The input data may comprise, for example, operating modes selected by the user and operating parameters, defined by the user, for the system 10 for money management. The output data may comprise, for example, a visual presentation of the modes of operation and / or of the state of the system 10 for the handling of money and the number or cumulative value of the evaluated tickets. In one embodiment, panel 32 of the operator interface comprises a "touch screen numeric keypad" and a display screen that can be use to provide input data and display data from ___- "¿_ ^ ^^^ • •••••••••••••••••• ffa ^^ rff« t- ^ kfa-- exit related to the operation of system 10 for money management. Alternatively, the operator interface 32 may employ physical keys or buttons and a separate display screen or a combination of physical keys and touch screen keys displayed. A determination of authenticity or denomination of a banknote under analysis is based on a comparison of the scanned data associated with the analysis ticket for the corresponding master data stored in the memory 56. For example, wherein the system 10 for the Money management comprises a denomination discriminator, a stack of banknotes having undetermined denominations can be processed and the denomination of each banknote on the stack can be determined by comparing the data generated from each banknote with the information teacher previously stored. If the data of the banknote under analysis coincide sufficiently with the master information associated with a denomination and type of ticket, individuals, stored in the memory, a determination of the denomination can be made. The master information may comprise numerical data associated with various denominations of the tickets. The numerical data may comprise, for example, threshold values of acceptability that are used to evaluate the analysis notes, based on the numerical values iiliiiíiiiflfW? irrrii? riT r iiii expected, associated with money or a range of numerical values that defines the upper and lower acceptability limits. The threshold values may be associated with several levels of sensitivity. The master information may also comprise pattern information associated with the money, such as for example optical or magnetic patterns. Focusing on Figures 2a-2d, Figure 2b is a perspective view of a money management system 10, having a single output receptacle 117 of according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2b is a side sectional view of the single-bag money management system of figure 2a, showing several transport rollers, in lateral elevation, and figure 2c is a top plan view of the internal mechanism of the system of Figure 2a for transporting notes through a scanning head, and also shows the stacking wheels 112, 113 at the front of the system. The mechanical components of this modality will be briefly described later. For Further details, systems for handling money, of a single bag, are described in greater detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,693 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Discriminating and Counting Documents" and in U.S. Patent No. 5,295,196 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Discriminate and Count Money "both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The physical modality of the system for managing money, • described in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,963, 5 including the transport mechanism and its operation, is similar to that shown in Figures 2a-2d except for the arrangement of the scanning head. The money handling system of Figures 2a-2d employs a color scanning head 300 (Figure 2b) in accordance with the present invention or in addition to one of the standard scanning heads 70 described in the patent. No. 5,687,963. The money management system of Figures 2a-2d is designed to transport and process bills at a rate of more than 800 bills per 15 minutes, preferably more than 1200 bills per minute. In the single-bag system 10, the bills are fed, one by one, from a stack of bills placed in the entrance receptacle 36 to a transport mechanism, which guides the bills through the sensors to a single receptacle of the bank. outlet 117. The money handling system 10, of a single bag, includes a housing 100 having a rigid structure formed by a pair of side plates 101 and 102, an upper plate 103a, and a lower front plate 104. system 10 for 25 money management also has a 32a interface for the ^^^^ S ^? Üsi A operator. As shown in Figure 2a the interface panel for the operator comprises a liquid crystal display and physical keys or buttons. Alternatively or additionally, the interface panel for the operator can • 5 comprising a touch screen such as a full graphics display screen. The input 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 rear wall 106 supports a removable hopper (extension) 109 that includes a pair of vertically placed side walls 110a and 110b that complete the receptacle for the stack of bills to be processed . From the input receptacle, the bills move successively from the bottom of the stack, along a curved guide 111 that receives 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 a drive roller 123 so as to form a narrow passage for the bills, along the rear side of the drive roll. The exit end of the guide 111 directs the bills on a linear path where the bills are explored and stacked. The tickets are transported and stacked keeping the narrow dimension of the bills parallel to the transport path and the direction of movement, all the time. ^ Stacking of bills is done at the end forward of the linear path, wherein 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 stacking plate 114 to receive the bills as they advance through the surface Top 10, inclined downwards, of the plate. The stacking wheels 112 and 113 are supported for rotational movement about a shaft 115 hinged with bearing on the rigid structure and driven by a motor 116. The flexible pallets of the stacking wheels supply the bills to the outlet receptacle 117 at the front end of the stacker plate 114. During operation, a bill that is supplied to the stacker plate 114 is picked up by flexible paddles and is housed between a pair of adjacent pallets which, in combination, define a The curved housing decelerates a ticket entering therein and serves as a means to support and transfer the bill to the exit receptacle 117 as the stacking wheels 112, 113 rotate. The mechanical configuration of the stacking wheels, as well as the way in which they cooperate with the stacking plate, is conventional and consequently, it is not described in detail herein. Now focusing on the input region of the system, as shown in Figures 2a-2d, 5a-b and 6a, bills that are stacked on the bottom wall 105 • of the input receptacle are removed, one at a time, of the bottom of the pile. The lower banknote is lifted by a pair of auxiliary power wheels 120 mounted on an actuator shaft 121 which, in turn, is supported through the side walls 101, 102. The auxiliary power wheels 120 are projected to through a pair of slots formed in the lid 107. Part of the periphery of each wheel 120 is provided with a high-friction, serrated, 122 surface, which engages the bottom bill, of the input stack, as the wheels 120 15 rotate, to initiate the feeding movement of the bill from the bottom of the stack. Sawn surfaces 120 project radially beyond the remainder of each periphery of the wheel, such that the wheels "smoothly" move the stack of bills during each revolution, in order to activate 20 and loosen the bottom money bill , which is inside the stack, thereby facilitating the extraction of the bill from the bottom of the stack. Auxiliary feed wheels 120 feed each extracted bill, on a drive roller 120 mounted on an actuator shaft 124 supported through the walls -; Í_. Í ™ _i lateral 101 and 102. The driving roller 123 includes a smooth, central 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 serrated portions 128 and 129 formed of a high friction material. This power and drive arrangement is described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,963. In order to ensure firm coupling between the drive roller 123 and the money bill being fed, a tension roll 130 pushes each incoming bill against the flat, smooth surface 125 of the drive roll 123.

The tension roller 130 is articulated on a pair of arms that are mounted, so that they can rotate, on a support shaft 132. Also mounted on the shaft 132, on opposite sides of the tension roller 130, there is a pair of slotted extractor wheels 133 and 134. The grooves on these two wheels 133, 134 coincide with the central ridges on the two grooved surfaces 126, 127 of the drive roller 123. The wheels 133, 134 are fixed to the shaft 132, which in turn is immobilized against the movement in the direction of the movement of the notes (against the direction of movement of the hands of the clock, for the roller 123, in the sense of the movement of the hands of the clock, __MMMt ______ «» a_? Tt ___ l for wheels 133, 134, as shown in Figure 2b) by a unidirectional clutch (not shown). Each time a bill is fed to the line of contact between the guide wheels 133, 134 and the drive roller 123, it is • 5 supplies power to the clutch to rotate the shaft 132 by just a few degrees in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the bill. These repeated movements, in increments, distribute the wear uniformly around the circumferences of the wheels. guide 132, 134. Although the tension roller 130 and the guide wheels 133, 134 are mounted behind the guide 111, the guide opens to allow the roller 130 and the wheels 130, 134 to engage the bills on the front side of the guide. Below the tension roller 130, a pressure roller 136 with spring tension (Figure 2b) presses the notes into firm engagement with the smooth friction surface 125 of the drive roller as the banknote curves downwardly. throughout the guide 111. This pressure roller 136 is articulated on a pair of arms 137 which pivot on a stationary shaft 138. A spring 139 attached to the lower ends of the arms 137 pushes the roller 136 against the driving roller 133, through a opening in the curved guide 111.

At the lower end of the curved guide 111, the The bill that is transported by the drive roller 123 is coupled to a flat guide or transport plate 140. The money bills are positively driven along the flat plate 140 by means of an array of rollers. transport which includes the drive roller 123 at one end of the plate and a smaller driven roller 141 which is at the other end of the plate. Both the drive roller 123 and the smaller roller 141 include pairs of smooth, raised cylindrical surfaces, 142 and 143 that hold the bill in a flat configuration against the plate 140. A pair of toroidal gaskets are accommodated within the slots 144 and 145 formed in both the roller 141 and the roller 123 to engage the bill continuously between the two rolls 123 and 141 to transport the ticket while helping to hold the bill in a flat configuration against the transport plate 140. The flat transport or guide plate 140 is provided with openings through which the raised surfaces 142 and 143 of both the drive roller 123 as of smaller driven roller 141, are subjected to contact by reverse rotation, with corresponding pairs of passive transport rollers 150 and 151 having high friction rubber surfaces. The passive rollers 150, 151 are mounted on the underside of the plate flat 140 in such a way that they can rotate freely around their axes and which can be deflected in an opposite rotation contact, with the corresponding upper rollers 123 and 144. The passive rollers 150 and 151 are deflected to come into contact with the driven rollers 5 123 and 141 by a pair of springs of flexible H-shaped sheets (not shown). Each of the four rollers 150, 151 is wedged between a pair of parallel arms of one of the H-shaped flexible leaf springs. The central portion of each flexible leaf spring is attached to the plate 140, which is rigidly fastened to the structure of the system, in such a way that the relatively rigid arms of the H-shaped flexible leaf springs exert a constant deflection pressure against the rollers and push them against the rollers upper 123 and 141. The contact points between the driven and passive transport rollers are preferably coplanar with the flat upper surface of the plate 140, so that the bills can be positively actuated along the top surface of the plate, in a flat manner. The distance between the axes of two driven transport rollers, and the corresponding counter rotating passive rollers, is selected to adjust the length of the narrow dimension of the bills. By Consequently, the bills are held firmly under the __SS_- * _ _aÉa? ___ l uniform pressure between the upper and lower transport rollers, within the area of the scan head, thereby minimizing the possibility of twisting a bill and improving the reliability of the total process • 5 exploration and recognition. The positive guide arrangement, described above, is advantageous because a uniform guiding pressure is maintained on the bills as they are transported through the area of the sensor or the head of the bank. scanning, and the twisting or twisting of the bills is substantially reduced. This positive action is complemented by the use of the springs in H to uniformly deflect the passive rollers, so that they come into contact with the active rollers, in such a way that they avoid the twisting or twisting of the bills, resulting from the differential pressure applied to the bills along the transport path. Toroidal joints work as a simple but extremely effective means of ensuring that the central portions of the bills are keep flat. As shown in Figure 2c, the optical encoder 32 is mounted on the axis of the roller 141 to precisely track the position of each bill as it is transported through the system, as shown in FIG. analyzes with details later, in relation to the fJ __ ^ '_ r_11 ___ Mirrt_-tr Optical detection and correlation technique. The encoder 32 also allows the system to be stopped in response to an error occurring or the detection of an "unidentified" ticket. A system that uses an encoder to • Stop exactly one scanning system, described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 5, 687, 963, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The 10 system for money, from a single bag, described above with reference to Figures 2a-2d, is • small and compact, so that it can be placed on top of a table or a counter. According to one embodiment, the money management system 10, of a single bag, has a housing 100 of small size. He housing 100 of small size provides a 10 system for money management, which occupies a small area or "footprint". The footprint is the area occupied by the system 10 on top of the table and can be calculated by multiplying the width (Wl) and the depth (DI). Because the The housing 10 is compact, the money handling system 10 can be easily used at any desk, workstation or cashier station. Additionally, the housing 100 of small size, weighs little, which allows the operator to move it between different work stations.

According to one modality the system 10 for the Money Management has a height (Hl) of approximately 24.13 cm (9 y.), a width (Wl) of approximately 27.94 cm (11 inches), and a depth (DI) of approximately 30.48 cm (12 inches) and weighs approximately 6.82 to 9.10 kilograms (15 to 20 pounds). Therefore, in this embodiment, the money handling system 10 has a "footprint" of approximately 27.94 cm X 30.48 cm (11 X 12 inches) or approximately 851.61 cm2 (132 square inches) which is less than 0.09 square meters (one square foot), and a volume of approximately 20,549.4 cm3 (1254 cubic inches) which is less than 0.028 cubic meters (one cubic foot). Therefore, the system is small enough to fit over the top of a typical table. The system is capable of accommodating several types of money, including German money, which is quite large in dimension X (compared to the money of the United States of America). The width of the system is therefore sufficient to accommodate a German ticket that is 180 millimeters long (approximately 7,087 inches). The system can be adapted for larger money, making the transport path wider, which can make the overall system wider. One of the factors that contribute to the size of the footprint of the system 10 for handling money, is the size of the money bills that are going to be manipulated. By example, in the modality described above, the width is less than about twice the length of a US dollar bill and the depth is ^? > less than about 5 times the width of a ticket the United States of America. Other modalities of the system 10 for handling money, from a single bag, have a height (Hl) that varies from 17.78 centimeters to 30.48 centimeters (from 7 inches to 12 inches), a width (Wl) that varies from 20.32 centimeters to 38.1 centimeters (of 8 inches to 15 inches), and a depth (DI) that varies from 25.4 centimeters to 38.1 centimeters (10 to 15 inches), and a weight that varies from approximately 4,545 kilograms to 6.6 kilograms (10 to 30 pounds). As best seen in Figure 2b, the system for money management has a relatively short transport path between the entrance receptacle and the exit receptacle. The transport path starts at the TBI point (where the tension roller 130 engages with the driven roller 123) and ends at the point TE1 (where the second transport roller, driven, 141, and the passive roller 151 make contact) has a total length of approximately 11.43 centimeters (4 inches). The distance from the point TM1 (where the passive transport roller 150 engages with the drive roller 123) to point TE1 (where the g j ^ ¡3j¡gg | jj ^ second driven transport roller 141 and passive roller 151 make contact) is somewhat less than 6.35 centimeters (2 inches), that is, less than the width of a ticket from the United States of America. In this way, the distance from the TBI point (where the tension roller 130 engages the driver roller 123) to the point TM1 (where the passive transport roller 150 engages the driver roller 123) is approximately 5.08. centimeters (approximately 2 inches). Focusing on Figures 3a and 3b, Figure 3a is a perspective view of a money management system 20, of two bags, according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3b is a side view in section. , of the system for handling money, of two bags, of figure 3a, which represents several transport rollers in lateral elevation. In addition, Figures 4a, 4b and 4c sketch other multiple bag modalities of the present invention, in which the money management system includes three, four and six bags, respectively. Each of the multiple bag modes, shown respectively in Figures 3a-3b and 4a-4c, are described in detail in the co-pending US Patent Application Serial No. 08 / 864,423, filed May 28, 1997, entitled , "Method and Apparatus for the Processing of Documents" (attorney's file No. CUMM174), assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The systems for managing money, represented in Figures 3a-3b and 4a-4c, differ from the systems for handling money • 5 described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08 / 864,423, in which the systems shown in Figures 3a-3b and 4a-4c employ a color scanning head, as described in detail below. As with the 10 system for money, one single bag, described above, with reference to Figures 2a-2d, the systems 20, 30, 40 and 60 for handling money, of multiple bags, shown in Figures 3a-3b and 4a-4c are small and compact , so that they can be placed on top of a table. In accordance with In one embodiment, the money handling system of two bags, enclosed within a housing 200, has a small footprint that can be easily used at any desk, workstation or cashier station. Additionally, the system for handling money weighs20 little, which allows it to be moved between different work stations. According to one embodiment, the money handling system, of two bags, has a height (H2) of approximately 45.72 centimeters (approximately 18 inches), a width (W2) of approximately 34.29 centimeters (approximately 13 3. inches) and a depth (D2) of approximately 43.82 centimeters (approximately 17 1/4 inches) and weighs approximately 31.82 kilograms (approximately 70 pounds).

• Accordingly, the money management system 10 has a footprint of approximately 34.29 centimeters by approximately 43.18 centimeters (approximately 13 inches by approximately 17 inches) or approximately 1484 square centimeters (approximately 230 square inches) or approximately 0.14 square meters. (approximately 1 square feet) and a volume of • approximately 68,662 cubic centimeters (approximately 4,190 cubic inches) or slightly larger than 0.066 cubic meters (2 1/3 cubic feet), which is small enough to conveniently be accommodated on the part superior of a typical table. One of the factors that contribute to the size of the footprint of the system 20 for handling money, is the size of the bills that are going to be handled. For example, in the modality described above the width is approximately 2 1/4 times the length of a ticket from the United States of America, and the depth is approximately 7 times the width of a ticket from the United States of America. According to another embodiment, the system 20 for handling money, of two bags, has a height (H2) that varies from 38.1 to 50.8 centimeters (15 to 20 inches), a width (W2) that varies from 25.4 to 38.1 centimeters (10 to 15 inches), and a depth (D2) that varies from 38.1 to 50.8 centimeters (15 to 20 inches) and a weight that varies approximately from 15.91 to 6.82 kilograms (from 35 to 50 • 5 pounds) . The system 10 for handling money has a fingerprint that varies from 25.4 to 38.1 centimeters (10 to 15 inches) by a magnitude of 25.4 to 38.1 centimeters (15 to 20 inches), or approximately 967.74 to 1935.5 square centimeters ( 150 to 300 square inches) and a volume approximately from 36871 to 98322 cubic centimeters (from 2250 to 6000 cubic inches), which is small enough to conveniently fit over the top of a typical table. According to another modality, the accommodation 200 of small size can have a height (H2) of about 50.8 centimeters (20 inches) or less, a width (W2) of about 50.8 centimeters (20 inches) or less, and a depth (D2) of about 50.8 centimeters (20 inches) or less and weighs approximately 22. 22.73 kilograms (50 pounds) or less. As best seen in Figure 3b, the money management system 20 has a short transport path between the input receptacle and the exit receptacle. The transport path has a length of approximately 39.37 centimeters (10 ^ inches) between the start of the trajectory B aSfe ^ j ^ f ^ of transport at point TB2 (where the tension roller 230 engages the drive roller 223) and at the tip of the diverter 260 at the point TM1 and has a total length of approximately 39.37 centimeters (15 inches) from the point TB2 to the point TE2 (where the rollers 286 and 282 make contact). Similarly, the systems 30, 40, 60 of three, four and six bags (Figures 4a-4c), in certain embodiments, are generally constructed with the same footprint as the bags. systems of two bags, allowing them to be placed on the top of a typical table or on the top of a counter. However, generally where the systems of three, four and six bags are built with the same footprint as the system of two bags, these will be "higher" that the system of two bags, and the relative heights of the respective systems will generally correspond to the number of bags. Thus, in general, where multiple bag systems have approximately the same footprint size, the six bag system 60 (Figure 4c) will be more high that the system 40 of four bags (figure 4b), which in turn will be higher than the system 30 of three bags (figure 4a) and that the system 20 of two bags (figures 3a and 3b). As shown in Figures 4a-4c, the money management systems of three, four and six bags have the same width as the system for managing money of two bags, shown in figure 3a, to say, of approximately 34.29 centimeters (13 inches). The 3-bag money management system of figure 4a has a height H3 of approximately 58.42 centimeters (23 inches) 5 and a depth of 50.17 centimeters (19 3/4 inches). The transport path of the three-bag system has a length of approximately 26.67 centimeters (10 inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB3 (where the tension roller 230 engages with the drive roller 223 and the tip of the diverter 260a at the point TM1, a length of about 41.91 centimeters (16 inches) between the start of the transport path at the point TB3 and the tip of the diverter 260b at the point TM2, and it has a total length of about 53.98 centimeters (21 1/4 inches) from point TB3 to point TE3 (where rolls 286b and 282b make contact). According to another modality, the system for handling money, of three bags, has a height H3 that varies from 50.8 to 63.5 centimeters (20 to 25 inches) and a D3 depth that varies from 38.1 to 63.5 centimeters (15 to 25 inches). The transport path of the three-bag system has a length that varies from 20.32 to 30.48 centimeters (8 to 12 inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB3 (where the tension roll 230 is coupled to drive roll 223) and diverter tip 260a at point TM1, a length ranging from 30.48 to 45.72 centimeters (12 to 18 inches) between the start of the transport path at the point • 5 TB3 and the tip of diverter 260b at point TM2, and it has a total length that varies from 45.72 to 63.5 centimeters (18 to 25 inches) from point TB3 to point TE3 (where rolls 286b and 282b do Contact) . The 40 system for money management, four bags, of FIG. 4b, have a height H4 of approximately 72.39 centimeters (28? _ Inches) and a depth D4 of approximately 56.52 centimeters (22 1/4 inches). The transport path of the four-bag system has a length of approximately 26.67 centimeters (10 ^ inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB4 (where the tension roller 230 engages the drive roller 223) and the tip of the diverter 260a at the point TM1, a length of approximately 41.91 centimeters (16 ^ inches) between the beginning of the transport path at point TB4 and the tip of diverter 260b at point TM2, a length of approximately 57.15 centimeters (22 s inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB4 and the tip of the diverter 260c at point TM3, and one length total of 69.10 centimeters (27.193 inches) from the point TB4 to the point TE4 (where the rollers 286c and 282c make contact). In another embodiment, the four-bag money management system has a height H4 that varies from 5 63.5 to 76.2 centimeters (25 to 30 inches) and a depth D4 that varies from 50.8 to 63.5 centimeters (from 20 to 25 inches). The transport path of the four-bag system has a length that varies from 20.32 to 30.48 centimeters (8 to 12 inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB4 (where the tension roller 230 engages the drive roller 223) and the tip of the diverter 260a at the point TM1, a length ranging from 30.48 to 50.8 centimeters (12 to 20 inches) ) between the start of the transport path at the point TB4 and the tip of the diverter 260b at the point TM2, a length that varies from 45.72 to 66.04 centimeters (18 to 26 inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB4 and the tip of the diverter 260c at the point TM3, and a total length that varies from 55.88 to 81.28 centimeters (from 22 to 32 inches) from point TB4 to point TE4 (where rolls 286c and 282c make contact). The six-bag money management system 60 of Figure 4c has a H6 height of approximately 99.70 centimeters (39 1/4 inches) and a depth D6 of approximately 69.22 centimeters (27 1/4) i§y inches). The transport path of the six-bag system has a length of approximately 26.67 centimeters (10 inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB6 (where the tension roller • 5 230 is coupled with the drive roller 223) and the tip of the diverter 260a at the point TM1, a length of approximately 41.91 centimeters (16 V_ inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB6 and the tip of the diverter 260b at point TM2, a length of approximately 57.15 centimeters (22 ^ inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB6 and the tip of the diverter 260c at the TM3 point, a length of approximately 71.76 centimeters (28 1/4 inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB6 and the point of diverter 260d at point TM4, a length of approximately 86.36 centimeters (34 inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB6 and the tip of diverter 260e at point TM5, and a total length of about 99.1 centimeters (39 inches) from the point TB6 to the point TE6 (where the rollers 286e and 282e make contact). In another modality, the system for handling money, of six bags, has a height H6 that varies from 88.9 to 114.3 centimeters (from 35 to 45 inches) and a depth D6 that varies from 55.88 to 81.28 centimeters (from 22 to 32 IfStáS & S. inches). The transport path of the six-bag system has a length that varies from 20.32 to 30.48 centimeters (8 to 12 inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB6 (where the tension roller 230 engages the drive roller 223) and the tip of the diverter 260a at the point TM1, a length ranging from 30.48 to 50.8 centimeters (12 to 20 inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB6 and the tip of the diverter 260b at point TM2, a length that varies from 45.72 to 66.04 centimeters (18 to 26 inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB6 and the tip of diverter 260c at point TM3, a length that varies from 55.8 to 81.28 centimeters (22 to 32 inches) between the start of the transport path at point TB6 and the tip of diverter 260d at point TM4, a length that varies from 76.2 to 101.6 centimeters (30 to 40 inches) between the start of the trans path carriage at point TB6 and the tip of derailleur 260e at point TM5, and a total length ranging from 81.28 to 106.68 centimeters (32 to 42 inches) from point TB6 to point TE6 (where rolls 286e and 282e they make contact). Referring now to Figures 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b and 4c, where the parts and components similar to those found in the embodiment of Figures 2a-2d are they designate by similar reference numbers. For example, the parts designated by the reference numbers of the series 100 in Figures 2a-2d are designated by like reference numbers of the series 200 in Figures 3a-3b• 5 and 4a-4c, while parts that were duplicated one or more times are designated by similar reference numbers with suffixes a, b, c, etc. The mechanical portions of the multi-bag, money management systems include a housing 200 having the entry receptacle 36 for receiving a stack of bills to be processed. The receptacle 36 has converging, downward sloping walls, 205 and 206 (see Figure 3b) formed by a pair of removable covers (not shown) that are pressed into a structure. The The convergent wall 206 supports a removable hopper (not shown) that includes vertically positioned side walls (not shown). An embodiment of an input receptacle was described and illustrated in detail, above, and applies to systems 20, 30, 40, 60 for the handling of money, multiple bags. Systems 20, 30, 40, 60 for handling money, of multiple bags, also include an interface 32b for the operator, as described for the money management device 10, of a single bag. 25 From the entrance receptacle 36, the tickets of _ & amp; amp; money in each of the multiple bag systems (Figures 3a-3b, 4a-4c) are moved successively from the bottom of a stack of bills, along a curved guide 211, which receives bills that move downwards and backward • 5 and change the direction of travel to a forward direction. The curvature of the guide 211 substantially corresponds to the curved periphery of a drive roller 223 so as to form a narrow passage for the bills, along the back side of the drive roller 223. A The exit end of the curved guide 211 directs the bills on the transport plate 240 which carries the bills through an evaluation section and towards one of the outlet receptacles 34. In the two-bag mode (figure 3b), by For example, the stacking of the banknotes is achieved by a pair of stacking, driven wheels 35a and 37a for the first outlet receptacle or upper outlet receptacle 34a and by a pair of stacking wheels 35b and 37b for the second receptacle outlet or receptacle departure from the bottom 34b. The stacker wheels 35a, 37a and 35b, 37b are supported for rotary movement about respective shafts 215a, b hinged with bearing on a rigid structure and driven by a motor (not shown). Flexible pallets of the 35a and 37a stacking wheels deliver bills on a front end of a plate M ^. < ^^ MAifc i > iMi stacker 214a. Similarly, the flexible vanes of the stacker wheels 35b and 37b deliver the bills on a front end of a stacker plate 214b. A diverter 260 directs the bills, either towards the first exit receptacle 5 or the second thereof, 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 banknotes continue in the direction of the second exit receptacle 10 34b. • The multiple bag document evaluation devices, in Figure 4a-4c, have a transport mechanism that includes a series of transport plates or guide plates 240 for guiding the money bills toward one of a plurality of cards. exit receptacles 214. Transport plates 240 in accordance with one embodiment, are substantially flat and linear without any protruding characteristic. Before reaching the exit receptacles 214, a bill moves beyond the sensors or scan head, to be, for example, evaluated, analyzed, authenticated, discriminated, counted and / or processed in any other way. . The devices for the evaluation of documents, of multiple bags, move the money bills 25 successively, from the bottom of a stack of bills to the _S ___ Í__ _ ^ length of the curved guide 211 that receives the bills that move downward or backward and changes the direction of travel towards a forward direction. An exit end of the curved guide 211 directs the bills on the transport plate 240 which carries the notes through an evaluation section and into one of the exit receptacles 214. A plurality of deviators 260 direct the bills towards the receptacles outlet 214. When a diverter 260 is in its lower position, the bills are directed towards the corresponding outlet receptacle 214. When a diverter 260 is in its upper position, the bills continue in the direction of the remaining exit receptacles. The multi-bag money evaluation devices of Figures 3a-3b and 4a-4c, according to one embodiment, include passive rollers 250, 251 which are mounted to shafts 254, 255 on a lower side of the first plate 240 and are diverted to come into contact, with opposite rotation, with their upper, driven, corresponding rollers 223 and 241. These embodiments include one or more driven plates 262, 278, etc., which are substantially free of surface characteristics and they are substantially smooth as well as the transport plates 240. The driven plates 262 and 278 are placed in separate relation to the plates Jt *, & J ¿^ ¿& ** e respective transport 240 in order to define a route for the money between them. In one embodiment, the led plates 262 and 278 have openings only where it is • necessary, to accommodate the passive rollers 268, 270, 284 5 and 286. The driven plate 262 works in conjunction with the upper portion of the associated transport plate 240 to guide a note from the passive roller 251 to a driven roller 264 and then to a driven roller 266. The passive rollers 268, 270 are diverted by H-springs to come into opposite rotation contact with the corresponding driven rollers 264 and 266. It will be appreciated that any of the stacking arrangements described above may be used to receive the money bills, after they have been evaluated by the system. Without departing from the invention, however, tickets transported through the system in the learning mode, instead of being transported from the input receptacle to the output receptacle (s), could be transported from the input receptacle, passing the sensors, and then in an inverse manner, delivered back to the input receptacle.

I. EXPLORATION REGION 25 Figure 5a is a side view, in section, enlarged, which represents the scanning region in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In accordance with several modalities, this scanning head arrangement is used in systems for the management of • 5 money, described above in relation to Figures 1-4c. According to the embodiment shown, the scanning region along the transport path comprises both a standard optical scanning head 70 and a scanning head of the total color 300. transport rollers, driven, 523 and 541 in cooperation • with the passive rollers 550 and 551 couple and transport bills beyond the scanning region, in a controlled manner. The transport mechanisms are described in greater detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,963.

The standard scanning head 70 differs somewhat in its physical appearance, from that described in the aforementioned US Patent No. 5,687,963 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, but in another form is identical in terms of operation and function. The standard top scan head 70 is used to scan one side of the bills, while the bottom full color scan head 300 is used to scan the other side of the bills. These scanning heads are coupled to processors. For example, the upper scanning head 70 is coupled to a m *? * Z--. > ^^^^^^^ _M.

Motorola 68HC16 processor from Schaumburg, IL. The bottom color scan head 300 is connected to a TMS 320C32 DSP processor from Texas Instruments of Dallas, TX. According to a modality which will be described in greater detail below, when US dollar bills are processed, the scanning head 70 is used in the manner described in U.S. Patent No. 5,687,963 while the scanning head of the U.S. 300 total color is used in a manner described later in the present. • Figure 5b is a side view, in section, enlarged, representing the scanning heads of Figure 5a without some of the rollers associated with the transport path. Again, represented in this is the standard scan head 70 and a color module 581 comprising the color scan head 300 and a UV sensor 340 and its attached UV light tube 342. The details of how the UV 340 sensor works are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,640,463 and in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08/798, 605 which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Figure 5c illustrates the scanning heads of figures 5a and 5b in a front view.

A. Standard Scan Head According to one embodiment, the standard scan head 70 (shown also in FIGS. 15a and 15b) includes two standard photodetectors 74a and 74b (see FIGS. • 5 figures 5a and 5b) and two photodetectors 95 and 97 (the density sensors) illustrated in figure 15b. 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 head of The standard scan employs a mask having two rectangular slits 360 and 362 (see FIG. 15b) therein, to allow reflected light from passing notes to reach the photodetectors 74a and 74b, which are located behind the photodetectors 74a and 74b. slits 360, 362, respectively. A photodetector 74b is associated with a narrow slit 362 and may optionally be used to detect the fine edge line present in the money of the United States of America, when suitable cooperative circuits are provided. The other photodetector 74a, associated with a wider slit 360, can be used to scan the bill and generate optical patterns used in the discrimination process. Figure 7 is a block diagram, functional, of the optical scan head, standard 70, and the figure 8 is a functional block diagram of the head of total color scan 300 of Figure 5. The standard scan head 70 is an optical scan head that scans the information characteristic of a money bill 44. According to one embodiment, the standard optical scan head 70 includes a sensor 74 having, for example, two photodetectors, each of which has a pair of light sources 72 directing light over the bill transport path, in order to illuminate a substantially rectangular area 48 on the surface of the money bill 44 placed on the • transport path adjacent to scanning head 70. As illustrated in Figures 15a, b, one of photodetectors 74b is associated with a narrow rectangular slot 362 and the other photodetector 74a is associated with a wider rectangular slit 360. The light reflected by 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 a unit 52 analog converter to digital (ADC) (figure 20) whose output is fed as a digital input to the central processing unit (CPU) 54 as described above with reference to figure 1. Alternatively, especially in the system modes for the money management, designed to process money different from the money of the United States of North America, a single photodetector 74a having the widest slit 360 without the photodetector 74b may be employed. According to one modality, the path for the transport of notes is defined in such a way that • 5 the transport mechanism 38 (figure 1) moves the money bills with the narrow dimension of the bills, parallel to the transport path and to the scan direction SD. When a banknote 44 crosses the scanning head 70, the illuminated area 48 moves to define a coherent strip of light that effectively explores the • ticket through the narrow dimension (W) of the ticket. In the embodiment shown, the transport path is arranged in such a way that a money bill 44 is scanned through a central section of the bill, as along its narrow dimension, as shown in Figure 9a. The scan head operates to detect the light reflected by the bill 44 when the bill 44 moves past the scan head 70 to provide an analog representation of the variation in the reflected light, which in turn represents the variation in the dark and luminous content of the printed pattern or discriminating marks on the surface of the banknote 44. This variation in the reflected light, in the banknote scan, in the narrow dimension, serves as a measure to distinguish, with a high degree of confidence, among a plurality of denominations of money that the system manages, since it is programmed for it. The optical scan head, standard 70, and the standard intensity scan process are described in detail in US Patent No.

F 5 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 optical scan head, standard, 70, produces a series of reflectance signals, detected, to F through the narrow dimension of the bill, or through a selected segment thereof, and the resulting analog signals are digitized under the control of PROCESSOR 54 to produce a fixed number of data samples of reflectance, digital. The data samples are then subjected to the normalization routine to process the sampled data for the improved correlation and to smooth the variations due to fluctuations in the "contrast" in the printed pattern that exists on the ticket surface. The reflectance data, normalized, represent a characteristic pattern which is unique to a given denomination of bill and provides sufficient distinctive characteristics between the characteristic patterns for different denominations of money.

In order to ensure the strict correspondence between the reflectance samples obtained by scanning in the narrow dimension of successive notes, the reflectance sampling process is controlled # 5 preferably through the PROCESSOR 54 (Figure 1) by an optical encoder 14 (Figure 1) that is associated to the bill transport mechanism 38 (Figure 1) and accurately tracks the physical movement of the bill 44 beyond the scanning head 70. More specifically the optical encoder 14 is associated with the • rving movement of the drive motor that generates the movement imparted to the bill, along the transport path. In addition, the mechanical components of the feeding mechanism ensure that a positive contact between the bill and the transport path is maintained, particularly when the bill is scanned by the scanning head. Under these conditions the optical encoder 14 is able to accurately track the movement of the bill 44 relative to the portion of the bill 48 illuminated by the scanning head 70 by inspecting the rotary movement of the driving motor. According to one embodiment, in the case of money notes of the United States of America, the output of the sensor 74a is supervised by the PROCESSOR 54 to detect the presence of the ticket adjacent to the head sj £ gS_S «__ S__9e * Sß'a; r *, .-., ^^^^^^^^? scanning and, subsequently, to detect the starting point of the printed pattern on the banknote, as represented by the edge line 44a that typically encloses the printed discriminant markings, which are found on the United States currency notes. North America. Once the edge line 44a has been detected, the optical encoder 14 is used to control the timing and number of reflectance samples that are obtained from the sensor outputs 74b as the bank 44 moves through the scanning head 70.

• In accordance with another embodiment, in the case of money bills other than money notes of the United States of America, the outputs of the sensor 74 are verified by the PROCESSOR 54 to initially detect the front edge 44b of the bill 44 adjacent to the scanning head. Because most currencies of monetary systems, other than those of the United States of America, do not have edge line 44a, PROCESSOR 54 must detect the leading edge 44b for money bills that are not from the United States of America. Once the leading edge 44b has been detected, the optical encoder 14 is used to control the timing and number of reflectance samples that are obtained from the outputs of the sensors 74 as the bank 44 moves through the scanning head 70.

M__a ________ b_ &u_ z _ ^. ¿___ g ___________ J -_ ^ a___ 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 advantageous because the encoder 14 can be used to provide a predetermined delay followed by detecting the edge line 44a or the leading edge 44b before the start of samples. The encoder delay can be adjusted in a manner such that the note 44 is scanned only through those segments containing the most distinctive, printed discriminating indicia # to the different denominations of money. In the case of money from the United States of America, for example, it has been determined that the central portion, of approximately 5 centimeters (approximately 2 15 inches) of the money bills, when being scanned through the central section of the dimension The narrow currency of the banknote (see the SEGS segment of Figure 9a) provides sufficient data to distinguish between the different denominations of US money from North America. Accordingly, the optical encoder 14 can be used to control the scanning process, such that the reflectance samples are taken for a set period of time and only after a certain period of time has elapsed after it has been edge line 44a detected, restricting by ffr ri tfii ^ fi ír- 3 ^^^^ this is the exploration to the desired central portion of the narrow dimension of the banknote 48. Figures 9a-9c illustrate the standard, intensity scanning process for money notes of the United States of America, in greater detail. Referring to Figure 9a, when a bill 44 is advanced in a direction parallel to the narrow edges of the bill, scanning through a slot in the scan head 70 is effected along a SEGS segment. of the central portion of the banknote 44. This segment SEGS begins at a fixed distance Ds into the edge line 44a. When the banknote 44 crosses the scanning head 70, a portion or segment area SEGS is illuminated, and the sensor 74 produces a continuous output signal 15 which is proportional to the intensity of the light reflected from the portion or area illuminated in a certain moment. This output is sampled at intervals controlled by the encoder, such that the sampling intervals are accurately synchronized with the movement of the bill through the scanning head. As illustrated in Figures 9b-9c, it is preferred that the sampling intervals be selected such that the areas that are illuminated for successive samples, overlap each other. The sample areas with 25 odd numbers and even numbers have been separated into mumiggg í? ______ 3? _3_ß ____-. á__. _Ü ^ _. ÜÉ s ^ Figures 9b and 9c to more clearly illustrate this overlap. For example, the first and second areas Si and S2 overlap each other, the second and third areas S2 and S3 overlap each other, and so on. Each adjacent pair of areas overlap each other. In this illustrative example this is done by sampling areas that have a width, L, 0.127 centimeters (0.050 inches), at 0.074 centimeters (0.029 inches) intervals, along a SEGS segment that is 4.65 centimeters (1.83 inches) long (64 samples). The distance N from center to center, between two adjacent samples is 0.074 centimeters (0.029 inches) and the distance M from center to center, between two adjacent, even or odd samples, is 0.15 centimeters (0.058 inches). Sampling starts at a distance Ds of 0.99 centimeters (0.389 inches) into the front edge 44b of the bill. Although it has been determined that the exploration of the central area of a United States of America ticket provides sufficiently different patterns to allow discrimination between the plurality of money denominations of the United States of America, the central area, or the central area only, it may not be suitable for banknotes originating in other countries. For example, for banknotes originating in Country No. 1, it can be determined that the segment SEGi (figure 9d) ^ provides a more preferred area to explore, while segment SEG2 (Figure 9d) is more preferred for notes originating from Country 2. Alternatively, in order to discriminate sufficiently between a given set of notes, it may be necessary to explore bills that are potentially of a set such that it is found along more than one segment, for example, the exploration of a single note along both SEG and SEG2. To accommodate scanning in areas other than the central portion of a banknote, multiple standard optical scanning heads may be placed close to each other and along a direction lateral to the direction of banknote movement. This arrangement of standard optical scan heads allows a bill to be scanned across different segments. Various arrays of multiple scanning heads are described in greater detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,652,802 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Identification of Documents" assigned to the assignee of the present application and incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety. The technique of optical detection and correlation, standard, is based on using the above process to generate a series of patterns of intensity signals, stored, using genuine notes for each denomination of money for which the system 10 for handling money is ¡¡¡¡£ 3_fe_ & __ '' ', _fe' * ¿¿4ifiɧ ____ programmed to recognize. According to one embodiment, four sets of intensity signal samples, masters, are generated and stored in memory 56 (see Figure 1) for each scan head and for each 5 detectable money denomination. In the case of money from the United States of America, the sets of samples of master intensity signals, for each bill, are generated from standard optical scans, performed on one or both surfaces of the bill and taken along, both directions "forward" • as "in reverse", in relation to the pattern printed on the ticket. To adapt this technique to money from the United States of America, for example, they are generated and stored sets of samples of intensity signals, stored, for seven different denominations of money of the United States of North America, that is to say, $ 1, $ 2, $ 5, $ 10, $ 20, $ 50 and $ 100. For notes that produce significant changes in the pattern when moving slightly to the left or to the right, such as the $ 10 bill in the money of the United States of America, you can store two patterns for each of the directions "forward" and "in reverse", and each pair of patterns for the same address represents two exploration areas that are slightly traversed each other, along the dimension Longitudinal of the bill. Once the master patterns have been stored, the pattern generated by scanning a banknote under analysis is compared by PROCESSOR 54 with each of the master patterns of the current, standard, stored signal samples to generate , for each comparison, a correlation number representing the degree of correlation, that is, the similarity between the corresponding data samples among the plurality thereof, for the data sets being compared. When the standard, upper scan head 70 is used, the PROCESSOR 54 is programmed to identify the denomination of the scanned ticket, when it is found that the denomination corresponding to the set of samples of intensity signals, stored, for which the number of correlation that results from the comparison of patterns, is the highest. In order to avoid the possibility of erroneously characterizing the denomination of a scanned banknote, as well as to reduce the possibility of false banknotes being identified as belonging to a valid denomination, a double-level correlation threshold value is used as the basis to make a "positive" identification. These methods are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,295,196 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Discrimination and Counting Money" and the Patent. jgglglügjj North American No. 5,687,963 which are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. If a "positive" identification can not be made for a scanned ticket, an error signal is generated. 5 When characteristic, master patterns are being generated, the reflectance samples that result from scanning by the scanning head 70, of one or more genuine notes, for each denomination, are loaded into the designated, corresponding sections in the memory 56. During the discrimination of money, the values of • reflectance resulting from the scanning of a banknote under analysis, are compared sequentially, under the control of the correlation program stored in memory 56, with the master characteristic patterns stored in the memory 56. A method for averaging patterns, for scanned banknotes and generating master characteristic patterns, is described in US Patent 5,633,949 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Money Discrimination", which is incorporated herein by reference, in its totality.

B. Total Color Exploration Head Returning to Figure 8, a functional, block diagram of a cell 334 of the head of the color scan 300, in accordance with a modality of the present invention. As will be described in more detail below, the color scanning head may comprise a plurality of those cells. The illustrative (AL) cell includes a pair of light sources 308 (for example, fluorescent tubes) that direct light over the bill transport path.A single light source could be used, for example, a single fluorescent tube or other light source , without departing from the invention, the light sources 308 illuminate an area substantially rectangular 48 on a 44 money bill to be explored. The cell comprises three filters 306 and three sensors 304. The light reflected outside the illuminated area 48 passes through the filters 306r, 306b and 306g placed below the two light sources 308. Each of the filters 306r, 306b and 306g transmits a different component of reflected light to the corresponding sensors or photodiodes 304r, 304b and 304g, respectively. In one embodiment, the 306r filter transmits only one 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 wavelength ranges, specific, transmitted for each filter, which start at 10% transmittance, are: _s-ü | ag ¡__s__. jSíá.-¿¿._.-. ^ _ Red from 580 nm to 780 nm, Blue from 400 nm to 510 nm, Green from 480 nm to 580 nm. The wavelength intervals, specific, • 5 transmitted by each filter, which start at 80% transmittance are: Red from 610 nm to 725 nm, Blue from 425 nm to 490 nm, Green from 525 nm to 575 nm . 10 Upon receiving their corresponding color components from the reflected light w, the 304r, 304b and 304g sensors generate the analog outputs of red, blue and green, respectively, representing the variations in the red, blue and green color content, on ticket 44. These analog outputs of red, blue and green 15 of sensors 304r, 304b and 304g, respectively, are amplified by amplifier 58 (Figure 1) and converted into a digital signal by unit 52 of the converter from analog to digital (ADC) whose output is fed as a digital input to the Central Processing Unit (CPU) 54 as described above in relation to Figure 1. Similar to the operation of the optical scanning head mode, standard, 70, described above, the bill transport path is defined in a manner such that the transport mechanism 38 moves the »Aá = fe ^^ is ^^^^? ¿^ ¿^ Afe. ^ S < aa! _ money bills with the narrow dimension of the bills parallel to the transport path and to the direction of exploration. The color scanning head 300 functions to detect the reflected light of the bill as the bill moves past the scanning head of color 300 to provide an analog representation of the color content in the reflected light, which in turn represents the variation in the color content of the printed pattern or discriminating marks on the surfaces of the bill. The sensors 304r, 304b and 304g generate the analogical representations of red, blue and green, of the red, blue and green content of the pattern printed on the banknote. This content of the color 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 which the system can handle according to its programming. According to one embodiment, the outputs of a shore sensor (which will be described later in relation to FIG. 13) and the green sensors 304 g of one of the chromatic cells are verified by the PROCESSOR 54 to detect the presence of the bill 44 adjacent to the color scan head 300 and, subsequently detect the bank 44b of the bill. Once the edge 44b has been detected, the optical encoder 14 is used to control the synchronization and number of red, blue and green samples, which are obtained from the outputs of the sensors 304r, 304b and 304g as the banknote 44 moves past the scanning head of color 300. To ensure a strict correspondence between the red, blue and green signals, obtained by scanning in the narrow dimension, successive notes, as illustrated in figure 10b, the color sampling process is preferably controlled through the PROCESSOR 54 by the optical encoder 14 (see Figure 1) which is associated with the mechanism 38 for transporting notes and accurately tracks the physical movement of the bill 44 through the color scanning head 300. The tracking and control of the bills, using the optical encoder 14 and the mechanical components of the transport mechanism, are achieved as described above in relation to the scanning head being ar. The use of the optical encoder 14 to control the sampling process in relation to the physical movement of a bill 44 by passing the color scanning head 300 is also advantageous because the encoder 14 can be used to provide a predetermined delay followed by the detection of the bank 44b banknote, before the start of the samples. The encoder delay can be adjusted in such a way that the ticket 44 is scanned only at through those segments that contain the discriminating, printed, more distinguishable marks, in relation to? the different denominations of money. Figures 10a-10c illustrate the process of • 5 color scan. Referring to Fig. 10a, when a banknote 44 is advanced in a direction parallel to the narrow edges of the banknote, five adjacent color cells 334 (e.g., cells 334a-334e of Fig. 13b to be described later) in the color scanning head 300 scan along • the areas, segments or scanning fringes, SAI, SA2, SA3, SA4 and SA5, respectively, of a central portion of the banknote 44. When the banknote 44 crosses the scanning head 300, each color cell 334 observes its area, segment or strip, of respective exploration, SAI, SA2, SA3, SA4 and SA5, and their sensors 304r, 304b and 340g continuously produce output signals of red, blue and green, which are proportional to the content of red, blue and red. green, of the light reflected from the area or band illuminated in a determined moment. These outputs of red, blue and green are sampled at intervals controlled by the encoder 14, such that the sampling intervals are precisely synchronized with the movement of the note 44 through the scanning head of the color 300.

Figure 10b illustrates how 64 sample areas are sampled, increments, SI -64, using 64 sampling intervals, along one of the five scan areas of the chromatic cell, SAI, SA2, SA3, SA4 or SA5. To take into account the lateral displacement of • 5 tickets in the transport path, it is preferred to store two or more patterns for each denomination of money. The patterns represent explored areas that are slightly offset from the others, along the lateral dimension of the bill. 10 In one modality, only three of the • five color cells 334 (e.g., cells 334a, 334c, and 334e of Figure 13b) on color scanning head 300, to explore money from the United States of America. In this way, only the areas SAI, SA3 and SA5 of figure 10a. As illustrated in Figures 10b and 10c, similar to the operation previously described in Figures 9a-9b, the sampling intervals are preferably selected in such a way that the successive samples are overlap each other. Sample areas of odd numbered and even numbered numbers have been separated in Figures 10b and 10c to illustrate this overlap more clearly. For example, the first and second areas SI and S2 overlap each other, the second and third areas overlap between yes, and so on. Each pair of adjacent areas is ^ ua ^^^ - ^^^^^^^^^ overlaps each other. By getting mastered areas that are 0.127 cepfl meters (0.050 inches) wide, L, at intervals of 0.089 centimeters (0.035 inches), along an S segment that is 5.59 centimeters (2.2 • 5 inches) long, to provide 64 samples through the ticket. The distance Q from center to center, between two adjacent samples, is 0.089 centimeters (0.035 inches) and the distance P, from center to center, between two even or odd samples is 0.18 centimeters (0.07 inches). He sampling starts at a distance Dc of 0.635 centimeters • (1/4 inch) into the leading edge 44b of the bill. In one mode, sampling is synchronized with the operating frequency of fluorescent tubes used as the light sources 308 of the color scanning head 300. According to one embodiment, fluorescent tubes manufactured by Stanley of Japan having a part number of CBY26-220NO are used. These fluorescent tubes operate at a frequency of 60 KHz, so that the The intensity of the light generated by the tubes varies over time. To compensate for the noise, the sampling of the sensors 304 is synchronized with the frequency of the tubes. Figure 11 illustrates the synchronization of the sampling with the operating frequency of the fluorescent tubes. He sampling by sensors 304 is controlled in a manner such 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 detection technique • 5 and color correlation, is based on the use of the previous process to generate a series of nuance and brightness signal patterns, stored, using genuine notes for each denomination of money that the system can discriminate according to its programming. The red, blue signs and green, of each of the color cells 334 add up • first among themselves to obtain a signal of brilliance. 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 of the sensors is lOv when are exposed to a white sheet of paper, then the percentage of brightness corresponding to a brightness signal of 5v would be 50%. Using the red, blue and green signals, a red hue, a blue hue and a green hue can be determined. A tint signal indicates the percentage of light total that constitutes a particular color of light. For example, by dividing the red signal by the sum of the red, blue, and green signals, the red hue signal is provided, dividing the blue signal by the sum of the red, blue, and green signals. blue tint signal, and dividing the green signal by the sum of the signals of red, blue and green, the green tint signal is provided. In an alternative fashion, the individual output signals of red, blue and green can be used directly for an analysis of the color pattern. • Figures 12a-e illustrate patterns of nuance and brightness signals, obtained by scanning the color of a front side of a Canadian $ 10 bill with the scan head of color 300, of Figure 13 (shown in FIG. will analyze later). Figure 12a corresponds to the nuance and brightness signal patterns, generated from the color outputs of the chromatic cell 334a, FIG. 12b, which correspond to the outputs of the chromatic cell 334b, FIG. 12c corresponds to the outputs of the cell chromatic 334c, figure 12d corresponds to the outputs of the color cell 334d, and figure 12e corresponds to the outputs of the color cell 334e. In the graphs, the "y" axis is the percentage of brightness and the percentage of the three nuances, on a scale of zero to one thousand, which represent the percentage times per 10 (% x 10). The "x" axis is the number of samples taken for each banknote pattern. See the subsequent analysis regarding normalization and / or correlation. According to one embodiment of the color detection and correlation technique, four sets of master red shades, master green nuances and samples of Brightness signals, master, are generated and stored in the memory 56 (see Figure 1), for each money denomination programmed, for each color detection cell. The four sets of samples correspond to four possible banknote orientations "forward", "backward", "face up" and "face down". In the case of Canadian banknotes, the sample sets of nuance and brilliance signals, master, for each note, are generated from the color scans, made on the front (or portrait) side of the note, and they take along directions both "forward" and "backward" in relation to the pattern printed on the note. Alternatively, the color scan can be performed on the back side of the Canadian banknotes or on any other banknote surface. Additionally, the color scan can be performed on both sides of a bill, by a pair of scan heads of color 300, such as a pair of scan heads 300 of FIG. 13, located on opposite sides of the billboard. transport 140. To adapt this technique to Canadian money, for example, master sets of nuance and brightness signal samples, are generated and stored for eight different denominations of Canadian bills, say, $ 1, $ 2, $ 5, $ 10, $ 20, $ 50, $ 100, and $ 1,000. In this way, for each denomination, master patterns are stored for red, green and brightness patterns for each of the four possible banknote orientations (face up and first bottom, face up and first top, face down and first bottom, face down and first top) and for each of the three different positions of the ticket (right, center and left) in the transport path. This produces 36 patterns for each denomination. Accordingly, when the eight Canadian denominations are processed, a set of 288 different master patterns are stored in the memory 56 for purposes of their subsequent correlation.

II. TECHNICAL STANDARDIZATION OF BRIGHTNESS simple normalization procedure is used to process samples brightness under analysis, untreated, to a form that compares convenient and accurate way with samples master, corresponding brightness, stored in an identical format in memory 56. More specifically, as a first step, the average value x for the set of brightness samples under analysis containing "n" samples) is obtained for a ticket scan, as follows: "y _ n Subsequently a sigma normalization factor ("s") is determined as the equivalent of the sum of the square of the difference between each sample and the average, normalized by the total number n of samples. More specifically, the normalization factor is calculated as follows: In the final stage, each brightness sample, untreated, 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 defined by the following equation: X, - X X "=, 1/2 (or / III. PHYSICAL FORM OF A COLOR scanhead, multicell now be described with reference to Figures 13a-13g, a physical mode scanhead total color, compatible with multiple cells. The head of ^^^. F * ^^ scan 300 includes a body 302 having a plurality of receptacles 303 for filters and sensors, along its length, as best seen in Figure 13b. Each receptacle 303 is designed to receive a 5 color filter 306 (which may be a piece of transparent glass) and a 304 sensor, a set of which is shown in a part separation view, in Figure 13b (shown) also in Figure 13f). A filter 306 is located proximate to a sensor 304 for transmitting light, of a given wavelength range 10, to the sensor 304. As illustrated in FIG. 13b, one embodiment of the scan head housing 302 can accommodate forty three sensors 304 and forty three filters 306. a set of three filters 306 and 304 three sensors 15 comprises a single color cell 334 on the scanning head 300. according to one embodiment, three adjacent receptacles 303, which have three Different filters for primary colors, constitute a total chromatic cell, for example, 334a. However, as described elsewhere herein, only two filters and color sensors can be used, wherein the content value of the third primary color is derived by the processor. Primary colors means colors from which all other colors can be generated, and includes the primary additive colors ^ -i - &. _'-_-_- _- if_iV i ?? _ • S • i_iTÍ-l_ir M.iiiíTu-ii --fifi ri "- - t f ^ i JSST &? ^ BE ÉS (red, green and blue) and the primary subtractive colors (magenta, yellow and cyan). According to one embodiment, the three color filters 306 are standard glass filters for the separation of dichroic colors, red, green and blue. One side of each glass filter is coated with a standard mirror for a large amount of energy, to block infrared light. According to one embodiment, each filter is, or a red filter, part number 1930, a green filter, part number 1945, or a blue filter, part number 1940 available from Reynard Corporation of San Clemente, CA. According to one embodiment, sensors 304 are photodiodes, part number BPW34, manufactured by Centronics Corp. of Newbury Park, CA. According to one embodiment, sensors having a large detector area are selected. The sensors 304 provide the analog output signals, color, to perform the color scan as described above. The color scanning head 300 is preferably located close to the bill transport plate (see 140 in Figure 2b, 240 in Figures 3b, 4a, 4b and 4c and 540 in Figure 5a). The scanning head 300 further includes a reference sensor 350, described in greater detail later, with respect to the section V. STANDARD MODE / LEARNING MODE. As seen in Figure 13f, sensors 304 ft ^ iHSM? Ulfñt » and the filters 306 are positioned within the receptacles 303 of the filters and sensors, in the body 302 of the scanning head 300. Each of the receptacles has projections 332 for holding the filters 306 in the positions • 5 desired. The sensors 304 are positioned immediately behind their corresponding filters 306 within the receptacle 303. Figure 13e illustrates a total color cell, such as the cell 334a on the scanning head 300. The color cell 334a comprises a receptacle 303r for • receiving a red filter 306r (not shown) adapted to let the red light pass to a corresponding red 304r sensor (not shown). As mentioned above, the specific wavelength intervals, 15 transmitted by each filter, starting from 10% transmittance are: Red from 580 nm to 780 nm, Blue from 400 nm to 510 nm, Green from 480 nm to 580 nm. 20 The wavelength ranges, specific, transmitted by each filter, starting from 80% of transmittance are: Red of 610 nm to 725 nm, Blue of 425 nm to 490 nm, Green of 525 nm to 575 nm. The cell further comprises a receptacle 303b of blue, for mt m? M * ill * a *? * Mli- receiving a blue filter 306b (not shown) adapted to let only blue light pass to a corresponding blue sensor 304b, and a green receptacle 303g to receive a green filter 306g (not shown) adapted to pass through • only green light to a corresponding green 304g sensor. Additionally there are splits 340 of the sensors, between the adjacent filter and sensor sockets 303, to prevent a sensor that is in a receptacle, for example, in the receptacle 303b, from receiving light from filters that are in adjacent receptacles. , ^ for example, 303r or 303g. In this form, the divisions of the sensors eliminate cross-interference between a sensor and the filters associated with the adjacent receptacles. Because the divisions 340 of the sensors 15 prevent the sensors 304 from receiving wavelengths different from their designated color wavelength, the sensors 304 generate analog outputs representative of their designated colors. Other color cells total *; such ' • how the cells 334b, 334c, 334d and 334e are constructed identically. As seen in Figure 13a and 13d, the cells are divided from one another by cell divisions 336, which extend between adjacent color cells 334, from the sensor end 324 to the end 322 of the mask. These divisions ensure that each of the sensors 304 in a color cell 334 receive light from a common portion of the bill. The divisions 336 of the cells protect the sensors 304 from a chromatic cell 334 of reflected light fluctuations from areas outside the cell area. • exploration of the cell, such as light from the scanning area of an adjacent cell or light from areas outside the scanning area of a cell. To further facilitate the observation of a common portion of a bill, by all the sensors in a cell chromatic 334, 304 sensors are placed 1.66 • centimeters (0.655 inches) from slot 318. This distance is selected based on considerations that (a) increasing the distance reduces the intensity of the light reaching the sensors and (b) reducing the distance decreases the degree to which the sensors in a cell observe the same area of a ticket. Placing the light source on the side of the document, of the slit 318, causes the sensors to miss crumpled bills because the light can flood the document, since the The light is not restricted by the mask 310. Because the light does not have to pass through the slits of a mask, the light intensity is not significantly reduced when there is a slight wrinkle (for example, 0.076 centimeters (0.03 inches)). ), in a document, as it passes under the head of tffaiÉtttft «s jt *: __ ^^ _ _ ^^ _ l_fl? i_i _ ^^^^^ _ '^ __ ^^ scan 300. Referring to FIG. 13b, the dimensions [1, w, h] of the filters 306 are 0.33, 0.102, 0.58 centimeters (0.13, 0.04, 0.23 inches) and the • 5 dimensions of the filters 303 receptacles are 0.36 x 0.64 centimeters (0.141 x 0.250 inches) and the 304 sensors are 0.19 x 0.20 x 0.38 centimeters (0.174 x 0.079 x 0.151 inches). The active area of each sensor 304 is 0.27 x 0.27 centimeters (0.105 x 0.105 inches). Each sensor generates an analog output signal 9 'representative of the characteristic information detected in the bill. Specifically, the analog output signals of each color cell 334 are analog output signals, red, blue and green, of the sensors of red, blue and green, 304r, 304b and 304g, respectively (see figure 8). These analog output signals, of red, blue and green, are amplified by amplifier 58 and converted into digital signals of red, blue and green, by analog-to-digital converter unit 52 (ADC) whose output is fed as a digital input to the central processing unit (CPU) 54 as described above in conjunction with FIG. 1. These signals are then processed as described above to identify the denomination and / or type of ticket that explores. According to one modality, the outputs of a sensor 338 of the edges, and the green sensor of the left chromatic cell 334a are inspected by the PROCESSOR 54 to initially detect the presence of the banknote 44 adjacent to the scan head of the color 300, and subsequently, to detect the edge 44b of the bank. ticket. As seen in Figure 13a, a mask 310 having a narrow slit 318 thereon covers the top of the scanning head. Slit 318 has a width of 0.127 centimeters (0.050 inches). A pair of light sources 308 illuminate a banknote 44 as it passes through the scanning head 300 on the transport plate 140. The illustrated light sources 308 are fluorescent tubes that provide white light with a high intensity at the wavelengths. of red, blue and green. As mentioned above, fluorescent tubes 308 may be part number CBY26-220NO manufactured by Stanley of Japan. These tubes have a spectrum of approximately 400 mm to 725 mm with peaks for blue, green and red at approximately 430 mm, 540 mm and 612 mm, respectively. As can be seen in Figure 13f, the light from the light sources 308 passes through a transparent glass barrier 314 placed between the light sources 308 and the transport plate 140. The glass barrier 314 helps to guide the tickets that pass, in a flat configuration, against the transport plate 140 when fea_a_M_iaa_,, ^^^ B_Í | ^ gjj¡ the tickets pass through the scanning head 300. The glass barrier 314 also protects the scan head 300 from dust, and from contact with the bill. The glass barrier 314 may be composed, for example of • 5 soda glass or any other suitable material. Because the light diffuses with distance, the scanning head 302 is designed to place the light sources 308 near the transport path 140 to achieve a high intensity of light illumination. on the ticket. In one modality, the upper parts of F the fluorescent tubes 308 are located 0.154 centimeters (0.06 inches) from the transport path 140. The mask 310 of the scanning head 300 also helps illuminate the bill with high light. intensity. Referring to Figure 13f, the mask 310 has a reflective surface 316 facing the light sources 308. The reflective side 316 of the mask 310 directs the light from the light sources 308, upwards, F to illuminate the ticket. The reflector side 316 of the mask 310 can be plated with chrome or painted white to provide the necessary reflective character. The combination of the two fluorescent light tubes 308 and the reflector side 316 of the mask 310 intensifies the intensity or brightness of the light on the bill, while maintaining the heat generated within the system 10 for money management, to acceptable levels. The light intensity on the bill must be high enough to cause the sensors 304 to produce output signals representative of the characteristic information on the bill. Alternatives can be used for the pair of fluorescent light tubes, such as different types of light sources and / or additional light sources. However, light sources must flood the area of the banknote scanned by the scanning head 300 with high intensity light, and at the same time minimize heat • generated within the system for money management. Adding more light sources can suffer from the disadvantages of increasing the cost and size of the system for managing money. The light reflected outward from the illuminated bill enters a collector 312 of the scan head 300, passing through the narrow slit 318 that is in the mask 310. The slit 318 allows the reflected light of the scanned area or the portion of the ticket directly above the slit 318 in the collector 312. The reflector side 316 of the mask 310 blocks most of the light from the areas outside the scanning area, so that it does not enter the collector 312. Of this way, the mask serves as a barrier to noise, preventing most of the fluctuation of light ^^^ ¿^ ^^^^ J «* ^^ or the light from the outside of the scanning area, between the collector 312. In one embodiment the slit has a width of 0.127 centimeters (0.050 inches) and extends along a length of 16.42 centimeters (6.466 inches) from the f scan head 300. The distance between the slit and the banknote is 0.50 cm (0.195 inches), the distance between the slit and the sensor is 1.67 centimeters (0.655 inches), and the distance between the sensor and the banknote is 2.16 centimeters (0.85 inches). The relationship between distance of the sensor to the slit and the distance of the f slit to the bill is 3,359: 1. By placing the slit 318 away from the bill, the slit 318 allows the reflected light to pass from a larger area of the bill. Increasing the exploration area produces outputs that correspond to a average of a larger exploration area. An advantage of using fewer samples of larger areas is that the money handling system is capable of processing bills at a higher speed, such as a rate of 1,200 bills per minute. Another advantage of employing older sample areas is that by averaging the information of larger areas, the impact of small deviations on banknotes that may arise, for example, from normal wear and / or small extraneous markings on banknotes, is reduced. That is, making an average across a larger area, reduces the sensitivity of the system for the management of _: ^.,.,.-..... _-,. . ^ MliMlMMliiiiiMMi li money, less deviations or differences in color content. As a result, the money management system is able to accurately discriminate notes of different denominations and types, even if • the tickets are not in perfect condition. Figure 13g illustrates the light-catching geometry of the collector 312. The reflected light of the scanning area 48 of the bill 44 travels through the slit 318 and towards the collector 312. The light passes through the collector 312 and filter 306 to sensor 304. Without • However, because the light reflected by the bill includes reflected light perpendicularly and at other angles, with respect to the bill 44, the light passing through the slot 318 includes certain light reflected from areas that are are located outside the scanning area 48. To prevent light or light fluctuation from outside the scanning area 48 to be detected by the sensors 304, the collector 312 has a light catching geometry. Reducing the amount of light fluctuation received by the sensors 304, the amount of light intensity needed to illuminate the bill and provide accurate sensor outputs is reduced. The light-catching geometry, from collector 312, reflects most of the light fluctuation away from the sensors 304. To reflect the "light fluctuation" away from the sensors 304, the walls 326 of the manifold 312 have a rear angle. To form the rear angle, the width of the end 322 of the groove of the manifold 312 becomes larger than the width of the end 324 of the sensor, of the manifold • 312. In one embodiment, end 322 of the slit has a width of 0.84 centimeters (0.331 inches) and end 324 of the sensor has a width of 0.318 centimeters (0.125 inches), to form a rear angle of 10.5 degrees. Because of the light-catching geometry, most of the reflected light entering collector 312 that does not pass # directly to the sensor 304 will be reflected on the walls 326 with posterior angles, away from the sensors 304. In addition, the walls 326 of the collector 312 are either made or covered with an absorber material of the light, to prevent the light fluctuation from traveling to the sensors 304. Additionally, the interior surface of the collector walls can be textured to further prevent the light fluctuation from traveling to the sensors 304. In addition, the 328 side of the collector of mask 310, may be coated with a light absorbing material, such as black paint and / or may be provided with a textured surface to prevent trapped light rays from being reflected to the sensor 304. The mask 310 is grounded in a manner that can act as a barrier of electrical noise. The ground connection of the »-ái_i _.- i? _ mask 310 protects sensors 304 from electromagnetic radiation noise emitted by fluorescent tubes 308, thereby further reducing electrical noise. As best seen in figures 13c and 13d, in • 5 one mode the scanning head 300 has a length LM of 18.60 centimeters (7.326 inches), a height HM of 2 centimeters (0.79 inches), and a WM width of 1.43 centimeters (0.5625 inches). Each cell has a length Lc of 1.27 centimeters (1/2 inch) and the head of exploration has a total interior length h1 of 18.13 • centimeters (7,138 inches). In the embodiment shown in Figure 13d, scanning head 300 is occupied by five total color cells 334a, 334b, 334c, 334d and 334e positioned laterally across the center of the length of the scanning head 300 and a sensor 338 of the edges on the left side of the first color site 334a. See also figure 13b. The sensor 338 of the edges comprises a single sensor without a corresponding filter to detect the intensity of the reflected light and hence acts as a banknote edge sensor. Although the embodiment shown in Figure 13d represents a modality occupied by five total color cells, because the body 302 of the scanning head 300 has receptacles 303 for sensors and filters, to house up to forty-three filters and / or sensors, the scanning head 300 may be occupied with a variety of color cell configurations located in a variety of positions along the length of the scan head 300. For example, in a mode only one color cell 334 may be housed anywhere on the scanning head 300. In other situations up to fourteen color cells 334 may be accommodated along the length of the scanning head 300. Additionally, a number of sensors 338 of the banks, can be placed in a variety of sites as # length of scan head length 300. Also, if all 303 receptacles were occupied, it would be possible to select which color cells to use or process to scan banknotes or other documents, individuals. This selection could be made by a processor, based on the position of a bill, detected by the position sensors (Figure 15b). This selection could also be based on the type of money being explored, for example, country, denomination, series, etc., based on a initial determination of another sensor (s) or based on input information, appropriate, by the operator. According to one embodiment, the divisions 336 of the cells may be formed integrally with the body 302. Alternatively, the body 302 may be built without divisions for cells and configured in a way such that the divisions 336 for swings, can be accepted within the body 302 anywhere between the adjacent receptacles 303. Once inserted within the body 302, a 336 division of cells can come to join • permanently to the body 302. Alternatively, the cell divisions 336, can be attached, so that they can be removed, to the body, by designing them in a way that they can be placed and removed under pressure, from the body 302. Modalities that allow the 336 divisions of the cells, are accepted in certain numbers of sites, are provided • for a color scanning head, very flexible, that can be easily adapted for different exploration needs, such as to explore money notes from different countries. 15 For example, if certain information that facilitates distinguishing banknotes of different denominations from a first country such as Canada, can be obtained by exploring central regions of the banknotes, five cells can be placed such as 334a-334e, near the center of the scanning head as in Figure 13b. Alternatively, if certain information that facilitates distinguishing banknotes from different denominations of a second country, such as Turkey, can be obtained by exploring regions close to the banknotes, cells can be placed near the edges of the head of exploration. In this way, standard components of scanning heads can be manufactured and then mounted in ^^ various modalities of scanning heads, adapted to explore banknotes of different countries or groups of countries, based on the location of cell sites . Accordingly, a manufacturer may have a body portion 302 of the scanning head, standard, and a division portion 336 of cells, standard. Then, inserting By appropriately dividing cells within the body 302 and f by adding the appropriate filters and sensors, a scanning head dedicated to scanning a particular set of notes can be easily mounted. For example, including a single sensor of the edges, such as the sensor 338, and only a single color cell, located in the center of the scan head, such as the cell 334c can discriminate US dollars; Canadian bills can be discriminated if cells 334a-334e are are found on their site and the Euro currency can be discriminated using only cells 334a and 334e. Therefore, a single money management system can be used, employing a scanning head having chromatic cells 334a-334e and the sensor 338 of the edges, to process and discriminate money from the United States of America, Canadian and Euro. Alternatively, a universal scan head can be manufactured that is fully occupied by cells E through the entire length of the scanning head. For example, the scanning head 300 may comprise fourteen color cells and a cell for the edges. Then you can use a single scan head to explore many types of money. The exploration can be controlled based on the type of money that is explored. For example, if the operator reports that the money management system or the money management system determines that Canadian bills are being processed, the outputs of the sensors can be processed in cells 334a-334e. Alternatively, if the operator informs the system for the handling of money, or the system for money management determines that, Thai banknotes are being processed, the outputs of the sensors that are in the cells next to the edges of the scan head can be processed. With reference to figures 5a-c and 6a-g, the scanning head of the total color 300, is part of a module 581 of color scanning heads. In addition to scanning head 300, scanning head module 581 comprises a transport plate 540, printed circuit boards (PCB) 501 and 502, passive rolls 550 and 551, the UV / fluorescence sensor 340, the magnetic sensor (not shown), the filament sensor (not shown), the UV light source 342, the fluorescent light tubes 308, the color mask 310, the glass barrier 314, the color filters 306, the photosensors 304, divisions 336 of • 5 sensors and other elements and circuits to process the characteristics of the color. Many of these parts have been described above with reference to Figures 13a-g. Figure 6a is a perspective view of the module 581 of color scanning heads. As seen in the figures 6c-6e, the module is compact in size and has a # LCM length of 19.30 centimeters (7.6 inches), a WCM width of 10.31 centimeters (4.06 inches), and a HCM height of 4.60 centimeters (1.8 inches). Figures 6d and 6e are included only to show the relative total size of the module, and therefore show few details. The compact size of the color module contributes to a reduction in the size of the total system for money management, in which it is used, as described above, to reduce the size and weight of the total system for money management, it is desirable in Many environments in which the system will be used. Figure 6b is a perspective view, with separation of parts, of the module 581 of color scanning heads. Illustrated in FIG. 6b, from top to bottom, are the transparent glass barrier 314, which is positioned above the the light sources 308 and the mask 310 that has the slit £ * * _ £ _ £ _ £ narrow 318 in it. The mask 310 covers the upper part of the scanning head 300 which is located in the housing 354 of the color scanning head module 581. The scanning head 300 can be formed integrally with the housing 354 if desired. A first PCB 501 contains the sensors 304 (not shown in Figure 6b) having the filters 306 resting on the respective sensors 304 below. Also contained on the first PCB 501 is a UV sensor 340. A second PCB 502 is placed below the first PCB 501 and contains additional circuit sets for processing the data of the sensors 304. Each sensor generates a representative analog output signal of the detected characteristic information of the ticket. The analog output signals of each color cell 334 include analog output signals, red, blue and green, of their red sensor 304r, blue sensor 304b and green sensor 304g, respectively. As described above in relation to Figure 1, these analog output signals, of red, blue and green, are amplified by the amplifier 58 and converted into digital signals of red, blue and green, by the converter unit 52. analogue to digital (ADC) whose output is fed as a digital input to the central processing unit (CPU) 54. These signals are processed afterwards as described above, to discriminate the denomination and / or type of ticket that is explored. According to one embodiment, the outputs of the sensor 338 of the edges and the green sensor of the left chromatic cell 334e are • 5 inspected by the PROCESSOR 54 to initially ct the presence of the banknote 44 adjacent to the color scanning head 300, and, subsequently, ct the bank of the bank 44b as described above in relation to Figure 8. 10 As noted in figure 6a, the mask 310 that • has the narrow slit 318 in it, covers the top of the scanning head. Slit 318 has a width of 0.127 centimeters (0.050 inches). The pair of light sources 308 illuminate a banknote 44 as it passes by the scanning head 300 on the transport plate 140. In one embodiment the light sources 308 are fluorescent tubes that provide white light with a high intensity at the red, blue and green wavelengths.

• As mentioned above, in accordance with a mode fluorescent tubes are part number CBY26-220NO manufactured by Stanley of Japan. These fluorescent tubes have a spectrum from about 400 nm to 725 nm with blue, green and red peaks at about 430 nm, 540 nm and 612 nm, respectively.

As seen in figures 6f-g, the light coming from the light sources 308 passes through the transparent glass barrier 314 positioned between the light sources 308 and the transport plate 140. The glass barrier 314 helps guide the passing notes, in a flat configuration, against the transport plate 140 when the notes pass through the scanning head 300. The glass barrier 314 also protects the scanning head 300 from dust and contact with the bill. The glass barrier 314 can be composed, for example, of soda glass or any other suitable material. • IV. OTHER SENSORS A. Magnetic In addition to the optical scan heads and the color described above, the money handling system 10 may include a magnetic scanning head. Figure 14 illustrates a scan head 86 having a magnetic sensor 88. Using the magnetic scan a variety of money characteristics can be measured. These include the ction of magnetic flux change patterns (U.S. Patent No. 3,280,974), vertical grid lines patterns in the bill portrait area (U.S. Patent No. 3,870,629), the presence of a security filament ( North American Patent No. 5,151,607), the total amount of magnetizable material of a ___ » ticket (US Patent No. 4,617,458), patterns for cting the intensity of magnetic fields along a note (US Patent No. 4,593,184), and other patterns and counts of scanning different portions of the note, such as the area in which the denomination is written (US Patent No. 4,356,473). The denomination rmined by optical scanning or by scanning the color of a banknote can be used to facilitate authentication of the banknote by magnetic scanning, using the set of relationships presented in Table 1.

Table 1 Table 1 represents the threshold values of the total magnetic content, relative, for several denominations of genuine notes. Columns 1-5 represent degrees selectivity variables that can be selected by a user of a device employing the present invention. The values in Table 1 have been set based on the exploration of genuine banknotes of variable denominations, for the total magnetic content and setting threshold values required, 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 discussion is based on an adjustment of the sensitivity to 4. In this example it is assumed that the magnetic content represents the second analyzed characteristic. If the comparison of the first characteristic information, such as the reflected light intensity or the color content of the reflected light, of a scanned ticket, and the stored information corresponding to genuine tickets, results in the indication that the scanned ticket is a denominated bill of $ 10, then the total magnetic content of the scanned bill is compared to the threshold value of the total magnetic content of a genuine $ 10 bill, that is, 200. If the magnetic content of the scanned bill is less than 200, the bill is rejected. Otherwise, it is accepted as a $ 10 bill.

B. Size In addition to the intensity scan, the color scan and the magnetic scan, described previously, the money management system 10 can determine the size of a money bill. The size dimension "X" of a money bill, is determined with reference to figure 15a and 15b illustrating the upper standard scan head 70 for optically detecting the size and / or position of a money bill found under analysis. The "Y" dimension can be determined by any of the systems shown in Figures 17 and 19. The scan head 70 can be used alternatively or in addition to any of the detection systems described • until now. The scan head 70, like the systems of FIGS. 17 and 19, is particularly useful in foreign markets where the size of individual bills varies with their denomination. The head of exploration 70 is also useful in applications that require accurate information of the position of the ticket, so * such that, for example, where an attribute of the ticket or ticket is located (for example, color, hologram, security thread, etc.). The scanning head 70 includes two photosensitive linear arrays 1502a, 1502b. Each of the linear arrays 1502a and 1502b consists of multiple photosensitive elements (or "pixels") aligned end-to-end. The arrays 1502a, 1502b, which have the lengths respectively Lx and L2, are positioned in such a way that they are collinear and that are separated by a free space "G". In one embodiment, each linear array 1502a and 1502b comprises an array of the TSL 218 model of 512 elements, from Texas Instrument, commercially available from Texas Instrument Inc. Dallas, Texas. In TSL 218 arrays, each pixel represents an area of approximately 0.0127 centimeters (5 thousandths of an inch) in length, and thus arrangements 1502a and 1502b have the respective lengths Lx and L2, of 6.35 centimeters (2 1/2 inches). ). In one embodiment, the free space G between the arrays is approximately 5.08 centimeters (2 inches). Therefore, in this embodiment the distance between the left end of the array 1502a and the right end of the array 1502b is 17.78 centimeters (seven inches) (Lx + L2 + G), thus providing the scanning head 70 with the capacity of host tickets of at least 17.78 centimeters (site inches) in length. It will be appreciated that the scanning head 70 may be designed with a single array and / or that it may use an array (s) having a smaller or larger number of elements, having a variety of alternative lengths Lj and L2 and / or having a variety of free space sizes (including, for example, a free space size of zero). The operation of the scanning head 70 is illustrated in the best manner in Figures 5a-c. Arrays 1502a, 1502b (not visible in Figures 5a-c) of assembly 70 g | ^ f £ í¡tej ^^ «^^ of top head, are placed above the transport path and the color scanning head, lower 300. The light source 308, which in the embodiment illustrated comprises a pair of fluorescent light tubes, is placed below the upper head assembly 70 and the transport path. In one embodiment, arrangements 1502a, 1502b are placed directly above one of tubes 308. It will be appreciated that the illustrated embodiment can be applied to systems that have non-horizontal (eg, vertical) transport paths by placing the scan head 70 and the light source 308 on opposite sides (e.g., upper and lower part) of the transport path. The individual pixels found in arrays 1502a, 1502b are adapted to detect the presence or absence of light transmitted from light tubes 308. In one embodiment, the gradient index of lens arrays 1514a, 1514b, manufactured by NSG America, Somerset, NJ, part No. SLA-20B144-570-1-226 / 236, are mounted between light tubes 308 and respective sensor arrays 1502a, 1502b. The gradient index of the lens arrays 1514a, 1514b maximizes the accuracy of the scanning head 70 by focusing light from the light tubes 308 on the photosensitive elements and filtering the light and strange reflections, which can otherwise adversely affect the accuracy of the scanning head 70. Alternatively, less accurate but relatively reliable measurements can be obtained by replacing the gradient index of the lens arrays 1514a, 1514b with 5 simpler and less expensive filters, such as by example, a plate (not shown) with aligned holes or a continuous slot that allows the passage of light from the light tubes 308 to the arrangements 1502a, 1502b. When a ticket is not present among the light tubes 308 and arrays 1502a, 1502b, all the • photosensitive elements are directly exposed to light. When a money bill is advanced along the transport path between the light tubes 308 and the arrangements 1502a, 1502b, a certain number of the elements photosensitive will be blocked from light. The number of elements or "pixels" blocked from the light will determine the length of the ticket. Specifically, in one embodiment, the size of the longitudinal dimension of the bill is determined by the circuit of Figure 16. There, two arrays 1600 of photosensors (which may be arrays 1502a, 1502b) are connected to two comparators 1602. Each array of photosensor 1600 is enabled by a start pulse from a Programmable Logic Device (PLD) 1604. The clock pin (CLK) of each array 1600 is electrically connected to the CLK entries of the counters on the right and ^^^ h ^ j left, 1606 and 1608, in PLD 1604. Each comparator 1602 is also electrically connected to a source of a reference signal. The output of each comparator 1602 is electrically connected to allow (EN) inputs of the • counters 1606 and 1608. PLD 1604 is controlled by PROCESSOR 54. The circuit of FIG. 16 is asynchronous. The size of a bill is determined by sampling the outputs of counters 1606 and 1608 after the front edge of the bill is approximately 2.54 centimeters (one inch beyond) of arrangements 1502a, 1502b. The • counters 1606 and 1608 count the number of pixels not covered. The longitudinal dimension of the bill is determined by subtracting the number of non-covered pixels in each array, from 511 (there are 512 pixels in each array 1600 and the counters 1606 and 1608 count from 0 to 511). The result is the number of pixels covered, each of which has a length of 0.0127 centimeters (5 thousandths of an inch). In this way, the number of pixels covered, by 0.0127 centimeters (5 thousandths of an inch), plus the length of the free space G, gives the length of the bill. The system 10 also provides information regarding the position of the bill and information of the capacity of folds / holes, using the sensors of the "X" dimension. These sensors can detect the presence of one or more holes in a document, detecting the passing light through the document. And, as described more fully below, these sensors can also be used to measure the luminous transmittance characteristics of the document, to detect folded documents and / or documents that are overlapped. The "Y" dimension is determined by the optical detection system of Figure 17, which determines the Y dimension of a money bill under analysis. This size sensing system includes a light emitter 1762 which sends a light signal 1764 to a light sensor 1766. In one embodiment the sensor 1766 corresponds to the sensors 95 and 97 illustrated in Figure 15. The sensor 1766 produces a signal that is amplified by amplifier 1768 to produce a V- signal, proportional to the amount of light that passes between the emitter and the sensor. A money bill 1770 is advanced through the optical path between the light emitter 1762 and the light sensor 1766, causing a variation in the intensity in the light received by the sensor 1766. As will be appreciated, the 1770 bill is it can advance through the optical path along its longest dimension or through the narrow dimension, depending on whether one wishes to measure the length or width of the note. Referring to the timing diagram of Figure 18, at time t :, before the 1770 bill has begun to cross the path between the light emitter 1762 and sensor 1766, the signal V1 of the sensor, amplified, is proportional to the maximum intensity of the light received by the sensor 1766. The signal Vx is digitized by an analog-to-digital converter and is provided to the processor 1712 5 which divide it by two to define a value V1 / 2 equal to half the maximum value of Vx. The value V1 / 2 is supplied to a digital-to-analog converter 1769 to produce an analog signal V3 which is supplied as a reference signal to a comparator 1774. The other input to the comparator 1774 is the signal VI of the sensor, amplified, which f represents the variable intensity of the light received by the sensor 1766 when the bill 1770 crosses the path between the emitter 1762 and the sensor 1766. In the comparator 1774 the signal Vx of the sensor, variable, is compared to the signal of reference V3 and an output signal is provided to a switching device each time the variable signal V1 of the sensor, variable, falls above or below the reference V3. f Alternatively, the system could perform the scrutiny of the sensors, periodically, for example, every 1 ms. As can be seen more clearly in the timing diagram of Figure 18, the interrupting device produces a pulse 1976 that starts at time t2 (when the signal M1 of the sensor, variable, falls below the reference V3) and ends at time t3 (when the signal V1 of the sensor, variable, rises above the , __ ^ -_ «_ ^. ^ ,, ^^» ____. «S ........ | g | ¡J¡J ^ | g ^^ | ^^^^^ | reference V3). The length of the pulse 1976 that occurs between the times t2 and t3 is calculated by the processor 1712 with reference to a series of pulses of the timer, of the encoder. More specifically, at time t2, the processor 1712 starts counting the number of pulses of the timer, received from the encoder, and at time t3 the processor stops counting. The number of encoder pulses counted during the time interval t2 at time t3 represents the width of the 1770 bill (if it is fed 10 along its narrow dimension) or the length of the bill f 1770 (if it is fed along of its longest dimension). It has been found that the light intensity and / or sensitivity of the sensor will typically be degraded through the life of the light emitter 1762 and the light sensor 1766, 15 causing the signal V? of the sensor, amplified, becomes attenuated over time. The signal V1 can be further attenuated by the accumulation of dust on the emitter or sensor f. One of the advantages of the size detection method described above is that it is independent of variations in light intensity or sensor sensitivity. This is because the reference V3 of the comparator is not a fixed value, but rather is logically related to the maximum value of Vx. When the maximum value of Vx is attenuated due to the degradation of the light source, the accumulation of dust, etc., V3 is correspondingly attenuated || ^ because its value is always equal to half the maximum value of Vx. Consequently, the pulse width derived from the output of the comparator, with respect to a fixed length bill, will remain consistent throughout the life of the comparator. # system, regardless of the degradation of light source 1762 and sensor 1766. Figure 19 graphically represents an alternative circuit that can be used to detect the Y dimension of a money bill under analysis. In figure 19, the method The size detection is substantially similar to the one described in relation to FIG. 17 except that it uses analog signals instead of digital signals, such as an input to the comparator 1974. A DI diode is connected at one end of the output of the amplifier 68 and on the other end to a capacitor Cl connected to ground. A resistor Rl is connected at one end between the diode DI and the capacitor Cl. The other end of the resistor Rl is connected to a resistor R2 in parallel with the reference input 1978 of the comparator 1974. If Rl and R2 are equal f, the output voltage V3 at the reference input 1978 will be half the output of the maximum voltage of the amplifier 1908. In the comparator 1974 the signal Vx of the variable sensor is compared with the output voltage V3, and an output signal is provided to a switching device whenever the V1 sensor signal, variable, fall above or below the V3 reference.

J? HA **** * .-. ^ Subsequently, a pulse 1976 is produced by the interrupting device and the pulse length 1976 is determined by the processor 1912 in the same manner described above. In the circuit of figure 19, as in the • circuit of figure 17 the signal V2 is proportional to Vx and the widths of the pulses derived from the output of the comparator are independent of the degradation of the light source 1902 and the sensor 1906.

C. Folds / Hole Detection • As mentioned above, in addition to detecting the size of the money bills, the money management system 10 may include a system for detecting bent or damaged bills, as illustrated in FIG. figure . The two photosensors PS1 and PS2 are used to detect the presence of a folded document or the presence of a document having a hole (s), by measuring the luminous transmittance characteristics of the document (s). The • Folds and holes are detected by PS1 photosensors and PS2, such as the "X" sensors 1502a, b, which are located on a common transverse axis that is perpendicular to the bill flow direction. The photosensors PS1 and PS2 include a plurality of photosensitive elements or pixels placed directly in position 25 opposite a pair of light sources that are on the another side of the bill, such as the light sources 308 of the color scanning head, illustrated in Figure 13a. The "X" sensors detect whether a pixel is covered or exposed to light coming from the light sources 308. The output of • the photosensors determine the presence of folded bills and / or damaged bills such as bills that are missing a portion. For example, using the "X" sensors, a folded bill can be detected in any of two ways. The first way is to store the size of an authentic bill and then detect the size of the processed ticket, counting the • number of pixels blocked. If the size is smaller than the stored size, the system determines that the bill is folded. The second way is to detect the amount of light transmitted through the ticket, to determine the degree of fold and where the fold ends. The size of the ticket can be determined using the second method.

D. DOUBLE DETECTION The doubling or overlapping of banknotes is detected by the photosensors PS1 and PS2, such as the "Y" sensors 95, 97, which are located on a common transverse axis that is perpendicular to the flow direction of the bank. tickets The photosensors PS1 and PS2 are located directly opposite a pair of light sources on the other side of the banknote, such as the light sources 308 of the head of the bank. scan of the color illustrated in figure 13a. The photosensors PS1 and PS2 detect the light transmitted from the light sources 308 and generate analog outputs corresponding to the detected light passing through the bill.

• Each of these outputs is converted into a digital signal by a conventional ADC converter unit 52 whose output is fed as a digital input to the PROCESSOR 54 of the system and processed by it. The presence of a ticket adjacent to the photosensors PS1 and PS2 cause a change in the intensity of the • detected light, and the corresponding changes in the analog outputs of PS1 and PS2 photosensors serve as a convenient means of making density-based measurements in order to detect the presence of "doubles" (two or more bills) overlapping or overlapping) encountered during the money exploration process. For example, photosensors can be used to collect a predefined number of density measurements on a note under analysis, and the average density value for a note can be compared to values predetermined density thresholds (for example, based on standardized density readings for master notes) to determine the presence of overlapping or double banknotes. ? * _ ^ * í__. "%__5_ E. Normalization In one embodiment, the money management system 10 inspects 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 sensor of any particular system may be affected by dust, temperature, imperfections, scratches, or by anything else that may affect the brightness of the tubes or the sensitivity of the sensor. Similarly, systems using magnetic sensors will also generally degrade over time and / or be affected by their physical environment including dust, temperature, etc. To compensate for these changes, each money management system 10 will typically have a "deviation" from the measurement, unique to that system, caused by the degradation state 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 analysis data to explain the differences in the sensors between systems. For example, where the master information and the analysis data comprise numerical values, this is done by dividing both the threshold data and the the analysis data obtained from each system, between a reference value that corresponds 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 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, color content, brightness, intensity pattern, etc. The master information and / or the analysis data obtained from each individual system, are then divided between the appropriate reference value to define standardized master information and / or analysis data corresponding to each system. The evaluation of the tickets in the standard mode can obtained later by comparing the standardized analysis data with the standardized master information.

F. Detected Attributes The characteristic information obtained from each 20 scanned ticket may contain 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 through magnetic detection include, for example, patterns of changes in the magnetic flux (US Patent No. 3,280,974), patterns of vertical grid lines in the portrait area of banknotes (US Patent No. 3,870,629), the presence of a security filament (US Patent No. 5,151,607), the total amount of material • 5 magnetizable of a banknote (US Patent No. 4,617,458), patterns of magnetic field intensity detection along a banknote (US Patent No. 4,593,184), and other patterns and counts of the exploration of different portions of the banknote. ticket such as the area in which the denomination is written • (US Patent No. 4,356,473). The attributes of a banknote for which data can be obtained by optical detection, include, for example, density (US Patent No. 4,381,447), the color (North American Patents Numbers 4,490,846; 3,496,370; 3,480,785), length and thickness (Patent North American No. 4,255,651), the presence of a security filament (US Patent No. 5,151,607) and holes • (US Patent No. 4,381,447), intensity levels of the reflected or transmitted UV light (North American Patent No. 5,640,463) and other reflectance and transmission patterns (U.S. Patent No. 3,496,370; 3,679,314; 3,870,629; 4,179,685). Color detection techniques can employ color filters, color lamps and / or beam splitters dichroic (U.S. Patent Nos. 4,841,358; 4,658,289; 4,716,456; 4,825,246; 4,992,860 and EP 325,364). In addition to magnetic and optical detection, other techniques for collecting money analysis data include the detection of electrical conductivity, capacitive detection (US Patent No. 5,122,754 [filigree, security filament], 3,764,899 [thickness], 3,815,021 [ dielectric properties]; 5,151,607 [safety filament], and mechanical detection (American Patent No. 4,381,447 [flaccidity]; 4,255,651 [thickness]). Each of the aforementioned patents that refer to the types of optical, magnetic or alternative detection detection is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

V. STANDARD MODE / LEARNING MODE The system 10 for money management, of the figure 1, it can be operated, either in a "standard" mode of money evaluation or in a "learning" mode. In the standard mode of money evaluation, the data obtained by the scanning heads or sensors 70, are compared by the PROCESSOR 54 with master information previously stored in the memory 56. The previously stored master information corresponds to data generated from money "master" genuine, of a plurality of denominations and / or types. Typically, the previously stored data represents a numerical value or range of numerical values, expected, or a pattern associated with the exploration of genuine money characteristic information. The previously stored data may also represent several orientations and / or face positions of the genuine money • 5 to explain the possibility that a bill that is in the stack is in an inverted orientation or inverted face position, compared to other bills that are in the stack. The denominations and types of money, specific, of which one can expect to obtain the master information f for any particular system 10 will generally depend on the market in which the system is used (or intended to be used) 10. In the countries of the European market, for example, with the advent of the Euro currency (EC currency), can be expected that in any country circulate the EC currency and a national currency. In Germany, as a more specific example, both EC currency and German marks (DM) can be expected to circulate. With the learning mode capability of the present invention, a German operator can obtain the Master information associated with both the EC currency and the DM and store the information in the memory 56. Of course, the "family" of desirable currencies for any particular system 10 or market may include more than two types of coins. For example, a commercial bank centralized in the European Community can handle several ¿Gfc ^ Jr i ^^^ SÍ ^^^^^ currency types that include the EC currency, the German marks, the British pounds, the French francs, the US dollars, the Japanese Yen and the Swiss francs. Similarly, the desirable "family" of coins in Tokyo, • 5 Hong Kong or other parts of Asia may include the Japanese Yen, Chinese Remimbi, US dollars, German marks, British pounds and Hong Kong dollars. As an additional example, a desirable family of currencies in the United States of America may include the combination of US dollars, British pounds, German marks, • Canadian dollars and Japanese Yen. With the learning mode capability of the present invention, master information can be obtained from any denomination of coins in any desired "family", simply by repeating the learning mode for each denomination and type of currency found in the family. This can be achieved in successive operations of the learning mode, by passing on family bills • Designated, one denomination and type of money at a time, through the exploration system 10 to obtain the necessary master information. The number of tickets fed through the system can be as small as a ticket, or it can consist of several tickets. The ticket (s) fed through the system can include 25 ticket (s) of good quality, ticket (s) of poor quality or both. The master information obtained from the ticket (s), defines acceptability intervals for denominated and type banknote patterns, designated, that go It is then to be evaluated in the "standard" mode. For example, suppose that a single ticket of good quality, of a designated denomination and type, is fed through system 10 in the learning mode. The master information obtained from the ticket can be processed to define a range of acceptability for banknotes of the denomination and type, designated. For example, f the master information obtained from the ticket in the learning mode, can define a "central" value of the interval, where "deltas" plus or minus the central value are determined by the. system 10 to define the limits upper and lower of the interval. Alternatively, an acceptability range can be obtained by feeding a group of banknotes through the system one at a time, wherein each banknote in the group is generally "good" quality, but differs, in the degree of quality, from others who are in the group. In this example, the average value of banknotes in the group can define a "central value" of a range, with values more or less the central value, that define the upper and lower limits of the range, as described above.

Alternatively, the master information obtained from the poorer quality of the learning mode or master banknotes can be used to define the acceptability limits for denomination tickets. • and designated types, in such a way that banknotes of the designated denomination and type, evaluated in standard mode, are accepted if they have a quality at least as "good" as the poorer quality of the learning mode or of the master bills . Still another alternative is to feed one or more tickets of poor quality through the • system 10 to define "unacceptable" ticket (s) of the denomination and type, in such a way that the banknotes of the designated denomination and type, evaluated in the standard mode, are not accepted unless they have a quality better than poor quality tickets in the learning mode. Because the banknotes are initially unrecognizable for the system 10 for handling money, • in the learning mode, the operator must inform the system 10 for example (via operator interface panel 32 or by an external signal) what denomination and type of currency is "under study" so that system 10 can correlate the master information it obtains (and store in memory) with the denomination, type and appropriate "acceptability" of the ticket (s).

For purposes of illustration, assume that an operator wants to obtain the master information for US $ 5 and $ 10 US and Canadian denominations. In one modality, this can be achieved by giving • instructions to the system 10, by means of an interface panel 32 for the operator or by an external signal, to introduce the learning mode and inform him that he will be reading a first denomination and type of currency (for example, denominations of $ 5 of currency of the U.S of North America). In one embodiment, the operator can give instructions additionally to the system 10 regarding the type of sensor (s) in the learning mode, which must be used to obtain the master information and / or what type of characteristic information should be obtained for use it as information. The operator can then insert a single US $ 5 dollar bill of good quality (or a certain number of those bills) into the hopper 36 and feed the ticket (s) through the system, to obtain the master information from the (the) ticket (s) of a Designated combination of sensors in the learning mode. In an alternative mode, where a single bill is fed through the system 10, suppose that an arbitrary value "x" is obtained from the sensors in the learning mode. The system 10 can define the value "x" as a central value of a. "acceptable" range for litffiiiilfflr - TiTlI liliir • í - 'iili ^^ US $ 5 dollars tickets. The system 10 can further define the values "1.2x" and "0.8x" to include the upper and lower limits of the "acceptable" range for US $ 5 dollars bills. f Alternatively, where multiple US $ 5 dollars bills are fed through the system, 10 where each note is of a generally "good" quality (and again using the arbitrary "x" value of the sensor, for illustration purposes) ), suppose that the value of sensor, average, obtained from the bills is "l.lx". The fl 'system 10 in this case can define the interval "acceptable" for US $ 5 dollars bills as centered on the value of the sensor, average "l.lx" where the values "1.3x" and "0.9x" define the upper limits below the respective interval. Alternatively, where multiple $ 5 US dollars are fed through system 10, assume that the sensor values obtained in the learning mode vary between "1.4x" and "0.9x". The system 10 can define which values "1.4x" and "0.9x" are the upper and lower limits of the "acceptable range" for US $ 5 dollars, without taking into account the average value. As another example, suppose that the operator feeds 2 US $ 5 dollars, of poor quality, through the system 10, and suppose that the sensor readings, of "1.5x" and "0.7x" are obtained from poor quality tickets. The system 10 can then determine the range of acceptability for US $ 5 dollars between the values of "0.7x" and "1.5x". 5 Subsequently, after the master information has been obtained from $ 5 US dollars, the operator feeds the next ticket (s) through system 10, and the system scans the tickets to obtain the information. teacher of the tickets, in any of the ways described so far in the present mm. In one embodiment, the operator can instruct the system 10 regarding what type of sensor, in the learning mode, should be used to obtain the master information. Alternatively, the operator can give instructions to system 10 regarding what type of master information is desired, and system 10 automatically selects the sensor (s) of the appropriate learning mode (s). For example, an operator may wish to use • optical and magnetic sensors for North American and optical sensors for Canadian money. After the operator has obtained the master information of each denomination and type of money desired, the operator instructs the system 10 to enter the "standard" mode, or exit the "mode" of learning. "However, the operator can return to - "" - 4-J "r? Rmrfii introduce the learning mode at a subsequent time, in order to obtain master information from other denominations, type and / or series of money. It will be appreciated that the sensors used to obtain master information in the learning mode may be separate sensors or the same sensors used to obtain data in the standard mode. The system 10 for money management, can not only, in the learning mode, add master information of new denominations of money, but system 10 can also replace denominations of • existing money. If a country replaces an existing currency denomination, with a new type of ticket for that denomination, the system 10 for handling money can learn the new information about the characteristics of the ticket and replace the previous master information with the new master information. For example, the operator can use the interface 32 for the operator, to enter the • specific money denomination, which will be replaced.

Then, the money notes, masters, of the new type of ticket can be transported through the money handling system 10 and scanned in order to obtain the master information associated with the new ticket characteristic information, which can later stored in the memory 56. Additionally the operator '-You. it can eliminate an existing money denomination, stored in the memory 56, through the operator interface 32. In one mode, the operator must enter a security code to access the learning mode.

• The security code ensures that qualified operators can add, replace or delete master information in the learning mode. A mode of how the learning mode works is presented in the flow diagram illustrated in Figure 21. First the operator enters the learning screen in step 2100 by pressing a key, such as a "MODE" key located on panel 32 of the operator interface. Then the operator selects the type of currency of the bills that will be processed in the learning mode, in step 2102, by scrolling the screen through the list of coin types that are displayed on the screen, when the learning mode is introduced in step 2100. The operator selects the desired coin type by aligning the cursor with the type of currency displayed on the screen and pressing a key such as the "MODE" key. The operator then selects the currency symbol associated with the type of coin to be processed in step 2103 by moving the screen through the list of currency symbols, displayed on the screen, after the currency type has been selected. He Operator selects the symbol of the desired currency, aligning the cursor with the desired symbol displayed on the screen and pressing the "MODE" key. This advances the program to stage 2104 f where the operator enters the ticket number, which is used to identify the different denomination or series of a ticket for any given currency type. For example, different types of currency have denominations that have more than one series, for example, there are two series of US $ 100 bills, one with the old design and one with the new design. In this system 10 mode, up to nine bill denominations and / or series can be learned. In the present, again, the display screen contains a menu of the ticket numbers available (1-9), and the operator selects the desired ticket number by aligning the cursor with the desired ticket number and pressing the "MODE" key. Subsequently, in step 2106, the operator introduces the orientation of the bill, that is, up and with the bottom edge toward front, face up and top edge forward, face down and bottom edge forward or face down and top edge forward. From the above selections, the system 10 determines what master information to learn from the ticket (s) to be processed in the mode of learning. Subsequently, the operator, in step 2110, enters the denomination of the ticket, either by moving the screen through a menu displayed, the denominations ^^ corresponding to the type of currency that has been entered in 9, step 2102, or in an alternative mode, by pressing one of the naming keys to identify the particular naming to be learned. The system 10 automatically changes the denomination associated with the naming keys, so that they correspond to the denominations available for the type of currency that has • was entered in step 2102. When the operator enters the denomination, system 10 advances to step 2114 where the system processes the sample tickets and displays the number of sample tickets that goes to average. This step is described in further detail with respect to Figure 22. For example, it may be desired to average several different bills of the same denomination, but under different conditions, for example, different degrees of wear, such that the patterns of a variety of notes of the same denomination, but in different conditions, can be averaged. Up to nine bills can be averaged to create a master pattern in this system mode 10. However, typically, only one ticket needs to be processed to generate enough master pattern data to authenticate a type. ___a_________ > ^ __-__, __.- .. Jj of currency and denomination, particular, in the standard mode. This method of pattern averaging is described in more detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,633,949. ^^ In step 2114, the system suggests the operator, through a display screen, load the sample ticket into the entry hopper and then press a key, such as a "START" key. The bill is processed by the system 10 by feeding it to the transport mechanism of the system 10. When the bill is fed to Through system 10, the system scans the ticket and f adds the new information to the master pattern data corresponding to the scanned ticket, as described in more detail in relation to figure 23. Eventually, the master pattern data is will average. 15 In step 2116 it is suggested to the operator to save the data corresponding to the learned characteristics. The operator saves the data corresponding to the learned characteristics, such as a master pattern, by selecting "YES" from the display menu, aligning the cursor on "YES" and pressing a key such as the "MODE" key. Similarly, to continue without storing the data, the operator selects "NO" from the display menu by aligning the cursor on "NO" and pressing the "MODE" key. An operator may decide not to save the data if, while learning a denomination, the operator decides learn another denomination and / or type of currency. The operator saves the data, the operator will decide whether to save the data as master data from the left, from the center or from the right. These positions refer to the site, in relation to the 5 edges of the entrance hopper 36, where the bill was located when it was introduced to the transport mechanism 38. The system 10 has an adjustable hopper 36 in such a way that if they are processed banknotes of a denomination, all banknotes are fed below the center of the mechanism of transport. However, if denominations are processed • mixed, in the standard mode, of a coin type that has different denominations and sizes, then the hopper will have to be adjusted to accommodate the maximum size bill in the stack. In this way, a ticket with more dimensions narrow could be traversed in the hopper, so that the scanned data of the ticket could vary according to the site of the hopper where the ticket entered the transport mechanism. Consequently, in the mode of • learning, the master data scanned from a ticket, vary according to the place where the ticket, in the hopper, enters the transport mechanism. Therefore, the lateral position of the bill can either communicate to the system 10, so that the learned data can be stored in an appropriate memory location, corresponding to the lateral position of the ticket, or system 10 can i ^ ¿_ * _ a ^ g ^. | and j- automatically determine the lateral position of the ticket by using the sensors "X" 1502a, b. In step 2120, the operator is indicated by questioning whether or not another pattern is to be learned. If the operator decides that the system 10 learns another pattern, the operator selects "YES" from the display menu, aligning the cursor to "YES". If another pattern is going to be learned, steps 2104-2120 are repeated. If the operator selects that another characteristic is not going to be learned by selecting "NO", then the system 10 in step 2122 will appear in the learning screen. The operator can then learn another set of currency denominations from another country, by re-entering the learning screen in step 2100. The details of how the system 10 processes the sample tickets in step 2114 are illustrated in the diagram. of flow of figure 22. For each data sample, for each pattern to be learned, the system 10 in step 2200 conditions the sensors. Four equations are used to adjust the sensors. The first equation is the sliding light intensity equation: CORRECTION = (SRSR / CRSR) The luminous intensity shift (shift) is calculated by dividing a stored reading of the reference sensor, SRSR, between the current reading of the sensor reference. The stored reading of the reference sensor corresponds to the signal produced by the reference sensor of the light intensity, during the calibration time. The reference sensor 350 is illustrated in Figure 13b. The Red • adjusted (r) or red tint, adjusted blue (b) or blue tint and adjusted green (g) or green tint, are calculated from the following formulas: r =. { [RSR - OAOV] (CORRIMIENTO) - (VD)} (GM) b =. { [BSR - OAOV] (CORRIMIENTO) - (VD)} (GM) g =. { [GSR - OAOV] (CORRIMIENTO) - (VD)} (GM) f The sensor, RSR, BSR and GSR readings are measured in millivolts (mv). OAOV is the unbalanced voltage of the operational amplifier, which is an empirically derived error voltage, obtained by reading the sensors with fluorescent light tubes turned off, and is typically between 50 mv and 1,000 mv. The shift indicates the change in light intensity. VD (dark voltage) that represents the internal light reflections, is obtained by the readings of the sensors with the tubes of fluorescent light, lit, when a standard material, calibration, black, not reflector, is placed in front of the sensors. The gain multiplier (GM) is a constant empirically derived and obtained at the time of calibration, from the following equation: GM = W / (WSR-OAOV) , - v. ~ "and _ *" * JasaßO »- * *» «. • '* j > - '- ~ sais¡JV where WSR is a variable that corresponds to the reading of the target sensor, that is, the voltage measured when a white calibration standard is present in front of the sensors, OAOV is the unbalanced voltage of the • 5 operational amplifier, and W is a constant that corresponds to the voltage that the sensors could provide when a white calibration standard is present in front of the sensors (generally, W = 2.5v). In step 2202 the system 10 samples data for the ticket that is explored at that moment. For example, you can # Take 64 data samples at various points along a ticket. In step 2204, each data sample is added to the corresponding data sample, previously taken (or to zero if this is the first ticket processed). For example, if 64 data samples are taken, each of the 64 data samples is added to the respective sample (s) of data, taken previously and stored in the • memory. In step 2206, the operator is asked if another ticket will be processed, to create the master pattern data. If the operator decides to process another ticket, the operator selects "YES" from the display menu, aligning the cursor to "YES" and pressing the "MODE" key. If it goes to process another ticket of the same type of currency and denomination (for the purpose of pattern averaging, steps 2200-2206 are repeated.) If the operator chooses not to process another bill by selecting "NO", then system 10 proceeds to step 2208 where the sample averages are calculated. The sum is calculated by taking each sum of step 2204 and dividing it by the number of processed notes, for example, if 64 data samples were taken from three banknotes, the sum of each of the 64 data samples was calculated. Subsequently, the system 10 determines the color percentages of step 2212. Three equations are used to determine the percentages of color, to say: R = [r / (r + g + b)] -100 G = [ g / (r + g + b)] -100 B = [b / (r + g + b)] -100 The first equation determines the percentage of the red reflected by the bill, which is calculated by dividing the value of the red, adjusted , r, between the sum of the values of red, green and blue, adjusted, r, g and b, from step 2200 and mult iplicando that result by 100. The percentage of green and blue is in a similar way from the second and third equations, respectively. Simultaneously, the system normalizes the brightness data in step 2210. The brightness data correspond to the intensity of the light reflected by the g ^ j ^^ | j ticket. The equation used to normalize the brightness data is: BRILLANTEZ = [(r + g + b) / 3W] '100 In that equation, W is the same as defined above. Subsequently, the system 10, in step 2214, determines the "X" (or long) dimension of the bill. The system 10 then determines, in step 2216, the "Y" (or narrow) dimension of the bill. The details of how the ticket size is determined were explained above in section B. Size.

SAW. BRILLIANT CORRELATION TECHNIQUE The result of using the above normalized equations is that, subsequent to the normalization process, there is a correlation relationship between a brightness pattern under analysis and a master brightness pattern, such that the aggregate sum of the products of the corresponding samples, in a pattern of brilliance under analysis and any pattern of master brilliance, when divided by the total number of samples, equals unity if the patterns are identical. Otherwise, a value less than unity is obtained. Therefore, the number or correlation factor that results from the comparison of standardized samples, within a brightness pattern under analysis, with respect to a brightness pattern ^? ^? ^ ^ M ^^^ ?? i ^ m-m Master, stored, provides a clear indication of the degree of similarity or correlation between the two patterns. Therefore, a correlation number, C, can be calculated for each comparison of analysis patterns / masters, using the following formula: /. _r_m * ._ V.m? __ J2. where Xn? is an individual sample of analysis, normalized, of a pattern under analysis, Xm? is a master sample of a master pattern, and n is the number of samples in • The bosses. According to one embodiment of this invention, the fixed number of brightness samples, n, which are digitized and normalized for a scan of a banknote under analysis, is selected from 64. Experimentally it has been found that the use of binary orders of Samples, higher (such as 128, 256, etc.) does not provide an efficiency in the discrimination, correspondingly increased, 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, produces a substantial decrease in the efficiency of the discrimination. The correlation factor can be represented conveniently in binary terms for ease of correlation. In a modality, for example, the unit factor that results when there is a correlation of one hundred per cent, is represented in terms of the binary number 210, the 5 which is equal to a decimal value of 1024. Using the above procedure, the standardized samples Within a pattern of analysis they are compared with the characteristic master patterns, stored within the memory of the system, in order to determine the particular stored pattern 10 to which the pattern of • analysis, identifying the comparison that produces a correlation number closer to 1024. The correlation procedure is adapted to identify the two highest correlation numbers, 15 resulting from the comparison of the brilliance pattern under analysis, with one of the patterns brilliance masters, stored. At that point it is required that a minimum correlation threshold value be satisfied by these two numbers F correlation. It has been found experimentally that a The correlation number of about 850 serves as a good cut-off threshold value, above which positive identifications can be made with a high degree of confidence and below which the designation of an analysis pattern as corresponding to any of the 25 stored patterns, is uncertain. As a second level of ~ &u £ te ^ fa ^ ^^ rJf ~ ftf,) threshold value, a minimum separation between the two highest correlation numbers is prescribed before making an identification. This ensures that a positive identification ^^ be carried out only when an analysis pattern does not F 5 corresponds, within a given correlation interval, with more than one stored master pattern. Preferably, the minimum separation between the correlation numbers is set to 150 when the highest correlation number is between 800 and 850. When the number of higher correlation is below 800, positive identification can not be made. In certain cases, a double-level correlation threshold value is required to be satisfied before a particular identification is made. The procedure of The correlation is adapted to identify the two highest correlation numbers resulting from the comparison of the analysis pattern with one of the stored patterns. A minimum correlation threshold value is required to perform a positive identification. Experimentally it has found that a correlation number of about 850 serves as a good cut-off threshold value, above which positive identifications can be made with a high degree of confidence, and below which the designation of an analysis pattern as corresponding to any 25 of the stored patterns, be uncertain. As a second '~ Af? ÉiÍ ^^ threshold level, a minimum separation between the two largest correlation numbers is prescribed before making an identification. This ensures that a • positive identification only when a pattern of 5 analyzes does not correspond, within a given correlation interval, with more than one master pattern stored. 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 10 correlation number is below • 800, no identification is made. If the PROCESSOR 54 determines that the scanned ticket matches one of the master sample sets, the PROCESSOR 54 performs a "positive" identification having identified the money scanned. If a "positive" identification can not be made for a scanned ticket, an error signal is generated.

• VII COLOR CORRELATION TECHNIQUE 20 One mode of how the system 10, in the standard mode, compares and discriminates a bill, is presented in the flow chart illustrated in Figures 23a-23d. First, a ticket is scanned in standard mode using 3 of the 5 scan heads and the standard scan head at stage 2300. The three scanning heads are - - - - - - - ^^^^^^ - ^^^ GÍ- IIII - nMt? located in several positions along the width of the ticket transport route, in order to explore several areas of the ticket that is processed. The system 10 determines later, in ___. stage 2305, the lateral position of the ticket in relation # 5 to the ticket transport route, using the "X" sensors. In step 2310, initialization takes place, where the best and second best correlation results (from the previous correlations in step 2360, if any), which are referred to as "responses # 1 and # 2" are reset. The system 10 determines, in step 2315, • if the size of the ticket being processed (the analysis ticket) is within the range of the master size data corresponding to a denomination of the ticket for the selected country. If the size is not finds within the range, the system 10 proceeds to point B. If the system 10 determines in step 2315 that the size of the analysis ticket is within the range of the master size data, the system F proceeds to step 2320, where the system indicates a color pattern of first orientation. Subsequently, the system 10, in step 2325, calculates the absolute percentage difference between the analysis pattern and the master pattern, on a point-by-point basis. For example, where 64 sample points are taken as length of the analysis ticket to form the pattern of L ^, JJ__¿ __ ^ Mfc¿ = a ^ v¡aJ analysis, the percentage differences between each of the 64 sample points of the analysis ticket and the 64 corresponding points of the master pattern, are calculated by PROCESSOR 54. Subsequently, system 10, in stage f 5 2335, adds up the differences absolute percentages of step 2330 for each of the master patterns stored in the memory. In an alternative mode the master patterns of the red and green color are usually stored in memory, 10 because the third primary color, blue, is redundant, since the sum of the percentages of the three primary colors must be equal to 100%. In this way, by storing two of these percentages, the third percentage can be derived. In this way, in a modality Alternatively, each color cell 334 could include only two color sensors and two filters. In this way, in this context "total 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 the sensors are provided. The system 10 in step 2340 proceeds to sum the result of the red and green sums of the 2335 stage. total of step 2340 is compared to a threshold value in the gÉ 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 wrong identification. If the total of stage 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) the system returns to step 2330 and the total of stage 2340 is compared to the next pattern master color corresponding to the determination of • ticket position, performed in step 2305. The system 10 again determines, in step 2350, whether the total of step 2340 is less than the threshold value. This cycle continues until it is found that the total is less than the value threshold. Then, system 10 proceeds to step 2360 (point C). In step 2360, the brightness or intensity pattern of the banknote under analysis is correlated with the first master brightness pattern corresponding to the The determination of the position of the banknote, made in step 2305. The correlation between the analysis pattern and the master pattern for the brightness, is calculated in the manner described above in the part of "Technique for the Correlation of Brilliance". Subsequently, in step 2370 the system determines if all orientation patterns have been used. If not, the system returns to step 2330 (E). if so, the system proceeds to step 2375. In step 2375, the process proceeds by signaling the next master bill pattern in memory. • 5 Brilliance patterns can include several changed versions of the same master pattern, because the degree of correlation between an analysis pattern and a master pattern can be negatively impacted if the two patterns are not properly aligned with each other. Misalignment 10 between the patterns may result from a certain 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 border line surrounding the money of the United States of America or the detection of some other mark of discrimination, printed, such as the edge of printed marks on a bill, marks that are out of place, can cause the start of the scanning process at an inappropriate time. This is especially true for misplaced marks that are in the area between the edge of a note and the edge of the discriminating marks printed on the note. Those misplaced markings can cause the scanning process to start too early, resulting in a scanned pattern leading to a corresponding master pattern. 25 Alternatively, where the detection of the edge of a M ^ Aa ^ teaifeat ^ Mi ^^^ l rírr If the banknote is used to trigger the exploration process, the misalignment between the patterns may result from variations between the location of the discriminating markings printed on a banknote, relative to the edges of a banknote. • 5 ticket. These variations can result from tolerances allowed during printing and / or the cutting process, in the manufacture of money. For example, it has been found that the location of the front edge of the discriminant marks printed in Canadian money, in relation to the Canadian money bank, can vary up to f approximately 3_ centimeter (0.2 inches). Consequently, the problems associated with misaligned patterns are overcome by the displacement of data in memory leaving the last sample of data in a master pattern and replacing a zero in front of the first sample of the master pattern data. In this way, the master pattern is shifted in memory and a portion f slightly different from the master pattern is compared to the analysis pattern. This process can be repeated by a predetermined number of times, until a sufficiently high correlation is obtained between the master pattern and the analysis pattern, in order to allow knowing the identity of an analysis ticket. For example, the master pattern can be moved three times to accommodate a analysis ticket that has its characteristic (s) of 't ^ 1gmnM ^^^^^^^^^^^ identification, offset (s)% centimeter (0.2 inches) from the leading edge of the bill. To do this, three zeros are inserted in front of the first sample of the master pattern data. An embodiment of the pattern displacement technique, described above, is described in US Patent No. 5,724,438 entitled "Method for Generating Modified Patterns and Method and Apparatus for Using same in a Money Identification System" which is is incorporated herein by reference. • Returning to the flow chart of Figure 23b, 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 The process proceeds to step 2395 (point F-see figure 23c). The best two correlations are determined by a simple correlation procedure that processes values of • digitized reflectance in a way that is compared to convenient and accurate manner with corresponding values previously stored in an identical format. This is detailed above in the sections of Standardization Technique and Correlation Technique for Brilliance Samples. 25 Referring to Figures 23c-d, the system _____ * - €. determines, in step 2395, whether all the sensors have been verified. If the master patterns for all the sensors have not been checked against the analysis ticket, the system 10 cycles back to step 2310. The 5 stages 2310-2395 are repeated until all the sensors are verified. Subsequently, the system 10 proceeds to the step 2400 where the system 10 determines whether the results for the three sensors are different, that is, if each of them selected a master pattern different. If each sensor selected a master pattern • different, the system 10 exhibits to the operator a message of "no identification", indicating that a denomination can not be given to the ticket. Otherwise the system 10 proceeds to step 2410 where the system 10 determines if the results for all three sensors are similar, that is, if the three selected the same master pattern. If each sensor selected the same master pattern, the system 10 proceeds to step 2415. Otherwise the system 10 proceeds to step 2450 (FIG. 23d), which will be analyzed later. In step 2415, the system 10 determines whether the reading of the sensor on the left is above the correlation threshold number, one. If so, system 10 proceeds to step 2420. Otherwise, system 10 continues to step 2430 which will be discussed later. In the ___ * «? T * _a _____» ___ i step 2420 system 10 determines whether the center sensor reading is above the correlation threshold number 1. If so, system 10 proceeds to step 2425. Otherwise, system 10 proceeds to step 2435 which • It will be analyzed later. In step 2425 the system 10 determines whether the reading of the sensor on the right is above the correlation threshold number, one. If so, the system 10 proceeds to step 2475 where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to stage 2440 to be analyzed • later . In step 2430, the system 10 determines whether the readings of the center and right sensors are above the correlation threshold number, two. If so system 10 proceeds to step 2475 (figure 23d) where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, system 10 proceeds to step 2445 (FIG. 23d) which will be discussed later. In step 2435 the • system 10 determines if the reading of the sensors of the left and right are above the correlation threshold number, two. If so, the system 10 proceeds to step 2475 where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, system 10 proceeds to step 2445 which will be discussed later. In step 2440 the system 10 determines whether the sensor readings of the center and on the left are above the correlation threshold number, two. If so, the system 10 proceeds to step 2475 where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise the system 10 proceeds towards the stage • 5 2445 wherein the system 10 determines whether the sums of the three colors are below a threshold value. If so, the system 10 proceeds to step 2475 where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to step 2480 where the system 10 shows the operator a "no identification" message, • indicating that a ticket could not be named. In step 2410 system 10 determined whether the results for all three sensors 2410 were similar, ie, whether the master pattern designation selected for each sensor is the same. If the results for the three sensors were not similar, the system 10 proceeds to step 2450 where the system 10 determines whether the sensors on the left and the center are similar, • that is, if they selected the same master pattern. Yes These selected the same master pattern, system 10 proceeds to step 2460. Otherwise, system 10 proceeds to step 2455 which will be discussed later. In step 2455 the system 10 determines whether the sensors in the center and the right are similar, ie, whether selected the same master pattern. If they selected lfatoJ "B j * ' the same master pattern, system 10 proceeds to step 2465. Otherwise, system 10 proceeds to step 2470 which will be discussed later. In step 2465 the system 10 determines whether the readings of the center and right sensors are above a threshold number three. If so, the system 10 proceeds to step 2475 where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to step 2480 where the system 10 exhibits the operator a "no identification" message, indicating that the ticket could not be named. The system proceeds to step 2460 if the results of the readings from the left and center sensors were similar, that is, if they selected the same master pattern. In step 2460 the system 10 determines whether the readings of the sensors on the left and the center are above the threshold number three. If so, the system 10 proceeds to step 2475 where the denomination of the ticket is identified. Otherwise, the system 10 proceeds to step 2480 where the system 10 exhibits the operator a "no identification" message, indicating that the ticket could not be named. Figures 24a-24h are flowcharts that illustrate a main routine and subroutines that can be substituted for the flowcharts of Figures 23c- - * ^ - ^ t ^ &? t d. Points F and G of Figure 24A connect with points F and G in Figures 23a-b. Figure 25a shows a "main" routine. Figure 24b shows a subroutine "THRCHK". Figures 24c and 24d show a "PATTCHK" subroutine. The 5 figure 24e shows a subroutine "FINSUMS", and the figures 24f, 24g and 24h show a "COLRES" subroutine. An alternative comparison method comprises comparing the samples of individual analysis shades with their corresponding nuance samples. If the sample nuances of analysis are within an interval • 8% of the master nuances, then a match is recorded. If the comparison of the nuances of analysis and masters, records a threshold number of matches, such as 62 of the 64 samples, the patterns of brilliance will compare as described in the previous method. 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 • of the spirit and scope of the present invention. Each of these 20 modalities and obvious variations thereof are contemplated within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which are presented in the following claims.

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Claims (29)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the foregoing invention, it is considered as a novelty, and therefore, it is claimed as • property contained in the following: CLAIMS

1. A system for handling documents, for processing documents, the system is characterized because • comprises: a first sensor for scanning at least one characteristic, other than the color, of a document, a total color sensor for scanning the color characteristics of the document, and a processor for processing data corresponding to the characteristics explored of one or more documents, with the first sensor and with the color sensor, and to use the data to evaluate one or more documents.

2. The system in accordance with the claim • 1, characterized in that the total color sensor includes a In the plurality of color cells, each cell comprises a primary color sensor for detecting each of at least two primary colors and producing a corresponding output signal. The system according to claim 25 2, characterized in that the total color sensor is part of a module for color, the color module also includes a edge sensor located on one side of the color cells, to detect at least the presence of a document adjacent to the color cells. • 5 4. The system in accordance with the claim 2 or with claim 3, and characterized in that it also includes an encoder functionally connected with the primary color sensors, to define the sampling intervals, to sample the output signals in synchronization with the movement of a document, with • relation to the module for the color. 5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that the encoder synchronizes the sampling intervals, with an operating frequency 15 of the light source. 6. The system according to any of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that each of the primary color sensors generates signals • Analogs that represent variations in the content of 20 primary colors of a document to be scanned, the system includes an analog-to-digital converter, to convert the analog signals into digital signals, the system includes a memory to store the digital signals of two of the primary color sensors and where he 25 processor determines a content value of the third color h ~, j? i "A" -_ to _____._ primary, of the document, from two digital signals stored by the memory. The system according to any of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the processor is sensitive to the respective signals developed by the primary color sensors, to develop a total brightness signal comprising the sum of the output signals of the primary color sensors and the hue signals, respectively, for each of the primary color sensors corresponding to the percentage of the total brightness signal constituting each of the output signals. 8. The system according to any of claims 1 to 7 and characterized in that it further includes a memory for storing master data of color characteristics, associated with each genuine document that the system is capable of discriminating, and because the processor compares the scanned color characteristics • from a document, with at least some of the data 20 masters of color characteristics, stored in memory, wherein the processor can operate in a learning mode to supply data to the memory , which correspond to the scanned characteristics of a document through the total color sensor, when the scanned document 25 is a genuine document, the data comprise the S __ ^ __ »__ Í ___________» _____. ___sfcS__i_.: _. "; __ *" ^ ____?.? ltí & i £ Yes _____ master data of color characteristics. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that the memory contains master data of color characteristics corresponding to the color characteristics of documents comprising genuine notes of each one of the pluralities of denominations of the monetary systems of each one. of the plurality of countries. 10. The system according to any of claims 1 to 9 and characterized in that f also includes a housing to mount all the components of the system for handling documents, the housing is relatively compact so as to accommodate on top of a table, a desk, a work station, a cash register station and the like. The system according to claim 10, characterized in that the housing has a footprint of f not more than about 27.94 centimeters per 20 approximately 30.48 centimeters (approximately 11 inches by approximately 12 inches). The system according to claim 10, characterized in that the housing has a fingerprint of no more than about 38.1 centimeters by 25 approximately 50.8 centimeters (approximately 15 inches by approximately 20 inches). The system according to claim 10, characterized in that the housing and components of the document handling system weigh no more than about 15.9 kilograms to about 23.6 kilograms (about 35 pounds to about 50 pounds). 14. The system according to any of claims 1 to 13 and characterized in that 10 also includes a memory for storing master data of fl * color characteristics, which correspond to the color characteristics of genuine documents that the system is capable of discriminating and master data corresponding to at least one other characteristic of each document 15 genuine that the system is capable of discriminating and where the means for signal processing compares the master data of color characteristics with the characteristic of the color scanned from the document and selects the master data corresponding to one or more documents 20 genuine ones that potentially coincide, for comparison with the characteristic explored by the first sensor, based, at least in part, on the comparison of the color. 15. An apparatus with scanning head for color, for a system for handling documents, the 25 head for color exploration is characterized because it comprises: an exploration head body; and, a total color sensor mounted on the body of the scanning head and including a plurality of color cells, each of the color cells comprises at least two primary color sensors for detecting each of at least two primary colors. The apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the body of the scanning head includes a plurality of sensor receptacles, the optical sensors and the optical filters are located in those receptacles, each receptacle having an optical sensor located from behind of a corresponding optical filter, and in which respective adjacent groups of those receptacles form a chromatic cell, to respectively receive each of the sensors for primary colors, the body of the scanning head further includes cell divisions that extend between the cells adjacent chromatic The apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that at least one of the receptacles assembles a sensor of edge of the document, instead of a sensor of primary colors. 18. The apparatus according to any of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that it also includes a mask interposed between a source of ^ Hü ^^^^ í j ^^^^ a light and the primary color sensors, the mask has a reflective surface facing the light source and a relatively narrow slit to transmit the reflected light to the primary color sensors. 19. The apparatus in accordance with the claim 18, and characterized in that it also includes a collector placed between the mask and the primary color sensors, to substantially limit the light reaching the sensors for light reflected through the slit that 10 is in the mask, the cell divisions extend substantially from one end of the sensor to one end of the mask, of each cell. 20. The apparatus in accordance with the claim 19, characterized in that the collector has interior surfaces 15 formed at an angle such that the width of the collector adjacent to the mask is greater than the width of the collector adjacent to the primary color sensors, to substantially trap the light reflected through the slit. . 21. The apparatus in accordance with the claim 20, characterized in that the interior surfaces of the collector are coated with a light-absorbing material, to substantially prevent the fluctuation of light from reaching the primary color sensors. 22. A system for the exploration of documents, ____ £ ______., £ _. ... .. _____ _._. LS-? Sfti characterized in that it comprises a first scanning head assembly, for scanning a first side of a document, the first scanning head assembly includes at least one optical sensor for scanning the optical characteristics of • a document and size sensors comprising a pair of linear optical arrays, laterally spaced, extending a predetermined distance, laterally opposite, outward, to detect the edges of opposite sides of a document, to determine the length of a document in a direction transverse to a travel path of a document passing through the scanning head. 2

3. A system for document scanning, characterized in that it comprises a first head assembly Scanning to scan a first side of a document, the first scanning head assembly includes size sensors, comprising a pair of linear, laterally separated optical arrays, extending a predetermined distance, laterally opposite outwards, 20 to detect the edges of opposite sides of a document, to determine the length of a document in a direction transverse to a travel path of a document passing through the scanning head. 2

4. A method for handling documents, for processing documents, the method is characterized in that includes: exploring at least one characteristic, other than the color, of a document; explore the total color characteristics of the document; process data corresponding to color and other explored characteristics of one or more 5 documents; and, use the data to evaluate one or more documents. 2

5. A method for color scanning, for a system for handling documents, for processing documents, the method is characterized in that it comprises: 10 explore the characteristics of the total color, of a jH |? document; explore at least one characteristic, other than the color, of the document; process data corresponding to the explored characteristics of one or more documents; use the data to evaluate one or more documents; generate signals 15 analogs that represent variations in the content of at least two primary colors, of a document that is scanned, and convert those analog signals into digital signals; and, store the digital signals that correspond to two of the primary colors and determine a value of the content of the 20 third primary color, of the document, from the two stored digital signals. 2

6. The method according to claim 24 or claim 25, and further comprising working in a learning mode for storing 25 data that correspond to the characteristics of the color fr-Tffn ^ explored, of a document, when the scanned document is a genuine document, the data comprise master data of color characteristics. ^^ 2

7. The method of compliance with any of F 5 claims 24 to 26, characterized in that the process includes developing a total brightness signal comprising the sum of the output signals and the respective hue signals for each of the primary colors corresponding to the percentage of the total brightness signal that constitutes each of the output signals. 2

8. The method according to any of claims 24 to 27, characterized in that the total color scan includes observing a strip of 15 a document and produce continuous output signals corresponding to the color content of the light reflected from that strip, and because the process includes defining sampling intervals to sample the output signals in synchronization with the movement of a document, with 20 relation to the total color sensor, and further includes synchronizing the sampling intervals with an operating frequency of a light source. 2

9. The method according to any of claims 24 to 28, and characterized in that 25 also includes storing master feature data ^ '^ a' S-S-tí ^ '~ "ZZÉí ..- ¿ÉUjlÉ ß &M á color, which correspond to the color characteristics of the genuine documents and the method is able to discriminate master data corresponding to at least one other characteristic of each genuine document that the system • be able to discriminate and because the process involves comparing the master data of color characteristics with the characteristic of the scanned color of the document and selecting master data that corresponds to one or more genuine potentially matching documents for the 10 compared to the other characteristic explored, based on the • less in part, to the comparison of color. fifteen • twenty 25