Bill Handling Apparatus Foreign Matter Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bill handling apparatuses incorrectly detect bundles of bills containing metallic components as foreign matter, leading to erroneous returns, due to the inability to accurately differentiate between the metal content of bills and coins.
Innovation Solution
A bill handling apparatus equipped with processing circuitry that estimates the number of bills and measures the metal quantity, using a determination threshold calculated from reference metal quantities and bill counts, to differentiate between bills and potential foreign matter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal sensor is used to detect foreign matter in the insertion slot, then coins can be detected and returned, but bundles of bills containing metallic components are erroneously detected as foreign matter and returned
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter used for foreign matter detection from a fixed threshold to a dynamic determination threshold that is calculated based on the number of bills detected by the image processing unit and the reference metal quantity per bill. This allows the threshold to adapt to different bill bundles, preventing erroneous detection of legitimate metallic components in bills while maintaining sensitivity to actual foreign matter.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional metal sensor-based detection system with an image processing-based system that captures images of the inserted object, counts the number of bills, and calculates the determination threshold accordingly. This substitution eliminates the need for physical metal sensors and enables more accurate differentiation between bills with metallic components and actual foreign matter.
2Device complexity
If a fixed metal quantity threshold is used for foreign matter detection, then coin detection is simplified, but the system cannot differentiate between coins and bundles of bills with metallic components
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary image processing to count the number of bills in the inserted object before conducting foreign matter detection. This preliminary action allows the system to calculate an appropriate determination threshold based on the actual number of bills, enabling accurate differentiation between coins and bundles of bills with metallic components while maintaining manageable system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the image processing unit that provides information about the number of bills detected. This feedback is used to dynamically adjust the determination threshold for metal quantity comparison, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to different insertion scenarios and maintains high detection accuracy without excessive complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents erroneous detection and return of valid bills by accurately determining if the deposited object is solely bills or contains foreign matter, ensuring correct processing and storage.
Implementation Method 1
a metal sensor in its insertion slot and if a coin is inserted in the insertion slot and insertion of foreign matter, such as a coin, in the insertion slot is detected on the basis of a quantity of metal detected by the metal sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A bill handling apparatus enables insertion of a deposited object therein from an insertion slot, the object including a bill containing a metallic component. The bill handling apparatus includes a memory and processing circuitry coupled to a memory and configured to estimate a number of bills in the object that has been inserted, obtain an actually measured metal quantity in the object that has been inserted, estimate a threshold that is a quantity of metal in the object that has been inserted, based on the number of bills estimated by the first estimating and a reference metal quantity corresponding to one of the bills, the reference metal quantity having been determined beforehand, make a comparison between the actually measured metal quantity and the threshold, and determine, based on a result of the comparison, whether or not the object that has been inserted is a bill or bills only.