Banknote validator

摘要

The present invention relates to the technical field of devices for reading/authenticating banknotes. The invention also concerns handheld devices, particularly those which may be used by visually impaired persons, to identify different banknote denominations. The present invention is aimed at providing a banknote validator that avoids the drawbacks of the prior art. The validator according to the invention may as well be used for validating a security document including a marking (like luminescent ink or pattern printed on said document, luminescent security thread or strip, for example) operable to glow with a specific color luminescence under appropriate UV light illumination. The invention further describes a method for identifying a denomination of a banknote having a test zone including a marking operable to glow with a specific color luminescence according to the denomination under appropriate UV light illumination.

主权项

1. A banknote validator for identifying a denomination of a banknote having a test zone including a marking operable to glow with a specific color luminescence according to the denomination under appropriate ultraviolet (UV) light illumination, the banknote validator comprising:
a housing provided with a banknote passageway; a first UV light source structured and arranged to irradiate in the passageway the test zone of the banknote with UV light in a first wavelength range to create a first excited luminescence light at least one of transmitted through and reflected from the test zone; a first color sensor structured and arranged to receive the first excited luminescence light and to allow determining both a mean wavelength and an amplitude of a detected first excited luminescence light; a second UV light source structured and arranged to irradiate the test zone of the banknote with UV light in a second wavelength range, distinct from the first wavelength range, to create a second excited luminescence light at least one of transmitted through and reflected from the test zone; a second color sensor structured and arranged to receive corresponding second excited luminescence light and to allow determining both a mean wavelength and an amplitude of a detected second excited luminescence light; a communicator structured and arranged indicate a denomination of the banknote; and a processor configured to control the first and second UV ht sources the first and second color sensors and the communicator, the processor comprising a memory, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine a first color value of the first excited luminescence light from a first signal received from the first color sensor; determine a second color value of the second excited luminescence light from a second signal received from the second color sensor; compare the first and second color values with respective stored reference color values associated with luminescence under UV light in one of the first and second wavelength ranges; determine a denomination of the banknote from reference color values corresponding to the first and second color values; and control the communicator to indicate the determined denomination, wherein the processor is further configured to: control one of the first UV light source and the first color sensor or the second UV light source and the second color sensor so as to illuminate the banknote, interrupt the illumination of the banknote and detect a decay of a corresponding excited luminescence light; and control the communicator to indicate the denomination only when the detected decay corresponds with the denomination.