DOCUMENT COUNTING AND BATCHING APPARATUS WITH COUNTERFEIT DETECTION

摘要

An apparatus for counting and verifying documents is provided with a digital control network. The digital control network coordinates the operations of counting and verifying documents. A transport mechanism moves documents along a guide path through the apparatus. Sensors are located along the guide path for determining optical and magnetic characteristics of the documents and producing signals relative thereto. The measured signals are sampled and digitized by an analog-to-digital converter under the control of a microprocessor. Multiple samples of the sensor signals are accumulated within memory as each document passes adjacent to the sensors. The accumulated values are compared with reference values in order to verify each document which passes adjacent to the sensors. Documents are counted after verification. Individual piece counts and monetary values of such piece counts are provided and counterfeit documents, such as passed for United States currency, can be detected.