Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for authenticating a document. The apparatus includes a profile processor adapted to collect a plurality of data profiles from a suspect document, a comparator adapted to compare the plurality of data profiles with a set of envelopes of a library document and to determine that the document is authentic when the plurality of profiles conforms with the plurality of envelopes and a push-in lock that locks a cassette that holds authenticated documents to a body of the apparatus for authenticating the document.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for processing a document traveling along a document path within a document validator. The such apparatus includes a disk where a periphery of the disk extends into the document path of the document validator, a support shaft that passes through a center hole of the disk, the shaft loosely supporting the disk and allowing the disk to rotate around the shaft in a predominant plane of the disk and to freely move in the predominant plane of the disk in a direction that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and a resilient member that biases the disk into the document path to engage a side edge of the document when the document is misaligned with the document path as it travels along the document path thereby retarding forward movement of the side edge and rotation of the document into alignment with the document path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for authenticating a document. The apparatus includes a profile processor adapted to collect a plurality of data profiles from a suspect document, a comparator adapted to compare the plurality of data profiles with a set of envelopes of a library document and to determine that the document is authentic when the plurality of profiles conforms with the plurality of envelopes and a push-in lock that locks a cassette that holds authenticated documents to a body of the apparatus for authenticating the document.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for processing a document traveling along a document path within a document validator. The such apparatus includes a disk where a periphery of the disk extends into the document path of the document validator, a support shaft that passes through a center hole of the disk, the shaft loosely supporting the disk and allowing the disk to rotate around the shaft in a predominant plane of the disk and to freely move in the predominant plane of the disk in a direction that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and a resilient member that biases the disk into the document path to engage a side edge of the document when the document is misaligned with the document path as it travels along the document path thereby retarding forward movement of the side edge and rotation of the document into alignment with the document path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for authenticating a document. The method includes the steps of forming a plurality of data profiles from a suspect document and determining that the document is authentic when the plurality of data profiles conforms with a plurality of envelopes of a document library. The method further includes the steps of interfacing the authenticator with an external device that operates under one of a plurality of interface formats through a replaceable interface module, transferring an identifier of the authenticated document to the replaceable interface module, converting the identifier into the one of the plurality of formats used by the external device and sending the converted identifier to the external device.