Abstract: A coin handling apparatus (1) comprising: a coin reservoir (2) including a coin output aperture (3); a coin output conduit (4) in communication with, and adjacent to, said coin output aperture (3); a coin separating mechanism (5) disposed between the coin output aperture (3) and the coin output conduit (4), said coin separating mechanism (5) comprising at least one gate member (9, 9A, 9B) including a pair of opposing resiliently biased support posts (10, 10A, 10B); wherein the at least one of the pair of opposing resiliently biased support posts (10, 10A, 10B) is configured to reciprocate within the magnetic field of a proximal inductor (11).

Abstract: A coin elevator mechanism that includes a first housing wall and an opposing second housing wall, with a coin ingress aperture in the first housing wall and a coin egress aperture in the second housing wall positioned above the ingress aperture. A continuous articulated conveyor belt with multiple link members communicates between the ingress and egress apertures. At least one link member features a coin scoop projection that is inclined relative to a transverse axis of the link. As the conveyor belt operates, the coin scoop projection forms a coin pocket, delimited at its ends by the two housing walls, and is configured to carry multiple coins from the ingress aperture to the egress aperture. Coins are transported upward and discharged under the influence of gravity.

Abstract: A coin hopper for dispensing coins includes a container for holding coins, an exit channel for outputting a target number of coins, and a dispensing unit. The dispensing unit features a rotatable transport plate with multiple coin pockets, facilitating the transfer of coins from the container to the exit channel. These pockets accommodate coins of different sizes, with a first pocket for coins of a first size and a second pocket for coins of a second size. An adjustable cover on the transport plate allows selective exposure of the pockets to the container. The cover can move between two configurations: one exposing the first pocket while blocking the second, and the other exposing the second pocket while blocking the first. This design enables the coin hopper to dispense a target number of coins of varying sizes.

Abstract: A database enrolment system for enrolling an unauthorised person in a database of authorised persons is provided. The system comprises: a camera for imaging a field of view, and a processing unit in communication with the database of authorised persons. The database contains information relating to the faces of authorised persons. The processing unit comprises a face recognition subsystem and is configured to perform an enrolment routine for enrolling an unauthorised person in the database. The enrolment routine comprises: detecting an initialisation scene, detecting a subsequent confirmation scene, and when the initialisation scene and the confirmation scene are detected, transmitting enrolment information relating to the face of the unauthorised person to the database for enrolment as an authorised person.

Abstract: A banknote storage container (1) comprising a housing (2) enclosing an internal banknote receiving compartment (8), said housing (2) including a banknote input aperture (3) in communication with a banknote receiving compartment ingress opening (3?); the banknote receiving compartment (8) includes a pair of pivotable bascule members (4, 5), said bascule members (4, 5) disposed in opposing lateral positions within the banknote receiving compartment, and each of said pair of bascule members (4, 5) includes a gate element (16) disposed at an end of the bascule member proximal to the ingress opening (3?) and a banknote contact portion (15) at an end of the bascule member distal from the ingress opening (3?); and the banknote contact portion (15) of each of said bascule members (4, 5) protrudes into the banknote receiving compartment (8) such that when a leading edge of a banknote received into said banknote receiving compartment (8) simultaneously comes into contact with the banknote contact portion (15) of each o

Abstract: A safe conduit device having a banknote validator docking station, a banknote cashbox docking station spatially separated from the banknote validator docking station, and a banknote transport module configured to provide a removable bridge spanning the spatial separation between the banknote validator docking station and the banknote cashbox docking station.

Abstract: A coin handling apparatus (1) comprising: a coin reservoir (2) including a coin output aperture (3); a coin output conduit (4) in communication with, and adjacent to, said coin output aperture (3); a coin separating mechanism (5) disposed between the coin output aperture (3) and the coin output conduit (4), said coin separating mechanism (5) comprising at least one gate member (9, 9A, 9B) including a pair of opposing resiliently biased support posts (10, 10A, 10B); wherein the at least one of the pair of opposing resiliently biased support posts (10, 10A, 10B) is configured to reciprocate within the magnetic field of a proximal inductor (11).

Abstract: A banknote storage container (1) comprising a housing (2) enclosing an internal banknote receiving compartment (8), said housing (2) including a banknote input aperture (3) in communication with a banknote receiving compartment ingress opening (3?); the banknote receiving compartment (8) includes a pair of pivotable bascule members (4, 5), said bascule members (4, 5) disposed in opposing lateral positions within the banknote receiving compartment, and each of said pair of bascule members (4, 5) includes a gate element (16) disposed at an end of the bascule member proximal to the ingress opening (3?) and a banknote contact portion (15) at an end of the bascule member distal from the ingress opening (3?); and the banknote contact portion (15) of each of said bascule members (4, 5) protrudes into the banknote receiving compartment (8) such that when a leading edge of a banknote received into said banknote receiving compartment (8) simultaneously comes into contact with the banknote contact portion (15) of each o

Abstract: A banknote feeder device (3) configured to interconnect and operate in conjunction with a banknote acceptor apparatus (2), the banknote feeder device (3) comprising a banknote transport mechanism operable, when the banknote feeder device (3) is connected to the banknote acceptor apparatus (2), to transport a banknote from a banknote input aperture to a banknote output aperture. The banknote transport mechanism comprises a linear succession of spaced-apart pairs of transport wheels (22) and each transport wheel extends at least partially through a banknote transport conduit surface into an interior cavity of the banknote transport conduit between the banknote input aperture and the banknote output aperture.

Abstract: A coin elevator mechanism (1) comprising: a first housing wall (2) and an opposing second housing wall (3); a coin ingress aperture (4); a coin egress aperture (6) positioned above said coin ingress aperture (4); and a continuous articulated conveyor belt (7) including a plurality of link members (8), the continuous articulated conveyor belt (7) is arranged to provide communication between said coin ingress aperture (4) and said coin egress aperture (6); characterised in that the coin ingress aperture (4) is located in the first housing wall (2) and the coin egress aperture (6) is located in the second housing wall (3), and in that at least one of the plurality of link members (8) includes a coin scoop projection (12) extending therefrom, said coin scoop projection (12) configured to entrain a plurality of coins input via the coin ingress aperture (4) to the coin egress aperture (6).

Abstract: A method of obtaining a plurality of infrared images of a banknote that involves simultaneously illuminating the banknote with infrared light at a first wavelength and infrared light at a second wavelength, capturing an image of the banknote with an RGB camera, obtaining from both a first output channel signal and a second output channel signal of the RGB camera sensor where the intensity distribution of the infrared light at the first wavelength and the intensity distribution of the infrared light at the second wavelength uses a first calibration coefficient and a second calibration coefficient of the RGB camera sensor, producing separate infrared images of the banknote at the first wavelength and the second wavelength from the respective intensity distributions.

Abstract: A method of entering a facial image of an individual into a database of recognised and authorised individuals, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, from an image capture device connected to a database processing device, an image of a scene; determining whether the image of the scene contains a facial image of a recognised and authorised first individual; determining whether the image of the scene contains a facial image of a second individual and, if the image of the scene contains a facial image of a second individual, determine if the second individual is a recognised and authorised individual; if the second individual is not a recognised and authorised individual, determine whether the image of the scene includes a security gesture by the recognised and authorised first individual; and entering the facial image of the second individual to the database of recognised and authorised individuals if the image of the scene includes the security gesture by the recognised and authorised first individual.

Abstract: A method of entering a facial image of an individual into a database of recognised and authorised individuals, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, from an image capture device connected to a database processing device, an image of a scene; determining whether the image of the scene contains a facial image of a recognised and authorised first individual; determining whether the image of the scene contains a facial image of a second individual and, if the image of the scene contains a facial image of a second individual, determine if the second individual is a recognised and authorised individual; if the second individual is not a recognised and authorised individual, determine whether the image of the scene includes a security gesture by the recognised and authorised first individual; and entering the facial image of the second individual to the database of recognised and authorised individuals if the image of the scene includes the security gesture by the recognised and authorised first individual.

Abstract: A banknote validator having a housing, a validation sensor; and a banknote drive mechanism. The banknote drive mechanism may be arranged to transport a banknote from an input aperture to a stacking device. The banknote drive mechanism may delimit a first banknote pathway proximal to an input aperture, and a second banknote pathway proximal to the stacking device. A pivotable security gate arrangement may be included that is resiliently biased to project into the second banknote pathway.

Abstract: A modular banknote apparatus (1) comprising: a banknote acceptor module (2); a banknote dispenser module (3); at least one banknote storage drum module (4); and a banknote transport module (5); wherein said banknote transport module (5) mechanically and electrically interconnects said at least one banknote storage drum module (4) and said banknote dispenser module (3); and wherein the banknote transport module (5) is configured to provide electronic control of both the banknote dispenser module (4) and the at least one banknote storage drum module (4) in a respective master and slave relationship.

Abstract: A method of obtaining a plurality of infrared images of a banknote that involves simultaneously illuminating the banknote with infrared light at a first wavelength and infrared light at a second wavelength, capturing an image of the banknote with an RGB camera, obtaining from both a first output channel signal and a second output channel signal of the RGB camera sensor where the intensity distribution of the infrared light at the first wavelength and the intensity distribution of the infrared light at the second wavelength uses a first calibration coefficient and a second calibration coefficient of the RGB camera sensor, producing separate infrared images of the banknote at the first wavelength and the second wavelength from the respective intensity distributions.

Abstract: A banknote feeder device (3) configured to interconnect and operate in conjunction with a banknote acceptor apparatus (2), the banknote feeder device (3) comprising a banknote transport mechanism operable, when the banknote feeder device (3) is connected to said banknote acceptor apparatus (2), to transport a banknote from a banknote input aperture to a banknote output aperture. The banknote transport mechanism comprises a linear succession of spaced-apart pairs of transport wheels (22) and each transport wheel extends at least partially through a banknote transport conduit surface into an interior cavity of the banknote transport conduit between the banknote input aperture and the banknote output aperture.

Abstract: A banknote validator having a housing, a validation sensor; and a banknote drive mechanism. The banknote drive mechanism may be arranged to transport a banknote from an input aperture to a stacking device. The banknote drive mechanism may delimit a first banknote pathway proximal to an input aperture, and a second banknote pathway proximal to the stacking device. A pivotable security gate arrangement may be included that is resiliently biased to project into the second banknote pathway.

Abstract: An imaging system comprising: a pair of cameras (2, 3) adapted to capture images in the near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum; a camera (4) adapted to capture images in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum; a near-infrared light source (5); and a controller (6). The system configured to obtain a plurality images of the face of an individual and, from a local binary pattern distribution of image pixels, determine the age of the individual in each of the images by applying a linear regression technique and computing an average.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method, system and apparatus to allow the collection of data relating to at least one parameter of an item of currency and which data can be used to generate a new or updated dataset for the same and which can be used by validation apparatus for said items of currency. The collected data is transmitted from a location which is remote from that at which the new data set is generated and the new dataset is transmitted to the said remote location and/or other locations so as to allow the new or updated dataset to be used by the apparatus.