Abstract: A coin processing device includes a temporary coin-withholding mechanism for driving coin withholding levers using a single driving device. The temporary coin-withholding mechanism includes a single driving mechanism, a first coin withholding lever for withholding/releasing a coin guided by a first coin sorting route, a second coin withholding lever for withholding/releasing a coin guided by a second coin sorting route, and a link mechanism including detecting whether a coin is withheld in the first coin sorting route. When the retention is detected, the first lever is shifted from the withholding position to the release position to allow the driving mechanism to drive only the first coin lever without driving the second coin lever. When the retention is not detected, the second lever is shifted from the withholding position to the release position to allow the driving mechanism to drive the second coin withholding lever.

Abstract: A sheet recognizing device and method for precisely checking the authentication of a sheet by performing recognition of color and watermark of a sheet and detecting the subtle characteristic of a hue ink printed on one side of the sheet.

Abstract: There are provided a sheet paper identification device and method capable of preventing use of the device in an abnormal state by preventing erroneous identification caused by dust attached to an interior of a pickup section, detecting the abnormal state in the pickup section due to the dust, and notifying it outside. When a sheet paper is inserted from a sheet paper insert section (3), the sheet paper is fed by a sheet paper feed section (4). An image pickup section (7) images the interior of the image pickup section (7) before the sheet paper is fed to the image pickup section (7) so as to acquire image data without any sheet paper so as to acquire image data having the sheet paper. A dust detection section (8) calculates the position and the area of the image indicating dust of the image data having no sheet paper.

Abstract: A promotion method and a system which can realize thoughtful promotion by facilitating changing settings such as the number of points issued for each commodity, a promotion period and the like without the necessity for changing settings of target automatic vending machines all at once. A commodity code peculiar to each commodity is added to point information, and a data center selectively adds the number of points of the point information of the specific commodity on the basis of the commodity code.

Abstract: [Problems] To provide a device for sorting disk bodies, where workability in maintenance and check, including cleaning etc., of a disk body guide passage is further improved and accuracy of sorting disk bodies is further enhanced. [Means for Solving the Problems] A gate plate biasing means is disposed at plural positions to apply a biasing force to a gate plate (3) in a direction to close a main plate (2) while the gate plate (3) is reaching a predetermined turning angle about a shaft (8) and to apply a biasing force to the gate plate (3) in a direction to open the main plate (2) when the gate plate (3) is turned by the predetermined turning angle or more.

Abstract: Disk-shaped object thickness-restricting means is provided in a disk-shaped object guiding path for transferring a disk-shaped object, inserted through a disk-shaped object slot, in an inclined direction. The disk-shaped object thickness-restricting means comes into contact with the inserted disk-shaped object and changes its position depending on the thickness of the disk-shaped object in the contact, restricting the thickness of the inserted disk-shaped object.

Abstract: A banknote identifying machine and method for testing a banknote for genuineness stably without being affected by a sensor or contamination on the banknote. Transmission photosensors 61 are moved over a banknote to be tested to scan the banknote with a light beam along reading lines L to obtain patterns of an amount of transmitted light through the banknote (FIGS. 3(b) and 3(c)). Patterns (1a, 1b) of an amount of transmitted light corresponding to watermark portions are evaluated with maximum values (11, 12) of patterns of an amount of transmitted light corresponding to ordinary design portions other than the watermarks to determine whether or not there is any watermark in the banknote and to authenticate it.

Abstract: A banknote processing device where banknotes are stopped at a predetermined position of a stacker guide without being deformed. Braking means (4) is provided at a portion of a stacker guide (3), and the braking means (4) has a rolling body (7) producing a braking force in the advance direction of an inserted banknote without folding the banknote.

Abstract: Upon the sale of merchandise by a vending machine, encrypted point information expressing prescribed points is presented to a user. The user transmits the presented point information, together with identification information for the user, to a center device by means of the user's portable telephone set. The center device decrypts the transmitted and encrypted point information, stores and manages points corresponding to the point information for the user, and offers prescribed service to the user based on the points stored and managed for the user.

Abstract: A coin distinguishing method capable of concurrently picking up the images of the surface and the side of a coin by using two light sources, downsizing a device, and providing high-accuracy coin distinguishing. The side of a coin (C) falling through a coin passage (101) in an advancing direction is irradiated with a first light (105) from a flash shooting first light source (104), and the outer periphery portion of the surface of the coin (C) is irradiated with a second light (107) from a flash shooting second light source (106). Then, a fist reflection light (108) reflected off the side of the coin (C) and a second reflection light (109) reflected off the outer periphery portion of the coin (C) are input to an image sensor (110) to concurrently obtain the images of the side and the surface of the coin (C).

Abstract: A coin inspection method and apparatus capable of inspecting coins having different materials and surface patterns with high accuracy by a simple coil arrangement. An exciting coil is arranged in the vicinity of one side of a coin passage inclined at a predetermined angle so that two magnetic poles thereof face the coin passage. Two receiving coils having substantially identical characteristics are arranged in the vicinity of the same side of the coin passage so that the receiving coils are electromagnetically coupled with the exciting coil. The exciting coil is excited at a predetermined frequency and an oscillation voltage of the exciting coil is detected. Also, an influence of a reactive magnetic field produced by eddy current induced on a surface of the coin is detected by the receiving coil. Material of the coin can be determined based on the oscillation voltage level of the exciting coil.

Abstract: To send point information indicated by an automatic vending machine to a center unit by a packet communication function of a portable telephone of a user of the automatic vending machine, a free space in a single packet of the point information to be sent from the automatic vending machine to the center unit is used to send management information such as sales information, stock information, failure information and the like of the automatic vending machine to the center unit.

Abstract: A money identifying method and a device which can identify money with high precision and quickly by optimally binarizing a surface image of the money. The center coordinates and radius of subject coin C are extracted by a coin shape extraction section from the surface image of the subject coin C obtained by an area sensor, and an effective threshold calculation range is extracted by a threshold calculation range extraction section 107 from the extracted center coordinates and radius of the coin. Further, a density histogram is created by a histogram generation section 108 on the basis of the threshold calculation range, an optimum binary threshold value is calculated from the density histogram by a binary threshold calculation section according to a discriminating analysis, and the optimum binary threshold value is used to binarize an image for identifying the subject coin C.

Abstract: A banknote handling device capable of positioning and stopping a banknote at a constant position as accurately as possible without jamming of any banknote. A projection (32) is disposed so as to curve a side of the banknote carried in a slit (9) and the radius of curvature of the curve portion is gradually increased as the banknote (b) is carried toward the downstream side in the slit (9).

Abstract: When the user connects an information transferring device (2) to a predetermined external connection section of an offline device (1), the offline device (1) transmits information to the information transferring device (2), which stores the received information. Next, when the user removes the information transferring device (2), which has stored the information, from the offline device (1), and then the user connects the information transferring device (2) to a predetermined external connection section of a user's communication terminal (3), the information transferring device (2) controls the communication terminal (3) to commence communication between the communication terminal (3) and a center device (4), and then the communication terminal (3) transmits the information stored in the information transferring device (2) to the center device (4).

Abstract: A mobile telephone call fee pre-payment registration system and device capable of registering telephone call permission without requiring a complicated input operation causing erroneous input. A telephone call fee pre-payment registration device (20) performs money deposit processing for recognizing amount information (money deposit information) relating to money introduced into a money deposit processing section by a user, and performs control for obtaining identification information from the mobile telephone terminal (10) via a first communications unit (23), and sending the identification information thus obtained and the money deposit information processed by the money deposit processing unit, to a registration center device (40) via a second communications unit (24).

Abstract: A coin treating device, wherein a key cylinder type locking means for limiting the release of the latch of the latch means is disposed in a coin storage unit so that the coin storage unit cannot easily be removed from a device main body other than in some specific cases.

Abstract: A cashless vending system using a portable communication terminal, which can make a conventional vending machine into the cashless type with ease without requiring users to perform a complex operation. When a vending machine 1 detects that a change return lever is operated by a user after a settlement request code is issued, the vending machine 1 issues a settlement cancellation request code requesting the cancellation of a settlement according to the settlement request code, and a center device 3 performs cancel processing of the settlement according to the settlement cancellation request code received from the vending machine 1 via a portable telephone terminal 2.

Abstract: A bill processing apparatus with a credit card reader is configured such that a credit card insert slot (9) for inserting a credit card (50) therein is formed in the upper surface of a front mask (5), a credit card guide chute (20) connected to the credit card insert slot (9) is formed in the front mask (5) so as to be connected to a bill guide chute (8), and the lower surface (8b) of this bill guide chute (8) is bent so as to be proximate to the lower surface (5c) of the front mask, and when the credit card (50) is inserted into the credit card insert slot (9), the credit card (50) enters the bill insert slot (8) by way of the credit card guide chute (20) and reaches the lower surface (8b) of the bill guide chute (8), whereby credit card data can be stably read inside a front mask without changing the size of a conventional standardized front mask.

Abstract: A coin processing device, which ascertains genuine or counterfeit nature and denomination of inserted coins, accommodates coins that have been ascertained to be genuine according to denomination and pays out the accommodated coins via a coin pay-out slot according to amount of change, includes a coin-type IC card processor for ascertaining genuine or counterfeit nature of inserted coin-type IC cards, performing input and output of information into and from coin-type IC card that have been ascertained to be genuine and discharging the coin-type IC cards from the coin pay-out slot, whereby the coin processing device processes both the coins and coin-type IC cards.