Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor for verifying value documents, which has a plurality of fibres that are distributed over the value document and have a characteristic optical or magnetic signal. The sensor has an image capture device for spatially resolved detection of optical or magnetic signals of the value document, which device is designed to capture a value document image of the value document. Furthermore, the sensor has an analysis device which, for the purpose of analysing the value document, is designed to locate the fibres in the value document image and determine at least one local fibre characteristic value for one or more different locations of the value document image in each case and classify the value document as suspected counterfeit on the basis of the local fibre characteristic value. If the value documents are processed automatically, the suspected counterfeit value document can then be automatically rejected.

Abstract: An apparatus and a corresponding method for checking value documents, involves at least one first sensor configured to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected and/or transmitted by a value document and to convert the radiation into corresponding first sensor signals. At least one second sensor is configured to detect sound waves reflected and/or transmitted by the value document and to convert the sound waves into corresponding second sensor signals, and an evaluation device configured to determine a first area value which characterizes a first area of the value document on the basis of the first sensor signals, to determine a second area value which characterizes a second area of the value document on the basis of the second sensor signals, and to infer a possible identification marking of the value document with a marking ink on the basis of the first and second area value.

Abstract: An apparatus and a corresponding method for checking value documents, involves at least one first sensor configured to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected and/or transmitted by a value document and to convert the radiation into corresponding first sensor signals. At least one second sensor is configured to detect sound waves reflected and/or transmitted by the value document and to convert the sound waves into corresponding second sensor signals, and an evaluation device configured to determine a first area value which characterizes a first area of the value document on the basis of the first sensor signals, to determine a second area value which characterizes a second area of the value document on the basis of the second sensor signals, and to infer a possible identification marking of the value document with a marking ink on the basis of the first and second area value.

Abstract: The invention relates to the fitness check of value documents. For at least two fitness criteria there is respectively determined with the aid of an unfit function an unfit degree of the particular value document. The unfit function clearly assigns an unfit degree to the fitness measurement values and has two threshold values, beyond which the unfit degree with respect to the relevant fitness criterion is 0 or 1. Between the threshold values there is an uncertainty range in which the unfit degree is, with respect to the relevant fitness criterion, between 0 and 1 and the unfit function behaves monotonously dropping or monotonously rising. Subsequently, the unfit degrees of different fitness criteria are combined into an unfit probability of the particular value document and on the basis of the unfit probability a fitness classification of the particular value document is carried out.

Abstract: In a bank-note processing machine, bank notes are guided through between two components of a checking device by means of a transport band. The transport band is led away at least partly from the checking device by means of deflection rollers to enable a better check of the bank notes and a trouble-free transport of the bank notes.

Abstract: In a bank-note processing machine, bank notes are guided through between two components of a checking device by means of a transport band. The transport band is led away at least partly from the checking device by means of deflection rollers to enable a better check of the bank notes and a trouble-free transport of the bank notes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic sensor which is designed for checking value documents, and to a method for calibrating the magnetic sensor. The magnetic sensor has different calibrating parameters for hard-magnetic and soft-magnetic magnetic regions, with which parameters the magnetic sensor can correct the detected magnetic signals of a value document, in order to compensate the magnetic sensor's measurement deviations in dependence on the type of the respectively detected magnetic region. For calibration, the magnetic sensor detects calibration measurement values of a calibration medium which is transported past the sensor. By means of the calibration measurement values the function of the magnetic sensor is tested.

Abstract: The invention relates to the fitness check of value documents. For at least two fitness criteria there is respectively determined with the aid of an unfit function an unfit degree of the particular value document. The unfit function clearly assigns an unfit degree to the fitness measurement values and has two threshold values, beyond which the unfit degree with respect to the relevant fitness criterion is 0 or 1. Between the threshold values there is an uncertainty range in which the unfit degree is, with respect to the relevant fitness criterion, between 0 and 1 and the unfit function behaves monotonously dropping or monotonously rising. Subsequently, the unfit degrees of different fitness criteria are combined into an unfit probability of the particular value document and on the basis of the unfit probability a fitness classification of the particular value document is carried out.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security element for securing documents of value. Along the security element a portion of a magnetic coding with first and second coding elements is arranged. The coding elements are arranged along a predetermined direction, wherein the first coding element continuously has along the predetermined direction a first magnetic region with a first coercive field strength and the second coding element has at least one first gap region and one second magnetic region with a second coercive field strength. At least one of the first magnetic regions is directly adjacent to at least one of the second magnetic regions. The sum of the lengths of the directly adjacent first and second magnetic regions amounts to a maximum of 8 mm.

Abstract: A bank note processing apparatus processes bank notes by first singling the bank notes, then transporting the singled bank notes through a sensor device and on to several output units. Before delivering the bank notes to the output units, the bank notes are checked by evaluating data as well as determining and storing serial numbers of the bank notes, wherein the bank notes are delivered to the output units depending on the result of the checking. Further, in determining the serial numbers of the bank notes, a unique serial number is established for each bank note.

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic sensor which is designed for checking value documents, and to a method for calibrating the magnetic sensor. The magnetic sensor has different calibrating parameters for hard-magnetic and soft-magnetic magnetic regions, with which parameters the magnetic sensor can correct the detected magnetic signals of a value document, in order to compensate the magnetic sensor's measurement deviations in dependence on the type of the respectively detected magnetic region. For calibration, the magnetic sensor detects calibration measurement values of a calibration medium which is transported past the sensor. By means of the calibration measurement values the function of the magnetic sensor is tested.

Abstract: Testing the authenticity of a valuable document, whereby at least one intensity distribution of electromagnetic radiation passing through the valuable document in the dark field is detected in a spatially resolved manner and a spatially resolved dark field characteristic is determined therefrom. The actual authenticity test is then performed by a procedure in which selected test partial regions of the valuable document are assigned respectively to one of a plurality of suspicion classes, an interconnection region is formed from substantially interconnected test partial regions that were assigned to at least one specific suspicion class, and the valuable document, depending on the form and/or position of the interconnection region, is assigned to one of at least two authenticity categories which is linked to the at least one specific suspicion class.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for recognizing forged value documents, for example composed forgeries which are assembled from parts of different value documents. In the inventive method, the signal intensity of a measuring signal is determined at a plurality of measuring points on a value document. For one or more selected groups of measuring points which are disposed in particular along certain directions on the value document there are determined gradient values of the signal intensities. The gradient values of a group are subsequently linked to form a connection strength of the group which provides a quantitative statement about the extent to which a large gradient value exists consistently within the particular group. From a relatively great connection strength there can be inferred the presence of a separating line in the area of the selected group of measuring points.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security element for protecting documents of value, which has magnetic material. A portion of a magnetic coding is arranged on the security element, which coding consists of several magnetic areas and several gap areas. The portion of the magnetic coding is arranged in a predetermined direction along the security element, for example perpendicularly to a transport direction of the security element or document of value through a magnet sensor. Concerning the length of the magnetic areas and of the gap areas of the magnetic coding, certain length conditions are predetermined, which are chosen in dependence on the magnet sensor employed.

Abstract: A method for the processing of bank notes wherein serial numbers of the bank notes to be processed are ascertained and compared with stored serial numbers in order to control the processing of the bank notes, having a specification of several classes which respectively characterize at least one property of bank notes, an association of at least one of the classes with one or several serial numbers in order to associate at least one property with the bank note provided with the respective serial number, a storage of the respective serial number as well as of the associated class or classes, and a control of the processing of the bank notes by means of the stored classes associated with the respective serial numbers.

Abstract: Testing the authenticity of a valuable document, whereby at least one intensity distribution of electromagnetic radiation passing through the valuable document in the dark field is detected in a spatially resolved manner and a spatially resolved dark field characteristic is determined therefrom. The actual authenticity test is then performed by a procedure in which selected test partial regions of the valuable document are assigned respectively to one of a plurality of suspicion classes, an interconnection region is formed from substantially interconnected test partial regions that were assigned to at least one specific suspicion class, and the valuable document, depending on the form and/or position of the interconnection region, is assigned to one of at least two authenticity categories which is linked to the at least one specific suspicion class.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for checking bank notes wherein measuring values of the bank note to be checked are obtained and a classification of the bank note is carried out by evaluation of the measuring values in a plurality of checking steps, whereby the classification distinguishes in particular at least the classification categories, counterfeit, suspect and genuine bank notes, or acceptable or redispensable, and a linkage of a plurality of measuring values is formed at least in one checking step for deciding whether the checked bank note corresponds to a given classification category and this linkage term is compared with a corresponding tolerance range during evaluation.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for automatically checking sheet-shaped documents of value. According to the present invention a simply constructed measuring apparatus can be obtained, by the measuring apparatus evaluating measuring values e.g. at least two measuring frequencies and the position of one or a plurality of discrete measuring tracks being determined in such a way that at least the presence of two different not visible spectral properties of a predetermined type of authentic documents of value can be checked.

Abstract: An apparatus for checking the authenticity of bank notes in unprotected areas, has a sensor assembly containing a light source which produces light of a first wavelength with which the bank notes to be checked are illuminated; whereupon one or more feature substances present in and/or on the bank notes produces light of a second wavelength which is detected by the sensor assembly. A control device evaluates data from the sensor assembly about the light of the second wavelength and compares them with reference data to determine the authenticity of the bank notes. The structure and operation of the sensor assembly and/or the control device permit conclusions to be drawn only with difficulty on the feature substance or substances contained in the bank notes.

Abstract: The invention discloses a holding rod 20, 22 for a discharge lamp 2, in particular a mercury vapor or xenon short-arc lamp, for holding an anode 24 or cathode 26 in an interior 6 of a discharge vessel 4, the holding rod 20, 22 containing doped molybdenum or tungsten doped with at least one metal oxide compound. Furthermore, the invention discloses a discharge lamp having such a holding rod 20, 22.