Patents by Inventor Lars R. Stromme

Lars R. Stromme has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6459806
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations uses an optical sensing and correlation technique based on the sensing of bill reflectance characteristics obtained by illuminating and scanning a bill along its narrow dimension. A series of detected reflectance signals are obtained by sampling and digitally processing, under microprocessor control, the reflected light at a plurality of predefined sample points as a currency bill is moved across an illuminated strip with its narrow dimension parallel to the direction of transport of the bill. The sample data is subjected to digital processing, including a normalizing process, whereby the reflectance data represents a characteristic pattern that is unique for a given bill denomination and incorporates sufficient distinguishing features between characteristic patterns for discriminating between different currency denominations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Donald R. Raterman, Bradford T. Graves, Lars R. Stromme, Aaron M. Bauch
  • Publication number: 20020056605
    Abstract: A currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly evaluating all the bills in the stack. The device comprises an input receptacle for receiving a stack of bills to be evaluated and a plurality of output receptacles for receiving the bills after they have been evaluated. A transport mechanism transports the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to one of the output receptacles along a transport path. A discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacle evaluates the bills. The discriminating unit counts and determines the denomination of the bills. A means for flagging bills meeting or failing to meet a certain criteria causes the transport mechanism to halt in response to a determination that a bill meets or fails to meet the criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Richard A. Mazur, Douglas U. Mennie, Mark C. Munro, Lars R. Stromme, Bradford T. Graves, William J. Jones
  • Patent number: 6311819
    Abstract: A currency evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly evaluating all the bills in the stack. The device comprises an input receptacle for receiving a stack of bills to be evaluated and a plurality of output receptacles for receiving the bills after the bills have been evaluated. A transport mechanism transports the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to the output receptacles along a transport path. A discriminating unit including a detector positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the output receptacles counts and determines the denomination of the bills. The device further comprises a processor which flags a bill meeting or failing to meet a certain criteria. The processor causes the transport mechanism to halt in response to the detection of a bill meeting or failing to meet the criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Lars R. Stromme, Matthew L. Anderson, Bradford T. Graves, William J. Jones, Robert J. Klein, Richard A. Mazur, Douglas U. Mennie, Mark C. Munro, Heinz W. Schreiter
  • Publication number: 20010019624
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations uses an optical sensing and correlation technique based on the sensing of bill reflectance characteristics obtained by illuminating and scanning a bill along its narrow dimension. A series of detected reflectance signals are obtained by sampling and digitally processing, under microprocessor control, the reflected light at a plurality of predefined sample points as a currency bill is moved across an illuminated strip with its narrow dimension parallel to the direction of transport of the bill. The sample data is subjected to digital processing, including a normalizing process, whereby the reflectance data represents a characteristic pattern that is unique for a given bill denomination and incorporates sufficient distinguishing features between characteristic patterns for discriminating between different currency denominations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Publication date: September 6, 2001
    Inventors: Donald E. Raterman, Bradford T. Graves, Lars R. Stromme, Aaron M. Bauch
  • Patent number: 6073744
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations uses an optical sensing and correlation technique based on the sensing of bill reflectance characteristics obtained by illuminating and scanning a bill along its narrow dimension. A series of detected reflectance signals are obtained by sampling and digitally processing, under microprocessor control, the reflected light at a plurality of predefined sample points as a currency bill is moved across an illuminated strip with its narrow dimension parallel to the direction of transport of the bill. The sample data is subjected to digital processing, including a formalizing process, whereby the reflectance data represents a characteristic pattern that is unique for a given bill denomination and incorporates sufficient distinguishing features between characteristic patterns for discriminating between different currency denominations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Donald R. Raterman, Bradford T. Graves, Lars R. Stromme, Aaron M. Bauch
  • Patent number: 6028951
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations uses an optical sensing and correlation technique based on the sensing of bill reflectance characteristics obtained by illuminating and scanning a bill along its narrow dimension. A series of detected reflectance signals are obtained by sampling and digitally processing, under microprocessor control, the reflected light at a plurality of predefined sample points as a currency bill is moved across an illuminated strip with its narrow dimension parallel to the direction of transport of the bill. The sample data is subjected to digital processing, including a normalizing process, whereby the reflectance data represents a characteristic pattern that is unique for a given bill denomination and incorporates sufficient distinguishing features between characteristic patterns for discriminating between different currency denominations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation
    Inventors: Donald R. Raterman, Bradford T. Graves, Lars R. Stromme, Aaron M. Bauch
  • Patent number: 5815592
    Abstract: A method and device for counting and discriminating documents including currency documents comprising a discriminating unit wherein the failure of a bill to be identified by the discriminating unit to causing the operation of the device to be suspended after the unidentified bill has been transported to an examining location for convenient examination by an operator. The device is provided with document-type selection elements. When an unidentified bill is found to be acceptable, an appropriate document-type selection element is chosen. The selection of a document-type selection element causes appropriate counters to incremented and the device to resume operation. The device is also provided with a continuation selection element. Alternatively, when an unidentified bill is found not be acceptable, the document is removed from the output receptacle and the continuation selection element is chosen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, Bradford T. Graves, Lars R. Stromme, Heinz W. Schreiter
  • Patent number: 5751840
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations uses an optical sensing and correlation technique based on the sensing of bill reflectance characteristics obtained by illuminating and scanning a bill along its wide dimension. A series of detected reflectance signals are obtained by sampling and digitally processing, under microprocessor control, the reflected light at a plurality of predefined sample points as a currency bill is moved across an illuminated strip with its wide dimension parallel to the direction of transport of the bill. The sample data is subjected to digital processing, including a normalizing process, whereby the reflectance data represents a characteristic pattern that is unique for a given bill denomination and incorporates sufficient distinguishing features between characteristic patterns for discriminating between different currency denominations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Donald E. Raterman, Bradford T. Graves, Lars R. Stromme, Aaron M. Bauch
  • Patent number: 5692067
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations uses an optical sensing and correlation technique based on the sensing of bill reflectance characteristics obtained by illuminating and scanning a bill along its narrow dimension. A series of detected reflectance signals are obtained by sampling and digitally processing, under microprocessor control, the reflected light at a plurality of predefined sample points as a currency bill is moved across an illuminated strip with its narrow dimension parallel to the direction of transport of the bill. The sample data is subjected to digital processing, including a normalizing process, whereby the reflectance data represents a characteristic pattern that is unique for a given bill denomination and incorporates sufficient distinguishing features between characteristic patterns for discriminating between different currency denominations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Cummins-Allsion Corp.
    Inventors: Donald E. Raterman, Bradford T. Graves, Lars R. Stromme, Aaron M. Bauch
  • Patent number: 5467405
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations uses an optical sensing and correlation technique based on the sensing of bill reflectance characteristics obtained by illuminating and scanning a bill along its narrow dimension. A series of detected reflectance signals are obtained by sampling and digitally processing, under microprocessor control, the reflected light at a plurality of predefined sample points as a currency bill is moved across an illuminated strip with its narrow dimension parallel to the direction of transport of the bill. The sample data is subjected to digital processing, including a normalizing process, whereby the reflectance data represents a characteristic pattern that is unique for a given bill denomination and incorporates sufficient distinguishing features between characteristic patterns for discriminating between different currency denominations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation
    Inventors: Donald E. Raterman, Bradford T. Graves, Lars R. Stromme, Aaron M. Bauch
  • Patent number: 5295196
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations uses an optical sensing and correlation technique based on the sensing of bill reflectance characteristics obtained by illuminating and scanning a bill along its narrow dimension. A series of detected reflectance signals are obtained by sampling and digitally processing, under microprocessor control, the reflected light at a plurality of predefined sample points as a currency bill is moved across an illuminated strip with its narrow dimension parallel to the direction of transport of the bill. The sample data is subjected to digital processing, including a normalizing process, whereby the reflectance data represents a characteristic pattern that is unique for a given bill denomination and incorporates sufficient distinguishing features between characteristic patterns for discriminating between different currency denominations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Donald E. Raterman, Bradford T. Graves, Lars R. Stromme, Aaron M. Bauch