Abstract: A coin wrapping machine includes a discrimination unit which detects images of the front face and rear face of coins during conveyance, and which discriminates the coins, a sorting unit which sorts the coins to one of a first side and a second side based on the discrimination results of the discrimination unit, a stacking unit which stacks the coins sorted to the first side by this sorting unit into columnar form with a prescribed number of coins, a wrapping unit which wraps stack of coins in columnar form, and a controller which controls the sorting unit based on the discrimination results so that at least one of an outside face of a coin at one end of the stack of coins and a second outside face of a coin at the other end of the stack of coins is the rear face.

Abstract: An apparatus to record images from a coin is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a stage configured to position and rotate the coin. The stage is further configured to produce an angular positional signal output to indicate a rotational position of the coin. A first and second reflecting device are configured to concurrently image near-edge portions of both obverse and reverse sides of the coin and a recording apparatus is directed simultaneously toward an edge of the coin and the first and second reflecting devices.

Abstract: Image data of an incuse/relief portion, formed on a surface of a medal, are acquired by capturing an image of the incuse/relief portion with an image sensor, disposed so as to oppose the medal substantially straightly, while illuminating light from a light source disposed obliquely above the medal, and image processing using two or more predetermined threshold values to multinarize brightness information, including shading related to the incuse/relief portion, in the acquired image data into three or more values is performed. By the image processing of multinarization into the three or more values, the medal surface is regionally divided into at least a profile region, a top surface region, and a bottom surface region in the incuse/relief portion and compared to an authentic medal.

Abstract: A coin discriminating method includes steps of irradiating a surface of a coin with light, photoelectrically detecting light reflected by the surface of the coin, producing detected pattern data of the surface of the coin, binarizing corresponding reference pattern data so that “1” is assigned to pixel data having a signal intensity level equal to or higher than a predetermined signal intensity level and “0” is assigned to pixel data having a signal intensity level lower than the predetermined signal intensity level to produce reference bright portion pattern data consisting of “1” pixel data and reference dark portion pattern data consisting of “0” pixel data, extracting bright portion pattern data consisting of pixels corresponding to pixels included in the reference bright portion pattern data and dark portion pattern data consisting of pixels corresponding to pixels included in the reference dark portion pattern data from the detected pattern data, and discriminating whether or not the surface of the coin

Abstract: A capacitance sensor measures a coin to determine geometrical parameters thereof and to allow assessment of different geometrical parameters of a coin which influence the measured capacitance. In a preferred arrangement, a mechanical arrangement alters the capacitance between two electrodes as a function of the diameter of the coin. This assessment is used in combination with a further measured capacitance which is a function of coin diameter, coin thickness and surface relief of the coin. The initial evaluation of diameter is useful in determining the separate influences of coin thickness and surface relief. The invention is also directed to the method of coin evaluation.

Abstract: A coin discriminating device has a first camera for producing a first image of a first surface of a coin, a second camera for producing a second image of a second surface of the coin, and a processor, e.g. a computer, which is operatively connected to the first and second cameras. The processor analyzes the first and second images in order to determine a type of the coin.

Abstract: A pattern identification apparatus is used to speedily identify tokens at a game arcade. The apparatus is inexpensive and has an image pickup device (15). The image pickup device has an area sensor (17) consisting of a two-dimensional matrix of photoelectric pixels. Each of the photoelectric pixels has a photodiode (19), a signal comparator (21), and a signal holder (23). The photoelectric pixels are connected to address lines (5), respectively. Required ones of the address lines are specified. Signals are read, to a data line, out of the signal holders of the photoelectric pixels that are connected to the specified address lines in response to addressing signals passed through the specified address lines. The specified address lines correspond to concentric circles (45, 47, 49) defined on a target (39) of disk shape. The target is identified according to the read signals that represent the concentric circles defined on the target.

Abstract: A coin discriminating apparatus includes a magnetic sensor for detecting magnetic properties of a coin being transported and producing magnetic data of the coin, an optical sensor for producing optical data of the coin, a reference optical data memory for storing reference optical data of an obverse surface and a reverse surface of coins of each denomination, a reference magnetic data memory for storing reference magnetic data of an obverse surface and a reverse surface of coins of each denomination to be discriminated, a first coin discriminator for comparing optical data of the coin produced by the optical sensor with reference optical data of an obverse surface and a reverse surface of coins of each denomination and determining whether or not the coin is acceptable and the denomination of the coin, and a second coin discriminator for reading from the reference magnetic data memory magnetic reference data selected depending upon whether reference optical data of the obverse surface of a coin of a certain de

Abstract: A coin discriminating apparatus includes a coin passage member, a first transporting belt disposed above the coin passage member, thereby transporting it, a first light source, a first light detector, a second transporting belt for supporting the lower surface of the coin, a coin passage forming member disposed above the second transporting belt, a second light source, a second light detector, a first pattern data memory for storing the pattern data of the lower surface of the coin, a second pattern data memory for storing the pattern data of the upper surface of the coin, a reference pattern data memory for storing reference pattern data of coins of each denomination, a discriminator for comparing the pattern data of the lower surface of the coin with the reference pattern data of coins of each denomination and comparing the pattern data of the upper surface of the coin with the reference pattern data of coins of each denomination, thereby discriminating whether or not the coin is acceptable and the denomina

Abstract: A coin discriminating device has a first camera for producing a first image of a first surface of a coin, a second camera for producing a second image of a second surface of the coin, and a processor, e.g. a computer, which is operatively connected to the first and second cameras. The processor analyzes the first and second images in order to determine a type of the coin.

Abstract: A coin validator of a static capacitance system for discerning the thickness and/or pattern of a coin in a non-contact manner. A pair of electrode assemblies including a first and a second sensor electrodes and a first and a second guard ring electrodes are disposed on the corresponding sides of a coin path. The first and the second guard ring electrodes prevent the dispersion of electric lines of force generated by the first and the second sensor electrodes. The first and the second sensor electrodes are impressed with resonating output signals from resonators. Under such condition, when the coin passes through the coin path between these electrodes, the entire inter-electrode capacitance changes to fluctuate the resonating output voltage and hence allow the thickness and/or pattern of the coin to be detected. The guard ring electrodes serve to focus the electric lines of force into a beam to thereby allow the thickness of the coin to be detected finely.

Abstract: In order to check whether the coin (2) has the impress design of an acceptable coin, the coin surface is scanned along a track (10) by an inductive probe (5), thus producing a signal which corresponds to the depth of the impression along the track (10). The relative movement of the probe (5), which is needed for scanning, in relation to the coin (2) is obtained as the coin (2) rolls past the probe (5). A memory stores, as comparison signals, signals obtained at mutually displaced tracks (10, 11) of the obverse side and reverse side of each acceptable coin. These signals are obtained as each coin to be verified rolls past the probe (5) from various starting positions. The verification signal received from the coin to be checked is compared with each of the stored comparison signals. If one of these comparisons results in coincidence within specific limits, then a coincidence signal is transmitted.

Abstract: A sensor is used for the recognition of coins, which analyses the mintage. The main component of the sensor is a polymeric, elastic material (20) which has piezoelectrical properties. By pressing the minted face of a coin onto the sensory surface (23) a signal is produced corresponding to the high and low points of the mintage, which permits an assessment of the coin by means of the connection of an electronic evaluation unit.