Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of determining the degree of wear of banknotes wherein the banknotes are transported past a detection device having a plurality of juxtaposed photodiodes which detect light received from an edge of the banknote comprising the steps of: (a) establishing an examination interval adjacent to one edge of the banknote; (b) dividing the examination interval into a plurality of measurement sections, each measurement section being preceded by a selection section; (c) selecting a single photodiode during passage of a selection section; and, (d) using the output of the selected photodiode during passage of the subsequent measurement section to determine the wear of the banknote.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of determining the degree of wear of banknotes wherein the banknotes are transported past a detection device having a plurality of juxtaposed photodiodes which detect light received from an edge of the banknote comprising the steps of: (a) establishing an examination interval adjacent to one edge of the banknote; (b) dividing the examination interval into a plurality of measurement sections, each measurement section being preceded by a selection section; (c) selecting a single photodiode during passage of a selection section; and, (d) using the output of the selected photodiode during passage of the subsequent measurement section to determine the wear of the banknote.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the length and position of the selection and measurement sections are determined by a machine pulse coupled with the speed of a transport system of the bank-note.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the length or duration of the selection sections are shorter than the measurement sections so that the measuement sections are virtually continuous along the edge of the banknote.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the measurement sections are compared one by one with corresponding limiting values.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein a mean value of all measurement sections is determined and the mean value is compared with a corresponding limiting value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the light remitted by the edge of the banknote and reaching the photodiode is evaluated.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
141 words
A device for determining the degree of wear of banknotes, comprising: a lighting unit to illuminate the edge of a bank-note which is transported past the device; a row of photodiodes arranged perpendicular to the transport device; selection switch means which selects a photodiode covered by the edge of the bank-note as a function of the skew of the bank-note, the selection switch means (36, 37, 38) ascertains a BCD value for each diode exclusively covering areas of the bank-note edge; and a memory connected to the selection switch means which is loaded with each BCD value ascertained in a selection section and offers this value for the duration of the particular measurement section; and a multiplexer connected to the memory and the photodiodes (35) which is activated by the BCD value and conducts the signalling line of the corresponding diode.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
141 words
A device for determining the degree of wear of banknotes, comprising: a lighting unit to illuminate the edge of a bank-note which is transported past the device; a row of photodiodes arranged perpendicular to the transport device; selection switch means which selects a photodiode covered by the edge of the bank-note as a function of the skew of the bank-note, the selection switch means (36, 37, 38) ascertains a BCD value for each diode exclusively covering areas of the bank-note edge; and a memory connected to the selection switch means which is loaded with each BCD value ascertained in a selection section and offers this value for the duration of the particular measurement section; and a multiplexer connected to the memory and the photodiodes (35) which is activated by the BCD value and conducts the signalling line of the corresponding diode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
111 words
A device as in claim 7 having a selections witch means to ascertain a photodiode covered by the edge of the banknote, comprising: an analog-comparator (36) which picks up the signals of the photodiodes in parallel and generates at its output either the value log. H or log. L as a function of a threshold where log.L corresponds to a zero level and log.H corresponds to a level greater than zero; a priority encoder (37) which converts a signal change from log. H to log. L into a BCD value; and a full adder (38) which adds a constant to the BCD value and retransmits the result to the memory (39).