JPS62282213A - How to detect the thickness of a gift certificate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect thickness of a gift coupon, by determining a thickness detecting part position basing on a signal recorded on either of strobing signal band and data signal band. CONSTITUTION:Data signal, strobing signal are recorded on data signal band 2 and strobing signal band 3 with the specified distances and required data are recorded by existence or non-existence of data signal on the positions corresponding to each bit of the strobing signal. Consequently, a number of strobing signals read out by data detecting sensors 9 10 up to the time when a displacement of a gift coupon 1 causes coincidence of an edge of the thickness detecting part 4 and thickness detecting sensors 8A, 8B is constant. And, a number of strobing signals recorded on a length portion in the direction of displacement of the part 4 is constant also. Consequently, for example, when the 50th data are read out, the thickness sensors started to plunge into the part 4 from a screened part, the thickness can be detected basing upon outputs of the sensors 8A, 8B in the course of reading out of the 51-54th data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for identifying gift certificates for gift giving of goods.

[Prior Art] Figure 3 shows the appearance of a gift certificate. In the figure, 1 is a gift certificate, 2 is a data signal band in which data signals such as the type of gift certificate, amount, date of issue, etc. are recorded, and 3 is a strobe signal band in which a strobe signal is recorded. The data signal and strobe signal are written with magnetic ink or the like, and are shown clearly for convenience of explanation, but in reality, a pattern or the like is drawn on them, and the signal band itself is hidden. 4 is a white part provided in the signal band, which is used to detect the thickness of the gift certificate. is the length of the gift certificate.

Identification of gift certificates is usually performed by a banknote validator or similar type of recognition machine, and in addition to detecting the data content using the data signal and strobe signal described above, the dimensions and thickness of the gift certificate are also detected and used for identification. Ru. Various sensors were used for various detections, and a microprocessor built into the identification device made identification decisions based on sensor output.

FIG. 4 shows the appearance of the banknote/gift certificate validator 5, and FIG. 5 shows the arrangement of sensors within the validator. In FIG. 4, 5A is a gift certificate insertion slot, and in FIG. 5, reference numerals 6 and 7 are insertion detection sensors for detecting insertion of a gift certificate, which are comprised of, for example, a photo sensor. Reference numeral 8 denotes a thickness detection sensor, which is composed of a photosensor that combines a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element. 9. IO is a data detection sensor that detects a data signal and a strobe signal, and a magnetic sensor such as a magnetic head is used. l is the distance between the thickness detection sensor and the magnetic sensor. Arrows indicate the direction of insertion. The inserted gift certificate 1 is conveyed within the conveyance path 11 by the conveyance heald 12 as shown in FIG. 13 is a motor that drives the conveyor belt, and 14 is a tacho generator attached to the shaft of the motor 13. 8A and 8B are a light emitting element and a light receiving element, respectively, which constitute a photosensor. Gift certificate 1 is shown in Figure 7 (A), (B), (C)
As shown in the figure, it moves the heart. Figure 7 (Ticket 8 is in position C)
When the gift certificate is moved, the thickness is detected using the thickness detection portion 4 of the gift certificate. At this time, the position is controlled by calculating the number of pulses of the tachogenerator 14 attached to the shaft of the transport motor 13 to detect whether the gift certificate has moved until the thickness detection part matches the position of the thickness sensor 8. was going on. Figure 8 (Δ).

(B), (C1 is a diagram showing the state of thickness detection, in which the output of the thickness detection sensor 8 is detected at a position controlled by the number of pulses of the tacho generator shown in (8) of the same diagram.
) shows the detection level of the thickness detection sensor when one gift certificate is inserted, and (B) shows the detection level of the thickness detection sensor when two gift certificates are inserted. However, gift certificates are subject to cutting errors when making the certificate, expansion and contraction of the ticket due to being made of paper, concealment errors when making the thickness detection part 4, and errors in position control. , it was very difficult to detect the thickness at the rear end of the gift certificate.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks and provide a method for reliably detecting the thickness of a gift certificate.

[Means for Solving the Problem] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention's method for detecting the thickness of a gift)/ticket includes a strobe signal band in which a strobe signal is recorded, and a strobe signal band in which a data signal is recorded. In a method for detecting the thickness of a gift certificate having a data signal band and a thickness detection portion for detecting thickness, the position of the thickness detection portion is set to a signal recorded in either the strobe signal band or the data signal band. The feature is that the thickness is determined based on the thickness.

[Function] According to the present invention, instead of detecting the position of the thickness detection portion of the gift certificate, the position detection is performed based on data recorded on the gift certificate. The position detection accuracy of the parts is improved, and two-sheet detection can be reliably achieved.

[Example] Ru.

Examples are shown in FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B). Same figure (A)
is a side sectional view, and (B) is the thickness detection part 4 and signal band 2.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the positional relationship of data recorded in FIG. In the figure, 15 is the data detection sensor 9 (
10) is a roller that sandwiches the magnetic card between it. Data signal band 2. In the strobe signal band 3, data signals and strobe signals are recorded at predetermined intervals, and necessary data is recorded depending on the presence or absence of a data signal at a position corresponding to each bit of the strobe signal. Therefore, the gift certificate 1 moves so that the edge of the thickness detection portion 4 is exactly aligned with the thickness detection sensor 8 (8).
The number of strobe signals (or data signals) read by the data detection sensor 9 or 10 by the time the position coincident with A, 8B) is reached is constant. Further, the number of strobe signals recorded over the length of the thickness detection portion 4 in the moving direction is also constant. As shown now, the 50th
When the th data is read, the thickness sensor detects it from the concealed part to j+tamehe store, -trenasure M
When reading the 1st to 54th data using the number 1, it is sufficient to detect the output obtained from the thickness sensor.

Then, the distance li between the normal thickness sensor and the data detection sensor
! t2 is designed to be very small compared to the total length of the gift certificate, usually L = 150 mIn, 1 = 1
It is 2.5m+n.

Conventionally, the expansion/contraction rate or cutting error for the length of the gift certificate was ±
Since it is about 1%, the total length of the gift certificate is 150±1.
．． The range was about 5 mm.

Using a tacho generator, the white part (width is 4mm)
When detecting the position of the gift certificate (approximately Therefore, when detecting an area located at a long distance from the tip of the bill, the error is approximately ±1.
．． It becomes large, 5111 [11. In the case of the present invention, in addition to using the data recorded on the gift certificate, only 1% of the expansion/contraction rate or cutting error of the gift certificate with respect to the relative interval k is a problem, so the error is ±
It becomes 0.125 mm, which significantly improves dimensional accuracy.

The above identification judgment is performed by a microprocessor processing unit (CPU) built into the identification device. Note that the microprocessor includes a RAM (writable memory) in which necessary data is written in advance, and a ROM (read-only memory) in which a program is stored.

FIG. 2 shows an outline of the operation of the CPU.

A gift certificate is inserted through the insertion slot 5A, and the insertion detection sensor 6
．． Once detected by 7, the gift certificate is transported by a conveyor belt and the data is read by data detection sensors 9, 1O. 5 from the 51st signal read
During the fourth time, the thickness is detected and it is determined whether there is one gift certificate, and if there are two, it is returned. If there is only one sheet, the read data is determined. Data reading 9 judgment is performed according to the normal procedure.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, instead of conventionally detecting the position of the thickness detection portion of the gift certificate using a tacho generator, the position is detected based on data recorded on the gift certificate. By doing so, the position detection accuracy of the thickness detection portion is improved, and it is possible to achieve the effect of reliably detecting two sheets.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 (A) and CB) are a side sectional view and a plan view for explaining the thickness detection method of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the present invention in detail, and Fig. 3 is a signal band of a gift certificate. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the gift certificate recognition machine, Fig. 5 is a layout of sensors in the identification machine, Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the transfer mechanism to explain the conventional thickness detection method, Figure 7 (FA), (B), ((:) is a plan view explaining the movement status of the gift certificate, respectively. Figure 8 (A), (B), (C) is a diagram explaining the conventional thickness detection method. Figure (A) is a signal waveform diagram of the tachogenerator, Figure (B) is the thickness detection when there is one gift certificate, and Figure (C) is the thickness detection when there are two gift certificates. It is a diagram without showing the output waveform of the sensor. 1... Gift certificate, 2... Data signal band, 3... Strobe signal band, 4... Thickness detection portion, 6. 7... Insertion. Detection sensor, 8... Thickness detection sensor, 9, lO... Data detection sensor, 14... Tacho generator. Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6

Claims (1)

[Claims] a strobe signal band in which the strobe signal is recorded;
In a method for detecting the thickness of a gift certificate having a data signal band in which a data signal is recorded and a thickness detection portion for detecting the thickness, the position of the thickness detection portion is set between the strobe signal band and the data signal band. A method for detecting the thickness of a gift certificate, characterized in that the thickness is determined based on a signal recorded in either of the gift certificates.