Thickness sensor suitable for detecting a presence of a plurality of items, such as currency
US6370216B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 24, 2000 |
| Grant date | Apr 9, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 24, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07D11/237
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and system for detecting a presence of more than one item at a point along a conveyance path, comprising steps of (A) generating a light beam and directing the beam through the path such that a presence of the item will cause the beam to be attenuated; (B) detecting the beam after it is attenuated by the presence of the item; and (C) determining from the amount of attenuation how many items are simultaneously present. In the preferred embodiment the item is an item of currency, and the step of generating a light beam includes a step of operating an optical source, such as an LED or a laser, to generate a beam having a wavelength in the range of about 400 nm to about 1 micrometer or longer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.