Patent · US Expired

Inductive coin sensor with position correction

US6739444B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
21References
21Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 14, 2002
Grant dateMay 25, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 3, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07D5/08
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A coin sensor utilizes time-multiplexing of LC oscillators having natural frequencies F1A, F1B, F2, and F3 to produce magnetic fields in three sets of windings. As a coin passes through the coin sensor, the LC oscillators are separately enabled in a sequence to produce a frequency profile for each set of windings. A first winding produces a frequency profile for the facial area of a coin, a second winding produces a frequency profile for a cross-sectional area of a the coin, and a third winding produces a frequency profile for further distinguishing the relative size of a coin. A microcontroller identifies signature points from the frequency profiles and compares the signature points with stored signatures for a multitude of coins and/or tokens.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.