JPH0438286B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] This invention relates to a method and an identification device for identifying gift certificates.

[Conventional technology]

Figure 6 shows the appearance of the gift certificate. In the figure 1
is a gift certificate; 2 is a data signal band in which the type, amount, date of issue, and other data signals of the gift certificate are recorded; and 3 is a strobe signal band in which a strobe signal is recorded. Data signals and strobe signals are written with magnetic ink or the like, and are clearly shown for convenience of explanation, but in reality, a pattern or the like is drawn on them and the signal band itself is hidden. 4 and 4' are white parts provided in the signal band and are used to detect the thickness of the gift certificate. The thickness detection portions 4, 4 are
They are provided at opposite ends of the two signal bands. Arrow A indicates the direction of insertion into the discriminator, and arrow B indicates the direction of return from the discriminator.

Identification of gift certificates is usually performed by a banknote validator or similar 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. It is said that Various sensors are used for various detections, and a microprocessor built into the discriminator makes identification decisions based on the outputs of each sensor.

FIG. 7 shows the appearance of the banknote/gift certificate validator 5, and FIG. 8 shows the arrangement of sensors within the validator. In FIG. 7, 5A is a gift certificate insertion slot (return slot).
In FIG. 8, numerals 6 and 7 are insertion detection sensors for detecting the insertion of a gift certificate, and are composed of, for example, a photo sensor. Reference numeral 8 denotes a thickness detection sensor, which is composed of a photo sensor that combines a light emitting element and a light receiving element.
Data detection sensors 9 and 10 detect data signals and strobe signals, respectively, and magnetic sensors such as magnetic heads are used. Arrows indicate the direction of insertion.

Here, if we consider the case where a gift certificate is inserted into the identification device 5 in the direction of arrow A in FIG.
The insertion is detected by the system, and it is automatically imported into the identification device. When the thickness detection sensor 8 detects the thickness detection portion 4, it starts reading data, and the left and right data detection sensors 9 and 10 read the data recorded in the strobe signal band and data signal band of the gift certificate. Detect and read and then judge. After the determination, if it is a genuine gift certificate, it will be temporarily held inside the recognition machine.

Next, to explain the case of returning the gift certificate, the movement of the gift certificate at the time of return is as shown in Figure 9A.
Move in order of B and C.

However, in many cases, the identification device has a mechanism in which when returning inserted gift certificates, the gift certificates are returned one by one from the same storage section where the previously stored gift certificates are located. In rare cases, more than one gift certificate may be returned. Therefore, identification required a function to detect the thickness at the time of return.

However, conventionally, if a user accidentally inserts two stacked gift certificates at the time of inserting the gift certificate, the thickness detection portion 4 of the gift certificate was designed to be detected immediately and returned, as shown in Fig. 8. The sensor was arranged to detect the thickness during insertion.

That is, the thickness detection portion 4 provided at the leading end of the signal bands 2 and 3 in the insertion direction was subjected to thickness detection even when the device was returned.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, with this configuration, there is a problem that when returning a temporarily held gift certificate, the thickness cannot be detected unless the gift certificate moves to the position C in FIG. 9. At this moving position of C, even if the thickness can be detected and judged,
More than half of the tickets had already come out of the recognition machine, and two tickets had been returned to the user, so it was practically as if there was no two-ticket detection function.

In order to prevent this, it is necessary to increase the distance from the insertion port to the detection sensor, which has the disadvantage of making the device larger and more complicated and requiring longer operating time.

In view of the above-mentioned points, the present invention detects the thickness of the gift certificate at the tip of the gift certificate in the return direction, thereby making it possible to reliably detect the thickness of the gift certificate in a state where the tip of the gift certificate does not reach the insertion slot when the gift certificate is returned. The present invention aims to provide a thickness detection method and a gift certificate identification device.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the method for detecting the thickness of a gift certificate according to the present invention includes forming a data recording part as a line along the insertion direction on the card surface, and forming a thickness detection part at the leading end and the rear end in the insertion direction. A gift certificate with a portion formed thereon is inserted through the insertion slot, the gift certificate is conveyed in the insertion direction, and during the conveyance, the data in the data recording section is read to determine authenticity, and the thickness detection portion is used to detect authenticity. By detecting the thickness, the gift certificates determined to be true are sent one by one to the holding section, and when returning the gift certificates, they are conveyed in the opposite direction to the insertion direction, and the thickness detection part is used to measure the thickness during the conveyance. In the method for detecting the thickness of gift certificates, the gift certificates are sent out one by one from the holding section by detecting the thickness of the gift certificate at the rear end in the insertion direction. The gift certificate identification device of the present invention is characterized in that the data recording section is formed as a line along the insertion direction on the card surface, and the thickness detection is performed at the tip and rear ends in the insertion direction. A gift certificate with a detection portion formed thereon is inserted through the insertion slot, and the gift certificate is conveyed in the insertion direction and sent one by one to the holding section, and when the gift certificate is returned, it is conveyed in the opposite direction to the insertion direction. and a data detection sensor for reading data in the data recording section and determining authenticity during the insertion direction transportation, and a data detection sensor for reading the data in the data recording section and determining authenticity during the insertion direction transportation. and a thickness detection sensor for detecting the thickness of the gift certificate during conveyance in the reverse direction, wherein the thickness detection sensor is located at a thickness detection portion at the rear end in the insertion direction to detect thickness. It is characterized by the fact that it is set in

[Effect]

In the present invention, the thickness is detected at the thickness detection portion at the rear end in the insertion direction when the gift certificate is transported in the reverse direction. Therefore, when the gift certificate is transported in the reverse direction, that is, when it is returned, the thickness is detected at the tip of the gift certificate in the return direction. This means that the thickness can be reliably detected even when the tip in the return direction does not reach the insertion port.Moreover, the thickness is detected using the same thickness detection part that is used during transport in the insertion direction. It is possible to reliably detect the thickness under the same conditions.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows a sensor arrangement diagram in an embodiment of the gift certificate identification device of the present invention.

In the conventional example shown in FIG. 8, the thickness detection sensor 8 is provided on the left and right sides of the data detection sensor 9, whereas in this embodiment, the thickness detection sensor 11 is provided on the left side of the data detection sensor 10 (in the gift certificate insertion direction). (at the rear). Figure 6 shows signal bands 2 and 3.
Although the arrangement of the thickness detection portion 4 is shown in FIG.
Thickness detection is performed after data identification when inserted, and at the beginning of return when returned.

Figure 2 A shows the movement status of gift certificates in this case.
Shown in B and C. When identifying and accepting a gift certificate, the gift certificate 1 moves in the order of A→B→C in FIG.

Then, between A and C, the data recorded in the signal band is detected by data detection sensors 9 and 10 and determined. When the gift certificate reaches position C, the thickness detection sensor 11 touches the thickness detection portion 4 of the gift certificate 1, so that it is detected whether or not two or more gift certificates have been inserted one on top of the other.

On the other hand, when returning a temporarily reserved gift certificate, it is returned by moving in the order of C→B→A in FIG.

If we consider the case where the gift certificate is returned overlapping with a previously stored gift certificate, the thickness detection portion 4 of the gift certificate will hit the thickness detection sensor 11 at the position C in FIG. It can be determined that there are two or more gift certificates to be returned at an earlier point in time. Therefore, since the gift certificate is still inside the recognition machine at this time, by stopping the conveyance, it is easy to prevent two or more gift certificates from being returned by mistake.

Next, an example of thickness detection will be explained.

Figure 3 shows a diagram of the principle of thickness detection. Conveyance path 1
A light emitting element 11A and a light receiving element 11B are arranged above and below the thickness detecting sensor 11.

Now, if we consider the case where the gift certificate is conveyed in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, the light receiving element 1 of the thickness sensor
The detection level of 1B is, if there is only one gift certificate,
As shown in FIG. 4, it becomes V ₁ , and if there are two gift certificates, it becomes V ₂ as shown in FIG. 5. Since the light transmittance varies depending on the number of gift certificates, it is possible to distinguish whether there is one gift certificate or two or more gift certificates depending on the detection levels V ₁ and V ₂ .

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention as described above, thickness detection is performed both during transportation in the insertion direction and during transportation in the reverse direction at the thickness detection portion at the rear end in the insertion direction, and when returning, the tip portion in the return direction is located at the insertion opening. Since it is possible to reliably detect the thickness in a state where the thickness has not yet reached and in the same state as when inserted, it is possible to reliably prevent gift certificates from being returned from the holding section more than necessary.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sensor arrangement diagram of an embodiment of the gift certificate identification device of the present invention, FIGS. 2A, B, and C are diagrams each illustrating the movement status of a gift certificate, and FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating thickness detection. The side sectional view, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5 are diagrams showing the detected waveforms of the thickness detection sensor when there are one and two gift certificates, respectively. FIG. 6 is an external view of the gift certificate, and FIG. 7 is the gift certificate. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the identification device, FIG. 8 is a sensor arrangement diagram in a conventional gift certificate identification device, and FIGS. 9A, B, and C are diagrams each illustrating the movement of the gift certificate at the time of return. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Gift certificate, 2... Data signal band, 3... Strobe signal band, 4... Thickness detection part, 5... Gift certificate identifier, 6, 7... Insertion detection sensor, 8, 11... Thickness detection sensor, 9, 10 ...Data detection sensor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A gift certificate in which a data recording portion is formed as a line along the insertion direction on the ticket surface and thickness detection portions are formed at the leading and trailing ends in the insertion direction is inserted through the insertion slot. The gift certificate is then conveyed in the insertion direction, and the authenticity is determined by reading the data in the data recording section during conveyance, and the thickness is detected by the thickness detection portion, whereby the gift certificate is determined to be true. The gift certificates are sent one by one to the holding section, and when returning the gift certificates, the gift certificates are transported in the opposite direction to the insertion direction and the thickness is detected by the thickness detection portion during the conveyance, thereby removing the gift certificates from the holding section. 1
A method for detecting the thickness of a gift certificate in which the gift certificate is sent out one by one, characterized in that thickness detection during both the insertion direction transport and the reverse direction transport is performed at a thickness detection portion at the rear end in the insertion direction. thickness detection method. 2. A gift certificate in which a data recording part is formed as a line along the insertion direction on the ticket surface and thickness detection parts are formed at the leading and rear ends in the insertion direction is inserted through the insertion slot, and the gift certificate is inserted into the card through the insertion slot. a conveyance means for conveying the gift certificates in the insertion direction and sending them one by one into the holding section, and when returning the gift certificates, conveying the gift certificates in the opposite direction to the insertion direction and sending out the gift certificates one by one from the holding section; A data detection sensor for reading the data in the data recording section and determining authenticity during transportation in the insertion direction, and a thickness detection sensor for detecting the thickness of the gift certificate during transportation in the insertion direction and during transportation in the reverse direction. A gift certificate identification device characterized in that the thickness detection sensor is provided at a position for detecting thickness at a thickness detection portion at the rear end in the insertion direction.