In order to efficiently acquire an optical characteristic from partial areas on the paper sheet, a paper sheet recognition apparatus (1) that recognizes a paper sheet by using an optical spectrum acquired from the paper sheet on a transport path (60) includes, a light source unit (31) including light sources arranged corresponding to the partial areas on the paper sheet, a reading unit (32) having a light receiving surface to receive reflected lights from the partial areas, a sensor unit (34) that acquires an optical spectrum from light received by the light receiving surface, a memory (80) that stores an optical spectrum measurement condition for acquiring an optical spectrum from a predetermined partial area on the paper sheet. The optical spectrum measurement condition includes information for identifying at least one light source corresponding to the predetermined partial area among the light sources of the light source unit (31), information for identifying a timing for turning on the identified light source, and information for identifying a timing for turning off the light source turned on at the timing for turning on; and a light-source control unit (72) that controls the light source unit (31) based on the optical spectrum measurement condition.

In order to efficiently acquire an optical characteristic from partial areas on the paper sheet, a paper sheet recognition apparatus (1) that recognizes a paper sheet by using an optical spectrum acquired from the paper sheet on a transport path (60) includes, a light source unit (31) including light sources arranged corresponding to the partial areas on the paper sheet, a reading unit (32) having a light receiving surface to receive reflected lights from the partial areas, a sensor unit (34) that acquires an optical spectrum from light received by the light receiving surface, a memory (80) that stores an optical spectrum measurement condition for acquiring an optical spectrum from a predetermined partial area on the paper sheet. The optical spectrum measurement condition includes information for identifying at least one light source corresponding to the predetermined partial area among the light sources of the light source unit (31), information for identifying a timing for turning on the identified light source, and information for identifying a timing for turning off the light source turned on at the timing for turning on; and a light-source control unit (72) that controls the light source unit (31) based on the optical spectrum measurement condition.

A method of determining a currency type and denomination of a bill inserted into a bill acceptor includes receiving the bill inserted into the bill acceptor, the bill acceptor being a single bill acceptor accepting bills of a plurality of currency types, scanning the inserted bill after receiving the inserted bill and determining physical attributes of the inserted bill, and comparing the physical attributes of the inserted bill with attribute characteristics of entries stored in a database. The method also includes determining whether the inserted bill has a matching entry in the database, determining the currency type and denomination of the inserted bill upon determining that the inserted bill has the matching entry in the database, and indicating the determined currency type and denomination and that the inserted bill was successfully accepted in response to determining that the inserted bill has the matching entry in the database.

An image captured for a currency note is preprocessed to correct pixel intensity values to expected pixel intensity values. The corrected image is passed to a currency validator for determining whether the currency not is genuine or non-genuine.

The disclosure relates generally to checks and other negotiable financial instruments and particularly to mitigating exposure to financial fraud. Specifically, the disclosure relates to systems and methods of authenticating checks issued by a first entity for the benefit of a third party.

The present invention provides a method of validating a media item, the method comprising receiving image data corresponding to a plurality of digital images of a media item to be validated, wherein each image is associated with a respective one of a plurality of different channels of an illumination source for illuminating the media item, selecting image data corresponding to two of the plurality of images, dividing a common parameter of the selected image data associated with corresponding locations of the two selected images to create ratio image data representing a ratio image for two different channels of the illumination source, extracting feature information associated with the ratio image, and classifying the extracted feature information with at least one classifier of a validation template to determine whether or not the media item is valid. A computer program and a Self-Service Terminal for validating a media item, such as a banknote, are also provided.

Existing currency validation (CVAL) devices, systems, and methods are too slow, costly, intrusive, and/or bulky to be routinely used in common transaction locations (e.g., at checkout, at an automatic teller machine, etc.). Presented herein are devices, systems, and methods to facilitate optical validation of documents, merchandise, or currency at common transaction locations and to do so in an obtrusive and convenient way. More specifically, the present invention embraces a validation device that may be used alone or integrated within a larger system (e.g., point of sale system, kiosk, etc.). The present invention also embraces methods for currency validation using the validation device, as well as methods for improving the quality and consistency of data captured by the validation device for validation.

A system and method for detecting counterfeit document. The invention evaluates identifying the Region of Interest (ROI) where patterns such as VOID/COPY Pantographs are located; forming an image of the ROI; cropping the image of ROI; applying multichannel filtering for texture/pattern analysis; detecting object/edges; partitioning a group of data points into clusters; converting gray scale image to binary form using thresholding; applying motion blur to the binary image and further applying thresholding; determining bounding area of bounding boxes to make the identified characters machine readable for OCR. A counterfeit document is detected where the characters under pattern (e.g. VOID/COPY Pantograph) are not detected.

An image processing device that acquires an image from an object includes an illuminator having a plurality of light sources, a sensor unit, and a controller. The plurality of light sources irradiates light of respectively different colors onto an object. The sensor unit outputs luminance data for one line obtained by photoelectrically converting light is reflected from the object of that was irradiated by the illuminator onto the object. The controller acquires a random number, and acquires luminance data for one line output by the sensor unit, while causing one light source selected from the plurality of light sources based on the acquired random number to emit light.

The present invention provides methods, reagents, and apparatus for authenticating and identifying products. Methods of the invention are easy to implement but difficult to replicate, simulate, alter, transpose, or tamper with. In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a product authentication code defined by a frequency array of a population of entities, and an item identifier defined by the specific manifestation of the product authentication code.