A detection method and system includes applying a gas to an article, the article including a gasochromic material capable of emitting a radiation emission spectrum in the presence of the gas, the article further including a first absorptive material capable of absorbing radiation in a first narrow bandwidth within the emission spectrum to produce a first narrow bandwidth absorption line in the emission spectrum, irradiating the article in the presence of the gas; and detecting the emission spectrum having the first narrow bandwidth absorption line.

A banknote rolling-out control method and apparatus and a banknote storage device are provided for solving the technical problem of device failure caused by the case where a banknote can easily be stuck in the device after being stored on a reel for a long time. The method includes: storing a rolling-in time at which a banknote enters a device and a corresponding banknote sequence number; obtaining a rolling-out time of a current banknote which needs to be rolled out; obtaining the rolling-in time corresponding to the banknote sequence number of the current banknote; and determining whether the rolling-in time and the rolling-out time satisfies a preset time condition, and rolling out the current banknote at a rolling-out speed lower than a preset speed in a case of a positive determination.

A bill softness recognition method and a bill softness recognition device are provided. The method includes: receiving bills; extracting and separating the bills to make the bills enter a bill channel in a separated manner; capturing a single-bill image and a bill background image of each of the extracted bills; rolling the extracted bill to make the bill press a plurality of prearranged force sensors; acquiring effective force signals fed back from the force sensors; acquiring an inclination angle of the bill based on the single-bill image and the bill background image; determining, based on the inclination angle, the force sensor that is pressed by the bill as an effective force sensor; and judging whether the effective force signal of the effective force sensor meets a preset softness condition, and determining the bill as a soft bill if the effective force signal meets the preset softness condition.

A means and method for checking a value document of at least one irregularity of at least one specified type, in which an ultrasound data record is captured which describes in locally resolved fashion at least one ultrasound property, a deviation data record is ascertained which describes in locally resolved fashion a deviation between the ultrasound data record and a model and is ascertained such that the deviation described thereby is minimal with respect to the model. The model comprises a model for the location dependence of the at least one ultrasound property of reference value documents of the specified value document type without irregularities of the at least one specified type, and using the deviation data record, it is checked whether an indication of an irregularity of the at least one type is present on the value document.

A means and method for checking a value document of at least one irregularity of at least one specified type, in which an ultrasound data record is captured which describes in locally resolved fashion at least one ultrasound property, a deviation data record is ascertained which describes in locally resolved fashion a deviation between the ultrasound data record and a model and is ascertained such that the deviation described thereby is minimal with respect to the model. The model comprises a model for the location dependence of the at least one ultrasound property of reference value documents of the specified value document type without irregularities of the at least one specified type, and using the deviation data record, it is checked whether an indication of an irregularity of the at least one type is present on the value document.

A bill softness recognition method and a bill softness recognition device are provided. The method includes: receiving bills; extracting and separating the bills to make the bills enter a bill channel in a separated manner; capturing a single-bill image and a bill background image of each of the extracted bills; rolling the extracted bill to make the bill press a plurality of prearranged force sensors; acquiring effective force signals fed back from the force sensors; acquiring an inclination angle of the bill based on the single-bill image and the bill background image; determining, based on the inclination angle, the force sensor that is pressed by the bill as an effective force sensor; and judging whether the effective force signal of the effective force sensor meets a preset softness condition, and determining the bill as a soft bill if the effective force signal meets the preset softness condition.

A method and system for cleaning a secure instrument, such as a banknote, including a substrate, visual data and a security feature, including exposing the secure instrument to a supercritical fluid at a temperature and a pressure and for a duration sufficient to clean the substrate and not compromise the security feature and the visual data, wherein to clean the substrate includes to remove one or more substances from the substrate into the supercritical fluid. The substances removed from the substrate may include contaminants, dirt, sebum and pathogens.