METHOD AND TEST APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE AUTHENTICITY OF OBJECTS

Abstract

A method as well as an inspection device are provided for automatically checking the authenticity of objects, such as coins. The method includes carrying out an X-ray fluorescence analysis, XRFA, of an object which is to be checked, and carrying out a first comparison in which one or more properties of at least one fluorescence spectrum generated during the course of the XRFA are compared with an associated first body of reference information; carrying out a second analysis of the object on the basis of a corresponding second inspection method other than XRFA, as well as a second comparison in which an examination result obtained during the course of the second analysis is compared with an associated second body of reference information; and determining an analysis result relating to the authenticity of the object in dependence upon the results of the first comparison as well as the second comparison.

Claims

1. A method for automatically checking an authenticity of objects by an inspection device, wherein the method comprises: carrying out an X-ray fluorescence analysis, XRFA, of an object which is to be checked, and carrying out a first comparison in which one or more properties of at least one fluorescence spectrum generated during a course of the XRFA are compared with an associated first body of reference information; carrying out a second analysis of the object on the basis of a corresponding second inspection method other than XRFA, as well as carrying out a second comparison in which an examination result obtained during the course of the second analysis is compared with an associated second body of reference information; and determining an analysis result relating to the authenticity of the object in dependence upon the first comparison as well as the second comparison, to complete an authenticity check for the object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting a kind, a condition or at least one predetermined property of the object to be checked; and carrying out the first or the second analysis in dependence upon the result of this detection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the detection of the kind, the condition or the at least one predetermined property of the object to be checked is carried out as a sub-process of the XRFA or of the second analysis.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second inspection method is selected from several available inspection methods in dependence upon the result of the detection.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one property of an X-ray radiation which is used in the XRFA is determined in dependence upon the result of the detection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is subjected to at least one of the XRFA and the second analysis only from one spatial side.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is subjected to at least one of the XRFA and the second analysis from at least two different sides.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: a selective discharging of the object having been inspected, in dependence upon the analysis result that has been determined regarding the authenticity of at least one of the object and of at least one of the following aspects detected during the authenticity check: a kind, a condition, or at least one predetermined property of the object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second inspection method is one of the following: a visual or an optical inspection; an inspection by an electromagnetic sensing device, EMS; a determination of a weight, mass or mass density; secondary ion mass spectroscopy; and scanning electron microscopy, SEM.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the visual or optical inspection comprises irradiating the object with light: (a) along, or at least substantially along, a single direction of irradiation, (b) by a light dome, or (c) by a ring illuminator; as well as, in each case, detecting the light which has been reflected from the object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following sub-processes of the authenticity check is performed by the inspection device in a clock-based manner according to a clock signal: object feed, first analysis, second analysis, and object discharge.

12. An inspection device for checking an authenticity of objects, wherein the inspection device operates to conduct a method comprising: carrying out an X-ray fluorescence analysis, XRFA, of an object which is to be checked, and carrying out a first comparison in which one or more properties of at least one fluorescence spectrum generated during a course of the XRFA are compared with an associated first body of reference information; carrying out a second analysis of the object on the basis of a corresponding second inspection method other than XRFA, as well as carrying out a second comparison in which an examination result obtained during the course of the second analysis is compared with an associated second body of reference information; and determining an analysis result relating to the authenticity of the object in dependence upon the first comparison as well as the second comparison, to complete an authenticity check for the object.

13. The inspection device of claim 12, wherein the inspection device comprises a modular structure with two or more modules, of which a first module is configured to carry out the XRFA, and a second module is configured to carry out the second inspection method.

14. The inspection device of claim 12, wherein the inspection device is set up to simultaneously analyze two or more objects within the framework of the authenticity check.

15. The inspection device of claim 12, further comprising: a sorting device for selectively discharging objects analyzed within a framework of the authenticity check, in dependence upon at least one of its result and at least one of the following captured during the authenticity check: a kind, a condition, or at least one predetermined property of the object.

16. The inspection device of claim 12, further comprising: a control device set up to control an X-ray radiation source used for the XRFA in such a way that at least one property of the X-ray radiation used for the XRFA can be variably adjusted.

17. The inspection device of claim 13, wherein the two or more modules of the inspection device further includes further modules that are each configured to carry out a further inspection method beyond the XFRA and the second inspection method.

18. The inspection device of claim 13, wherein the inspection device is set up to simultaneously analyze two or more objects within the framework of the authenticity check, wherein the inspection device further comprises: a sorting device for selectively discharging objects analyzed within a framework of the authenticity check, in dependence upon at least one of its result and at least one of the following captured during the authenticity check: a kind, a condition, or at least one predetermined property of the object; and a control device set up to control an X-ray radiation source used for the XRFA in such a way that at least one property of the X-ray radiation used for the XRFA can be variably adjusted, wherein the two or more modules of the inspection device further includes further modules that are each configured to carry out a further inspection method beyond the XFRA and the second inspection method.

19. The method of claim 3, wherein the second inspection method is selected from several available inspection methods in dependence upon the result of the detection, wherein at least one property of an X-ray radiation which is used in the XRFA is determined in dependence upon the result of the detection, wherein the object is subjected to at least one of the XRFA and the second analysis only from one spatial side, wherein the object is subjected to at least one of the XRFA and the second analysis from at least two different sides, wherein the method further comprises a selective discharging of the object having been inspected, in dependence upon the analysis result that has been determined regarding the authenticity of at least one of the object and of at least one of the following aspects detected during the authenticity check: the kind, the condition, or the at least one predetermined property of the object, wherein the second inspection method is one of the following: a visual or an optical inspection; an inspection by an electromagnetic sensing device, EMS; a determination of a weight, mass or mass density; secondary ion mass spectroscopy; and scanning electron microscopy, SEM, wherein the visual or optical inspection comprises irradiating the object with light: (a) along, or at least substantially along, a single direction of irradiation, (b) by a light dome, or (c) by a ring illuminator; as well as, in each case, detecting the light which has been reflected from the object, and wherein at least one of the following sub-processes of the authenticity check is performed by the inspection device in a clock-based manner according to a clock signal: object feed, first analysis, second analysis, and object discharge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The features and advantages of the invention will be appreciated upon reference to the following drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, explain the one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0032] FIG. 1 schematically shows an inspection device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of the method in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The inspection device 1 shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, comprises a base in the form of a frame 3, which is mobile on wheels 2. By way of example, four analysis modules 4a to 4d are arranged on the frame 3, each of which is set up to analyze, with regard to an authenticity verification, in accordance with an associated inspection method, objects to be tested, which in the present example are intended to be coins.

[0035] The analysis module 4a is set up for visual inspection of the coins, whereby the coins are irradiated by a light dome so that a diffuse reflection of the light on the surface of the irradiated coin is produced and detected for the purpose of the analysis and evaluated. Such an analysis by irradiation using a light dome is especially suitable for the surface and/or color inspection of coins which have already been used.

[0036] The analysis module 4b is also set up for the visual inspection of the coins, whereby the coins are however irradiated coaxially, i.e. with parallel light and, at least substantially, perpendicular to that side of the coin which is to be examined, so that accordingly a reflection of the light is produced on the surface of the irradiated coin, which reflection is at least substantially non-diffuse, and is detected for the purpose of analysis and evaluated. Such an analysis is suitable for the surface inspection of coin blanks or of freshly minted, new coins. As an alternative, the analysis module could also use a ring illuminator, which is suitable for the visual inspection of the edge of disc-shaped objects such as coins.

[0037] The analysis module 4c is set up to subject the coins to an electromagnetic analysis, EMS, and is accordingly equipped with an EMS sensor system. The EMS analysis can be used to check the coins with regard to any alloys which are contained therein, as these can often be distinguished by their electromagnetic properties.

[0038] Finally, the analysis module 4d is set up to examine the coins by an X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRFA), which allows detailed conclusions to be drawn as regards the kind and the concentration of the chemical elements which are contained in the coins, on the basis of which it is possible to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit coins in very many cases.

[0039] In addition, the inspection device 1 comprises a feeding device 6, which may be constructed as a magazine loading device for receiving one or more coin magazines in which the coins to be tested are inserted in advance. In addition, the inspection device 1 comprises a discharge device 7, which in turn has a plurality of discharge compartments, in the example shown in FIG. 1 the compartments 7a, b, as well as a transport device (not shown) which leads between the feeding device 6 and the discharge device 7 and between them through the various analysis modules. The transport device, which may be formed for example by one or more conveyor belts, serves to convey the coins to be tested through the inspection device 1 along the transport direction, which is indicated in FIG. 1 by arrows. Finally, for its control, the inspection device 1 comprises a control unit 5 which is configured to control the inspection device 1 in a clock-based manner in such a way that the transport device removes the coins to be tested in a serial manner one after the other from the feeding device 6, and feeds them to the analysis modules 4a to 4d (cf. FIG. 2) which have been selected beforehand for carrying out the inspection, as well as finally, by the discharge device 7, selectively deposits, in accordance with the overall result of the respective inspection, the checked coins in a discharge compartment 7a or 7b which is assigned to the respective overall result. Ideally, all of the steps mentioned above should take place according to the specified clock. However, it is also conceivable that this only applies to individual steps and that it is made possible, for example by appropriate object buffers, that individual steps or step sequences of the method are carried out in an asynchronous manner. Finally, the inspection device 1 can further be configured to output the overall result of the inspection, preferably together with partial results of the individual analyses of the analysis modules 4a to 4d which were involved in the inspection, on the monitors 8a and/or 8b serving as human-machine interfaces. As has already been mentioned, an output via a data interface 5a is also possible, which may be constructed on the control unit 5.

[0040] FIG. 2 represents a flowchart in order to illustrate an embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention which, for the purpose of better illustration, but without this being intended to be regarded as a restriction, will be explained with reference to the inspection device 1 shown in FIG. 1. The method comprises a step S1 in which objects to be checked and which are stored in a magazine, which in the example discussed here are again intended to be coins, are fed in a serial manner to the first analysis module 4a by the magazine loading device 6. Optionally, several transport and test tracks can also be provided in the inspection device 1 for the simultaneous testing of two or more coins, as a result of which the efficiency of the inspection device 1 or of the method can be increased accordingly, in particular multiplied.

[0041] By using the analysis module 4a, a visual analysis of the object to be checked, i.e. of the coin to be checked, is carried out by image recognition on the basis of a comparison with associated image reference information. During the course of this, first of all, the type of coin (generally: the type of object), in particular the currency as well as the nominal value of the coin, is determined and a further visual analysis is carried out with regard to the authenticity of the coin. For this purpose, the coin is illuminated by a light dome with light in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum and the resulting diffuse reflection is evaluated by the image recognition and the image reference information assigned to the type of coin that has been recognized. The reference information can be retrieved from a corresponding database, which may be located in the inspection device 1, or however from an external source, such as for example a server, via a communication link. The result of this visual analysis represents a first partial result of the authenticity check of the coin.

[0042] In a further step S3, whichlike the subsequent step S4is also optional, it is determined, in dependence upon the type of object or type of coin which has been detected in the step S2, whether and, if so, which of the further inspection methods provided by the inspection device 1 by the further analysis modules 4b to 4d are to be used within the framework of the authenticity check of the coin. For example, during the course of this, it could be determined that, in addition to the visual analysis already carried out by the analysis module 4a, an EMS analysis by the analysis module 4c as well as an XRFA analysis by the analysis module 4d are additionally to be carried out. Accordingly, in the subsequent step S4, the further analysis, in the present example the EMS analysis by the analysis module 4c, is carried out in order to obtain a second partial result of the authenticity check of the coin.

[0043] In a further step S5, one or more X-ray radiation parameters of an X-ray source of the XRFA analysis module 4d, in particular the wavelength of the X-ray radiation which is to be used for the XRFA, are then set in dependence upon the detected type of coin. The parameters of the X-ray source are thus adapted to the chemical composition known for the respective type of coin, in such a way that the X-ray radiation is able to, and preferably such that it is optimized to, excite the coin type-dependent fluorescence spectrum required for the XRFA-based inspection of the coin as well as possible when the coin to be inspected is irradiated with the X-ray radiation. In a subsequent step S6 an XRFA examination of the coin to be checked is then carried out by the XRFA analysis module, for which purpose the fluorescence radiation produced is compared with an associated set of fluorescence reference information, which can describe a reference fluorescence spectrum for the detected coin type, in order to obtain a third partial result of the authenticity check of the coin on the basis of this.

[0044] In the step S7, which is preferably carried out by the control unit 5, an evaluation of the three partial results of the preceding analyses according to the steps S2, S4 and S6 is carried out in order to determine an overall result regarding the authenticity of the coin which has been analyzed. In the subsequent step S8, the coin is then discharged into one of several output compartments 7a or 7b in dependence upon the overall result, in particular on whether the coin has been recognized as genuine or as a counterfeit, as well as optionally in addition in dependence upon the type of object detected in the step S2. Finally, in a step S9, the overall result regarding the authenticity of the analyzed coin is output at a human-machine interface and/or at the data interface 5a of the inspection device 1. In the case of the inspection device 1 according to FIG. 1, the monitors 8a and/or 8b can represent this human-machine interface. In addition to the overall result, optionally, the partial results of the individual analyses can additionally also be output.

[0045] While at least one example embodiment has been described above, it is to be noted that there are a large number of variations to this. It is also to be noted that the example embodiments which have been described only represent non-limiting examples, and that it is not intended to thereby limit the scope, the applicability or the configuration of the devices and methods described here. Rather, the preceding description will provide the skilled person with instructions for the implementation of at least one example embodiment, whereby it is understood that various changes can be made as regards the functionality and the arrangement of the elements described in an example embodiment without deviating from the subject matter respectively defined in the appended claims, as well as its legal equivalents.