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(11) | EP 0 227 453 A3 |
(12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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(54) | Article detection and recognition |
(57) A programmable coin acceptor which is readily reprogrammed to accept different coin
sets is described. The acceptor includes a detector (10) which generates an alternating
magnetic field through two spatially symmetric flux paths (23,25). Disposed in each
of the flux paths (23,25) is a detector coil (22,26). When the acceptor is in use
a coin is passed through one If the flux paths (23). The resulting difference in the
flux through the two paths (23,25) induces a voltage across the detector coils (22,26).
The amplitude of this voltage and its phase relative to the excitation voltage are
derived and compared with stored information to determine whether the coin should
be accepted. The stored information may readily be changed for a new coin set by switching
the acceptor to programming mode and passing selected coins from the coin set through
the detector (10) in a predetermined manner. |