(19)
(11) EP 0 725 375 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
18.12.1996 Bulletin 1996/51

(43) Date of publication A2:
07.08.1996 Bulletin 1996/32

(21) Application number: 96300447.8

(22) Date of filing: 23.01.1996
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6: G07D 7/00
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE ES FR GB IT

(30) Priority: 01.02.1995 GB 9501921

(71) Applicant: NCR International, Inc.
Dayton, Ohio 45479 (US)

(72) Inventor:
  • Eccles, John
    Nottinghamshire, NG12 3FR (GB)

(74) Representative: Robinson, Robert George et al
International Intellectual Property Department, NCR LIMITED, 915 High Road, North Finchley
London N12 8QJ
London N12 8QJ (GB)

   


(54) Apparatus for authenticating documents


(57) In apparatus for authenticating documents (12) such as banknotes, light reflected from, or transmitted through, a document (12), is formed by a lens system (20) to a beam (32) which is directed to a series of wavelength selective beam splitters (34) each of which transmits light of greater than a characteristic wavelength and reflects light of lesser wavelength. The characteristic wavelengths of the beam splitters (34) increase or decrease along the series. The resulting output beams (36) are sensed by photosensors (40) to produce electrical signals which are digitized. The resulting data is analyzed, for example, by comparison with corresponding data derived from a genuine document, to provide an output signal on a line (48) indicative of the authenticity of the document (12).






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