| (19) |
 |
|
(11) |
EP 0 889 446 A3 |
| (12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| (88) |
Date of publication A3: |
|
13.01.1999 Bulletin 1999/02 |
| (43) |
Date of publication A2: |
|
07.01.1999 Bulletin 1999/01 |
| (22) |
Date of filing: 25.06.1998 |
|
| (51) |
International Patent Classification (IPC)6: G07D 7/00 |
|
| (84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
|
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE |
|
Designated Extension States: |
|
AL LT LV MK RO SI |
| (30) |
Priority: |
04.07.1997 GB 9714083
|
| (71) |
Applicant: NCR INTERNATIONAL INC. |
|
Dayton,
Ohio 45479 (US) |
|
| (72) |
Inventors: |
|
- Ross, Gary A.
Colinsburgh,
Fife,
Scotland (GB)
- Meeran, Sheik
Dundee,
Scotland DD2 2LP (GB)
|
| (74) |
Representative: Irish, Vivien Elizabeth et al |
|
International IP Department,
NCR Limited,
206 Marylebone Road
London NW1 6LY
London NW1 6LY (GB) |
|
| |
|
| (54) |
Document recognition apparatus |
(57) Document recognition apparatus for banknotes (1) utilises bar codes which are printed
in fluorescent ink on the face of banknotes (1). The bar codes are read by transporting
the notes past a reading station (4) where an ultra-violet lamp (5) illuminates the
notes (1) and causes any barcoded information printed on them to fluoresce and be
detected by a photodiode (9) sensitive to the wavelength of the fluorescence. To ensure
that the barcode is read irrespective of which way up a note is transported, and irrespective
of which edge of the note leads, additional reading stations may be provided. To help
read old and dirty notes, as well as to detect forgeries, the output of the photodiode
may be fed to a neural network.